There are few things more satisfying than creating a delicious summer meal from fresh produce picked up at the local farmers market – or better yet, from your own garden. This time of year, the colours are richer, the smells are sweeter, and the food literally bursts with flavour.

I enjoy preparing these meals thoughtfully. But the real magic happens afterwards: savouring them slowly, enjoying one another’s company over good conversation out on the patio. Perhaps a game of Scrabble, if I can convince anyone to join me. My family has developed a remarkable talent for disappearing the moment the board comes out.

My favourite part about these meals? Nobody is in a rush to go anywhere.

We spend so much of our lives moving quickly. Eating on the go, rushing between commitments, checking the clock. Somewhere along the way, meals became something to get through rather than something to enjoy. But summer offers us a gentle invitation to slow down. The evenings are long. The tomatoes are ripe. The conversation can wander wherever it likes.

There’s healing in this kind of slowness. When we take time to truly taste our food, to linger at the table, to laugh with the people beside us, we’re practicing something important: being present. Not planning, not worrying, not bracing for what’s next. Just here, now, with a plate of something delicious.

Perhaps the best summer moments are a little like those garden tomatoes. Slow to ripen. Impossible to rush. But maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what makes them sweet.

So here’s my invitation to you this week: prepare one meal slowly. Share it with someone if you can. Then sit back, and savour.

And if you’re looking for more good company, our community would love to have you. Just drop Julie a line or give her a call – jwells@landingstrong.com, 902-472-2972. 

Warmly,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

During a recent Community Connections scavenger hunt, I stumbled across an old apple tree on the Haliburton Estates. It immediately caught my attention. Its trunk was twisted and gnarled, its branches weathered by countless seasons. Time had left its mark. It may no longer produce the crisp apples it once did, but standing there, I couldn’t help but think it was absolutely beautiful.

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

I’ll let you in on a secret: I never nap. But this weekend, I snuck two in. I felt a bit guilty given how glorious it was outside (though I’d say the heat wave earns me a pass). So I gave myself permission to do exactly what I pleased. And my naps pleased me.

There can be a pressure that arrives with summer. The long days seem to whisper that we should be filling every hour with all the gifts the warm weather has to offer: barbecues, beach days, weekends at the cottage. Expectations can build up quickly.

But just because something is good, doesn’t mean more is better. Summer offers many gifts, but who says they have to be opened all at once? Participating in small ways – a short walk in nature, a phone call to a friend, a shared meal – can be meaningful. Ten minutes on the porch counts. So does a nap.

The sun takes its time setting in July. Maybe we’re allowed to take our time too.

If you’d like company at your own pace, our community would love to welcome you. Just drop Julie a line or give her a call – jwells@landingstrong.com, 902-472-2972. 

A few weekends ago, I headed to the cottage looking forward to exactly what so many of us need from time to time – a little peace, quiet, and some well-earned rest.

Instead, sometime in the middle of the night, I was jolted awake by what can only be described as the world’s loudest bullfrog. It wasn’t a gentle croak from across the lake. It sounded like someone had placed a bullhorn beside the bed and hit repeat. Every time I started to drift back to sleep… there it was again.

The next day, motivated by a desire to help me get some much-needed rest the following night, my husband Joe headed out, tracked down the very vocal culprit, and relocated him to the opposite side of the lake. It wasn’t the most conventional afternoon activity, but it made for a much quieter night – and I slept wonderfully.

It made me think about the things that keep us awake at night.

Sometimes it’s a noisy bullfrog. Sometimes it’s worry, grief, chronic pain, or the nightmares that often accompany operational stress injuries. Whatever the source, poor sleep has a way of touching every part of our lives. We become less patient, less focused, less resilient, and the challenges of the next day can feel much bigger than they really are.

One of the lessons I’ve learned is that hoping the problem will simply disappear rarely works. Whether it’s a frog outside the window or something much deeper within us, lasting relief usually begins when we’re willing to face it directly.

At Landing Strong, we often remind people that healing doesn’t happen by pretending the noise isn’t there. It begins by identifying what’s keeping us awake and taking one thoughtful step toward addressing it.

Sometimes, you just have to catch the frog. 

Warmly,

There are few things more important than having a place to call home.

Over the past year, our Homelessness Prevention Project team has had the privilege of supporting more than 90 veterans and first responders facing housing or food insecurity. That number represents far more than statistics. Behind each one is a person, a family, a story, and an opportunity to help someone rediscover a sense of safety and stability.

At Landing Strong, we believe this work is about far more than finding housing. It’s about creating homes. Home is not simply four walls and a roof – it is a feeling. It is the peace of knowing you have somewhere safe to return to, a place where healing can begin and hope can take root.

This is especially important at a time when so many people are struggling to make ends meet. No one should have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table, and no one should have to navigate those challenges alone.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Charlie, Jen, Miranda, and Catharine, whose compassion, persistence, and creativity have helped make this project such a success. We are also deeply grateful to Stephanie and Alex for their many contributions. Although they are no longer active members of the team, their efforts helped build the strong foundation we continue to grow today.

This work is only possible because of remarkable collaboration. Together with Infrastructure, Culture and Communities Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, VETS Canada, the Veteran Farm Project, the Office of Addictions and Mental Health, the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, Dollar A Day Foundation, and many other community partners, we are working toward a shared goal: ensuring that no veteran or first responder falls through the cracks.

We’re also excited to welcome Jonah Appleton to the team. Jonah will be joining us part-time this summer before moving into a full-time role this fall, and we look forward to the energy and compassion he will bring.

Thank you to everyone who continues to believe that healing begins with connection – and that sometimes, the first step toward recovery is simply helping someone find their way home.

If you are in need of support, just drop Julie a line or give her a call jwells@landingstrong.com 902 472-2972 to find more information on our upcoming programs.

Warmly,