The Heartwarming Synchronicity of Cheese at Laliberté

Late last year I had begun writing a poem in a workshop with Paul E. Nelson, a cover poem of “Tribe” by Edward Dorn, exploring connection to place through ancestors, and roots to homeland and ‘newland’. My history includes the immigration of my parents from Denmark in the early 1960’s. There are some experiences unique to the children of immigrants, related to their parent’s ties to home country, even if and as they embrace their new country with enthusiasm; cultural artifacts create strange wormholes that transpose through space and time.

In November, I was out for a walk and spotted a new cheese shop here in Courtenay, on Cliffe Ave. right across from the Sid Williams Theatre. Intrigued, I stepped inside and was flooded with memories of visiting the European deli in Cranbrook, BC with my Dad when I was young. Any trip to Cranbrook included a stop here as Dad was able to purchase Danish cheeses, and uncannily long strings of tethered red European wieners, neither of which were available in Creston where we lived. 

I remember the odour of the shop vividly, and also my sister’s strenuous objections when the fridge would be opened at home. The pungent (I’m being kind to the cheese) aroma would emanate, no matter how many layers the very ripe cheese had been wrapped in.

As I stepped into Laliberté, my first thought went to my Dad, and how much he would have loved this shop! I could picture him being offered little tasting slices as he made his thoughtful and leisurely selections…this was not be rushed… leaving with several bundles of wax-paper-wrapped connections to home. While I grew up wanting Cheez Whiz and Kraft Singles, he kept our fridge stocked with Havarti, Esrom, and Tilsit.

I asked the shop keeper if she had a Danbo or Havarti with caraway. She didn’t, but after a taste or two of the cheeses on offer, I made my choices and left, my bag full of intriguing selections.

A few weeks later, I stopped in again and got the very first wedge of a wheel of Gouda with Caraway. Not quite Danbo with Caraway, but damn close. I enjoyed it on a thick slice of rye with an underbelly of butter, and a top dressing of raspberry jam; just like Dad.

In the dark days of the new year, I was asked if I would participate in the 2025 Downtown Courtenay Poetry Walk. This event, in honour of April being Poetry Month, includes local poets being asked to write short poems which are then painted on storefront windows throughout downtown Courtenay; 25 Poets and 25 stores. 

The theme this year was ‘family’, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to go back to my unfinished ‘tribe’ poem from the fall and polish up a small section of it. A couple weeks after saying yes, I received an email telling me which downtown business I was assigned to…

…I got goosebumps as I read the email… 

Laliberté and I had been paired up in a heartwarming synchronicity*. 

Laliberté will host poet Kristina Campbell for the 2025 Downtown Courtenay Poetry Walk in April for Poetry Month. 25 poets and 25 shops, go for a walk in Downtown Courtenay and see how many you can spot

April is Poetry Month! Head on over to Artful : The Gallery to check out the many offerings on the events page. Take a stroll through downtown Courtenay and see how many of the poetry gems you can find. Stop in at Laliberté and pick up some cheese…perhaps she’ll even tuck a few memories in for you as she wraps up your selections. 

*Coincidence is defined as a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection (Oxford Language Dictionary) while synchronicity is a coincidence on steroids; not only have random events improbably connected, but the collision of those events is deeply meaningful to someone at the centre of them (Carl Jung).