The SCOOP // June / July 2018

SCOOP The

June / July 2018

thescoop.ca

This One’s For the Birds

Good Game, Pat

Time for Tick Tips

Paddling Quiet Lakes

TECDC 2018-19 Concert Series

The

SCOOP Founded in 2005 by Richard Saxe

PUBLISHER & AD SALES Karen Nordrum stonemills.scoop@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Lynn A’Court, Bird Studies Canada, Lillian Bufton, Katherine Burrows, Catherine Coles, Dianne Dowling, Mel Galliford, Glen R. Goodhand, Alyce Gorter, Sarah Hutchinson, Joseph Imre, Bert Korporaal, John Kuti, Lennox & Addington Stewardship Council, Blair McDonald, Nature Conservancy of Canada, B. C. Norval, Susan Rehner, Barbara Roch, Mickey Sandell, Terry Sprague, Jerry Weller, Wildlife Preservation Canada, Sandy Youmans All photos contributed, unless otherwise noted.

HOW TO CONTACT US

613.379.5369 stonemills.scoop@gmail.com thescoop.ca facebook.com/thescoop.ca Please write to us at: Stone Mills Scoop 482 Adair Road Tamworth, ON K0K 3G0 The SCOOP is published six times a year. We mail The SCOOP for free to more than 6600 households in Tamworth, Centreville, Enterprise, Erinsville, Camden East, Newburgh, Colebrook, Yarker, Verona, Hartington, Sydenham, Roblin, Selby, Parham, Kaladar, Stella, Godfrey, & Marlbank. We also arrange with local retailers to display 1000 additional issues of The SCOOP in Napanee, Cloyne, Flinton, Kaladar, & many other locations.

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COVER

The endangered Eastern Loggerhead Shrike is a rarity you can find on the Napanee Limestone Plain, one of just two areas where you can still reliably find them breeding in the wild in Canada.

Photo by Larry Kirtley.

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The SCOOP • June / July 2018

The SCOOP Gets a Little Help From Its Friends Sometimes one of our SCOOP writers submits an article that says more and says it better than a separate editorial would. This is one of those times. For this bird-centred issue, we hope you enjoy the following as much as we did.

Feathered Friends and Gentle Giants Barbara Roch

T

he first time I heard the hermit thrush from our backyard deck in Napanee was on a pre-dawn morning in mid-March. I was transported back to Algonquin Park hinterlands, where their flute-like evensongs seemed to shimmer across the lakes we paddled on, or from deepest forests while we snuggled in our sleeping bags. Days, we contended with gray jays and their hoppy, sprightly food raids. These whiskey jacks’ wise eyes, bright and challenging, would have contributed to their being chosen Canada’s national bird.

What drew the hermit to our perimeter, I wondered? And would there be more migrating through town for the first time in the twenty-three years we had lived here? Over the next days and weeks, I’d hear trills and snippets throughout the day, though mostly at dawn and dusk.

On our outskirts, urban sprawl is decimating the tree nations. There are few honoured elders left to maintain and foster a new community in tune with birdsong, and there is less shade and oxygen for our increasingly asthmatic children, COPD-challenged seniors, and skin cancer-afflicted populace. Gone too, are leafy spaces for neighbourhood gatherings and solitary reflections.

Perhaps a stump or five left to nourish a preserved centenarian tree, and to give seats to the weary and so-inclined.

Provisions for squirrels and other critters, nesting or singing birds above; with mice and vole, and soil-and-tree knitted mycelial networks below. It’s been proven that seemingly dead stumps continue to feed their family members.

Was the butternut planted after the last brick laid for our house in 1874? Digging around in the archives, it seems the house missed, by months, inclusion in the historical town map. Butternut is becoming a giant relic revealing more heartwood every year and, as it started

splintering last year, gave homes to double broods of gray and black squirrels, newly arrived chipmunks and (was it really only one?) fierce red squirrel. It was a mast year for nuts, also from the walnut tree next door. This year the red squirrel vociferously chases away all mammalian contenders, even beyond neighbouring trees on the aerial highway.

I also see streaks of an olive-toned red-capped cardinal, wooed by the “cardinal red” male who lustily sings in the uppermost branches. Flirt. Only the smaller woodpeckers rat-a-tat for insects from the pocked heartwood; pileateds more likely will as butternut declines further. There’s a beautifully illustrated children’s book in our library system by Jan Thornhill called A Tree in a Forest, with seasonal and historical changes depicted over the two-hundred-year lifespan of a maple.

Starlings now strut across our lawn in formation, seeking nourishment for themselves and their offspring, while solitary robins listen and pounce for earthworms. And what on earth is the grackle doing, struggling with a huge vulture feather?

Under the butternut, and in all its crevices, de-seeded Norway spruce cones lie like so many discarded corncobs from nineteen churchyard giants behind us, no doubt planted after the last ecclesiastical stone was laid.

They tower over the bell tower and wind-tune-dance to Sunday morning chimes. Every spring, a turkey vulture clan roosts in its favourite trio of spruce.

Mornings they glide high in the thermal currents, and evenings, returning from forays, spiral downward with hawk-like voices, amazing us with their six-foot wingspans and tiny heads.

The partially coppiced Manitoba maples flanking our garage and driveway are favoured by acrobatic, upside down nuthatches with nasally pitched “nitnit’s” attesting to their steady prowess.

Juncos and chickadees had been feeding on purple coneflower seed heads, flying out of two buckthorns whose late winter berries now feed the migration-birdnations. The white birch, who graced lawn centre, sheltered mourning doves and once held up the badminton net, was finally over-shadowed by the canopy and toppled over; sprouting fungi beside the butternut, (s)he now enriches the soil and our hearts with decorative branches for festive occasions. Who grows in its place is unclear as yet; with binoculars, I might soon identify the embryonic leaves of this fifteen-foot high shrub.

Immature barks may change considerably with age. Who will sing and build their nests here?

Soon hedgerows of currant bushes will rustle with flitting song sparrows, momentarily silenced from their melodic tune-making.

Last year’s highlight was the pizza party.

While birds across the road “earlybirded” parking lot puddles in this winter’s mid-January mild spell, our birdbath, presided over by noisy blue jays, naturally, is visited by jostling bathers in spring, summer, and fall.

Occasionally, passing high school students have been known to hide out, doing who-knows-what in our backyard.

So I was somewhat annoyed dragging out sodden pizza slices from the birdbath one morning last summer. Until I remembered the ruckus a raucous troop of crows made there the evening before.

We guessed they’d had their fill of the rehydrated meal they must have laboriously team-tandemed from who-knows-where.

Amidst our feathered companions, I’m still hoping to catch a glimpse of the red tail that my friend Marilyn told me to look out for, signaling a possible sighting of my soul throb, the hermit thrush.

Robbie Hanna Anderman’s book The Healing Trees -The Edible and Herbal Qualities of Northeastern Woodland Trees is both an informative reference source and a window into the lives of “The Tall People”, with much of his insight garnered from Indigenous expertise. He includes their food usages by birds and other species.

With its endorsement by scientist and tree conservationist Diana BeresfordKroeger, we turn once again to the wisdom and direction given in her app, documentary, and the top science book ever sold in American university bookstores: her Arboretum America. The app details which native trees are important to plant in your specific zone.

As well, she lists ten most environmentally beneficial native trees.

Thirteen healthy thirteen-inch red pine seedlings have been returned to me, having been carefully tended and overwintered by a friend. These are free to adopt by anyone, especially if planted in the tree-denuded downtown Napanee core though, or on the grounds of elderly and young benefiters, such as hospitals, schools, daycare, nursing and retirement homes, where their pinene aerosols boost health, vitality and brain power.

Individuals, corporations, and employees are encouraged to adopt a red pine.

Let’s bring back and salute the gentle giants that shelter us and our feathered friends!

CALLING ALL

THE BOOK SHOP

PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ARTISTS!

Bridge St. E. at the foot of Peel

Do you have what it takes to be

613-379-2108

TAMWORTH www.tamworthbookshop.com

published in The SCOOP?

info@tamworthbookshop.com

Send us your best photos and

Fri-Sat-Sun, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

artwork documenting rural life in our area: stonemills.scoop@gmail.com

READING at the BOOK SHOP Sunday, July 15 @ 2 pm Maureen Scott Harris Kelley Aitken Kirsteen MacLeod Light refreshments will be served.

For September 2018, RIVER FALLS INDEPENDENT CLASS is looking to invite a few new students to join their upcoming combined Grade 3/4 class.

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www.riverfallsclass.com June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

3

It Happened One Night (Part II) Alyce Gorter (Editor’s note: Part I of Alyce’s story appeared in the April/May issue.)

U

nbelievably, Ray is now out of the water and on his feet! Ken and Jim later fill me in on what had happened at their end. As I hustled to fasten a rope to the tractor, Ken had plunged his arms up to his shoulders into the chilling waters to get a third rope around Ray’s body. Despite his torturous situation, Ray did his best to help, seeming to understand the unspoken plan.

At the precise moment that Ken was leaning forward over the horse, I put the tractor into reverse, and Ray abruptly came sliding up and out of the water — over an astonished and shocked Ken who had to roll out of the way quickly (losing his hat in the water during the process).

Although Ray is now on solid ice, our ordeal is not over. As soon as Ray was exposed to the frigid wind, he literally froze. He stands caked in an icy armour with all four limbs in a splayed position and unable to bend his knees to take a step. Overcome with exhaustion, he is ready to give up, not caring if he falls, and refusing to move.

I fumble in my pocket for the jackknife I had “borrowed” from Ken months ago and cut a length of rope from the knotted jumble ensnaring our feet. With barehanded Jim pulling forward with all his strength on the ice-coated halter and me thumping Ray’s hindquarters heartily with the rope, we finally get him to take one stiff-legged, wooden step forward.

But it’s a start. Jim and I keep up a steady flow of instruction and encouragement as I thump him with the rope again and he takes another agonizing step. It is a quarter of a mile to the stable and Ray needs help every shaky footstep along the way, but we finally reach shelter and the encouraging welcome of his fourlegged herd mates.

The online information says “No brisk rubbing. Rewarming should be done by professionals. 24 hours before out of danger.” The nearest “professional” would be well over an hour away and since it is very late on a Saturday night, who knows how long it would take for help to arrive. We must act now. Four of us for the next several hours keep two hair dryers and an electric heater going constantly, thawing the chunks of ice from Ray’s ears, eyelashes, face, legs, and tail, and drying his coat. We cover him with a polar fleece blanket, exchanging that for a duvet and then comforters warmed in the dryer, rotating them as they become damp from wicking away the wetness. We warm drinking water and lace it with corn syrup, cut up apples, and offer small amounts of grain and free choice hay. We walk him up and down the aisle letting him nuzzle and be nuzzled by the other horses. And we take turns going to the house for a hot shower or a cup of tea to thaw ourselves out.

The veterinarian returns our call and says there is no need for him to come as we are doing everything necessary and he thinks Ray will be just fine after his near calamity. Reassuring words at a time they are sorely needed. At 2:30 a.m. we decide we have done all we can. We are exhausted and seizing up from the cold, the stress we have been through and the constant efforts to rewarm Ray. He is now eating, drinking, pooping, peeing, and ready for a nap.

We take turns checking on Ray through

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the rest of the night, finding no reason at any time to be concerned. Early in the morning, 6-year-old Sofie throws her coat on over her pyjamas and races out into the frosty weather to visit her beloved Ray. She joyously brings back the report that he is doing well.

So now, it is two days after this near tragedy. Today, he came trotting out of the stable looking his perky, bossy self as he tried to intimidate the other horses away from the hay feeder. He appears to be unaffected by his glacial swim or from being slowly hauled thirty feet down the lake by the neck — the reason for Jim’s frenzied attempt to get me to STOP! My hands, despite several showers and scrubbing, still have embedded swamp muck here and there and my fingers have many raw areas from rope and frost burns. It doesn’t matter. I felt a need to go back to the scene although the idea made my stomach churn. The hole had already frozen over but the evidence of the nightmare was there — the muddied chunks of ice churned up by Ray’s hooves as he first struggled to free himself, our crisscrossed trails of footprints, the flattened path where he had been dragged to safety.

I can’t help thinking about the “what ifs” and about what horrors such a trapped animal must endure. The experience dominates our conversations as we relive the fear and marvel at the rescue.

And my heart is filled with gratitude for the way this story ended and for Ken, Jim, and Helen — my three angels of mercy — who worked hard and selflessly to ensure it ended that way.

Come and meet Alyce at the 4th Annual Local Author Showcase & Great Big Book Sale on June 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Napanee Branch Library (see article in this issue).

Please come out and support the Lennox & Addington Cattlemen’s Association biannual fund raising dance. Proceeds from our past dances have allowed us to support the community by: • Donating $10,000 in beef to local charities • Sponsoring a $500 annual education award to a student attending a postsecondary school in a program related to agriculture • Sponsoring prize money to the four county fairs for 4-H members showing beef cattle ( Napanee, Centreville, Odessa, Parham) • Sponsoring 4-H beef club members to attend the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair

“Building long long--term, sustainable rural communities is at the heart of all my work as your Member of Parliament.”

MIKE BOSSIO M.P.

Now offering cottage road grading 613-929-3200 weeselandscaping@icloud.com

Hastings—Lennox and Addington 20-B Richmond Blvd, Napanee Email: mike.bossio@parl.gc.ca Call Toll Free: 1-866-471-3800 www.mikebossiomp.ca

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The SCOOP • June / July 2018 FONTS USED

The TECDC 2018-19 Concert Series Lillian Bufton

T

he Tamworth Erinsville Community Development Committee (TECDC) believes that a unique way to enhance life and commerce in our area is by improving the cultural aspect of living in the community through the promotion of the performing arts.

Last year, we actively supported Canadian music and the local community through the TECDC Concert Series.

Those concerts attracted more than 700 attendees, and while most are local music lovers, many came from an astonishingly large geographic area stretching from New Jersey to Ottawa, to Collingwood, Welland, and London.

This is a not-for-profit venture. In our 2017-18 concert series, 84.9% of our funds went directly towards artist fees with 14.2% being spent locally on things like food, advertising and venue rental leaving 0.9% being allocated to items such as paper, ink and postage. Based on the overwhelming success of this effort, we are offering another, very exciting series of concerts this coming year and we are pleased to share the line-up for the upcoming performances.

In keeping with past practice, we are offering a diverse series with a variety of musical styles featuring some performers who are at the early stages of a very promising career, others who are well established and are making their presence known in the Canadian music scene, and some who have already left their imprint on Canadian music fans.

Saturday, October 20 is the kick-off concert and showcases Joey Landreth.

As the winner of the 2014 Folk Music Canada Emerging Artist of the Year and

winner of the 2015 JUNO Award for Roots/Traditional Album of the Year, Joey is establishing himself as a significant presence on the Canadian music scene.

On November 24, we are very excited to present a night of the blues with Mike Goudreau and the Boppin Blues Band.

This band has recorded 18 albums and features some of the best sax, trumpet, and trombone players in the country, not to mention Mike’s smokin’ electric guitar work paired with his smooth vocal presentation.

Mike has performed at some of the most prestigious jazz & blues festivals in Canada including ten times at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, nine times at the Tremblant International Festival de Blues, and seven appearances at the Edmundston Jazz and Blues Festival, Quebec City.

There is a good reason he keeps getting invited back.

The first show of 2019 is on January 12 and features St. John’s native Séan McCann. Séan cofounded the band Great Big Sea in 1993 and provided lead vocal, songwriting, and guitar work until it disbanded in 2012. He has been a recipient of the Entertainer of the Year award at the East Coast Music Awards four times and nominated for several Juno Awards including Group of the Year in 1998, 2005, 2009, and 2011. This will be a special show.

The Valentine’s show takes place February 9 with pianist Jenie Thai.

Classically trained, as well as a graduate of the Paul McCartney School of Music in Liverpool, Jenie applies her mastery of the piano and her soft, sultry voice to a mix of ballads, blues, jazz, and pop songs. And she can write songs. Recently in the International Song Writing Competition, she finished in the top thirteen out of 16,000 participants.

Jenie represented Alberta at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2014 and was nominated for the Best New Artist of the Year in 2016 at the Maple

Blues Awards. She and her trio will provide a memorable experience.

We are very pleased to have Nova Scotia-based Jenn Grant perform on April 6. In 2006, Jenn won Best New Artist and Best Female Artist at the Nova Scotia Music Awards. Her album “Honeymoon Punch” was a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize and was shortlisted for a Juno Award in the Adult Alternative Album of the Year category at the Juno Awards of 2012.

Steven Page, founding member of the Barenaked Ladies, will play the Tamworth Legion next May.

Then Jenn won an East Coast Music Award for the song of the year at the 2012 ECMAs for the album “The Beautiful Wild” followed by an East Coast Music Award for Pop Recording of the Year at the 2013 ECMAs for the same record. Also at the 2013 ECMAs, she won the award for Song of the Year, for that album’s single “I’ve Got Your Fire.”

Grant’s song “Dreamer,” from the “Orchestra for the Moon” recording, is featured as the theme song on CBC’s Heartland and in April 2018, Jenn received another East Coast Music Award for Best Album of the Year. It will be a wonderful evening of music.

The grand finale of the upcoming series takes place May 11 when Canada’s most recent inductee into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Steven Page, plays the Tamworth Legion. Steven was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies. In all, 97 of the 113 songs on the band’s primary studio albums were written by Steven Page.

In 2002, Page won an International Achievement Award at the SOCAN Awards in Toronto for the song “Pinch Me” that he co-wrote with Ed Robertson, and prior to that received a Juno Award for Single of the Year (1999), the Juno Award for Group of the Year (2001, 1999, 1993), the Juno Award for Album of the Year (2001), and another for Pop Album of the Year (2001).

As a member of the Barenaked Ladies he was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (2001, 1999), and later received another Juno Award for Children’s Album of the Year (2009).

We are absolutely thrilled that Steven has agreed to bring his trio featuring Craig Northey on guitar (from the Canadian

charting band, the Odds) and Kevin Fox on cello and piano, to the Tamworth stage. We hope you will enjoy this contemporary Canadian music legend.

The TECDC concert series, a not-forprofit venture, has presented more than forty performances since it began. It is important to note the generous support of the SOCAN Foundation and The Government of Canada (CAPF) as these contributions ensure the viability of the concert series.

All shows take place in the acoustically amazing Tamworth Legion Hall, officially named Abbott Hall. Since it is all about the music, it is worth mentioning that every performer makes mention of the great sound they experience in that facility and more than one has stated that the sound in the Legion hall is superior to that in many of the larger “soft seat” theatres where they often perform.

So, a great listening environment with clean sight lines and intimate seating (no need to watch performers on TV screens) and the opportunity to meet and greet the musicians merge to provide an extremely enjoyable experience.

All shows are at the Tamworth Legion and start at 8:00 p.m. with doors opening at 7:00 p.m. Seating is by general admission with the exception being season ticket holders who get reserved seats (on occasion, seating may be assigned based on the purchase order/ date of tickets). Tickets for shows generally appear at several local merchants: the River Bakery & Café, Bon Eco Design, and Stone Mills Family Market a few weeks prior to each concert.

However, individual tickets and season tickets can be ordered directly from Mark Oliver by telephone 613-379-2808 or by email moliver@bell.net.

We are a community based non-profit corporation aimed at encouraging local entrepreneurship and economic development.

We provide loans, grants and business advice to businesses in Lennox & Addington and Prince Edward Counties.

Napanee Office www.pelacfdc.ca 47 Dundas St East @CountyFutures Napanee, ON, K7R 1H7 Phone: 613-354-0162 • Toll Free: 1-800-354-5830 June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

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The Black Cat Café NOW OPEN

5 Ottawa Street Tamworth, riverside door of the Tamworth Hotel

Monday and Tuesday CLOSED Wednesday 8 to 8

$5 Burger Night after 4 pm

Thursday 8 to 8

$5 Pot Pie Night after 4 pm

Friday 8 to 8

Our FAMOUS $5 Pizza Night after 4 pm

Saturday 8 to 8 Sunday 8 to 5

$5 Pasta Special after 4 pm Brunch at 11 am

Fresh Daily Sandwiches & Salads Icy Cold Black Cat Specialty Beverages $1.50 Cool Treats! Ice Cream $2 and Milkshakes $3.50 Fresh Ground Coffee, Cappuccino, and Latte

Take home or enjoy on our beautiful deck Check our Facebook page for daily specials or text 613-379-5805 6

The SCOOP • June / July 2018

Pachyderms

The Mill at Tamworth

OPENING Saturday, June 16

In the old Beech grove of yesterday I came upon an Elephant – leg, that is, tall and firm wide and grey

3 Mill Pond Drive BOOKS • ART FASHION • DECOR

I looked beyond and saw more – a horde if you count the offshoots With snow above and snow below, the matriarchal herd – so muscular and marcescent

Thursday - Sunday 11-4 www.facebook.com/TheMillatTamworth

observed me skiing by their way Invited touch and song and seating stump – to see and hear sheer, copper-speckled tambour leaves timbrel

NEW LEAF LINK Now in it’s 10th year of operation!

NEW LEAF LINK OPEN HOUSE/FUNDRAISER Celebrating 10 years in operation!

For masts – and Critters’ by-your-leave, for sprouts the Beeches grant me

Please drop in – Thursday, June 7, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Harrowsmith Free Methodist Church – fully accessible 3876 Harrowsmith Road

for spectral Passenger Pigeons’ croon and the white-throated Sparrow’s tune,

ADMISSION: Goodwill offering in support of New Leaf Link THEME – FANCY HATS! • REFRESHMENTS • DJ GAMES/ACTIVITIES • RAFFLES/ SILENT AUCTION New Leaf Link is based in South Frontenac Township to serve a disabled adult population that can be ignored by our social support systems. Our program emphasizes two major aspects of living and learning: Arts (e.g. drama, music and information technologies) and Healthy Living (e.g. eating wisely, moving naturally and being socially connected.)

I’ll come again another day — Barbara Roch

SECOND TIME TREASURES

Cloyne & District Historical Society On Saturday, June 23 at the Season Opening of

RESALE - CONSIGNMENT Clothing & Accessories Furniture, Antiques, Collectables, Home Décor LOCAL ARTISANS FEATURED

the Cloyne Pioneer Museum & Archives, Steven Manders will be on hand from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to sign his book The Last Spike. The book will

5 Ottawa Street, Tamworth The Tamworth Hotel 613-379-1133 jjresale2@gmail.com

be on sale that day. It is about early railways, tramways and roads in eastern Ontario some of which are in the heart of this area. One of the Tramways is the

A Beech tree trunk, resembling an elephant’s leg.

Tel: 613-379-5874 Email: soscsvcs@gmail.com Web: www.s-o-s-computers.com

Wm. (Bill) Greenley Kim Read

Wired, Wireless, Network Design and Implementation Computer repairs and sales • New or reconditioned Interested in saving money on your TV subscription?

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Mazinaw-Pringle lake

EVANS’ TREE REMOVAL

Tramway, operated by the

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Company during the early 1900s. We will unveil a model of that Tramway at the museum opening at 11:00 a.m.

June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

7

The War Diary of Lieutenant Walter C. Bush Joseph Imre

F

or Canadian Expeditionary Forces involved in military “actions in the field� in World War I, keeping a war diary was a requirement. However, war diaries can vary greatly, and depending on the ability of officers to regularly maintain their diaries, entries can include detailed battle movements, training exercises, recreational activities, humorous anecdotes, or simply a few lines describing the weather or what was available at the canteen that day. That said, war diaries have proven to be an invaluable asset for us to study, understand, and fully appreciate the incalculable sacrifices and hardships faced by our Canadian heroes in the Great War.

Walter Clarence Bush was born near Wilton, in the Township of Ernestown, on March 25, 1892. As a young boy, Walter showed a great affinity with military affairs and, once old enough, devoted his time to the 47th Frontenac Regiment and passing the Royal School of Infantry, emerging as Lieutenant in 1911. Before his esteemed military career, Walter was a carpenter, a popular Scout Master of the Boy Scouts at Camden East, and an active Orangeman. The outbreak of war in 1914 mobilized many Canadians to serve their country. In September 1916, Walter enlisted at Tamworth for foreign service with the 146th Regiment at 24 years of age. On reaching France, he joined the 3rd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force where he fought with valour at Vimy Ridge. On April 29, 1917 (shortly after the battle of Vimy Ridge), Walter made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Lieutenant Walter C. Bush is buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France, along with 664 other Canadians. Of the approximately 620,000 Canadians who enlisted during the war, close to 61,000 died and 172,000 were wounded.

Lieutenant Walter C. Bush’s diary entries provide a glimpse – indeed a time capsule – of the great anticipation and naivetÊ of impending battle; of the expectation that war would be over shortly; the suffering, squalor and death of trench warfare; and, the impact of arriving in Europe for the first time and to many other life firsts. A few entries showcase the course of Walter’s eightmonth ordeal from enlistment to his untimely death in April 1917.

September 22-27, 1916 – Walter

TAMWORTH BRANCH LIBRARY MAKER CLUB: Saturdays @ 10:30 a.m.

Kids are invited to make crafts, play with LEGO and take part in a variety of other activities including circuitry and robotics.

Suitable for children ages 12 and under. Parents/ caregivers must remain on site.

speaks to the process of heading to Halifax via train to Pier 2 where he boarded a fleet of ships heading to Europe. On Sept. 26 Walter describes how cruisers in the harbour circled his ship as a band on the upper deck played the Maple Leaf. On Sept. 27 the fleet of boats left Halifax and were sent off by a replica ship called the Christopher Columbus. The rough seas made many sick onboard, including Walter, but the soldiers crowded the deck to watch the amazing scenery off the coast of Ireland before their arrival in Liverpool, England (Oct. 6, 1916).

October 27-29, 1916 – Walter arrived

in France (near Le Havre) on Oct. 27 and went to a cafÊ where he experienced trouble ordering food in French. A fellow officer spoke some basic French and ordered them all something to eat. That evening, a few of the men went to a theatre for entertainment. Walter soon fell ill with a cold but enjoyed exploring historic Rouen’s cathedral on the 29th as soldiers moved eastward toward the front lines.

November 4-10, 1916 – Walter spoke

of his inoculation for typhoid and the pain in his arm for some time thereafter.

By Nov. 10 Walter noted his arrival at the front lines, where he saw “flying machines� and the constant bombardment and shell fire from German lines.

December 25, 1916 – Walter wrote:

“Raining again this morning but quit about 9 a.m. We had dinner for B. Coy at 12:25 p.m. and they had all they could possibly eat of turkey, Xmas pudding, canned peas, pineapple, biscuits, and oranges, there were also 7 loads of Xmas gifts from Canada for the men. We also had a spread at our mess at 7 p.m.â€? and time in Walter’s diary outlines the days leading up to and the events of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. On the morning of April 8 Walter “Got up at 7 a.m. is a very fine day we had church parade at 8:50 and then we got ready to move for tomorrow the push starts we sit in our assembly trenches till morning‌â€?

April 9, 1917 – “The bombardment

started at 5:30 a.m. We did not leave our trenches till 7:30 a.m. then we started to advance. It was one of the finest sights I have ever saw. It started to rain just after we started but we never stopped it cleared up around 9 a.m. We reached our objective with very few casualties‌�

April 10, 1917 – “We put in a very chilly night. I slept in a shell hole with only a rubber sheet and rain coat as cover. It rained and snowed hard for while this morning. The enemy is still shelling us but not doing very much damage‌â€?

April 14, 1917 – “Got up at 6:30 a.m.

had breakfast then packed up and moved back behind our original front line. 2nd

tambrch@lennox-addington.on.ca

8

The SCOOP • June / July 2018

brag made another advance about a mile farther last night. Enemy still falling back‌I can hear 4 Batt band playing now�

Last Entry (April 20, 1917) – “It was a very fine day‌Mr. Patton and myself went to Camblain-l’AbbĂŠ. Then we went to a picture show in a big tent. First I have seen since I came to France.â€?

Nine days after Walter’s last diary entry, the officer in command of 3rd Battalion issued a statement to the family regarding Lieutenant Bush’s death, noting: “He was in his dug-out with his Company Commander‌This was located near some of our 4.5. Howitzer batteries and the Germans started shelling one of those positions, during which one of the shells fell short and hit his dug-out. Your brother was taken out unconscious and lived until the next day, but never recovered consciousness. We buried him in the cemetery at Aubigny and his grave is marked with our Battalion cross. Your

brother had been with us for months and was always a very gallant officer and soldier. He was a fellow I could absolutely rely on, and his work on April 9th in taking of the Vimy Ridge was fine.

He was always willing and keen to go first. We all felt his death deeply and his loss is a great one to the Battalion.�

For his bravery, Lieutenant Walter C. Bush was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, which his relatives brought in pilgrimage to his grave in France. His family donated Walter’s war diary, field manuals, photographs, war medals, postcards, and other war memorabilia to the Lennox and Addington County Museum and Archives. These were displayed in the museum lobby in April 2017, the same year that marked the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Joseph is an Archives Volunteer at the Lennox & Addington County Museum and Archives.

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Walter Clarence Bush (1892-1917) as Lieut. in 47th Regiment, [1912].

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Garden Revival Susan Rehner

C

ompost and eco-mulches were the focus of the GrassRoots Growers’ speaker event on April 12, and there was a good turnout to hear what Astrid Muschalla had to say on the subject.

After the long winter, audience members were eager to get into gardening mode and wanted to learn new techniques for enriching their soil and increasing the productivity of their gardens. Astrid did not disappoint.

She began her presentation by asking the audience how soil differs from dirt. The answer: soil is alive with microorganisms and invertebrates, while dirt is lifeless.

Astrid illustrated the concept of soil as a complex living system by showing a Soil Food Web, complete with microorganisms – fungi, bacteria, algae, and protozoa; and invertebrates — such as earthworms, nematodes, spiders, and insects (especially ants). These microorganisms and invertebrates form a community of soil organisms, and many of them play a key role in the health of the soil by aerating it, breaking down organic material, and releasing the nutrients that plants can use to grow.

Healthy soil is essential to growing healthy plants. If synthetic chemicals are applied to the soil and the plants growing there, Astrid cautioned that the intricate food web would be harmed. So also could the insects, birds, and animals that feed on the soil organisms, that pollinate the

plants, and that consume the plants produced there.

Soil needs organic matter to support plant life, and the best way to provide organic matter is to compost plant material. Astrid showed us a variety of composting bins and methods. Leaves, according to Astrid, are an excellent material to compost, and she doesn’t mix or chop them first. She rakes them into a pile or cage in the fall and lets the bacteria and fungi begin to break them down throughout the fall and winter.

Leaf mould, the product of composted leaves, is highly recommended as a soil conditioner, as it retains moisture. When planting in the spring, Astrid takes layers of the partly decomposed leaves and puts them down in sheets around plants in the garden. This is an easy mulching technique which preserves the fungi growing amid the leaf layers, enriches the soil, retains soil moisture, and greatly reduces competition from weeds. In the fall the leaf mulch can be worked into the garden soil where it will decompose further to become humus.

When cleaning up the garden in the fall or spring, Astrid recommends cutting off spent plants at the base rather than pulling them out by the roots. Beneficial fungi and bacteria are clustered around the roots and will benefit the soil if left. If the spent plants have seeds, they can be left intact through the winter to provide food for resident birds.

In Memory of Mary Jo Field We are very sad to announce the passing this spring of Mary Jo Field, a beloved member of our community, a founding member of GrassRoots Growers, and a valued member of the GRG steering committee since the group’s inception.

Her wisdom, generosity, and collaborative style helped to guide our group and make committee meetings both productive and pleasant.

Every year for our annual plant sale Mary Jo grew hundreds of heritage tomato plants, which proved to be a big draw for customers. Early in March this year Mary Jo started 500 tomato plants, most of which were slated for the plant sale in late May; however, her illness made it too difficult for her to continue caring for them. Seven volunteers were needed to take over the job of raising her tomatoes. Mary Jo is greatly missed by all of us at GrassRoots Growers.

A topic of great interest to the audience was the use of living mulches, or eco-mulches. Astrid seeds the areas between rows of garden plants with species that will not compete with the garden crops for nutrients and water.

Instead, they will suppress weeds, help retain soil moisture during dry periods, help prevent soil compaction, and contribute to soil fertility.

Living mulches are selected according to height: they should be lower than the garden plants in a particular area so as not to compete for light. It is best to seed them after the crop plants are established. A few of the lowgrowing species she recommended are Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca), White Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens), Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima), and African and French Marigolds (Tagetes erecta and T. patula). Some low to medium height plants to use are Arugula (Eruca vesicaria sativa), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), and Field Peas (Pisum sativum subsp. arvense).

Taller ones include Oilseed Radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus), Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum), Lacy Phacelia (Phacelia tannacetifolia), and Buckwheat (Fagopyrum sagittatum). For more information on these plants, visit our website (see end of article). Cutting the living mulch soon after it flowers will prevent it from going to seed and possibly taking over your garden bed.

Another recommended mulch that was new to many of us was ramiel wood chip mulch made from ground

up small branches of deciduous trees and shrubs. According to Astrid, this kind of mulch will add nutrients to the soil as it decomposes, unlike larger wood and bark chips, which she finds more suitable for paths.

The evening concluded with a lively question-and-answer period, refreshments, a seed swap, and plants offered for a donation. Our thanks to St. Patrick School for allowing us to use the gymnasium and to custodian Myles Finn for his much-appreciated help.

By the time you are reading this issue of the SCOOP, our annual plant sale will have taken place. We hope you were able to attend and that you will enjoy your plant purchases throughout the growing season. With the proceeds from the sale we engage speakers for our spring and fall events, fund two Fleming College bursaries in Sustainable Agriculture, and provide prize money for local agricultural fairs.

Our next event is planned for October.

Like all our events it is free and open to everyone. Details will be posted on our website and emailed to those on our e-list.

Tamworth/Erinsville GrassRoots Growers is a community-based group. Our mission is to encourage interest in local and organic gardening for both the home garden and the market garden; to raise awareness of issues surrounding food production; to improve our practical knowledge of all aspects of plant life; and to provide networking opportunities for gardeners. We welcome new members.

Visit our website at te-grassrootsgrowers. weebly.com.

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June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

9

Do You Remember: Windmills Glen R. Goodhand

W

ind power was known to the ancient Egyptians by 2000 B.C. as a method of propelling ships and was commonly used for both commerce and transportation. But windmills, first used by the Persians as an alternate use of this natural energy, were not documented until between 500 and 900 A.D. According to the blueprints of antiquity, these machines were of a “merry-go-round” type, moving in a horizontal circle, with a series of sails attached on vertical struts, all of which rotated on a single vertical axle.

The Chinese made the next variation in design early in the thirteenth century.

Theirs resembled those that modern children hold on a stick, which they either blow against with their own breath or face into the breeze.

In about 1270 A.D., Europeans imitated the old Persian designs with the main exception being that the axles on which they turned were horizontal, not vertical.

Holland is recognized as the land of the windmill. Their unique “lighthouse” design quickly took shape when they started using them in 1408. Their main

innovation was the use of huge blades, called “airfoils,” designed to catch the greatest amount of wind.

New France, or Quebec, adapted their construction design, in that their windmills, introduced in the late 1600s, also doubled as watchtowers.

When these structures caught on in the USA and other parts of Canada in the late 1880s, steel blades replaced the wooden ones. They also featured “tails,” or “vanes,” which could swing the mechanism into the wind, rather than having wait for it to blow from a given direction.

It is this type of windmill that readers of this column will remember. Stretching up anywhere from 25 to 40 feet into the air, these angle iron structures were landmarks as well as practical machines.

While history records that, on occasion, they were used for producing hydroelectric power and for driving sawmills, their main purpose on the smaller farms where they were located was for grinding grain and pumping water.

Each individual case would be different— but when supplying water, the twirling wheel, bypassing the pump handle, drew the precious liquid to the surface—to be dispensed either directly into a trough, or forced into a cistern. In the case of the latter, usually in a barn, the connected taps provided quick and handy service.

raw grain into finely chopped feed for the farm stock. The operation of the windmill could be brought to a halt by turning the vane and blades sideways toward the prevailing wind by a rope attached to a lever, which in turn was locked into place. More than a few seniors will recall the steel fins protesting as they vibrated in the wind—sounding like a medieval knight in armour with the shakes.

A steel ladder ascended the side of the tower, enabling the mechanism to be repaired or serviced as needed. Many an adventurous child was warned repeatedly never to go up to the platform which surrounded the machinery—for the simple reason that a sudden gust of wind could swing the “tail,” easily sweeping the climber from their perch.

But farmers needed to apply grease regularly to the gears to prevent unnecessary wear and tear. Because of the dangers involved, only responsible adults dared attend to this maintenance chore.

In many cases, they were attached to grinders, which transformed

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The SCOOP • June / July 2018

With the increasing installation of electricity and the convenience it afforded, the need for this kind of wind power gradually faded out of existence.

By now, some reader will be thinking: “Windmills are certainly not obsolete— the horizon in certain parts of Ontario— Wolfe Island, for instance—is dotted with row upon row of windmills!” Technically these are windmills. But Hydro Ontario prefers to call them “wind turbines.”

Residents living near these monstrosities call them other things—most of them unprintable.

Cartoonists have had a field day (no pun intended) with this issue. Everything from Santa and his reindeer hung up on the blades, to an old sailing ship powered by a handful of them, rising out of the water and flying. But the best jibe of all pictures a huge electric fan facing the turbine—the inference being this is the way they can operate if there is no wind.

It has been said that a windmill is a perfect illustration of patience—it never strays in search of wind.

A Natural View: From Computer to a Quiet Lake Terry Sprague

I

t wasn’t quite the experience we had last year on this small lake near where I live, but very close. As we eased the canoe and kayak into the water, a Common Loon remained just offshore, paying no heed to the conversation going on as we prepared to launch. This spirit of the north seemed quite at home on this tiny, shallow lake and it has been encouraging to see so many of them occupy suitable nesting sites where I live in Prince Edward County. We had heard the bird’s familiar conversational yodel upon arriving, so we knew it was there, but the laughing tremolo call signifying danger was never heard. He was comfortable with our presence.

In the distance, one, perhaps two, separate Pied-billed Grebes echoed their cuckoo-like clucking notes from deep within the cattails, both descending toward the end in gasping wheezes as though totally exhausted by the effort.

Marsh Wrens and Swamp Sparrows also called nearby, none of them seen. That’s the way it is with wetland birds. Calling to warn of danger or attract a mate but

remaining hidden means a better chance of survival from any predators. The tactic has served them well.

An intimacy with the calls of birds is not cut and dried. Some songs are as the books and recordings portray, while others produce variations as though they were local dialects, but still recognizable as to species. There are informal and seemingly meaningless conversational notes, barely discernible, while other notes serve to identify the location of their hidden partners without giving away too much information. Notes of adoration between parent and their children in the nest, and notes of alarm when an intruder comes too close, and notes of distress as a parent may feign injury and lead a potential threat in an opposite direction. All these variations owned and emitted by some 350 species of birds that live in our area. It is a learning experience in which we never stop learning. We were baffled by a series of persistent calls in the distance that sounded like young Ospreys, only to come across a nervous gaggle of baby Canada Geese, concerned by our approaching boats. There is seldom any resemblance in the voices of adult birds and their young.

Listen to young Baltimore Orioles sometime.

On this memorable paddle, the fog was just lifting off Fish Lake.

Photo by Terry Sprague .

There was a slight breeze coming in from over the treeline that produced a set of nervous ripples on the shallow lake that only increased as the morning wore on. It seemed not to affect the two Caspian Terns

that put on a spectacular stage show for us as they sighted up a fish, then dove straight into the water with wings stretched back and overlapping their tail. Into the water, emerging with a successful catch, and out again, nonstop, to take flight again.

A watchful eye on the shoreline will often reveal more wildlife species. Photo by Terry Sprague.

Closer to a wooded area, the liquid, ethereal, flute-like notes of a Veery wheeled downward in pitch to be absorbed by the dense foliage of the forest from which it called. An Eastern Towhee sang its distinctive notes from a cedar-covered pasture field, the habitat where one would expect this robin-sized member of the sparrow family. An outing like this is more meaningful if we can put a face to the invisible sounds we hear. Right away, we recognized the dry rattle of a Belted Kingfisher, and then we caught sight of him, his strong, choppy flight disappearing across the lake and into the haze of early morning.

A pair of Mute Swans floated effortlessly in the middle of the lake near an islet of cattails, and then mysteriously disappeared, likely keeping out of sight so as not to give away the location of its nest until we passed. Several small flocks of ducks flew over in the distance, but they remained “GBB’s” – Gone Before Binoculars. I admit to being poor with ducks in flight, although the flight pattern and profile of a pair of Mallards was quite diagnostic. The game of birding is a game of learning, and I have been learning for over 60 years. It takes that long to be proficient, yet new information comes our way daily, to be

stored somewhere in the upper level for later retrieval.

This little lake is large enough to be captivating, but small enough to paddle around in a little more than an hour or so. It is one of few lakes in existence whose shorelines have not yet been extensively developed, and the handful of houses that occupy the shoreline are tastefully tucked in behind the shoreline vegetation. There are no lawns mowed to the water’s edge here and no proliferation of intrusive docks. The residents who do live here care enough about their shoreline to leave it natural and not assault it with concrete. It is a quiet paddle around the lake’s circumference that is private and peaceful.

We need the presence of remote bodies of water similar to what we paddled and more time to quietly explore them, for there is much to see and hear if we but listen and observe. We need to get out from behind our screens – both TV and computer – to take it all in.

Terry Sprague lives in Prince Edward County and is a retired interpretive naturalist and hike leader. See his website at www.naturestuff.net. He can be reached at tsprague@xplornet.com.

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June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

11

Local Ladies’ Hockey Legend Lived Low Key Life Katherine Burrows

O

n Saturday, April 28, friends, family, neighbours, and teammates gathered at the Tamworth Arena to celebrate and close the circle – puck-shape – of Pat (Gunn) Burrows’ life and love of hockey.

Those who knew Pat, even on a casual basis, knew that her passion for hockey was a defining part of her personality.

But just how much hockey had defined her life and how large her contribution to the game and to her teammates was remained largely unspoken until current and former teammates compared notes.

Playing street hockey after school and on weekends filled Pat’s Toronto childhood.

Her grade school highlight was rushing back to school after lunch, to be one of the first chosen for whatever sport was in season.

Pat attended many games at Maple Leaf Gardens with her father. Learning everything she could about its strategies and techniques, hockey became her passion. She particularly admired Leaf player Dave Keon and wore the number 14 in his honour.

The Leaf’s golden era, intense rivalries, and the competitive, yet sportsmanlike player, Dave Keon, made a significant impact on the young Pat. She had already made a name for herself playing high school hockey at Havergal College. Her father often bragged that she had been the only girl who could raise the puck in her league at that time.

Pat’s high school coach, teacher Judy Ratcliffe, remembers Pat as “a fine hockey player, one who seemed to have

been born with a stick in her hand.”

Another teacher, Brenda Robson, remembers, “those hockey games and Pat, probably because she was definitely the best player on the ice every year.”

At the University of Western Ontario, Pat played intercollegiate field hockey and ice hockey, as well as many intermural sports. She was a member of the yearbook staff and women’s athletic council. Despite the games and tournaments, Pat was one of four students in her graduating year to earn the Merit award. Athletics was never an excuse to slack off in other areas of life.

Next, Pat attended McMaster University, where she continued to enjoy her passion for ice hockey. There she met Lloyd Burrows, her future husband.

There had been women’s hockey teams as early as the late 1800s and various periods since. But, in the wake of the 1950’s housewife image, women’s hockey had all but vanished. Until, as CBC puts it in their Hockey: A People’s History series, “a rebel generation of women fights to pull their game back from the brink of extinction.” No surprise that Pat was part of that generation.

Two of Pat’s fellow rebels, from the ground-breaking ladies’ team in Humberside, were present to share their memories. The Humberside team, known as the Dairy Queens in 1967, won the first ladies North American championship, affectionately known as the “lipstick tournament,” though, at the time, it was the equivalent of the Stanley Cup for women’s hockey. CBC reports that “every year since, there has been a national women’s hockey tournament.”

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Like many devoted fans and lifelong players, Pat always made room in her life for hockey. She continued to keep up with the Leafs over the years, watching as many games as possible on TV. Although there was no ladies team in the Tamworth area in the 1980s, Pat found a way to have hockey in her life by becoming involved as a coach with minor hockey.

Finally, in 1995, a ladies’ ice hockey league was started in Tamworth. Pat joined the league from day one and remained on one roster or another ever since. The league has now grown to eight teams and still manages to compile a lengthy waiting list. This impressive feat, for a population of about 500, is a testament to strong community involvement, and the number of women who love the game.

Groups of house league ladies have also formed more competitive teams. Various incarnations include the Tamworth Sabres, Team Tamworth, and, most recently, Black Ice. Black Ice teammate Faun Bank shared her memories of Pat. Faun noted that Pat ran skills sessions for the team and recalled fun times at the tournaments in Lake Placid. She explained that Pat often outplayed the younger players and was able to take the puck away from them. She also shared Pat’s kindness and support of other players, and her strength and resiliency that extended to life off the ice. “Pat wouldn’t want us to be sad – she would want us to play hockey and keep having fun.” Faun noted that the Bucket-Listers team, which Pat would have loved to be a part of, will now wear patches on their jerseys with “PB 70,” in honour of Pat.

Pat (Gunn) Burrows had a life-long passion for hockey.

Photos courtesy Katherine Burrows.

Pat also enjoyed playing Happy Hockey with the fun-loving co-ed bunch, who often gather at the Corner Store after their Tuesday morning games. Barb Pogue spoke on behalf of the Happy Hockey group, where she first met Pat. “Here was a woman nine years older than I was, who was an amazing hockey player! What an inspiration for me and for all women, regardless of age. And Pat not only inspired by example, but she encouraged and praised all of us, happy to share her passion for hockey with others… I’m sure part of her spirit is always going to be here, in this arena, where she spent so many happy hours.”

Of the eight current house league teams in the Stone Mills Women’s Hockey League, Pat played on six of them at one time or another – red, green, blue, white, orange, and maroon. Most recently, Pat was a member of the Maroon Team.

Maroon captain, Karen Whiteman, proudly announced that Pat’s jersey will be retired to the wall of fame in the arena. She shared the story of Pat’s infamous quote, “No excuses, kiddo!” and how the team had honoured Pat with a custom jersey.

As teammates from various year exchanged stories, a more complete picture of Pat, humble, rural Stone Mills resident, was revealed. The event celebrated the depth of her impact on the hockey community, gratitude for having known her, and the legacy she leaves in the hearts of several generations of teammates.

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The SCOOP • June / July 2018

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The Napanee Limestone Plain: Deceivingly Diverse

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f you head north from Lake Ontario anywhere between the Bay of Quinte and Kingston, you will find yourself in the unique upland habitats of the Napanee Limestone Plain. Spanning parts of Hastings, Lennox & Addington, and Frontenac counties, the Napanee Limestone Plain – designated a nationally significant Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) – is a mosaic of shallow soil habitats such as savanna grasslands with scattered red cedar or hawthorn. Though it may not immediately catch the attention of the casual observer, the grasslands found in this limestone plain habitat, also known as “alvar,” support many rare bird, insect, and plant species.

Alvar habitat occurs where limestone or dolostone bedrock has been scraped almost bare of soil during glaciation, resulting in shallow soils today. Alvars are naturally open, flat landscapes with little or no tree cover. These landscapes are subject to seasonal flooding, extreme droughts, and severe frosts. Therefore, only specialized (and often rare) species found in few other places in the Great Lakes basin can survive in these conditions.

Birds are the most obvious wildlife on the Plain, and Ontario’s birders know this area as an excellent place to find grassland species that may be difficult to find elsewhere. A visit to the area in late spring and early summer will expose you

to the distinctive wolf-whistle of the Upland Sandpiper, the bubbling robotic call of the Bobolink, and the slurring, flute-like call of the Eastern Meadowlark.

Despite their name, Meadowlarks are actually part of the blackbird family, the Icterids, and could be considered cousins to Bobolink. These two species are distinctive on the Plain and make this an area that is alive with birdsong.

The diversity of plant species in the Plain is surprising and can be found in small pockets of bare limestone pavement, meadow-like areas, and shrubland or woodland, depending on soil depth.

Wild, undisturbed sites give visitors the impression of walking in a natural rock garden. Within these habitats you will find such species as the visually striking Prairie Smoke, which looks like something out of a Dr. Seuss book with its bulbous, nodding flowers and wispy, pink seed heads; and fragrant Wild Bergamot, used medicinally by First Nations for generations, with a smell reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. The Plain is also home to several other rare native wildflowers, grasses, and sedges, including the elusive and unassuming Juniper Sedge, which is an endangered plant in Ontario. This one can be easily lost amongst the grasses of the region unless you know exactly what you’re looking for.

Alvars also attract uncommon wildlife such as the beautiful green Juniper Hairstreak butterfly, only found in a handful of places in Canada, including the Napanee Limestone Plain and Essex County. This small butterfly never ventures far from its host plant, the

Eastern Red Cedar, which is plentiful on the Plain.

Another rarity you can find on the Napanee Limestone Plain is the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, an endangered species in Canada, and the main reason for IBA designation. The Plain is one of just two areas where you can still reliably find them breeding in the wild in Canada.

Beyond being a home to wild shrikes, this area is vital to shrike recovery efforts, coordinated by Wildlife Preservation Canada. They manage a field site where captive-bred shrikes are released into the wild to bolster their population and help keep the shrike from disappearing in Canada. Since releases started on the Plain in 2012, almost 250 birds have been released, and each year we see some returning to breed in the wild.

As one of the last strongholds for the shrike and many other species at risk in Canada, the Napanee Limestone Plain is invaluable.

Despite the value of this area, the grassland and alvar habitats in Ontario are diminishing due to the increasing risks of development, damage from human recreational use (e.g., ATVs), invasive species, and the lack of natural fire. The protection and stewardship of these grassland habitats is crucial to maintaining their natural biodiversity, which boosts the resiliency of this

Eastern Meadowlark. Photo by L. Kirtley. unique environment in the face of a changing climate. From the boisterous Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark, to the understated and secretive Juniper Sedge and Juniper Hairstreak, this is an ecosystem that deserves protection.

The Napanee Plain Joint Initiative is a collaboration of organizations working to preserve the unique diversity of the area.

Operating since 2014, this hub of groups has hosted a public education event about alvar/grassland habitat in the Plain and produced A Guide to Alvar and Grassland Species of the Napanee Plain.

This guide is a simple field book for learning about habitat and identifying species in the area; a limited number will be available for free at select locations throughout the Plain this summer. Work on a Napanee Multi-species Recovery Strategy is ongoing.

The lead organizations in the Initiative are the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Wildlife Preservation Canada, Bird Studies Canada, Quinte Conservation, Lennox & Addington Stewardship Council, Kingston Field Naturalists, and the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry, Kingston – along with participation from many more local groups. For more information, please visit www.napaneeplain.org.

The four authors are from Lennox & Addington Stewardship Council, Wildlife Preservation Canada, Bird Studies Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum).

Photo by Neal Herbert.

Protec�ng nature:

Strategies to keep land in the family.

Sunday July9:00 15, 9:30 Sunday, July 29, a.m.a.m.

- 12 noon

Piccadilly Hall, Godfrey, 1025 Oak Flats Road Learn more about capital gains taxes, Ecological Gi�s, conserva�on easements, and land trusts. Save the land you love. *

Ask a tax expert from Grant Thornton

*

Important informa�on for Americans who own land in Canada

LandConservancyKFLA.org June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

13

Canada Day Soap Box Derby Bert Korporaal

W

ell, kids, it’s finally here – Tamworth’s first annual Canada Day Celebrations Soap Box Derby! Start building! Kids, get your parents to help you build your first soap box race car. Parents, keep your eyes on the lawn mower, because the wheels may “go missing” over the next few weeks. It all takes place on July 1, Canada Day. Soap box race cars are gravity-run cars that start at the top of a race course hill and run downhill to a finish line, racing against another car and driver. The winner crossing the finish line first goes on to compete in the next round of elimination. There will be two categories: 1) for kids 6 to 10 years old and 2) for kids 11 to 15 years old.

There are stipulated rules one must adhere by, to make this a safe and equal

race for everyone. You can look up the Soap Box race rules and registration form (with the waiver form) by searching on the tamworth.ca site, under “Events” and then selecting “Canada Day Celebrations.” You can print the registration form and fill it out ahead of time if you are taking part and entering a car. For ideas on soap box cars, you can Google “soap box cars” or “soap box races,” and find all sorts of information, plans, kits, and more.

Some of the rules include: All carts must be made of wood. No metal framed or metal clad or metal skinned carts will be permitted. Each car must meet length and width dimensions and have four wheels that are held onto the axel by a locking nut or cotter pin. The race car must not have any engine, or any added weight. It also must have steering that does not have more than 1 ½ inches of travel in either direction, so it must be blocked, to prevent over-steer or overcorrecting, which can cause rollovers. And the cart must have a method of centre braking, operated either by the driver’s foot or hand, and not a side brake, which could cause the car to spin when trying to stop.

You can paint it as you wish and even put a

number on it if you want.

All drivers must wear a properly fitting helmet for protection from head injuries, and the chin strap must be used and snapped into place while going downhill. A motorcycle, ATV, hockey, or baseball helmet are preferred, but a bicycle or skateboard helmet will pass. All cars will be inspected prior to the race. I have already been asked if two siblings can enter one car to drive in two races, one by each driver. Yes, you can.

You just need to fill out two registration and waiver forms, one for each driver. If any car does not meet the rules, it cannot race in the event. The races will take place between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., before the parade. This way, racers can enter their cart in the Tamworth Canada Day Parade if they wish, by having the car and driver in the back of your dad’s truck or on your uncle’s hay wagon. But, just “block” the wheels so it doesn’t fall off.

Or if you have a good friend, you can just push the car along the parade route.

The race location will be on Bridge Street West, from Neely Street from the church, downhill to Concession Street, ending at the Grindstone Pizza. This part of Bridge Street West will be closed for approximately two hours to accommodate the derby races. All racers and parents, please be there a bit early so we can look over and register your cart

and fill in the form to get you registered.

Don’t forget your helmet!

There will be volunteers there to help you and explain any last-minute questions you may have.

Having not held a Soap Box Derby race in Tamworth before, we do not know how many racers and cars to expect. Parking will be tight on the neighbouring streets.

Please be considerate of homeowners’ property and front yards. Please, no littering or alcoholic beverages. This is a kid’s event. Let’s keep it fun – it’s not a NASCAR race! Friends, family, and spectators, please stay on the sidewalks and the edge of the road. To all racers and spectators, we ask that you exercise caution with the traffic and do not cross the racetrack once the races have started.

Sounds like fun, eh? Exciting? Well, it is!

Kids and parents can work together building the car and be proud of their work! We hope it will be a smash hit with everyone. So everyone, please come out and cheer on the kids and their cars. See you July 1st!

YARKER FARMERS’ MARKET 2018 at Riverside United Church Local produce - flowers - handmade crafts - BBQ - bake sale by the beautiful Yarker Falls.

June 16 & 30 July 14 & 28 Aug 11 & 25 Sept 8, 15 & 29 Riverside United Church Caring for our Community 2 Mill St., Yarker Vendors/Info:

lynnmrenaud@hotmail.com

14

The SCOOP • June / July 2018

9:00 am to 1:00 pm BBQ at 11:00 am Rain or Shine

Too Much Grist at the Mill!

Lynn A’Court and John Kuti

W

e have “rescued” eight buildings in our almost thirty years together, and narrowly escaped buying/transforming eleven others. So it was that we set up an appointment to view the decommissioned grist mill in Tamworth and on April 30, 2016, we took possession. It had been a whirlwind romance: we were swept away by the large open spaces and their potential for retail and art studios for each of us—plus the perfect woodworking shop for John whose large power tools had languished under tarps in our driveway for more than five years. We were in real estate love and that old friend denial was in ascendance. We were blind to the challenges ahead—clueless about the repository of grain still lurking in the second-floor bins and the internal wind in the building that together would come close to defeating us over the next two years…

We are not new to retail. For nine years John operated Kettle Creek Clothing Company franchises in the Niagara Peninsula (our home stompin’ grounds— we first met at the now extinct Welland High & Vocational School over 50 years ago). We hosted our 1988 wedding celebration in the 1904 building overlooking the waterfall in Yarker which in 1989 would become “The Wonderful Store and Waterfall Tearoom” where John was the chief cook and bottle washer for 11 years. In 2005 we started Rogues Hollow Gallery in Newburgh as an outlet for the products of our publishing company “Prose Red” in addition to selling used furniture, artisanal cheese, and used books. Our retail ambitions and real estate rescue

fervour took us to Westport in early 2012 to an exquisite site overlooking Westport pond where we delighted in setting up our shop in the summer of 2013. Next, we acquired a magical old building in Stoco on the Moira River which was a relatively quick fix. This building was supposed to be a creative escape from our continuing busy home life for the rest of our days, until Lynn spotted the online ad for the sale of the Tamworth mill. So after a five year hiatus of having a shop, we are poised to become merchants again.

We had been excited and confident about opening “The Mill at Tamworth” shop by the summer of 2016. Little did we realize what an absurd expectation that was! By spring 2017 John was despairing of ever cleaning all the grain from the mill as the ever-present interior wind sucked new piles of grain from the seemingly endless supply hidden in the bins on the second floor. In desperation last fall we hired Mike the Handyman from Napanee to clear out the remaining grain. Mike cut access holes into the ten grain bins on the second floor and schlepped the remaining grain up the three-story ladder into one of the silos. Mike is a stalwart fellow and saved us with his conscientious and unflagging hard work and he is our hero! It is still a delight to arrive at the mill and not find either a new pile of grain or another coating of dust in the main mill room.

So there you have it—a sense of us and our mill madness. We hope to open by mid-June and look forward to welcoming both Stone Mill-ers and out of area shoppers. The mill shop will be a division of our Wonderful Store business, with this location at 3 Mill Pond Lane being

Previously a decommissioned grist mill, The Mill at Tamworth shop will reopen this June. called “The Mill at Tamworth.” We have a broad selection of second hand books, an extensive collection of new fashion (featuring Lynn’s chunky hand knits that have been sold online through wonderfulstore.etsy.com for the past 11 years). We will also have vintage and nearly new fashion, vintage décor and collectibles, needlecraft supplies (vintage fabrics etc.). There will be a fine collection of prints by other artists as well as books focused on famous and not so famous artists. Finally, we will have the space for our own art plus John’s upcycled and new-build furniture (featuring live edge creations) in our shed room gallery space. John does sculpture, photography, and satirical takes on modern art. Lynn does watercolour and

pastel paintings featuring the land and water scenes of the spectacular vistas in Eastern Ontario. You can watch for updates on our opening day at www. facebook.com/TheMillatTamworth In Danish, the word for “miller” and “artist” is the same, and we are delighted to make that become a reality in The Mill at Tamworth.

Lynn A’Court and John Kuti are aging artists and renovators and co-owners of The Wonderful Store for 29 years (currently online only at wonderfulstore. etsy.com) and its subsidiary Rogues Hollow Gallery (now online only) and new owners of “The Mill at Tamworth”, a new division of The Wonderful Store.

GRANDMOTHERS by THE LAKE a local chapter of The Stephen Lewis Foundation

10th Annual PLANT BAKE & TRUNK SALE JUNE 2 starting @ 10:00 a.m. at GILMOURS On 38, 5062 Road 38, Harrowsmith.

Come for our Granny grown perennials, annuals, sale items and delicious homemade goodies. Know that all proceeds will be donated in support of Grandmothers in a number of African countries who are raising children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Over 100 varieties of lilies will be available to order from Lilies for Africa from David Sexsmith, a local gardener who donates all monies to The Stephen Lewis Foundation. He will also be selling lilies July 14-15, 1404 South Shore Rd, Napanee with all proceeds to the SLF. Contact sexsmithd@gmail.com.

New comers are always welcome to visit our meetings held on the 3rd Thursday each month at 10:30 a.m. hosted at Trinity United Church in Verona.

Contacts: Carol Little 613-376-3844 to donate items Lori Adam 613-888-5467

June & July Events Saturday, June 2 Blue Skies Fiddle Orchestra 11:30 a.m.

• General excavation - land clearing, basements, retaining walls, trenching, etc.

• Septic systems - design and licensed installer • Landscaping • Trucking - sand, gravel and topsoil • Demolition - buildings, barns, etc.

For all your excavating needs call RICK at Phone: 613-388-2460 Cell: 613-561-6585 Email: rick.tuepah@gmail.com

Saturday, June 9 Puppet Show – Sponsored by the Kingston Frontenac Public Library. Starting at 10:00 a.m.

Saturday, June 16 Adult art activities Saturday, June 30 Kids activities from the childcare center Saturday, July 14 Kids activities June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

15

Summer Is Upon Us, and So Are the Ticks Sarah Hutchinson

E

astern Ontario is endemic to ticks.

Our natural environment of lakes and wetlands with heavy forestation provides the ideal habitat for ticks. Since our summer season is too short not to make the absolute most of, learning how to enjoy the outdoors in tick country is essential.

The Black-legged tick (formerly known as deer ticks) is the species that carries Lyme Disease. According to KFL&A’s website, about 32% of ticks collected in our region tested positive for Lyme Disease. Since prevention is always the best step when it comes to healthcare, let’s look at the simplest ways to prevent tick bites: Cover up – long sleeve/pants, in light colours not only show ticks better but are more comfortable than darker colours in our hot summers. Since ticks live in tall grass and bush, wearing socks (tucked into pants) and close-toed shoes also provides a layer of protection.

Insect repellant – Health Canada recommends any of the following as effective insect repellants: DEET, Picaridin, Soybean oil, Citronella oil, p-methane-3,8 indol, and the following mixture of essential oils – lemon, eucalyptus, pine, geranium, and camphor.

Double-check – always do a physical top-to-bottom, front and back, every nook and cranny check for ticks. Every day. Make sure to feel the scalp and shake your hair out and be sure to perform this full check on children too.

Wash and dry – having a shower and washing clothes immediately after being outdoors is also another great way to get rid of loose ticks. If ticks are present on clothes that are left in a hamper, they can eventually crawl out and roam the house, looking to feed/bite.

Check pets – our furry friends are one of the main routes for tick transfer into homes. Do a daily physical check on pets too and speak to your vet about other methods of prevention for animals.

Deter ticks – make your property inhospitable to ticks – keep grass short, cut back branches, trees, and brush, remove leaf, stone, and wood piles (or at least set them far away from children’s play areas or other highly used areas),

and consider adding gravel or mulch perimeters and pathways. Ticks abhor hot, dry, and sunny conditions. They also dislike cedar, so plant away!

No practice of prevention is going to be 100% effective, so what to do if you do get bit?

First, safely remove the tick using tweezers or a tick remover (do not burn it or paint it with nail polish, essential oils, or Vaseline). Wash the area of the bite with an alcohol swab. As a Registered Homeopath, I recommend to all my patients to immediately take Ledum 200C once daily for 7 days (available at most health stores or natural health clinics). This remedy is known for its application in stings and animal bites that cause swelling, infection, or redness/irritation – so it’s a good one to have around all summer!

If symptoms of Lyme infection develop (fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, spasm, numbness or tingling, fatigue, swollen glands, expanding red skin rash), always seek medical care from a licenced primary caregiver. Immediate antibiotic treatment is usually effective against acute Lyme.

Further homeopathic support could include the use of the remedies Borrelia, Gelsemium, Aurum-ars, and others, depending on the individual symptom set. Homeopathy can also address the symptoms of chronic Lyme disease through constitutional treatment (the holistic approach of treating the specific and unique symptom expression of the individual with a single, best fitting homeopathic remedy).

The Great Blue Heron B. C. Norval

T

he Great Blue Heron is one of Ontario’s largest birds and is familiar to cottagers, anglers, and other visitors of the province’s lakes and rivers during the warm months. This bird is often seen standing in shallow water where it will stand still or move slowly until it spots an unwary fish and then strike rapidly to catch its prey, either grabbing it or spearing it with its beak and then tossing it in the air and swallowing it whole. Besides fish, the Great Blue Heron will also eat frogs and crayfish and is even known to eat small mammals, other birds, and insects.

Adult herons usually fish alone in feeding territories, returning to them each day and even after dark. Herons are superbly adapted to catch their prey.

Their neck bones and muscles have evolved to enable them to strike rapidly; their eyes have a built-in zoom lens and three times the acuity of the human eye, and their brains compensate for the diffraction of light in water so that they strike the correct target. In part of their neck, unlike in human necks, the vertebrae are located in front of the esophagus and windpipe to protect these vulnerable structures from injury by their prey.

Do you know that the Great Blue Heron also has a built-in bib of sorts to help keep itself clean? The chest feathers continue to grow and fray forming a powdery down that the bird preens itself with, using the powder to remove oil and slime from its other feathers.

However, where do you imagine that herons nest – on the ground like most ducks and geese, or in trees like songbirds or large birds of prey? In fact, Great Blue Herons nest in trees and

typically together in a group forming a heronry. The nest is a large, messy looking collection of twigs and other material collected by the male and assembled by the female. Both birds will take turns sitting on the nest, while the other flies off in search of food. Heronries are usually close to water and relatively far from humans. Typically, herons will fly about 3 km from the heronry to feed, but some have been known to fly as far as 30 km.

Because heron eggs and nestlings are vulnerable to other predators, heronries confer a protective advantage for the nests. Herons in a heronry are very wary and any time I have paddled near one, the birds give flight and sound the alarm with a harsh croaking noise. A heronry might have only a few nests or as many as 300 and birds will return to the same nest or same heronry for years and a heronry might persist for decades until the trees the nests are in die.

For such large birds, once the trees leaf out, the nests are difficult to spot. I have been following a relatively new heronry on the Salmon River for a few years now.

In 2016, there were four nests, the next year seven, and this year I counted nine before the trees leafed out and hid the nests. There is also a much larger heronry in the middle of Long Swamp on Cameron Creek, but it is practically inaccessible, even by canoe, except for a very brief period in spring when the water levels are still high.

If you want to learn more about Great Blue Herons and other birds, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a wonderful online resource at www.birds.cornell.edu. The lab even set up a camera to monitor a Great Blue Heron nest in 2012-13 and you can find a link to it on the website.

By educating yourself and your family about life in tick region, and using these prevention and treatment strategies, you can feel more confident in enjoying our beautiful natural environment and all that rural Ontario has to offer. For more information on ticks and Lyme Disease please visit the Government of Ontario website, the KFL&A Public Health website, or the National Centre for Homeopathy website.

Sarah Hutchinson, Hom., is a registered Homeopath with the College of Homeopaths of Ontario. She has over 10 years of clinical practice in homeopathic medicine. She lives in South Frontenac and works at Kingston Integrated Healthcare.

A relatively new heronry on the Salmon River. Photo by B. C. Norval.

Tamworth Variety & Gas Bar Tickets here for June 23 Barn Dance at Tamworth Arena OPEN EVERYDAY 6:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

We’re on Facebook 6682 Wheeler Street, Tamworth 16

The SCOOP • June / July 2018

613-379-2526

4th Annual Local Author Showcase

25th Anniversary of the Waterside Summer Series

Catherine Coles

Mickey Sandell

O

n Saturday, June 9, the County of Lennox & Addington Libraries will hold its 4th Annual Local Author Showcase & Great Big Book Sale. This is an opportunity for the many talented writers in our region to come together and promote their work to each other and the public. Weather permitting, it will be held on the garden patio of the Napanee Branch Library. There will not be an attendance charge for authors or for the public. It will run 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and refreshments will be provided.

As of May 28, the following authors have confirmed their attendance: • Alcock, Gloria • Allan, Gloria • Bond, Carolyn • Creber, Diane • Daigle, Tara • DeVries, Helen • Genovese, Elizabeth • Gorman, LeRoy • Gorter, Alyce • Green, Peter • Hefferon, Michael • Kellough, Janet • Kendall, Marilyn • Lachance, Nathalie • Lazenby, Cindy • Ness Gordon, Laurie • Revelle, Rick • Timmerman, Robin • Wood Watson, Barbara Four years ago, we started this event as a fun way to increase the profile of local writers. We are often approached by people in the community who would like to work with the library to promote their

book. Because of the volume of requests received, however, we just cannot use our resources to regularly host or promote events for individual local authors. It was still very important to do something to show support for our local writers, though, so we were driven to create this casual, inclusive event where we provide the platform for local authors to promote their own work.

This is not the only way we work with writers in the community. In recognition of local literary and creative efforts, we are always pleased to include the works of local authors in our collection wherever possible. Books assigned to the local author collection are clearly labelled and catalogued as such so patrons can easily access this pool of work. If you are interested in learning more about our region’s local authors, you can subscribe to the library’s newly revamped Can-Lit newsletter. Each issue will feature a different local author and their work available to borrow from the library. Sign up by asking a staff member or by visiting our website at CountyLibrary.ca by clicking on NextReads (under Readers’ Advisory).

Our Local Author Showcase also features a large book sale of used books (4 for $1) as a library fundraiser. Weather allowing, it will be held outside. This year, like last year, we will be holding this event in conjunction with Greater Napanee’s Riverfront Festival, which we hope will maximize exposure.

I hope that you will come out and support our region’s local writers on June 9.

2

018 is a landmark year as the Waterside Summer Series celebrates its 25th anniversary – a small music festival that takes place in a small church (St. Paul’s Presbyterian) on a small island (Amherst Island) 20 km west of Kingston.

Despite being small, with only five concerts each season, Waterside has become known as the classical music festival where talented artists of the classical music world love to perform.

They love it so much that they are always happy to return when invited by Artistic Director, Beverley Harris.

In her 14th year as Artistic Director, Bev says, “During Waterside concerts, something ‘intimately powerful’ is created at St. Paul’s Church with the lively acoustics and the intimate size of the venue. Musicians talk about the feeling of communication with the audience and the sense that each listener is intensely involved and ‘giving back’ to the performers. It’s truly an ‘up close and personal’ experience for audience and performers alike.”

Waterside can host the very best in classical performers from Canada, the US, and even Europe while keeping tickets prices at the accessible level of $37. This is because there is a large and very loyal group of sponsors who donate beyond what they pay for their tickets.

These generous folks are called “Owls” because Amherst Island is known for its Owl Woods that attracts avid birders year-round. Charitable receipts are given

as Waterside is an incorporated nonprofit organization.

Despite very few “perks,” sponsors continue to be supportive year after year.

The special events to which they are invited are the post-concert buffet supper receptions held for the performers in some of the lovely island homes. Still, sponsors are asked to bring an offering of food for the buffet table and a bottle of wine! These are always such wonderful parties with the musicians and are one of the reasons that performers love to return to Waterside as well.

In the past, Waterside has hosted such notables as The Gryphon Trio, Anton Kuerti, Isabel Bayrakdarian, The New Zealand String Quartet, and many others.

The 2018 season will be no exception with The Vienna Piano Trio making a return visit, Julie Nesrallah and Brett Polegato of Canadian operatic fame singing up a storm, the Rolston String Quartet (most recent winners of the Banff International Competition), and the Alliage Quintet from Cologne, Germany – truly something unique with four saxophones and piano presenting their award-winning arrangements of the classical repertoire.

All information about Waterside 2018 can be found at www.watersidemusic.ca.

They hope many patrons will take advantage of hearing “up close and personal” these fine musicians, while also taking part as they celebrate this most auspicious season: the 25th anniversary of Waterside Summer Series.

June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

17

Plan for the Future to Save Land That You Love Mel Galliford

N

o one likes to think about death or taxes. Two certainties in life that cannot be avoided, as Benjamin Franklin quipped over 200 years ago.

A 2017 survey of Canadians found that one out of two adults does not have a will, meaning that they haven’t planned to whom they will leave their property and possessions.

“It can be hard for people to think ahead about what they want to have happen after they die,” says Vicki Schmolka, president of the local land trust. “It’s really important, especially when they own land. Sometimes a country property has gone up a lot in value and it may be too expensive for the estate to pay the capital gains tax that will be owing, forcing its sale. There are a lot of options to explore that can help to preserve a valuable country property and keep it in the family.”

These options will be the focus of a meeting sponsored by the Land Conservancy for Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, and American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts. Taking place at Piccadilly Hall, 1025 Oak Flats Road, in Godfrey, on Sunday, July 29 at 9:00 a.m., attendees will find out more about conservation easements, donations of part of a property, Ecological Gift designations, and other strategies that conserve wild lands and minimize taxes.

“Everyone is welcome,” says Schmolka.

“We’ll have coffee and muffins, information materials, and experts like Ray Kinoshita from Grant Thornton to explain tax rules on country properties

and answer questions. We are hoping Americans who own land in Canada will come to the meeting, too. Canadian tax rules are different than U.S. rules and Americans may be surprised by the amount of capital gains tax the Canadian government collects on a property disposition.”

Capital gains tax is owing on any disposition of property – a sale, a gift, a transfer to children, or passing it on to heirs. The capital gains tax is based on the increase in the value of the property since it was acquired plus the cost of any capital improvements such as a new roof or an addition. Let’s say, for example, that Janet Smith bought a cottage with a sizable piece of land on Cedar Lake for $75,000 in 1985. She upgraded the cottage for another $25,000. It is now worth $500,000. Capital gains tax will be calculated on the increase in value which, in this made-up example, would be $400,000. Capital gains tax that would be owing on the sale of the cottage or its transfer to her children, before or after death, would be around $100,000.

“Not everyone can afford to cover the capital gains taxes owing when they pass a property on in their family. Instead, they may have to sell the property and use the revenue from the sale to pay the money owing to the government,” continues Schmolka. “Working with a land trust has two big advantages – you can conserve the land you love for the long-term and you can reduce your tax liabilities.”

Schmolka hopes that people will come to the meeting on July 29 to find out more, before it is too late.

Stride to Turn the Tide

Support the GRANDMOTHERS BY THE LAKE, a local chapter of The Stephen Lewis Foundation, for our 2nd annual Stride to Turn the Tide.

We will be accepting donations to support our African Sisters who are raising orphaned children due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Family & friends can donate on line at Stride to Turn the Tide Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign or through Lori 613-888-5467 or join us on June 9, 11:00am at the Cataraqui Trail, Sydenham FOODLAND. If you have a medical condition or other reason to doubt whether you should participate in this initiative, please consult your primary health care provider.

Every step we take honours African grandmothers courage & resolve in the face of the HIV pandemic. They are truly Powered by Love.

Contact: Lori 613-888-5467 to confirm details 18

The SCOOP • June / July 2018

Do you know we have....

8’- 2x4 & 2x6 Economy & Pressure Treated Lumber, Mortar Mix, Rapid Post, Concrete Mix, Deck Blocks, ABS & PVC Pipe, Big-O, Poly Pipe and more...

613-379-1064

Home-cooked food • Lottery machine Silk flower arrangements • Newspapers Headstone flowers • And much more!

OPEN 7 Days a Week 613-379-2202 Solution to the word game on page 19:

Lessons Learned Blair McDonald

I

n my last entry, I had some fun remembering some of the lifestyle differences between living in BC and Ontario. One that I forgot to touch on, which is always surprising to me, is our transition out of winter and into spring (I mean, summer).

Spring in Kamloops is like driving through Erinsville; if you are fumbling with the radio station or looking for that fry you dropped, you might miss it. Sorry Uncle Jim and Aunt Gail, I just couldn’t resist that one.

Now, I should caution that Kamloops is unique in this regard; not all of BC shares the same weather patterns. For locals, we do have a reputation as having one of the sunniest cities in Canada (whose claim is common pub talk around these parts). I googled this claim to ensure I wasn’t spreading misinformation but based on what I have found, Calgary (and Alberta, in general) lead the way in terms of sunshine.

Ahem, but not all is fake news. My fellow pub goers aren’t entirely off the mark.

According to a 2015 article on The Weather Network, we do rank number one for hottest summers. Take that, Terrace!

But the climate is remarkably different. A spring rain shower leaves thin-skinned Kamloopians and Arizona-returning snowbirds glum as the day is long.

But the few days of off-and-on rain showers are followed by days of high 20s/low 30s temperatures that has everyone racing to the stores for shorts, sunscreen, and Hey Y’alls while local moms frantically post on Facebook about ways to rally the city to open the local pools as soon as possible.

I always think that this freakish summer weather will end and return to a proper spring. And guess what? It never happens. Growing up in Eastern Ontario, I remember spring weather very differently. Gardeners fear an early May frost and ballplayers remember multiple rainouts due to wet fields.

But for all the positives, anyone who keeps up with Canadian news will know that forest fires and even early May floods are a perennial fear (if not reality) around these parts. The water in the North Thompson River (and elsewhere) across BC is rising as I write this. It’s one thing to have wet lawns, but to have your house under threat of extensive flood damage is a grim reality for many rural (lower level) parts of BC. Last summer, the city itself was covered in a thick blanket of smoke for not a couple days, but literally, months. One can hope that it doesn’t go this way again.

While I may be waterskiing in May, one thing that BC residents cannot count on is a predictable summer, but here’s hoping!

Solution to the crossword puzzle on page 19:

Puzzle Page The New York Times Crossword

By Brendan Emmett Quigley / Edited by Will Shortz

Jumble

Word Game

Sudoku

June / July 2018 • The SCOOP

19

Memories of Erinsville Twenty miles north of Napanee, You can travel by road or rail.

Just over the hill from Tamworth Close by an Indian Trail.

Hemmed in by farms, lakes and woods Immune from the city’s grind, A town that makes you feel superb, With worries left behind.

And here we find the common folks Who see the best of life.

Not loaded down with stocks and bonds, They are free from care and strife.

Here people greet you with a smile, That drives all gloom away Changing scenes to meet your eyes Throughout the livelong day.

The children swim where the Indian rowed, In his little birch canoe.

They play “I Spy” and pluck wild flowers Where the big bears used to chew.

Pitch your tent beside the lake, And tuck in for the night.

Pleasant dreams will come to you.

And mosquitoes will not bite.

The stagecoach passed beside this place In the days of long ago.

But now the motor sings a song And fields of alfalfa grow.

Canadian memories linger still, While the days and months roll by.

Seem to soothe the storms of life, Like a rainbow in the sky.

The millionaire and professional, The middle man and the low Linked together in brotherhood As vacations come and go.

Sweet voices ever come to me And familiar faces too.

Where kindred spirits revelled long Beside the lake so blue.

From the U.S.A. they come in groups, The sunburned and the fair.

Canadian friendship is so warm

20

The SCOOP • June / July 2018

WAYLEN CAR WASH

They love to tarry there.

Palmetto stands beside the lake, Her dancing space so fine, The old and the young go there for fun When the stars begin to shine.

A sea of autos parked around, From home and foreign land, Attest the magic of the spot Where you get the welcome hand.

One night, the hall was crowded, And the waltzing at its best, A signal was given by the leader To take a little rest.

Then a pianist’s delicate fingers Tapped o’er the notes at will.

The dancers broke from partners And the hall at once was still.

Wash It All Here: Boats, Trailers, and ATVs Dave & Barb Way

CTY RD. 4, TAMWORTH

A man stepped on the platform, From the village choir, I’m told.

He’d worked that day in the harvest And his face bore a tan of gold.

Picking up the strains of the ballad With voice so soft and sweet He carried us off to ecstasy Where love is more than neat.

We were thrilled with beautiful music, From fingertips to toes.

And still I hear those old sweet strains Of “My Wild Irish Rose.”

Erinsville, I’ll dream of you, On my Pennsylvania cot.

Your fame and splendor will go on, Long after I’m forgot!

VANNESS AUTOMOTIVE TAMWORTH We do all kinds of vehicle & small engine repairs

— “Uncle Josh” (unknown), 1931 This poem about the Erinsville area was written by an American tourist in 1931 and given to Clare Neville (one of the early local families) and was recently discovered by a granddaughter. The “Palmetto” in the poem was the name for the Beaver Lake dance pavilion located on the shore of North Beaver Lake more recently referred to as O’Neill’s Dance hall.

Call today to book: 613-379-2909

Machines (and Operator) for Hire two snow plows, and road sanding equipment. For Scott, the joy of operating large machinery has always been about what you can accomplish with it.

Sandy Youmans

S

cott Weese has always had an affinity for working with heavy machines. He fondly recalls riding around on tractors as a young boy and learning how to operate machinery on River Valley Farm as a teenager. When Scott’s uncle, Cliff, gave him the opportunity to work for Weese Landscaping and further develop his machine operating expertise, Scott jumped at the chance. Under Cliff ’s supervision, Scott learned how to operate heavy equipment, like dump trucks, excavators, and skid steers.

So what exactly is Scott able to accomplish with his machines? Some of the services offered by Weese Landscaping include:

In 2013, Scott bought Weese Landscaping from his uncle, the sole proprietor of the business. After five years of business ownership, Scott’s collection of machines consists of a dump truck, a mini excavator, two skid steers, a road grader,

- digging trenches for hydro, sewer, and water lines - digging ponds - building and maintaining (cottage) roads and driveways, including gradingclearing paths in wooded areas - delivering topsoil, sand, and gravel - placing large stones - filling in ditches and holes (including in-ground swimming pools no longer in use) - putting in footings for garages and small buildings - placing sauna tubes for decks - levelling and seeding/sodding property of homes and cottages - plowing roads, commercial properties, and driveways - maintaining and restoring shorelines (with proper permits, of course!)

High-Efficiency Water Softener Uses 78% less salt and 77% less water than conventional water softeners

Scott Weese, owner of Weese Landscaping in Tamworth.

One of the things that Scott enjoys most about his work is coming up with solutions to meet the needs of his clients.

For example, Scott was contacted by an elderly couple who had a small hill on their property that was causing them grief. On one side of the hill, it was hard for the couple to cut the grass with a push mower and the grass was growing unevenly. Scott’s creative solution to the problem, developed in collaboration with his clients, was to fill the troublesome

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side of the hill with river rock from a local quarry. The end result was both esthetically pleasing and practical as the couple no longer needed to mow the lawn on that part of the hill.

For more information about the services offered by Weese Landscaping or to get a no-obligation quote, contact Scott at (613) 929-3200, weeselandscaping@icloud.com, or the Weese Landscaping Facebook page.

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Robert Kortgaard & Peter Tiefenbach with Julie Nasrallah & Brett Plegato July 10, :15 p.m.

Great musicians perform Alliage Quintet memorable music in the friendly July 16, 7:15 p.m. atmosphere of St. Paul’s Church, Vienna Piano Trio Amherst Island.

July 29, 7:15 p.m.

Beverley Harris, Artistic Director Rolston String Quartet For more information please visit our website!

August 10, 4:15 p.m.

Jonathan Crow, Philip Chiu & Gabriel Radford

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21

Summer Concert and Sing-Along Jerry Weller

“T

he power of live music - going to a concert, performing, or playing an instrument deepens a student’s appreciation and broadens their minds,” says Debra Rantz, Director of Education for the Limestone District School Board, commenting on the upcoming Open Voices Community Choir concert for local elementary school students and their families, on Wednesday, June 6. “The concert also demonstrates to students how music is a lifelong enjoyment or skill, and how you can sing and enjoy music your entire life.

We can’t thank Open Voices enough for providing such a wonderful opportunity for our students, both as performers and as the audience.”

Celebrate summer on June 6 when Limestone District School Board, Blue Skies Music in the Community, Open Voices Community Choir, Gary Rasberry, plus The Kitchen Gypsies all team up to present “What If Kids Ran the World?” - a concert full of summer-fun songs and family sing-alongs. All 750 matinee seats are already filled. However, while they last, early-evening 7 p.m. show tickets are still available for only $10 (ages 15 and under) and $20 (adults) ONLY AT The Grand Theatre box office in Kingston, online at www.kingstongrand.ca/event/ what-if-kids-ran-world or call 613-5302050. Be sure to bring the kids.

The concerts feature Gary Rasberry (poet, author, teacher, singer-songwriter,

recording artist, and Juno-Nominee for Children’s Album of the Year) plus The Kitchen Gypsies (the Kingston-based group that plays the Gypsy Jazz style of music also known as “gypsy swing,” “hot club jazz,” and “Jazz Manouche,” created

by Django Reinhardt in France in the 1930s).

Gary Rasberry has enjoyed a twenty-year performance career at festivals including Blue Skies, Northern Lights, Boreal Home County, and Shelter Valley Folk. He lives in Kingston, teaches at Queen’s University, and offers song, story, and sound workshops in schools. Gary’s Juno-nominated album, “What’s the Big Idea?!?” is full of the musical echoes of Pete Seeger, a splash of Fred Penner, and the nostalgic vibe of songs sung around

Gary Rasberry.

the campfire. Like his album “The Very Next Day,” his concerts offer a rollicking ride through fields of guitar pop, blues, and roots music.

The Kitchen Gypsies stick to the “classic” line-up of musicians featured in Django Reinhardt’s most famous group, the “Quintette du Hot Club de France”, in which the solo work alternated between Reinhardt on guitar, and jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli. The Kitchen Gypsies are Suzanne Becker (Violin/Vocals), Ray Croxford (Bass), Ray Desrosiers (Accordion/Harmonica/Vocals), Gary Greer (Rhythm Guitar), and Ron Heidebrecht (Lead Guitar/Vocals). They have performed together at festivals, events, gatherings, and celebrations in and around Kingston for many years.

The Kitchen Gypsies.

Hilltop Variety and Gas Bar 2068 County Rd 1 E, Box 89 Newburgh, ON K0K 2S0 Phone: 613-378-0185

Store Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.

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Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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Mon-Tue 10am-6pm • Wed-Fri 9am-6pm • Sat 9am-noon

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Email us at: stonemills.scoop@gmail.com 22

The SCOOP • June / July 2018

Colleen’s Cleaning FOR ALL YOUR CLEANING NEEDS! Colleen Martin-Fabius 613-379-5959 www.ColleensCleaning.ca cmfclean@gmail.com

THEME WEEKENDS Every weekend in July & August

National Food Policy — Bland Gruel, So Far Dianne Dowling

I

was excited, in November 2015, when I learned that Prime Minister Trudeau mandated his agriculture minister to develop a national food policy.

Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, was asked to “develop a food policy that promotes healthy living and safe food by putting more healthy, high-quality food, produced by Canadian ranchers and farmers, on the tables of families across the country.”

It’s surprising, actually, that Canada doesn’t already have a national food policy. After all, everyone needs to eat everyday. Food is critical to our survival.

Shouldn’t there be a national food policy to ensure that Canadians have the opportunity to eat healthy every day?

Sadly, the government’s results so far are very disappointing — a bureaucratic recitation of the patchwork of programs that are already in place, and vague references to future intentions.

Where is the sense of urgency expressed by social justice organizations, appalled that 12% of Canadian households are food insecure? That’s 4 million people, including 1.5 million children, living in homes that struggle to put food on the table.

Where is the passion conveyed by the new generation of young farmers, seeking support for their goal of producing food for Canadians? The average age of farmers in Canada is 57.

There will be a huge transition in farmland ownership in the next 20 years.

Who will be farming that land?

Where is the commitment to increase the supply and quality of food in the North, in indigenous communities and in food deserts (places without full range grocery stores)?

In the spring of 2017, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) began the process of consultations, saying, “A food policy for Canada will set a long-term vision for the health, environmental, social, and economic goals related to food, while identifying actions we can take in the short-term.” (my italics — I’ll get back to vision and actions later.)

AAFC announced it would be consulting Canadians on four themes: increasing access to affordable food; improving health and food safety; conserving our soil, water, and air; and growing more high-quality food. The ministry conducted national, regional, and local meetings to hear from Canadians and received 90 written submissions and 45,000 responses to its online survey.

In the fall of 2017, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food heard from 52 witnesses and received 14 briefs, publishing its report in December 2017. I was happy to see that, in addition to addressing the four AAFC themes, the committee included a section on the next generation of farmers and access to land and farm labour.

Late in March, Minister MacAulay released the government’s response to the committee’s recommendations — a very disappointing, unsatisfying reply, in which each of the 21 recommendations is listed as either supported or supported in

principle, followed by a list of the actions the government is already taking related to the recommendation, and some of the points raised during the consultations — but no specifics about what the government plans to do about food in Canada.

Food Secure Canada (FSC), an alliance of organizations and individuals working to increase food security and food sovereignty in Canada, brings a social justice perspective on food policy. FSC conducted its own consultations into food policy for Canada from 2008 to 2011, actively participated in the 2017 national food policy consultations, and has commented on the government’s response, listing eight major concerns with the response.

A troubling aspect of the government’s response is the emphasis on building our food production system by increasing exports of our food products. Trade is important, but using our farming resources to grow export goods doesn’t fulfill the mandate to increase the amount of “...healthy, high-quality food, produced by Canadian ranchers and farmers, on the tables of families across the country.”

Here are FSC’s suggestions for action to make the national food policy a force for positive change:

1.

2.

Of special concern to food justice organizations are two of the three recommendations that were supported only “in principle” — acknowledging the right to adequate nutrition, and creating a national food policy advisory body.

3.

What is stopping the government from giving full support to the right to adequate nutrition? Canada has already signed an international agreement to protect the right to adequate food, but it is not acting to fully implement that promise.

concrete measures to implement the right to food for all Canadians; a new food policy governance mechanism where civil society has a voice at the table; and, an ambitious vision for food in Canada, with practical policies that will lead to a healthier, more equitable and sustainable food system.

Let your MP and Minister MacAulay know what you think about food policy.

You can write, postage free, to any MP at House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6.

Why would the government resist forming a national advisory body to oversee the national food policy we have been promised? Such a body would be the forum for individuals and organizations to bring food and farm concerns to the attention of the government, and to hold the government accountable for its commitments.

Let’s put “vision” and “actions” into Canada’s national food policy, to make it a hearty soup, not a watery broth.

Dianne Dowling is a member of the Food Policy Council for KFL&A, and other local food and farm organizations. Her family has a certified organic dairy and beef farm in Frontenac County.

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The SCOOP • June / July 2018

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