Mary and Bob Gushue are a dynamic duo in life, and in business, hosting guests at The Vimy Bed & Breakfast as well as at The Vimy Boutique. 

The historic home, built in 1936 by a veteran who lost a limb in the Battle of the Vimy, is not only stunning for its historic elements that have been lovingly restored by the couple, but also for the abundant care and decorating talent bestowed upon it by Mary.

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The Bed and Breakfast elements of The Vimy are second to none, with elegant and stylish bed and sitting rooms, and with a breakfast that rivals any available the world over, it’s certainly a favourite staycation destination and sought after vacation spot. 

“It’s been six years of dedication,” Mary begins proudly. 

The Vimy Boutique, located just behind the main house, is a must-visit when it comes to gift-giving or if looking for a treat-yourself item. With near-shockingly reasonable prices and with jaw-dropping spectacularly unique gift-giving ideas, it’s a delightful way to spent some time.

‘A spectacular year’

But don’t wait! The Vimy shuts down  for a few months just before Christmas, opening up again once the worst of the winter is over. 

“Seven months a year we are open, shutting down on the  23rd of December. But it’s been a spectacular year,” Mary shared.  

Known to take risks and “reinvent” themselves regularly, the couple say their Vimy experience has been both a high and a highlight.

“There’s three rooms here, and they are all decorated tastefully and with suite name shoutouts to the original owners of the home,” Mary explained proudly.

The Isabella, The Mark and The Sheppard Suite are all spectacular spots to spend a night or two. The swing out front on the porch or the fire pit out back are all equally inviting areas to rest or cuddle after a day exploring the area.

Can’t visit? That’s fine! Mary and Bob host Facebook Live Vimy Boutique shopping events once a week with to-town delivery/pick-up available as an added bonus. 

Plus, always honoured to share their restoration and decorating prowess, Mary and Bob also host ‘how-to’ segments on their Facebook site for those looking to add more beauty in their own homes. 

“From staircase restoration to how to tastefully decorate a mantle for the holidays, we post as we go and share what we know,” Mary says with a smile.

Bob smiles from his living room perch. “Owning this home comes with a sense of pride. It was ‘the’ home in the area that I’d see growing up and think, ‘it would be nice to live in a house like that,’” he shared. Mary beams. “It’s nice to live here, but it’s really nice that we get to share its beauty with others too.”

For more visit thevimyboutique.com or for shopping and decorating tips ‘Like’ them on Facebook at The Vimy

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Musician Darcy Scott, a grade 12 student at Queen Elizabeth High School in Foxtrap, is filled with gratitude. 

“It’s great to have so much support,” Scott opened as we chatted about his latest song, 1,000 Words. 

Created at the Bell Media Songwriting Challenge in 2020, Scott, along with Virginia Fudge, Chelsea Anne Woolridge, Andrew Marsh and Chris Kirby, wrote and recorded the tune that makes its debut on April 23.

The song, Scott explained, represents “bad moments and the good that can come from them,” he continued. “The song is talking about a bad moment caught on camera and the bad things that could come from that. It’s representative of everything that is being said about that bad moment, but it goes on to say, don’t worry about it because it’s going to be somebody else next week.”

Inside the digital age

The songwriting team started there, he explained, and  then “just went with it.”  

“We started on the topic of one bad photo and we just came up with the song. It’s just awesome as a writer to work with the team I had. We were kind of throwing out ideas right away.”

Everyone had their own idea of how these days are tough to grow up in, he added.

“We were talking about the digital age we live in and how everything in some way, shape or form can end up online and the negative effects of social media.”

The end result is something he’s proud of, he said. 

“I’m really happy with it. I am the artist for the song and everyone else has their credits because it was really a group effort.” Scott shared that being an artist requires more than talent and dedication, it requires support, too. He has that in his father, Jerry Scott.

“Dad is a big support for me right now. He puts me on to a lot of new music and I have a lot of respect for him, too. He’s showed me how to be respectful for all the professionals in the industry and the people that do this for a living every day. 

“But he definitely pushes me a bit to expand out of my comfort zone and meet new people. And he’s always looking out for opportunities, just trying to find the best places to be and the best people to know. He’d be the big person right now that I’m looking up to for helping me push the music.”

The dream team 

The song, when released later this month, will be available on streaming platforms. 

“I use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so I’ll start giving people the chance to preorder and I’ll throw up a couple little teasers so if people want to, they can check me out on those social media sites.”

While he’s a fan of Ron Hynes and Bob Dylan personally, Scott also admires the “dream team” he worked with on 1,000 Words. “I really, really like everyone’s sound that I’ve worked with in this group, seeing their musical tastes demonstrated through their genres. Chris Kirby’s brilliant, he leans more to  the pop stuff. And then Virginia kind of has this like psychedelic pop sound. But we all got together and we worked well together,” he said. 

At the end of the day, it’s all about the music, he said. “We’re just a bunch of people that want to create a good tune and good music. So everyone kind of put their own little spin on certain things. I think that was great and what we came up with, I think people will really enjoy.”

For more, follow Darcy Scott Music on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter