Lost ...but Found!

More than forty years ago I had decided to settle in Toronto, where my mother and sister were already living. Six months of gallivanting with ‘nary a care had led me to Calgary, Vancouver and points north – but I returned east in October to revisit my home city of Montreal, job seeking. The political climate was poor and nobody could get into any office building without an appointment, so I straggled back to Toronto and started pounding the pavement.

Three girls in particular were great pals – each of us in the secretarial pool of a major insurance company. One was married already, and two of us single. Eventually we met who we thought was the knight on a white steed – and the dye was cast. The married friend was my Matron of Honour at a small ceremony, her husband the unofficial photographer. As time unfolded, they became parents; and I was asked to be godmother to their son.

Circumstances led us in different directions, and we lost touch eventually. The significance of being someone’s godmother was not lost on me though, and I always wondered if they had returned to England. The trail was cold – and I tried for a long time surfing internet sites to discover their whereabouts.

More recently, I had been entering the husband’s name on all of the social media sites, with no luck. A lot of water likely under the bridge for them and me; and my hopes waned.

Last evening, when browsing; bingo! Previously not discovered – a face leapt out at me – not really as I had remembered him, but there was very likely the husband! I nearly quavered – but zipped off a one-liner message which said “Do you have a son named “so-and-so”? Today a reply –“yes”, and with a couple of back and forth messages, we’re going to reconnect!

This may not seem particularly unbelievable – but there’s more – all of us are living in the same municipality… and this week they will be no longer Lost… but Found!

Grinding Spices….

As a young woman and since, I have always been a keen cook. One Christmas, more than 30 years ago, I was suffering from a too-thin wallet, and decided that my only option for gifting was an assortment of pickles, relishes and chutney that had been put down in the summer season.

The recipients were truly delighted, and as everyone knows, home-crafted anythings are dear to everyone’s heart!

Cooking classes for children were begun in 1978 and continued until 1985. Students and parents alike were excited with the mastery of how-to and menu planning. A stint hostessing an International class for adults evolved from in-depth study of countries, their cultures and their foods. Sampler baskets of spices and varying spice combinations were offered at boutique stores – with requests for more.

For anyone who has used it, a mortar and pestle garners personal satisfaction and a sense of calm when rough is rendered smooth. At this particular juncture in my life, I am rediscovering the pleasures of preparing meals at home and rekindling my imagination. In this winter of 2013/2014, there are more grey skies and bluster than sun and sparkle, so yummy aromas pervading the house evoke both anticipation and, almost oppositely, calm, contentment, and a sense of stability.

As I take stock of staples and how to tweak treats, I am not only doing physical preparation of food – my mind is also nurturing and defining career opportunities which will be  perfect recipes to both produce income and offer people skills and customer care that are often essential ingredients in business development. Inadvertent failure to include them leaves tasters with a sense that “there’s something missing but I’m not sure what”. Everyone’s personal and profession occupation requires well-formulated combinations when grinding spices.

Fall Fair Fever…

FALL FAIR FEVER!!!!

This weekend is the much anticipated Agricultural event. Small towns, villages and hamlets all schedule specific dates to showcase home crafts, farm animals and fowl, heavy-horse and tractor pulls and toe-tapping old tyme music!

Concessions food booths offer a myriad of yummy delights – from cotton candy to burgers, fries and pogo sticks. Outerwear can range from layers one can peel off or rain wear that can be held in reserve and donned as needed. Kiddies line up with glee as they wait their turn for the rides – it’s heart warming to see families for whom this is truly a special occasion and a treat.

Horse trailers and cattle trucks lurch across uneven fields to find designated parking areas; crates of squawking/squalling or screeching pets are bumped along and settled in covered display barns and sheds for everyone to observe.

Would be “hayseeds” stumble along in long-toed boots and tight jeans, trying to look nonchalant while reaching for a tissue to catch an allergic sneeze! If you’ve ever been to the Royal Winter Fair barns in Toronto you’ll remember that the air can actually be thick with dust, dander and farm smells.

This year’s events represent the 146^th annual Fall Fair and Horse Show. Agricultural Society Members toil tirelessly from the day-after until opening day the following year.

Wherever you may live, do try and get out to visit a Fall Fair near you. The experiences for youngsters and parents alike are enjoyable, educational and inspirational.

Catch the Fall Fair Fever!

Much Ado...

Trafalgar Castle

As a P.A.N.K. (Professional Aunt No Kids) I’m over the moon about forthcoming nuptials of Niece # 2 of 4. Coincidentally being celebrated on her maternal grandmother’s birthday, the various stages of planning and pre-scheduled completion dates are well in hand.

Engagement pictures in a beautiful setting; bridal shower with e-reply options; glorious and very personal wedding invitations with wax-seal on the envelope of Groom’s surname initial – it’s all the glitter and we’re a-twitter!

Princess of Cambridge and new mom Kate Middleton’s wedding to Prince William was termed the wedding of the century – for our family this is, thus far, the premier event.

The dress is fit for a queen, in fact the bride-to-be is affectionately thought of as a Queen Bee. Ruffles, bustles, a train and décolleté will undoubtedly make the groom swoon. A multitude of nose tissues will be flourished to dab at damp cheeks and ladies will blink quickly in hopes their eye makeup doesn’t smudge as we snuffle.

We’ve never seen such pomp and circumstance – reminiscing recently of more simple events with a ceremony at home, a hand-picked bouquet from the garden, pretty bridal attire that can be worn on other future occasions, and a smaller budget occasion.

The venue for the upcoming occasion is equally astonishing – a commoner’s castle with turrets and the appearance of a trumpeter would not be any surprise!

Everyone’s agog with Much Ado.

Remembering Sherman…

A jaunt northward to Haileybury Ontario to celebrate a niece’s college graduation has given recent cause to remember a long-ago experience in Temagami, on the Victoria Day weekend, in the early 1980’s.

The owner of the Temagami Inn at that time was a fellow named Paul Leitch. He was an established businessman and known to many. After hearing my musician husband playing piano in the lounge of a North Bay hotel, Paul thought him a good choice to spend a weekend at the Temagami Inn and play for the patrons.

We arrived early afternoon and made the acquaintance of the hostess at the Front Desk. Directing us to the bar area we proceeded to set up and complete the sound tests for microphones, speakers and amplifiers. During those years I played the drums, and we performed pleasing renditions of easy listening music, including light jazz and some vocals.

At 4:00 p.m., dressed in our finery, we descended from our upstairs room to start the first set. Eyes were wide – ours and theirs! We had never performed for a truly workingmen’s audience, and the off shift miners had never seen the likes of us either.

Feeling somewhat tremulous, I gathered my brushes and we launched into a spirited rendition of Sweet Georgia Brown. Silence hung too heavy in the air afterward and we sensed there would be little or no encouragement.

We offered to take any special requests – and somehow managed to play through distinct feelings of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Friday night was a ripsnorter and as the suds took hold the awestruck miners from the open pit iron ore facility found a soft spot for our efforts.

Nearly thirty years later I vividly remember the incredulous and incredible audience of hard-working men from the Sherman mine!

Diggin in...

The time frames between youth, middle age, the “zoomer” years and the golden years can easily be identified by changing viewpoints as we progress. Some things do hold fast however, and one of those passions is love of nature.

I have often thought I would have been a wonderful farmer, or perhaps a farmer’s partner – in my younger years when I could heave mightier weights and toil almost tirelessly. A love of animals and skills to be self-sufficient felt like two necessary qualifications, even then!

My zeal was not quelled as life cycled along, gardening know how became a focus and included the design and building of a 25-foot waterfall when the number of years notched on my belt exceeded fifty-five. Countless hours of landscaping my in-town property was a labour of love, much to the head scratching of neighbours who didn’t quite share my dream.

Magazine subscriptions or off the rack publications which relate to gardening, nature, decorating and the search for a peaceful environment are always popular!

In late winter, the seed catalogues or bulbs and perennials available by mail order are avidly pored over and items circled in highlighter marker for future reference. Graphing and planning the plot is always fun, and many city dwellers are feeling inclined to abolish green lawns and turn to xeriscaping or other styles that are natural and require less maintenance.

Mother Nature rules when it comes to planting dates. Seedling vegetables may be too fragile until they are toughened up; and if there’s a frost warning announced gardeners scurry to cover their precious window boxes, planters and flowerbeds to save both their investment and the probabilities.

Truckloads and multi-tiered rolling racks of plants are shipped in late April and hordes of eager buyers may be seen in both rain and snow trudging ecstatically around garden centers and other outlets. 

The Victoria Day weekend is the “go” date that signals eager gardeners to start digging in.

On the Rack...

February can be so uninspiring …all manner of winter weather brings with it a yearning for something new and different! The routine of grocery-shopping can feel ho-hum as well…then comes the standing in line. For some reason unknown to me, our eyes seem drawn to glossy magazine covers where promises of Spring colours and delectable menus entice.

Home reno ideas are entertaining, with all of the “what ifs…” – even when temperatures plummet the daydreams are hot with anticipation. Online opportunities to upload your own pictures and see what a new palette looks like can be a fun pastime.

Some retailers make donations of light fixtures, tiles and flooring or paint and window hardware to such places as the local ReStore, Goodwill or Value Village outlets. Weekend newspapers feature decorating how-to tips and pull-out sections of ideas. The February 16^th issue of the Toronto Star Life Section included their article entitled The Italian job - in Edinburgh…stating “The Hotel Missoni fully explores the use of colour that the fashion house is famous for”…

Hop on down to your local paint store and tickle your senses with possibilities. When choosing colours, buy large size samples – the tiny free colour chips are too small to give you the right impression. I’m getting painters’ itch too – kitchen beware!

Whether your inspiration comes from the newsstand or the fashion perks, your jumpstart on Spring might coincidentally come from what’s on the rack.

Hockeymania in Muskoka...

One of my colleagues is an enthusiastic, hair-pulling, encouragement-screaming, and very proud hockey mom!

Lines from Robert Frost’s poem Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening include the words “and miles to go before I sleep”… ‘Nuff said – the commitment of attending practice periods and games, tournaments and hopefully playoffs is a daunting task!

The star of this family’s hockey night adventures is a keen, swift and steely-eyed player who garners admiration from everyone everywhere who sees him play.

He’s a goalie extraordinaire – called up at the tender age of 9 from Double-B league to Triple A. He’s a pint-sized tornado of activity with a maturity beyond his years. Even sharing ice time with the other team goalie doesn’t dampen this eager beaver.

A weekend marathon recently racked up significantly more than 1,000 km on the family vehicle – piled high and stuffed tight with both gear and people. Just time to catch their collective breath and they’re on the road again.

Teammates extol his prowess and accomplishments too – just last week 36 saves in one game! Breathless agility and demon speed in the crease… I’m a proud supporter and thrilled to be a part, however small, of Bradley Webb’s career in the net.

Here’s Brad with NHL goalie Kevin Weekes who played with the Ottawa Senators™….

Simply Thunderful...

Over the past twenty-five years, more or less, there has been a proliferation of musical Nature Recordings which appeal to many listeners. Here in Canada, one of the pioneers was the late Dan Gibson who founded and produced the famous Solitudes Series which I believe numbered a staggering 157 CD’s in total.

Many other New Age Music artists are  renowned – offering  innumerable themes and instrumental combinations. I am an avid music lover of many styles, and seem to have trended from one type to another as years come and go. In the days of yore before the advent of CD’s, cassette recordings were the norm.

In the autumn of 2012, I remembered to take along one cherished cassette which has not been played very often; reason being that I’m supposed to save it for a certain someone’s Celebration of Life service - and it feels irreplaceable! Wending our way home along backrounds and sideroads, it seemed a perfect time to snap the tape into the dashboard player. I nearly held my breath in apprehension that it wouldn’t play; then anticipation as the sounds became audible.

The stirring, exhilarating, and very contagious Thunderdrums by Scott Fitzgerald very nearly made the windows shudder as I cranked up the volume. The effects were simply thunderful!

Enterprising Women...

I recently received an online invitation to register for a professional business event which would include up to 50 area women for dinner and a seminar.

The YWCA-Muskoka is a forward-thinking and totally committed advocacy group which supports and encourages women entrepreneurs with educational opportunities, and regularly scheduled programmes on pertinent subject matter for women who are at specific levels of personal or business development.

The two distinguished Presenters from Rotman School of Business (associated with the University of Toronto) sounded exciting, and I registered promptly. My sense of anticipation was fulfilled – the ladies were excellent and enthusiastic – as was the audience.

The only tinge of disappointment, and it was slight, was that my business income does not yet qualify me to participate in the School of Business courses which are available. It would have been terrific to have a group of Muskoka participants – even if we could have met in a selected location and tele-conferenced or joined in a webinar.

The experience which the presenters acquired and developed into presentation form was inspiring – I wish I was the “American Express income” league and could qualify for further participation sooner than later.

Thanks to Susan Lovell for including so many of us on her mailing list – keep ‘em coming!

Indeed, the numbers in Muskoka are significant and truly promising when we think of Enterprising Women.

Waiting All Year...

Waiting all Year…

One of the celebrations at Summer’s end is the great number of Fall Fairs throughout not only Muskoka, but the entire Province. People of all ages anticipate these festivals…families rooted in the community for generations and visitors from more urban areas.

For some children it’s a first-time opportunity to see farm animals up close – giggling over miniature goats perhaps or awestruck by the sheer size of working horses as they pass by – their hooves causing the very earth to tremble!

I am an avid fair-goer, and my sister as well. We attend the Bracebridge Fall Fair every year, rain, shine or sleet!

“Layering” ones attire is the secret – early mornings perched at the horse ring can be chilly and damp, when the sun peeps through it feels promising, and midday can be time to peel off the jacket or heavy sweater and let one’s bare arms absorb some of the last rays of summer.

Whatever the appeal may be, everyone admires the freshly picked vegetables, ooh and ahh at the size of weighty pumpkins, marvel at the intricacies of quilts and knitted goods or other textiles on display. “Junior” classes feature the efforts of imaginative young school children, and there’s often live music or dancers on stage in the background.

Support the Agricultural Societies everywhere by attending an annual event closest to you. These earnest folk continue to educate, promote and invite people to come, see and inhale the sights, scents and flavours of the annual Fall Fair dates.

See you there!

In the “A-choo-li” Patch…

One of my Seller clients habitually wears the patchouli scent – which I, at first meeting,  almost mistook for another pungent aroma some people refer to as “pot”.

Having developed adult-onset asthma several years ago, I am constantly searching out the triggers that make me lose my voice within 30 seconds and reach for my puffer. After my first flare up my pipes were tickly and I was over-anxious. Even going into the grocery store aisle with scented laundry products and other cleaners was intolerable – so as a result, such delights as the Body Shoppe stores became  pretty much out of bounds!

For fellow-sufferers, I think I’ve discovered a truly “scents-ible” alternative.

The owner herself has COPD and asthma – an unwieldy combination – and Donna is  walking/talking proof that the products she and colleague Sue produce are a wonderful alternative to perfumes and chemical additives.

The Manitoulin Soap Factory at Shegundiah, Ontario is housed in a non-descript accessory building on the property where Donna’s home is situated. At 10955 Highway 6 between 10-mile point and Little Current, you need sharp eyes to spot the location – when I was there out of tourist season the road sign had blown into the brush.

When you enter, feel free to breathe deeply without fear. All of the ingredients are natural scents. The Manitoulin Chamber of Commerce website describes this must visit destination as

“ A place where scents and sensation come together in a glorious bath of colours and textures! “

*Handmade on Manitoulin Island/* All natural vegetable based glycerin soap
* Body Lotions/* Bath bombs/salts/* Lip balms/* Shampoo & Conditioner
* Wedding soaps/ And much ... much more!.

My Seller client loves the Patchouli Lotion and glycerine hand soap – I couldn’t resist buying these items for her – and I don’t need my puffer at hand when I’m standing near!

e-mail: Soap@amtelecom.net for online catalogue

Nifty Glasses At Michael's Bay

On my three day Manitoulin adventure my friend and I pored through several tourist directories as the Chi-Cheemaun ferry carried us smoothly from the Tobermory Terminal to South Baymouth where vehicles stream off the ship with obvious enthusiasim.

Our first stop was at Watson’s General Store in Sandfield, then we backtracked a little and turned off Government Road onto Michael’s Bay Road. Aiming south, the Sheepish Grin signs were both amusing and easy to follow.

We drove right to the studio – which is tucked cleverly away from the main house. Scott greeted us with a big smile – he was doing some raking and immediately unlocked the Studio so we could enter. Two Wheaten terriers are members of the family too. Diane Cruttenden was on hand immediately - what a pretty and talented woman -  with bright sparkly eyes and very nifty glasses!   Like other artisans, she and Scott transplanted themselves from elsewhere onto Manitoulin Island – a leap of faith for most!

The studio has a wide variety of knitting, weaving and spinning supplies – but for me the most breathtaking were Diane’s bead creations. If you visit their website at www.sheepishgrinstudio.com you’ll quickly realize  why this is an amazing “must-see” when you’re visiting Manitoulin Island!

I did come away with a handmade fiber brooch for a friend -  produced at this nifty studio by the pretty lady with the nifty glasses!

Humming Along...

It’s always a thrill when an unexpected and delightful surprise also includes an opportunity to see something you’ve never seen before, and to learn about a subject previously unfamiliar.

Several days ago, while on a mini vacation to Manitoulin Island, my friend and I discovered a small advertisement in a tourist guidebook about the Noble Alpaca Farm (www.noblealpacafarm.com) located at 224 Scotch Line in the community of Sheguiandah. Having travelled north from M’Chigeeng along Highway 540, we actually caught a very fleeting glimpse of a side road named Bidwell – and could have turned eastward then. However, the location is easily accessed from Highway 6 just south of Little Current.

Glen Totman drove into the driveway seconds behind us – and greeted us warmly though we were not expected. Their brochure, which I now have in hand,  does say please call ahead. This is a destination not to be missed – and one of the most inspiring. Rochel Totman creates all of the items in their gift shop, and also takes custom orders. I did some Christmas shopping early!

A most endearing little baby alpaca was cavorting around the fenced paddock area – and their personalities, as described, are truly enjoyable. This little cria’s name is Brittany and she will soon be greeted by other newborns within days.

Glen Totman told us that within 10 days of an alpaca giving birth, it begins a sort of  humming  sound, almost continuously. The unborn youngster of course hears this – and at birth the cria recognizes its mother then, and forever after, by her hum.

When you visit beautiful Manitoulin Island do try to visit the Noble Alpaca Farm. You’ll find that Glen and Rochel Totman’s interesting business is truly humming along!