On a recent Monday I was reminded several times how much women and motorcycling are becoming an items. First off the grand-daughter of the founder of Harley Davidson was on Canada AM, speaking about the increasing numbers of women motorcyclists. They said that five percent of their sales in 1992, we to women. Today that has risen to 13% and they feel it will rise even more, partly due to the Garage Parties many dealers are having to introduce women to both bikes and accessories. They even have a line of clothing that helps fight breast cancer.
Then, later in the day I checked out the website of two great women Helen Webber and Marie Woolsey at an award ceremony in Toronto. We each had a book nominated for the Canadian Food Culture Award presented by Cuisine Canada and the University of Guelph. I won Gold for my book Simple Pleasures From Our Maritime Kitchens. I think they took home silver - I was to stunned to take in anything but my own win.
What I do remember is an instant liking and respect for these two women who do things their own way. They formed Blueberries & Polar Bears Publishing in 1994 releasing their first cookbook, Blueberries & Polar Bears and went on with a very successful publishing career.
What is neat about these women is how they work together yet live miles apart. Helen Webber was born in Churchill, Manitoba, to one of the first non-aboriginal families to settle in the area, and still lives in Churchill most of the time. Her husband, Doug, came to Churchill with the Navy, fell in love with the wilderness, and soon established Dymond Lake Air Services and Dymond Lake Outfitters. The construction of two lodges followed - Dymond Lake Hunting Lodge situated on Hudson Bay, north-west of Churchill, and North Knife Lake Fishing Lodge, in north central Manitoba. Helen has been totally involved in all projects, but her claim to fame is that she has been providing incredible meals at one or both Lodges for over 25 years - sometimes under primitive and difficult conditions - but more recently offering 5 star accommodation and simply the best the north has to offer.
Marie Woolsey was born in Dundas, Ontario. She also felt the call of the wild. She married Gary, an Anglican priest-pilot, who whisked her off to remote communities in Northern Ontario and Manitoba. Very shortly after moving to Churchill, the Webbers and the Woolseys became fast friends, and from this friendship grew Marie’s involvement in the lodges. She has been cooking with Helen, part-time since 1980, and even though she now resides in Calgary, Alberta, she was found at the Fishing Lodge every June and at the Hunting Lodge each September. It has always been a team effort - each encouraging the other to experiment with new recipes in order to present their guests with the finest cuisine.
When I met them, what set Helen and Marie apart from other cookbook authors had to be their love of the outdoors. Truly Northerners and truly Canadian, you might catch them out fishing on a quiet afternoon. They watch the geese fly overhead, listen to their calls or hear their wings pushing air - while on the ground, Helen and Marie gather their year’s supply of wild berries!
When I decided to check and see what this dynamic duo are up to these days I went to their website and newsletter published in 2009. What I found out was they are planning to add another publishing project to their list - when they have time. These folks are busy living.
“We have collected enough recipes and enough stories to share – it is always a work in progress. We are just waiting for that little extra push that would say to us –NOW – get serious and do it NOW! But of course that would put a crimp in the lifestyle to which we would like to become accustomed – I’m talking about our off-season traveling. In the past two years, Helen and Doug have been to Iceland, Hawaii and a few Sports Shows in the southern states.
Marie and Gary have been to Mexico and Nashville and have crossed Canada on their motorcycles – from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back again. Marie upgraded from a Honda Shadow 750 to a Kawasaki Vulcan 900 – much more power to play with! So, will we be able to co-ordinate some time together to work on a book? Right now, your guess is as good as ours.” - excerpted from their 2009 newsletter found at
www.blueberriesandpolarbears.com/aboutus/newsletter.htm
Nice to reconnect with folks who I admire because they have such a zest for life!