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TIt's nice to see seniors' long-term care facilities make their facilities feel as much like home as they can for their residents.

Another recent example is Tideview Terrace in Digby with its True Doors campaign. The doors don't look like something plain and ordinary that you'd see in a hallway of a facility, but rather something you'd see on the front door of a home.

The idea is to make the facility feel more like the homes the seniors have left behind and also to help residents locate their rooms easier.

Beyond that, it's cheerful for staff and visitors too.

It's been a hard and long couple of years with the COVID pandemic.

Anything to bring smiles and comfort is more important than ever.

A special valentine in Yarmouth County is going to make the rounds again this year for the 54th time.

It didn't start out as a tradition – it was more of a prank. But when you're onto a good idea, why stop?

That's what two families who have been secretly exchanging the valentine since 1968 discovered.

As our front-page story tells, the results have been fun and anticipation each year when Valentine's Day rolls around, and in the weeks leading up to it as well.

It's great to see these types of traditions happening.

If your family has a tradition, keep doing it. If you don't have one, it's never too let to start.

It was great this past weekend to see social media flooded with photos and videos of families and others out skating on frozen lakes.

The recent frigid cold has been good for something – it has provided an avenue for recreation and exercise.

Many people – who hadn't worn a pair of skates in many years, if at all – were lacing up and getting out.

There was hockey being played. Young children were being taught how to skate, or were being pushed around on sleds and chairs.

But it's not just people's physical health that was being helped – it was their mental health too. Given all that everyone has been through over the past couple of years because of the pandemic, that's a good thing.

Of course, if you're venturing out on a frozen lake or pond make sure you or someone has done due diligence to ensure the ice is thick.

Have fun, but have fun safely.