GREY COUNTY LIFE

Inspired by the sun, longer days, and a homesteading and survivalist book we bought, my fiancee and I decided it was a great time to grow some veggies at home.

REUBEN MCCALLUM

I have done my own veg gardens off and on for a few years now. We navigated the learning curve of curbside pick-up from the hardware and co-op stores and got the supplies we needed to build 3 raised boxes - a great team-building exercise!

Sales Representative RE/MAX High Country Realty Inc., Brokerage facebook.com/reubenmccallumrealtor www.reubenmccallum.com (519) 477-0418

Spring is just around the corner and that is just…exciting!

For me, this Winter feels like it is dragging on a bit, but I guess it always feels that way when we get to this point in the season. I remember last Spring we were all just getting used to the idea of lockdowns, closures, and cancellations. With all the uncertainty, there was a short period where our Real Estate market slowed (or as close to slow as you can imagine in this craziness) and I found myself with more time on my hands. I always get satisfaction from picking and eating our own produce and the thrill never gets old. I can not say we were overly successful but we tried and we were able to have a few dinners supplemented with our own produce. It does taste different, it tastes better! Maybe I will post some pictures as we get working on our plan for Spring 2021.

If you do not grow your own produce, you will have to visit some local farmer’s markets this year and buy some and do the taste test for yourself.

Whatever you are looking forward to this Spring, I hope you are successful and if you a ready to make a spring move, I am ready to help!

www.apparelco.ca

Agnes Macphail would feel right at home at Susan’s Deli

If Agnes Macphail were alive today, she would most definitely feel right at home at Susan’s Delicatessen in Markdale.

Here’s a little-known fact about Agnes...

Did you know that she loved, more than anything, a good Portuguese Tart?

No?

That’s because it’s not true. I just made it up.

But, if Agnes were around today, I’d like to think she’d be pleased to see so many female business owners across Grey County and right here in Grey Highlands - her old stomping ground. She’d probably like the Tarts, too.

We’ve been featuring some of the fantastic food items available at Susan’s Deli in the last few editions, but did you know that you can buy more than frozen meals, baked goods, coffee, sandwiches, and charcuterie trays?

No? You can! I’m not making this stuff up.

Susan’s has morphed into what I like to call “The Markdale General” - a one-stopshop for all things local and artisan. From handmade pottery, personal hygiene products, and even apparel items imported from Dundalk; to fruits, vegetables and various delicacy items that I’m not allowed to talk about.

But that’s not all.

Susan’s also carries the coolest, most hipster-esque decor items like their Markdale pennants so you can show your love for local.

So the next time you head into Markdale, think Susan’s. And the next time you head into Susan’s, think food, drink...and more!

By: Papa Country

SUSAN’S DELICATESSEN 15 Main Street West, Markdale www.susansmarkdale.com Instagram: @susans.deli (519) 270-1520

How often have you had a negative feeling in the last year? With the current pandemic, it may be a regular occurrence. This can take the form of stress, anxiety, fear, sadness to name a few. These are general terms, and we sometimes express our feelings with these labels. With these big general terms, sometimes it can make things feel difficult to move beyond. Let’s talk about how self reflection can help move you forward and help point you towards solutions.

With all that is going on, you may find that you can feel the big emotions - “frustrated”, “angry”, “stressed out”, etc. Now that you have identified an emotion, have you ever asked yourself “What specifically is the root cause of this feeling?”. Working down from a big idea, down to the specific root cause can help to pinpoint solutions or actions to change how you are feeling. An even better way of asking this question is “What is the positive intention behind this feeling?”. The answer that you get may not be the one you initially expected.

Doing this successfully relies on 2 things: 1) Understanding that your unconscious mind will always answer and speak honestly, and 2) The intention of the unconscious mind is always to protect you and to do something positive for you. Understand that the negative feelings or emotions are signals from your body, or your unconscious mind, that is offering you some kind of protection. Even with the positive intention behind that feeling, the resulting action may not seem to be beneficial to you on the surface, but understanding this will bring awareness to the solution of your problem.

If you think about it, you’ll realize that your body and mind are made to identify when things go “wrong” so you can address them, and can easily ignore when things are going right. Think about your heart beat: when things are calm and going well, you likely don’t notice your heart beating, but when you are startled by something, you can instantly feel your heart pounding. Of course, you’re always in control of this focus, either consciously or unconsciously. That’s exactly why you can begin to notice the feeling of your eyes blinking, now.

JONATHAN NHAN

Co-Founder, Curate and Upgrade

The lesson here is that negative feelings - fear, anger, sadness, trauma, grief - these are all names we give to the signals our body produces for us to alert us of potential danger. It’s funny that when our body tries to alert us to something like this, a common reaction is to look away and ignore.

In times where there is stress and uncertainty, being able to look at the feelings and look past them to the positive intentions will help you understand and accept them. The questions above are merely a starting point for self reflection and I continue to find these questions useful for myself and my clients. There are many different manifestations of self love, and in this specific case, I am thinking of self love for yourself to accept the parts of you sending these signals - really love them for the good they do for you, and also the act of taking time for yourself - to truly care for yourself.

Jonathan Nhan Co-Founder Curate and Upgrade www.curateandupgrade.ca