Uxbridge Town Talk - December 2015

Volume 7 | Issue 10 | December 2015

taylor tree farm | it’s winter! | butter tarts | yarn ball ornaments

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uxbridge town talk

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contents

volume 7 | issue 10 | december 2015

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he best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis

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Town Talk Tidbits December Facts

Art in Uxbridge ‘Tis the Season All Year Long

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Faces of Uxbridge Design Defined by You

7 Agricultural News Taylor Tree Farm

8 Community Calendar December 2015

9 Community Calendar Cont’d December 2015

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Youthful Yammerings The Election: The Play

13 UTT Kitchen Butter Tarts

14 Crafty Corner Yarn Ball Ornaments

15 Guest Column The Holiday Season is Upon Us

Peacefully Productive It’s Winter!

December, what a great month! Will it snow? We hope so as Santa prefers a snowy runway (yes, I still believe!). The children love a snow filled playground and family and friends can participate in winter activities and good cheer. I absolutely cherish Christmas, and this year or newest granddaughter will celebrate her first with our crazy bunch. We are now a sixteen strong energetic clan that make up the heart of our family. Collectively, we laugh, cry, giggle and are united in this strong, compassionate and indestructible group. We have evolved from our much loved Mom/Grandma and G.G. and beloved Dad/Pops. They would be proud that we are upholding their values and holiday traditions. We take comfort in knowing that they will be watching us carrying on these traditions and passing them on to the next generation.

During each holiday time, I reflect on the fact that I am lucky to meet many people in my job publishing this magazine. Many of these wonderful people have enjoyed the privilege of enjoying a large family such as ours and have their own traditions. Yet, there are families that suffer at this time of year with loneliness or financial stress. Let this time of year be a reminder to us all to take the time for others. Whether it is driving someone to their doctor’s appointments, donating to a charity, promoting a fundraiser or donating to the local toy drive. If we all try to do at least one thing, then our community will be a better place.

Our gift to each other should be tolerance of others, absence of bullying, goodwill to the less fortunate and continue to contribute unselfishly to this town to make it even better. A community all wrapped up in each other!

All that being said I think December is a pretty special month.

A Heartfelt Merry Christmas To All Of You.

-town talk STAFF Managing Editor: Elaine Leigh Graphic Designer: Sandi Leigh Sales Manager: Sandi Leigh

CONTACT US Phone: 905 862 3747 Email: info@uxbridgetowntalk.com www.uxbridgetowntalk.com

CONTRIBUTORS Darrin Davis Mackenzie Bradshaw Dorothea Helms Pamela Beach Samantha Smith WIlliam Ducey

MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 1035, Uxbridge ON L9P 1N3 OFFICE ADDRESS 24 Toronto St. N., Unit 3 Uxbridge, ON L9P 1E6

EDITORIAL MESSAGE Unless otherwise stated, all product reviews, articles and other features are chosen by us at our discretion. If you would like to be featured please contact us.

Uxbridge Town Talk is a monthly publication by Sweet World Media. The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for the claims, views, opinions, comments or advertisement herein. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Uxbridge Town Talk does not endorse any advertised product, service or event. The Publisher is not responsible for any typographical errors. Advertisers are responsible for any copyright issues. Uxbridge Town Talk will not be held responsible for errors, print or otherwise, in submitted ads. No part of this publication, including advertisements, may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.

Copyright © Sweet World Media 2009-2015

www.sweetworldmedia.com

The font used in “Uxbridge Town Talk” is the Gibson Family Font designed by Rod McDonald to honor my father in law John Gibson. It is available for sale at www.canadatype.net/fonts/ gibson. All proceeds are donated by Canada Type to various programs to help improve creative arts and to elevate design programs in Canada.

COVER PHOTO John Cavers | Local Photographer facebook.com/uxbridgetowntalk

Pick up copies at: Zehrs,Vinces, Blue Heron Books, Township Office,Uxbridge and Zephyr libraries, NRG4Life and more.

twitter.com/uxtowntalk

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town talk tidbits

| december facts |

SOURCED FROM: FAMOUSBIRTHDAYS.COM | WHYCHRISTMAS.COM | DUCKSTERS.COM

BIRTHDAYS

The late Walt Disney was born on Dec. 5th 1901. Frank Sinatra would have been 100 on Dec. 12th and Taylor Swift was born on Dec. 13th. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau will be 43 on Christmas Day and the great novelist Nicholas Sparks will be 49 on Dec. 31st better know as New Years eve!

Happy Birthday!

December

25, 2015 Christmas Day

Canada is a very large country and people of many different cultural backgrounds live here. Because of this, there are lots of different Christmas traditions in Canada. Many of the traditions and celebrations come from French, English, Irish, Scottish, German and native/first nation influences.

WORLDWIDE

Christmas Carol’s

December in Other Languages Chinese (Mandarin) - shí’èryuè Danish - december French - décembre Italian - dicembre Latin - December Spanish - diciembre

Carols were first sung in Europe thousands of years ago, but these were not Christmas Carols.

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Christmas Crackers

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December was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar. It gets its name from the Latin word “decem” which means tenth. However, when the Romans added January and February to the calendar, it became the twelfth month. They still kept the name, though.

Christmas crackers are a traditional Christmas favorite in the UK. They were first made in about 1845-1850 by a London sweet maker called Tom Smith.

One night, while he was sitting in front of his log fire, he became very interested by the sparks and cracks coming from the fire. Suddenly, he thought what a fun idea it would be, if his sweets and toys could be opened with a crack when their fancy wrappers were pulled in half.

Crackers were originally called ‘cosaques’ and were thought to be named after the ‘Cossack’ soldiers who had a reputation for riding on their horses and firing guns into the air!

They were pagan songs, sung at the Winter Solstice celebrations as people danced round stone circles (The word carol originally meant to dance to something). The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, usually taking place around the 22nd December.

The word Carol actually means dance or a song of praise and joy! Carols used to be written and sung during all four seasons, but only the tradition of singing them at Christmas has really survived.

is wishing you all a very

Merry Christmas

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Don’t forget to come down to the Fantasy of Lights to see our display! See you in February!

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faces of uxbridge

| design defined by you |

BY ELAINE LEIGH

What an opportunity to meet this young couple of this month’s faces! I had the opportunity to meet this busy family who has managed not only to design an incredible jewellery line, but also a software program that brings custom jewellery into the 20th century.

Meet Jeffrey Ross and Patti Moloney, partners in this great innovative company, Dimples.

I have written about Jeffrey in the past, with his innovative technique of thumbprint jewellery. Not surprisingly, since the first interview he has partnered with his wife to bring Dimples to a new level. Once again using innovative technology, they have developed a three dimensional software program that takes custom jewellery to a new level!

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The development of this technology has been a long process and no doubt an expensive one. Yet, in the end Dimples will be a state of the art custom design company under the guidance of Jeffrey and Patti. With a strong emphasis on the environment, Dimples reduces its carbon footprint by manufacturing in North America, eliminating the need for manufacturing and shipping from overseas.

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This innovative process is a unique way of allowing customers to create their own design using Dimples 3D software. As a consumer your options are three fold. Try Dimples Doodles using your child’s cherished drawings. Perhaps you will like Love Notes; where you children’s first note can be imprinted on your jewellery. Then there is Photo Booth, where photographs are used and saved forever on your designed piece. The software allows you to view your jewellery design prior to ordering from the comfort of your home. This process, one they call “me-commerce”, is unique and truly personalized and their traditional thumbprint jewellery is also a part of this software development. Watch for the addition of scanners available soon right here in Uxbridge, allowing you to scan your thumbprint, and view your design in 3D. All jewelry can be ordered locally and is manufactured in Canada.

Since consumers today are shopping on line more often, Jeffrey and Patti have found a way to keep the money local by utilizing the latest state of the art technology.

If you are interested in a demonstration, Patti and Jeffrey are always willing to enthusiastically share their technology. Give them a call or visit their store at 280 Main St. N. Suite 200 (Technology Square) Uxbridge, or check out their website at dimplescharms.com.

Either way I am certain you will be as impressed as I was.

As a resident of Uxbridge Elaine has taken the helm of Sweet World Media, publisher of Uxbridge Town Talk. Elaine has three passions, family, photography and her Golden Retriever Jake.

With a new business, four grandchildren and plenty of photo opportunities in Uxbridge, life’s been busy but fun!

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offers a few perks to help make this special day with your family even more memorable. Whether you cut your own or choose from their fresh pre-cut options you can relax and enjoy a tractor ride, bonfire and refreshment stand while your tree is drilled, shook and bailed ready to make its way to your living room.

Fun Fact: The largest tree sold at Taylor Tree Farms was a 20ft tall Spruce.

Growing up, the holidays were always my favourite time of the year. I loved the snow, curling up to a movie or holiday special by a roaring fire, seeing all your friends and family and of course the Christmas tree with its warm, inviting, crisp aroma, oozing holiday spirit.

I always took picking out the perfect tree very seriously, it had to be just right (which to me meant big, round and full), but as I learned recently when I met John at Taylor Tree Farms there is more to picking your tree then one might think.

For example, if you are like me and love coming home to the beautiful aroma of your tree then a Spruce or a Fir are your best bets. If you would like to enjoy your tree a little longer, a Fir would be the way to go as it holds it’s needles better than other species. There are also the colour of the tree and the type of decorations you wish for it to hold to consider.

Having purchased the farm from the Taylor family back in the early 80’s John went to work turning the then 50 acres, into a working tree farm. The number of acres fluctuated over the years and today with over 34 years of experience; Taylor Tree Farms has over 100 acres of farmland, which (at approximately 1000 trees per acre) equates to somewhere around 100,000 trees. Each one of these trees will take anywhere from 6-10 years before they have matured; which, depending on the species means they will be anywhere from 5-10ft tall. During this time the ground must be mowed, sprayed for weeds, fertilized, and the trees trimmed. Taylor Tree Farms currently offers six species of trees for you to choose from: the Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir (currently their most popular thanks to its ability to hold needles), Colorado Blue Spruce, White Spruce, White Pine and Scotch Pine; there is the perfect tree for everyone here.

Taylor Tree Farms also

Tip: To keep your tree healthy throughout the holidays remember to cut an inch off the bottom of your tree not longer then 30 minutes prior to putting the tree in water. The reason for this is that after 30 minutes the tree will begin to seal the cut, if this happens it will not be able to absorb the water necessary to keep it alive. Once it is in water remember to keep the water topped up to prevent the tree from sealing.

After spending the last year traveling abroad Samantha has come home to discover the hidden gems in and surrounding Uxbridge. Local to Goodwood, Samantha splits her time between managing her family’s Alpaca farm, photography and traveling - so naturally exploring local farms seemed like a perfect fit!

agricultural news

BY SAMANTHA SMITH

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| taylor tree farm |

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community calendar

| december community calendar | SATURDAY DECEMBER 5TH Oh Susanna, Stars at Greenbank Folk Concert Canadian, Suzie Ungerleider, has a voice that can pierce a heart of stone. Her superbly crafted songs often tell stories of troubled souls who rebel against their circumstances to attain a quiet dignity. These are tales of longing and love, of small town joys and pains, of our simple feelings and strong passions. These are tales that look into our beautifully flawed human hearts.

Greenbank Folk Music Society, Greenbank Centennial Hall, Greenbank (Hwy 12, 30 mins north of Whitby). Tickets are $ 25 at: - Blue Heron Books, 62 Brock St West, in Uxbridge, 905-852-4282 , - P O E Design, 146 Queen St, in Port Perry, 905-985-0060 ,- or Phone 905-985-8351 for reserved tickets and information.

Time: 8:00 pm - 11:30 pm Where: Greenbank Centennial Hall Contact: 905-985-8351

Santa Train Rides We have received news from the North Pole that Santa will be riding our trains departing from the Uxbridge station only on Saturdays & Sundays in late November and early December. Check our website for specific dates and times. Each trip lasts approximately 1 hour and has onboard entertainment for children of all ages (including the adults!). Santa will be visiting each child at their seat and distributing goodies to each. Seating is limited and by reservation only so Santa Claus fans should reserve early so they won’t be disappointed. Fares: $20 per person or 4 for $74, Children under 1 ride free. Continues Saturdays and Sundays until Dec. 13th.

Visit Santa at Community Cleaning A Merry visitor from the North Pole will be visiting Community Cleaning. Join us for some late SUNDAY DECEMBER 6TH night shopping, amazing deals, and refreshments. Receive a free Santa photo from Monday Morning Singers Xmas Concert Sweet World Media.

“Dancing Day” The Monday Morning Sing- Time: 6:00 pm -7:00 pm ers, director, Anne Mizen, present a Christ- Where: Community Cleaning, 73 Brock St. W. mas concert “Dancing Day”. The major work Contact: 905-852-9419 is John Rutter’s exploration of old English carols, “Dancing Day” for women’s voices, Visit Santa at with piano , clarinet and double bass. The choir will also present Christmas music from medieval times to the present. As always, the audience is invited to join in the singing of favourite carols. Our guest musicians are Edward Tait, bass, and Bonnie Johnson-Burrell, clarinet. Members of the choir, Joan Andrews joins us on flute, as well as soprano Grace Rogers. Dorothy Jovkovic, the choirs regular accompanist, is our accomplished pianist. Tickets available at Presents, Presents or at the door. Children under 12 free.

Time: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Where: 399 Ashworth SR

Time: 3:00 pm Where: St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 65 Toronto St.

MONDAY DECEMBER 7TH

FRIDAY DECEMBER 11TH

Pineridge Chorus 30th Anniversary Open House A Celebration of Pineridge Chorus Sweet Adelines 30th Anniversary. Chorus and SLAM! Quartet will perform. Prizes - Refreshments - Sing Along too! Free Admission to all our Family and Friends. Donation to Loaves & Fishes Food Bank is welcome.

Come and Have Fun!

Teddy Bear Toss at Uxbridge Bruins Game The Uxbridge Bruins Hockey Club invite fans to showcase their generosity in the spirit of the holiday season! Fans are asked to bring a NEW teddy bear (wrapped in plastic) to throw onto the ice immediately following the Bruins first goal of the game. All teddy bears will be donated to the Uxbridge Toy Drive – supporting local families. Everyone Welcome! Admission Fees: Adults: $9.00; Students/Seniors: $6.00; Children under 12: $4.00

Where: Uxbridge Music Hall, 16 Main St. South Contact: 905-473-2342 or 2chrism@hotmail.ca

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10TH

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Time: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Where: 19 Railway Street, Uxbridge Website: www.ydhr.com

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Handmade in Uxbridge Show & Sale in the Blue Heron Studio Come by and say hi, and see our amazing “POP UP” show Jeff Baker Holiday Sale Dec.5 & 6th 12- Grand Opening Dec.12 2015 (show runs 5pm at Jeff Baker Woodworks Studio. Host- daily from Dec.10-22) Blue Heron Studio ing Local talents Fly Freeman and Cynthia (rear entrance of Blue Heron Books) Couples. “Come Celebrate with us, Enjoy WE’RE OPEN DAILY! Craft Beer, Cider and & Artisan Cheese. Por- Time: 2:00 pm -5:00 pm tion of proceeds going to Stand For Trees Where: Blue Heron Books, 62 Brick St. W. foundation.”

Time: 7:45 pm - 9:30 pm Where: Uxbridge Arena

SATURDAY DECEMBER 12TH Wind Reach Farm’s Holly Jolly Jubilee It’s that time of year again! Please join us for our annual Holly Jolly Jubilee Open House Event on Saturday, December 12, 2015. Visit with farm animals, take a cozy wagon ride, children’s crafts, lunch and photos with Santa.

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Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Where: Wind Reach Farm, 312 Townline Rd, Ashburn Contact: 905-655-5827

Uxbridge Optimist 8th annual Fantasy of Lights. For the weeks leading up to Christmas, residents and visitors can drive or walk through Elgin Park in the evening to enjoy the many displays of lights by local businesses, schools, churches and organizations. Entrance is free, donations to the Optimist Club are welcome. Opening night is December 12th and it runs until January 3rd.

Time: 4:00 pm - 9:30 pm Where: Elgin Park, Uxbridge

SUNDAY DECEMBER 13TH Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario Community Church Service. Our annual service will be held at the Historic Leaskdale Church at 1:00 pm. Light refreshments.

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Where: HIstoric Leaskdale Church

REGULAR EVENTS Baby Cafe is a non-fee drop in program offered Mondays, all pregnant women, parents & caregivers with infants are welcome. Each session is facilitated by a Lactation Consultant, and a healthy snack is provided. For more information families can contact us.

music from folk to classical. No auditions Where: St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 65 Toronto Street S Contact: 905-852-3693

Wanna Dance? Line Dancing. “You can dance, have fun and exercise all at the same time!” says Dianne Wiseman, the instructor for the line dancing classes being held at the Seniors Centre in Uxbridge. For ages 55 plus Line dancing is great exercise for virtually your whole body. Every Thursday.

Time: 9:00am - 11:30am Where: 75 Marietta Street, Uxbridge Contact: 905-852-7792

Taoist Tai Chi at the Uxbridge Seniors Centre.

Includes a gentle set of movements that promote well-being for people of all ages and in all conditions. Beginner class: every Friday 9-10am.

Continuous class: every Friday 10-11:30am.

Where: 75 Marietta Street, Uxbridge Contact: 905 852 2587

Royal Canadian Legion Every Friday night we play euchre, so if you are interested please come out at 7:00 to sign up and play starts at 7:30 PM. It is a great night of fun for all in the downstairs clubroom.

Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion We have Bingo every Thursday night at 7:30 P.M. until spring.

Come on by the upstairs hall with your friends, it could be your lucky night.

Time: 7:30pm Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge.

Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am Where: Uxbridge Public School, 64 Victoria Dr Contact: 905-862-3131 or office@durhamfamilyresources.org

Royal Canadian Legion Darts runs every Wednesday night at 7:30 P.M. until spring.

Teams are all set but someone is always looking for a spare. Cost for a spare is $3. It’s a great night of fun for all in the upstairs hall.

Friday Morning Music w/ Marg

Time: 7:30pm Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Time: 9:30 am - 11:30 am Where: Uxbridge Public School, 64 Victoria Dr Contact: 905-862-3131 or office@durhamfamilyresources.org

Monday Morning Singers. Anne Mizen Baker directs this women’s choir in a variety of

Royal Canadian Legion Meat rolls run every Saturday afternoon from 4–5 PM until Spring.

It has been a Canadian Legion tradition for years. Come on out and support your local legion and maybe take home dinner..

Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion On the 3rd Monday of every month we hold a veterans afternoon from 2-4 P.M. This is open to all veterans and their spouse/guest in the area not just Uxbridge members. They enjoy food, beverages, entertainment and door prizes compliments of the Uxbridge Legion. So come out and enjoy an afternoon with old friends and acquaintances or meet some new ones. Night of fun for all in the upstairs hall.

Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Open Mic Thursdays. Open Mic Thursdays are every Thursday at Wixan’s Bridge Presented

by Beau’s All Natural Beer and Wixan’s Bridge!

Watch awesome local talent, and sing a few songs if you feel up to it! It’s always a great time!

The first Thursday of every month there’s a free sampling of Beau’s Lug Tread beer. There’s raffles every Thursday for the performers and the audience! Starts at 9pm. Hosted by Bodan. 2 mics, an acoustic, a bass, a cajon and a foot tambourine are provided for general use!

Time: 9:00pm - 11:45pm Where: Wixan’s Bridge 65 Brock Street West Contact: 416-587-4572

Karaoke Wednesday. Karaoke is now every Wednesday Night at Wixan’s Bridge in Uxbridge! It’s All Ages on the main floor.

Time: 8:00pm Where: Wixan’s Bridge 65 Brock Street West Uxbridge.

Contact: 416-587-4572

Friends of the Uxbridge Public Library The Friends of the Uxbridge Public Library meet on the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Uxbridge Library lower meeting room. The Friends of the Library bring awareness to the library by organizing book sales and other events. All proceeds go to the library to help in various expenditures including adding to their extensive DVD collection.

New members always welcome.

Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Where: 9 Toronto Street South

Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON CONSIDER US FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY NEEDS Corporate/Office Party Family & Friend Gatherings Catering Sweet Shop Holiday orders

GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE! 905.852.5050 · 4 Toronto Street North, Uxbridge · urbanpantry.ca

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New this year: an invitational artisan show and sale! Everyone is welcome, so put it in your calendar, as you don’t want to miss it!

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peacefully productive

| it’s winter |

BY DARRIN DAVIS

It’s winter.

You need to humidify your guitar.

There. End of story. Have a nice holiday.

That was the original article I proposed to my editor, Elaine. While she found the brevity and straightforwardness refreshing compared to my usually verbose, flowery articles, she suggested I ‘expand on it a little.’

So here goes...

Winter has arrived. It took a little longer this year, but it’s here and it won’t be leaving any time soon. Winter brings with it lots of wonderful things. Skating on ponds, cozy romance by stone fireplaces, maple syrup, forgotten $20 bills left in winter coat pockets.

But it also brings its share of hardships. Treacherous driving weather.

Lack of local produce. Freezing cold. The shoveling of driveways and the scraping of windshields. The list could go on and on, if we were the complain-y type. With all the additional things to worry about, all the additional ‘baggage’ Jack Frost brings with his yearly visit, it’s no wonder so many Canadians neglect to take proper care of their musical instruments over the winter. But let me be very clear- winter wreaks havoc on wooden instruments. And acoustic guitars are foremost amongst them.

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Guitars of the solid body, electric persuasion don’t have much to worry about in the colder months. They are big chunks of wood.

They’re tough. Acoustic guitars are another story. The soundboard, or top of your acoustic, is the main source of sound for your instrument.

How that piece of wood vibrates is what determines much of the tone and character of your acoustic sound. To facilitate great tone and improve dynamic range, Luthiers (stringed instrument builders) like to use thin wood on the soundboard. This produces lovely sound, but makes the guitar more susceptible to the tyranny of dryness.

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“Dry your eyes,” Neil Diamond famously declared, “but not your guitars.” (or something like that.) Have you noticed how, as soon as your heating system kicks in at your house, things start to go a little wonky?

Your hair gets enough static to dazzle a mad-scientist. Your lips get dry, and perhaps your fingertips even develop cracks. Most home heating systems dry out the cold winter air around us. And if you and your family are drying out, guess what? Your prized acoustics are too. And an overly dry guitar is a terrible thing.

Acoustic guitars are built in humidity controlled environments, at the optimal relative humidity level of between 40-45%. Canadian homes in the winter often get down to around 25-30% relative humidity - way too low for a guitar!

What are some early signs that your guitar is drying out? Your guitar’s intonation will be off. As the fingerboard dries out and starts to shrink at a different rate than the neck of your guitar, the ‘action’ will start to be higher and higher, until you need an Olympian grip just to play a barre chord. Or sometimes the opposite. Your action will be very low, and the strings will become annoyingly buzzy on certain frets. The bridge will start to pull up from the soundboard. Your once jet-black fingerboard will start to lighten, appearing almost chalky grey. The guitar top

will often ‘belly up,’ making the top appear almost arched. And then the nightmare can happen … a split top. If you’re lucky, the crack will just be in the lacquer. But more than likely, the split will be right through the soundboard. Either completely ruining the guitar, or earning you a very very costly repair.

I see these issues all the time at my day job, working at a guitar store.

I’m blessed to get to work many hours a week alongside one of the area’s best guitar techs, and mentoring with him has taught me a lot about the importance of never letting your guitar get to that dreadful point.

How do you prevent it? How do you care for your guitar properly?

Easy! Buy a $20 guitar humidifier. And as soon as your home heater kicks on in the fall, until you shut it down in the spring, keep your acoustics in their cases when you’re not playing them, with the humidifier inside the soundhole of the guitar. These little humidifiers are amazing.

I recommend the soundhole humidifiers made by ‘Oasis.’ Most humidifiers work the same way, but the ones from Oasis are great because they take the guesswork out, and actually SHOW you when they need to be refilled. (Usually about once every 10 days or so, depending on how dry your home is.)

A room humidifier is not enough. Room levels fluctuate too much, and most people aren’t comfortable in a house humidified at 45% in the winter. A case humidifier is great, because it creates a mini eco-system for your six-string sweetheart. When you put your guitar in there, the humidifier only works to humidify the guitar, and not the entire room it’s in.

Another treat you can do for your guitar is condition your fingerboard with lemon oil. This only needs to be done once or twice a year if you’re taking proper care of your guitar. Some people are over-zealous and use lemon oil every time they change strings. This can actually cause the frets to pop out from the fingerboard. So don’t overdo it. A little goes a long way.

‘Well that’s all fine and good for the hobbyists who have cheapo guitars,’ you say, ‘but I’ve got a $3500 Martin. I don’t need to worry about warpage, cracks, etc. Right?’

WRONG. As a matter of fact, high end guitars, with top, back and sides made from a solid piece of wood, are actually much more prone to the issues mentioned above. Cheap laminate guitars are much sturdier.

Think of it like a high end sports car. If you drive a Honda Civic most of your life, you likely haven’t had to put too much care into your vehicle.

They’re pretty low maintenance. But are you going to keep using cheap gas and low grade engine oil in your new Ferrari? Probably not.

So give that beautiful wooden beast of yours the love and care it deserves, and you’ll be making sweet music all winter! If you have any questions or would like me to do a set-up on your guitar, give me a shout!

Darrin Davis is a professional musician, singer/songwriter, painter and photographer. His bi-weekly live music video series ‘Songs On A Pink Couch’ can be subscribed to at www.youtube.com/user/thedarrindavisband. Darrin hosts a weekly Sunday night Acoustic Open Mic at Colonel McGrady’s Pub, 44 Brock St. W. He lives in the wildwood splendour of Uxbridge, Ontario, with his lovely wife Amy, his darling newborn daughter Sadie, and his incorrigible pup, Dublin.

All 4 are relentless Blue Jays fans.

managed to pull the giant pine into our empty dining room — and it went from wall … to wall … to wall … to wall. Yes, folks, you couldn’t walk through without using a machete. Plus, we had only enough lights and ornaments to decorate a quarter of the tree. We went out and bought more, but it still looked like Charlie Brown had given up on it. Thirty years later, we still laugh about that.

As much fun as it is to reminisce, I also look forward to a new year filled with the arts and culture in scenic Uxbridge. I will help Elaine bring you news about upcoming festivals, exhibitions, theatre productions, art sales, studio tours, music concerts and more. In the meantime, thoughts of wee new grandchildren, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread and Russell Stover chocolates are dancing in my head.

In

light of recent world events, December takes on a heightened meaning this year. Now is the time when people of different backgrounds mark religious, cultural and secular milestones with festive events. Whether celebrations include a brightly lit Christmas tree, candle-laden Hanukkah menorah, Kwanzaa kinara, St. Lucia Day processions or any other symbol of traditions, in December, we create magical memories with family and friends.

Ah, if only the magic in the air in December could waft through the entire year. Whatever your reason to congregate this month, be thankful we live in the Uxbridge area, one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth.

Dorothea Helms connects people and ideas, and can be reached at writer@wsws.ca

Dorothea Helms, a.k.a. The Writing Fairy, is an award-winning writer and popular creative writing instructor who also owns the freelance business Write Stuff Writing Services. She makes her living connecting people and ideas, and can be reached at writer@wsws.ca

Of course, the holidays bring with them shopping for food, decorations and gifts. Although I’ll confess to the odd adventure in finger-shopping online, I buy most everything I need in Uxbridge. I’ve stopped wandering through urban malls to search for overpriced cookie-cutter clutter, because I can find beautiful, top-quality items right in town for amazing prices. Every year, I marvel at how beautiful Brock Street looks all lit up at night, and at the variety of charming holiday decorations available for purchase. Craft shows also present fabulous opportunities to buy one-of-a-kind stuff to stuff those stockings or wrap and place under the tree.

Oh, speaking of tree … if you own a home with a two-storey great room or open-to-above foyer, the possibilities for decorating are phenomenal. You could put up a 10-foot-tall tree, for example. Just be sure to anchor it to the wall to avoid what happened to us 28 years ago during our first holiday season in our house. We have a cathedral ceiling in our living room, so we thought it would be fun to put up an extra-tall real tree, and it was. Our kids loved helping to decorate the behemoth, and when we went to bed that night, we were happy with our accomplishment.

Imagine my husband’s and my surprise when our then five-year-old daughter came into our bedroom at 5 a.m. the next morning and said, “Mommy and Daddy, is the tree supposed to be on the floor?” Apparently if a tree falls in the living room, it makes a sound, but the four people sleeping in other rooms don’t hear it. Thankfully, we had placed a 4-foot-square piece of plastic under the tree skirt, so we didn’t end up with pine resin on the carpet!

Then again, it’s the little mishaps that create the stories we pass on for generations. Before we moved to north Durham Region, we lived in a link home in Scarborough. One December, we took the kids to a tree farm to cut our own. We learned an important lesson that day: out in the open, a tree looks a lot smaller than it does in the house. We

art in uxbridge

BY DOROTHEA HELMS

xbridge T hank YoRu VUOTING US FO

Merry Christmas WISHING

warmth love joys

you the of home, the of family & the deepest of Christmas

Uxbridge Renovation Showroom | 905-852-7722 | 17991 Lakeridge Road

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| ‘tis the season all year long |

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youthful yammerings

| the election: a play |

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BY: MACKENZIE BRADSHAW & HEATHER TRENT

Each year, Uxbridge Secondary School offers a course called Drama in the Community. The major component of this course is having students spend one semester rehearsing for a production. This year’s play happens to be The Election written by Don Zolidis and Directed by Jeff Gruich.

What is The Election about?

Well I went back stage to interview some of the students about the play to check it out! The Election is about two students going head to head. They both want to be elected as student body president. The first candidate Mark Davenport is your regular guy who wants to add a little something to his college application to make him stand out from other B average students.

The second candidate Christy Martin is a perky outgoing student who doesn’t have many friends at all at Presley High School. She believes that students should be working harder and have less free time. Mark thinks he will crush his opponent but later learns that it may be more difficult than it appears. This is definitely a comedic play to go see with the family.

As I mentioned, I went backstage to ask some of the students some questions. One of the lovely students I was able to interview was Leslie Higgins, a grade 12 USS student who loves being on stage. She does a lot of acting outside of school along with singing. In The Election, Leslie stars as Christy Martin, a confident and independent girl who knows what she wants. I asked Leslie a little bit about her cast members and she said some really sweet things about these students. Since she does acting out side of school she meets new and interesting people but when she was working on this production she noticed that almost all the students suit their characters this year. She also said that the students are all very hard working and you can tell that they want to be there. Ryan Whitty was another lovely student I was able to interview.

Ryan is a grade 11 student who loves acting and told me that he might want to be a professional actor one day. He has been in many productions outside of school such as Grease, Hair Spray, Peter Pan, Shrek, Mary Poppins and is now starring in The Election. He was also a background character in a music video. Ryan will be acting as many characters for male voice overs, male student #2, Ben, Charles Moore and Skip. Charles Moore is a college professor, a very angry one I might add. Charles also has a love interest in the play, her name is Bird. Skip is the ex-president that was thrown out of power for doing some things that he shouldn’t have been doing. I had also asked Ryan about his cast members and he said that its awkward at first to meet them but thanks to drama class it makes it a lot easier to meet and get to know his cast members.

The Students all seem to enjoy their roles and everyone is so supportive of each other. I also noticed that they where doing a lot of additional things to the play that was showcasing a lot of the student’s talents. One of the students Faelan Hingston has created the play logo that is going on T-shirts, sweaters and posters for advertisement. I asked Faelan where she had come up with the idea for the logo. She

said that the idea she had for the marionettes was a great way to metaphor controlling and then she added little details to show genders.

Another idea that she had was using things that represent political election, two marionettes fighting over a “ballot” to show the fighting for the votes. Although there have been some challenges along the way like adding extra scenes and lines to the script, the group is working hard together. It is not only to have a great idea but it takes a lot of creative minds and time to do so. As well as many of the students have extra circular activities and it makes rehearsal a lot harder when you don’t have the full cast.

The students have been doing some fundraising for the play as well.

There will be an event on Wednesday, December 16th/2015 to raise money for the play. The drama group are calling it the Holiday Innprove. It will be held at Uxbridge Secondary School and they would love for you to come and enjoy some entertainment.

The students seem to be very excited to be part of the production this year and are working very hard to get it just the way the want. If you want to come and see how hard these students have worked the play is Jan 19th-Jan 23rd and there will be tickets sold at USS. Mackenzie Bradshaw is a grade 11 co-op student here at Sweet World Media. In her spare time Mackenzie likes to do a lot of drawing and says art therapy is the greatest stress reliever. She also likes to listen to music and watch movies. Her goals for the future include Art College and possibly becoming a Graphic Designer, a Tattoo artist or an Interior Designer.

PROVIDED BY : PAMELA BEACH: WARD 1 COUNCILLOR, UXBRIDGE

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 18 minutes | Yield: Serves 22 to 24 Ingredients 24 (3�/7.5cm) frozen prepared tart shells, thawed 1 Can (300ml) Regular or Low Fat Eagle Brand (Condensed Milk) 1/2 Cup (125ml) Brown Sugar 1/3 Cup (75ml) Corn Syrup 2 Tbsp (30ml) Butter, Softened 1 Egg Pinch of Cinnamon 1/3 Cup of Raisins (Optional)

utt kitchen

| butter tarts |

Directions 1. Whisk together Eagle Brand, Brown Sugar, Corn Syrup, Butter, Egg, Cinnamon and Raisins if using. Pour evenly into tart shells.

2. Bake in preheated 375oF (190oC) oven for 18 minutes or until centre is just set and pastry is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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3. Add your own touch by drizzling chocolate on top, putting pecans on top or leave them plain and enjoy. If you have your own pie crust recipe, use that as well for a perfect homemade butter tart.

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| yarn ball ornaments |

SOURCED FROM: WWW.ALLTHINGSGD.COM

crafty corner

2. Pour glue into a container and thin slightly with water.

Dip one long strand of yarn at a time into the glue and stir it around to get it completely coated.

3.

Supplies

Pull the strand out of the glue starting at one end, and lightly squeezing the strand between your fingers as you pull it out of the glue. You want to remove excess glue with your squeeze, but you still want your yarn strand to be wet and gluey.

Begin wrapping yarn around your balloon, continuing to wet additional strands with glue until your balloon is covered as much as you’d like. Tuck final strand beneath other strands so it does not pull apart off of the balloon.

• Glue (Elmer’s white glue or Mod Podge) • 12” Balloon’s • Brightly coloured yarn • Wax paper • Scissors

Directions

4. Tie a strand of yarn around the end of the balloon and hang it to dry. Be sure to place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper underneath the balloons to catch any glue that might drip from the bottom of them as they dry.

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1.

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Gather your brightly coloured yarn, some balloons, and your glue. Blow up the balloons about halfway – just to the point where they get round in shape. Cut up the yarn into long strands.

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5.

Let yarn balls dry at least 24 hours (more if needed) and then pop the balloon inside and pull it out of the yarn circle frame. String a new strand of yarn through the top, and that’s all there is to it!

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T. 1 9 37

A I R Y

304 Toronto St. South, Uxbridge (In the plaza beside McDonalds)

| the holiday season is upon us |

BY: WILLIAM DUCEY

wrong?

It has been a rare occasion that I have attended a gathering that had foods available for someone that like me, who has been poorly labeled...a picky eater. A lot of these people are not actually picky, they may just be sensitive to certain chemicals, or they are just unable to eat certain foods. It is always nice to satisfy these quiet few by providing a little variety to the food you’re offering. A homemade vegetable plate is always a welcome snack for a guest. Having a few extra options for food choice can and will please your entire party. The same can be said about the cleaners and sprays you may use to prepare for visitors.

The holiday season is upon us!

Think about your guests needs without asking them. Take the steps to be caring and considerate of them without asking. You may find that even you appreciate less noxious chemicals and cleaners in your house space. I know I do and your guests will appreciate having a few unique food choices. Everyone will benefit from cleaning out clutter as well.

Christmas has always been the best time for get-togethers and family. I hope your holiday season is merry and well. Make the visit of your guests very merry as well. Clean up when preparing for visitors. Aim to have a scent free environment and do a little extra on the food front.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

William Ducey was a young man when he received his diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. After receiving his diagnosis of MS he attended college and received a diploma in general arts and science. He then attended several universities. In more recent years he has spent lot of his time researching and learning about helpful lifestyle practices.

We all look forward to getting together with family or friends, for some good food, good company and good cheer. This month I thought I would share a few tips that will help make those with physical and hidden challenges visit more enjoyable.

Today, more and more people are showing sensitivity to smells and fragrances. Items such as floor cleaners, air fresheners or dust sprays can be hard to deal with. We all want a clean house to show off, but maybe this year we could use milder and less fragrant options. My preference is the smell of Annis, which is a black licorice like smell.

What ever you may choose you can get the scent in candle form. I also enjoy the scent of sandalwood, or a good, but quiet woody scent. With a nice smell and ambiance from candlelight, how can you go

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Most of the things I suggest are second nature to many, but some of the small things help us get ready for guests of all kinds. One of the big things is cleaning up clutter. Clearing pathways, floors and carpets of clutter is always a wise move when having guests, but also try and be conscious of sharp edges and things easily caught on, like overhanging plants that can be turned away or moved entirely. These little things are greatly appreciated by any and all guests, including those with special needs or mobility issues. They will be extremely grateful.

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10 acre retreat backs onto endless walking trails, with access to river for you to drop your canoe in for a long paddle! 2,600 sq ft open concept home, featuring Geo Thermo heating and cooling. 3 yr new heated detached shop/garage with frost free water line. Finished loft with skylights & windows overlooking scenic pond with fountain. You won’t want to miss viewing this gorgeous property!

Outstanding 20+ acre equestrian facility just north of Uxbridge! 3800 sq.ft. George Washington Reproduction Estate with separate 2-story in-law suite. Coach house/ garage with full finished studio or guest quarters! Impressive 2 winged barn, with heated back room, supreme oversized 3 box stalls, space for 8 more 12’ X 12’ stalls, outdoor lit arena and 7 paddocks! Newer in ground pool + geo thermal heating – over $400,000 recently spent!

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2 minutes from town with some of the most exquiste homes nestled into this neighbourhood. Access to the Uxbridge trail system and snowmobile trails. This property also has an existing meandering driveway. Beautiful twin property adjoining land to the south is also currently listed and is a separate parcel ‘part #7’

Exceptional 2.5 acre country estate home within walking distance to town of Uxbridge! Lot backs onto Trans Canada Trail System, nestled on a quiet court creating the ultimate peace & quiet.

Custom built 1999 home, 1st time offered for sale! 3200 sq ft home with fully finished basement. Featuring crown moldings, hardwood floors and 9 ft ceilings.

Impressive garage/shop fully insulted with large interlock patio and three season screened room to relax.

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f rom my home to yours

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This holiday season together let’s spread the Christmas spirit and help one of the many local charities close to our hearts! Drop off a new, unwrapped toy for the Uxbridge Toy Drive to the Uxbridge REMAX office!

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