A tribute to 'our teacher and tour guide': That time Pauline Thornhill came to our farm

With a smile on my face, I said to myself, "She finally pulled the plug." That was my reaction to hearing that Pauline Thornhill, the longtime host of the iconic Land & Sea, has decided to retire. 

For almost 30 years, she has been the face of a show that regaled us with the story of "us." The show has taken us to every corner of Newfoundland and Labrador.

A generation has known no one else as host. She is like our Johnny Carson. She was, and still is, an incredible host, who could have easily gone on for another 250 episodes. In her heart, though, the time had come to put down the pen. 

I called to pass on congratulations, and in typical Pauline style, she downplayed her role in what Land & Sea has become under her tutelage.    

A dream job it is, an easy one it is not. You have to build a show. There are the hours researching, writing and editing in order to extract the necessary elements. Wrangling cats, at times, can be easier. 

From wharfs to marshes, Pauline and company have walked countless miles, braving all kinds of weather. She has eaten all manner of game and fowl in camps and kitchens. 

Having worked in the media, I had an inkling of what it takes to generate a product fit for broadcast, but Land & Sea is on a much different level. I have been one of the fortunate ones to peek behind the curtain.   

It's August 2019. My phone rings. The voice on the other end says, "Hi, Bill, it's Pauline Thornhill from Land & Sea." 

It was probably a second or so, but in my mind, it seemed like a gargantuan space of time. All I was hearing in my head was that familiar theme. 

She heard about how I had changed careers from broadcasting to farming, and asked if I would be interested in being on the show. I thought they must have run out of story ideas.

Over the next few weeks, she would periodically check in, ask a few questions and flush out the logistics of the shoot. In one conversation she admitted, almost apologetically so, that she had never heard of me prior to this. Afraid to shatter the fragile ego of a (former) media person. She was one of the lucky ones. 

For four days that October, with the weather some of the best the season had to offer, the show was recorded. She had her plan as to how she envisioned the episode, but like any professional, took a detour when an idea or a potential visual arose.

I have worked with, and encountered, many media personalities over the years, from all media lines. Some are true to themselves, while others are not what they appear to be.

Pauline is the genuine article. Her persona is disarming and comforting. The warm and kind person on air is the same off. She interacts with you like someone you have known for a lifetime, a friend.