Winter In The Hills 2016

VOLUME 23 NUMBER 4 2016

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M A G A Z I N E

O F

C O U N T R Y

L I V I N G

I N

T H E

H E A D W A T E R S

R E G I O N

Welcoming

Syrian refugees

New books and music

Tracking 101 A winter wedding Our Local Heroes for 2016

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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Town & Country Real Estate

MARIA BRITTO a d a n a C , h O . . . d n a l e v i t a n d n a e m o h r u O Canada 150 – Our Home

In 2017, Canada celebrates 150 years. Canadians rightly and proudly state that Canada, our country, is the best in the world. I certainly agree wholeheartedly.

In this article, I am going to share my thoughts on why I feel that way in the context of my profession…real estate.

I love houses…compelling architecture…unique styles…interesting properties… beautiful gardens…expansive fields…lovely vistas. Almost every house I see has ‘something’. I never tire of seeing the ‘next one’. I love the product that I sell. But, a house without an owner…an inhabitant…is just a building. Without someone to love and live in that house, that building will never be a home. It is the people that live in the home that turn the bricks and mortar into a sanctuary that exudes the essence of those who live within. Once settled, these very people reach out and build the community.

The need for home is inherent in all people. The roof over our head provides peace, security and opportunity. Our home provides the opportunity to live our lives on our own terms. Our home is the place where we raise family; where we talk, laugh and celebrate; where we share joys and sorrows…where we take quiet refuge after a long day.

From the longhouse…to the log cabin…to the house of stone and brick…having a home is in our DNA. The home brings out the best in Canadians. In times of crisis, we open our homes to those in need…Hurricane Hazel…the Mississauga Train Derailment…9/11 in Newfoundland…the Ice Storm of 2013 right here in Headwaters. For the vast majority, life is spent in pursuit of home.

Brooke Cooper – Toronto

I have been selling houses for over 32 years. I attribute much of my longevity in the industry to the satisfaction and pride I take in making my clients happy with both the financial terms of their sale and the home in which they live. However, Real Estate, whether one is a Seller, Buyer, Realtor, Lawyer or Tradesperson, would be of questionable value if there was no infrastructure to support and perpetuate home ownership. All of us owe Canada and our fellow Canadians a great debt of gratitude. We are incredibly fortunate to live in a country where we value the security of our home and enjoy the security of the process that makes home ownership possible.

I consider myself very lucky to have made my career in Real Estate. Every day I have the privilege of satisfying the wishes and desires of my clientele as they buy and sell their homes. It is even more of a privilege that I am able to work with their children and more recently...some grandchildren. As a new grandmother myself, I must say how honoured I am to be a part of the family history to many of my clients and to play an active part in the lives of many generations. We are incredibly fortunate to live in a country where we have opportunity to meet and overcome our challenges…to achieve our goals…to succeed and see our dreams to fruition and to live among those with respect for one another. How much better can it get.

Thank you, Canada!

Selling houses is my business… selling homes is my passion.

maria@mariabritto.com www.mariabritto.com RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc., Brokerage *Sales Representative

TF : 1-866-251-3232 | O : 905-584-2727 | C : 416-523-8377 | 16069 Airport Road | Caledon East L7C 1G4 IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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I N

T H I S

I S S U E F E A T U R E S 23 LOCAL HEROES

Our annual salute to folks who make a difference

by Jeff Rollings, Tralee Pearce and Nicola Ross 39 NEW CANADIAN

Syrian refugees make new lives in the hills

by Liz Beatty 48

48 TRACKING 101

The stories tracks tell

by Don Scallen 58 THE YEAR IN BOOKS

Our annual review

by Tracey Fockler 68 A WEDDING IN WINTER WHITE

Snowy forest, warm hearts

by Tralee Pearce 73

76 WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

The vinyl revolution

by Tony Reynolds 80 THE YEAR IN MUSIC

Our annual review

by Scott Bruyea

76

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

D E P A R T M E N T S 14 LET TERS

Our readers write 17 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Yvonne De Viller 18 MUST DO

Our favourite picks for winter 21 FENCE POSTS

Getting horse-free

by Dan Needles 56 HISTORIC HILLS

Shadows in the forest

by Ken Weber 66 MADE IN THE HILLS

Wrap it up!

by Tralee Pearce

73 COOKING CL ASS

Lavender Blue Catering

by Tralee Pearce 84 GOOD SPORT

Fusion workouts

by Nicola Ross 86 HEADWATERS NEST

Kid culture in the skatepark

by Bethany Lee 88 OVER THE ( NEXT ) HILL

Music, a spiritual tonic

by Gail Grant 90 AT HOME IN THE HILLS

Innocents in the woods

by Pam Purves 106 WHAT’S ON IN THE HILLS

A calendar of winter happenings 118 A PUZZLING CONCLUSION

by Ken Weber I N D E X 102 FIND AN ADVERTISER

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C O N T R I B U T O R S

volume 23 number 4 2016 publisher and editor Signe Ball design and art direction Kim van Oosterom Wallflower Design Original Funeral Home, 1913

The Egan Family Celebrates a Rich Tradition of Service

William R. Egan Licensed 1913

in the Caledon and Dufferin Communities

Our funeral home has been owned and operated by the Egan family since 1913 – for 103 years.

William E. Egan Licensed 1932

Four generations of our family have proudly served the community.

Our tradition of service continues in our newly renovated funeral home in Bolton.

We will always be available to answer your questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Paul G. Egan Licensed 1961

Elaine M. Egan Licensed 1994

editorial Liz Beatty Scott Bruyea Tracey Fockler Gail Grant Bethany Lee Dan Needles Tralee Pearce Pam Purves Tony Reynolds Jeff Rollings Nicola Ross Don Scallen Ken Weber photography Rosemary Hasner Kim King Robert McCaw James MacDonald Pete Paterson Anna Wiesen

a s so ciate editors Tralee Pearce Dyanne Rivers oper ations and adminis tr ation Cindy Caines advertising sales Roberta Fracassi Erin Woodley advertising production Marion Hodgson Type & Images events and copy editor Janet Dimond web manager inthehills.ca Valerie Jones Echohill Web Sites on our cover Local hero Liz Armstrong

by Pete Paterson

illus tr ation Shelagh Armstrong Jim Stewart

In The Hills magazine is published four times a year by MonoLog Communications Inc. It is distributed through controlled circulation to households in the towns of Caledon, Erin, Orangeville, Shelburne and Creemore, and Dufferin County. Annual subscriptions outside the distribution area are $25.95 (including hst).

Letters to the editor are welcome: sball@inthehills.ca For information regarding editorial, advertising, or subscriptions, call 519-942-8401 or e-mail info@inthehills.ca. © 2016 MonoLog Communications Inc. All rights reserved. No reproduction by any means or in any form may be made without prior written consent by the publisher.

Find us online at www.inthehills.ca

www.eganfuneralhome.com EganFuneralHome.com

203 Queen St. S. | Bolton, ON L7E 2C6 | 905-857-2213 10

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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T

here are so many reasons

why Headwaters, the place we call home, draws visitors from near and far, every season of the year: the discovery of local cuisine, the romance of secluded hamlets, the craftsmanship of our artisans, the breathtaking views along scenic drives and our awe-inspiring natural surroundings.

We live in a place that has so much to offer, but if a visitor were to ask you where to go, do you know where to find the very best of ‘our’ outdoors? With your guests, partner, friends or family in mind, the staff at Caledon Hills Cycling knows exactly where to head for the outdoor experiences that make our part of the world so special.

Here are a few of our favourite activities that are sure to keep you fit and connected with nature this winter:

X

S

-Country Skiing Some skiers love the

feeling of breaking trails across open fields and over frozen ponds. If you prefer the smooth, gliding feeling from skiing on freshly groomed snow there are many options to choose from. Monora Park’s lit trails make for a unique and peaceful nighttime outing.

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snowshoe, and there are some incredible places to discover if you do. With little equipment needed, this family-friendly activity makes for a delightful day full of fresh air and rosy cheeks. The Forks of the Credit park and multiple side trails along the Bruce trail are wonderful places to explore, all at a walking pace.

at Biking

Love biking but dread riding indoors?

Increasingly popular Fatbikes keep you on top of the snow so you can play outside on two big wheels, all winter long. This new take on an old sport has enthusiasts peddling their way throughout Caledon’s forests and is an exciting alternative to hiking. If you’re interested in trying something new, Albion Hills Conservation Area is a great place to start, with bike rentals on-site.

nowshoeing If you can walk, you can

H

iking

Spectacular views from the top of the Devil’s Pulpit escarpment trail and the thrill of exploring hardwood forests, creek beds and fish ponds along the Dingle trail are the rewards waiting for nature lovers who are adventurous at heart.

So where can you find out more about these adventures, get equipped for everything Caledon has to offer and prepare for a healthy winter outdoors? For more than twenty years, the experienced team at Caledon Hills Cycling has been attracting all kinds of fans, from professional athletes to active families and visitors new to the area who are looking to explore the beauty of the surrounding Caledon escarpment.

X-Country Skiing • Fatbiking Snowshoeing • Hiking • Service

Village of Inglewood

905.838.1698 www.caledonhillscycling.com IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Season of Hope As public discourse in America foundered in the gutter these past many weeks, it was a relief to be pulling together an issue that celebrates the very best of our community. As the dialogue on the evening news coarsened, it was an anti­ dote by day to come back not only to the stories of our “local heroes” – the remarkable people who give so selflessly to make these hills a better place to live – but also to the coura­ geous story of the Syrian refugees and the local folks who reached out to strangers to welcome them as neighbours.

The week we were finalizing this issue began with the American election and ended on Remembrance Day. It was a week marked by rage, confusion, sorrow and grief.

Has there ever been a post-election morning when one of the most urgent questions was how do we explain this to our children? How do we explain to our children that our cherished democracy rewarded the highest prize and power to a man who so loudly demonstrated the very antithesis of the compassion, tolerance, grace and civility we seek to instil in them? How do we take them within the week to services of remembrance and ask them to look into aging faces and see the moral conviction of young men who fought at such cost against the fascists and demagogues who rallied human against human and threatened to undo us?

There is, of course, no pat or easy explanation. But there is another vision to hold fast to when human beings are at their messiest. We see it in the innocent eyes of young Laith Al Hariri above, and we see it in the clear, steady gaze of his sister Duha on page 39 – two Syrian children who survived the bomb that killed their brother and who, with several other refugee families, have now settled among us.

It is not just the duty of their sponsors, but of all of us to ensure the children and their families have found a safe haven.

It is our duty, not only for their sake, but as an affirmation of our own humanity at a time when the forces of bigotry and xenophobia have been unleashed in civil America and threaten to rouse from their light slumber in our own coun­ try. It is the faces of these children, of our children, that stand against the political tides that divide us.

The coming holiday marks the season of hope, redemption and love. It is no coincidence it falls during the darkest days of winter.

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ROSEMARY HA SNER

L E T T E R S

Water Taking The water imagery and words in the summer issue are lovely [“Where Rivers Rise”], but I was surprised that, in spite of the excellent emphasis on protecting our water, there was no mention of the huge amounts of water that Nestlé removes from our region (for next to nothing). This summer was especially hard to bear as Nestlé continued to remove millions of litres of our water daily, after their permit had expired, during a drought.

We in Hillsburgh have witnessed our springs dry up and our water levels drop. If we don’t speak up, share information and voice complaints to government officials, nothing will change. For those who may feel overwhelmed or hopeless about protecting our pre­ cious water, Wellington Water Watchers is an excellent resource (www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca).

Rochelle Rubinstein Hillsburgh

Backyard composting beats green bins While not wanting to weigh in on Peel Region’s new waste bins themselves [“Big Bins, Big Bother” autumn ’16], what concerns me is the big silence about backyard composting. From both your article and Peel’s waste web page, it’s as if no one composts on their own property or even contemplates doing that. All that Peel says online is “Composters are seasonally available at any Peel Com­ munity Recycling Centre for $21.85 (including taxes).” There are no information, tips or encouragement to compost at home.

It’s a good thing that Peel’s organics collected doubled in tonnage from January to March 2016 over the same period in 2015. But back­ yard composting, for those who have a backyard, seems to have been left behind in the dust – or more appropriately, the earth. A cynic might even suggest that backyard composting is being dis­ couraged. It’s all about feeding the big green-bin machine.

I do buy compost from the Peel waste management site in Caledon and appreciate that it’s made available for such a reasonable price (3.5 cents per kilogram) – but on our property we use it only for flowers and shrubs. I can’t imagine putting that compost anywhere near our vegetables, because who knows what Peel residents are putting in their green bins as the basis for that compost? Peel Region provides no information online about the quality of their compost.

That’s precisely why we have four backyard composters – because we’ll put on our vegetable garden only compost the quality of which is guaranteed – and that’s the compost we make ourselves.

Linda Pim Inglewood

Canines in

the classroom My husband and I are the puppy raisers featured in the article about COPE Service Dogs [“These Students are Go­ ing to the Dogs” autumn ’16] and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We thought that Gail Grant wrote it in an extremely compassionate way and yet was also able to showcase so many important ele­ ments of the program. We appreciated her attention to detail and desire to get the story right. She and a fact checker contacted us a few times to ensure that all of the information was correct.

The article is going to be an extremely important memento for the Canines in the Classroom students past and pres­ ent, and will be invaluable in helping to spread awareness about COPE Service Dogs.

Lynn Acri, Volunteer Lead COPE Service Dogs Caledon Chapter

Nine-Fifty?

Re: “Puzzling Conclusion – Creative Thinking in Stanley Park” [autumn’16].

I didn’t get the same answer as puzzle creator Ken Weber, but perhaps a more elegant solution?

Always a good read.

Dave Pounds Caledon

top : Original solution. bottom : Reader’s solution.

ONLINE IN THE HILLS We welcome your comments! For more commentary from our readers, or to add your own thoughts on any of the stories in this issue, please visit inthehills.ca. You can also send your letters by e-mail to sball@inthehills.ca. Please include your name, address and contact information. In The Hills reserves the right to edit letters for publication.

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

*

A R T I S T

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R E S I D E N C E

clockwise from top left Trees in Winter Night 14 x 22" Creation 25" Winter Moon 18" Birch and Sun 12 x 23" Chickadees on a Wire 6 x 14" Ode to Tree 14 x 19" Tree Dreams 25"

Yvonne De Viller A stained glass artist for 26 years, Yvonne De Viller has ranked among top-selling artists in both the Autumn Art Sale held at the McMichael art gallery in Kleinburg and the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, and she has frequently been invited to discuss her art form on television. Underlying all her artistic endeavours is the burning desire to show that stained glass is not just “window-dressing,� but can be exciting art. In the three-D style for which she is known, the Amaranth artist aims to capture a flow of movement that stirs the senses. She says the vast colour palette and choice of glass types offer infinite possibilities for her one-of-a-kind creations. www.yvonnedeviller.ca IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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C O U R T E S Y L E A H Y FA M I LY

must sing along mustsee The fanciful Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street dates back to 1947 but countless film and theatre adaptations have been getting audiences into the holiday spirit ever since. At the heart of the drama: What happens when Kris Kringle steps in to replace a departmentstore Santa? When he insists he’s the real deal, will anyone believe him – especially a skeptical little girl named Susan? The case ends up in court, with Santa defending his very identity. Consider it a perfect way to introduce kids to a Christmas classic, with a side order of timely lessons about greed and faith.

Theatre Orangeville’s production of the tale, adapted by Canadian theatre stars Caleb Marshall and Erin Keating, runs from December 1 to 23. www.theatreorangeville.ca

Love carols and Christmassy show tunes? You can fill your calendar with all manner of music in the coming weeks. Whether you’re more about “Jingle Bells” or classic favourites like “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” there’s a ticket for you.

Brampton’s Rose Theatre goes all out with nearly a dozen seasonal concerts, starting with The Celtic Tenors’ Holiday Show November 30. Home for Christmas features traditional carols by the Brampton Festival Singers on December 4. A Next Generation Leahy Christmas 1 on December 8 gives you another chance to catch up with this charming and exuberantly musical family who performed in Shelburne this summer.

Old School Yule: A Matt Dusk Christmas 2 is in

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town December 9, followed by An East Coast Family Christmas with the Ennis Sisters 3 December 15.

Visit www.rosetheatre.ca for the full festive lineup.

Your local church or community hall is likely stepping up its bookings this time of year too. One not to miss: The Orangeville Chorus, Sweet Adelines International takes over the newly renovated West­ minster United Church in Orangeville on December 10 for Tied with a Ribbon. The chorus is joined by Nancy Sicsic on piano and organ, Kim Stevenson on flute and Barbara Peaker on bells, along with Supertonic, a barbershop quartet (www.orangevillechorus.com).

See What’s On at the back of this issue or online at inthehills.ca for more musical holiday offerings.

mustscreen

3 1

Brush up on your Canadian art history as the Belfountain Heritage Society hosts the Everything Group of Seven Film Festival at the Centre 2000 in Erin starting late November.

The fest comprises three critically acclaimed documentaries about the early 20th century painters by the Toronto-based production company White Pine

2

Pictures, starting with Painted Land: In Search of the Group of Seven 1 on November 26. The film follows a team trying to track down the exact locations of the group’s paintings.

West Wind: The Vision of Tom Thomson 2, on January 21, looks into the enduring mystery around the painter’s death in 1917.

The fest wraps on February 25 with a portrait of the leader of the Group of Seven in Where the Universe Sings: The Spiritual Journey of Lawren Harris 3.

Bonus: Each evening includes a wine tasting featuring the McMichael Canadian Art Collection’s Group of Seven wines and a Q&A with the filmmakers or a McMichael representative. Details at www.belfountainheritage.com

C O U R T E S Y R O S E T H E AT R E

A highly selective guide to the picks of the season.

COUR TE S Y WHITE PINE PIC T URE S

CHUW Y / IS TOCK

mustdo

C O U R T E S Y S T E V E S H AW P R O D U C T I O N S

GVS_ad_2 v2 final.pdf

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2016-10-12

10:29 PM

WE’LL TEACH

SCIENCE, ART and

HISTORY. ALL IN THE same

GLASS.

mustreminisce History buffs won’t want to miss A Decade of the Avro Arrow, a multimedia presentation and talk at St. James Anglican Church in Caledon East. It’s being put on by the Caledon East and District Historical Society on November 30. Producer Steve Shaw will discuss the mysteries surrounding the design, creation and ultimate failure of the Canadian-made aircraft in the years from 1949 to 1959 – a period when these hills were populated by those who came to work on it at A.V. Roe Canada in Malton.

Don’t forget to bring any Avro Arrow artifacts or memorabilia you have to add to the discussion. See www.cedhs.ca.

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n the spring of 2017, the stately Grand Valley Public School, shuttered for decades, will reopen as the Grand Spirits Distillery. Artfully reimagined as a vintage restospeakeasy, it will distill, serve and retail whiskies and gins crafted with local ingredients, and feature a full menu of nationally-acclaimed Headwaters cuisine.

CM

MY

CY

mustcurl Round up your team and sign up for the 8th Annual Great Canadian PondSpiel taking place at the Orangeville Curling Club and nearby Island Lake Conservation Area on January 28.

The curling event has grown to include 24 teams and avid curlers from across North America come for the fun, says organizer Kim Burt. It takes an army of volunteers to scrape, flood and paint the lake’s ice into a smooth rink. Participants play three games each and are fed three meals that day. Prizes for best costumes and silent auctions round out the fun.

Not a curler? Cheering spectators are more than welcome – just bundle up for a day outside and prepare to be entertained.

Visit www.orangevillecurlingclub.ca.

CMY

K

Unique to Ontario, this historical showpiece is being funded by visionary locals. As the holidays beckon, gifting someone with a piece of the Distillery is both a sociallyminded gesture, and, like education itself, a wise investment.

To join in, write us at invest@grandspirits.com

grandspirits.com

SERGE Y KUZNECOV / SHU T TERS TO CK

Shaker-Up the Holidays!

Thrill a Cocktail Fan this Christmas with Barware, Mixing Tools & more from our Online Shop. grandspirits.com/shop

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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F E N C E

P O S T S

D A N

N E E D L E S

SHEL AGH ARMS TRONG

t ru e c on fe ssions from t h e n i n t h c once ssion

I

Dr. Purvis’s 12 Steps to Getting Horse-Free

just came back from a horse-riding adventure in the Rockies with my brother-in-law. It’s been ten years since I’ve been on a horse and I was worried that climbing back up in the saddle might make me want to give up the vow I made a decade ago never to own another horse. But I was fine. I walked away from the ranch without a twinge of regret.

This is because I took Dr. Purvis’s 12-step program to get myself horse-free. He’s a young vet in our neighbourhood who got tired of the suffering he witnessed in his daily practice and decided to do something about it. This is how it goes: Step 1. Admit there’s a problem. You bought the horse years ago for a ten-year-old daughter who swore she would brush it every day and lavish it with affection. That was before she discovered boys, clothes, makeup and Facebook. Now the horse stands in the pasture swatting flies with a compan­ ion horse and two other visiting horses dumped off by your daughter’s friends before they all went off to careers in investment banking.

Each year these horses munch through five tons of hay and convert it to ten tons of manure, all of which has to be shovelled by hand. Each animal suffers an expensive ailment that brings the vet to your door with another soul-crushing prescription.

You ask hopefully if the diagnosis is terminal, but he just grins.

“Nothing lives longer than a horse with a health problem!” he says as he purrs out the lane in his limited edition Land Rover.

Step 2. Imagine the freedom. In economics, the

term “opportunity cost” refers to all the things you might be doing if you didn’t have horses. Not having a horse is like being able to go to Tuscany pretty much anytime you like.

Step 3. Stop hanging around horse people. You know the type. People with British fox-hunting prints on the wall and three decompression cham­ bers between the barn and the broadloom carpet.

They have lantern jaws, gin veins on their noses and

“Nothing lives longer than a horse with a health problem!” says the vet as he purrs out the lane in his limited edition Land Rover. voices that hang on the air like hoof paint. They talk all night about stud books and trips to Lexington, and you stagger away from their dinner parties with exactly the same feeling you get on the way back from the city that you aren’t making nearly enough money or having nearly as much fun as everybody else.

I would share more details of this program with you, but the other nine steps are proprietary and I would be doing Dr. Purvis a disservice by revealing them. It is also difficult and dangerous to try to follow these steps without professional assistance.

Dr. Purvis scared me into the program that day when I went into the office for yet another gallon jug

of phenylbutazone, the horse anti-inf lammatory that comes in the orange crystal flavour. He asked me if I was using the “bute” myself. I insisted I was not. He took me by the elbow.

“They don’t make that stuff in orange flavour for the horse, you know. It’s for the trainers.”

“Really?”

“You take a really good farm, one that’s been in the family for three generations and has sent kids to college. You put one horse on that farm and it starts on a downward slope to destruction. Pretty soon the guy is spending too much time at the track and then too much time in the bar at the track.

Then he’s into the bute and before long the copper weathervane is hanging at an angle off the roofline, the boards are blowing off the barn and the white fences are all tipped over.”

It was a chilling story. It scared me so badly I signed up. I learned there’s only one way to recover any money on a horse and that is to sell it for a whole lot less than you paid for it. Dr. Purvis taught me how to tell a white lie: “She’s a dear old thing with no bad habits, trailers well and is good with child­ ren.” If you can learn to do that, if you can take your lowest price and cut it in half, you will soon enjoy that light sensation horses get when the saddle and bridle come off and they are released into a lush pasture – forever.

Call me. Confidentiality is assured. ≈ Author and playwright Dan Needles is a recipient of the Leacock Medal for Humour and the Order of Canada. He lives on a small farm in Nottawa.

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NO COOKIE CUTTER TIPS ON BUYING AND SELLING COUNTRY REAL ESTATE AND RURAL PROPERTIES Whether searching for the perfect country home or wanting to move from your rural property, do your homework to make the best deal and protect your investment. In the spring and fall, for sale signs pop up on the green lawns of the country side. Growing demand for rural properties means there is lots of buying and selling going on, says country REALTOR® Denise Dilbey, Broker with Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty, Brokerage in the Headwaters Region.

So why are city folks yearning to invest in country real estate? “They’re looking for a simpler way of life,” says Dilbey.

The popularity of that lifestyle has boosted prices for rural and farm properties. Country residences with five acres or less average $600,000, while larger or quaint rural and farm properties closer to the city or major commuter routes could fetch more than $950,000. Dilbey, herself an acreage owner and ‘farm girl,’ has been seeing the market and demand for rural properties escalate in the last decade. Now more than ever, she says, buyers and sellers have to do their homework when choosing the right REALTOR®.

Every buyer or seller seems to know someone in real estate. But finding a good country REALTOR® is critical for both rural buyers and sellers says Denise Dilbey, Broker specializing in Country Real Estate in the Headwaters Region. Just like the diversity in rural homes, no two Realtors are created equal. Dilbey advises asking local real

estate offices to recommend top rural agents or check the internet, using “rural and country” for a seasoned rural real estate professional in the area of your search. When you’ve selected Realtor[s], interview them. Request a marketing communications plan for your property. Ask for a copy of a property brochure from recent listing and quiz them on their knowledge on wells, septic systems, local zoning bylaws and Conservation Authorities. Of course, providing a market evaluation is as important as a Realtor’s negotiation skills, because no one wants to over pay or leave money on the table. A Realtor’s experience and track record with country properties will ensure you receive the competent services.

Dilbey warns that if you choose to use a REALTOR® from the city, ensure he/she knows the area, what development is planned, how to take a potability sample and how septic systems work in order to protect yourself. Buying and selling urban and rural property in the Headwaters Region are different than in the city.

If you are looking for an experienced, professional REALTOR® who offers a complete package to represent the buy or sell of your country property, call Denise direct at 416919-9802 – Denise Dilbey loves selling country and has the marketing and rural expertise to protect you!

For more information on “Tips to Selling or Buying Country Properties” visit www.ddilbey.com

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Not intended to solicit buyers and sellers currently under contract. ®Trademark owned and controlled by the Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under licence.

www.ddilbey.com • 416.919.9802 direct • 886.865.8262 • denise@link2realestate.ca 22

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Local Heroes

BY JEFF ROLLINGS, TRALEE PEARCE AND NICOLA ROSS PHOTOGR APHY BY PETE PATERSON

“The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by.”

So wrote 19th-century professor Felix Adler. Our local heroes this year are all incandescent. Each has kindled a light in their own corner that spreads to blaze across the com­munity. And you – yes, you – may also find yourself among those recognized here, for contributing a spark to make these hills a brighter place for all.

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DONNA DAVIES

historian with attitude

A consummate editor, Donna Davies wasn’t content to guess at the meaning of “badass”; she looked it up online. Badass – very cool, excellent, awesome, she discovered. “Who knew?!” she laughs. It turns out that Donna’s grandchildren, who all attend university, promise they’ll inscribe “Badass Grandma” on her gravestone when the time comes. But by all measures that won’t happen anytime soon. As vibrant as ever in retirement, Donna was too busy this year to play as much golf as she would have liked. “I don’t spend all of my time on history and genealogy,” she says, “but you might think I do.”

If family – husband Chuck, four children and four grandchildren – are Donna’s first love, his­tory and genealogy are her grand, and time-consuming, passions. This means Caledon East, the village where she lives in a designated heritage house, is very lucky indeed.

Of the seven books on local history Donna has edited or helped to edit since she retired, several celebrate her adopted home. But Settling the Hills: Historical Reflections – Caledon East and District, which was published in 2000, stands out for her. “Each chapter was written by someone different, so it has 14 authors,” she explains.

As anyone who has edited a book knows, work­i ng with even two authors on the same project can be challenging, as it’s unlikely everyone has the same vision of the final product. But Donna didn’t just pull it off, she was the driving force behind a book much loved by the community and its authors. For Donna, this book and her successful nomination this year of her longtime friend (and In the Hills columnist) Ken Weber to Caledon’s Walk of Fame are two of her major achievements.

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We’re sitting in her home office, where the slender, immaculate­ ly turned out, pearl-necklace-and-all Donna does much of her work. She’s president of the Caledon East and District Histor­ical Society – and she has come to realize the position may be per­ manent. “I’ve tried to find a successor but it isn’t working,” she says. Donna has been or is involved with Heritage Caledon, the Caledon Heritage Foundation, the Ontario Historical Society, Caledon/Dufferin Victim Services, Caledon Meals on Wheels, the Ontario Trillium Foundation and St. James Anglican Church in Caledon East. She received an Ontario Heritage Award for Settling the Hills, and until she retired in 1997, she worked fulltime as administrative assistant to the CEO of a health services company. And if that isn’t enough, she plays bridge and golf, and loves to read, garden and travel. But there’s more. In her spare time Donna searches family trees for her friends.

“When I came to Caledon East [from Toronto], I didn’t know a concession from a sideroad,” she admits. But she learned all that and more as she helped authors research, design and organize their books. Moreover, she became an integral part of the community.

“Donna has an uncanny ability to look ahead for what needs to be done, and then she does it with efficiency and charm,” says Ken Weber of his friend. “Quite simply, she makes the world a better place.” High praise for a Badass Grandma. nr After selling out, Settling the Hills: Historical Reflections – Caledon East and District, co-ordinated by Donna Davies, was reprinted this year. See “The Year in Books” on page 60.

BETH HUNT & DAVID McCRACKEN

fine food and laughter

Lunch is just wrapping up at The Globe Restaurant on a Monday in early November. Staff in long black aprons bus dishes from the well-worn pine tables as chef Beth Hunt emerges from the kitchen, signs of a busy service all over her black chef coat.

It could be any other day, but it’s not. On October 1, she and her friend and business partner David McCracken sold the res­ taurant they’ve owned since 1989, along with the Rosemont Hall which they bought about 15 years ago. Today is Beth’s last day.

Asked to reflect on an adventure that started when they were in their 20s, Beth says, “It’s all we ever wanted to do.” Growing up in the area, the two had worked at the restaurant on High­ way 89 in Rosemont as kids, and shared a dream of taking it on.

They’ve never strayed far from the Victorian country ethos they inherited, describing the journey as a “tightrope walk” between maintaining continuity and introducing new ideas.

Although Beth embraced brighter, fresher fare over the years, they hung onto menu stalwarts such as rack of lamb and steak and kidney pie – comforting old friends they daren’t ditch.

And for those of us who ate there as kids, some of that simple, carby fare is the stuff of Proustian memory – think fudgy “log cabin” dessert or buttery house-made biscuits.

During the time the two presided over a restaurant, a cater­ ing business and, more recently, the Rosemont farmers’ market, The Globe became deeply intertwined with the community.

Beth and David have worked with local service clubs, kids’ teams and charity organizers, giving widely of their services.

They’ve fed folks at church dinners, showers, weddings and funerals – marking all of life’s passages.

In return, customers and friends came to see the place as an extension of their own homey circle. “Our whole social life came to us,” says Beth.

As the new owners, who also run the Rosemont Gen­ eral Store and Kitchen across the street, take over, Beth and David contemplate the future. Immediate plans include some travel, more than a few glasses of Veuve Clicquot, and reinvesting in parts of their lives that all too often took a backseat to running the restaurant.

“Oh, the freedom to go celebrate a family birthday on a Saturday!” says David.

It’s the end of an era and Beth wells up when asked to reminisce about the best times they had. “It’s all about getting around the table. There’s huge gratification in feeding and nurturing people.”

But she and David are also quick to share the comedy that has unexpectedly emerged. David is bunking with Beth, her father and her 13-year-old daughter (her 19year-old is away at school) because his house was part of the sale. Beth’s civilian kitchen isn’t up to snuff – it took them four hours to make a chicken dinner together. “I had to ask Beth, ‘Do you have a wooden spoon?’” laughs David. “And domestic sinks just don’t work.”

For now, that seems a fine place to leave them, having a laugh. tp

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TESS ROUTLIFFE

comeback kid You don’t need to be a swimmer for Caledon’s Tess Routliffe to blow you out of the water.

The New Zealand-born athlete represented Canada at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she set a new Canadian record on her way to a silver medal in the women’s 200-metre individual med­ ley SM7 (the classification refers to an athlete’s degree of disability).

A graduate of Mayfield Secondary School, Tess didn’t start swimming with Caledon’s Dorado Stars Swim Club until she was 13 years old. But the thoughtful, well-spoken young woman is clearly a quick study. Just a year later she launched her competitive career, and she exploded onto the international scene in 2015 at the tender age of 16. At the Parapan American Games in Toronto, she won four gold medals and a silver.

One key to her success, says Tess, is the people who surround her. “I saw both my older sisters get scholarships.

That helped me to stay focused.” Her sister Erin attends the University of Alabama on a tennis scholar­ship, while Tara is at the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky on a volleyball scholarship.

Coaching has also been critical. “They make it fun,” Tess says. “If it’s fun, it makes the hard days easier.”

Developing relationships with other athletes is another motivation. “I really like the people,” she says. “I met some of my closest friends training with the Canadian team.” And train she does. Fifteen hours a week, not just in the pool, but also at the gym.

Tess, who also holds Canadian records in two breast­ stroke distances, has developed a reputation for taking an unorthodox path to the podium. She lags in the first half of races, then detonates in the second half. “I don’t know what it is,” she says. “Usually the first half is slower.

Might be something to do with my height.” (Tess stands four-foot-five.) In the second half, she says, “Then I’m all race mode,” she adds. “It’s where I work best.”

As for advice to would-be athletes, Tess says, “Be deter­ mined, avoid distractions. Don’t worry what everybody else is enjoying – love what you do.” Her biggest obstacle?

“Staying focused but letting loose. I need to find that middle ground. If I’m too focused, I get too nervous and overwhelmed. If I’m too relaxed, I’m just not on top of it.”

In January, Tess will begin studying human relations and communications at Concordia University in Mon­ treal. There, she has already joined the Para-swimming Intensive Training Program at the Olympic pool under head coach Mike Thompson, an opportunity that excites her. “I like him and we work well together,” she says. Her goal is to compete at the 2020 Paralympics, and given her age, those 2020 Games may not be the only ones in her future.

Shortly after Tess’s medal-winning performance in Rio, Justin Trudeau tweeted, “More hardware for Canada in the pool! Great swim, Tess – congratulations.” She was delighted by the gesture of support for the Paralympics.

The prime minister’s star power also wowed those around her. She quips, “Everyone was more excited by that than the medal.” jr

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PHIL DEWAR

cookin’ up community When 3,500 people gathered on Mill Street in Orangeville this past August to watch a broadcast of the final Tragically Hip concert, it was a satisfying moment for Phil Dewar.

The owner of Soulyve restaurant has been a driving force behind Mill Street’s transformation into a happening downtown hub, and although Phil didn’t organize the Hip event, it was an exciting sign of how far the once-dowdy sidestreet has come.

Phil moved to Orangeville in 2001, attending Grade 11 and 12 at Orangeville District Secondary School. “In my graduating class there were four people of colour – two black kids and two brown kids,” he says. In the years since, Orangeville’s population has become much more diverse.

“I enjoy being part of that change,” he adds. “We’re keeping the same small-town values, but I like to see more minor­ ities, more of a mixed demographic.”

The first time Phil got Mill Street closed for an event was in 2012. “It was the third anniversary of the restaurant, and we wanted to have a street party,” he says. “They’re not uncommon in the islands or in big cities, but it was a first for Orangeville.”

At the time, the street was at a low point, with empty retail units and something of a rough reputation. “People didn’t necessarily see Mill Street as a destination,” he says.

But that’s all changed. “Orangeville’s Business Improvement Area has done a tremendous job of supporting downtown businesses,” he adds. “Now we have lots of thriving small businesses. Mill Street has become a hip place.”

Phil finds it hard to choose a favourite among the events that now take over the street during the summer. “As a chef,” he says, “I’d have to pick Taste of Orangeville. It reflects all the different types of food we have available, and it showcases independent restaurants. There are no chains.” But his heart lies elsewhere. “There I’d pick Carib­ Fest. It highlighted the diversity of our area.” CaribFest, which was held in tandem with Founder’s Day and a water slide event on Broadway, attracted an estimated 14,000 people.

Phil acknowledges that pulling off big gatherings in­ volves hassles: insurance, permits, licensing, persuading vendors to participate. But that’s all part of the deal, he says. “It’s our duty to do it as people who want to see suc­ cessful events happen.”

He also points out that events are now starting to hap­ pen year-round. Plans are in the works for more winter celebrations such as Brewzapalooza. “Think fire pits, soups, craft beer,” he says. “Different places, such as Mill Creek Pub and Barley Vine Rail restaurant, are bringing ideas to the table.”

Phil also contributes to the wider community. He speaks regularly to students on a variety of topics, he is a mentor for a small business entrepreneurs program, and he con­ tributes to the local food bank, as well as to other fund­ raising efforts.

At age 30, Phil believes success is a relative term and that he still has a long way to go. His advice to other young entrepreneurs? “There’s this idea that young people need to go somewhere to find themselves. No. It’s here and now.

You have to discover the gift that’s already within you.” jr

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LIZ ARMSTRONG

climate activist

A self-described introvert, Liz Armstrong is a reluctant hero.

But her passionate belief that ordinary people working together can achieve extraordinary things persuaded her to overcome her natural reticence. After all, her goal is to inspire individuals – introverts, extroverts and everyone in between – to unite in taking action against climate change. “If I can put myself out there, other introverts can too,” she says.

Liz’s latest book is A Handbook on Climate Action for Baby Boomers: How History’s Most Privileged Generation Can – with Guts and Gumption – Still Leave Our Kids a Livable Planet.

(With deadpan humour, she notes short titles aren’t her forte.)

The workbook-style volume sets out a slew of strategies that individuals, on their own and in collaboration with others, can implement to do their bit. And to ensure the book reaches the widest possible audience, anyone can download it from the book’s own website – free of charge. (See review in “The Year in Books” on page 61.)

Liz’s journey to climate-change activism has been a bit of a winding road. The first step may have been taken when she was a child growing up in 1950s Toronto. She vividly recalls the summer day when a crop duster flew low over her family’s home near one of the city’s many ravines. Though she didn’t know it at the time, the plane was spraying DDT, a pesticide now widely banned, to keep down mosquitoes. By the next day all the goldfish in the family’s backyard pond were dead. “I remember thinking, What is that stuff?” says Liz. But it was David Suzuki’s groundbreaking 1989 radio series

It’s a Matter of Survival that really galvanized her. By then she was living on the Ninth Line of Erin, and a career in teaching, freelance writing and public relations had helped equip her to analyze issues, come up with solutions and develop strategies for persuading people to take action.

She became involved in various environmental causes, which spurred her to collaborate on writing two books. The first, penned with lawyer Adrienne Scott and published in 1992, was Whitewash. The second, published in 2009 and co-written with ecofuturist Guy Dauncey and environmental writer Anne Wordsworth, was Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic.

For the past few years, however, Liz has zeroed in on climate change. A member of various local groups, such as Transition Erin, she is a force behind the Fast Forward Eco-Film Festival, a documentary series that runs annually from January to April. And along with likeminded colleagues in the Erin chap­ ter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada, she supports a carbon tax – but a carbon tax with a difference. To mitigate the nega­ tive effects of the tax on people’s pocketbooks, she advocates redistributing to citizens all revenue collected.

This plan accords perfectly with Liz’s belief in collaboration.

“When we take action together, it’s actually that much more powerful,” she says. Small wonder she is inspired by the words of writer Emily Kimbrough: “Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.” Rest assured, Liz’s hand is extended and ready to help.

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Barrie Shepley steps out at the annual C3 1 Mile Fun Run held in Bolton on October 30.

BARRIE SHEPLEY

high-performance brain

Triathlon coach, mentor and announcer seems like an un­likely career path for someone who is a born storyteller. But Barrie Shepley’s skill at sussing out people’s stories is precisely what makes him so effective.

Anyone who has heard Barrie behind the microphone at a triathlon event, whether in Caledon, Hawaii, New Zealand or any of the 15 or more major international races for which he provides colour commentary every year, will appreciate his skill. Not only does he have a story about every competitor in these gruelling races, which involve swimming, cycling and running, but he also often adds tidbits about the athlete’s family – from mum and dad to Great-Aunt Alice. His quick recall is that good.

Barrie’s chatty storytelling style is legendary in the triathlon world, and this same skill makes him a gifted coach and mentor.

Equally important though is his team-building ability. He forges links and brings together experts who can help young athletes – in any field – achieve their goals. The Palgrave resident won’t fine-tune your front crawl, but he will make you a better competitor. It’s no coincidence then that Personal Best is the name of the company he operates with his wife Caron.

“I have a high-performance brain and a low-performance body,” he likes to joke. But when he says, “I have way more joy helping others than I do doing it myself,” he really means it. He gets to know an athlete’s story, what makes them tick. “Coaching is like having a child,” he says. Then proudly adds, “I vicariously have many children.”

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Barrie’s vicarious children aren’t just the really talented ones, such as triathletes Andrew Yorke, who competed at the Rio Olym­ pics this past summer, and Sean Bechtel and Taylor Reid, also international competitors. They are the adults who swim every week at the quarry pond near Caledon Village and the thousands of youngsters who participate in Kids of Steel races, minitriathlons for children as young as three.

In fact, Kids of Steel was Barrie’s invention, his way of making sure the sport he loves would always have a fresh crop of com­ petitors. The introduction of this program, now countrywide, followed from his efforts to establish Triathlon Ontario while he was still a kinesiology student at McMaster University.

Barrie credits much of his success to the expo­sure he received when Simon Whitfield won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. At the time, Barrie was Canada’s head tri­athlon coach and had helped Simon since he was a kid. Simon’s Olympic per­ formance caught the attention of Caledon resi­dent Arden Jackson, who joined Barrie’s non-profit C3 Canadian Cross Training Club, then pushed him to launch a local Kids of Steel race. The 2017 race, which takes place May 28, is expected to attract as many as a thousand young competitors.

At 53, Barrie is still full of ideas – and energy. “My brain thinks I’m 28 or 29,” he laughs. Using this energy, he wants to inspire others and ensure that Caledon has a sporting infrastructure – coaches, competitors, sponsors, equipment and supporters – that extends well beyond triathlon. Add Caledon’s community spirit to this mix, he believes, and the combination is unbeatable. nr

JANET HORNER

the doer

Janet Horner has served on more committees than you can shake a provincial policy manual at.

She’s the executive director of the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance and the GTA Agricultural Action Committee.

She’s the chair of Sustain Ontario, past chair of the Rural Ontario Institute, and a member of Headwaters Food and Farming Alli­ ance. Her duties as a Mulmur Township councillor mean she sits on the Shelburne fire and library boards, as well as the Mulmur police services board. She also represents Dufferin County on the Niagara Escarpment Commission. The annual Authors in the Hills of Mulmur event was her brainchild, as was Mulmur’s Canada 150 Committee, which is planning the township’s 2017 sesquicentennial celebrations.

Dizzy yet? Even if you are, this list may be exhausting, but it isn’t exhaustive.

On top of all this, Janet and her husband Brian have been farming in Mulmur since they married in 1978. Many will know the two – and their children – from Whitfield Farms Country Catering, a business they operated for 30 years until, as Janet says, “I just couldn’t deal with another bride.”

Janet credits her parents with fostering her prodigious work ethic. “I came from a family of entrepreneurs,” she says. “My parents ran a trucking company, and my mom was on the school board. I had wonderful role models.”

Janet may be best known for her work with the Golden Horse­ shoe Food and Farming Alliance, an organization that promotes a vibrant regional food and farming sector despite the tremendous

challenges posed by development pressures. When offered the position of executive director, she says she was concerned because the former ED had been quite cerebral. She told the interview team, “I’m not the thinker. I’m the doer.” They responded, “That’s just what we need.”

It was this regional experience that eventually inspired her to run for a seat on Mulmur Township council. “I felt it was some­ thing I had to do,” she says. “I began to wonder, ‘What have I done lately for the folks at home?’ I believe you can work on provincial policy for years and not have the same impact as you can in municipal politics.”

The big issue of Janet’s first council term is the province’s plan to expand the Niagara Escarpment control area. “People in Mulmur want to protect the environment as much as anyone,” she says, adding, “Municipalities should not be crippled by the province moving a line on a map.” The sticking point is the Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program, which provides a property tax break to owners of designated natural lands, including property with­ in the NEC’s control area. Expanding this control area would dramatically reduce Mulmur’s tax revenues. Unless a solution is found, the shortfall could be made up only by increasing the mill rate for all Mulmur landowners. In the worst case, property taxes in Mulmur could rise by $1,000 per household, she says.

Whether it’s individuals or the community itself, Janet says she loves to watch people reach their potential. “I get my greatest joy out of developing people and businesses, and helping them become what they need to be.” jr

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

DEBRA MOORE

cancer warrior

on horseback Debra Moore’s life has been touched repeatedly by breast cancer. Her mother died of the disease in 2002.

An aunt and a close friend survived it.

In response to that trauma, Debra, who is also a bit of a horse nut, along with her sister Lynda Hannam, founded the Trail Ride for Breast Cancer. Over the past seven years the annual event has raised $103,000, pri­ marily for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

The ride takes place each summer in the main tract of the Dufferin County Forest near Mansfield, a spot Debra describes as perfect. And, she says, forest mana­ ger Caroline Mach has bent over backwards to be help­ ful. There’s plenty of space for parking and unloading horse trailers, no mean feat when you consider the event has drawn as many as 195 riders. There are also per­ manently marked trails, now including a pink one that specifically recognizes the ride. “Nothing better than that,” says Debra.

A full-time office manager who also helps run her husband’s trucking business, the Mono Mills resident boards her own horse, Sam, near Tottenham. Of her motivation for starting the ride, she says, “I always wanted to do some kind of fundraising. I wanted some­ thing equestrian, but something you didn’t have to pay through the nose for.” The $55 entry fee includes lunch and a $25 tax receipt from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto.

And beyond the cash, the event also features a stuffedanimal drive, with the proceeds donated to local emer­ gency and family organizations.

Assisted by her 31-year-old daughter Becky and sister Lynda, as well as about 40 volunteers on the day of the ride, Debra oversees an event with many moving parts.

Liability insurance for the day costs between $1,600 and $2,200. Participants in the seven-mile ride are divided into groups who depart every 15 minutes.

Various awards are available – from best-dressed rider (in pink, of course) to draws and door prizes. This year’s event was supported by at least five dozen equine-con­ nected sponsors, and the list is growing, says Debra. “Now I even have sponsors contacting me out of the blue.”

Though she admits that in the early days, “we flew by the seat of our pants,” Debra is justifiably proud of the ride’s reputation as a safe, fun event. “Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, there’s something for everyone,” she says. “There are some challenges, but no scary stuff.”

The oldest rider to date was 89, the youngest just six.

And participants have come from as far away as Peter­ borough, Goderich and Port Dover. Debra believes the growth is part of a wider increase in the popularity of trail riding.

“If you had told me when we started this that we would raise $103,000 in seven years, I wouldn’t have believed you,” she says. The first year, the event attract­ ed 47 riders and raised a mere $1,400. But as the event has grown, so has Debra’s fundraising target. Her sights are now firmly set on hitting a total of $150,000 by the tenth ride. A lofty goal – but why not? After all, she believes, it’s for a lofty cause. jr

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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FROM INTO THE HIGH COUNT Y BY ADEL AIDE LEITCH; PHOTO COUR TE S Y ED KENDRE W P E T E P AT E R S O N

left to right : Spenser McFadyen; Temine Ash with her husband Mike; Justin Di Nino flanked by friends Gianfrancesco and Gabriella Gobbato; and Heidi Lee Ferguson.

“YOU”

come together

There’s a thread of heroism in these hills that’s hard to fit into one story, yet this strand appears again and again in the tapestry of our place.

This is about how you – and likely all of us, in one way or another – are heroes.

In agricultural days gone by, if someone’s barn burned down, the commu­ nity came together and held church suppers, dances at the arena or euchre nights at the Orange Hall to raise funds. Then they turned up, en masse, to help with the rebuilding.

These days, most of us are more likely to have a smart phone and a social media account than a farming background. But the spirit of that act, of turning up to support, remember and rebuild, is alive and well.

Take for example the tragic story of six-year-old Spenser McFadyen. On a Saturday morning in March 2014, the SUV Spenser was travelling in was involved in a head-on collision on County Road 109 in Amaranth.

Spenser died.

At the time of the crash, Spenser was on his way to play hockey in Orangeville.

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

A relatively unknown little boy. A horrible accident. The world might have moved on. Yet the following Saturday, at what would have been Spenser’s last game of the season, more than 700 people got up early to pack the Alder Street Recreation Centre at 8 a.m. They were there to support Spenser’s teammates and to watch as his year-end trophy was presented to his father.

To Spenser’s family, they were all heroes.

When Orangeville businesswoman Temine Ash was diagnosed with a fast-acting form of leukemia in early 2016, a life-and-death race was on to find a suitable bone marrow donor for the mother of two grown boys.

The urgency of Temine’s case meant that even once a donor was found, she didn’t have eight months to spend in the queue for treatment at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. Instead she would have to travel to Cleveland. Though the provincial government funded the cost, Temine required a 24/7 caregiver – her husband Mike – for a minimum three-month stay south of the border.

Temine and Mike’s friends and family started a GoFundMe campaign to help offset not only Mike’s hotel and travel costs, but also the couple’s loss of

opposite : A barn raising in Mono Township at the turn of the last century. Today the community continues to rally around neighbours in times of tragedy and times of hope.

income and their continuing household expenses back home. As of early November, 285 people had donated more than $46,000, and the GoFundMe page is still open.

With the transplant behind her, Temine is now back home in Orangeville. Though there is now cautious optimism about her prospects, she is susceptible to viruses and infection, and requires a special diet. The support of the community enables Mike to con­ tinue providing the care she needs as her immune system recovers.

Our sinners can be saints too. When wildfires swept through Fort McMurray, Alberta last spring, fundraising efforts to help those affected took place throughout Headwaters. One example: The LCBO at Broadway and Townline in Orangeville raised between $7,000 and $8,000. (Across the province, the LCBO raised $2.9 million for Fort Mac, a sum matched by the federal govern­ ment.) Alongside their efforts on behalf of Fort Mac, that same LCBO location raised $12,500 for the United Way, which supports local causes.

Our efforts are not always about the passion of the moment.

We’re also tenacious. Thousands of us hike, bike, run, cycle, golf, attend dinners and galas, or give time or money to the big-name, long-haul causes such as keeping the hospital running, curing disease or offering humanitarian aid. Think of those who have stepped up to support our new neighbours from Syria.

Others, like those who participate in the Ferguson Memorial Walk, show up year after year with a more personal motive. In 2009 Orangeville resident Heidi Lee Ferguson was killed by her estranged husband. The memorial walk was created in the after­ math. The September 2016 edition attracted 175 participants and raised $15,000 for Family Transition Place. Since it began five years ago, the walk has raised more than $78,000 for the shelter.

We don’t just step up in the face of tragedy though. Sometimes we do it in the name of hope. Take the case of nine-year-old Justin Di Nino. Justin has an extremely rare form of brittle bone disease.

The condition, which affects only five per cent of those with the disease, is so severe that Justin had more than 30 fractures before his first birthday.

In the winter of 2015, Justin and his dad Brian had to spend four months in Montreal so Justin could undergo two high-risk sur­ geries to correct a curvature in his neck.

A group of Caledon East neighbours organized a fundraiser to help ease the family’s financial burden while they were away.

Within a week of tickets going on sale, the 250-seat event – an evening of dinner, dancing and other activities – was sold out. The event far surpassed the fundraising goal of $15,000.

Reaching out to care for Justin didn’t end there. The twin son and daughter of Luca Gobbato, president of construction firm GBC Design + Build, are in Justin’s class at school. When Luca heard Justin, who uses a wheelchair, couldn’t manage the stairs in the Di Ninos’ two-storey home, he set about building an elevator.

Luca teamed up with the Baeumler Family Foundation (headed

by Bryan Baeumler of home renovation TV fame) and a number of tradespeople. The foundation funded the cost of the elevator itself, while GBC and the other trades chipped in labour. The project was completed in June 2016.

Those are a few examples of a community that spontaneously comes together in times of need. There are countless others. So here’s to you, folks of Headwaters. Keep on raising those barns. ≈ jr

how you can support these causes spenser’s kids www.spenserskids.com Supports youth by helping pay the cost of hockey equipment and registration.

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ferguson memorial walk www.fergusonmemorialwalk.com

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

35

DowntownOrangeville.ca

Dragonfly Arts on Broadway

36

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Craft Happy

Start a new tradition, shop local, handmade. All Canadian fine art and fine craft. Pottery, jewellery, glass, wood and paintings. Visit our studio artists at work.

Make all your own natural living beauty products – candles, bath bombs, lip balm, soap.

We carry ingredients, containers and 100% pure essential oils to make your next project complete.

189 Broadway dragonflyarts.ca 519.941.5249

125 Broadway crafthappy.ca 519.307.1112

Pear Home

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With unique home decor ideas and a variety of women’s, men’s and baby gifts, shopping has never been this easy!

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185 Broadway pearhome.ca 519.941.1101

117 Broadway justbecustomized.com 519.217.5015

Academy of Performing Arts

The Scented Drawer Fine Lingerie Boutique

Fun, educational and inspiring classes. Ages 3 and up.

Hip-hop, ballet, tap, jazz, vocal, musical theatre, adult classes and more. New students welcome.

Indulge yourself or someone special this season with discreet personalized service, specialty bra sizing, mens and ladies sleepwear. Gift registry and certificates.

133 Broadway academyofperformingarts.info 519.941.4103

143 Broadway thescenteddrawerltd.ca 519.941.9941

The Chocolate Shop

Sproule’s Emporium

Indulge yourself with a tasty tidbit, or surprise someone special with a delectable treat.

Handmade chocolates and truffles. Gifts for any price range.

Shop fair trade. For out of the ordinary gifts this festive season think Sproule’s. Featuring ornaments, clothing, home decor, Planet Bean Coffee, Mary Scattergood-Artist, Marigold’s Toys and so much more!

114 Broadway thechocolateshop.ca 519.941.8968

153 Broadway sproulesemporium.ca 519.941.3621

Shop, Dine, Enjoy

Orangeville Winter Market Every Other Saturday 9am to 1pm Inside Orangeville Town Hall

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Specializing in creating beautiful skin, we provide relaxing, professional esthetic services from head-to-toe.

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Open Monday to Saturday.

An eclectic collection of designer, modern, vintage and retro clothing and accessories.

Brands such as Coach, Danier, Guess, Roots and many more.

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10 Second Street skinntonic.ca 519.941.7100

70 Broadway cheznousboutique.ca 519.307.0603

Seconds Count Hospital Thrift Store

The Manhattan Bead Company

An upscale thrift store carrying quality items at bargain prices.

Run entirely by volunteers; all net proceeds support equipment purchases at Headwaters Hospital.

Donations always welcome.

Please visit us for all your beading needs!

127 Broadway 519.942.9309

Fromage Fromage, purveyor of fine cheeses, specializing in locally produced organic and glutenfree products and our chef made take-home meals.

Custom cheese trays available.

111 Broadway manhattanbeadco.com 519.943.1299

Off Broadway Clothing Boutique Beautiful clothing from collections such as Desigual, Free People, Yumi and Pink Martini. Visit our whimsical and delightful shoppe for a fun adventure of retail therapy.

23 Mill Street fromageorangeville.ca 519.307.7070

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Foxy Face

Route 145 Inc.

We provide the latest in the beauty industry, specializing in a variety of lash enhancements, makeup services and the latest HDi embroidery brow also know as microblading.

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145 Broadway route145broadway.ca 519.942.2673

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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Each Syrian refugee settling in the hills arrives with hope for a safer life. Here we meet some of them, along with the locals who are lending hands – and hearts.

new

BY L IZ B E AT T Y | P H OTO GR A P H Y BY J A ME S M AC D O N A L D

Canadian

Duha Al Hariri arrived with her parents and two siblings in Orangeville via a refugee camp in Jordan this past summer. A year earlier, a bomb hit her Syrian village, killing her four-year-old brother, Basil. Duha and her brothers, Laith, 2, and Mamdouh, 11, are settling well into the area and the future is looking bright for the nine-year-old.

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

39

H

elin Huseyin Allosh arrived in Shelburne in February with little English.

Today, the bubbly 16-year-old wearing a pink hoodie and an irrepressible

smile is confident in her new language skills.

“I speak Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish and now English,” says the Orangeville high school student with well-earned pride during a recent English as a Second Language (ESL) class.

Originally from Damascus, Helin arrived here with her parents, Sabah Abdulkadir and Khaleel Huseyin Allosh, after a lengthy and perilous journey via a refugee camp in Turkey.

Helin serves as my Arabic interpreter during a visit to the Alliston Learning Centre.

Despite language barriers, the courage and open spirit of the five families I meet today is humbling.

First I meet Nadi Homa and her daughter Kamilia, 13. Nadi, her husband Joseph Talia, and their four children arrived in Alliston without a sponsor, but they have been informally adopted by a group that includes the teacher leading this class, Yvonne Konrad, a fierce refugee advocate with dauntless affection for her students.

“Enjoy everything. All good here,” insists Nadi. It is possible her limited vocabulary slants her rave review, but her optimism feels genuine.

As Syrian Christians, the family was targeted by the so-called Islamic State and fled to Lebanon. The couple has found work here – she in an Italian restaurant in Alliston and he with a landscaping company in Beeton. Joseph cannot afford time off work to attend these daytime ESL classes, a challenge many refugees in rural areas face, says Yvonne.

40

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

A blacksmith by trade, Mohammed Aldiri moved to Shelburne from Damascus in January with his wife Rana Amira and seven young children. He understands English questions well, but struggles to find words. Through Helin, he admits to still yearning for big city life.

After arriving nine months ago in the Mono area, architect Zakaria Alsawa and his wife Rania Mallah get by without Helin’s translation. Zakaria shares how grateful he is to the local community, Rania and their son Yahya. “Very happy,” he says, “because Canada has been in my dream.”

A global local story In many ways this Alliston class is a microcosm of the Syrian refugee experience unfolding across Canada. “Mostly we’re building confidence in new­ comers to interact with and become part of their

new world,” says Yvonne.

Sitting here are university-educated professionals and tradespeople – all fleeing the multipronged civil war and the violence of the Syrian government, rebels and the Islamic State. There are Sunni and Kurdish Muslims, and Syrian Christians who have suffered particularly brutal persecution.

Some families are supported by a strong, eager network of private community sponsors who have signed on for a yearlong commitment and raised a minimum of $27,000 for a family of four. The sponsors rented homes for them in advance and now help with everyday needs such as filling out paper­ work, babysitting, and setting up bank accounts and cell phone contracts. They arrange drives to ESL classes, shopping, doctor appointments and mosques as far away as Brampton. A few are governmentsponsored families who don’t arrive with a preexisting network.

opposite : Helin Huseyin Allosh, a 16-year-old high school student living in Shelburne with her family, attends English as a Second Language classes at the Alliston Learning Centre and often helps translate for other Syrians. above : ESL instructor Yvonne Konrad leads a class in Alliston. Learning English and having a chance to practise it regularly is critical to adapting to life in Canada.

All are here because the Canadian government pledged in late 2015 to accept 25,000 refugees from the five-year conflict that has killed more than 250,000 (some credible reports say more than 400,000), displaced another 6.5 million within Syria and forced 4.8 million Syrians to flee. (According to World Vision most Syrian refugees remain in the Middle East, in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt, and just over 10 per cent have fled to Europe.)

The population of Syria before the conflict was a little over 22 million. At press, Canada has accepted more than 33,000 refugees.

Within this global story are local tales of heart­ rending and vastly different refugee journeys, the distinct challenges and opportunities of rural re­ settlement, and a deepening understanding of our true commitment to our new neighbours.

Teaching and learning English is a cornerstone of that two-way commitment. For the Syrians who chose to make their future in Canada, this small windowless room is a crucial destination every morning. Through 30 years of teaching, Yvonne has worked with a number of immigrant and refugee communities, including a 10-year stint with Laotian newcomers who came to Canada during the “boat

people” refugee migration in the 1980s. She watched them go on to get jobs, buy houses, and send their kids to university.

“People think ESL is all about language. It’s more about teaching Canadian culture, Canadian values.

What we do, how we live,” explains Yvonne after class. “It’s also a safe place to ask questions, share experiences, make mistakes and connect with other newcomers who face the same challenges and fears.”

Yvonne says naturally outgoing students like Helin do very well, but many others need encouragement and chances to practise every day. Even short con­ versations at the grocery store and in the lineup at the bank can be helpful. She urges all of us to pitch in and try to connect with our new neighbours where we can, even when it takes us outside our comfort zones.

Without these opportunities, life for newcomers can be very lonely, particularly in the countryside, even leading to depression. “The research is clear – refugees who build a solid foundation of English earn more and integrate more successfully with their community and Canadian culture,” Yvonne says.

Making friends “Picture?” I gesture with my camera at a gaggle of young kids weaving camp jewellery in the craft room of the Mansfield Outdoor Centre in early August.

Two sets of siblings here – Fatema and Hamoudi Al Haj Ali, 9 and 8, and Duha and Mamdouh Al Hariri, 9 and 11 – are members of sponsored Syrian families living in the Orangeville area. They are enjoying a week of idyllic summer camp, offered to them by camp directors Drew Gulyas and Hilary Smith.

Fatema smiles broadly. She turns to her friend Duha, the same age. Duha arrived in Orangeville from a refugee camp in Jordan in June. Hiding behind the brim of her pink ball cap, Duha wants no part of being photographed, despite Fatema’s pleas.

I lower my camera.

These 2,000 acres in Mulmur, with rolling forests, horse trails, sweeping pastures, classic camp cabins and a swimming pool must feel like the moon to these young newcomers. I’m not surprised Duha shies away.

Later though, amid the crush of campers in the loud dining hall, there’s a tug on my sleeve. With Duha right behind her, Fatema asks, “A picture?” continued on next page IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

41

what you can do To help refugee newcomers – or those yet to come – it’s best to find out their specific needs from sponsor groups and community organizers. Some families could use information about volunteer positions as a way to get job training – or even better, don’t hold back if you have a paid job you can offer.

You might consider pulling together a welcome basket for a new family in your town – or making a holiday cash donation to groups that need it.

a few places to start Project Safe Haven This Orangeville group is one of two in our region awaiting a Syrian family’s arrival. Matched with a family living in Jordan (related to the Orangeville family sponsored by the Headwaters Refugee Sponsorship Committee), the group has just heard the family will arrive November 28. The group has set up a rental home, but their pool of funds is diminished because they have been sending funds to Jordan to help the family while they wait. They would welcome cash donations. contact lyndacranston@sympatico.ca www.youcaring.com/projectsafehaven

Erin Refugee Action Erin Refugee Action is waiting to be matched to one (or more) families and needs cash contributions and leads on permanent accommodation. (The group is also trying to sponsor an unaccompanied minor in a refugee camp in Greece who has family in Montreal, so they are raising funds for that too.) contact erinrefugeeaction@gmail.com www.erinrefugeeaction.ca

Refugee Rescue South Simcoe This group just on the border of Headwaters sponsored one family and informally “adopted” another who came without sponsorship, both now in Alliston. Grocery gift cards and gift cards to stores such as Winners or Giant Tiger – especially for children and teenagers – would be very welcome this holiday season. This group is also looking for cash donations toward $900 driver’s education courses for some of the parents. contact ykonrad@gmail.com www.refugeerescuess.wordpress.com

First Line for Syria This Mono-based group sponsors a Shelburne family. The family is in need of dental work, so the group is hoping for donations to help with that. contact www.firstlineforsyria.ca

42

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Rasmi and Islam Al Hariri are settling into life in Orangeville with their children Laith, Duha and Mamdouh.

new canadians continued from page 41

Soon both girls mug for the camera, arms draped around each other and their new camp friends – just a regular bunch of nine-year-old girls.

A little over a month later, I learn firsthand where Duha gets such strength and resilience. A year before she arrived, a bomb hit a family gathering in Duha’s Syrian village, killing her four-year-old brother, a cousin and three others.

Her mother, Islam Salamah, and older brother Mamdouh spent seven months recovering in hospital.

A family’s new start Duha’s youngest brother Laith is the kind of two-year-old who compels aunties to pinch cheeks – that is if they can catch him. Laith was a nursing infant when the bomb that killed his brother hit on June 29, 2015 – Islam shielded him from the shrapnel. I’m told he still looks up with concern outside when he hears a plane.

Today Laith plays peekaboo with the maga­ zine’s photographer James MacDonald from behind a wall of their cozy Orangeville town­ house – home since early summer. In minutes, towering James and little Laith bond like old pals. Love emanates from this family.

We’ve been invited to visit the Al Hariri family to see how they’re adjusting. Once past

the threshold, there’s no turning down an invitation to stay for dinner. From the heady aroma of the Syrian spice mix baharat wafting from the kitchen, who could resist? Islam fills our plates with fragrant rice and peas, topped with zesty vinaigrette salad. On the side there’s homemade hummus and a tangy meat pie called sfeeha.

Lori Ker, a member of the group that spon­ sored the family, says our Iraqi translator must have been delayed. As it turns out, I may learn more about parents Islam and Rasmi without the extra help. With soccer ball in hand, Duha, Mamdouh and Laith follow Lori’s sons Kyle, 17, and Jordon, 15, outside to a nearby schoolyard.

Islam moves to a seat near their back window, so I can see the garden while we chat.

What follows is a lesson in the art of broken English. There are basic rules – strip away all but nouns and the odd verb. Speak slowly, deli­ berately with eye contact and facial expression.

Use physical aids wherever possible. That’s the easy part. The hard part is being at ease with awkward silences, to laugh at failing and just keep trying.

Like me, Rasmi lets the other two lead. Un­ nerved by numerous silences, I suggest to Lori that perhaps it’s time to let Islam and Rasmi get on with their evening. Both Lori and Islam read the situation perfectly. While Islam disappears

to another room, Lori explains how the family comes from a close-knit community with constant visits from family and friends. She assures me our visit is no imposition. Then Islam reap­pears with her iPhone and tucks in beside me on the couch.

At first, the idea is to show more of her artwork, a few pieces of which we’ve noted on the walls. Islam swipes left past pencil drawings of a lamb in a meadow, a hand holding a heart, a boy sleeping on a heaven-like cloud – each strikingly innocent, hopeful.

Without pause, she moves on to pictures of family life back in Syria.

They show happy gatherings – exactly the sort of impromptu shots we all take – though some of the faces are of her loved ones still in peril there. Be­ yond those, she shares three photos of her beautiful smiling boy Basil, who died in the blast.

“Son, Basil,” she points. “No more.”

Palm down, her hand moves left and right.

Gaze straight forward, she contin­ ues, f lipping to images from the hospital – fearlessly determined to show me not only the joys of everyday family life, but the brutal realities that have brought them to this living room in Orangeville.

“Islam, you are so strong,” I say, squeezing her hand. “Yes,” Islam nods.

“Very strong.”

Helping hands The sponsorship groups and scores of volunteers who have rallied over the last 18 months or more to help bring families to Headwaters are motivated by one thing – the milk of human kindness, a primal power of human connection that says we are more the same than we are different.

“It was hard to envision what that first meeting would be like,” says Brian Logel.

On December 14, 2015, the retired Orangeville educator, his wife Philo­ mena and their sponsoring church group, the Headwaters Refugee Spon­ sorship Committee, were one of the first in rural Ontario to welcome a family from the new wave of Syrian refugees. Major media outlets swarmed to share the good news story of Emad and Razan Al Haj Ali and their child­ ren Fatema and Hamoudi (who were at camp with Duha and Mamdouh Al Hariri) finding a new home in Orangeville – a narrative almost two years in the making.

Even as the family approaches their first anniversary in Headwaters, the magnitude of that first airport en­ counter remains palpable for Brian.

“Obviously, it was very emotional,” he says, pausing as his voice trembles.

“But it was also, in a sense, very or­ dinary. I remember thinking, ‘Well you’re here. Let’s go.’ And they did, following us, putting their complete faith in us.”

In all, the Al Haj Ali family has been followed by at least seven families across the Headwaters region who now call these hills home. Two more groups are waiting for families they’ve sponsored to be cleared to arrive (see sidebar page 42).

Like many Canadians, Lori Ker, who lives in Mono, and her co-spon­ sors in the New Neighbours group – including Helen Derry, and Trish and Darcy Keachie – were galvanized by the shocking image of the lifeless Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, who washed up on a Greek beach in early September 2015.

New Neighbours has about 30 mem­ bers who have donated and raised funds, and a smaller core group who work more hands-on with practical needs. They were connected to Islam and Rasmi via a colleague of the aid worker who had connected the Head­ waters Refugee Sponsorship Commit­ tee to the Al Haj Ali family.

The day-to-day reality of following through takes hard work, patience and a commitment to the long game – particularly with the more limited and far-flung resources for resettle­ ment in the rural areas. From getting groceries to commuting, everything requires a drive and preplanning. In some cases, families can be timid about venturing out alone. “We’re working on that,” says Trish.

Lori mentions that Islam has had only the odd sideways glance in her hijab. Lori’s husband Gary worked in the Middle East for 10 years, so she understands there’s a lot of misin­ formation about Muslim modesty customs. She insists, “Islam is a strong mother and family leader who chooses to follow these traditions.”

Which is not to say there aren’t many cultural differences to work through. In discussing getting a driv­ er’s licence over dinner in their home, Rasmi insists he will do the driving, as men do in Syria. Having seen so many women drive here, Islam laughs and jumps in, “Teach me to drive, not him.” Everyone joins her laughter, but they agree Islam driving would work best for getting kids to school and lessons. In rural areas without public transport, mobility is key, but so is a sense of humour in adapting to un­ familiar ways. continued on next page IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

43

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Indeed, settling in Orangeville – not to mention smaller spots like Shel­ burne or Alliston – is a far cry from landing in Toronto, where finding a Syrian community and getting ade­ quate ESL access might be a lot easier.

An ESL class, for instance, must meet school board minimums (12 people in some places, 15 in others) in order to proceed and get funding – in less dense areas, the wait for a full roster can risk leaving major gaps in help for newcomers. Given the general decline in ESL funding over recent years, Yvonne says the challenges are enormous.

Many people must travel 40 min­ utes or more because of limited bud­ gets for ESL classes in their own com­ munities. Classes also often have to combine people who may be illiterate in their first language with those preparing for higher education – not ideal for either group.

Yvonne says both provincial and federal governments needs to revise funding rules to ref lect the widely different needs of resettlement in the country and the city and allow for such accommodations as continued one-on-one instruction for those lacking basic education – especially children who may have gaps of up to

five years in their education due to their family’s upheaval.

In other ways, being a visible new­ comer to a small town like Orangeville has proved an advantage, sponsors and refugees say. In grocery lines, at the bank and on the street, neighbours have reached out and found ways to connect and offer their new fellow citizens jobs and goodwill. Local bus­ iness people, doctors, landlords, day­ care workers, camp directors and school staffs are offering what they can to help refugee families feel at home.

Duha and Mamdouh’s sponsors say Princess Margaret elementary school in Orangeville seems to be succeed­ ing on that front. The siblings appear happy and comfortable there, and have enjoyed extra support from staff and ESL teachers. Mamdouh takes part in the regular Grade 5 program.

Duha is in Grade 4 and benefits from daily help outside the classroom to help her understand assignments and work on English reading skills.

“She really likes singing the English rhymes and songs that are on the computer tablet supplied by the school board,” says one of her sponsors, Helen Derry. “For both kids, their English is improving and they are speaking in longer phrases. There’s been such a noticeable change in two short months [since school started].”

While there may be some comfort

The power of connecting

Emelia, Kamilia and Marry-Rose Talia wait for the bus on their first day of school this fall.

in being able to disappear into the di­ verse crowd a city, small towns have other benefits, says artist Debbie Ebanks Schlums. She is part of the Creemore-based sponsorship group Out of a War Zone and Into the Hills, which supports architect Zakaria, Rania and Yahya.

“When Zakaria and Rania first arrived, people on the street would say, ‘Welcome to Canada!’ They were shocked how nice people were, that they would welcome them,” she says.

It’s the kind of warmth that makes people want to stay. A settlement worker soon suggested the family move from Alliston to Barrie. The logic: They’re highly educated. They could get a higher level of ESL , free daycare and the independence of pub­ lic transit. They said no.

“At least to start, they want to be closer to the people they know in the area,” says Debbie. “They want the social ties, even though the place is more limiting. We didn’t understand at first, but now we do.”

Most sponsors like Lori, Debbie and Brian say they feel these same bonds and are linked for life to their Syrian families beyond the mandated oneyear commitment. “You get this over­ whelming sense of connectivity,” says Lori, looking back on the last few months.

Back in Yvonne’s class, there’s a com­ mon focus on the future that makes it easy to forget what many here have been through – bombings, siblings killed by ISIS, lost children, the un­ ending worry of brothers, sisters, parents and others still waiting in refugee camps. The resilience of this group, and families like them across our region, is staggering.

So when school boards and govern­ ments don’t step up with sufficient and intensive ESL resources, Yvonne worries about her students – and those who aren’t able to attend classes.

She can’t help but think about the depth of the trauma they’ve endured and how much is at stake for them here, in their new country.

“I find myself becoming angry at the government, at racism, at people you know who say things like ‘Why can’t they be more like us?’” she says, looking at her classroom. “Their pain is my pain now, it just is. No refugee ever thinks that they will become a refugee. No one ever thinks their country will fall apart. In Canada we would never think it could happen to us.”

I meet Khaled and Nisreen Elah­ mad, Muslim parents of four young children. Yvonne’s group, Refugee Rescue South Simcoe, has sponsored them since January. Khaled, who started volunteering at the ReStore in Alliston and now works at nearby Peter Thompson & Sons Lumber, is a man of few words. Indeed, my ques­ tions elicit no more than one-syllable answers, despite young Helin’s enthu­ siastic translations.

I don’t know Arabic, and I have scant understanding of his culture, his religion, his journey to this point.

At first the communication gap feels vast. Then I think of Yvonne’s philo­ sophy: Don’t worry about what you don’t know. Just reach out.

I lean toward Khaled, take his hand and say with a broad, warm smile and fullness of heart, “Thank you for sit­ ting with me. Good luck to you [I point at him] and your children [signalling different heights with my hand].”

Khaled’s expression melts into a smile.

And for both of us, there it is – the power of genuine human connection.

Yvonne is right. It really is that simple.

Liz Beatty is a freelance writer who lives in Brimstone

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

47

COUR TE S Y E AR TH TR ACK S

tracking

48

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

101

BY DON SCALLEN

|

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT McCAW

It’s not just the tracks, but the story they tell

opposite : It was a long plod for a pair of porcupines. centre : Outdoor educator Alexis Burnett says tracks provide clues to animal behaviour. right : A vole’s tracks ended suddenly when it made a meal for a hawk or an owl.

D

usted by occasional snow flurries, outdoor educator Alexis Burnett, along with four tracking apprentices, gathered at the foot of Old Baldy, a rocky cliff jutting out of the Niagara Escarpment just south of Kimberley. I had been invited along to learn something about the art of tracking.

Alexis readied us for adventure. He knew lots of tracks would inscribe the snow that blanketed the woodland. Our goal was to identify the creator of those tracks, but Alexis encouraged us to go beyond mere identification to glean clues about the behaviour of the birds and animals that made them.

The temperature was –6°C, but an approaching high pressure system would see it drop to –12 later in the afternoon. No matter, Alexis’s tracking style is decidedly active. We wouldn’t be cold.

As our search began I was reminded again of the quiet that reigns in our winter woods. To be sure, there is sound, but it is usually sporadic: the shrill cries of blue jays, the “yank, yank” notes of foraging nuthatches, the cawing of crows or the chatter of chickadee troupes bustling through the trees. But the overwhelming impression is quietude. This scarcity of sound may lead some to conclude that winter woods are largely bereft of life, but trackers like Alexis find its signature everywhere.

A secret city

The winter woodland is a secret city, populated by creatures adept at concealment, active mainly after the sun sets. There is drama in this city, with animals and birds engaged in life-and-death struggles. The hunted among them slink and scurry, driven by the imperative to eat, while the hunters look and listen, alert to the sound of teeth gnawing on bark or a glimpse of furtive movement in the moonlight.

On this day, with the occasional cronk of ravens overhead, we found plenty of evidence of hidden life. We saw no deer, but their tracks were common. We found where some of them had bedded down in copses of cedars. There, encouraged by my smiling companions, I knelt down to smell deer pee. A revelation. As they had promised, the scent was pleasantly spicy, the distilled essence of cedar and balsam fir.

Where deer abound in a healthy ecosystem, their predators do too, so we saw plenty of coyote tracks. Tur­keys, ruffed grouse, weasels, squirrels and cottontails left their marks in the snow as well. The widely separated tracks of a bounding snowshoe hare spoke of fear. Spooked by something, it had darted toward the safety of a thicket. continued on next page

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

49

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Mink are seldom seen, but these semi-aquatic animals live in almost every wetland in these hills. They are very active through the winter and leave their tracks along riverbanks and the margins of ponds and lakes. They’ll also frequently venture onto ice. A trail that ends abruptly at a hole in the ice is likely that of a mink. Their tracks are often in twos, the front feet touching the ground together, with the rear feet doing the same. But minks can leave tracks in other patterns as well.

Mink trails are fun to follow. Sometimes a mink will dive into the snow, leaving an almost circular tunnel about three inches in diameter. On streambanks, look for mink slides.

Like otters, mink will slide on their bellies when slopes allow – undoubtedly an energy saver, but probably good fun as well!

Mink scat is narrow and rope-like, and even in winter reveals their aquatic foraging habits. At Forks of the Credit Provincial Park last winter, I found mink scat containing crayfish claws.

tracking continued from page 49

Alexis led us up to the base of the cliff where we found that a heavy, lowslung animal had ploughed through the snow. A porcupine. These plodding rodents, protected by their passive weaponry of quills, find refuge in the numerous cracks and crannies of the escarpment cliffs. They are common forest dwellers in southern Ontario and for decades enjoyed a porcupine Shangri-La, chomping tree bark to their heart’s content and bothered only infrequently by the occasional hungry or misguided coyote.

The resurgent fisher

But to the north, a porcupine nemesis stirred. The fisher, a large weasel possessed of quicksilver movements and a unique porcupine-killing skill set, was on the move southward. Fol­ lowing their bristling quarry, fishers now hunt at least as far south as Orangeville. The porcupine’s brief tenure of peace has ended.

www.hawthornehouse.ca 50

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

porcupine

mink

So along the talus slope at the foot of Old Baldy, it was no great surprise to find the tracks of this resurgent predator. We found no evidence of a porcupine kill, however. Perhaps they were too well protected in their rocky retreats, forcing the versatile fisher to seek other prey. Red squirrel may have substituted for porcupine on this day.

We found the remains of one – little was left but the squirrel’s bushy tail.

Alexis loves the life that abounds in our fields, forests and wetlands. An Orangeville upbringing and parents who were enthusiastic naturalists gave him plenty of opportunity to nurture his passion. In his youth he would ride his bike to special places along the nearby Niagara Escarpment.

Mono Cliffs Provincial Park was a favourite destination.

Over time, he developed a keen in­ terest in tracking and now, at 37, he operates Earth Tracks Outdoor School and Wilderness Canoe Trips, which offers courses to teach others the art

meadow vole

A mink, playful or hurried, took advantage of a hillside slide.

of tracking. “Learning to track has been a beautiful part of my growth as a human being,” he says.

Tracking in its basic form is simply identifying and following animals.

But for Alexis that is just the begin­ ning. “It’s not just about tracks, but about the behaviour, habits and move­ ments of the animals that made them.

It’s about how animals interact not only with their own species, but also with other species and with the plants, trees and the landscape itself.” Alexis is driven to learn about ecological links and connections directly from the animals.

He moves purposefully through a landscape and, though always on the lookout for tracks, is keen to observe anything else – such as feathers, scat, broken branches and chew marks on branches – that may help him flesh out the ecological connections he seeks. Tracking with Alexis at King­ hurst Forest in Grey County, for example, we followed a deer trail and

striped skunk

chipmunk

above : A red fox made its solitary way across a frozen landscape.

Lucky for the rabbit, only its tracks crossed paths with the fox.

discovered where the deer stooped to squeeze under a fallen tree. Demon­ strating the attention to detail that is a hallmark of good tracking, Alexis reached down and recovered a strand of hair snagged by the tree’s bark. He showed us how it kinked when bent, an identifying characteristic of the hollow hair of deer.

Purposeful listening

Alexis also pays attention to sound in the woods, especially bird calls.

Listening to birds can provide clues to the unfolding dramas of the woodland. This demands expertise – knowing the species that is calling and, more challenging, interpreting their messages.

A famous example of people tap­ ping into bird communication is found in Africa. There, the fabled honeyguide birds seek out people and lead them to beehives, in return for access to honey and larval bees.

Remarkably, the communication is

snowshoe hare

sometimes reciprocated. Their human benefactors apparently summon the honeyguides to accompany them on honey hunts as well.

Here in North America, ravens will advertise the location of a dead animal with a tumult of discordant calls, a cacophony Alexis tunes into when he is in the field. Like honey­ guides, ravens may be requesting help to access a resource. Wolves, coyotes and other predators can open up a carcass allowing the ravens to feast.

Birds make alarm calls that ripple out from the position of a predator – a fox or weasel, perhaps – telling the wildlife community, and the savvy tracker, of the predator’s location.

Trackers able to interpret this language can use it to guess what the predator is.

Alarm calls that shout “Weasel!” are random, because weasels often move about in an unpredictable manner.

But foxes and coyotes tend to travel in relatively straight paths, causing a

short-tailed weasel

continued on next page

raccoon IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

51

this page : A ruffed grouse made its own snow angel. facing page : Deer made a beeline to a foraging area.

tracking continued from page 51

“popcorn” alarm sequence according to Jon Young in What the Robin Knows.

As a fox moves along a hedgerow, for example, birds will “pop” up and voice alarms along its route.

Storymaking

Tracking, then, is more than simply following the footprints of animals. It is careful examination of other visual evidence and an awareness of the meaning of bird and animal vocali­ zations. With attention to details like these, predictions can be made, scen­ arios imagined, speculation proffered and credible stories constructed. The storymaking – the building of mean­ ing – is one of the goals of tracking.

In fact, tracking may have helped make humans the storytelling animals that we are. Louis Liebenberg, author of The Art of Tracking: The Origin of Science, writes, “Hunter-gatherers share their knowledge with each other in storytelling around the campfire.

fisher 52

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

[They] take great delight in lengthy, detailed and very gripping narrations of events they have experienced.”

Alexis has plenty of tales to tell around the campfire. He told me one about a tracking expedition he led in Algonquin Park. “We followed a grouse through a forested area with balsam fir and hemlock, and all of a sudden came upon the bounding, two-bytwo tracks of a marten that had inter­ cepted the grouse. Marks in the snow indicated that the marten was drag­ ging the grouse. We followed those marks to a sheltered alcove under the snow-laden boughs of a balsam fir.”

At that point, he continued, “We encountered more tracks: wolf tracks leading to the shelter. We hypothesized that the wolf took the grouse from the marten. Backtracking supported our guess. We found where the wolf had abruptly stopped and turned 90 degrees. And then headed directly to the balsam fir and to the marten and the grouse. The next day, about a mile

wild turkey

coyote

White-tailed deer Deer are big and common, making them excellent choices for a novice tracking adventure. When you find a deer track, first determine the direction of travel. The splayed hooves of deer taper to points at the front and are rounded to the rear. The pointed ends indicate the direction.

As you follow the tracks, be on the lookout for deer sign. You’ll certainly find their scat or pellets – they look like little rounded cylinders usually less than an inch long. You may find where they have peed. If you’re brave enough, have a sniff. My guess is that, like me, you’ll find the scent pleasant!

Like us, deer need to rest, and following a trail long enough will likely lead you to a deer bed. You can examine the bed and attempt to figure out the body position of the reclining animal.

Look for signs of deer browsing as well. Because deer possess only bottom incisors, they leave rough cuts on twigs. They also scrape bark off young trees with their teeth, and in the fall, bucks will rub their antlers on saplings and trees, removing bark.

away, we came across a fresh pile of wolf scat. We poked around and a grouse foot emerged. It may not have been from the same wolf, but it’s very likely that it was.”

The guesswork and hypothesizing involved in tracking has generated a fascinating proposition that the scien­tific method owes its origins to tracking. Liebenberg argues that “to interpret tracks and sign trackers must project themselves into the pos­ ition of the animal in order to create a hypothetical explanation of what the animal was doing.” With the hypothesis formulated, the trackers would gather evidence to support or disprove it, just as scientists do today.

Acting on a sound hypothesis might allow a tracker to find an animal even in the absence of well-defined tracks.

Those who failed to think “scientific­ ally” could go hungry.

As Paul Rezendes writes in Tracking and the Art of Seeing, “At one time being able to read tracks and sign was

a matter of life and death. Knowing where the food was and what the predators were doing could mean the difference between survival and ex­ tinction.”

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Predator and prey

On February 26 this year, shortly after Alexis introduced me to tracking, I headed to Boyne Valley Provincial Park just east of Shelburne. The crys­ talline splendour of the trees dazzled after an ice storm earlier that week.

I was there to test my rudimentary tracking skills, think scientifically about what I found, and perhaps leave with a story or two.

The trails of many animals were etched in the snow: rabbits and mice, squirrels and shrews, and possibly minks or weasels. Sign of deer aboun­ ded. I found imprints where two deer had rested under the shelter of hem­ locks. They had been feeding well – scat littered the snow.

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

53

Cottontail rabbit tracks.

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Anyone who has spent any time in the winter woods has likely come across the distinctive tracks of a cottontail. These form a roughly triangular pattern.

Cottontail scat is small and spherical, similar in appearance to Cocoa Puffs cereal. In winter cottontails feed primarily on the twigs of small shrubs and trees, a habit that makes them the bane of gardeners! They snip those twigs at clean 45-degree angles, in contrast to the ragged cuts made by deer.

A popular misconception is that rabbits dig holes for shelter and as dens.

European rabbits do, but not North American. Instead, cottontails shelter in dense tangles above ground, and their tracks will usually lead to these protected retreats.

tracking continued from page 53

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Following one deer track I measured a series of bounds about 13 feet apart.

I hypothesized that those enormous strides were powered by fear, much like the track of the snowshoe hare at Old Baldy.

Evidence of the probable source of that fear was easy to find, as coyote tracks were abundant. I pondered the relationship between coyotes and deer in our winter hills. I imagined a high-stakes chess match played out between the two species in the winter – move and countermove. With luck, fit deer avoid checkmate. A bad deci­ sion or ill health brought on by dis­ ease or old age tilts the board in the coyote’s favour.

The life-and-death struggle between deer and coyote shouldn’t be lament­ ed. Rezendes uses the predation of moose by wolves to illustrate the ben­ efits that accrue to both prey and predator. “Wolves continuously test the healthy and remove the weak.

muskrat 54

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

They shape the physical characteris­ tics of their prey, leaving the healthier and stronger animals to breed. In turn, the moose challenge the wolves to become efficient and successful predators.” Both ultimately depend on the other for their well-being.

Rezendes sees an “essential unity” in the relationship between predator and prey. This essential unity, how­ ever, extends beyond the immediate predator and its prey to include many other creatures. In these hills, coyotes, foxes, weasels, fishers, ravens and a host of smaller creatures such as shrews, mice and chickadees feed on a deer carcass. Death begets life.

Alexis refers to the sites where animals die as “wheels.” The “spokes” of these wheels, radiating outwards from the dead animal, are the tracks of the many animals that owe their lives to the deceased.

eastern cottontail

red fox

Tracking Resources books

Tracking & the Art of Seeing: How to Read Animal Tracks and Sign by Paul Rezendes. This book served as my introduction to tracking literature. A comprehensive resource.

Animal Tracks of Ontario

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A naturalist’s dilemma

As Alexis explores sites like these – in fact, whenever he does any tracking at all – he is conscious of how his presence may be affecting the animals he seeks to understand. Though he loves to get close to animals, he doesn’t want to cause them undue anxiety and agitation.

“When they’re aware of your pres­ ence,” he says, “you can see it in their behaviour, in their tracks. That’s when I say to myself, ‘enough,’ and back off.

The goal is not always to see the ani­ mal. It’s a special gift when you do, especially when they are engaging in their natural patterns, but for me it’s about the journey of the learning on the trail.”

Alexis articulates a dilemma all thinking naturalists struggle with.

We want to connect with nature, with animals, birds and plants, but we don’t want to hurt what we love. Respect, a key to healthy human interaction, must also prevail in our relationship

with animals. My own most treasured moments with wildlife are times when the animals aren’t aware of me, when I can watch them interact naturally with their environment. Encounters like these are deeply satisfying.

And if encountering animals through outdoor pursuits like track­ ing is good for us, in the final analy­ sis the animals can benefit as well.

Understanding the “other,” whether among our fellow human beings or fellow animals, helps build bridges and leads us to value other lives. “Ul­ timately, tracking an animal makes us sensitive to it – a bond is formed, and intimacy develops,” writes Rezendes.

Alexis agrees. For him, tracking is a way to help connect people in a deep and powerful way to nature. “With tracking, you develop a real empathy for the land and for all the creatures that are out there.”

This empathy may be crucial to conservation. Liebenberg believes our estrangement from nature may be the “most dangerous threat to the sur­ vival of many species in the face of ‘advancement’ and ‘progress.’” He believes one of the most important drivers of nature conservation is the public’s general awareness of wildlife, but he also notes, “Even keen nature lovers are often unaware of the wealth of animal life around them, simply because most animals are rarely seen.” ≈

We’ve done a lot of growing in our first year!

It’s been a fantastic year at Mount Wolfe Forest Farm. We’ve learned more about farming and business and how much community supported agriculture means to our community.

We thank our founding members, trusted suppliers, and tireless workers and welcome new members for 2017. For more information, farm pictures, history and member pricing, visit our website or facebook, give us a call or send an email.

Sign up before Jan. 1, 2017 for 2016 pricing.

See you on the farm!

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Earth Tracks founder Alexis Burnett offers a wildlife tracking apprentice­ ship program. One weekend a month over a period of 10 months is devoted to intensive nature study and tracking. Earth Tracks also offers a variety of other outdoor experiences and workshops. Find out more at www.earthtracks.ca.

Fisher tracks.

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Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species by Mark Elbroch. Many trackers consider this award-winning book to be the best of the genre.

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Building your dream barn in the hills

Don Scallen is a retired science teacher and naturalist. Read more of his observations about local flora and fauna in his blog “Notes from the Wild” at www.inthehills.ca.

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www.DutchMasters.on.ca IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

55

H I S T O R I C

H I L L S

K E N

W E B E R

DESIGNWES T / IS TOCK

Shadows in the Forest To the first settlers of these hills, a passing shadow in the trees could mean food to be harvested, perhaps a deer.

Sometimes it meant a pest to be shooed away, a fox or raccoon. It could also mean something to be feared.

Jeremiah Phillips was only a half mile from his cabin on the 3rd Line of Amaranth when he spotted the yel­ low eyes behind him in the gathering darkness. Hastily he scrambled up the nearest tree, and none too soon for in a silent instant the wolves were all around him. Strangely they had no interest in the cow he was leading – she took off, heading who knows where. Instead they circled the tree, then sat on their haunches gazing up at him. In the distance he could hear his wife blowing their battered old bugle, a homing signal used by many pioneers after dark, but Jeremiah was in the tree for the night.

The next morning when the sun rose high enough to shine on him, the wolves, in what seemed like a commit­ tee decision, slipped away as quietly as they had appeared, and Jeremiah went home to his grateful family.

Jeremiah was an Amaranth pioneer, and there is little doubt he underwent this “wolf experience” described by Dufferin historian Adelaide Leitch. But the early lore of these hills is rife with variations of his pursued-by-wolves tale and how genuine these stories may be is moot, for the mythology of the wolf as the most dangerous beast of the forest was firmly carried in the psychic baggage of every European who came here in the early 19th cen­ tury. And succeeding generations per­ petuated the belief. Not just in camp­ fire stories but even in obituaries. At the death of an early pioneer, our local newspapers would invariably comment on his or her bravery for settling here at a time when wolves and bears roamed the townships.

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Wolves were the worst

Once a regular food for pioneers, passenger pigeons were so numerous that witnesses described how they darkened the sky in the multi-millions, taking a full day to pass over. However, mass shoots in the mid-19th century so depleted their numbers that a sighting of ten birds near Orangeville in 1899 is believed to be the last flock ever seen. The lone survivor of the species died at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.

Were bears not as scary?

Those same local papers seemed to deliberately soften the danger posed by bears. Bear sightings, or more often bear shootings, were always newswor­ thy, but the reporting style reveals a rather bemused attitude. The Bolton Enterprise typically described an un­ wanted visitor as “Mr. Bruin,” for ex­ ample, while “His Bearship” prevailed in the Grand Valley Star.

Not only is this choice of gender curious, for the female of the species is usually the greater threat, but the Disney-like language suggests that compared to wolves, bears were a

much lesser threat. Even though the appearance of “Mr. Bruin” in a neigh­ bourhood would rouse a huge res­ ponse, it seems our local reporters could never resist a smirk.

The Shelburne Free Press in 1887 offers a typical case. When a bear wandered onto Jim Webster’s farm at Horning’s Mills in June that year, it was met, according to the Free Press, “with a force from the village, armed with rifles, guns, muskets and clubs.”

By the time the bear was treed, “every­ one in the hamlet from Dr. Barr on down had joined in the chase to cover themselves with cheap glory.” The

inevitable death of the unlucky beast was celebrated at Allen’s store with “ginger pop, cold teas, etc.,” and Dr. Barr was asked who shot the bear. He replied, “We all shot him.”

However, it is unlikely conversa­ tions in the first cabins to dot these hills were as flippant as that one. To the pioneers, bears were a real danger.

Unlike wolves, however, they were rather blunt and obvious, and their real threat was to livestock. An entry in a diary owned by Anne Stuckey, an early settler of East Luther, covers it neatly: “It was a very coman thing to heare your pigs squilling an go out an find a bare just going away with Mr. Pig in his mouth.”

Since livestock meant livelihood, even survival to Anne’s contempor­ aries, it’s easy to understand why an entire community would gather to chase down an intruding bear.

The bounty in the forest Although the aura of threat from wolves and bears seemed to pervade like a mist over the lives of the early settlers, those days of danger were short lived. Less dramatic and far more sustaining was the reality that the wildlife of the forest was a resource for them, a key food supply in the be­ ginning, and over time, a supplement.

Deer abounded and dressed veni­ son often appeared on the shelves of local stores. Rabbits were common fare because they were so easy to catch and prepare. Many a table regularly offered squirrels, groundhogs and, of course, ducks and geese. The fish in creeks and rivers made these hills a land of plenty.

Fatal attacks?

D U F F E R I N C O U N T Y M U S E U M & A R C H I V E S P - 5374

Although there have been fatal bear and wolf attacks in Ontario, there has never been a verified death in the part of the province we know as the hills. In June 1870, the Orangeville Sun reported the dead bodies of a bear and a native man were discovered in Mulmur Township, lying side by side in what seemed to have been a death struggle. But no official record of the death has been found.

The fox as “enemy of the chicken coop” is firmly rooted in both mythology and reality. Competing with this clever animal was (and still is) a constant for rural people. Mary (Rolstin) Clarke (1897–1957), shown here c. 1945, was determined to keep her chickens safe at her farm on the 4th Line of Melancthon Township.

Samuel Wolford, who became Bol­ ton’s first certified school teacher in 1842, tells of spearing salmon up to four feet long in the Humber River. He describes the custom of setting a large basket by mill dams in the evening. In the morning it would be filled with fish that had been trying to jump the dam.

Emptying the forest Sadly the days of wildlife as a harvest passed quickly. Streams that were not overfished were blocked with dams.

As the forest was thinned, the shad­ ows in the trees began to disappear.

And, almost a last straw, hunting in the late 19th century became a group

ONLINE IN THE HILLS Did You Know? How onceendangered Canada geese came to be so populous in the hills?

That salmon in the Humber were once so numerous, boys crossed the rivers on the backs of the fish?

Or that betting on cock fights and dog fights continued in Caledon long after the brutal contests were outlawed in Ontario? Read more details with this Historic Hills column at inthehills.ca.

sport. Organized “shoots” as they were called brought together large numbers of hunters for coon hunts, skunk hunts, deer hunts. Often organized as group versus group competitions, the shoots had a devastating impact on the wildlife population.

The Peel Banner, for example, re­ ported in December 1874 that the winning team of a skunk hunt had taken down 1,550 of the “white stripes,” while the losers bagged 965. Although these numbers stretch credulity (the winners were accused of amassing quarry in advance of the contest), there is little doubt a shoot was often little more than a mass-killing event.

By the beginning of the 20th cen­ tury, local newspapers provide a clue to what the forest had become. In 1899 a deer was seen in a field near Whit­ tington and the Shelburne Economist thought that news rare enough to print it on the front page. The Bolton Enterprise was sim­ilarly impressed in 1912 by a 22-inch speckled trout a teenager pulled out of Parson’s Creek in Caledon East.

Somewhat earlier the Orangeville Sun reported that a sheep near Farm­ ington choked on a snake it had swal­ lowed. A 40-inch eel caught in Scott’s Lake (now Innis Lake) drew major attention in 1905, while two years ear­ lier the Grand Valley Star and Vidette was pleased to report the sighting of a bear near Colbeck – not Mr. Bruin anymore, nor His Bearship, just a passing bear. In but a few decades the shadows in the forest had become a curiosity. ≈ Ken Weber’s best-selling Five Minute Mysteries series is published worldwide in 22 languages. This fall he was inducted into Caledon’s Walk of Fame for his work as an educator, author and local historian.

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

57

The year

A Celtic Temperament Robertson Davies as Diarist edited by Jennifer Surridge and Ramsay Derry Robertson Davies’ daughter Jennifer Surridge spent 15 years typing a literal transcription of her father’s diaries. And no wonder it took so long. The author, playwright, newspaper publisher and first master of the University of Toronto’s Massey College was a lifelong diarist, producing more than three million words. Surridge, collaborating with Ramsay Derry, her father’s friend and former editor at the Macmillan Company of Canada, selected the years 1959 to 1963 for publication. A Celtic Temperament is Davies at midlife and mid-career, a time of grand successes and wrenching failure. It is a fascinating look at the brilliant, moody and often insecure man known today as one of Canada’s greatest writers.

Davies lived out his later years near Caledon East. Derry owns a country home in Caledon. (McClelland & Stewart, $35)

ou r a n n ua l r ev iew of n ew bo oks

BY TRACEY FOCKLER

What a year for authors in the hills! Local writers produced over 40 titles for your reading pleasure, and what an interesting and eclectic collection it is.

CareyOn

Included are insights into local history, the biography

The True Story of a Young Love That Tore a Family Apart

of a war hero, letters of a literary icon and multiple

by Cindy Graves

memoirs of ordinary people courageously enduring

The year is 1978. The setting is a hobby farm near Orangeville. A group of teens have repeatedly terrorized the Carey family by racing a car around their yard in the dead of night and vandalizing their property. Finally, Harry Carey has had enough. He fires a shotgun and inadvertently injures two of the boys. It turns out that one of the injured teens is the vengeful boyfriend of Harry’s youngest daughter, whom he’d forbidden her to see.

Cindy Graves is Harry’s eldest daughter. Her memoir of her father’s arrest and the devastation it wreaked on her family is a gripping story of love, loss and forgiveness. (Friesen Press, $35.80)

extraordinary circumstances. Not to be outdone, poets, artists and fiction writers tempt readers to lose themselves in fanciful storytelling. And, as always, there are novels to engage the younger set and picture books to delight the wee ones.

This season, why not reward all the good girls and boys on your gift list with the perfect book?

Jockey Girl

by Shelley Peterson No Justice is a horse only 16-year-old Evie is brave enough to ride.

The animal is aptly named. He can’t catch a break, no matter how fast he is. And “no justice” pretty much sums up Evie’s life as well. Her father is a mean-tempered control freak, her stepmother is falling into booze, and the boy Evie likes allowed her ex-friends to humiliate her all over Facebook. Winning the Caledon Horse Race is the first step in her plan to reclaim her life and find the mother she thought long dead.

Shelley Peterson is the author of the bestselling Saddle Creek book series.

She owns and operates a stable in Caledon. (Dundurn, $12.99)

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Country Fair

by Carolyn j Morris illustrated by Richard McNaughton Beeton’s Carolyn j Morris, author of the Spruce Valley novels for young readers, sends Chick and Duckling, characters from her children’s picture book Good Morning Railfence Bunch, on a new adventure. Hitching a ride in the back of a truck, the two curious fowls take in the 4-H displays, the horse show, the Ferris wheel and much more excitement at the country fair. Grey County’s Richard McNaughton illustrates the gentle tale with lovely watercolour scenes. (Railfence Books, $12.95)

in Books

by l o c a l au t hor s a n d il lustr ator s A Love Story

An Intensely Personal Memoir

by Lance Secretan Lance Secretan understands leader­ ship. The speaker, executive coach and best-selling author is world-renowned for instilling humanity into corporate life. His latest book is no less inspira­ tional. Interspersed with poetry, A Love Story reflects on the deep, abiding love he shared with his wife Tricia. From their first meeting at Caledon Ski Club to Tricia’s final battle with cancer 30 years later, their relationship is an example for us all.

Lance Secretan is the author of ONE: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership and Inspire!

What Great Leaders Do. He divides his time between Colorado and Caledon. (Secretan Center, $24.95)

Unremarkable

A Good Place to Start

by Blake Heathcote Don’t let the title of Blake Heathcote’s biography of John “Scruffy” Weir fool you.

This “unremarkable” Canadian led a most remarkable life. Raised among Toronto’s elite by his World War I-hero father, John began his training in the art of wilderness survival and espionage in childhood. These skills helped him not only ferret out spies on his air force base during World War II, but also survive incarceration in Stalag Luft III, where he played a key role in the famous “Great Escape.” Later in life Weir settled in Mulmur, where he continued his intelligence work, tracking down German war criminals.

Blake Heathcote founded Testaments of Honour Press, which is dedicated to telling the stories of Canadian veterans. (Testaments of Honour, $28.99)

Echoes of the Past

The Rural One Room Schools of Peel County

by Friends of the Schoolhouse The Old Britannia Schoolhouse on Hurontario Street in Mississauga is visited every day of the school year by students eager to travel back in time to the mid-1800s and experience a piece of living history.

Spearheaded by the late Joan Reid and Friends of the Schoolhouse (supporters of Old Britannia and its programs), Echoes of the Past is a research-rich exploration of Peel’s many other one room schoolhouses, including all 40 or so that once served students in what is now the Town of Caledon. Archival photos, firsthand anecdotes, gems of quirky trivia, and historical timelines of the buildings and its pupils make for a captivating read. (Friends of the Schoolhouse, $30)

The Petun

People of the Hills

by Pat Raible In 1616, Samuel de Champlain arrived in a locale he described as a “country full of hill slopes and little level stretches which make it a pleasant land.” There he met an Indigenous people he called the Petum or Petun, meaning tobacco.

Today a plaque stands in the village of Creemore to commemorate Champlain’s visit. Much is known about the explorer.

But what of the people who once called our beautiful hills home? Pat Raible, founder of Curiosity House Books & Gallery in Creemore, delves into the history, societal structure, spiritu­ality and eventual dispersal of the Petun. (Curiosity House Books, $18.95)

Broken Balloons

by Gail Prussky After a decade of work as an addiction therapist for cocaine and crack users at the Donwood Institute in Toronto, Gail Prussky moved to Mono, gathered her art supplies around her and let her burnt-out brain wander. “Wander”? No. I think the correct word is explode. The fantastical creatures she created – a bizarre hybrid of human, insect and machine – stand on their own or illustrate short prose pieces. Subjects range from fond memories of the monster living under a child’s bed to the ancient sport of weasel tossing. Filmmaker David Cronenberg supplies the foreword – an interview with Prussky at the imagined Wm Burroughs Black Meat Juice Bar, where they sipped meat-juice Spatials through mantis-legged straws. Best introduction ever to a thoroughly engaging book. (Exile Editions, $19.95)

Canada A to Z

In Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of Canada’s Confederation

by Virginia May, Norah Newton and Shiloh Newton Caledon artist Virginia May teamed up with her granddaughters, 12-year-old Norah and 10-year-old Shiloh Newton, to produce this beautifully crafted and fact-filled alphabet book.

Photos, poetry, old maps and prints highlight the person, place or thing chosen to illustrate each letter.

Norah and Shiloh wrote poems for many of the letters and helped their grandmother with the design and photo choices. The former Orangeville residents now live in Priceville, Ontario.

The project received permission from the Canada 150 Committee to use the official logo. (Virginia May, $20)

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

59

Autism

The Gift That Needs to Be Opened by the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador

Spectacular Plant Combinations for the Perennial Garden

by Lorraine Roberts “What should I plant with this perennial?” is the question heard most often by Lorraine Roberts, owner of Caledon’s Plant Paradise Country Gardens. Spectacular Plant Combinations explains how understanding flower form, foliage shape, texture and the fundamentals of the colour palette can help gardeners develop an artist’s perspective. The result? Stunning displays throughout the growing season. Included in the guide are more than a hundred perennial combinations for both sun and shade, all photographed on-site in Roberts’ award-winning botanical garden.

Lorraine Roberts is also the author of A Recipe for Contin­uous Bloom. (Plant Paradise Country Gardens, $29.95)

Settling the Hills

Historical Reflections – Caledon East and District

by Caledon East and District Historical Society Settling the Hills is back in print. This lovely book of photographs and stories is a testament to Caledon East’s first settlers.

Chapters contributed by a variety of local authors reveal how a crossroads first known as Tarbox Corners grew into the bustling village it is today.

(Caledon East and District Historical Society, $25)

When the Rapture Comes and In the Garden of I Am

by Max Layton When the rapture comes The good-looking girls In Tim Hortons will talk to me Sit down at my table Ask polite, intelligent questions About the book I am reading Sensing the exquisite loneliness Of my soul

A single elegant prompt structures each of these collections of poetry. What else happens when the rapture comes? The ugly suburbs of Brampton and Mississauga disappear. A father lost to Alzheimer’s regains his memory.

Everyone will be forced to sing “Ode to Joy” for 10,000 years. And In the Garden of I Am, the poet finds he encompasses so many things: the thoughtful provider who bought a plot for two at the cemetery; the collector in possession of Mahatma Gandhi’s glasses; the dean who had to can CanLit for lack of student interest. He is also a fish, a window, a barking puppy and the son of Irving Layton, now forced to explain who his father was to the Google generation.

Max Layton is a singer-songwriter, novelist and the former manager of a subsidiary of McClelland & Stewart. He lives in Cheltenham. (Guernica Editions, $20 each)

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

This collection of personal stories by parents, world experts and people on the autism spectrum includes chapters by Orangeville’s Krista PreussGoudreault and Hockley Valley’s Doug McCreary and his son Michael McCreary.

Krista Preuss-Goudreault’s contribution describes the eye-opening and often cathartic experience of writing a children’s book with her daughter Olivia, who has Asperger’s syndrome.

May I Be Excused, My Brain Is Full launched a national book-signing tour and requests for Olivia to speak to groups and conferences.

Doug McCreary describes living with his nonverbal son Matthew as a never-ending game of “Survivor: Autism Edition, complete with food challenges, endurance events and mental exercises.” Humour, as you may have guessed, plays a large role in the family’s ability to cope. Little wonder Matthew’s older brother Michael, who has Asperger’s syndrome, is now a successful stand-up comic. Like his dad’s, Michael’s chapter is full of the same dry wit as he describes the obstacles he has tackled and the thrill of finding his passion in comedy. (Flanker Press, $19.95)

Halton Hikes Loops & Lattes

by Nicola Ross

Fantastic Structures

A Coloring Book of Amazing Buildings Real and Imagined

by Steve McDonald Have you finished every page of Steve McDonald’s first colouring book Fantastic Cities? Is your stressed brain craving the Zen-like peace of applying crazy shades to yet more architecture? With its incredible buildings, both real and imagined, Fantastic Structures will more than satisfy your restless hands. Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Prague’s astronomical clock, and Quebec City’s celebrated Château Frontenac all await your imagination.

Dunedin artist Steve McDonald travels the world to draw sketches on-site. The rough drawings – and photos for detail – are brought back to his studio, where he creates his pen-and-ink masterpieces.

(Chronicle Books, $20.95)

Following in the bootprints of Caledon Hikes: Loops & Lattes, Nicola Ross’s newest guidebook explores the woods and escarp­ ments of the Halton area. Each of the 37 hikes is rated according to degree of difficulty, hiking time, number of steps and even the number of calories she burned.

What’s missing? The number of potential calories to be gained during the “latte” portion of the outing. Only the most steely willed will be able to resist overindulging at the inviting bakeries, coffee houses and various other eateries along the way.

Caledon’s Nicola Ross is the award-winning author of five books. She is also an environ­ mental activist and a regular contributor to this magazine.

(Woodrising Consulting, $24.95)

Choose to Be Your Vision

by Sheena Blake illustrated by Andrea Farrow

The Lost

Tales of the Ablockalypse #2

by David H. Scott Steve, the unlikely hero of The Chosen, Tales of the Ablockalypse #1, fought off zombies and skeletons to retrieve the diamond chestplate. Now in pursuit of the final piece of enchanted armor, he and his gang of oddball friends must find the last known Dragon Master and enlist his help. No easy task considering the man reeks of garbage and is madder than a sack of wet cats.

Orangeville’s David H. Scott was only 12 when he wrote The Chosen. This second Minecraftinspired novel for preteens, with its nonstop action and wacky humour, is, if possible, even more fun than the first. (Mystic Awesome Press, $10.99)

Dim the lights! Raise the curtain!

The school play is ready to begin.

After giving himself a pep talk, Sun – a costumed boy suspending from the ceiling by wires – feels pretty darn good about himself.

But when a bossy thundercloud appears and tells him the animals and people below need her more than him, self-doubt creeps in and he disappears into the far reaches of the galaxy. Can he choose to be the vision of the strong, confident Sun he knows he can be?

Illustrator Andrea Farrow adds amusing layers to the story by heaping personality on every cast member.

Orangeville’s Sheena Blake founded Discovering Diversity Publishing. The company’s mandate is to promote self-love through education. (Discovering Diversity, $14.99)

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A Handbook on Climate Action for Baby Boomers How History’s Most Privileged Generation Can – With Guts and Gumption – Still Leave Our Kids a Livable Planet

by Liz Armstrong The title of Liz Armstrong’s newly updated book is purposely worded. Yes, it’s about climate change, but more specifically, it’s a call for climate action. In it she targets her own cohort, baby boomers, who she says must now use their numbers-strong voices if they want to leave their children and grand­ children a viable future. How? Glad you asked.

Armstrong proposes joining or creating your own action group, letter writing campaigns, practical tips to reduce your carbon footprint, and many other realistic options that together can create “an avalanche of action.” So come on all you raging grannies and grampies, it’s time to get loud!

Liz Armstrong is also the author of Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic. She lives in Erin. (ClimateAction, free pdf at www.ClimateActionForBoomers.ca or hard copy $20 online order)

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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Booklore_Booklore ad 16-11-02 5:26 PM Page 1

From BookLore...

Christmas Magic, Yours to Keep

A Silent Bugle

Journals of an Alzheimer’s Daughter

by Sharon Cecelia Smith

Make Your True North Christmas Jolly

Ramblings of a Curious Man and Tales from Porcupine Junction

A Moose Pasture Paradise

by Clare McCarthy

Deck the Halls Helaine Becker and Werner Zimmermann Published by Scholastic Canada

Illustrator Werner will be at BookLore Dec. 10, 10:30am Where Werner goes, laughter, singing, reading and drawing follow!

Make Your Friendships Count This Season

Clare McCarthy’s memoir Ramblings of a Curious Man follows the hirsute hero from his humble beginnings in the Northern Ontario hamlet of Gold Centre, through school, career, world travels and a life-changing accident. (Mac Press, $14.95) In the fictional hamlet of Porcupine Junction, ideas both brilliant and downright crazy are discussed by the “brain trust” in Bert’s Fix-It Shop. Each chapter tells a story, and each story is a gem. (Mac Press, $19.99) Orangeville’s Clare McCarthy writes “Meanderings,” a column for the Orangeville Banner.

We Found a Hat

Jim Shaw’s Grand Valley

by Jim Shaw

121 First Street, Orangeville 519-942-3830 booklore.ca

www.booklore.ca 62

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

The Wayfaring Swan

by Rose Schmidt Liana Taylor, travel agent extraordinaire and chronic singleton, is bamboozled into signing up for a tall ship voyage in the Florida Keys by her interfering but wellmeaning mother. Discovering that Taron Royce – a man both irritating and attractive – is the ship’s captain is only the first hitch in a voyage that threatens to turn into the vacation from hell. True love and family ties provide the strong moral centre for this delightful romantic comedy.

Rose Schmidt lives in Orange­ ville. (Rose Schmidt, $19.95)

Welcome to the Madhouse

by S.E. Sasaki S.E. Sasaki incorporates her work as a surgical assistant at Guelph General Hospital into her sci-fi thriller about a doctor posted to a medical space station. Dr. Grace Lord is prepared to adapt quickly to life aboard the Nelson Mandela as she patches up animal-human hybrid soldiers injured in battle, but nothing can prepare her for strange encounters with a too-human android and a killer lurking in the crew.

S.E. Sasaki lives in Erin.

(FriesenPress, $18.99)

The Casebook of Padlock Holmes

Jon Klassen Published by Candlewick Press

One hat, two turtles, what to do!

Sharon Cecelia Smith believed her years as a professional caregiver in nursing homes would enable her to slide naturally into the role of sole caregiver to her father. But Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease. It twisted her father’s personality and spouted hurtful words that cut her to the core. And how could it not? She was still his daughter, and he was her beloved Papa.

This powerful memoir, which includes journal entries and poetry, is an unflinching look at the toll exacted on caregivers. A must-read for adult children now parenting their parents.

Sharon Cecelia Smith was a long-time resident of Orangeville. She now lives in Guelph. (Sharon Cecelia Smith, $20)

Jim Shaw’s Grand Valley is a collection of the author’s favourite columns written for the Orangeville Banner. For the last 15 years, he has docu­ mented the interesting people and events of his beloved hometown. (Jim Shaw, $20)

by John Denison Padlock Holmes, the great-great-great-great-greatgreat-grandson of the famous Sherlock Holmes, lives in a pod-house at 221B Baker Street. A girl with wild orange hair and a sharp mind moves in next door. Her name? Wendy Watson, of course. Together with Padlock’s trusty computer Wiggins and an ever increasing cast of kooky characters, the team sets about solving cases both large and small.

Erin’s John Denison, author of Booger and Emily the Irritating, serves up another winning read. Teens will enjoy the futuristic setting and sly humour of the delightfully flawed hero. (Why Knot Books, $20)

Kitchen Table_layout 16-11-02 5:16 PM Page 1

HOLIDAY MEMORIES ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN Theory of Mind

by David Courtney

10

A Story of Love, Life, and Loss

by Barbara Heagy Journal entries, remembered moments and emails to and from family members shape Barbara Heagy’s poignant memoir of love unexpectedly found at midlife followed by the profound loss of her husband to cancer. Heart­ breaking and life affirming.

A longtime resident of Orangeville, Barbara Heagy recently moved to the Guelph area. (Balboa Press, $16.95)

In a world of infinite choices and even more distractions, we, as a society, are doing frighteningly little to engage our brains. Our days are a monotonous haze of commuting, work, spending free time staring at a screen, and sleeping, with no time allotted for original experiences or creativity. The result? Our brains are stagnating, putting us at greater risk of dementia.

David Courtney tackles a variety of issues, from hyper-capitalism, religious fanaticism and misogyny to our need for music and arts and the inordinate importance we place on math and sciences.

He lives in Belwood.

(David Courtney, $18.95)

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So You Want to Be a Landlord

by H. Clark Adams, QC

The Amethyst

by Aldonna Kaulius-Barry Secrets and lies weave through this sprawling tale of a young woman’s quest for love. Her journey takes her from the ballrooms of Victorian England to faraway India at the time of the British Raj. Aldonna Kaulius-Barry is a corporate magazine editor and executive coach who lives in Caledon. (Lioness and Castle Press, $24.95)

If anyone should know the pitfalls of leasing out business and residential units, it’s Clark Adams. Not only is he a landlord, but he also spent 15 years as a judge in Orangeville’s small claims court, where he heard more than his fair share of landlord-tenant disputes. From ravenous, drywalleating dogs to a tenant who ran a hostel out of a two-bedroom condo, Adams covers the gamut of horror stories.

Clark Adams is also the author of Your Turn to Judge: Forty Interesting Cases for You to Decide. He lives in Orangeville. (Friesen Press, $13.95)

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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Celtic Odyssey and Age of Chivalry are books two and three of The First Expeditions, a steampunk adventure series that began with the novel Prehistoric Journey.

When Beowulf Meets Kyla imagines the legendary, and terribly handsome, Beowulf, transported forward through time to the astonishment of Kyla, a student studying English literature at university.

D. L. Narrol lives in Caledon. (Double Dragon, $20 each)

Beyond Shaking Hands

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by Nelson Sleno Since the publication of his first book Shaking Hands, Nelson Sleno’s life has changed. Not only has he achieved local celebrity, but he has also become a sought-after speaker on the subject of dealing with Parkinson’s disease and other debilitating conditions. In fighting the war against disease, Nelson encourages warriors to use all available weapons, such as education, self-advocacy, prescription drugs and alternative therapies. The battle is not always pretty and the pitfalls are many, but the reward – to actively live the life you have – is worth the struggle.

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

GREAT BOOKS FOR ALL AGES

Unique Gifts • Games Puzzles • Journals • Cards Movie Rentals • Special Orders Bowser and Birdie – great, funny mystery series for kids 8-12 years old 266 Queen St South at Ellwood in Bolton 905-951-1501 forkam@bellnet.ca

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Orangeville’s Nelson Sleno is a former teacher and champion in powerlifting and weightlifting. He currently plays a mean blues harmonica. (Titan Press, $15)

Think Nothing of Me

by Shawnda Chambers Betrayal is at the heart of this brave memoir. Her husband’s infidelity and the breakdown of their marriage unearths deeper pain from the author’s past – a childhood stolen by sexual abuse. Beautiful, dreamy prose draws the reader into the labyrinth of her psyche as she searches for a path to healing.

Shawnda Chambers is a holistic nutrition­ist who runs work­shops from her home in Mono. (Shawnda Chambers, $19.95)

Parents Make a Difference

A Journey of a Mom Wanting an Above-Average Life for Her Five Children

by Josie Pittiglio-Vivona Parents Make a Difference gives parents the Catholic faith-based tools they need to help their children reach their full potential. Bolton resident Josie Pittiglio-Vivona speaks from experience.

She is the mother of five children, a teacher and an expert in special education.

(Essence Publishing, $18.99)

All For You

by Tina D’Alonzo Nothing can stop Laura from cooking up a feast for a surprise party. Not her father yelling about the grocery bill or her mother fainting face first into freshly rolled pasta. Tina D’Alonzo’s bouncy rhymes and Stefanie St. Denis’s fun illustrations come together to create a tasty treat.

Tina D’Alonzo lives in Bolton.

(Tellwell Talent, $20.95)

FRESH BUTCHER, FARM SHOPPE & CAF É // @heatherleafarm

Voices by the Hackmatack Writers Voices is a collection of short stories, poetry, memoirs and plays by the Hackmatack Writers, a group formed after a writers’ workshop hosted by Dufferin Arts Council Art School in 1998. Contributors include Jane Cooper, Teressa Gold, Margaret Hogben, David McRae, Rosemary Molesworth, Iain Richmond, Edith Van Beek and Bridget Lawson.

(Hackmatack Writers, $15)

Construction Zone for Women 40+ How to Embrace Change by Shifting Beliefs

by Tracey McLeod Many women reach 40 and discover they’ve spent so much time helping others achieve happiness they’ve forgotten about their own desires.

Construction Zone for Women 40+ challenges women to rebuild their lives from the foundation right up to the rafters.

Tracey McLeod, a longtime resident of Orangeville, recently moved to Etobicoke. (10-10-10 Publishing, $14.99)

Tracey Fockler works at BookLore, an independent bookstore in Orangeville, where she also facilitates a book club.

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(519) 939–3663 IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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M A D E

I N

T H E

H I L L S

T R A L E E

P E A R C E

Wrap it up

P H O T O S P E T E P AT E R S O N

The season is upon us. But take a deep breath.

You don’t have to travel far to uncover one-of-a-kind gifts perfect for tucking under the tree and giving to friends and colleagues. Whether it’s a tongue-incheek T-shirt for your teen or top-notch chocolates for party hosts, shopping local has never been so easy.

What’s more, these original offerings also happen to boost the careers of the local makers and artists who craft them. Now, that’s a cozy thought.

bear necessities These arresting bears are already stopping shoppers in their tracks in front of Orangeville’s Dragonfly Arts. Orangeville artisan Mona van der Velden creates the old-timey teddies – she calls them “bearlooms” – out of recycled fur coats. She also fills custom orders, transforming vintage or inherited coats or stoles into bears, super-soft pillows and throws. ($150–$350, Dragonfly Arts on Broadway and Dufferin County Museum & Archives Holiday Treasures show, Dec. 3–18)

wear local chocolate bliss One stop at Barb Chafey’s Orangeville chocolate shop and you can cross a lot of folks off your list. For the classicists, there are pretty gold boxes of handmade chocolates you can customize to their tastes – winners we love include chunky salted caramels and champagne truffles brushed with a golden shimmer. And kids will squeal for the white chocolate snowmen.

Don’t forget to scoop up a handful of Barb’s foil-wrapped chocolate minipresents as a holiday upgrade to the office candy bowl. (Box of 15, $19.50; snowman $5; foil-wrapped chocolates, 50 cents each. The Chocolate Shop) 66

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

For years Mulmur’s Jeanette McFarlane has been making commemorative shirts to mark special occasions for friends and family. Now she’s turned her sights to T-shirts for her neighbours. She has anchored each of her “Wear Local Tees” in a spot in Dufferin County. Each gives a nod to local lore – the famously whiteout-prone County Road 124, for example, and the tale that Jesse James buried gold in these hills. Coming soon: shirts for Mono, Orangeville and Caledon. ($25, Wear Local Tees, Dufferin County Museum & Archives, Rosemont General Store, Route 145, Jelly Craft Bakery)

S PA R R O W S Y SERIOU COUR TE S

sweet move what a card

You’ve got the gift. Now for a card that will truly wow, consider the Serious Sparrow greeting cards by Erin artist Michelle Scarrow, who illustrates and hand prints them. “Born to Slide” features a curling snowman with text reading “Have a rockin’ Christmas” and “The Evolution of (Snow)Man” reads “Warm Wishes for the Holidays.” Both can also be ordered blank. ($5 each, Serious Sparrow)

Oh fudge: You need a hostess or teacher gift that says you care, but your inspiration levels are depleted. Hit The Olde Stanton Store in Mulmur for a box of old-fashioned fudge. Forget mere chocolate and vanilla. Owner Marie Swidersky and her team have dreamt up intriguing flavours for the fab fudge bar, including kid-friendly chocolate with marshmallows, sophisticated pistachio and a spicy jalapeno blend – all are creamy, melt-in-your-mouth heaven. ($18/lb, The Olde Stanton Store)

a scoop COUR TE S Y OTHER HALF S T UDIO

Local craftsman Peter Moule hand carves his Hockleycrest Spoon Co. wares out of reclaimed wood – including mountain ash, cherry and black walnut – using carving axes and knives that wouldn’t have been out of place a century ago. The spoons are food safe, treated with beeswax and mineral oil. His tumblr account artfully documents the process.

(From $20, Hockleycrest Spoon Co. and Am Braigh Farm Store)

for travel bugs Creemore artist Jessica Tamlin makes these delightful hand-printed maps out of reclaimed barn board or new hemlock at her Other Half Studio and sells them on Etsy. The maps work alone as art, but she’s conceived them as a way to record your worldly adventures. They come with a glassine envelope of colourful push pins to mark where you’ve been or where you hope to go. This 8" x 12" map of the world has the dreamy title “Adventure awaits.” ($50, Other Half Studio)

S O U R C E S Am Braigh Farm Store, 873393 Fifth Line, Mono. 519-941-9089. www.ambraighfarm.com Caroline Furs, Caledon. 416-923-2226. www.carolinefurs.com The Chocolate Shop, 114 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-941-8968. www.thechocolateshop.ca Dragonfly Arts on Broadway, 189 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-941-5249. www.dragonflyarts.ca Dufferin County Museum & Archives, 936029 Airport Rd, Mulmur. 519-941-1114. www.dufferinmuseum.com Hockleycrest Spoon Co., Hockley Valley. www.hockleycrestspoonco.tumblr.com Jelly Craft Bakery, 120 Main Street E, Shelburne. 519-925-1824. www.jellycraft.com Mona van der Velden, monavdv@hotmail.com The Olde Stanton Store, 936291 Airport Rd, Mulmur. 705-435-6898. www.the-olde-stanton-store.myshopify.com Other Half Studio, Creemore. www.otherhalfstudio.etsy.com Rosemont General Store, 508563 Hwy 89, Rosemont. 705-435-6575. www.rgstore.ca Route 145, 145 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-942-2673. www.route145.com Serious Sparrow, Erin. www.serioussparrow.com Wear Local Tees, www.wearlocaltees.ca

winter wrap Caledon fur designer Carol Sullivan is the brains behind the Hudson’s Bay line of fur products, stitched to a backing of The Bay’s iconic stripes.

But Carol, who uses Canadian beaver and coyote pelts, also sells her own luxurious designs and locally made custom pieces out of her Caroline Furs studio, including fur-trimmed cushions ($150) and the coyote and cashmere throw shown here. (From $3,100, Caroline Furs)

Tralee Pearce is an associate editor of In The Hills. Want to suggest a locally made item she should check out? Contact her at tralee@inthehills.ca.

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

67

a Wedding in

Winter White

A snowy forest, hearty food, pretty sweets and warmth to spare.

BY TRALEE PEARCE

W

hen Laura Wiesen and Xel Campbell became engaged last Christmas, they were led by their mutual love of the outdoors in planning the festivities. Not just any outdoors, mind you. They opted for a winter wedding of the -20 degree, mid-February variety.

PHOTOS ANNA WIESEN

“I feel the most at peace outside. I wanted a wed­ ding in the forest,” says Laura, “with just our closest friends and family.”

It was Valentine’s Day, after all, and the couple figured they and their guests would stay warm enough during the short 3 p.m. ceremony outside.

And if not? Steaming bowls of homemade stews would be waiting for them when they came inside.

Given their history, those stews happened to represent a lot more than a smart menu choice for a chilly day. Laura met Xel when he came to work as a chef in Pia’s On Broadway, the Orangeville res­ taurant owned by Laura’s mother Pia Wiesen. The couple started their romance in 2009, and after a stint in Toronto moved back to Mono in 2012 to raise a family – their children, Owynne and Kipp, are one and three – and to take over the space from Pia. Xel runs the kitchen and Laura juggles managing the restaurant and finishing a PhD in international relations.

The wedding took place at Laura’s parents’ farm in Adjala. But with indoor space at a premium and 48 guests, Pia and Xel devised a menu around hearty food that could be eaten while stand­ing. “We thought, ‘Let’s do stews with bowls and spoons,’” Pia recalls as we sit in the family restaurant. “I volunteered to cook. Thank god I have a son-in-law who is a chef, since he had more pots!”

There were two options: a boeuf bourguignon (the recipe is in Pia’s cookbook My Three Little Lands) and a vegetable-heavy stew. The spread included heaping piles of fresh buns, charcuterie and cheese.

The bar was simple too, with just Prosecco, beer, wine and scotch. opposite, clockwise from top left : Bride Laura Wiesen on her wedding day; colourful vegan minicupcakes; Laura and Xel’s three-year-old son Kipp; sweets including cookies from Wicked Shortbread; Laura and Xel after the ceremony; Laura’s mother, restaurateur and cookbook author Pia Wiesen.

The one-course meal left room for a showstopping finale: a wedding cake made from a family recipe handed down from Laura’s great-grandmother, who cooked for the prime minister of Luxembourg in her day. The three-tier torte (see recipe) was top­ ped with a decadent French buttercream flavoured with espresso.

Pia used fancy organic whey butter for the but­ tercream frosting, which should have made for a beautiful, silky consistency. Unfortunately no one got to taste that batch because it curdled in the fridge overnight! The lesson: If you’re going the DIY route, be ready for last-minute curveballs at 6 a.m. on the wedding day.

“I took a deep breath, had a coffee, put on my boots and fed my horses. Then I drove to the 24hour Foodland in Caledon East for regular butter,” she says, mimicking the pick-yourself-up moment.

Crisis averted.

Other sweets included shortbread by Orangeville’s Wicked Shortbread and raw vegan mini-cupcakes from Liz Gallagher of Toronto’s Unbaked Cake Co. (Laura says she was vegan for a long time and it was important to her to include some meat- and dairyfree items.)

The low-key, thoughtful vibe extended beyond the edibles to other aesthetic elements. An over-the-top princess wedding was clearly not in the cards. Laura and Xel’s lunch-centric restaurant, for instance, is all crisp white walls, exposed brick and well-worn rustic wood tables and chairs. The couple was ada­ mant about throwing a wedding the way they do business and shop every day – sourcing local, indie and artisanal wherever possible. Consider their approach the very antithesis of buying into the wedding-industrial complex, a term popularized by people such as Rebecca Mead, author of One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding.

“You don’t have to go far for the authenticity you crave,” says Laura.

Buttercream Torte This is a two-layer version of the wedding cake Pia Wiesen made from an old family recipe for her daughter Laura Wiesen and son-in-law Xel Campbell. sponge cake Butter and flour to grease the pan 6 eggs, separated 1 cup sugar 2 cups flour Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour an 8" springform cake pan.

Beat the 6 egg yolks with the sugar. When creamy white, slowly add the flour and keep beating.

Beat the 6 egg whites until stiff peaks form, then slowly fold them into the egg/flour mixture.

Pour into the cake pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside and let cool.

buttercream 2 cups sugar ½ cup water 1 shot glass of espresso 4 cups unsalted butter 1 egg yolk Pour the sugar in to a saucepan, add the water and bring to a slow boil, stirring with a wooden spoon until a small string of syrup hangs down when you lift the spoon out.

Set aside and cool down enough that you can touch it without burning your fingertip. Add the glass of espresso.

Beat the butter until soft, using a stand mixer and paddle attachment if you have. Add the egg yolk and mix well. Add the coffee sugar syrup in a very slow stream, stirring until all the syrup is mixed in.

to finish Remove the cake from the pan. Cut in half horizontally.

Spread about a third of the buttercream on the bottom half. Place the other half on top. Smooth the remaining buttercream on top and sides.

If desired, sprinkle with toasted almond slivers and freshly grated dark chocolate.

Keep in the refrigerator until serving.

continued on next page IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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wedding continued from page 69

Laura’s rose gold vine wedding ring came from the Alton Mill’s Gallery Gemma and her conflict-free diamond engagement ring in white gold was sourced from online artisanal retailer Etsy. For her “gown,” Laura says she was thrilled to find a long-sleeved Campbell tartan dress from Anthro­ pologie. “I thought, ‘I’m becoming a Campbell, so this is perfect.’”

An indulgence was a chic, cozy sweater shawl made by Orangeville Etsy seller and friend Kristin Evensen, who used a pattern from of-themoment site Brooklyn Tweed and or­ ganic yarn from Spain. “I splurged on that. She made it for me in a month.”

For flowers, Caledon-raised Toronto florist Amira Shabason of Coriander Girl added a verdant vibe to the festi­ vities with two charming creations.

She made a Narnia-worthy crown of sea holly, waxflower and eucalyptus parvi, tied with a piece of twine in Laura’s bohemian updo (by Alton salon Felix & Ginger).

The bride’s bouquet burst with an artful jumble of greens, deep purples and white with Italian anemone, wine ranunculus, Black Jack tulips,

Quicksand roses, Canterbury bells, lisianthus, astrantia, skimmia and oak leaf ivy. For the house, Pia filled giant vintage punch bowls with white tulips from Orangeville Flowers, and placed them alongside mercury glass candle holders. “There was no bling,” says Pia. “We are never bling people.”

It turned out springing a shortnotice February wedding on folks meant, “Everybody was available to come. In the summer people don’t have time,” says Pia. Ontario’s Family Day holiday Monday also happened to land on that weekend, which left a day to unwind and for visitors to travel home.

That night the dancing started at 6 p.m. and didn’t stop until midnight. On top of taking the atmospheric candid photos shown on these pages, Laura’s sister Anna Wiesen and her boyfriend Bobby Kimberley deejayed. “It really felt like a celebration,” Anna recalls.

When she thinks back to the day she married Xel, Laura says it went just as she’d hoped. (Not surprisingly, their wedding gifts were mostly new camping gear.)

“The sun was shining. It felt so peaceful,” she says. ≈

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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Moroccan lentil Stew cooking with lavender blue catering

L

avender Blue catering partners Vanessa Kreuzer and Terry Doel interact with an ease and humour forged back in high school. As Terry, the flame-haired chef of the operation, hands Vanessa a bowl of her bubbling Moroccan stew to carry to the table, Vanessa asks, “Is it hot?”

“Not if you hurry,” Terry says.

We’re in the pair’s light-filled new digs at the Ath­ lete Institute Basketball Academy, an elite basket­ ball boarding program on Highway 9. The pair feed 25 high school boys and their coaches breakfast and lunch daily at three pale wood harvest tables and window seats. Outside those hours they sell café snacks, lunch and frozen takeaway.

The two women met in Grade 9 at Orangeville District Secondary School.

Terry rules the kitchen, concocting the elegant comfort foods the pair are known for, from mac and cheese to shepherd’s pie. Trained at George Brown, Terry has worked in the local industry for more than 15 years. She lives in Mono with her hus­ band and is stepmom to three grown kids.

Vanessa is a match for Terry on the quip front – with a bracing dose of candour. It could have some­ thing to do with her pre-catering career of counsel­

ling teenagers at a youth home. She keeps her eye on the business side of things, beyond what’s on the plate. If they’re catering your wedding, don’t be surprised if Vanessa announces a last-minute run to the store for chic candle holders because yours are too boring. No offence, but she’s probably right.

Lavender Blue started in 2013 in a small space on Broadway in Orangeville. Vanessa, who lives in Shelburne with her husband and eight-year-old son, left her day job after six months. The duo had been tapped for a major gig providing dinners for the basketball academy through the school year.

In the spring of 2015, Lavender Blue moved to a larger space, the Orangeville Agricultural Society Event Centre, and operated a satellite café in the Athlete Institute. This fall Terry and Vanessa moved to this newly constructed space on campus, which also houses a student dorm.

The kids are now steps away from Terry’s homestyle meatloaf and lasagne, which come with a dash of maternal care. “Most of them are away from home,” Vanessa says. “We don’t know about basket­ ball, so we’re all teaching each other.”

Terry and Vanessa say they’re known for plentiful servings, fresh local sources and balanced sauces – their dill cream sauce for salmon is a trademark.

Terry Doel, the chef half of the dynamic duo who now run their café and catering company from the Athlete Institute on Highway 9.

Their Moroccan lentil stew, with its spicy flavours, is not only a winter-warming comfort food, but reflects a new arrow in Terry’s quiver. “I’ve been cooking a lot more vegan and vegetarian recipes,” she says, adding this is also a trend for weddings.

A must-do step is sautéing the spices. “You take the rawness out the spices and open up their pores,” she says. The stew would pair nicely with rice or mashed potatoes, but Terry serves it with one of their signature biscuits for dipping.

It’s the kind of dish that could play a role in Laven­ der Blue’s ongoing work for local charities. They’re hoping to bring the Soup Sisters’ and Broth Brothers’ charitable social events to the space to batch cook for organizations that help women and families, such as Family Transition Place in Orangeville.

Vanessa says their mission in both business and charity is the same. “It’s a need to look after other recipe on next page people.” ≈

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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Moroccan Lentil Stew Serves 6 ingredients 1 cup diced onion 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced zucchini 3 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil

2 tbsp finely chopped garlic 1½ tbsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp turmeric ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups fresh diced tomatoes or canned 6 to 7 cups vegetable stock or water

1½ cups cauliflower florets ½ cup dried apricots, sliced ½ cup sultana raisins 2 cups chickpeas, precooked or canned 1 cup red lentils 1 cinnamon stick 1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste 2 to 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Dice onions, carrots, celery and zucchini to ½" pieces.

Set zucchini aside.

Heat oil in saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Add onion, celery and carrot. Stir occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes until they start getting soft.

Add garlic and dry spices, and continue to stir for about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and stock, bring to a gentle boil.

When boil is reached, add zucchini and remaining ingredients.

Turn down to medium-low heat and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until lentils are tender.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick.

Add some fresh chopped cilantro just before serving. ≈

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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www.heritagebee.com www.adamoestate.com IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

75

The Vinyl Revolution

What goes arou

BY TONY REYNOLDS

M

|

PHOTOGR APHY BY PETE PATERSON

usic has never been more accessible. Online streaming services like iHeartRadio and Jango will play a list of whatever strikes your mood. You can pretty much find a tune from any time and place in the history of music on YouTube. Who buys CDs anymore? Just download an MP3 file.

So why the resurgence of old-school vinyl records?

Well, for one thing, they have more substance. They put the music you love not just into your head, but into your hands. And they add a visual dimension – often in the form of fabulous cover art. The Velvet Underground and Nico, for example, famously featured an Andy Warhol banana on their debut album cover. And I have often pored over the dense imagery on The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The extended liner notes on the back cover and inner sleeve were an added benefit. I know from the notes on my Messiah album, for instance, that when Handel finished the “Hallelujah Chorus” he declared he had “seen the face of God.”

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

The very physicality of vinyl records also affects how we listen. Rather than hopping compulsively from tune to tune, artist to artist, there is a gratify­ ing ritual to putting a record on the turntable and listening to a body of work from start to finish in the order the musicians meant it to be heard.

I was in a folk trio in high school that styled itself after The Kingston Trio and we listened to their albums over and over. (In fact, the first LP I ever bought was The Kingston Trio. I nearly wore it out.) Most Sundays the three of us would go out for a drive in one of our parents’ cars and we’d

und comes around NOT YOUR OLD HI-FI Tube amplifiers, once hidden away, are exposed to add a trendy industrial aesthetic to contemporary sound systems. Turntables likewise have become sleekly minimalist. But it’s not just about beauty, the new systems offer even better sound than their predecessors.

practise. Sometimes when we finish­ ed one song, we’d break into the next track on the album in perfect har­ mony. We didn’t plan it. We had list­ ened to the records so many times we not only knew which song followed, but exactly how long the needle took to get from one cut to the next and what notes to start on.

The comeback of vinyl isn’t all about nostalgia, but it certainly plays a big role in its renewed popularity. This fall about 90 people showed up for an evening at the Orangeville Town Hall Opera House. The program, called “The Summer of Love,” took the

audience back to 1967. For the better part of two hours, the focus of all attention was simply a record revolv­ ing on a turntable, an amp and preamps with glowing vacuum tubes, and the rich, roomy sound from the speakers. It wasn’t long before feet were tapping and heads nodding to songs such as “San Francisco” (“Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair”) by The Mamas and the Papas, and “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Air­ plane. In the second half of the show, “The Fish Cheer” (“And it’s one, two, three, what are we fighting for?”) by Country Joe and the Fish recalled

the time when music was the focus of protest against the war in Vietnam.

“The music mattered,” said host Peter Wolter, “and as a witness to the ’60s and ’70s, it helped shape our lives, our outlook and our culture.”

The evening was a promotional event for Peter’s new Orangeville store Being There. “The boutique is the re­ alization of a lifelong affair with all things audio,” he said, “that started with a Sony 8 transistor radio that I strapped to my bike’s handlebar as I delivered the morning paper.” Today record companies are cashing in on that kind of nostalgia, remastering

and reissuing LPs that were popular back when.

But for audiophiles there is much more to the popularity of vinyl than just memories. The real magic? It sounds better.

Trying not to get too technical, Peter later explained to me that while there are exceptional digital recordings, MP3 files cannot offer good quality sound. “Because it has to download in split seconds, the MP3 is a relatively small file. To make it smaller, the high and low frequencies have been chop­ ped off and the rest have been com­ continued on next page IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

77

Although his vast music collection could probably now fit on a couple of good-sized USB drives, Mike Greenwood happily dedicates 60 feet of shelf space to his vinyl records.

vinyl continued from page 77

pressed. Then to compensate they boost the volume so it plays back loud.” The result, he said, when you really listen, is thin and colourless.

“Once you’re aware of it, the sound can give you a headache.”

The LP usually has a greater range of frequencies from top to bottom, so the sound is rich and full – at its best when reproduced through a tube amp­ lifier rather than transistors. Transis­ tors, Peter said, make the highs sound brittle, metallic and etched, but tube systems sound sweet and warm. And it’s on these he focuses his attention.

Peter’s cozy store is crowded with trendy industrial-looking tube amp­ lifiers, graceful speaker boxes that look straight out of a Danish furni­ ture catalogue, and turntables with delicate-looking arms. Some brands have lasted since the heyday of vinyl – Thorens turntables, for instance, 78

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

and Spendor speakers – along with new brands, including some that are Canadian made. Finalé Audio ampli­ fiers and speakers like the sleek Vivace Mini are manufactured in Scarbor­ ough and have received critical ac­ claim from audiophiles.

This new, fine-tuned equipment does sound better than older hi-fi systems. The timing, for instance, is improved. Peter explained that if the signals for the left and right channels don’t arrive at the speaker at precisely the same moment, the reproduction can be muddy. Another improvement is ambient noise reduction. The new systems are much quieter.

“What you’re looking for is an audio system to get out of the way,” Peter said. “Something that won’t limit the sound or add any noise of its own. You just want to hear what was recorded, all of it and nothing more.”

Some of the new equipment is ex­

pensive. “Audiophiles can spend as much as $15,000 just to buy a cartridge for their turntable,” he said. “But there’s a misconception that you have to spend a lot of money. You don’t. For $1,000 or $1,500 you can get a really nice sound. Later you can add to it or change things to make the sound even better.”

Peter is definitely onto something with his new venture. The surging interest in records is accompanied by the increasing sales in equipment to play them. Stereophile.com reports sales of turntables in the U.S. skyrock­ eted from 61,000 in 2014 to 1.4 million in 2015, and had already exceeded 1.6 million by August this year.

Surprisingly, it’s not only baby boomers who are interested in this new trend. Last Christmas, my son Mike asked for a turntable. Now he and his brother Steve both have them and are among the new generation

who frequent record stores. They both have some earlier albums, but are more interested in records produced by today’s independent artists. In fact, all the collectors I spoke to have ec­ lectic tastes.

Doug Byers, who lives near Mono Centre, is one of those. He started collecting vinyl 15 years ago. “I’d go to a lot of garage sales where I could pick up records for a dollar. Now I have about two thousand LPs for sale and about a thousand in my own col­ lection.” Doug’s hi-fi system includes a tube amplifier, but he doesn’t turn it on as much as he’d like. “I’m always finding new and different recordings,” he said, “but now I have too many records and not enough time to listen.”

Nick Shinn of Orangeville, on the other hand, is always listening. “A lot of people have the stereo set up in the basement. Mine is in the living room and it’s always on.” Nick also frequents

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thrift stores, looking for ephemera as well as vinyl. As a graphic designer, he is as interested in the packaging as he is in the sound. “I’m more of an anti­ quarian, so I look at books and maga­ zines too,” he said.

Another Orangeville collector, Mike Greenwood, hasn’t counted his re­ cords recently, but his collection takes up 60 feet of shelf space. Mike also collects musical instruments, movie posters, and information about them.

I asked if his aluminum-neck guitar was a Kramer. “No. Kramer was one of the three partners that started mak­ ing them back in 1976 ...” He knows the whole story.

In addition to the thrift stores, Aard­ vark Music & Culture on Broadway in Orangeville has a broad selection of LPs in several bins that occupy the centre of the store. Storeowner Perry Joseph says, “All kinds of people, dif­ ferent ages, different interests, come

into the store to check out the re­ cords.” The collection is a combina­ tion of new recordings and remixes, as well as used LPs that started with Perry’s own. “I’d been collecting since the ’70s,” he said, “but when I moved five times in seven years, I had to pack and lift a thousand records. After my last move 950 of the records ended up in the store.”

Most of the music currently avail­ able on vinyl is those original record­ ings made decades ago, but contem­ porary musicians are also joining the movement. Perry, who is also a musi­ cian, singer and composer, made a vinyl recording with The Houseplants a few years ago. “The mixes were highly crafted,” he said. “When we heard the finished product, it made me cry. That’s how much better vinyl can be.”

Mono-based singer/songwriter Lisa Lobsinger is also a fan of vinyl. Per­ haps best known for her work with Broken Social Scene, she now sings, composes and plays in a new group, Laser. This year, the group skipped the CD version in favour of releasing their debut album Night Driver on vinyl only (see review in “The Year in Music” on page 80).

When I spoke with Lisa, an Andy Williams record was playing in the background. “No, it wasn’t my par­ ents’,” she said. “I bought it. I grew up with a record player and worked in music stores in the days of CDs. Vinyl just sounds better. It’s like being hugged by the music. The sound is so much warmer and you can hear so many more layers.”

That vote of confidence from a generation who were toddlers at best when many of the songs they’re lis­ tening to were first recorded is a good sign vinyl’s resurgence is more than a passing fad, the last gasp of hoary baby boomers.

Still, for those of us who lived the era, it’s fun to look back. When I was thinking about the first album I bought on my own, I remembered the first recording I was given. Uncle Byng gave it to me, sort of. I was listening to the Small Types Club on the radio when host Byng Whitteker said, “Tony Reynolds should look for his birthday present in the record player.” Wow. I lifted the lid and there it was, Peter and the Wolf, music by Prokofiev, narration by Wilfred Pickles. Sadly I no longer have that record, but yes, you can download it. I checked. ≈ Tony Reynolds is a nostalgic baby boomer and writer who lives in Orangeville.

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music

The year in

ou r a n n ua l r ev iew of n ew recordings by local musicians

BY SCOTT BRUYEA

Laser Night Driver I confess that until hearing this gorgeous album, I was not familiar with Lisa Lobsinger, who has toured as frontwoman for Broken Social Scene. Yes, shame on me because the music Lobsinger, Paul Pfisterer and Martin Davis Kinack have designed and shaped on Laser has so many components I love and admire in an artist. I listened to it on their vinyl recording and the sound production was excellent. Groove, soul, great musicianship and a bit of angst.

From “Leaving It Too Late” where a whispering vocal intro morphs into a lazy smacking snare groove, to a little “Disco Night Driver,” then on to the power throb of “Do We All Feel It,” I could not wait to flip the LP over to the B side. These are lying-on-the-couch, toe-pumping, headphones-on tracks.

“Linda,” a song Lobsinger wrote for her mother and featuring the cello of Coenraad Bloemendal, is a tune she says she composed entirely in one sitting for the first time in her life. It’s a perfect final track to an impressive album I can’t wait to get cranking in my car.

Blue Rodeo 1000 Arms This is Blue Rodeo’s 15th studio recording, but there’s no repetitive slacking from this iconic band. The energy I sensed on the opening song “Hard to Remember” is not my imagination.

Founding band members Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor credit co-producer Tim Vesely with helping them find a new perspective on the Blue Rodeo sound.

Vesely, formerly of the Rheostatics, encouraged Keelor and Cuddy to get back to singing together as they used to and the result is inspiring – still reliably Blue Rodeo, but with new vigour.

“Jimmy Fall Down” and “Rabbit’s Foot” especially have an essence of Rubber Soul/Revolver-era Beatles to them, while the title song “1000 Arms” is a straight ahead toe-tapper about the strength of community, with Cuddy, who lives in Mulmur, singing as strongly as ever.

“Superstar,” which is the single here, pokes some goodnatured fun at over-the-top opulence in parts of California, and the accompanying video is a hoot.

This record is less contemplative than the band’s usual fare, with most tunes tightened up and charged with a more upbeat pop feel. After 30 years, this multiple Juno-awardwinning group just keeps on creating great music.

80

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

When I’m driving on Broadway in Orangeville, I’m often drawn like a magnet to Aardvark Music & Culture for a long chat with my musical brother Perry Joseph, the proprietor of this welcoming establishment.

There’s always a gift awaiting there.

I’ll bump into an old friend, gab with a fellow musician, or pick up some energy from an excited student arriving for a lesson with a musical mentor.

But the best part of my visit is always when Perry and I discuss music.

During a recent visit, the gift was particularly special. “You must listen to this,” Perry said as he handed me Mouth Full of Stars, the debut solo recording by Simon Paradis.

The review of the CD is on these pages, but the moving story behind the music can be found in a book penned by his amazing spouse Kara Stanley, entitled Fallen: A Trauma, a Marriage, and the Transformative Power of Music.

Music does have magic powers. It bonds together talent of different ages and from divergent backgrounds to create magic from thin air. It inspires us to get through difficult periods when it seems the sun will never come up, and gives us a tender lift in the morning when we need it most.

Each of the artists reviewed in these pages tussled with life somehow and then created music to reflect the emprise. Give them a listen and discover which artist has a gift that touches you.

Fraser & Girard Fraser & Girard Allan Fraser and Marianne Girard have each entertained and charmed audiences in their own right, with Girard recording three solo albums and touring North America and Europe, and Fraser writing music that included a song NPR called one of the ten best of all time.

A meeting over tea a couple of years ago prompted a merger of songwriting prowess.

Their performance talent plus a lifetime of experiences and remarkable chemistry show in this first collection presented by them as a couple in life and art.

First out of the gate is “Picov Downs,” written by Girard and featuring her strong lead vocal which carries it confidently from start to finish line. Fraser is up next with his own “One Foot Out the Door,” a ballad about commitment and the impossibility of making a relationship work without it.

My personal favourite is “Hard Time,” about abuse, payback and time spent in a crowbar saloon as a result of a well-deserved stabbing. Tense and powerful.

Throughout this recording Fraser and Girard perform a clever and nimble vocal dance, alternating lead, with each voice subtly supporting the other as one.

Monkey House Left Orangeville resident Lisa Watson, who penned the music reviews for this magazine before my arrival, struck up a connection with author and musician Don Breithaupt a few years back and subsequently reviewed Headquarters by Breithaupt’s musical project Monkey House.

Earlier this year Breithaupt emailed me a link to access an early listen to his pending release Left, inviting me to review it with the agreement to keep it under my hat until the official release date. My ears were jazzed to the max.

At last I can now turn you onto Left – which is spectacular in every possible way.

Musical luminaries such as Jay Graydon, Elliott Randall and Drew Zingg provide guitar highlights with drummer Mark Kelso crushing it on every track, while a stellar horn section pours out a blended sound as smooth and satisfying as a late night tumbler of fine single malt.

From “My Top 10 List” with horns blowing like a firestorm, the sophisticated shuffle of “Tango by Yourself” featuring a superb accordion solo from Tom Szczesniak, right up to “The Art of Starting Over” backed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Left is Monkey House’s best ever.

www.beingthereaudio.com

Max Layton It’s a Mystery To Me Max Layton took a circuitous route to recording his first CD Heartbeat of Time. It captures songs written during an unsettling period when his eyesight seemed to be fading like a distant radio signal at night, destined to leave him in darkness. So he picked up his beloved guitar, strummed in new ways, and began to chronicle his thoughts in music.

So much has happened since. Happily Layton’s eyesight returned and he brings us yet another set of original songs on this, his third CD. I was immediately enveloped by the beautifully produced sound of acoustic guitars that introduced a voice regaling me with a story about “dancing in sync with a good woman” in “Soca.”

Subsequent songs, like “Time Will Never Tell,” “It’s a Mystery to Me” and “Hug Your Honey,” are musical vignettes with that same inviting voice describing conversations in rented rooms, questions about the love of a dear one, and admonishments about hugging till the morning light.

Perhaps it’s natural that the son of Irving Layton, with his upbringing in a home lined with books and often filled with artists, actors and writers, coupled with a myriad of vocational adventures, should return to an instrument he learned to play courtesy of Leonard Cohen, using it to paint musical pictures. Both a musician and a poet (see a review of his poetry collections in “The Year in Books,” page 60), Layton fearlessly conveys his heartfelt thoughts and experiences, like the generation before him.

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continued on next page IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

81

Megan Bonnell Magnolia

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Graham Maycock Gray

There is a new dynamism in all the songs on Megan Bonnell’s latest CD which blends her inviting musical style, deft songwriting, layered guitars and vocals with a new more palpable beat.

“Can’t Have You” warms things up with splendid patented Bonnell harmonizing.

It sets the table beautifully for “Golden Boy” which starts with the infectious pulse I’ve been waiting to hear from this former Caledon native and will no doubt make this track a favourite for many.

In “Chameleon” Bonnell’s soft acoustic approach seamlessly juxtaposes with a sonic attack of stacked vocals, rhythmic piano and drums that delighted me. “Out and Away” lands you gently with acoustic strums, swirling guitars and toms with mallets.

Bonnell has been quoted as saying whenever she plays a show she hopes to put a feeling inside her audience. After listening to Magnolia, I smiled and felt positively spirited inside.

If Graham Maycock’s inaugural CD Words Less Spoken was an aperitif, then Gray is the main course.

Recorded and produced by Darryl Neudorf and Dave Joseph, Gray contains eight songs that feature Maycock’s scintillating voice in the forefront where it duly belongs.

Nicole Robertson Nicole Robertson

This project began in the fall of 2015 as a demo recording at Neudorf’s Operation Northwoods in Mono where Maycock enlisted Joseph to add some guitar work to a single song. After review it was decided a complete CD was in order and together they soon began to compose more music.

Joseph revealed, “Songs were co-crafted in the studio one by one as the project evolved, which added a sense of urgency to get things written. It kind of worked out to be a freeing and inspiring way to work. More room for improvisation and creativity.”

“The Light” is the opening track, a slow ballad but with Maycock’s lead vocal soaring. “Curious Minds” follows, somewhat reminiscent of Coldplay, then the guitar-centric “Hold On” amps things up, rocking admirably with a delectable thumping backbeat. “Kiss Me” may be the best track of all.

However this project started out, it ended up superbly.

In her inaugural CD, Nicole Robertson gives us a taste of her favoured musical genre by channelling her troubles through six original compositions.

Robertson’s earnest devotion to the blues is apparent as she cites musical influences such as legendary Memphis Minnie, Blind Willie McTell (the subject of Bob Dylan’s original tune) and Sam Cooke, who many consider the father of soul.

When she belts out her up-tempo “Doctor, Doctor” with a vocal confidence that belies her age, there is credibility to the story she tells.

Lamenting she cannot accept her doctor’s diagnosis, she’s got to “play me some blues.”

“Mama Says” is a nice shift from the previous shuffles and skips along with a sound and feel delightfully reminiscent of Amy Winehouse. It is raw, heartfelt and backed by vintage guitar work from Tj Whitelaw and a cross stick rhythm from Erick Bruck that drives this tune perfectly without being obtrusive.

Robertson’s blues tales are all about familiar tribulations, but each lyric is delivered easily in her particular style, while Whitelaw and Bruck cover her back with veteran chops that rock steady.

Simon Paradis Mouth Full of Stars Mouth Full of Stars is new music from songwriter, guitarist, music instructor and former Orangeville resident Simon Paradis, who currently makes his home in British Columbia.

What Paradis accomplished to get to the point of recording this honest and soulful CD is beyond courageous and spectacularly inspiring.

You see, Paradis fell three metres while working at a residential worksite in 2008, suffered catastrophic injuries and now performs in his wheelchair. With the heart of a Spartan soldier, he fought hard to bring us this CD. Paradis categorizes his style as “original music that combines edgy lyrics with old-school grooves on wheels.” The songs are witty and inviting with musical backing that supports him in a way that is relaxed and purposeful.

With the honky-tonk tinged “Hanging Judge Blues,” the riveting “The Spill,” a funkified “Columbus” and the heartwarming “Home,” Paradis gives a raw, honest and deep performance that is a little bit Randy Newman and a touch of John Hiatt, but always laced with a spirit and talent uniquely his own.

Music and love brought Simon Paradis back to us. This CD must be heard.

Keep out the cold this winter Fountain Bell Fountain Bell It always blows my mind how various local artists in these hills mix and match like multicoloured Lego to create surprisingly unique original music.

And this band illustrates how it’s done with their new self-titled CD of nine grand and pumping musical gems.

Consisting of Jae Marr on guitars, Chris Mullen on bass, Devin Hentsch on keyboards and Erick Bruck on drums, the band brings a blend of songwriting pedigrees honed in various projects over numerous years, great group playing and an incessant need to rock.

Erick Bruck has a major hand on the throttle of this project and he keeps the band jacked with tasty and perfectly manufactured grooves throughout. Layered on top of Bruck’s handiwork, the rest of the band are conjoined like a musical Rubik’s Cube, playing forcefully but melodically through the twists and turns of each composition.

Ample attention to detail has been given to the backing vocal work and altogether it begs you to replay “Atlanta Romantic,” the Young Rascalsflavoured “Chandelier,” and “Sunday Clothes,” so you can breathe them in over and over again.

I haven’t seen evidence of this group performing live, so I recommend scooping up this recording as a keepsake. Hopefully Fountain Bell is incubating more great original music – something we can all look forward to.

Jason Wilson Perennials Asked what to do when your proverbial cup of knowledge and experience fills up, a wise philosopher responded, “You simply pour some out and share.”

When author, musician and composer Jason Wilson’s experiential cup reaches the brim on this near-perfect CD, plenty gets poured out to the benefit of the listener.

As I drove north from Dufferin into Simcoe, winding along county roads through spectacular scenery, I was immediately delighted as Wilson opened with a teasing splash of “Epistrophy," then hit me between the eyes with “Gertrude,” showing off his dexterous band and the first of the artful horn arrangements to come.

By the time “Jellyby” started, it was a musical party in my vehicle at 9:38 in the morning! Andrew Stewart’s fat bass groove, melded with Wilson’s percussive keyboard work, is dazzlingly infectious on this track.

In fact, there is plenty to love among all 11 tracks, including splendid solo guitar work by Orangeville’s Perry Joseph and effortless sax solos from Marcus Ali. Throughout, Wilson displays complete vocal ease, including the uplifting “Rummlegumption (When I’m Down You Lift Me Up)” which brings the CD to an uproarious end.

Perennials is a musical delectation where reggae dances joyfully with jazz, and Wilson has poured it out generously.

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Scott Bruyea is a musician, sales consultant and Internet entrepreneur who lives in Orangeville.

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

83

G O O D

S P O R T

N I C O L A

R O S S

Mix atch

&M

fusion workouts take the “same old” out of exercise

M

y task had been set: find the perfect hourlong workout – one that would flatten my stomach, give me Jane Fonda thighs, ballet dancer calves, Secretariat lungs, and upper arms that wouldn’t em­ barrass me should I go sleeveless. I wanted to relieve stress and lose the dark circles under my eyes. Would it be Pilates? Yoga? Aerobics? Boot camp?

I won’t hold you in suspense. What I discovered is that there is no perfect workout – not for me, not for anyone.

So stop looking for perfection. In­ stead, just get out there and find the activity you enjoy. As Renée Holden, who has a fitness studio in Belfoun­ tain, says, “I don’t care what gets you out the door, just get out the door.”

Fortunately, there is a seemingly endless choice of hour-long classes to choose from. As I tried a few, I dis­ covered the trend is toward workouts that fuse several techniques – a smidge of Pilates and a smattering of yoga 84

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

At Serenity Pilates in Palgrave, ballet barre classes help tune up strength and balance while improving posture.

combined with a dollop of condition­ ing or dance. Renée says she uses so many techniques in her classes that she doesn’t know what to call them.

First up was ballet barre. I was heartened to learn that we’d all be wearing regular workout togs: tights or yoga pants, a top fitted enough that it doesn’t reveal all if you do a move that requires you to be head down, and running shoes. No tutus or satin slippers, but there would be pliés, pirouettes – and a bar (or “barre,” a nod to ballet’s early development in France).

The ballet barre classes offered by Elise Solway at Serenity Pilates, her beautiful studio near Palgrave, com­ bine a respectable cardio workout with ballet techniques, strength training and Pilates. “Most Pilates studios now offer ballet barre classes,” says Elise. “It’s a good combination.”

What sets ballet barre apart is that while using a ballet bar for balance, you do a lot of small pulses known as

PHOTOS ROSEMARY HA SNER

An aerial yoga workout, like this one at Personal Best in Mono Mills, combines yoga, Pilates and dance. The silk hammock allows for extra stretch and the occasional thrill of weightlessness.

isometric movements. In theory, they will give you long, lean Karen Kain muscles. The literature also promises to improve your posture and core strength and enhance your mobility.

I don’t doubt that over time, ballet barre workouts do this, but what I liked about the class was best ex­ pressed by Elise. She said, “I like to feel my body working. [Ballet barre] is fun and it’s fast.” The class raised my heart rate. I was carried away by the energetic music, and the next day, my butt told me the workout had found some hard-to-work muscles. I believed Elise when she promised that ballet barre “tightens everything, especially your rear end.”

My next experience came about when my friend Chris Eades told me about the Essentrics classes offered by Joanne Manderson at Riverdale Fit­ ness Mill in Inglewood. Chris ex­ plained, “It’s a perfect start to the day.

My flexibility and balance are better; my posture is better, and I feel more

energetic after doing one of Joanne’s classes.”

Essentrics combines tai chi with ballet and physiotherapy. Because it promised to be “perfect for injury recovery and prevention, pain relief, stress release and promoting health,” I was keen to give it a try. Joanne’s Essentrics class mostly involved stret­ ching and strengthening. What it lacked in dynamic pace, it made up for with the best music ever. Used to droning yoga music, I was delighted when Joanne warmed us up to Marvin Gaye’s “Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Then we stretched our way through Frank Sinatra’s “The Lady Is a Tramp” and the Platters’ “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” Hum­ ming, I breezed through the hour.

Joanne explained that the Septem­ ber class I attended was geared toward beginners, many of whom were get­ ting back into their fitness routine after a summer break. Beginner or otherwise, proof that Essentrics works is Joanne herself. “Essentrics helped me lose 26 pounds and regain half an inch in height,” the tall willowy blonde told me.

Fear of pirouettes was nothing com­ pared to my apprehension when I signed up for aerial yoga. Any thought of the workout being a combination of yoga, Pilates and dance all “per­ formed” with the help of a silk ham­ mock was lost in my concern that I’d fall on my head. Who cared if it would decompress my spine?

Trusting Caron Shepley, who has just opened Personal Best Fitness Studio in Mono Mills with her husband Barrie (one of this year’s “Local Heroes,” page 30), I discovered that hanging upside down in poses known as an “inverted star” and the “one-legged king pigeon” looks more difficult than it actually is. In fact, it was fun to play acrobat. But it was stretching while cocooned and weightless inside a silk hammock that impressed me most.

“You can relax into the poses,” Caron explained. “Less weight equals more stretch.” The class flew by, even though there was no music at all.

Whether pirouettes, Marvin Gaye or visions of Cirque du Soleil energize you, and whether you want a gentle stretch or enjoy a good sweat, there is a class out there for you. But don’t wait for the perfect workout. Just find one that gets you out the door. ≈ Nicola Ross is a freelance writer who lives in Belfountain.

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Kid culture rules the skatepark For two- and four-wheeled fun A fantastic online resource for those who like to ride, grind or bunny hop, ontarioskateparks.com lists public skate parks where you can ride for free in Ontario.

Take your scooter, board or bike on your next road trip, but check out the gorgeous grainy photos here first and map your day. In the hills, the closest bets are Orangeville’s Rotary Park off Second Ave. or outside the Caledon Centre for Recreation and Wellness on Regional Rd. 50, north of Bolton.

Take your mud flaps!

Attention BMX riders and RC (remote control) car drivers – just outside Alder Street Recreation Centre in Orangeville is an outdoor dirt track for all your riding and racing needs. Free fun for riders, the town has been experimenting with times for RC car racing recently. Give it a try before the snow flies!

Winter solstice Creature Quest in Hillsburgh is hosting a winter solstice Kids’ Night on December 20, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

On the darkest day of the year, it’s all about fun, nature, animals and kids! Games, pizza, prizes and crafts – oh, and some marvellous real creatures.

Ages 5 to 12. $30; $15 per additional sibling.

Register at www.creaturequest.ca or 416-554-1940 86

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“

an you take me to the skatepark before it gets dark?” It’s a familiar refrain right now in my house.

With daylight a scarce commodity and frost in the air, there are a limited number of days until the skatepark will

be all but abandoned until spring thaw.

When my son Adrian first went to the skatepark in Rotary Park off Second Avenue in Orangeville, it was an intimidating place for a six-year-old. Big guys and the occasional girl sped past on wheels – skateboards, BMXs or scooters. I cringed at every almost-wipeout and every loud voice. Watching my small boy on a big board, my heart thumped as he stepped out and tried a couple of pushes, careful not to get in the way of the others.

We spent many sunny days at the park – just observing. We watched the crisscross patterns and near-misses, eyes wide. It takes awhile to get to know the rhythm. The reallife Spirograph first seemed a tangled mess of chaos, but slowly emerged as a circular, rhythmic show of skill, moxie and grace.

There is a pecking order to be sure, but generally the guys look after each other. I say “guys,” because this is a world, a sport, dominated by boys and men. Older guys will sit and chat on their bikes and at the edges, flicking their boards or spinning their han­ dlebars until they are ready to video their next trick, giving the slightest nod to a

newcomer to take his turn until he’s ready.

Older goes first, then young, while video is reviewed. Scooterers (if there is such a word) wait or weave between the bikes and boards, the most nimble of the crowd. In the back­ ground, the old tennis courts sit quietly and a town-approved graffiti wall provides a small slash of colour.

As Adrian has grown more confident over the years, he has learned the flow, when it’s his turn, when to tackle the quarter pipe, when he wants us there to watch, and when he would rather we sat in the car nearby. The speeds are wicked, the voices can be loud.

Wipeouts that draw a bit of blood are regular occurrences. Once, a boy came to a slow stop and fell off his bike, in a seizure, reasons un­ known. A call was made to 911 and the kids waited quietly. Enter this concrete world of curves and coping and rails and tabletops, and you will see the cultural care of the crowd.

There is an entire lexicon you will learn here – from the different types of edges, platforms and curves you can ride, to the grips, tapes, bearings and decks you can buy,

Outdoor skating Outdoor skating rinks are a great way to get the blood moving this winter. They are, of course, weather depend­ ent. Here are a few notables:

to the grinds, flips and whips you can try and try again, until you perfect them.

What fascinates me about the park’s small society is that it is entirely unreg­ ulated. Sometimes when I take Adrian and his friends I’ve done a headcount – 25, 35, up to 40 kids between ages seven and probably early twenties. No refs, no flags on the play. No parents. No buzzers.

Just kids and the tick-tick-tick of ball bearings, the pregnant pause before a rider drops in like a rollercoaster going over the apex – the point of no return.

So how does this happen, I wonder, when I hear of terrible fights breaking out in hockey stands, a parent jumping onto the ice and physically assaulting a child, football coaches at each other’s throats, and bullying text messages fly­ ing between players and parents over team lists and play times? Long lists of rules exist for all these sports, so why is the free-form skatepark so rarely the scene of fights or parental interference?

I think it’s that sometimes they just don’t need us. They just need the rush of air past their ears, a song in their head.

We don’t believe they can work it out – but they can. Just like road hockey, a pickup game of tag, or kids in the back­ yard pool making up a synchronized swim routine that takes most of the weekend to refine – it’s just kids being kids. At the skatepark, imagination and the need for speed rule.

It’s also a world that is affordable and equalizing. When sports and team parti­ cipation can cost thousands of dollars a year, and can inflate to tens of thousands when competitive travel is involved, this is a world where there is only so much you can spend on equipment, and there is little by way of formal instruction.

Kids learn through their own will. I really don’t know a single parent who “pushes” their kid to be a skateboarder, but here they are.

Sure, there are blue words that make you cringe and the inevitable interloper kid who scowls and smokes at the edges.

But I’m actually okay with that. It’s not perfect. This is a real world, a concrete social petri dish. Learn to live with it, have fun, and wait your turn. Brush off the falls and use your imagination to improve on your next turn. ≈ Bethany Lee is a freelance writer who lives in Orangeville.

Ralph’s Rink is a tiny outdoor rink great for pickup shinny or taking a few turns with your little one. Outside the Caledon Centre for Recreational and Wellness, north of Bolton.

Gage Park at Main St. S. and Wellington St. W. in Brampton is a winding skate trail through the trees of Brampton’s twinkling downtown. Warm up by the fire pit or visit a food truck to the sounds of the DJ. Children under 10 require supervision.

Alton Millpond is a great place to skate outdoors when the weather dips low enough for long enough. Watch for the Alton Mill’s great family events this winter.

INSPIRED TOYS

P MAGICAL GIFTS

CREEMORE 172 MILL ST 705 466 9998 ORANGEVILLE 61 BROADWAY 519 307 7600

Opening soon! An outdoor skating park at Chinguacousy Park in Bramalea – this multi-use facility will include an outdoor “canal-style” ice skating trail.

Orangeville Lions Club Sports Park on Diane Dr. is lit up for great nighttime skating!

DISCOVER THE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Report card time – need help?

Help Your Child Succeed at School: Tutoring Skills for Parents is a free workshop on December 1 that offers practical information about how your child learns, and how to assist in a way that’s effective and enjoyable, and could help your kids improve grades, confidence and self-esteem. It’s from 7 to 9 p.m. at Parkinson Public School, 120 Lawrence Ave., Orangeville. Contact Dufferin Parent Support Network at www.dpsn.ca or 519-940-8678

It could be a pair of track shoes, a theatrical costume, or maybe even a robotics set. If your child has a passion for something, we will harness it and take it to a whole new level. If they have yet to find it, we will dig down deep and explore all the possibilities, and not stop until we unearth that one thing that opens their mind and their eyes as big as humanly possible. It’s an incredible place to discover big, dreamy answers to the question,

JOIN US AT AN OPEN HOUS E January 28 10 am – 1 pm February 9 7 – 9 pm

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The Country Day School offers JK-12 in a co-ed, non-denominational environment located on 100 beautiful acres in King.

13415 Dufferin St., King, ON L7B 1K5 T: 905 833 1972 www.cds.on.ca

CDS_In-the-Hills_2016-10-21_Final.indd 1

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S N A P S H O T : C O M M U N I T Y

T H E

( N E X T )

H I L L

G A I L

G R A N T

E L D E R

Ken Withers

a Dose of Music, a Spiritual Tonic

at 61, lorraine mcnally nabbed

W

Many would call it a dream job. Ken Withers, 88, and now living just north of Bolton, travelled the world with the likes of Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif – and was paid to do it.

Born in Belgium, Ken grew up in England. His first job, in the early 1940s, was with Gainsborough Pictures, where he started at the bottom to learn the skills required to work behind the camera. A “clapper boy” at first, he moved on to become a “focus puller,” one of the most difficult jobs in the business.

After completing his mandatory British military service, Ken returned to the film industry and remained with it until retirement.

He spent a total of 21 months filming Lawrence of Arabia, including six months living in tents in the desert near Jordan. The rest of the time, he worked on location in Spain, Morocco and London.

His work on Lord Jim took him to Hong Kong and Cambodia, Doctor Zhivago to Spain and Finland, Funny Face to Paris, and the James Bond classic You Only Live Twice to Japan and London.

“Cameramen need a broad list of personal attributes including tact, stamina, competence and a certain degree of artistic talent,” says Ken. Names such as Dame Judi Dench, Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, Kathleen Turner, Diane Keaton, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Tony Curtis and Margaret Lockwood trip easily off his tongue. And he is happy to share delightful memories of each.

With Myra, his wife of now 61 years, Ken moved to Canada when the British film industry was in one of its periodic lulls and the Canadian industry was thriving. He continued to freelance here until well into his 70s.

“It was a challenging career, but one I look back on with a great deal of satisfaction,” he says.

If you know an elder who should be profiled, please send your suggestion to gailgrant @rogers.com

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

hen I come home, the first thing I do is turn on some music. Usually light classical or easy listening. Music is a constant in my life. It calms me; it connects me to the moment and it has the power to dramatically change my mood.

As a consequence, I have always had a good deal of respect for those who master, or even attempt to master, a musical instrument.

Enter Lorraine McNally.

Twenty years ago, while she was recovering from a stem cell transplant, Lorraine’s husband, Dan O’Con­ nell, bought her a guitar at an auction. That was the beginning of an intricate and lasting love affair with the stringed instrument.

Now 63 and living in Adjala, Lorraine speaks thought­ fully about her musical journey. “Yes, there have been stumbling blocks, but I’ve learned that you just keep pushing forward,” she says. “And of course, you get out of it what you put into it.”

She considers her music a relaxing hobby and works at keeping practice sessions pressure-free. She has no illusions about ever playing at Carnegie Hall; rather, she plays her music for herself.

“My music takes me out of myself. It’s a distraction and settles my mind, returning many of the same ben­ efits as meditation.” Through music she feels a deeper connection with humanity. “I believe that music is a universal language that everyone can relate to,” she says.

In 2014, when Lorraine was 61 and had progressed musically to the end of Grade 1, she sat the Royal Conservatory’s rigorous examination – and won the gold medal as the top Grade 1 guitar student in Ontario.

The experience tickled her sense of humour. “For instance, the conservatory sent an email asking for my parents’ consent to perform at the ceremony,” she laughs.

“Most of the other competitors were younger children, but there were some other older students as well.”

She has since graduated from Grade 2 with first-class honours and is currently working on Grade 3.

Music wasn’t part of her life when she was growing up, so Lorraine cre­dits her friend and music teacher Daniel

PHOTOS ROSEMARY HA SNER

Lorraine McNally practises on the guitar made by her music teacher Daniel LaBrash (left).

grade 1 gold at the royal conservatory LaBrash with fostering her love of music. She started from scratch, learning both theory and how to read music. “I now have a much greater appreciation of what goes into playing any musical instrument,” she says.

“And I often find myself in awe of the skill required to perform it.”

Daniel has encouraged Lorraine to progress at her own pace, and at each lesson he offers enough challenge to stimulate her but not so much that she is stymied.

As for Daniel, music has always been central to his life. Now 57, he trained as a young man to become a profes­ sional musician, studying classical and flamenco guitar. In his early 20s, he was performing at community events and in local restaurants. For five years in the late 1980s, for exam­ ple, he was a weekend fixture at Al’s Family Restaurant in Orangeville.

But, says Daniel, his musical career has gone through phases. “While I enjoy studying, writing and perform­ ing music, at the moment I seem to be focused more on teaching.”

As an adjunct to teaching, Daniel also builds guitars. In his charming and spotlessly clean shop-cum-studio in Hockley Valley, Daniel took me through the stages of the guitar he was building at the time – for Lorraine, it turns out.

He used East Indian rosewood for the back and sides of the instrument, spruce for the top and ebony for the fret board, while the neck is maho­ gany. Each wood was chosen with a view to giving the instrument its unique, and best, sound.

Daniel finishes his guitars with an old-fashioned French polish, not only for the different tone it produces, but also because it’s nontoxic. The finish on Lorraine’s guitar took about 30 hours alone to complete.

Guitar building is a part-time acti­ vity for Daniel. “The extreme preci­ sion required as a luthier can either be meditative and relaxing or extremely frustrating,” he says. “It takes about 250 hours to produce a handmade guitar, so obviously I want to enjoy the time I spend at it.”

As for Lorraine, she is delighted with her new instrument, though she is having some trouble getting used to playing it. “It’s a little like a racehorse that needs to be fine-tuned,” she says.

But always, the main thing is the music.

According to the experts, music lessons, and even simply listening to music, can enhance your spatial rea­ soning, a critical higher brain func­ tion necessary to perform complex tasks.

Okay, but for me, music is a spirit lifter. Both soothing and emotive, it works its way from the top of my head down to the tips of my toes, and breathes new energy into every fibre of my body.

“If you pour some music on what­ ever’s wrong, it’ll sure help out,” said the late musician Levon Helm.

Amen to that. ≈

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Innocents in the Woods How a city couple learned to love gumboots above : Classic Ontario Gothic in style, this new house was built with all the “mod cons” the owners wanted. upper right : Margaret Wente and Ian McLeod settle in for some Christmas cheer. lower right : A trail leads to a view across the Mulmur wilderness.

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ike Hansel and Gretel, two innocents, Ian McLeod and Margaret Wente – Peggy to her friends – set off into the woods one day to visit a very persua­ sive friend at his weekend place. And like the Big Bad Wolf, aka the BBW, the friend charmed the two with his tales of the joys of life in Mulmur, which he described as “paradise on earth.”

Being avowed city slickers with busy careers – Peggy as a columnist for The Globe and Mail and Ian as a doc­ umentary television producer – the two weren’t at all sure country life

was for them.

But the enthusiasm of the BBW persuaded them to rent a place for three winter months to try it out. They describe the experience this way: “We rented a Pan Abode with cluster flies.” Nevertheless, they discovered the country folk in themselves and decided to make a go of it.

Mulmur was their choice for a place of their own, partly because of the BBW and partly because of the views.

They began their search without cri­ teria and ended up driving aimlessly for months before Peggy suggested

putting a little more rigour into the effort. She asked Ian how much land they were looking for – five acres or 50. He said 50.

They finally found a 50-acre parcel with no house and no apparent view, but lots of “vicious” buckthorn on the nine acres of land flat enough to build on. Ian noted he couldn’t walk the site without coming back bleeding.

But the price was right, so after ex­ ploring the property a few times, they brought along a ladder and climbed up to find out if there was anything to see. Lo and behold, they discovered a

PHOTOS PAM PURVE S

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long southeast-facing slope with big views of rolling hills and forest. They bought the property.

Then, launching themselves once more into the unknown, they started to plan a new house. “It was fun be­ cause we had no idea what we wanted or how to do it,” says Ian. They hired a friend, designer Jim Pearson, and the drawing began. For months Ian travelled everywhere with a tape measure because he couldn’t visualize the dimensions on the drawing. But the couple knew this much: They wanted something like

an old farmhouse but with all the “mod cons.” Pearson, who has design­ ed many houses in the area, was very familiar with the indigenous style of 19th-century Mulmur and began to envision a contemporary version of a classic Ontario Gothic farmhouse.

As the couple’s thinking developed, they realized they wanted to bring the views into the house. They also wanted space that was very bright. “It is light and beauty that shapes your mood,” says Ian. “It takes you out of yourself .”

2015 LANDSCAPE O N TA R I O AWA R D O F EXCELLENCE WINNER

continued on next page IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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cell: 519-939-9806 office: 416-530-1100 www.bosleyrealestate.com valcorn @ bosleyrealestate.com

top : Colourful and mismatched chairs in the dining room have a casual charm. above : A painting by Gideon Tomaschoff adds a dramatic splash of colour to the white walls. right : The kitchen island is a new piece built by cabinetmaker Robert Anderson.

at home continued from page 91

Resurface pool and patio decks with a seamless rubber virtually maintenance free

1 855 415 1535 www Rubber-Deck com

www.rubber-deck.com 92

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

For Pearson, three things are very important – proportion, the axis of the house and the height of the ceil­ ings. Ian and Peggy say he has a kind of Greek feel for proportion, a sensi­ bility obvious to anyone who now walks into their home. All the hous­ es Pearson has designed in the area are built on an axis. He loves long, straight lines, and in this house, the front and back doors align perfectly so visitors can see through the house and down into the valley.

The contractor was Earl Hand,

now retired. Ian and Peggy describe him as a wonderful guy to deal with.

There were no conf licts. This might have been the result, at least in part, of Hand’s comically shrewd pricing formula: If the owner wants to hang around, add 10 per cent to the base rate.

If the owner wants to pitch in, tack on another 20 per cent. And oh, yes, noth­ ing would happen during deer season.

The resulting modestly sized house is a pleasure to be in. Working with decorator and friend Melody Duron of Melody Duron Interiors, they have created a warm and comfortable home

www.villagebuilders.ca

custom homes + renovations additions + interiors 35 years serving the Headwaters Region McGuire Fencing_Layout 1 12-11-01 7:48 PM Page 1

that is easy to manage and feels strong in storms. There is plenty of light.

And the kitchen looks over the living area and into the valley. Peggy and Ian say they wouldn’t change a thing.

Once the house was completed, the novel idea of gardening popped up. For the self-described neophytes, though, the learning curve was steep.

Ian likes to do things himself and plunges in where angels fear to tread.

He had a berm put into the laneway circle, which he planted with wild­ flowers. They lasted about a year before the local “thugs” – native wild plants

– moved in and kicked them out.

Used to the city, where “you are cajol­ ing a pale shadow of nature to thrive,” Ian took some time to get used to the idea that in the country, “you are beating nature off with every weapon you can buy.” Peggy adds, “We were down on our hands and knees in a May snowstorm planting these ten­ der little things. They didn’t stand a chance. Those that survived the first assault were mugged by thistles.”

The couple have a new respect for the idea of Roundup. continued on next page

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upper : The emphasis is on simple comforts and the living room offers a delightful spot to savour a view of the outdoor wonderland while snuggled warmly by the fire. lower : Burmilla kittens bask in the comfort of fine bed linens.

at home continued from page 93

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IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Then Ian decided he’d like a pond.

“If you have a pond, you have a pond Page 1 problem,” he now says with the wis­ dom of experience. He had noticed water accumulating in an area of the hard-packed clay that constitutes most of the property. He had a hole dug. Winter came, the pond filled up and the water stayed. But the pond couldn’t be seen from the house. So he had a second hole dug. That hole was in view, but the water leaked out.

There was apparently less clay in the new spot. Determined to have a pond to complement the view, they set about digging clay out of the original pond to line the walls of the new one.

Then they connected the two with a water pipe. Job done.

Much of the property is forested, the result of rewilding that began

nearly a hundred years ago on land that had been over-logged and overfarmed. The forests have now come back, wildlife has returned, and neigh­ bours have even seen the occasional bear. Trails lead into the woods, and the pond is a joy. The land is vastly healthier than it was a century ago.

So Peggy and Ian have learned a great deal about building, about land and about wildlife. They have also learned about the weather. “Living in the city, you never understand how powerful nature is and that you must respect it for your own safety,” says Peggy. “If you’re caught in a white­ out and drive into a ditch, you’re cooked. Or if you visit friends for dinner and a storm comes up, you may well be staying for the weekend.”

They watched in awe as 50-foot cedars

were dropped like pickup sticks in last spring’s ice storm.

“It feels like we’re on the edge of a wilderness,” Peggy says. “I listen to the crickets and peepers and feel completely secure. I love all the bird sounds in the morning. The aural landscape has become as important as the visual landscape.”

These formerly confirmed urban­ ites are now happiest dressed in gum­ boots and tattered clothes, with mud up to their elbows. Their adventures have been frequently recorded in Peggy’s column. The Big Bad Wolf is delighted to have them in the neigh­ bourhood – and they are delighted to be there. ≈ Pam Purves is a freelance writer and photographer who lives in Caledon.

Furnace Experts_Layout 1 16-08-19 11:54 AM Page 1

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Suzanne Lawrence_layout 16-11-02 8:56 PM Page 1

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Showcase winter 16_Layout 1 16-11-02 5:23 PM Page 1

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Sarah Aston_layout 16-11-02 9:25 PM Page 1

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96

Why Live Anywhere Else?

SARAH ASTON Sales Representative

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CALEDON SKI CLUB CHALET Quiet enjoyment of 200 acres on the ski club property, 3-car garage. $799,000 Jim Wallace

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

Chris Richie_layout 16-11-02 11:05 PM Page 1

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EXCEPTIONAL 86+ ACRE PROPERTY Dream home massively updated with nothing left undone! Amazing woodwork, trim and ceiling detail. Baths are modern and the kitchen is a gourmet dream. Finished 3rd floor space with dormers, ideal extra bedroom or games area. Large barn, needs repair but has good possibilities.

View the ‘drone’ tour on our website! Mono. $919,000

IMPRESSIVE 10 ACRE CALEDON ESTATE Privately situated, large executive residence with soaring ceilings, heated marble and travertine floors, waffle beamed ceiling in dining room, crown mouldings, granite tops. Finished walkout lower level with full 2nd kitchen. Many custom features. 2 road frontages, pond area and forest. 3 car attached plus 2 car detached garages. View the ‘drone’ tour on our website! Caledon. $2,595,000

LUXURIOUS MONO LIVING Combining the flavour of a ‘Muskoka’ property and the quality and charm of a country estate with a backyard playground! Brick and stone bungalow with finished lower level + a loft in-law/nanny suite.

Full home theatre. Hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, granite counters, and more. 4-car garage.

Inground pool, pond, waterfall feature, fire pit. View the ‘drone’ tour on our website! $1,800,000

RARE OPPORTUNITY Approx 98.82 acres for your dream home. This parcel has a pool, geothermal piping, septic, hydro, most lot levies, i/g sprinklers, driveway.

Views, acres of trees & privacy. Home recently removed due to fire. Caledon. $1,495,000

LOG HOME CHARM Brought from the Ottawa Valley. Steel roof on home and garage. Walkout basement with high ceilings. Natural wood interior for a comforting atmosphere. 1.73-acre lot. Heated/insulated shop for hobbyist/car buff. Caledon. $799,000

BUILDERS, RENOVATORS Original home with addition. One part is 2 bedroom, ready to move in. The rest is gutted to the studs. Exterior roofing done for a wraparound porch. 27.9 acres. 2 driveways, older pole barn. Caledon. $799,900

SPRAWLING BUNGALOW 20+ ACS Forest setting. Living and dining rooms with hardwood flooring. Kitchen with granite tops.

Full fin basement with billiard area. Views from the deck and hot tub. Get your exercise on the trails through the forest. Mono. $999,999

1 ACRE BUILDING LOT Build your dream home in a prime Caledon location just outside of Caledon Village. Close to amenities, schools, walking trails, golf courses. Gently sloping, suitable for walkout style basement. Caledon. $369,000

ROOM TO ROAM Never before offered 54.5 acres with large Hwy 9 frontage across from commercial properties and car lots. Existing home in need of updating plus a detached metal building. Neither deemed to be of value. Caledon. $2,250,000

TWO HOMES – ALMOST 50 ACRES Fronting two roads with gentle rolling lands and two bungalow homes! Adjoins ‘light commercial’ properties. Terrific investment opportunity on the edge of Orangeville. Mono. $4,999,000

PREMIUM INVESTMENT Approximately 98.8 acres ear-marked for development adjoining residential and 'light commercial' lands. Older home and barn in good condition. Views to Island Lake, Orangeville/Mono. $8,000,000

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RAISING THE BAR ON SERVICE 905-251-5198 | 416-275-8009 peter@janddcountry.com | gayle@janddcountry.com www.janddcountry.com We attend every showing. Ask about our full range of included services.

THINK FABULOUS ROSEDALE – ON 102 ACRES Limehouse Mansion. A lavish country house and estate set on 102 glorious acres with a river running through it. Private, sophisticated and luxurious. And just 35 miles from Toronto, 18 miles from Oakville. Crafted using only the finest materials throughout, the living space flows organically presenting interesting views and aspects at every turn. Sumptuous living and entertaining are just the beginning. A regulation sized squash court, an orchard, a hedged topiary garden, an 1800 sq ft studio with vast loft above, kms of trails, and a conservatory that will delight and amaze. $5,600,000

SO FAR YET SO NEAR Visualise a complete transformation in lifestyle less than an hour drive from the city. An exceptional stone house tastefully extended and updated, overlooking ponds and surrounded by your own 83 rolling acres. Quiet, peaceful, private, comfortable, luxurious. A Globe and Mail Home of the Week, the property offers a rich selection of rural lifestyle activities. Stables and an indoor arena, a practice golf range and a two bedroom coach house for guests or staff. $2,250,000

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL If a picture is worth a thousand words, visit this property and you will be speechless. ‘Rynwood’ has a 4-bedroom home on 99.26 acres, an 850 sq ft apt/playroom, spring fed swimming pond, mix of mature trees with hiking trails, open meadows – and a 1900’ grass runway and hangar. A broad verandah/deck wraps 3 sides of the house so you can keep an eye on the kids. Schools, restaurants, Home Depot, Tim Hortons, a first class hospital and supermarkets are 10-15 mins away. $975,000

THE PERFECT HOBBY FARM – 33 ACRES 4 bedroom country home, just about everything updated – including the shingles in Aug 2016.

Ready for horses with a grass paddock and barn set up for labour and worry-free run-in to the stables. Abundant hay from your own fields looked after by a tenant farmer if you wish – low taxes as a result. Spring fed reflecting pond, mature trees, peace and quiet on a paved Caledon road. $1,279,000

SEIZE THE DAY, POINTE AU BARIL 5-bedroom home on the water with long views, extensive docks and a sandy beach. Built to accommodate two families on separate levels – or a house full of family and guests. The property is south facing and is surrounded by crown land on two sides and water on the 3rd. Drive to the property on a well maintained private lane. Exceptional boating and snowmobiling. The renowned Ojibway Club is a 15 minute boat ride away. The perfect Georgian Bay experience. $749,000

GET MORE FOR YOUR PROPERTY

DOWN A COUNTRY LANE 1 69-acre lot. 2 spring-fed ponds, mix of open fields and wooded area. Has been a private grass strip airfield, not farmed for years – could well produce organic crops. Adjacent 55 acres also for sale. $479,000

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DOWN A COUNTRY LANE 2 55-acre lot has a structure approx 40x50, possible pond site, field stone ruins from an old barn, section of re-forested mature pine trees. 10 mins north of Orangeville. Adjacent 69 acres also for sale. $399,000

As a sales team, we provide unique artistic input to achieve the best possible selling price for our clients.

Gayle applies her creative abilities to transform spaces and dramatically increase appeal to discerning luxury home buyers. In some cases just a subtle tweak suffices. In others, Gayle will suggest a completely new perspective to produce a stunning difference. ask anyone™

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PERFECTION! ADJALA HORSE FARM 96+ acres minutes to Hockley Village, Mono Cliffs. Stunning farm home renovated with no expense spared. Rolling acreage with views, open meadows, spring-fed pond, mixed bush and trails. Bank barn, 5-stable barn with upper loft and tack room, paddocks and run ins. Equestrian estate and business opportunity equipped and maintained inclusive of a great horse setup with room to grow. $2,200,000

GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Family run campground boasting pride of ownership on 100 acres. Unique turnkey and profitable campground operating for decades with 472 sites approx 1 hour to Toronto. Offers 2 homes, large campsites, rec/activities including bingo, dances, barn/bar, workshop, store and so much more!

Extremely well maintained property with long term clients. Lots of opportunity for expansion. $7,000,000

IN THE HEART OF HOCKLEY VALLEY Park-like setting on Nottawasaga River. Walkout bungalow on 45.43 acres with Blue Max construction. Tranquil setting with large pond and garden pond. Private and treed, fishing, wildlife.

Deck that stretches across the entire back of the home, great for entertaining. Ground source geothermal heating. $1,495,000

WORLD CLASS AMENITIES Hockley Valley farm located short walk to fine dining at Hockley Resort, Bruce Trail, 377 acre nature reserve, 5 minutes from Orangeville shopping and dining. 92 acres of eco certified land, trees, trails, Hockley River and certified organic honey. Century home ready for your family to enjoy.

Want to build your dream home? Pick your view and do it here! $1,750,000

ENTERTAIN IN STYLE Long treed drive leads to private, modern 2761 sq ft home on 10 acres of forest in south Adjala.

Large open kitchen, oak countertops, hardwood, great room with vaulted ceilings, hardwood, large format porcelain, Direct Energy woodstove, open concept, tons of natural light, walkouts to patios, gardens and trails. $975,000

EQUESTRIAN LEGACY – ROCK EDEN Double Pan Am gold medal winner, top 10 Olympic finisher, stake winners, course and track record holders. Land has delivered Rawf prize winning organic hay. Elegant 3292 sq ft home. Master overlooks 1/2 mile turf track, sand and grass Olympic sized dressage rings, Dutch Masters facility, 100 acres. 60x172 indoor arena, 25 stalls, 10 paddocks, 35 acres hay, staff quarters. $1,900,000

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LUXURY LIFESTYLE 100 acres on Humber River. 7000+ sq ft stone bungaloft. Heated shop, 9 stalls, indoor arena, sound system, viewing lounge, lit sand ring, paddocks, apartment/office above, storage/hook up for trailers. $2,795,000

FIELDSTONE FARMHOUSE 100 acs productive land, mature forest, springfed pond, bank barns, work shed, custom stone waterfall, gazebos and hot tub. Loft/apt above 3-car garage. A perfect blend of old time charm and modern convenience. $1,985,000

CUSTOM BUILT EXECUTIVE Minutes to Bradford for shopping, rec centre, restaurants and more! Geothermal heating/ cooling, 3-car garage, paved drive, sports pad, private patio. Spacious principle rooms, fin walkout lower level for inlaws. $1,295,000

COTTAGE OR YEAR ROUND HOME Why do the commute to cottage country? Over 2000' Nottawasaga River frontage on 27.5 acres on your doorstep! Private, mature trees, gardens, above ground pool. Less than an hour to GTA, 20 mins to Barrie. $775,000

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BROKER

sigriddoherty.com Direct 416-274-1592 Office 905-584-2727

CALEDON EAST – 15 PRIVATE ACRES Stunning custom built home (1998) by original owners. 6000+ sq ft of finished living space and built with high-end materials, attention to detail and a functional design in mind. Main level is open concept with an abundance of natural light. Great room boasts 12’ ceilings, fireplace, walkout to balcony overlooking mature gardens, orchard with many types of fruit trees, grape vines and a tranquil forest.

3 generous sized bedrooms, family room and formal dining room complete the upper level. Fully finished lower level with 4 walkouts, a self-contained in-law suite with full kitchen, 3-pc bath and laundry plus 2 large bedrooms, both walkout, one with fireplace. Lower level in fully above grade with floor-to-ceiling windows and doors. Attached 3-car garage with large workshop below, approx 800 sq ft.

A rare find in an outstanding location just outside Caledon East and easy access to the GTA. View this fine home at www.SigridDoherty.com or call to book a private showing.

Text T40189958 to 81035 for more information. $2,390,000 Denise Dilbey_layout 16-11-02 9:52 PM Page 1

Dedicated to Serving Town & Country Properties

Your REALTOR® for Life

Meadowtowne Realty, Brokerage Independently Owned & Operated

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5M Cal inute l Pol Back icy!

www.ddilbey.com • 416.919.9802 direct • 866.865.8262 • ddilbey@royallepage.ca

®Trademark owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under license.

STONE BUNGALOW ON 16.5 ACRE PRIVATE SANCTUARY Luxurious and energy efficient 3600 sq ft residence. Designed to soothe and excite your senses with extra-wide hall and doorways, 10’ ceilings accented with wood finishes and architectural detailing on a forested oasis with meandering trails and river. Majestic eat-in kitchen, 4-season sunroom, great room and walkout basement. Geothermal HVAC, inground irrigation, video security. Erin. $1,299,000

MAJESTIC ESTATE ON 2 ACRES 4 bedrooms, 5 baths in a 5395 sq ft masterpiece with a fitness studio, 2 offices, a soothing koi pond and patio. Stunning kitchen and enormous master provide country views. Fine finishes accent 9’ ceilings, hardwood and stone flooring. Oversized 4-car garage and attached workshop.

Geothermal system. 1/20th ownership in 43 acres of parkland and a nearby Bruce Trails lets you enjoy hiking. Halton Hills. $2,100,000

TRADITIONAL STYLE ON 1.6 ACRES A diet of "meat & potatoes" may have been the typical country classic but this century girl has gone through a facelift into an elegant, sun-filled “caviar and champagne” home. A metal roof protects the renovations. Cozy kitchen to fix gourmet meals. Entertain in a sun-filled great room overlooking a pond and detached workshop. Main floor laundry, ceramic, hardwood and in-floor heating. Erin. $587,000

ALL SEASON LEGAL DUPLEX Surrounded by views of the Credit River and mature trees you'll be able to sip lemonade on the veranda or play in a private fenced back yard indulging in the heated inground saltwater pool or playing in the in-floor heated detached 2-car garage. Elegance and charm accompany this renovated duplex with 2 kitchens, 2+2 bedrooms and 3 baths. Each unit is equipped with separate utilities. Norval. $749,000

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MOFFAT DUNLAP

REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE

905-841-7430 moffatdunlap.com Moffat Dunlap*, John Dunlap**, Peter Boyd, Murray Snider, George Webster, Nik Bonellos, Elizabeth Campbell***

STONE COTTAGE, BELFOUNTAIN

*Chairman, **Broker of Record, ***Sales Representative

A NEW CLASSIC, CALEDON 5-star living! Sweeping city views. Expansive living and entertaining spaces. 7 bedrooms with deluxe ensuites. Incredible 86-acre property is 30 minutes to the airport. Family compound potential. Pond. Pool. $12,500,000

MONO CLIFFS FARM, MONO 4900 sq ft Scottish built stone home on 100 beautiful acs overlooking Mono Cliffs Park. Peaceful views over gunite pool, pond, rolling fields and woods. Useful barn/workshop. $1,950,000

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LONG LANE, 57 ACRES 4+1 bedroom home. 2-storey great room.

Drive-in workshop, 3-car garage, studio. Pond.

Peaceful setting. Asking $1,585,000

BEECHNUT GROVE, CALEDON Custom 2-storey, 4 bedroom, 5 bath estate residence. Southern views. 33 acres of hardwood forest, plus crystal clear ponds. Sunlit meadow surrounds the home. Prime Grange neighbourhood.

Walkout lower level. Gated entrance. $1,825,000

MONO CAPE COD FARM Strong income! 21-stall barn + 70’x160’ riding arena. Solar contract. 2 apartments plus 3 bedroom Cape Cod house. $1,425,000

CALEDON HORSE FARM One of the best views in Caledon. 20+ stalls, stable + arena. 10 minutes to Caledon Equestrian Park. 2 home potential. $3,988,000

Several buildings, workshops, garages and a house on 5.57 acres. $1,198,000

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DEERHAVEN 50 acres with stone home. Stable complex.

Renovated stone home. Pool. Long private drive. Asking $4,250,000

TWO VALLEYS, MONO Dramatic 104-acre property. Coach house.

Views. Trails. Mature trees. Quiet country location. $1,100,000

MONO HILLS GOLF CLUB 2 acre building lot on private golf course. Be one of only 10 owners! Mono Hills Country Club. 10 minutes to Orangeville. Play your own course anytime. $335,000

HAMLET OF CATARACT Luxury, character filled, well maintained 3+1 bedroom home. Ideal country retreat or main residence. 5-minute walk to Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. $1,398,000

FIRESTONE FARM, CALEDON A classically designed horse farm. Restored 1857 stone house with main floor master wing.

Geothermal heating. Clay tennis court. Swimming pond. 25 stall Dutch Masters barn + arena.

4 stall breeding barn. Fibre footing indoor + fibre outdoor rings. Staff accommodation. 50 acres with lush paddocks. Superb location. $3,450,000

3 HOUSES, CALEDON 3 houses on prime Gore Road. Deluxe finishes throughout 15,000 sq ft home. Pool with entertainment cabana. Pond. Tennis. Art studio. Masterful design. 24 acres. Stable.

Everything AAA! $5,250,000

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Find an Advertiser F O R

M O R E

I N F O R M A T I O N ,

L I N K

D I R E C T L Y

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A D V E R T I S E R S

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arts + culture + theatre

community services

fashion + jewellery

heating + cooling

Alton Mill Arts Centre ⁄ 109 Dragonfly Arts on Broadway ⁄ 36 Dufferin County Museum & Archives ⁄ 111 Peel Art Gallery, Museum & Archives ⁄ 112 Rose Theatre ⁄ 107 Theatre Orangeville ⁄ 109 Williams Mill Gallery ⁄ 110

Caledon Dufferin Victim Services ⁄ 44

A.M. Korsten Jewellers ⁄ 71 Chez Nous Thrift Boutique ⁄ 37 Creek Side Clothing ⁄ 63 Gallery Gemma ⁄ 110 Hannah’s ⁄ 46 Hawthorne House ⁄ 50 Just Be Customized ⁄ 36 Manhattan Bead Company ⁄ 37 Off Broadway Clothing Boutique ⁄ 37 Renaissance ⁄ 47 Scented Drawer Fine Lingerie ⁄ 36 Seconds Count Hospital Thrift Store ⁄ 37 Shoe Kat Shoo ⁄ 65

Bryan’s Fuel ⁄ 53 Don’s Heating & Cooling ⁄ 13

cycling Caledon Hills Cycling ⁄ 11

dance Academy of Performing Arts ⁄ 36

art supplies Craft Happy ⁄ 36

dining auto Caledon Motors ⁄ 50 Go Tire ⁄ 54 JTC Auto Service & Repair ⁄ 64 Northwest Lexus ⁄ 51 Total Mechanical ⁄ 81 WROTH Auto ⁄ 83

beauty + fitness Artizan ⁄ 94 Devonshire Guest House & Spa ⁄ 47 Foxy Face Lash Forever ⁄ 37 Henning Salon ⁄ 63 Millcroft Inn & Spa ⁄ 71 Skin ’n Tonic ⁄ 37 Ultimate Skin Care ⁄ 47

Barley Vine Rail Co. ⁄ 70 Belfountain Inn ⁄ 70 Bistro Riviere ⁄ 46 Black Wolf Smokehouse ⁄ 70 Cabin at Hockley Valley Resort ⁄ 70 The Consulate ⁄ 72 Dolce Rustic Italian Eatery ⁄ 72 Forage ⁄ 72 Four Corners Bakery Eatery ⁄ 32,70 Landman Garden & Bakery ⁄ 72 Millcroft Inn & Spa ⁄ 70,71 Mono Cliffs Inn ⁄ 72 Mrs. Mitchell’s Restaurant ⁄ 16,72 Orange Bistro ⁄ 70 Pia’s on Broadway ⁄ 72 Ray’s 3rd Generation Bistro Bakery ⁄ 70 Rustik Local Bistro ⁄ 72 Steakhouse 63 Restaurant ⁄ 70 Terra Nova Public House ⁄ 72

bee keeping The Heritage Bee Co. ⁄ 75

event centres + services

books

Hockley Valley Resort ⁄ 113 McLean Sherwood Event Rental ⁄ 64 Millcroft Inn & Spa ⁄71

BookLore ⁄ 62 Forster’s Book Garden ⁄ 64

fencing McGuire Fence ⁄ 93

financial services BMO Nesbitt Burns Wealth Management ⁄ 35

home audio Being There Audio ⁄ 81

home décor + furnishings Burdette Glassworks ⁄ 82 Decor Solutions Furniture & Design ⁄ 28 From the Kitchen to the Table ⁄ 63 Granny Taught Us How ⁄ 120 Heidi’s Room ⁄ 120 The Olde Stanton Store ⁄ 110 Orangeville Furniture ⁄ 15 Pear Home ⁄ 36 The Plumber’s Wife ⁄ 92 Recovering Nicely ⁄ 61 Sproule’s Emporium ⁄ 36 The Weathervane ⁄ 47

home improvement + repair fireplace sales + service Caledon Fireplace ⁄ 95

food + catering Fromage ⁄ 37 Garden Foods ⁄ 38 Heatherlea Farm Shoppe ⁄ 65 Holtom’s Bakery ⁄ 46 Lavender Blue Catering ⁄ 65 Mount Wolf Forest Farm ⁄ 55 Route 145 ⁄ 37 The Chocolate Shop ⁄ 36 The Friendly Chef Adventures ⁄ 46

Ace Peel Hardware & Supply ⁄ 9 All-Mont Garage Doors ⁄ 83 Dufferin Glass & Mirror ⁄ 54 Headwaters Windows & Doors ⁄ 79 Jameson Timber & Stone ⁄ 93 Karry Home Solutions ⁄ 20 KitchenArt ⁄ 91 Kitchen Painters ⁄ 95 Leathertown Lumber ⁄ 57 Onyx Windows & Doors ⁄ 4 Orangeville Building Supply ⁄ 83 Orangeville Home Hardware ⁄ 13 Paragon Kitchens ⁄ 22 Rubber Deck ⁄ 92 Simple Solutions Renovations ⁄ 7

events builders + architects + developers +VG Architects ⁄ 44 Classic Renovations ⁄ 57 Dalerose Country ⁄ 54 Dutch Masters Design & Construction ⁄ 55 Harry Morison Lay, Architect ⁄ 61 Pine Meadows ⁄ 89 Village Builders ⁄ 93

Christmas in the Country ⁄ 47 Fire & Ice Festival ⁄ 109 Holiday Treasures Juried Arts & Craft Show ⁄ 111 Schomberg Main Street Christmas ⁄ 94

funeral homes Dods & McNair Funeral Home ⁄ 16 Egan Funeral Home ⁄ 10

landscaping + gardening GBC Design + Build ⁄ 91 Hackstone Landscapes ⁄ 32 Hill’N Dale Landscaping ⁄ 38

generators farm + feed supplies

Furnace & AC Experts ⁄ 95 Tanco Group ⁄ 52

Budson Farm & Feed Company ⁄ 47

memorabilia Treasured Collections ⁄ 115

health + wellness farm + garden equipment charitable organizations Brampton & Caledon Community Foundation ⁄ 82

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Kubota ⁄ 119 Larry’s Small Engines ⁄ 85

Dr. Richard Pragnell ⁄ 94

moving services Downsizing Diva ⁄ 79

continued on page 104

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GORGEOUS SETTING, ONE-OF-A-KIND HOME Fabulous find! 3 bedrooms and 7 baths, over 8000 sq ft of living space, and a huge indoor pool in a separate enclosure, complete with hot tub and sauna. The cul-de-sac location and yard with mature evergreens provides ultimate serenity, peace and privacy. The sweeping staircase of the grand entrance portrays the graciousness of this unique home. $1,199,000

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A WORK OF ART Century barn converted to spectacular country home. Great rm with cathedral ceiling & amazing floor-to-ceiling stone fp. Gourmet kit. Charming open concept guest house.

Circular inground pool. 64 scenic acs. Mono. $1,599,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

STONE MASTERPIECE 4 bdrms, eat-in kit, sunroom, pool, tennis court. Walk around the 1-acre pond, across the rolling pasture/crop land, thru the forest and down to the river on your own 97 acres.

Det workshop/garage. Close to GO. Erin. $1,599,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

26 ACRE EQUESTRIAN GEM Custom built, spacious 4-bdrm bungalow, finished walkout basement. Indoor arena, sand ring, 16 box stalls, tack room, paddocks with run-in sheds. Gorgeous 2-bedroom apt + studio apt above stable. $1,399,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

170 ACRES – THREE HOMES 2 large ponds, bush and long driveway to restored, turn of the century home with many options. Includes aviary, 2nd residence, cottage, 3 barns, drive shed and track.

Approx 140 acres in paddocks, crop land. $1,999,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

RARE FABULOUS OPPORTUNITY 246 well maintained acres – 170 acres in crops + some hardwood bush, mixed bush, 3 large ponds, bunkie, 38'x264' workshop and office with yearly income. Stunning 2800 sq ft renovated turn of the century home. $1,999,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

FOREVER CHANGING VIEWS Original schoolhouse renovated into a beautiful, creative urban style loft with 30’ ceilings and wide open spaces for open concept living with mesmerizing panoramic views. 9.2 acres, Mulmur Hills. $889,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

EXQUISITE, STUNNING, NEW 5200 sq ft dream home, 46 acres, high-end finishes. Open concept kitchen, granite counters, floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, hardwood floors, 6 bedrooms + separate coach house with 4-car garage/workshop. $3,499,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

GORGEOUS STATELY VILLA ON 11 ACRES Open concept, gourmet kit with centre island, floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace in living room.

4 bdrms. Master with dressing room, 6-pc ensuite. 2-acre pond, barn, pool. Terra Cotta. $2,350,000 Wayne Baguley 519-941-5151

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY – FISH FARM AND PERMIT TO DRAW WATER 4,584,000 litres per day. 40-acre property with 3-bedroom bungalow. Several indoor and outdoor tanks, 2 raceways and pond for seasonal growth. Up to 70,000 lbs trout/year with option for more. Operator willing to train buyer. All equipment included. $1,390,000 Austin Boake_layout 16-11-02 5:19 PM Page 1

FOUR SEASONS OF FUN AT MANSFIELD SKI CLUB Watch the action on the hill from the comfort of this amazing great room with vaulted ceilings, hand hewn beams, fireplace, walkout to wrap-around deck. European style chalet, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, hot tub, sauna. One of the best locations on the slopes, in the Pine River Chalet community. Includes rights to 17 acres of parkland for snowshoeing, hiking, pond and the Pine River. $759,000

CREEMORE RIVER HOUSE A private executive retreat on 44 acres of forest and over 2000’ of the Mad River winding through the property. Quality custom stone home, spacious, energy efficient with 5 bedrooms and 5 baths. Spectacular living room with vaulted ceiling, soaring dry stacked fireplace and walkout to impressive verandah. Walkout lower level, family room, games room and in-law suite capability. Heated double garage. $1,795,000

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Find an Advertiser continued from page 102

pools D&D Pools & Spas ⁄ 85

professional services Coster Law, Technology & IP ⁄ 44 Purple Shield Canada, Zammit Agency ⁄ 115 Wiesner Insurance ⁄ 3

Royal LePage RCR Realty ⁄ 104 Roger Irwin, Barbara Rolph, Dawn Bennett Royal LePage RCR Realty ⁄ 14,96 Suzanne Lawrence Royal Le Page RCR Realty ⁄ 28,103 Wayne Baguley Sutton-Headwaters Realty ⁄ 96 Jim Wallace, Sarah Aston Sutton Group – Central Realty ⁄ 8 Mary Klein, Kelly Klein, Kaitlan Klein

CaledonTownandCountry.com Roger Irwin, Broker Barbara Rolph, Assistant Dawn Bennett, Sales Representative

905-857-0651

GORGEOUS 57 ACS IN CALEDON Mix of rolling hills with mature deciduous trees, evergreens and dry open spaces.

Barn needs foundation work and old small log house is not habitable. Zoning is single family residence. $1,100,000

PERFECT FOR HORSE LOVERS Private 19.61 acres surrounded by conservation. 3 paddocks, Denco 3 stall row barn with hydro/water, 2 stall row barn, hay storage shed, 10x24 run-in shed. Access to Bruce Trail for riding trails. $965,000

FAMILY ESTATE HOME Extensively renovated, private court, 2.04 ac corner lot. Mature trees, exceptional backyard with outdoor speakers/lighting, cedar deck with many seating/dining areas, inground saltwater heated pool. $1,199,000

BUNGALOW ON QUIET STREET Bright open concept floor plan on main floor + fully finished walkout lower level.

Hardwoods in living, dining and kitchen.

Laminate in lower level. Several walkouts to multi-level deck. $712,000

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radio Country 105 ⁄ 112

schools + education real estate + home inspections Bosley Real Estate ⁄ 92 Velvet Alcorn Chestnut Park Real Estate ⁄ 104 Sue Collis, Sarah MacLean Coldwell Banker, Ronan Realty ⁄ 99 Marc Ronan, Sarah Lunn Johnston & Daniel ⁄ 98 Peter Bowers, Gayle Woods Moffat Dunlap Real Estate ⁄ 101 Moffat Dunlap, John Dunlap, Peter Boyd, Murray Snider, George Webster, Nik Bonellos, Elizabeth Campbell ReMax Creemore Hills Realty ⁄ 103 Austin Boake ReMax In The Hills ⁄ 12,97 Chris Richie, Philip Albin, Sean Anderson, Dale Poremba, Jennifer Unger ReMax Realty Specialists Inc. ⁄ 100 Sigrid Doherty ReMax Realty Specialists Inc. ⁄ 5 Maria Britto Royal LePage Locations North ⁄ 105 Matthew Lidbetter Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty ⁄ 22,100 Denise Dilbey Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty ⁄ 103 Mark Latam, Mélodie Rose, Kevin Latam Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty ⁄ 105 Paul Richardson, Martha Summers Royal Le Page RCR Realty ⁄ 105 Basia Regan Royal LePage RCR Realty ⁄ 35 Dorothy Mazeau Royal LePage RCR Realty ⁄ 105 Jacqueline Guagliardi

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Brampton Christian School ⁄ 6 St. Andrew’s College ⁄ 43 St. John’s-Kilmarnock School ⁄ 45 The Country Day School ⁄ 87

seniors’ services Avalon Retirement Lodge ⁄ 2 Headwaters Home Care ⁄ 64 Montgomery Village Retirement Residence ⁄ 89

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Erin, Orangeville, Caledon & Surrounding Areas

ski Hockley Valley Resort ⁄ 113 Mansfield Ski Club ⁄ 115

D L O

Sue Collis* Cell: 519.837.7764

Sarah MacLean* Cell: 905.872.5829

Office: 416.925.9191 sue@chestnutpark.com sarahmaclean@chestnutpark.com www.chestnutpark.com Sales Representative*

toy stores Cardboard Castles Childrens Emporium ⁄ 87

tourism + travel Cruise Holidays ⁄ 47 Orangeville BIA ⁄ 36,37 Port Perry BIA ⁄ 109 Town of Erin ⁄ 46,47

VIEWS THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY Top of the Caledon Escarpment. 16+ acres. Designer interior. Multi-level decks for outdoor entertaining. Pool, tennis court, sauna. Minutes to golf, skiing, hiking, dining and shopping. $2,999,000

tree services Maple Leaves Forever ⁄ 20 Ott’s Tree Service ⁄ 52

wine + spirits Adamo Estate Winery ⁄ 75 Grand Spirits Renewable Community Distillery ⁄ 19 Pommies Cider ⁄ 75

Best wishes for the holiday season and many thanks to all the clients we were so lucky to work with in 2016!

DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY Bring your dreams, build your dreams!

Private 20+ acre woodland lot. Enjoy life in the country. 5 minutes to Shelburne, 10 minutes to Orangeville. Location!

Location! $319,000

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Basia Regan

Paul Richardson_layout 16-11-02 9:02 PM Page 1

Royal LePage Meadowtowne

Sales Representative

c: 705-466-2115 e: basiaregan@royallepage.ca

Matthew Lidbetter

Sales Representative

MonoPark.ca

c: 705-443-7250 e: matthew@bluemountainproperty.ca

Paul Richardson

Martha Summers

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

RICHARDSONTOWNANDCOUNTRY.CA paul@richardsontownandcountry.ca

866-865-8262

martha@marthasummers.ca

MONOPARK.CA A spectacular home set in a priv 70-acre oasis of rolling hills, woods, trails, ponds, manicured lawns & lush grdns. This house has everything – an opulent marble entrance w/ grand winding staircase, elevator, & indoor parking for 9 vehicles. Visit the website for your on-line experience. $4,300,000 Call Matthew Lidbetter 705-443-7250 or Basia Regan 705-466-2115 FRENCH COUNTRY ELEGANCE Understated from the road. Come inside and enjoy the pastoral views from this custom built home on over 2 acres. No detail left undone. Privacy, 15 minutes from GO. Your friends will be envious. $1,795,000 Call Paul Richardson

MAJESTIC MULMUR VIEWS! Open concept post & beam. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, lower level walkouts.

2 ponds on spectacular south facing 41 acres. Trails through the woods, near golf, skiing, Bruce Trail and Creemore. $999,900 Call Basia Regan 705-466-2115 www.basiaregan.com Jacqueline Guagliardi_layout 16-11-02 8:47 PM Page 1

jacquelineguagliardi.com 519-833-0569 • 800-268-2455

RCR Realty, Brokerage Independently Owned & Operated

BROKER

185 ACRE EXECUTIVE ESTATE Seize this opportunity to enjoy 2 newer luxury homes, heated workshop, summer kitchen, detached garage, restored bank barn, spring-fed pond on 185 acres (130+ arable) on quiet paved Erin road. $2,999,000

RELAX RIVERSIDE ON THE GRAND 4 bedroom circa 1860 stone home tastefully restored. Spacious living spaces, wide plank pine floors, chef’s kitchen with heated limestone floor and luxury ensuite bath.

New stone oversized garage. $850,000

LAND TO LIVE, WORK & PLAY 100 acre (40+ arable) corner farm. Beautiful open concept bungalow. Restored bank barn with paddock. 2013 built 2880 sq ft shop with in-floor heat, bath, offices, 14’x16’ roll up door. $949,000

EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ERIN Immaculate, newer open concept bungalow finished/updated on both levels in private 2-acre setting with spring-fed pond, oversized/heated 2-car garage + 24’x32’ heated workshop with steel roof. $765,000

S

67 FABULOUS ACRES, MILTON Quiet setting, 15 minutes to Highway 401. Rolling farm land with renovated century Victorian.

10-stall barn, paddocks, sand ring and more. Move in and enjoy. $1,495,000 Call Martha Summers or Betty D'Oliveira

D L O

GLEN OVEN BAKERY CAFE Established and beloved eatery in the quaint hamlet of Glen Williams. Incredible location amongst artisans and day-trippers.

Destination location village setting. $850,000 Call Betty D'Oliveira

ARTISTS/INVESTORS Retail space in Alton Village with 2 bedroom loft apartment, bank barn and huge backyard. Endless possibilities. $599,000 Call Paul Richardson

STONE WATERFRONT Spectacular with separate guest house.

Meticulously renovated to the highest standard. 39 acres, Puslinch. $2,400,000 Call Paul Richardson

CLASSIC GEORGIAN Privately situated, totally renovated 5 bedroom. Exposed interior stone, 22 acres, 11 stall bank barn, arena, sand ring, hay field. In the heart of horse country. $1,449,000 Call Martha Summers

D L O S

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DEC 3 : CREATING A PAINTING PLAN

Tony Bianco explains how concept and design influence all that follows. 10am4pm. $80, register online. Victoria Parks Community Centre, Mono Mills. orangevilleartgroup.com

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DEC 3 – 18 : HOLIDAY TREASURES t ARTS & CRAFTS – JURIED SHOW & SALE

CHRISTMAS-RELATED EVENTS

What’s on in the Hills A

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arts+letters NOW – DEC 1 : PATRICK THIBERT: SCULPTED LINES & LYRICS Stunning use

of area, place and lines. Pay what you can.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca NOW – DEC 3: VIKI’S HOLIDAY t DECOR WORKSHOPS AT NOT SO HOLLOW FARM Evergreen wreath or urn

insert. See website for times and regis­ tration. 838369 4th Line East, Mulmur.

705-466-6290; notsohollowfarm.ca NOW – DEC 8 (THURSDAYS) : KNIT@ PAMA Knitters of all ages create items for

charities in Peel. Supplies, instructions provided. 6-8pm. Pay what you can.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton.

905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca NOW – DEC 24 : GOING PLACES – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY Colourful

paintings of Island Lake by Sharon Wadsworth-Smith. Free. Farmhouse Pottery Gallery and Café, 307114 Hockley Rd, Mono. 519-941-6670; wadsworthsmithart.com NOW – DEC 24 : CHRISTMAS t MARKETS AT THE MILL Give the gift of

art. Wed-Sun 10am-5pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. altonmill.ca NOW – DEC 31 : NOODLE GALLERY t HOLIDAY ARTS + CRAFTS MARKET A

selection of artisanal gift items. Wed-Fri 11:30am-5pm. Sat Sun 10am-5pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. 647-505-8995; noodlegallery.com NOW – JUN 12 (SECOND MONDAYS) : ERIN VILLAGE QUILTERS GROUP Guest

speakers, workshops, community projects. 7-9:30pm. Membership $35/$5 monthly guest fee. St Andrew’s Presby­ terian Church, 83 Trafalgar Rd, Hillsburgh. bonnie.gagnon@sympatico.ca 106

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NOW – ONGOING : DRAWING &

t DEC 1 – 31 : RIVERBEND ARTISTS

PAINTING LESSONS WITH CJ SHELTON

OF GRAND VALLEY YULETIDE SHOW

Learn the basics or improve your skills.

See website. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. Dancing Moon Designs, 519-9422018; dancingmoondesigns.ca

& SALE One-of-a-kind gifts. Dec 2:

t NOV 25 : JOY OF ART HOLIDAY NIGHT MARKET AT WILLIAMS MILL A festive evening of art, crafts, gifts and music. 5-9pm. Williams Mill Gallery, 515 Main St, Glen Williams. 905-873-8203; williamsmill.com

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NOV 26 : MY CRAFTY NEIGHBOUR

HOLIDAY CRAFT & GIFT SHOW Swag bags (first 50 customers), 40+ vendors, pictures with Santa (10am-1pm). Door prizes, proceeds to SickKids Foundation. 10am3pm. Free, nonperishable food donation.

Royal Canadian Legion, 203 William St, Shelburne. mycraftyneighbour@gmail.com NOV 26 & 27 : ALTON MILL OPEN HOUSE

Exhibitions, open studios and workshops in various media. 10am-5pm. Free.

Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. info@ altonmill.ca; altonmill.ca

t DEC 1 – 4 : ART OF GIVING

reception, 4-8pm. Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm.

Sat 10am-5pm. Sun noon-4pm. Maggiolly Art Supplies, 158 Broadway, Orangeville. riverbendartistsofgrandvalley.ca

t DEC 3 : CHRISTMAS CRAFT SALE Community vendors and works by the CLD Options Artisans. Proceeds to programs for adults with developmental disabilities. 9am-2pm. Free. Community Living Dufferin, 065371 Cty Rd 3, W of Orangeville. 519-941-8971 x126; communitylivingdufferin.ca

t DEC 3 : COMMUNITY LIVING DUFFERIN CHRISTMAS CRAFT SALE Over

20 vendors join the CLD artisans. 9am2pm. Free. Community Living Dufferin, 065371 Cty Rd 3, Joyce Cook, 519-941-8971 x126; communitylivingdufferin.ca

t DEC 3 : CRAFT & BAKE SALE Finish your Christmas shopping. 9am-3pm.

Caledon Village Place, Caledon Village.

Caledon Agricultural Society, 519-941-1109

CHRISTMAS SHOW & SALE Meet the

t DEC 3 : HOLIDAY MARKET IN

artists at the Santa Baby Reception, Friday night 6-9pm. Free. Turn-of-Fate Studio, 5890 4th Line Erin. 519-855-9639; turnoffatestudio.ca

THE MILLS & CAFÉ Items made by local artisans, kids’ activities. 9am2pm. Horning’s Mills Hall, 14 Mill St. horningsmills.ca

ABBREVIATIONS CPCC

Caledon Parent-Child Centre CVC

Credit Valley Conservation DCAFS

Dufferin Child and Family Services

One-of-a-kind items in various media from pottery, textiles to folk art and gift cards. Museum hours. Closed Mon. $3; kids free. DCMA, Airport Rd & Hwy 89.

1-877-941-7787; dufferinmuseum.com DEC 7 – 31 : HOME FOR THE t HOLIDAYS! Art lovers’ gifts in various

media. Wed-Sun noon-5pm. Free.

Williams Mill Gallery, 515 Main St, Glen Williams. 905-873-8203; williamsmill.com DEC 10, JAN 21, FEB 18 & MAR 18 : NOTTAWASAGA HANDWEAVERS & SPINNERS GUILD MONTHLY MEETINGS

Speakers and workshops on fibre arts.

Dec: location and cost TBA. 1-3pm. $5; fee for some workshops. Gibson Centre for Creativity, 63 Tupper St W, Alliston.

705-435-6991; nottguild.ca DEC 10 : BRAMPTON WINTER CRAFT t & VENDOR FAIR Handmade and unique

items. 10am-4pm. Nonperishable food donation or $2. Brampton Fairgrounds, 12942 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon.

Region of Peel, Home Craft Division, bramptonfaircraftshow@gmail.com; facebook.com JAN 21 : PHOTOGRAPHY WITH PETER DUSEK Develop excellent reference

material. 10am-4pm. $80, register online.

Victoria Parks Community Centre, Mono Mills. orangevilleartgroup.com JAN 21 – MAR 19, JAN 28 : HEADING TO PALOOKAVILLE: SETH & THE ART OF THE GRAPHIC NOVEL The complexities

of self-identity. Jan 28: reception. Regular admission. Free reception. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905-7914055; pama.peelregion.ca JAN 21 – MAR 19, JAN 28 : WATER AND PIGMENT, MYSTERIOUS INTERACTIONS: THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOUR A.J. Casson, Barb

Sutherland and others. Jan 28: reception.

Regular admission. Free reception. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca continued on next page

DCMA

EWCS

NVCA

Dufferin County Museum & Archives Regular admission: $5; seniors $4; children 5-14 $2; under 5 free; family $12

East Wellington Community Services

Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority

PAMA

SBEC

Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives Regular admission: $5; students, seniors $4; family (2 adults & 5 children) $12

Orangeville & District Small Business Enterprise Centre

DPSN

Dufferin Parent Support Network

SPCA

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

On stage for the Holidays!

Next generation Leahy The

er Nutcrack

dec 8, 2016 / 8PM

Matt Dusk

dec 9, 2016 / 8P

M

/ 7:30PM 6 1 0 2 , 7 c de

Jus Reign

arol a Christmas C

dec 16, 2016 /

lee ann WomaCK jan 12. 20 1 7

dec 17, 2016 / 8PM

7:30PM

Piano Chameleons ja n 1 3. 2 0 1 7

Max & Ruby

dec 20, 2016 / 7PM

Best shows to see in the New Year !

Battle of the magiCians tartan terrors ja n 19. 2017 ja n 20. 2017

ethan russell fernando Varela Kenny Vs. sPenny ja n 25. 201 7 jan 27. 2 01 7 jan 28. 2 01 7

www.rosetheatre.ca IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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H A P P E N I N G S 2976 Charleston Sdrd, Caledon Village.

519-927-5714; kcjohnston39@gmail.com

continued from page 106 JAN 26 – ONGOING : ART CLASSES AT MAGGIOLLY Various classes in

NOV 29, DEC 6, FEB 21 & 28, MAR 7 : EQUINE BEHAVIOUR Insights from

different media with local experts.

See website. Maggiolly Art Supplies, 158 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-9429560; maggiollyart.com

fascinating research with Lindsay Grice.

7-9pm. $75. Dufferin Centre for Continu­ ing Education, 40 Amelia St, Orangeville.

519-941-2661 x221; ugdsb.on.ca

FEB 9, 16 & 23 : WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOPS WITH MARLENE MADOLE

Explore fundamental techniques. 6:308:30pm. $35/workshop; $90 for three.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton.

905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca

NOV 30 : DECADE OF THE AVRO ARROW

FEB 11 : UNDERPAINTING Sam Paonessa

NOW – JAN 26 (THURSDAYS) : ZOOMERS BOOMERS AND SENIOR THURSDAY

explains how a good start avoids problems later. 10am-4pm. $80, register online. Victoria Parks Community Centre, Mono Mills. orangevilleartgroup.com

Health and wellness workshops, 10am3pm. Free. The Exchange, 55 Healey Rd, Unit 10, Bolton. Caledon Community Services, 905-584-2300 x273

NOV 26 : THE MAPLES CHRISTMAS t MARKET One-of-a-kind vendors. 9am-

2pm. Free. The Maples Academy, 513047 2nd Line, Amaranth. Maples Academy PTA, 519-942-3310; themaplesschool.com NOV 26 : TWEEDSMUIR CHURCH t BAZAAR & SILENT AUCTION Bake table,

Christmas crafts and large silent auction.

9am-1pm. Tweedsmuir Presbyterian Church, 6 John St, Orangeville. Tweeds­ muir Fellowship Group, 519-941-1334

MAR 2 : ART & BOOK CLUB “It’s a Good Life, If You Don’t Weaken” by graphic artist Seth. Tour his exhibit. 7-8:30pm. Regular admission, register at Brampton Library.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton.

PAMA/Brampton Public Library, 905793-4636; pama.peelregion.ca

Pioneers observed life’s events with interesting traditions. Oct 1: reception, 6-9pm. Fare from the Globe Restaurant.

Regular admission; reception $25. DCMA, Hwy 89 & Airport Rd. 1-877-941-7787; info@dufferinmuseum.com

MAR 11 – MAY 21 : KOMAGATA MARU: A SIKH JOURNEY Photographs of the lives

NOW – JAN 31 : SECRETS OF THE ARCHIVES Love letters, suspected

of early Sikh settlers in B.C., including the notorious turning back of the steamship Komagata Maru in 1914. Regular admission.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. PAMA, Lally Marwah and the Sikh Foundation of Canada, 905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca

murderers and buried treasure all uncovered. Regular admission. DCMA, Hwy 89 & Airport Rd. 1-877-941-7787; dufferinmuseum.com

gift. Proceeds to the library. 10am-3:45pm.

201 Owen Sound St, Shelburne. 519-9252168; shelburnelibrary.ca

NOW – JUN 7 (WEDNESDAYS) : W.I.S.E. CHELTENHAM Wellness, Interaction,

NOV 26 : SPIRIT TREE ESTATE t CIDERY HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE Sample

MAR 18 : CREATING IMPACT WITH COLOUR 10am-4pm. $80, register online.

Social and Exercise program for seniors (55+). 10am-noon. Free. Cheltenham Baptist Church, 14520 Creditview Rd. Caledon Meals on Wheels, 905-857-7651; cmow.org

holiday goodies, meet local artists and food producers. 11am-3pm. Free. 1137 Boston Mills Rd, Caledon. 905-838-2530; spirittreecider.com

Victoria Parks Community Centre, Mono Mills. orangevilleartgroup.com

community NOW – DEC 19 (MONDAYS) : APPY HOURS One-on-one smartphone

instruction and tips. 4-5pm. Free, register.

Caledon Library, 150 Queen St S, Bolton.

905-857-1400; caledon.library.on.ca NOW – DEC 31 : PARADE BANNERS OF THE LOYAL ORANGE LODGE Learn about

the origin and practices of this historic Protestant society. Regular admission.

DCMA, Hwy 89 & Airport Rd. 1-877-9417787; dufferinmuseum.com NOW – JAN 15 : SERVICE & REMEMBRANCE: 150 YEARS OF THE LORNE SCOTS Celebrate their military and

peacekeeping history. Nov 27: regiment volunteers share stories. Pay what you can. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton.

905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca JAN 22 : HOT STOVE LOUNGE PUB NIGHT Leafs play the Senators. Wear your

jersey. Advance tickets required. Proceeds to the Millpond Rehabilitation Project.

6-11:00pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. hockey@altonmill.ca 108

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

NOW – JAN 31 : CRADLE TO COFFIN

NOV 25 : CALEDON SENIORS’ CENTRE MONTHLY DINNER Join us. 5:30-7pm.

$10, register. 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905951-6114; caledonseniors.ca NOV 26 : BELFOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS t HOUSE TOUR Beautiful homes decked

out for the holidays, $35. Belfountain Community Organization, 416-508-7056; belfountain.ca NOV 26 : COMMUNITY WOMEN’S t CIRCLE CHRISTMAS CRAFT SHOPPE & BAKE SALE Handcrafted items, jewellery,

fresh greenery arrangements. Proceeds to local charities. 9am-2pm. Free. Caledon East United Church, 6046 Old Church Rd. 905-584-9974; caledoneastunitedchurch.ca

NOV 26 : BOLTON KINSMEN TOONIE SALE All clothing $2 each. Proceeds to

local causes. 10am-1pm. Albion Bolton Community Centre. boltonkin.com NOV 26 : SHELBURNE LIBRARY’S SILENT AUCTION & BOOK SALE Find that perfect

NOV 26 : PALGRAVE ROTARY SILENT AUCTION GALA Formal evening of food,

fun and friends raising funds for Rotary projects. 6-11:30pm. $75. Caledon Estates Banquet Hall, 18111 Hwy 50, Palgrave.

647-291-1278; palgraverotarygala.com NOV 26 : AN EXCLUSIVE EVENING WITH BARENAKED LADIES & COLIN JAMES

Exclusive concert benefits Brampton Civic, Etobicoke General and the new Peel Memorial. 6:30pm. $250. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Lane, Brampton. William Osler Health System Foundation, 905-494-6556; oslerconcert.ca NOV 27 : KNOX UNITED HOLIDAY t DINNER & CAKE AUCTION Join us. 5-9pm.

$15; children $6. Knox United Church,

A presentation on the Arrow and its impact on this community, by Steve Shaw.

7:30-9pm. $5. St. James Anglican Church, 6025 Old Church Rd, Caledon East.

Caledon East & District Historical Society, 905-584-0352; cedhs.ca DEC 2 : CHRISTMAS DINNER & t DANCE Traditional dinner and dancing

to the Sentimental Swing Band. 6-11pm. $25, register. Caledon Seniors’ Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905-951-6114; caledonseniors.ca DEC 3 : CHRISTMAS IN CALEDON t VILLAGE One-of-a-kind crafts with 25

vendors. 9am-3pm. Caledon Village Place.

905-838-3417; caledonfairgrounds.ca DEC 3 : FITNESS WORKSHOP Tools to

make fitness a priority regardless of time.

9am-10am. Free. Caledon Centre for Recreation & Wellness. Caledon Recre­ ation, 905-584-2272 x4146; caledon.ca DEC 3 : HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS t GALA Celebrating Caledon Community

Services. 7pm. $150. Royal Ambassador Event Centre, 15430 Innis Lake Rd, Caledon East. Caledon Community Services, 905-584-2300 x260; ccs4u.org DEC 3 & 17, JAN 14 – APR 22 (SECOND SATURDAYS) : ORANGEVILLE WINTER FARMERS’ MARKET Local tastes better

year round! 9am-1pm. Town Hall Opera House, 87 Broadway, Orangeville.

Orangeville BIA, 519-942-0087; oangevillefarmersmarket.ca DEC 4 : SUNDAY MORNING BREAKFAST

Bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, toast and fruit. All welcome! 10-11am. Free, register. St. James Anglican Church, 6025 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. 905-5849635; stjamescaledoneast.ca DEC 5 : KNOX UNITED SENIORS’ t CHRISTMAS LUNCH Everyone welcome.

1-2:30pm. $5, register. Knox United Church, 2976 Charleston Sdrd, Caledon. 519-9275397; knoxunitedcaledon@gmail.com DEC 6 : NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Mark the

anniversary of l’École Polytechnique de Montréal murders in 1989. 11:30am-1pm at Family Transition Place, 20 Bredin Parkway, Orangeville. 6-7:30pm at Albion Bolton Community Centre. 519-942-4122 x243; familytransitionplace.ca continued on next page

www.theatreorangeville.ca

www.altonmill.ca

www.discoverportperry.ca IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

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PETE PATERSON

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

A gorgeous selection of 14k & 18k white, yellow and rose gold rings from $275 to $22,000

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continued from page 108 DEC 8 : READING OF A CHRISTMAS t CAROL By Caledon Town Crier Andrew

DEC 9 : DAREARTS HOLIDAY CHEER t PARTY IN HOCKLEY Seasonal sips,

$12, register. Caledon Seniors’ Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905-951-6114; caledonseniors.ca

savouries, local youth entertainment and children’s art cards. 7-10pm. $75. Chateau Windrush, 3042 Conc. 3 Adjala, Hockley Valley. 1-888-540-2787; darearts.com DEC 10 : TRX BEGINNERS’ DEMO Safe

setup for the best fitness experience.

9-10am. $10. Caledon Centre for Recre­ ation & Wellness. Caledon Recreation, 905-584-2272 x7327; caledon.ca DEC 10 : UPPER CREDIT HUMANE SOCIETY THRIFT SHOP BAKE SALE

Tour the farm and eco-residence. 1-4pm. $10. 20725 Shaws Creek Rd, Caledon. 519941-1099; wholevillage.org DEC 14 : SHINE WITH INSTAGRAM Add

filters and share photos. Bring your device.

6:30-8pm. Free, register. Caledon Library, 20 Snelcrest Dr, Caledon. 905-857-1400; caledon.library.on.ca

t Roast beef lunch followed by

DEC 15 : CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

entertainment. 11:30am-2pm. $18, register. Caledon Seniors’ Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905-951-6114; caledonseniors.ca DEC 15 : TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY t AT BETHELL HOSPICE Buy a light in

memory. Call to purchase ($30 tax receipt). 7-7:30pm. 15835 McLaughlin Rd, Inglewood. Bethell Hospice Foundation, 905-838-3534; bethellhospice.org DEC 21 : CAFÉ CALEDON Discuss current topics in a coffeehouse-like setting.

Topics on website. 7:30-9pm. Free.

St. James Anglican Church, 6025 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. 905-584-9635; stjamescaledoneast.ca JAN 2 : PERSONAL TRAINING AWARENESS DAY Set and achieve fitness

goals. 11am-noon. Free. Caledon Centre for Recreation & Wellness. Caledon Recre­ ation, 905-584-2272 x7327; caledon.ca

110

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

ElderHelp Peel and the PDSB share stories. Regular admission. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca JAN 21 : EUCHRE TOURNAMENT & LUNCH Door prizes. 9:30am-2pm.

DEC 11 : WHOLE VILLAGE ORIENTATION

Shop in person at 1402 Queen Street W | Suite 102 | Alton, Caledon Shop online at www.gallerygemma.com | 519-938-8386

JAN 14 – SEP 3 : STORIES FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY OF PEEL PAMA,

Welch reads “A Christmas Carol.”

Christmas lunch follows ($20). 10am.

Orangeville Agricultural Centre, 247090 5 Sdrd Mono. Probus Club of Orangeville, 519-939-2711.

Support the animals. 10am-3pm. 68 Main St N, Moore Park Plaza, Georgetown. 905702-8661; uppercredit.com

Celebrating 10 years serving the Headwaters Region

H A P P E N I N G S

JAN 22 : HOT STOVE LOUNGE PUB NIGHT Leafs play the Senators. Wear

your jersey. Advance tickets required.

6-11:00pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. hockey@altonmill.ca FEB 4 : CHILLY WILLY GOLF, LUNCH & SILENT AUCTION Proceeds to local

charities. 10am-2pm. $40; children 15 & under $20, includes golf/lunch; lunch only $10, register. Meadowlands Golf Club, 3753155 6th Line Amaranth, and Amaranth Community Centre. 519-2174788; amaranthlionsclub.com FEB 4 – JUN 4 : TERRY FOX – RUNNING TO THE HEART OF CANADA A tribute to

his unique place in our collective memory.

Canadian Museum of History and the Terry Fox Centre. Regular admission.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca FEB 11 : SWEETHEART MIXED CURLING BONSPIEL Ladies’ skip. Three, six end

games, two draws. Lunch & dinner included. Wear red or pink – prize for best-dressed team. 9am. Shelburne Curling Club, 110 O’Flynn St, Shelburne.

Shelburne Curling Club, 519-925-2397, shelburnecurling.com FEB 16 : ACTIVE LIVING & WELLNESS FAIR Demos, speakers, exhibitors, lunch,

entertainment. 9:30am-2:30pm. Free.

Caledon Seniors’ Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905-951-6114; caledonseniors.ca FEB 16 : MESSAGES TO MEDIA TALK

Private viewing with archivist Samantha Thompson. 7-8:30pm. Regular admission.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca MAR 4 : BID EUCHRE TOURNAMENT & LUNCH Everyone welcome. 9:30am-2pm.

$12, register. Caledon Seniors’ Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton. 905-951-6114; caledonseniors.ca MAR 23 : THROWBACK THURSDAY – 1920s! Swing dance performance from

That Swing Dance Company, lessons, DJ and open dance floor. 7-9pm. $10.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton.

905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca

outdoor NOV 26 : CARING FOR YOUR HORSE & FARM Manage manure, improve pasture

quality. For those with property in the Credit River watershed. 10am-2pm. Free, register.

Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin. CVC, 1-800-668-5557 x436; creditvalleyca.ca NOV 26 : CARING FOR YOUR LAND & WATER Attract wildlife, care for septic

systems and wells. For those with property in the Credit River watershed.

10am-2pm. Free, register. Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin. CVC, 1-800-668-5557 x436; creditvalleyca.ca NOV 29 : UPPER CREDIT FIELD NATURALISTS MEETING: CELESTIAL EVENTS 2017 A talk by Jason Tabroff.

7:30-9pm. Free. Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. 519-942-2972; blog. uppercreditfieldnaturalists.org

JAN 21 & 22 : FIRE & ICE WINTER FESTIVAL Super snow slide, skating,

curling, art studios, demos. 10am-5pm.

Suggested donation: children $5; adults $10; family $20. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. info@altonmill.ca; altonmill.ca JAN 28 : GREAT CANADIAN PONDSPIEL

Teams from all over Ontario compete on natural ice. 8am-5pm. Free to watch and try. Island Lake Conservation Area.

Orangeville Curling Club, pondspiel@ orangevillecurlingclub.ca JAN 31 : UPPER CREDIT FIELD NATURALISTS MEETING: HIKING THE BRUCE Mark Whitcombe shares

photos of a 40+ day Bruce Trail hike.

7:30-9pm. Free. Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. 519-942-2972, blog. uppercreditfieldnaturalists.org FEB 28 : UPPER CREDIT FIELD NATURALISTS: MEMBERS’ NIGHT

Members highlight their nature experiences. 7:30-9pm. Free. Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. 519-9422972; blog.uppercreditfieldnaturalists.org MAR 4 & 5, 11 – 19, APR 1 & 2 : TERRA COTTA SUGARBUSH MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL All-day pancakes,

entertainment, maple sales. See website.

9:30am-5pm. CVC, 1-800-367-0890; maplesyrupfest.com MAR 11 – 13, 17 – 19 : ISLAND LAKE SUGARBUSH MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL

DEC 7 – MAR 15 : HEADWATERS FLY FISHING CLUB MEETINGS Dec 7: Found

tying materials and social. Jan 4: Atlantic Salmon Program. Jan 18: Tying the Matuka Style. Feb 1: Fly Tying. Feb 15: Tying the Sedgehog. Mar 1: TBD. Mar 15: Fly Tying.

7:30-9pm. Annual $35; family $50. Victoria Parks Community Centre, Mono Mills. hwffc1997@gmail.com JAN 10, FEB 14 & MAR 14 : ORANGEVILLE & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEETINGS Jan 10: David Hobson – A Look

All-day pancakes, traditional Canadian activities, wagon rides, bonfire. See website. 10am-3pm. CVC, 1-800-3670890; maplesyrupfest.com MAR 25 : MAPLE SYRUP BY LAMPLIGHT – ISLAND LAKE SUGARBUSH MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL Twilight sugarbush tours

and tasty treats. 4:30pm. See website. CVC, 1-800-367-0890; maplesyrupfest.com

music NOV – MAR: LIVE MUSIC AT ROSE THEATRE All performances are at 8pm

at the Lighter Side of Gardening. Feb 14: Freyja Whitten – Invasive Plant Species.

Mar 14: Marion Jarvie – Spring Beauties.

Orangeville Seniors’ Centre, 26 Bythia St. orangevillehort.org

unless noted. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

JAN 14 : ALBION HILLS FAT BIKING FESTIVAL Activities for all levels.

DEC 1 : ANDRÉ-PHILIPPE GAGNON Note perfect renditions by the “Man of 1000 Voices.”

Outdoor bonfire, manufacturer demos and DJ. Albion Hills Conservation Area. superflyracing.com JAN 21 : MILLPOND HOCKEY CLASSIC FUNDRAISER Men’s, women’s and kids’

games. BBQ, cash bar and outdoor fire.

9am-4:15pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. altonmill.ca

t NOV 30 : THE CELTIC TENORS’ HOLIDAY SHOW New style of cool not

seen on the classical stage.

t DEC 8 : THE NEXT GENERATION LEAHY High-energy, infectious, Celtic-based music with Leahy youth.

t DEC 9 : OLD SCHOOL YULE: A MATT DUSK CHRISTMAS Classy, cool style and

his top band. continued on next page

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Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives

Join us for a year of celebrations Winter 2017 Exhibitions •

Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada Feb. 4 – Jun. 4

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continued from page 111 DEC 15 : AN EAST COAST FAMILY t CHRISTMAS WITH THE ENNIS SISTERS

Great storytelling and amazing harmonies.

t DEC 16 : A QUARTETTE CHRISTMAS

This exhibition is organized by the Canadian Museum of History in partnership with the Terry Fox Centre.

Lush harmonies and delightfully diverse repertoire.

•

Seth and the Art of the Graphic Novel*

JAN 12 : AN EVENING WITH LEE ANN

•

Water and Pigment: Mysterious Interactions*

• •

Selections from the Collection of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour

Hurontario Street: Linking Peel Dec. 16 – Mar. 16 Kids on the Move: Hands-on Family Fun Dec. 10, 2016 – Nov. 12, 2017

*Due to construction check our website for art gallery details.

Discover unique programs, events and tours for all ages!

Visit pama.peelregion.ca to learn more

W I N T E R

WOMACK Great country hits.

JAN 13 : PIANO CHAMELEONS Electrifying

piano duo-duel, Matt Herskowitz and John Roney.

JAN 20 : TARTAN TERRORS Rock’s energy

mixes with traditional folklore, dance and humour.

JAN 27 : FERNANDO VARELA AND KERRY STRATTON WITH THE TORONTO CONCERT ORCHESTRA Exclusive evening of popular

classics.

FEB 3 : CARL DIXON A member of iconic Canadian bands such as The Guess Who and April Wine.

FEB 8 : THE TEA PARTY Impeccable artistry

9 Wellington St. E., Brampton, ON L6W 1Y1 905-791-4055

with a variety of instruments and sound textures.

FEB 16 : JARVIS CHURCH AND DIVINE BROWN A rare gift to have both perform

together.

FEB 21 : TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDS BLACK HISTORY MONTH REGGAE JAM A musical

rockumentary of reggae’s greats.

FEB 23 : CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE: ROLLING STONES – STICKY FINGERS Hits such as

“Brown Sugar” and “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.”

FEB 24 : WANNABE: THE SPICE GIRLS TRIBUTE BAND LIVE! As close as you get to

the real thing.

MAR 2 : HOTEL CALIFORNIA – THE ORIGINAL TRIBUTE TO THE EAGLES You’d

swear it was The Eagles – note for note.

MAR 9 : VIENNA BOYS’ CHOIR Young

choristers perform medieval to contemporary to experimental music.

MAR 9 & 10 : LORNE ELLIOTT Comedy and music, entertaining, foolish and uplifting.

MAR 22 : FROM NEW YORK – THE WORLD FAMOUS GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA The

unforgettable songs.

MAR 24 : TERRI CLARK Country artist with

impressive guitar work.

NOW – FEB 27 (MONDAYS) : FREE BAGPIPE & DRUM LESSONS 14+

Instruction by experienced musicians. All levels. Instruments not provided. 6-7pm.

Sandhill Pipes and Drums Practice Hall, 13899 Airport Rd, Caledon. 905-584-2109; sandhillpipesanddrums.com NOV 26 AND DEC 4 : LOVE CAME t DOWN AT CHRISTMAS A new cantata 112

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and much-loved favourites. 3pm. $25; youth $10; children 12 & under $5. Nov 26: St. Mark’s Anglican Church, 5 First Ave, Orangeville. Dec 4: The Achill Choral Society, 519-307-1024; achill.ca DEC 1 : ONLINE VOLUNTEER SIGNUP OPENS – ORANGEVILLE BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL Choose your team. First

come, first served. Alexandra Park, Second St, Orangeville. 19-941-9041; orangevillebluesandjazz.ca DEC 2 : HENMAN-ROSE SIDEROAD AT CROSSCURRENTS CAFÉ David Henman

(April Wine) and friends. 8-10pm.

Free, donations welcome. Bolton United Church, 8 Nancy St, Bolton. crosscurrentscaledon@gmail.com

t DEC 4 : HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Traditional carols and perennial favourites. $25. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. Brampton Festival Singers, 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

t

DEC 10 : TIED WITH A RIBBON Sweet Adelines, plus male barbershop quartet, Young Women in Harmony and emcee Ray Young. Tickets by email or phone. 2 & 7:30pm. $30. Westminster United Church, 247 Broadway, Orangeville. Orangeville Chorus, Sweet Adelines International, 905-584-2118; orangevillechorus.com DEC 11 : A COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS t WITH THE ORANGEVILLE COMMUNITY BAND Musical favourites and “A Christ­ mas Carol.” Tickets at BookLore. 7pm. $15; seniors $10; children $5 ($5 addi­ tional at door). New Hope Community Church, 690 Riddell Rd, Orangeville. orangevillecommunityband.ca DEC 16 : CROSSCURRENTS t CAFÉ PRESENTS THE ORANGE PEEL CAROLLERS Bring your voice, instruments and rowdy merriment.

8-10pm. Free, donations welcome. Bolton United Church, 8 Nancy St, Bolton. crosscurrentscaledon@gmail.com DEC 17 : CORBETTON CHURCH t CHRISTMAS CONCERT WITH THE WESTMINSTER UNITED CHOIR & BELL RINGERS Celebrate the season with

music, treats, shop for gifts. 2pm. $10.

DCMA, Hwy 89 & Airport Rd. 1-877-9417787; dufferinmuseum.com DEC 17 : HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS t WITH THE HEADWATERS CONCERT CHOIR Favourites and beautiful English carols. Tickets at the door, by phone or at ticketscene.ca/events/16443/. 4pm. $20. Claude Church Sanctuary, 15175 Hurontario St, Caledon. 647-529-6752; facebook.com

DEC 17 : A COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS t WITH THE ORANGEVILLE COMMUNITY BAND Musical favourites and “A Christmas Carol.” 7pm. $15; seniors $10; children $5 ($5 additional at door). Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin. orangevillecommunityband.ca DEC 18 : CALEDON EAST UNITED t CHRISTMAS CONCERT & CAROL SING 2-4pm. Freewill donation

supports the Santa Fund for Caledon Community Services. 6046 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. 905-584-9974; caledoneastunitedchurch.ca DEC 18 : PRIMROSE UNITED t CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT CAROLLING SERVICE Casual celebration of the

season in our country church. 7pm. Hwy 10 & 30th Sdrd, Mono. 519-925-233; shelburneprimroseunited.weebly.com FEB 4 : CALEDON CHAMBER CONCERTS: ENSEMBLE MADE IN CANADA Piano,

violin, viola and cello quartet. Tickets in Jan at BookLore, Howard the Butcher, and Forster’s Book Garden. 8-10pm. $35; students 16 & under $15. St. James Anglican Church, 6025 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. 905-880-2445; caledonchamberconcerts.com

theatre+film NOV 26, JAN 21 & FEB 25 : EVERYTHING GROUP OF SEVEN FILM FESTIVAL

Three fabulous films about seven iconic Canadian artists. See website.

7-10pm. Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin.

Belfountain Heritage Society, 519-3160060; belfountainheritage.com DEC 1 – 23 : MIRACLE ON 34TH t STREET Faith’s triumph over greed is as

meaningful as ever. Sun Wed 2pm. Thurs Fri 8pm. Sat 7pm. Dec 18: 2 & 7pm. Dec 20, 22, 23 7pm. $43. Theatre Orangeville, 87 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-942-3423; theatreorangeville.ca DEC 2 – 4; 8 – 11 : ERIN THEATRE’S t HOLIDAY LUNCHEON & DINNER THEATRE: REVISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS

Chefs from across the country compete, but can they keep their cool? Comedy. Dec 2, 8, 9: 7pm, dinner and show $45. Dec 3, 4, 10, 11: noon-3pm, hot buffet lunch and show, $35. David’s Restaurant, 14 Shamrock Rd, Erin. erintheatre@outlook. com; erintheatre.ca DEC 7 : THE NUTCRACKER – A t CANADIAN TRADITION Ballet Jörgen’s

traditional treasure. 7:30pm. $41. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton.

905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca DEC 9 & 10 : SHUT UP, IT’S t CHRISTMAS Broadway’s Thom Allison

in a hilarious musical romp. 8pm. $35.

Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton.

905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

t DEC 16 : A CHRISTMAS CAROL Scrooge discovers the true meaning of Christmas. 7:30pm. $34. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca DEC 17 : JUS REIGN – A VERY t PUNJABI CHRISTMAS! LIVE IN CONCERT

The Geeta Brothers Duet Group’s evening of comedy, music and dance. 8pm. $30.

Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton.

905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca JAN 19 : BATTLE OF THE MAGICIANS NEW SHOW, NEW FOE TOUR Comedy

FEB 11 : ORANGEVILLE BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL BLUES BASH Outstanding

music and unique silent auction.

Proceeds to the festival. 7-11pm. $35; $40 at the door. Best Western, 7 Buena Vista Dr, Orangeville. 519-941-9041; orangevillebluesandjazz.ca MAR 25 : CALEDON CHAMBER CONCERTS: LACROIX-VACHON DUO

Frederic Lacroix, piano, and Christian Vachon, violin. Tickets in Feb at BookLore, Howard the Butcher, and Forster’s Book Garden. 8-10pm. $35; students 16 & under $15. St. James Anglican Church, 6025 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. 905-880-2445; caledonchamberconcerts.com

and illusion fuelled by showmanship and skill. 8pm. $30. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca JAN 25 : ETHAN RUSSELL: THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE One of the foremost

rock photographers in the world.

8pm. $29. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca JAN 27 – FEB 4 : ON GOLDEN POND

Norman is preoccupied with death until events revitalize him. Fri Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. $15. Grace Tipling Hall, 120 Main St, Shelburne. tiplingstagecompany.com JAN 28 : KENNY VS SPENNY: SEASON 7 LIVE Insane challenges and brutal

humiliations TV refuses to air. 8pm. $34.

Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton.

905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca continued on next page

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continued from page 113

DEC 2 – 4, 9 : OLIVER! The Charles t Dickens classic. Fri Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm.

FEB 2 – 19 : WINGFIELD’S PROGRESS The

spectre of urban development looms over the Seventh Concession. Sun Wed 2pm.

Thurs Fri 8pm. Sat 7pm. $43. Theatre Orangeville, 87 Broadway, Orangeville.

519-942-3423; theatreorangeville.ca FEB 4 : CRACK ME UP COMEDY A night of stand-up comedy with various local comedians. 8pm. $20. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca FEB 10 : HUNKS THE SHOW: MALE DANCE REVUE The ultimate ladies’ night

CALEDON VILLAGE : DEC 3 5pm. Charleston &

Hwy 10. caledonvillage.org.

NOW – DEC 1 (THURSDAYS) : FREE MUSIC LESSONS Ages 7+. Beginners

welcome. Various instruments taught, please bring your own. 6:30-7:15pm. Free, register. St. James Anglican Church, 6025 Old Church Rd, Caledon East. joanne. redhead@rogers.com

out. 8pm. $35. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

NOW – DEC 1 (THURSDAYS) : FIREFLIES GIRLS’ GROUP Crafts, games, Bible

FEB 16 – 25 : THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME Can a small apartment

stories. 6:30-7:30pm. Cheltenham Baptist Church, 14520 Creditview Rd, Caledon.

905-838-3122; cbchurch.ca

contain the emotion when both sets of parents arrive? Wed 2:15pm. Thurs Fri 8:15pm. Sat 6:30 & 8:15pm. Evening show $16; matinée $13; dinner and show $30.

18365 Hurontario St, Caledon Village.

Caledon Town Hall Players, 519-927-5460; caledontownhallplayers.com MAR 9 : SETH TALK & FILM NIGHT

Fri Sat 8pm. Sun 2:30pm. $20. Century Church Theatre, 72 Trafalgar Rd, Hillsburgh. Century Theatre Guild, 519855-4586; centurychurchtheatre.com MAR 23 – APR 9 : THE GENTLEMAN CLOTHIER Norman Davenport makes a

wish that changes his life. Sun Wed 2pm.

Thurs Fri 8pm. Sat 7pm. $43. Theatre Orangeville, 87 Broadway, Orangeville.

519-942-3423; theatreorangeville.ca

kids

t SANTA CLAUS PARADES 2016 ORANGEVILLE : NOV 18 Tractor Parade

NOW – DEC 17, JAN 7 – MAR 26 (SATUR­ DAYS & SUNDAYS) : FAMILY FUN ACTIVI­ TIES Nov: Remembrance. Dec: Textworks.

Jan: Stars. Feb: Spoken Word. Mar: Seth Graphic Novels. 1-4:30pm. Pay what you can. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton.

905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca NOW – ONGOING (MONDAYS) : ORANGEVILLE CUB PACK Scouting

program ages 7-10. Join anytime.

7-8:30pm. $120. Mono Amaranth Public School, Hockley Rd. Baden Powell Scouting Association of Canada, 519-9404738; silkwoodmanor@yahoo.com NOV 25 : A MERRY MOVIE MARA­ t THON Timeless family flicks. See website.

of Lights, 6pm. Hansen Blvd & First St. orangevillekin.ca

7pm. $10. Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton. 905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

ORANGEVILLE : NOV 19 Parade, 5pm.

NOV 25 – 27, DEC 2 – 4 : JACK & t THE BEANSTALK Traditional English

ALLISTON : NOV 19 Rotary

Tree lighting, 5:30pm. Parade, 6pm.

Victoria & Mill St. adcc.ca ERIN : NOV 26 1:30pm. McCullogh Dr &

Main St S. erin.ca GRAND VALLEY : NOV 26 7pm. Main St & Community Centre. townofgrandvalley.ca BOLTON : DEC 3 11am. North through

Bolton on Hwy 50. boltonkin.com SHELBURNE : DEC 3 5pm. Main St.

shelburnebia.ca CREEMORE : DEC 3 1:30pm. Mill St.

fred@creemore.com SCHOMBERG : DEC 3 3pm. Main St. amainstreetchristmas.com 114

IN THE HILLS WINTER 2016

NOV 26 : PANCAKE BREAKFAST t WITH SANTA Pancakes, treats, crafts and

games. 9am-noon. Log Home Dental, 15995 Airport Rd, Caledon East. 905-5847070; loghomedental.com NOV 26 & 27, DEC 10 & 11 : PHOTOS t WITH THE GRINCH Create lasting mem­

ories. Photos by Femke Photography.

10am-5pm. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, Alton. altonmill.ca

pantomime. Boo, cheer and sing. Fri 8pm. Sat 2 & 8pm. Sun 8pm. $13.

Century Church Theatre, 72 Trafalgar Rd, Hillsburgh. Century Theatre Guild, 519855-4586; centurychurchtheatre.com NOV 26 : CANDY CANE FAIR Craft t sales, kids’ dollar store, photos with

Santa, entertainment. Free parking.

9am-2pm. Free. Headwaters Health Care Centre, 100 Rolling Hills Dr, Orangeville.

519-941-2410 x2268 NOV 26 : CPCC CHILDREN’S CHRIST­ t MAS PARTY Lenny Graf (Treehouse TV)

entertains and Santa visits. 9:45-11:45am.

DEC 3 : HOSPICE DUFFERIN t BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Pancake

breakfast. Photo with Santa on USB $5. $5. Orangeville Curling Club, 76 Fifth Ave, Orangeville. 519-855-4071; hospicedufferin.com DEC 3 : PALGRAVE ROTARY t CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING Crafts,

music, hot chocolate and a visit from Santa! 5:30-7:30pm. Free. Stationlands Park, Brawton Avenue/Highway 50, Palgrave. 416-986-1692

t

DEC 3, JAN 14, FEB 11 & MAR 11 : FAMILY ART & STORIES Dec 3: Create a photo

go to the mall? All receive a pizza bun, drink, cookie and treat. Noon-3pm. $12, 10 months+, reserve only. Downey’s Farm Market, 13682 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon.

905-838-2990; downeysfarm.com

storybook using copies of archival photos. Jan 14: Snapshot Stories. Feb 11: Sculpture. Mar 11: Upcycling. 2-4pm.

Pay what you can, register. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca

NOV 26, DEC 10 & 17, JAN 7 & 21, FEB 4 & 18, MAR 4 : FAMILY ART & YOGA

DEC 4 : POLAR EXPRESS & SEASON­ t AL FAVOURITES – CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

NOV 26 – DEC 17 (SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS) : LUNCH WITH SANTA Why

On the Waterfront, with Marlon Brando.

6:45-8:30pm. Regular admission.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton.

905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca MAR 17 – 19, 24 – 26 : THE MURDER ROOM A zany spoof of all crime thrillers.

Adults/children $8; 0-12 months free, advance only. Albion Bolton Community Centre, 905-857-0090; cp-cc.org

$15; students and seniors $12. Grace Tipling Hall, 120 Main St, Shelburne. 519925-2600 x0; lpstageproductionsinc.com

Classic yoga, create a masterpiece. Bring own mat. All levels welcome. 2-3:30pm.

Pay what you can, register. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905-791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca NOV 27 : COOKIES WITH SANTA t Music, cookie decorating and market­

SINGALONG Bring the family and get into the Christmas spirit. 2-4pm. $15; seniors & students $10; kids 12 & under free with adult. Caledon Community Complex.

Caledon Concert Band, 416-276-7852; caledonconcertband.ca

place. Gifts, food donations appreciated.

Proceeds to Feed the Children. 1-4pm. $5. Best Western Orangeville, 7 Buena Vista Dr. 519-941-3311 NOV 28 & DEC 5 : UNCONDITIONAL PARENTING – A MORE EFFECTIVE APPROACH Guidelines to reconnect to

your own best instincts as parents. 7-9pm.

Free, register. Parkinson Centennial Public School, 120 Lawrence Ave, Orangeville.

DPSN, 519-940-8678; dpsn.ca NOV 29 : STRATEGIES TO HELP CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER BUILD SOCIAL CONNECTIONS Develop skills and

encourage positive relationships. 7-9pm.

Free, register. Princess Margaret Public School, 51 Wellington St, Orangeville.

DPSN, 519-940-8678; dpsn.ca DEC 1 : HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED AT SCHOOL: TUTORING SKILLS FOR PARENTS Strategies for success. 7-9pm.

Free, register. Parkinson Centennial Public School, 120 Lawrence Ave, Orangeville.

DPSN, 519-940-8678; dpsn.ca DEC 1 : SHELBURNE LIBRARY TEEN t GINGERBREAD-DECORATING CONTEST

Public votes and winner announced Dec 8. 6-7pm. Free, register by Nov 25.

Shelburne Library, 201 Owen Sound St. 519-925-2168; shelburnelibrary.ca

t DEC 4 & 11: SANTA PET PICS Proceeds to orphaned and injured wildlife.

Dec 4: Global Pet Foods, 113 Victoria St. W, Alliston. Dec 11: Rovili Pet World, 301 Queen St, Bolton. 11am-4pm. $15, no appointment necessary. 705-828-1183; procyonwildlife.com DEC 10 : ILLUSTRATOR WERNER t ZIMMERMAN & HIS NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK “DECK THE HALLS” Laughter,

singing, reading and drawing. 10:30amnoon. Free. BookLore, 121 First St, Orangeville. 519-942-3830; booklore.ca DEC 11 – 13 : CHRISTMAS IN TOYS t LAND The T.O.Y.S. choir stars in their own

Christmas production. 7-9pm. $5-$15.

Town Hall Opera House, 87 Broadway.

Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers, 519942-3423; theatreorangeville.ca DEC 20 : KIDS’ NIGHT IN – WINTER SOLSTICE THEME Pizza, games, prizes,

and animals. Ages 5-12. 6-8:30pm. $30;

To submit your community, arts or nonprofit event, go to inthehills.ca and click “what’s on” on the menu bar.

That takes you to the listings page. Click “submit your event” and complete the easy form.

THE WEEKEND. REINVENTED.

For the winter (March) issue, submit by February 10, 2017.

For up-to-date listings between issues, go to inthehills.ca and click “what’s on” on the menu bar.

We reserve the right to edit submissions for print and web publication.

$15 per additional sibling, register.

Creature Quest Nature Centre, 92 Trafalgar Rd N, Hillsburgh. 416-554-1940; creaturequest.ca DEC 20 : MAX & RUBY IN THE t NUTCRACKER SUITE Dance and holiday

magic for the whole family. 7pm. $33.

Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton.

905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca DEC 27 – JAN 2 : FREE HOLIDAY t SKATE Enjoy public skating over the

holidays. 1:30-2:20pm. Albion Bolton Community Centre. Tim Hortons, 905584-2272 x4146; caledon.ca

t

DEC 27 – 31, JAN 3 – 8 : FAMILY FUN WINTER BREAK CELEBRATION

Exhibitions, activities and art projects.

See website. Pay what you can. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905-7914055; pama.peelregion.ca JAN 8 : WINTERFEST Free skating,

swimming and more! 1-4pm. Mayfield Recreation Complex. Caledon Recreation, 905-584-2272 x7327; caledon.ca JAN – MAR 9 (THURSDAYS) : MAGGIOLLY’S AFTER SCHOOL CREATIVE CAMP Kids 10+ 4:30-6pm. $175/8-week

session (incl. materials). Maggiolly Art Supplies, 158 Broadway, Orangeville. maggiollyart.com JAN 21 – MAR 11 : MAGGIOLLY CREATIVE KIDS SATURDAY Kids 6-12 learn from local

artists. 10:30am-12:30pm; 1:30-3:30pm. $175/8 weeks (incl. materials). Maggiolly Art Supplies, 158 Broadway, Orangeville.

519-942-9560, maggiollyart.com JAN 23 : PAMA KIDS PA DAY Celebrate

National Handwriting Day with a creative activity. 10am-3pm. Regular admission.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca FEB 4 : BOBS & LOLO An energetic and interactive live performance. 3pm. $21.

Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln, Brampton.

905-874-2800; rosetheatre.ca

FEB 19 : FAMILY SNOWSHOEING Snow­ shoes provided. All children with an adult.

Ages 6+. $3, register. 9:30-11:30am at Caledon Village Place. 1-3pm at Alton Library, 35 Station Rd. Caledon Recreation, 905-584-2272 x4146; caledon.ca

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW BACKYARD

FEB 20 : FAMILY DAY AT YOUR LOCAL CALEDON RECREATION CENTRE

Swimming, skating, crafts, games, snowshoeing and more. See website.

10am-4pm. Free. Your local recreation centre. Caledon Recreation, 905-584-2272 x7327; caledon.ca FEB 20 : FREE FAMILY DAY AT PAMA

Celebrate 150 years of Peel County, its courthouse, jail and Canada! 10am-4pm.

PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905791-4055; pama.peelregion.ca

800-461-1212 MansfieldSkiClub.com Built For Families. By Families.

FEB 20 : FAMILY DAY AT ISLAND LAKE

Traditional outdoor winter games and sports, bonfire. Pending winter conditions. 11am-3pm. Free with regular park admission or membership. Island Lake Conservation Area, Orangeville.

CVC, 1-800-367-0890; cvcevents.ca

“Your great-grandpa gave this gold pin to your great-grandma, the day he left to fight the war.”

FEB 20 : ERIN ROTARY FAMILY FUN DAY

11am-1pm: Free skate. 11am-2pm: Pay as you go games. 2pm: Free movie. 11am4pm. Centre 2000, 14 Boland Dr, Erin.

519-938-0843; gdfysh@gmail.com

No time to document your family heirlooms? Let me help.

With extensive museum experience, I can catalogue your collection to share with generations to come.

MAR 13 – 17 : MARCH BREAK AT CAMP MANSFIELD Winter fun, crafts, games

Contact me for details and an estimate:

and more! 9am-5pm. $250. Camp Mansfield, Mulmur 705-435-4479; mansfieldoutdoorcentre.ca MAR 13 – 17 : MARCH BREAK FUN AT PAMA Events, guided tours and

instructor-led activities. 10am-3pm.

Regular admission. PAMA, 9 Wellington St E, Brampton. 905-791-4055; pama. peelregion.ca MAR 13 – 17 : MAGGIOLLY’S MARCH BREAK Art projects. 10:30am-

12:30pm; 1:30-3:30pm. $25/project, register. Maggiolly Art Supplies, 158 Broadway, Orangeville. 519-942-9560; maggiollyart.com ≈

Alison Hird, Treasured Collections 519.940.4877 alison@treasuredcollections.ca www.treasuredcollections.ca Zammit_Layout 1 16-11-02 5:15 PM Page 1

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P U Z Z L I N G

Between Rosemont and Belwood The results for the first race: Gene – first Marv – second Moira – third Papa Joe – last

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At Home in Amaranth

a – There are 22 four-sided figures in the diagram.

b – [Our solution; there are others.] Number the figures 1–9 and make a list as the figures are counted. The method helps avoid duplication and ensures figures are not missed.

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Something for a Stormy Night Our words in order from the top of the grid are: nest robbery ingest ukulele street edify adjourn

prelude wheeze smiling impress hymnal amnesty blest

laxative rubble enact thrown fail sequel testify

salsa behest throbs blast avail

Silas Renarm Raises Eyebrows

5-Digit and 4-Digit Numbers from Mr. Stuart The five digit number is 33264.

The four digit number is 2178 (4 x 2178 = 8712).

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a Puzzling Conclusion Between Rosemont and Belwood Moira, Marv and Gene realized they could only catch the first four races at Mohawk because they were expected at a wedding. When they picked up Papa Joe in Rosemont to drive to the track together, he immediately objected to that decision, but by the time they reached Belwood he had agreed in exchange for a commitment from the others that each of them would bet on a different horse in all four races.

The strategy, as it turned out, had mixed results for at least one of them managed to bet on the slowest horse every time. In the second race, Gene’s horse came in dead last, while Moira’s horse came in second. Papa Joe picked the winner in the third race, and in that same race Marv’s choice came third. In the fourth and last race, Moira’s choice, a horse named Paradox, won by a nose over Papa Joe’s pick.

It was a photo finish.

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W E B E R

Silas Renarm Raises Eyebrows

Something for a Stormy Night Insert the 26 letters of the alphabet into the 26 empty boxes below in order to make 26 different words of four letters or more in length. The challenge in each row is to use your choice of letter, together with some of the letters already there, to make the word.

Each row in the grid has letters you can’t use. In the second row, for example, inserting the letter ‘O’ will make the word ROBBERY (or RUBBERY if you prefer to insert a ‘U’). The letters ‘C,U,M,C,O’ pre­ ceding and the ‘L’ at the end simply fill the row.

Letters already in the grid do not move.

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When Miss Jean Mable, a student teacher attending normal school in Toronto, went home to Amaranth for the Christmas break, she took with her a two-part assignment to be completed before her classes resumed in January. The first requirement was to specify how many four-sided figures there are in the diagram below. The second asked her to develop a simple method for solving the first part that younger pupils in a typical one-room school would easily understand.

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What were the results for these four racing fans in the first race?

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b – Offer a teaching

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No one is sure if it was coincidental or deli­ berate, but Silas caused quite a stir on one of his yearly passes through Palgrave to sell his stimulating elixir. Just before the trip in ques­ tion, Albion Township had been the only township in Peel to vote “wet” in a prohibition referendum, and here was Silas offering this as his customary children’s puzzle: Four wooden matches in the shape of a cocktail glass!

There was a penny inside, and the challenge was to turn the glass upside down and get the penny out by moving only two matches. Suc­ cessful solvers, of course, could keep the penny.

Children enjoyed the puzzle, and the elixir sold well so it appears Silas was forgiven

Can you invert the glass and get the penny out by moving only two sticks?

5-Digit and 4-Digit Numbers from Mr. Stuart At S.S. #15 Mulmur in Kilgorie, Mr. Stuart felt the arithmetic challenge immediately below was not terribly difficult because with patience, a pupil could use simple trial and error to determine the answer.

Write a five-digit number in which the digits add up to 18. There can be no zeroes. The first two digits must be the same, the fourth digit twice the first one, and the last digit twice the third.

So Mr. Stuart added another challenge that in his opinion was rather more difficult.

What four-digit number translates this equation: 4 x abcd = dcba?

Your solutions to these challenges? our solutions on page 117

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