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Market Masala is back! This year’s event in support of Child Haven International <childhaven.ca> will take place on Sunday, October 2 from 3–5pm at the Carleton Place Market Square. As usual, all proceeds will go to support women and children in Child Haven homes in India, Nepal, Tibet and Bangladesh.
This Market Masala is the 7th annual fundraising event in Carleton Place. You can enjoy a delicious take-home Indian meal provided by Shafali East Indian restaurant, shop at the international sales bazaar, get henna body art, enjoy East Indian music and culture, and learn more about this amazing organization — all in a covered outdoor environment.
There will be sales tables featuring an amazing array of handcrafted goods and a silent auction of beautiful unique items from India, Nepal, Tibet and Bangladesh. There will be activities and crafts for children, and the always popular henna artists will be back to apply their ornate and unique personal henna designs. There will also be beautiful saris available to purchase. All items are selected by Bonnie Cappuccino during her trips to the Child Haven homes.
Founded in1985 by Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino in Maxville, Ontario, Child Haven International operates nine homes for over 1,250 children and women. Bonnie and Fred have been awarded the Order of Canada for their ongoing, inspiring and charitable work. They bring a message of hope, and amazing stories about the children to whom they’ve provided a nurturing home and education, who go on to lead successful independent lives.
Operating according to the philosophy and principles of Mahatma Gandhi, Child Haven homes promote education, gender equality, non-violence, respect for all cultures and religious backgrounds, and simple living. All its funds are raised from individual donors, and through events such as this one throughout Canada and around the world.
As a result of the pandemic, Child Haven homes have taken in many more destitute children. Fundraisers such as Market Masala go a long way to helping the charity meet its needs, and your support now is more important than ever!
While the Market Masala event is free, tickets for the take-home dinner are $20 and can be ordered by emailing Jane Hamilton at <janehamilton@live.ca>. Shafali Indian Restaurant has been very supportive, and 100% of ticket sales go to Child Haven. Ordering early is recommended, as dinner tickets sold out last year!
A well known Canadian broadcaster on The Weather Network and the author of two books on Canada’s weather, Chris St Clair began painting in 2019. “I paint from memories of places I have been, where light and natural colours printed an unforgettable image in my mind,” Chris writes. “The joy of painting presents an opportunity to immerse yourself into a place you are creating with paint and tools. I love spending hours bringing those places to life and sharing them with those who see substance in the work”.
Studio Theatre Perth will hold a Meet and Greet Reception with Chris in their lobby on Thursday, September 8, coincident with the opening night of the play ART! From 5-10pm everyone is invited to drop in and say hello to Chris, see his art, and learn about his books. There will be a cash bar, and Chris has kindly offered to donate 50% of the proceeds of his sales to the Theatre.
Presented by Canadian Tire (Carleton Place), the ninth annual AGH Run/Walk for Women’s Health will be held virtually from September 3–9, and in person on September 10. Individuals, teams and families are all coming out to support quality health care close to home.
“Each year we strive to increase participation and fundraising,” says Julie Munro, volunteer chair of the event committee. “Our goal is helping our Obstetrics Unit and supporting Women’s Health by putting the best medical tools in the hands of our incredible doctors and staff. The financial success of this event means replacement and new equipment in those two key areas.”
Thanks go out to presenting partner Canadian Tire (Carleton Place), and supporting partners Almonte Civitan Club, Orchard View by the Mississippi, Brokerlink Insurance Almonte, Westview Projects, Joanne Beaton, Union 108 Yoga, AGH-FVM Gift Shop, and Art & Helen Levi for their generous support. Because of these incredible partners, all funds collected in pledges by walkers/runners from the 2022 event will support the birthing unit and women’s health programs at the Almonte General Hospital.
“Everyone, and especially families who have had their children at the Hospital, are asked to come out to walk or run with us to celebrate this great facility and quality healthcare close to home” adds Munro. “Another way to participate is to shop the online auction at <biddingforgood.com/aghfvm> until September 11.”
Routes include 3km, 5km and 10km distances, with timing for competitive participants. Runners and walkers can participate virtually during the week or come out on event day when the start and finish line will be behind the Hospital. Post and pre-event activities include breakfast, musical warm up and post-event food, music and awards for best times and most funds raised individually and as a team. Children’s activities, including a multi-generational relay race, will also take place.
Prizes will be awarded for the top fundraisers, with the winner receiving a brand-new bicycle and the top fundraising team receiving suite tickets to an Ottawa Senators game. Plus, for every $100 raised in pledges, participants receive a ballot towards winning a bicycle. The more funds that are raised, the more chances you get to win! And of course the Obstetrics program is the big winner.
Some road closures in and around the Hospital will be necessary, but residents will be advised in advance. For more information and to register, please visit<almontehospitalfoundation.com/our-events/runforwomenshealth>.
Once known as “North America’s Manchester” because of its numerous textile mills, Almonte now celebrates its heritage with an annual celebration of the fibre arts. Come out to the friendly town on September 10 and 11 for the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum’s 27th annual Fibrefest. This year’s festival is taking place at two locations — the Almonte Community Centre and the Textile Museum. Admission is $7 per day, which gets you access to both sites. Local guilds will demonstrate spinning, knitting, weaving, rug hooking, lacemaking, smocking and quilting. Vendors include finished fibre goods and textile-related supplies from across the province, as well as quilt shops and alpaca farms.
This year, several hands-on workshops, as well as a Zoom lecture, will be taking place in conjunction with Fibrefest. This is your chance to roll up your sleeves and get felting, weaving or hooking with talented fibre artists and vendors. Workshops run Wednesday through Sunday (September 7–11) at both the museum and the community centre, and registration fees include free admission to the festival. Advance registration is required and some workshops may need you to bring some of your own supplies, so do check <almontefibrefest.ca> and sign up early to avoid disappointment!
Join author and artist Claire Wellesley-Smith for a discussion of her textile practice and research in former industrial textile communities based in West Yorkshire and East Lancashire, UK. Claire will present her lecture, titled Northern Threads: Connecting post-industrial textile communities, via Zoom on Thursday, September 8 at 1pm. Her most recent book, Resilient Stitch: Wellbeing and Connection in Textile Art, was published in 2021. She teaches and lectures internationally.
You can register for workshops and Claire’s lecture, and get tickets for Fibrefest itself, at Tickets Please (485–6434, TicketsPlease.ca).
During the two-day festival, explore the new permanent history exhibit at the museum called Material World on the Mississippi, which interprets how a piece of wool fibre becomes a piece of finished cloth, and includes industrial machines used throughout the process as well as mill worker accounts of working and living in a textile mill town.
Also on display this year is the featured exhibit In the Forest, an art installation by Kai Chan. Kai Chan was born in Chung Kiang, China and immigrated to Canada in 1966. He graduated from Chung Chi College in Hong Kong and completed a degree in interior design at the Ontario College of Art. His work is textile-based and three-dimensional.
Michael Rikley-Lancaster, Executive Director/ Curator of the museum, explains that: “It has been a dream of mine to curate an exhibit of the work of artist Kai Chan for twenty years. I am transfixed by the way Kai is inspired by spaces and transforms them using inspiration within the space. The artist has been inspired by the pillars in our gallery to create his interpretation of a forest (these pillars were at one time trees) with suspended threads (once a textile mill) from the gallery’s ceiling. I have seen many installations of Kai’s work in the past, and they’ve always left me in awe.”
To obtain additional information about Fibrefest, please visit <almontefibrefest.ca>. To register or purchase tickets, visit <TicketsPlease.ca>.
Good things are going on at the Community Garden on Townline Road in Carleton Place. This quarter-acre space boasts over 70 garden plots, has enthusiastic gardeners and volunteers, and is strongly supported by the Lanark County Food Bank, St. Gregory School and the Town of Carleton Place.
The garden is a tremendous resource for community groups. Teachers at the nearby St. Gregory School bring their students to the gardens to study insects, vegetables and other plants. The school also grows vegetables and herbs on two plots. Another plot is operated by Community Living. Their residents enjoy coming out to the garden and are very happy to take produce back for their lunch. A communal plot called “the salad bowl” consists of herbs and a variety of lettuces that are available to all gardeners.
The garden has a fantastic group of volunteers who take on tasks such as grass cutting, maintenance, trimming around the boxes, and the myriad administrative tasks such as registering gardeners and regular communications. Their latest projects have included staining the shed, pergola and picnic table, and creating a new composting area.
The last five years have seen a major increase in the number of gardeners as word gets out and folks share the good things happening with their friends. There is an incredibly positive vibe at the garden as gardeners meet their friends — many of the regulars gather at the garden just about every day. The number of boxes has been increased three times in the last five years, with a dozen or so added each time.
The garden has most recently benefitted from a major investment by the Town of Carleton Place in bringing town water to the site. By the standards of most community gardens, Carleton Place Community Garden now has the incredible luxury of a water tap at three corners of the site. Previously, gardeners had to drag 400 feet of hose from the nearby school and fill three 1000-litre water tanks. Gardeners watered their plots with watering cans filled at the tanks.
A major renovation and expansion of the garden took place in the spring of 2017, made possible by a $4,700 grant. The existing gardeners at the site had formed a partnership with the Lanark County Food Bank (aka the Hunger Stop) to apply for a grant from a program administered by the Ontario Association of Food Banks with funding coming from Sysco, a large food wholesaling and distribution company.
The Carleton Place Community Garden was initially developed in 2006 with 20 beds measuring ten feet by ten feet. After many years of successful gardening, the need for rejuvenation had become apparent — the lumber that supported the beds had rotted; perennial grasses and weeds had grown up between the beds; deer and other mammals have become a major concern; there was no on-site storage for gardening tools; watering depended on the availability of rain barrels, many of which were cracked and leaking; and the clay soil was no longer friable. Many gardeners had left the program due to the difficult growing conditions; others for whom the garden is critical to their dietary requirements had persevered.
The rejuvenation was led by the Lanark County Food Bank in collaboration with existing gardeners at the site and in consultation with local Master Gardeners. A new Carleton Place men’s group, the Hackberry Men’s Shed, agreed to design and build the shed and other structures that were part of the plan.
A substantial berm (a Hugelkulture structure created from existing materials that preserves moisture and prevents natural materials from being trucked to landfill) was created on two sides of the garden using the decaying timbers and several truckloads of unscreened soil and wood chips. Part of the berm is planted with shrubs such as currants and haskap, with most of the rest gradually being converted to growing beds.
When rebuilt in 2017, about half of the space was reserved for growing vegetables for Food Bank clients. As the Food Bank has been able to invest in a two-acre garden in Blakeney, most of this space has become available to meet demand from new gardeners.
The garden plots remain free of charge to the gardeners. A small budget is provided by the Food Bank; otherwise, the garden relies on donations from volunteers and from local businesses.
For further information and news about this initiative, follow them Facebook at Carleton Place Community Garden.
The Arnprior & District Humane Society (ADHS) is proud to celebrate 25 years of service to the community.
This no-kill humane shelter for dogs and cats provides a safe haven for lost, abandoned and neglected animals. They ensure that critters in their care are provided with shelter, food, veterinary attention and lots of tender loving care. Staff and volunteers provide backbreaking labour each and every day in order to keep the animals safe until they find their forever homes.
The shelter is not funded by government, and its daily operation is totally dependent on the generosity of individuals and businesses through donations and sponsorships. They have faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic, including both financial and staff/volunteer shortages.
Prior to the pandemic restrictions, ADHS held many annual fundraising events throughout the year such as walk-a-thons, bake and craft sales, pet pics with Santa, yard sales, trivia nights, microchip clinics and more. Unfortunately, opportunities for such fundraising activities have been greatly reduced for the past two-and-a-half years.
The Arnprior & District Humane Society is now able to plan major fundraising events in the coming months. The first is a Walk-A-Thon, taking place on October 1. The second is their Feliz Naughty Dog Bake & Craft Sale, scheduled for December 4. The Pet Pics with Santa date and venue will be confirmed soon.
For more information, please visit <arnpriorhumanesociety.ca> or find them on Facebook.
On September 4, come out to MERA (McDonalds Corners and Elphin Recreation and Arts) for an Art Show and Meet the Artist event featuring the work of Brian and Leane Bailey.
Brian and Leane retired from their careers in 2016 and moved to Ompah, Ontario, where Brian resumed his interest in art by drawing using pastel pencils. In early 2017, Brian encouraged Leane to do some drawing and she started drawing some simple landscapes and animals using coloured pencils. During that time they both started following other artists online in order to learn about drawing techniques, participate in tutorials, and research the different coloured pencils, pastels, drawing papers, etc. that are now available, as opposed to the typical art supplies they had used in school. They learned techniques of blending and layering coloured pencils and pastels, and how to mat and frame their artwork.
Brian’s favourite medium is pastel pencils, and he strives to create the most realistic pastel drawing that he can of each subject — often his artwork is mistaken for an actual photograph. His preferred subjects are landscapes, but he has done several commissioned pieces of family portraits, baby portraits, home and cottage portraits, pets, airplanes, etc. He was hired by a real-estate agent to create pastel portraits of several maple syrup sugar shacks as a unique gift for the new buyers.
Leane’s favourite medium is coloured pencils, as she enjoys the fine details and vibrant colours she can get using them. Leane’s favourite subjects are pets and wildlife, but she has also done some pastel landscapes and some acrylic painting as well. She has created several commissioned pet portraits for friends, family and other clients, often as a special memory of a pet who has recently passed. Brian and Leane have had their artwork on display at various locations and annual events in the community such as the Cloyne Art Showcase, the North Frontenac Backroads Studio Tour, and at many arts and craft shows.
Brian and Leane were also selected to paint four large outdoor murals on display in the Township of North Frontenac. In 2022 they were selected by Ann Kullberg to have their artwork featured in her CP Hidden Treasures 7 magazine. Collectively, known as Art by the Baileys, they have a Facebook Page where people can view their gallery, see current projects and watch some art videos <facebook.com/ArtByTheBaileys>. They are honoured to be the featured artists at MERA in September.
You are invited to the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners (974 Dalhousie Concession 9A) on Sunday, September 4 from 2–4pm to meet the artists, view their works and purchase that “must have” piece. To arrange to see the exhibition at other times, please contact Wayne Stryde at <gwstryde@outlook.com>.
The AOG Art Gallery in Frankville now has a 2km art trail that is open all year to walk, snowshoe or ski. The trail goes through open fields, maple forest and pine plantation. Artwork from both local and international artists is located along the path. Entrance is at 42 Leacock Road in Frankville. Walking this trail is free and no appointment is necessary. The AOG Art Gallery continues to be open by appointment. For more information, please visit <AOGgallery.ca> or email <AOGgallery47@gmail.com>.
Plan to join author Noreen Tyers at her book launch on Saturday, September 24 at St. James Anglican Church, 12 Harvey Street in Perth from 1:30–3:30pm, with a program at 2pm.
Noreen grew up in the 1940s in the Eastview section of Ottawa. She has authored many stories related to that time from her truly clear memories of situations and how she experienced life at that time. In her early adulthood, when her children were small, the family moved to a century farm in Lanark Township near Hopetown. This resulted in new adventures to write about as she learned to live in the country.
Noreen also writes of her adventures vacationing in the 1940s at Richards’ Castle, Snow Road, and of her time as the “Pigtail Princess”. A great promoter of the Lanark County Maple Syrup industry, she has a series of stories for children starring Sammy Sap Man and his forest friends. She has also written about life from the perspective of her little chihuahua Ruffy.
This is a lovely collection of stories from a time that many remember and look back upon fondly, from a lady who says she is not a writer, but rather a storyteller. Fortunately, this storyteller has written down her memories!
Art… and Soul
Or should it be re-rooting? Painter Don Bruner is still rejoicing over the quirk of fate that found him the perfect place to put down new roots in this next phase of his life. Almonte suits him perfectly. His exuberant paintings of his new locale and the surrounding countryside are convincing evidence of what a perfect fit it is.
Further affirmation of that statement came his way recently when his painting of a scene in Almonte titled “The Night Market” was awarded Juror’s Choice (aka best in show) at the 2022 West Carleton Arts Society spring show at the Kanata Civic Art Gallery. Like so many of his ebullient portrayals of local scenes, the painting conveys the joy he experiences as he surveys his new environment.
The same holds true for his pastoral landscapes, and his paintings that include people in all kinds of settings. His subjects look happy and/or at peace. Somehow you can forget the stress of an ongoing pandemic and the worries of the world when you gaze at Bruner’s renderings of the scenes he selects. He says that his overall goal is “…to create a visual story. Bringing enough to the work to engage the viewer yet leaving enough for them to bring their own experiences into the conversation.” In my view, he succeeds. His paintings leave me feeling that I would like to be there, to join in, to be happy.
Currently his preferred medium is acrylics — he paints quickly. But the paintings are based on days of mentally visualizing the scene he is about to create. He works from memory as well as from sketches and photos gathered in the field. In the studio, he brings to the easel “a sense of ‘being there’ in the moment — the feel of the time of day, lighting and weather”. He succeeds in retaining a loose and playful energy that energizes his viewer.
Perhaps his good fortune in his 21-year career with Pfizer (delivering animal health products to veterinarians) continues to fuel the joie de vivre that so frequently illuminates his paintings. How many people have you known who spontaneously declare I loved my job. I couldn’t wait to get up in the morning and go to work!? After an itinerant childhood in a military family (Winnipeg, Whitehorse, Germany, Halifax, North Bay), Don studied production planning and logistics at Humber College. He landed a job with a forty-person “lean operation” headed by a demanding and fair female CEO who developed an incredible team. His face still lights up when he describes the pride he took in his contribution to their successes.
Bruner is a longtime professional artist, instructor and mentor. He studied perspective in high school drafting classes and enjoys playing with it in his compositions. Primarily self-taught, he eventually started taking art courses for fun, and learned how to paint quickly and with confidence. Working initially in watercolour, he progressed to oil paints, and now paints primarily with acrylics; it better suits his bursts of creativity. While he lived in Orangeville he founded a local artist studio tour, operated an art supply store catering to professional artists, and conducted workshops and evening classes for beginning and intermediate artists. He was also represented at Studio 737 in Tweed, and worked as a commercial designer and concept artist for a local company.
While residing in Dryden and Fort Frances in western Ontario, he was a member of the Dryden Artist’s Association and occasional instructor at their workshops. A highlight of his time there was his donation of a large historical work to the Atikokan Museum to further their promotional activities. He gifted a 4’ x 5’ accurate representation of the White Otter Castle and its builder, Jimmy McQuat, as it appeared a century ago, using existing research materials and visits to the remote site. He also enjoyed and challenged himself with northern adventures in the bush, camping by boat.
A Flourishing Transplant
Today Bruner gets tremendous satisfaction from the overwhelmingly positive reception he enjoys since his serendipitous arrival in Almonte three years ago. After his second wife ran off with a lumberjack, he decided to move closer to his sons and his brother and spotted an ad for an apartment that seemed interesting. “Talk about throwing a dart,” he enthused, describing how incredibly fortunate he feels to have landed in the midst of the beautiful town with its vibrant and welcoming arts community.
On his Facebook page, Don includes a photo of the painting of Baker Bob’s storefront in Almonte that the proprietor bought from him and now displays in the store window. Bruner particularly appreciates the friendships he has already formed with local artists. Since his arrival in Mississippi Mills he has founded an evolving plein air painting group who meet regularly. Unlike many artists who paint en plein air, Don actually relishes encounters with passersby who stop to admire, question, and chat. His response to my surprise at hearing this is classic: “I can walk and chew gum at the same time, and I can talk and paint at the same time too.”
In addition to contributing his artworks to rotating displays at a number of venues in and around town, Bruner will be offering an eight-week (Wednesday evenings at 7pm) Sketching and Drawing Skills class later this month at JB Arts in Almonte <jbarts.ca>.
WCAS Expressions of Art
As a member of the West Carleton Arts Society (WCAS), he has participated in multiple WCAS shows. There is a great opportunity to fuel your joie de vivre by viewing Don’s artworks on display at their upcoming “Expressions of Art” exhibition and sale, taking place from October 7–9 at the Agricultural Hall at the Carp Fairgrounds. Check (and keep) Don Bruner’s Artist Trading Card at the top of this page for all the details you need to channel his positive energy.
Artist Trading Card
The collaborative minds of Creative-IDEAS, Ghostlight Productions and Ecotay are bringing you a fun new way to combine the things they love most: delicious food, live entertainment, and support for those in need in our community.
On Friday, September 9, people are invited to “crash” the wedding reception of Bruno and Tilly Oliviera located in a beautifully restored heritage setting at Ecotay. This one-night-only event is in fact the premiere of Guy Newsham’s latest comedy, Reception.
The evening starts off with the first dance of the new couple, and moves through a series of ten-minute conversations had between various members of the wedding, in and around seated guests. In between these conversations, guests will be served unique creations of a delicious 6-course meal (with vegetarian and meat options).
In addition to the fabulous food and entertainment, 50% of each ticket will be donated to Cornerstone Landing Youth Services to support vulnerably housed youth in Lanark County.
Please email <ecotayperth@gmail.com> to reserve seats or tables for 8 for this very special “Reception.”
Music at MERA is excited to announce the fall lineup for their Sunday afternoon series at the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners. They are also announcing a Friday night fundraiser on the evening of October 14 featuring the legendary troubadour Valdy.
The Sunday series begins on September 11 with a classical concert featuring Karen Donnelly on trumpet and Frédéric Lacroix on piano. This unique pairing will offer the audience a surprising range of wonderful musical pieces.
On September 18 there will be a lot of local sounds when Lanark-raised Neville Wells brings his lifetime of country songs, accompanied by the extraordinary guitarist Frank Koller. Together they will fill the Schoolhouse with lively, heartfelt music.
The world-renowned musician and naturalist Ian Tamblyn will bring his repertoire of 50 years to the Schoolhouse stage on October 2. His passionate songs and music about the natural world will kick off a month of tree-related art activities at MERA.
On October 30, the Schoolhouse will resound with the harmonica, guitar and songs of blues veteran Al Lerman. His wide repertoire of blues tunes will demonstrate why he has won so many accolades for his playing and singing.
November 13 brings the ever-popular Wendell Ferguson and his songstress buddy Katherine Wheatley — Wendell and Wheat — to share his extraordinary guitar picking, her sweet voice and lots of their humour. A joy wherever they go!
Representing international talent are three female instrumentalists and singers called The Magpies, who have been wowing audiences throughout the British Isles and Europe. MERA is pleased to snare them for a concert on November 13 during their swing across Canada.
Rounding out the Sunday series on December 11 is the amazing duo of Paul Marlyns, cello, and Frédéric Lacroix, piano, who will be returning by popular demand for the fifth time. Classical music at its absolute finest.
In the middle of all these concerts is the Friday, October 14 evening fundraising concert with the veteran musician Valdy, who is returning to fill the Knox Presbyterian Church in McDonalds Corners with his songs and stories. A Canadian icon, Valdy has toured for nearly 50 years and sold over half a million records.
All tickets are available at Tickets Please (485–6434, TicketsPlease.ca), and will be emailed to you. Tickets for the Sunday series are $25 plus service fees, and all those concerts start at 2pm. Valdy tickets are $30 plus service fees, and that show starts at 7:30pm. The MERA Schoolhouse is located at 974 Dalhousie Concession 9A in McDonalds Corners.
ART begins as a play about a painting. On the surface it is about wanting approval on your artistic judgment. We all have heard that art is in the eye of the beholder. You either love it or you hate it. But what happens if you love it and your two closest friends don’t? What if one friend openly laughs at your purchase, and a second tries to placate you by pretending to like it.
Marc considers himself to be the alpha wolf in this trio of men. Both Serge and Ivan value his opinion on just about everything. Serge has the audacity to purchase a white canvas for a great deal of money, and then expects congratulations on his acquisition. Ivan is getting married in two weeks, and all he is looking for is a life preserver as he juggles the whirling waters caused by his fiancée and various mothers. Ivan constantly struggles to placate everyone, including Marc and Serge. In ART we have an aeronautical engineer, a dermatologist and a stationary store employee literally coming to blows over a painting. This quick-paced and clever comedy has more than its share of f-bombs — but they are an integral part of the play. Imagine a frustrated man being repeatedly cut off in traffic, or losing his golf ball in the golf course pond, and you can appreciate what would be oft repeated in anger and frustration.
The audience is invited to ask themselves questions. How much would you pay for a white painting? Would it matter who the painter was? Would it be art? Then the questions get deeper. Would you be willing to end a friendship over a decision made by someone? What deep-seated unspoken thoughts might you blurt out in the heat of the moment when you are defending yourself? Would you draw a line in the sand and square off over a painting?
The roles in this play are performed with panache by Martin Treffers, Alan Humphreys and Steve Oliver. Director Grey Masson is appreciating the opportunity to stretch his wings in this non-stop crossfire of humour and more serious issues between long-time friends. ART, written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, played for eight years in London’s West End, and then on to Broadway where it went on stage with Alan Alda, Victor Garber and Alfred Molina.
And now area audiences have the opportunity to see ART at Studio Theatre Perth from September 8-18. There are six evening performances at 7:30pm and two Sunday matinées at 2pm. Tickets are available at Tickets Please (485–6434, TicketsPlease.ca) and at the theatre box office one hour before performances. As usual, opening night tickets are $5 off.
Okay, I knew I was going to do that. Alan had gone to wait in the car and I was on my own, a dangerous time. I’d just pop in and say hello, look at the sale items. What could possibly happen? I don’t need new clothes, but I do love Mill Street. One quick in and out, “Hi, good to see you” and I’d be gone. NOT!
The new fall colours were exploding out of the boxes, and a quick try-on would give Janet a chance to see the fit of the garment, “just as a trial”, she promised me. Perfect sales pitch, perfect fit, and I walked out of that tempting shop with not one but TWO new things that I can’t even wear until late fall! And no summer sale item!
My debit card has a life of its own, and leaps from my pocket as soon as I get near one of the Mill Street shops in Almonte. A devotee of Birkenstocks, I buy one pair a year and wear them out before I get another. But there I was, detouring through Vamos, when this pair of Golden Slippers nearly walked their way toward me, and voilà: new Birkenstocks! They’re not at all what I thought I was looking for that day, but obviously they were waiting for me and my card.
Not to be outdone, the bookstore sang its siren song as I negotiated the construction. I’d have a quick look, share some titles with Ann, see what she liked that day, and be on my way. But wait — there was a new book with her recommendation on it. Well, if the book club liked it, I probably would too, I’d only get one… no, maybe two. And then there’s the third one. And again my card leapt from my pocket.
I’m sensible enough to steer away from General Fine Crafts. If I linger even a moment I am drawn in, and that can be a game changer. I have to hold my card securely in the pocket, look longingly and walk past. Instead, I hear the bell at Baker Bob’s and feast my eyes on croissants. Here the card can have its way with me.
Cheese would be a good accompaniment, and what’s a trip to Mill Street without Sandra and Lise and their little dog? Let’s try new cheddar, and for sure, we want that blue cheese… and oh, there’s the goat cheese we liked. Wait, there’s chutney too. Out comes the card, and I’m off home with treasures a-plenty.
It’s easy to use the so-convenient tap feature on my card, and to deceive myself that these items are next to being free. No dollars are being scraped out of the depths of a purse; no change is needed. In fact, often no receipt is even needed. So off I go with my little bags, happy as a squirrel on a nut chase. I keep the math in my head, so there aren’t surprises when I get home. I’m secure in the knowledge that I’m getting something I want and need.
However, I’m actually getting two things I really want and need. First, I always love my purchases, but second, I can easily convince myself that I’ve done a noble thing by shopping our main street. I might even up the ante and call myself a hero for doing that. Further, I love watching big equipment work, so there I am on Mill Street, buying things, meeting people I know, and watching the Big Dig happening. What better way to spend time and money?
I’m hoping my small measures to keep our local merchants afloat are being duplicated by all and sundry. Tourists are tiptoeing around the fences and doing their bit, lollygagging along and deciding where to shop. Should I be the only one with a credit card leaping out of my pocket? I have been known to give a sales pitch of my own on occasion when I see people dithering over a purchase or a restaurant. When the construction upheaval is complete it’s going to be lovely, and in the meantime our community needs all the help it can get to ensure all our favourites are there when it’s over, so what the heck, I’m going shopping.
From my excursion last week, you might think I’m trying to take on the hero role all by myself. Not so: many others are doing likewise, and we’re a merry band of heroes — supporting local, convincing ourselves that we “need” every single one of those little bags that we’re happily taking home.
So there you have it: I’m not spending wantonly; I’m liberating my funds for the greater good of our community. How heroic is that?
September 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1972 “Summit Series”, considered one of the most important events in Canadian history alongside Confederation, Vimy Ridge, and the adoption of the Maple Leaf Flag. Ice Breaker – the ’72 Summit Series is a new film that explores the subject with passion, diversity and an impressive cast of participants who offer their unique analyses and untold stories. theHumm contacted director Robbie Hart to find out more about his new film and its connection to Perth, Ontario.
theHumm: I remember watching the final game of the series as a grade school student in suburban Montreal. It seems that every Canadian older than 55 has a memory of Paul Henderson’s series-winning goal (it’s even mentioned in a Tragically Hip song). Robbie, what are your memories of the series?
Robbie Hart: I was 12 years old in September 1972. I loved hockey and the HABS and was very much aware that this series between the two countries was a big event. I also knew that seven players from Montreal were invited to try out for Team Canada, including #27, Frank Mahovlich, who was my favourite player at the time.
However, in 1972-73, I was living in South Florida and did not get to experience the memorable game eight like thousands of kids across Canada, who were crowded into school gyms and watching on small TVs, often with sketchy images. That scene is well depicted in my film. It’s September 28, 1972, and all of Canada has come to a grinding halt to watch this decisive hockey game. Businesses close down, classrooms empty — the whole country is listening on radio or watching on a TV.
I really wanted to re-create the tension, atmosphere and drama of that historic day and believe that now it’s been well achieved with Ice Breaker. I hope audiences feel the same.
Do you find that younger generations are aware of the Summit Series and its importance?
The genesis of the Ice Breaker documentary project actually begins with a personal discovery. Nearly two years ago, I found a book titled Cold War — The 1972 Canada-USSR Summit Series. The book was abandoned on a Montreal street corner, but the dramatic cover photo of a Soviet hockey player standing nose to nose with Canadian hockey icon Phil Esposito caught my attention. I picked it up and began reading and before long came to a wonderful and unexpected realization. Despite being a passionate hockey player, a history buff and lover of our national game, I actually knew little about the 1972 Summit Series and the intense drama, debate and desperation of those 27 days in September.
Of course, I knew that Canada beat the Russians in an epic eight-game series; that we had to win the last three games to pull off an unbelievable comeback; that Paul Henderson scored the winning goal in game eight with 34 seconds left and became a national hero; and that all of Canada was mesmerized during the month of September 1972 — glued to their radios and televisions to root for Team Canada.
I remember all of that… But I really didn’t know much more. And I realized that people around me knew little about the Summit Series, especially younger Canadians. My kids, now in their 20s, didn’t even know it happened! One night at dinner I recounted some of the story, and they were fascinated. So what happened? Did Canada beat the Russians? Who won? Hard to believe that my own kids didn’t know who Paul Henderson was.
This realization only grew more pronounced in the following days and weeks when I began sharing my discoveries with best friends, colleagues and neighbours who also knew very little of what took place and how it happened. I found it hard to believe that one of the most important events in Canadian political and cultural history of the 20th century, often compared to Confederation, the maple leaf flag and Expo 67, was not on the radar screen for most people under the age of 50. A significant generation gap was not only sitting right there in my own home but across the street as well. A monumental chapter of Canadian history — its legends and legacy — were not properly remembered or recognized by younger Canadians.
So my motives were now in place, giving me the purpose and passion to embark on this documentary journey. I was determined to give it a go.
How did you first become aware of Gary Smith’s role in the series, and how did he and his book influence the documentary?
When I was convinced to make this documentary, I reached out to a close colleague of mine, Peter Raymont, who is a veteran filmmaker and producer based in Toronto. I felt that this film would benefit from his experience and wide network of contacts.
I felt that a monumental subject like the ’72 Summit Series required a strong team. Peter and I quickly agreed to co-produce and that I would be the director. Peter then introduced me to a close friend of his, award-winning hockey writer and journalist Roy Macgregor. Roy was quick to advise us that a gentleman named Gary Smith of Perth, Ontario — a former Canadian diplomat based in Moscow in 1971-72 — was writing a book about the Summit Series and the untold stories of how it happened and his key role behind the scenes.
Gary quickly became an ally of the project, and the rights to his upcoming book were optioned by White Pine Pictures. It was obvious to me from the get-go that Gary’s story and his political and diplomatic involvement were fascinating narratives not yet shared with a wide audience. I really wanted Ice Breaker to look at ’72 from a new lens and tell the story from fresh perspectives. With Gary on board, it was clear we had a unique angle on the Summit Series. In fact, former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau essentially mandated Gary to foster exchanges with the Soviets in an effort to create détente and reduce Cold War tensions.
Today, Gary’s book Ice War Diplomat is a nationally acclaimed bestseller. Gary also came with me to Moscow on my Ice Breaker shoot and the two of us have become good friends.
Do you think your documentary provides any direction for dealing with the global political conflicts of today? Was the ’72 Summit Series a model that could hopefully bring countries together in this day and age?
One of the key lessons from this project, and what comes out strongly in the film, is the power of sports to unify, to transcend differences. It’s clear that the ’72 Summit Series was an “ice-breaker”. It really opened the door to improved relations between Canada and Russia and cemented a friendship that endures today. When I was filming in Moscow in October 2021, I was well received and treated like a hockey brother by legendary Soviet goaltender Vladislav Tretiak.
However, what is often referred to as the “hockey bridge” between our countries is today threatened with Putin’s unethical invasion and war in Ukraine. One can only hope this comes to an end very soon and that sports like hockey will cornerstone the resolution process.
It’s important to also note that the ’72 Summit Series transformed the game of hockey and took our sport to a whole new level. I often like to say that although Canada came out victorious at the very end, the big winner was the game of hockey itself.
1972 transformed the sport and globalized the NHL with players from around the world. It was the launching pad for the Swedes, Finns, Czechs, Slovaks and Russians to share their skills and hockey DNA. In 1972, 85% of NHL players were Canadian. Today, nearly half of the world’s most important hockey league is nurtured by players from other countries.
Besides viewing the film, what else (and who else) can audiences expect from the screenings at Studio Theatre Perth?
I believe audiences will be treated to an entertaining and dramatic experience watching this story unfold on a big screen. In addition, they will get to meet and talk with me during the Q&A, as well as meet my special guests — political cartoonist Terry Mosher (aka AISLIN), who is featured in Ice Breaker, and Perth’s very own Gary J. Smith.
Please also note that both Smith and Mosher will be in the lobby of the Studio Theatre Perth, post-screening, to sign copies of their new books.
Tickets to the September 6 and 7 screenings of Ice Breaker – the ’72 Summit Series are available from Tickets Please (485–6434, TicketsPlease.ca).
James Boyd (1928-2002) had an illustrious background as an artist both nationally and internationally. You may have seen one of his many doors gracing some of the finest homes in Canada, or you may recall the massive West Coast stylized sculpture commissioned by the government of Canada which welcomed visitors from around the world to the Canadian pavilion at the World Exposition in Japan.
From banknote engraver in the forties to instructor or resident artist at many of the finest art schools in Canada, James Boyd excelled and consistently won the respect and admiration of all who were honoured to work with him. His work has found a place in such collections as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Gallery of Canada.
During the month of September, Perth’s Concave Gallery presents Having Said That…, a retrospective look at one of Ottawa’s most impactful artists of the 20th century. Come see an assemblage of pieces, put together by James’ son Steven, that showcases his artistic arc over a lifetime of pushing boundaries. There will be a special opening on September 3 from 12–4pm. Concave Gallery is located on the second floor of Code’s Mill, at 53 Herriott Street. Find more details at <facebook.com/concavegallery>.
Some things are simply better together, and this is certainly the case with The Somerset Combo. Ric Denis on guitar and Tony Stuart on clarinet (and occasionally saxophone) create a magical sound every time they perform. Chances are you may have seen them at a local festival or one of the jazz clubs in and around Ottawa.
Their sound is distinctive, and you’ll feel yourself being transported to a café in Paris or driving a strip of road in Brazil as their instruments blend into one unique voice.
Both Ric and Tony are experienced professional musicians who have recently called Perth home, and to celebrate they are performing a house concert on Sunday, September 25 at 7pm. This will be an intimate affair with only 20 tickets up for sale, and with each ticket a complimentary glass of wine will be available.
The Somerset Combo perform a wide variety of music, drawing on everything from The Great American Songbook to The Beatles, playing in a style that is both smooth and “unabashedly retro”.
Come out for an evening of music and chat at 3 Victoria Street in Perth on Sunday, September 25. There are only 20 tickets available, and they are being sold through Tickets Please (485–6434, TicketsPlease.ca).
This autumn, MERA (McDonalds Corners and Elphin Recreation and Arts) will have the Schoolhouse bustling with activities for people of all ages. Join us at 974 Dalhousie Concession 9A in McDonalds Corners to bring more arts into your life!
First off, you are invited to the Fall Open House at the Schoolhouse on Sunday, September 25 from 12–3pm. Come and learn about all the activities MERA has to offer and how to join in! The Open House will be a great opportunity to discover what programs happen regularly, and to meet members of the MERA community. Through displays, demonstrations, great conversations and presentations, you can find out more about our diverse arts programs, exhibits, concert series, camps, events, history, workshops and so much more. Enjoy a wonderful afternoon with refreshments and fun.
The MERA Art Circle presents Trees 4 Life — a community-wide celebration of how trees contribute to the web of life. A tree planting and art show will take place on October 15 from 10am to 4pm. You can also view the art show hanging in Dean Hall for the entire month of October.
Moms and tots can enjoy a morning working with clay and making beautiful art in our upcoming pottery workshop. The Moms and Tots Paint a Pottery Picture workshop will be led by Elaine Wilson on October 22 from 9:30–11:30am.
MERA will host a Halloween Ball on October 29 for children and adults of all ages. Join us for a costume parade, spooky crafts, cupcake decorating and loads of fun.
MERA is committed to facilitating and promoting activities and programs for all ages which help bring this rural community together, and to promoting awareness and understanding of the arts and well-being. For more information, please visit <meraschoolhouse.org>.
Learning Again in Almonte is delighted to be offering three fascinating non-credit courses this fall. Tony Belcourt, Métis leader and the founding president of the Native Council of Canada, presents Indigenous Realities on Wednesdays from 1:30-3:30pm, from September 14 through to October 5. Tom Shoebridge, who has been a professor of communications, film and television, a film reviewer and a screenwriting lecturer, presents The Magic of Cinema on Thursdays from 12:30-3:30pm, from September 29 to November 3. Dr. Val Steeves, a professor at the University of Ottawa in the Faculty of Social Services and the co-leader of the eQuality Project, presents Online, Off Course: The Trouble with the Wired World on Tuesdays from 1–3pm, from November 1–29.
For more information or to register, please visit <learningagainalmonte.ca>.
On Thursday, September 8, The Cove Inn stage will host one of Canada’s premier musical talents: multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Steve Marriner. Steve is famously one third of the Juno and Maple Blues award-winning MonkeyJunk, as well as a musical collaborator with Colin James (on the album Miles to Go) and Harry Manx (on the album Hellbound for Heaven). For his gig at The Cove, Steve will be bringing his band and performing songs from his new release Hope Dies Last. We caught up with him to find out a bit more about the new album, the upcoming show, and what keeps this energetic performer going.
theHumm: Your latest solo project, Hope Dies Last, is a bit of a departure from the swamp blues of MonkeyJunk. Can you talk a bit about the writing and recording process?
Steve Marriner: Hope Dies Last is a culmination of several years’ worth of work. It includes songs from sessions spanning back to 2017. At the time, I didn’t have a goal in mind beyond capturing songs I had just written. So, when the pandemic struck and I found myself with an abundance of downtime, I dug through these sessions and picked the best songs. I believe there were four that made it to the album. Then, in between lockdowns, some musicians and I got together at Jimmy Bowskill’s studio — The Ganarasca Recording Company in Cobourg, ON — and got to work recording more songs to round out the album. I also recorded the closing track, Long Way Down, at my home studio in Toronto. So, it’s a bit of a mish-mash of material, but I’m pleased with the common thread we’ve found to weave through it.
What originally inspired you to start playing and writing music? Where did you get your start?
The Blues Brothers and Back to the Future were my first introduction to blues and rock & roll. Both of those films had a huge impact on my musical taste and desire to learn. I saw them both around the same time and so began my love affair with 50’s rock & roll and blues. I quickly started listening to everything on Chess Records — Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Bo Diddley. For my 11th birthday, my parents got me a harmonica and lessons at The Ottawa Folklore Centre. For the next year and a bit, I studied with Larry “The Bird” Mootham. He taught me the foundations of everything I know about the instrument and introduced me to music that would shape me into the player I am today. He also introduced me to many Ottawa musicians and helped get my name around town. Sadly, we lost Larry in 2000, but I remember him always, especially on stage.
If you could have one musician, living or dead, join you on stage at The Cove who would it be?
That’s a nearly-impossible question, but my answer is always the same — Muddy Waters. He is my true hero and biggest inspiration musically.
You are known as one of the hardest working musicians in Canada. Is there a secret formula to your creative energy?
Survival! It’s always been difficult to make a living being a musician, but especially so since the pandemic. So my hustle comes from necessity. I’ve always been a hard worker and motivated to succeed, but there’s an added weight now. I think being so in love with music and performing it is really what drives me. There’s no place I’d rather be than on stage in front of people eager to listen. I just try to bring it to as many people as I can.
Steve Marriner and his band return to The Cove’s waterside stage on Thursday, September 8 as part of “The Pond Music Series.” A delicious dinner and the show will cost $90 (plus HST & gratuity). Come early to catch special guest opener Jake Chisholm. Reservations are required.
It’s almost hard to imagine there is a deadly critical climate crisis out in the world. Here in Lanark County we have been blessed with a really good old-fashioned summer. Even our heat wave was just, well, “summer”. Yay for the cool lakes and rivers and forests of Lanark County!
It sure is tempting to just stop listening to the bad news about the rest of the world.
Telling our political and business leaders how bad things are and how much worse they will get doesn’t seem to have worked. The stories of huge rivers in Europe completely drying up and giant swaths of precious forests burning up all over the place seem to have very little effect on changing our way of doing business. Everything seems ok here, doesn’t it?
I have heard an analogy of us needing to approach the climate crisis the way the Brits did the threat of WWII. They had years and years of warning that the Germans were quite serious in their ambitions. The evidence was crystal clear. But it practically took the German army bristling about on the shores of the North Sea polishing their landing craft for the Brits to snap to attention. Then it was all hands on deck: the whole country, and its “colonies” — including Canada — went into action to prevent what was clearly on their doorstep. Everyone was involved in the war effort. In a matter of months they built loads of ships and airplanes and other weaponry. The stories of what was accomplished in record time is astounding. My “housewife” aunt told stories of immediately being sent off to work in a factory making ammunition and having her wrought-iron front gate and fences taken away for raw materials, as well as rationing of just about everything. School kids in Canada were sent out to collect milkweed pods to use as flotation material in life preservers. Everyone was required to be part of the solution.
We almost need to assume a wartime mentality in order to address the climate crisis. One version of this could include a mass operation to retrofit every building for saving energy (government programs now available to help with this: check out <climate-networklanark.ca/housing-retrofit> for lots of information, and specifically The Canada Greener Homes Grant <nrcan.gc.ca>). All new buildings should be constructed to eliminate fossil fuels and take advantage of leading-edge insulation and air sealing, as well as new electric technologies that heat, cool and save money. Factories will need to be turned to making things like heat pumps and wind turbines. Green roofs and more green spaces will cover cities, making them much more habitable. We won’t be paving paradise (such as our precious carbon-capturing wetlands and farms) to build parking lots and highways… on and on. All of this will stimulate the economy and create lasting prosperity.
There are numerous examples of projects and ways of living to inspire us all. I find this the most uplifting way to think of the future.
The Pine Brae Story
One of my favourite stories (and I’m planning to share more in future) is close to home, simple and sublime. It is the story of Pine Brae: a 100-acre eco-retreat in the heart of Lanark County. I asked owners Connie Higgs and Blair Copland about their home and life’s work (they rent off-grid, isolated cabins) — specifically, what moved them to buy a big chunk of wilderness and create a livelihood on it. Connie’s response was so powerful and simple: “We bought it to protect it.” They saw the value of this unadulterated wild place. This really struck me. It’s so profound. Creating a place for people to have the healing experience they offer. Simple peace and quiet in a natural setting.
But it’s more than that. The comfortable, off-grid experience there holds many lessons to take back to our built-up towns and cities. This is Blair’s telling of their story.
“I grew up a city kid, but summers were spent at our family cottage near St. Sauveur, Quebec. There I developed a love for the outdoors and learned to canoe and swim. Canoeing became my true passion, and as a teenager I was fortunate to participate in 25-day canoe trips in northern Ontario and Quebec. As I grew up, I was always seeking wild places and eventually decided I wanted to make my home in the wilderness.
“The vision for Pine Brae was inspired by my own experiences of trying to find a place to enjoy nature but always finding crowded and over-developed offerings. I knew there must be other people looking for what I was seeking, and that I could earn a sustainable living by preserving wild places and engaging in eco-tourism. The search for the right property began in earnest in 2012. I was shocked to find a large acreage with lakefront in the heart of the Rideau Lakes. The property contains Provincially Significant Wetlands and could not be subdivided into small cottage lots, and it had many development restrictions as it contains vital habitat for endangered species like the whippoorwill and rat snake. It was as though it was waiting for me.
“When we began the project, off-grid living was still in its infancy, and we realized that we were somewhat pioneers, but that we didn’t have to sacrifice too many modern comforts. There were small adjustments, such as postponing vacuuming or a load of laundry, or opting to not use the hair dryer on a cloudy day. The home we had built was almost a prototype for the cabins that would come later, and we learned a lot during the process. I was surprised to learn that adopting sustainable methods lowered costs in the long term and allowed me to truly actualize the vision for Pine Brae. Solar power allowed us to put the house far from roads and noisy neighbours and for each cabin to be autonomous and far apart from the others, giving guests their own piece of wilderness to experience.”
What this couple has done is not within everyone’s means, but it shows we can make a living by taking care of this natural world — she will take care of us if we take care of her. If you want to see for yourself how off-grid living feels, check out <pinebrae.ca>.
If you have inspiring stories about people you know creating sustainable lives in the green economy, please let us know by emailing <info@climatenetworklanark.ca>.
Sivarulrasa Gallery is delighted to announce representation of Almonte-based artist Marina Raike! From September 7 to October 14, her installation Marina Raike: Looking Back will be featured in Gallery II. Marina’s studio practice ranges from skulls to abstract works inspired by geology and the natural world. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Ontario College of Art and Design University in 2006.
Her current body of work experiments with organic materials and cultural artifacts, using minerals from Ontario, Québec and Labrador, juxtaposed with collages of historical imagery and written texts. The historical imagery recalls the 19th and 20th centuries using symbols of a time just beyond living memory, while the minerals are naturally formed from ancient times. “In my mind, there are many connections between natural systems, forgotten ancestors and our own inventions,” she says. “Looking back can give us a broader perspective for facing whatever lies ahead.”
Everyone is invited to an Artist Talk/Virtual Vernissage on Zoom on Wednesday, September 14 from 7–8pm. Please email <info@sivarulrasa.com> to register for this event.
Meditation practice is common to many spiritual traditions. In a six-week course led by Anna Karuna Egan, participants will explore the philosophical foundations of Buddhist meditation. You will learn techniques that invite more perspective and a greater sense of calm, while understanding how to diffuse stress and acknowledge the habitual patterns we hold in the body and mind.
The path of meditation goes right to the heart of being and asks us to familiarize ourselves with our self. Buddhist meditation works with profound contemplative topics that emphasize the nature of reality and the nature of being. These spiritual practices help us to see clearly and live wisely by integrating mindfulness in daily life. All are welcome.
The course starts on September 25, and runs on Sundays from 5-6:15pm at the Almonte Old Town Hall. Find details at <somaticwisdomtraditions.com>, or register by emailing <breathe@annakaruna.com>.
On Thursday, September 15 at 6:30pm, the Almonte branch of the Mississippi Mills Public Library welcomes popular Canadian author Merilyn Simonds. Simonds will read from her new novel Woman, Watching and sign copies of her book. Almonte’s Mill Street Books will be in attendance to sell copies of a few of Simonds’ titles as well as her most recent book.
Merilyn Simonds is the award-winning author of ?? books, including the novel The Holding, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and the Canadian classic nonfiction novel The Convict Lover, a finalist for the Governor General’s Award and inspiration for the Judith Thompson play Hot House. With her husband, Wayne Grady, she wrote the travel memoir Breakfast at the Exit Café, and for nine years, a books column for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her most recent nonfiction is Gutenberg’s Fingerprint (????), a meditation on reading, writing, and the future of the printed book. Merilyn divides her time between Kingston and Mexico, the setting for her most recent novel Refuge, a story of sanctuary.
Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay, a hybrid memoir/biography of a reclusive Canadian amateur ornithologist, was published in May of 2022 to great acclaim. Margaret Atwood called it a “lyrical, passionate, and deeply researched portrait.” Helen Humphreys wrote, “This is no ordinary biography. Beautiful and powerful.” And Kyo Maclear, author of Birds, Art, Life, exclaimed, “Woman, Watching is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s radical, it’s ravishing.”
Reservations are required. Please visit <missmillslibrary.com> or call 256–1037 to reserve a seat!
The Friends of the Mississippi Mills Library are holding their annual book sale in Almonte from October 21–23, during Library Week. The proceeds of this sale will go to the Mississippi Mills Public Library to help expand the collection of large print books. The demand for these books is escalating and they are much more expensive to purchase than other books. Let’s see if we can make the sale a huge success! The dates and times for the book sale are October 21 from 12–8pm, October 22 from 10am to 5pm, and October 23 from 12–5pm.
Please Donate Books!
Book sales need books, so organizers are asking the community to donate books they would like to pass on. They are collecting recent books in good condition, books of any genre, books for both kids and adults, and French books. Alas, they cannot accept encyclopedias, textbooks, bibles, or books that have been exposed to dampness or are mouldy. If you have books to donate, please drop them off between September 7 and October 20. Organizers are in the final stages of negotiating a space to hold the sale and should be able to announce the drop-off site by the end of August. Keep an eye out for details or contact them at <friends@missmillslibrary.com>.
Twenty-one artists living and working in North Frontenac Township are creatively planning for another wonderful Studio Tour this year. It will be held on the weekend of September 24 and 25, between 10am and 4pm each day.
The North Frontenac Back Roads Studio Tour has happened now for nine years. It was not cancelled during the Covid years of 2020 and 2021. In fact, it had two of the most successful years ever. Many of the artists on it have participated from the beginning. This year four new artists are joining the tour, adding glasswork, vintage journals, skin and haircare products, and new paintings to the potters, painters, textile and fibre artists, jewellers, sculptors and cheesemakers who have been with the tour for many years.
As the tour has evolved, a number of artists have relocated from their own studios to share space with others. This makes the tour a bit shorter and manageable in a day. This year there will be 12 studios distributed around the villages of North Frontenac. A map of the tour is available online at <northfront-enacbackroadsstudiotour.com>. On it are marked all the studio locations, as well as the location of public washrooms. The website also suggests places to get a snack or meal while on the tour. There is information about all the participating artists and their work.
Driving around North Frontenac in September is always a beautiful experience. The hills, lakes and autumn colours make for spectacular scenery. The 22 murals scattered around the township are a little-known attraction in North Frontenac — keep your eyes open for these. They can be found at all the community halls and many other public sites. All have been produced by local artists. Their locations can be found on the North Frontenac Township website.
This year there is another exciting local event taking place on the same weekend — The Star Festival. This will be held at the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve on Friday and Saturday evenings, September 23 and 24. After the tour closes at 4pm on Saturday, you can head over there to meet keen astronomers with their equipment, and take a look at the heavens.
Mark September 24 and 25 on your calendars, visit the website, and come out to enjoy an inspiring and interesting day in North Frontenac Township!
The Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame was founded in 1980, incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1987, and became a registered charity in 1988. Finally, after a two-year absence due to the pandemic, their annual Induction Ceremony is back! Taking place on September 25, it will be a lively show featuring the induction of Gil Charron, Judi Moffatt-Hill, South Mountain (Steve Piticco, Don Reed, Laurie LaPorte-Piticco, Bill Carruthers and Todd Nolan) and Wayne Young. theHumm reached out to Judi Moffatt-Hill to find out more about her induction and the special place that Ottawa Valley country music holds in her heart.
As a country music fan and performer, what makes the music coming out of the Ottawa Valley special?
Judi Moffatt-Hill: I have lived all over this beautiful country of ours and sung in bands and jammed with talented country folks from coast to coast, but even while singing with those people, I heard the fabulous harmonies of my friends in the Ottawa Valley in my head — mostly my singing partner and long-time friend Barry Munro. Others like Maureen Young, Laurie Laporte-Piticco, Brad Munro, Marty McTiernan and Dan Paul Rogers were always with me in spirit no matter where I was.
Also, I think the strong bluegrass influence in our area has made better harmony singers of us all.
Why are institutions like the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame so important to both established and emerging performers?
It applauds the accomplishments of established performers and gives the young and new to the genre, no matter their age, a chance to learn and get experience performing for a larger audience than they’ve previously had a chance to get in front of. We all can spot talent when we see and hear it; in the Ottawa Valley our musician family is strong and there’s nothing we love better than to help someone else get some recognition and exposure, and experience playing with a great band behind them like the Hall of Fame Show Band.
What are some of your favourite memories from past Induction Ceremonies?
Probably the first time I was asked to perform on the Hall of Fame show back in 2008. Jim Long (past President) had heard me at the After Sundown CD release party (that was Brad Munro and Marty McTiernan’s CD) and asked me to perform on the show. The next year Elayne Carlson asked if I would like to be on the Board of Directors.
Congratulations on being inducted this year! How does that recognition feel, and what are you most looking forward to about this year’s event?
Thank you very much! We’ve all (South Mountain, Wayne Young, Gil Charron and myself) been waiting since 2020 for this show to be able to carry on, which is when we were first nominated. I, for one, have been holding my breath (and still am) so as not to jinx it! Mostly, I feel truly humbled at being inducted. It means that my peers feel that I belong among their ranks, and that is all I can ask for.
Now that we’re emerging from some pretty dark times — especially for performers — what do you think the future holds for the Ottawa Valley country music scene?
I hope and pray that these dark times are coming to an end. We’ve seen the revival of a lot of the summer festivals in 2022 that had to cancel over the previous two years, and some that will never return, sadly. But country music is alive and well in the Ottawa Valley. With upcoming acts like Cashman Ford, Small Town Socials (Brendan McMunn’s band) and many others, as Dan Paul Rogers sang: “I believe in country music!” With a lot of help from our local radio stations, Valley Heritage Radio in particular, our scene will carry on!
The Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame will hold their 2022 Induction Ceremony at 7pm on Sunday, September 25 at the Meridian Theatre at Centrepointe. Tickets are $45, available at <meridiancentrepointe.com> or by calling 580–2700. For more details, visit <ottawacountrymusichof.org> or contact the Hall of Fame at (819) 281–3924.
Young people in Arnprior and the surrounding area have an exciting new option for recreational programming. Ottawa Valley Theatre Kids is a new business aiming to provide performing arts instruction in a fun, inclusive environment.
Founder Meaghan Shannon-Kolar grew up in Arnprior and participated in many area theatre groups. Now a teacher, along with her partner Lucas Kolar, she hopes to provide young people with the types of opportunities for artistic expression that she was lucky enough to receive.
A guiding philosophy for Meaghan and Lucas is that drama is a place where everyone can belong. Skills that are honed in drama — such as self-confidence, creative problem solving and teamwork — are all things that help kids in many facets of life, not just on the stage.
Ottawa Valley Theatre Kids’ first program is called Drama Lab and is being presented in partnership with the town of Arnprior. There are two age groups for Drama Lab, and both take place on Wednesday evenings for 10 weeks beginning on September 21 at the Nick Smith Centre in Arnprior. Sessions for kids aged 6-8 will run from 5:30–6:30pm, and ages 9-12 will be from 6:30–7:30. Participants can expect to play a variety of drama games, work on key acting skills such as voice and movement, create characters and perform skits and other forms of expression. Registration for this program is available through the Town of Arnprior’s Recreation website.
To find out more about Ottawa Valley Theatre Kids, check out <ottawavalleytheatrekids.com> or find them on Facebook. You can also contact them at <ovtkids@gmail.com> with any questions.
Come and discover the joy of creating, the feelings of connection and the magic of performing that a drama program has to offer!
As the glorious golden summer days grow shorter and cooler, many members of the Perth Autumn Studio Tour (PAST) are feeling a related seasonal shift as they get ready for this year’s Tour. Pottery wheels are in full spin, palettes of colour are being skillfully dabbed onto canvasses. Stone is being carved, looms are humming, wool is being spun, leather is being stitched, gems are being set. Creators of all stripes are busy creating the stuff of their imaginations in preparation for this year’s Perth Autumn Studio Tour.
After a prolonged and unanticipated two-year Covid hiatus, the tour members are excited to announce that this beloved event is returning this fall! We have missed seeing our patrons for the last two autumns, but hope that the new approaches our planning committee has come up with for this year’s Tour will entice you to come out and visit us once again.
As by now all of us know, Covid has asked us to evolve and become much more fluid and responsive in face of ever-changing events. PAST members too have opted the past couple of years to take these sometimes challenging times in stride and to use them as an opportunity to experiment with new approaches for the tour to keep it feeling dynamic and fresh.
In order to take advantage of (likely) warmer weather, we have chosen new dates for this year — Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25 — two days instead of three. Though we realize that for some people the Thanksgiving tradition of doing the tour may be missed, we hope that for many others this will be a welcome change — opening up the Thanksgiving weekend to other possibilities or more family time!
We will have four stops this year. These include the Maberly Hall (with ample parking; or perhaps consider biking the trail from Maberly to Brooke Valley!), the Cordwood Studio (Zoë Lianga), and the studios of Susie Osler and Catherine Orfald. A smaller number, but more bang for your buck at each one, with 30 participants (indoors and outdoors) spread between them. As several long-time members will be on sabbatical this year, the studios of Franc van Oort, Anne Chambers, Brent Kirkham and Dunn Sohn will not be open. While these members and their studios will surely be missed, there will be less time spent driving, and more time spent discovering our participating artists and their diverse offerings. It has also been our intention to encourage younger and emerging makers in their creative pursuits, and many will be featured on the tour this year.
We are also considering our precious environment in the choices we can make in organizing the tour. Perhaps the most noticeable will be the absence of brochures this year — a decision we have made to mitigate paper waste and in recognition of our increasingly digital savvy world. A downloadable/printable map and the list of stops, with addresses and corresponding artists, is available at <perthstudiotour.com>. Be sure to also bookmark the website on your phone as an alternate navigation tool.
Our small but mighty organizing team has had fun imagining the 2022 revamped version of the Perth Autumn Studio Tour. It has become amply clear to us that our patrons have missed the tour for the past couple of years and are as hungry as we are to reconnect again in our creative spaces. And speaking of hunger… you won’t want to miss out on the fabulous harvest lunch offered at our small, parent-organized Brooke Valley School, available from 10am to 4pm each day. The menu will be posted on the website the week of the Tour.
We hope the changes we are making this year feel fresh and inspire you to come out from 10am to 5pm on September 24 and/or 25 for this year’s Perth Autumn Studio Tour! Please note: many makers will not be able to accept credit or debit cards. Please come prepared with cash or cheques to avoid disappointment.
To learn more about our artists and to subscribe to our email list, check out <perthstudiotour.com>. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @perthstudiotour and help us spread the excitement about this year’s tour!
Perth Tourism is pleased to announce the return of Perth Night Market, taking place on Saturday, October 1. The evening will feature a variety of entertainment, including musicians and street performers. 80+ artisans and vendors hailing from Lanark County, the Ottawa Valley and beyond can be found on the streets, highlighting the talent that can be found in our own backyard.
Most shops and restaurants throughout Perth will be open late for the event, giving attendees the opportunity to explore the unique offerings housed in beautiful heritage buildings.
Street closures will allow guests to move freely and provide ample space for physical distancing. A shuttle service will be running from 2–11pm from several parking lots on the outskirts of Perth to the event area.
Experience the magic of Perth’s streets at night. Visit <perth.ca/nightmarket> for more information and to stay up-to-date on details.
Harvest Moon Orchard on Carp Road is for sale! After nearly 40 years in the apple business, Randy and I have decided to retire and sell our property with the house, store and orchard.We have a great crop this year and we will be open as usual at 4625 Carp Road from Thursday through Sunday until November. Most of the non-food items in our store are 50% off! On Saturdays, Randy will be at the Carp Farmers’ Market.
It has been a labour of love. The best part has been meeting so many people. We’ve had wonderful, loyal customers and staff over the years. We will miss every one of them. We really thank everyone for their support through good seasons and the not-so-good!
Randy plans to plant some trees and garlic at the new place in rural Almonte, so don’t be surprised if you see him at the market or just out enjoying the great small towns and restaurants around here.
Over the past 20 years we’ve renovated the house that Randy built. The orchard has been completely replanted with small, easy to look after trees. Our farmer neighbour where we grow the garlic, pumpkins, potatoes and veggies is open to discussing the use of his land.
Harvest Moon Orchard has always been a part-time, seasonal business for us. This is a great opportunity for the right people! Full-time or part-time, you can run the orchard, start a cider business or market garden, or just enjoy the sunsets from the porch. There are so many possibilities! Our real estate agent is Andy Oswald at <WestOttawaRealEstate.ca>.
We hope someone will enjoy our corner on Carp Road as much as we have, and make just as many good memories as we take with us. Hope to see you this fall!
The 2022 Kingston WritersFest returns as an in-person event this fall and features a diverse lineup of magnificently talented authors.
The lineup was unveiled in mid-July, and it’s impressive. Kicking off the festival on September 28 is acclaimed Canadian novelist Heather O’Neil, who will be reading from her latest bestseller, When We Lost Our Heads.
Arguably, that’s an apt title given what the Kingston WritersFest is celebrating this year: “where we are,” as Artistic Director Aara Maccauley says, “back together, in person, and reflecting on what we, collectively, have navigated over the past two years.”
“Our theme for 2022 is ‘Beneath the Surface,’ and it recognizes the desire to have deeper conversations about the issues and causes that have dominated our thoughts and the headlines since Covid’s appearance.”
The marquee event in the Beneath the Surface series, which will explore activism, mental health and identity, takes place the next night with a reading by and talk with Gabor Maté, internationally renowned author and speaker highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development and the relationship of stress and illness. Gabor Maté will read from his latest book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture.
Also on Friday, distinguished multi-award winning author Helen Humphreys will read from her latest book, And A Dog Named Fig: Solitude, Connection, the Writing Life, which is a beautiful, meditative memoir about the writing life, harnessing inspiration in times of solitude, and why dogs make the ideal writing companions. Award-winning Kingston poet and children’s author Sarah Tsiang — whose latest collection of poems, Grappling Hook, was published earlier in the year by Palimpsest Press — will lead an intimate conversation with Helen and, following that, what is surely to be a fun, fascinating, and lively discussion with audience members about writing, dogs, and Helen’s “thoughtful, lyrical, and completely wonderful” book.
Later in the festival, Sarah Tsiang will join poets Nancy Jo Cullen (Nothing Will Save Your Life) and Gillian Sze (Quiet Night Think: Poems & Essays) for an event called Mother Tongue: Identities in Verse, which will “take a lyrical, unflinching look at the intimate and messy realities of motherhood, femininity, desire and identity, while concurrently pondering worldly issues of climate change, capitalism and social justice.”
This year’s festival, which runs from September 28 to October 2, also includes readings by Guy Gavriel Kay, Nita Prose, David Adams Richards, Rawi Hage, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Joshua Whitehead and Martha Wainwright. You can find a complete lineup and schedule of events, and buy tickets to the festival too, at <kingstonwritersfest.ca>.
The Book Lovers’ Lunch, always a festival favourite, takes place on Saturday afternoon as the charming, knowledgeable and beloved bookseller Ben McNally (the proprietor of Ben McNally Books) will offer attendees a top-notch list of insightful book recommendations. Ben knows good books, and this event is always quick to sell out, so it’s best to book tickets well in advance. Admission also includes a delicious lunch; there will be a cash bar as well.
That night, international bestselling award-winning author Guy Gavriel Kay will take the stage for the festival’s popular Author! Author! event. Guy Gavriel Kay, who has written over a dozen novels which have been translated into 22 languages, and has been called “one of the world’s greatest living storytellers,” will return to the stage to read from his latest novel, All The Seas of the World. He will be joined by author Craig Anderson for a discussion about world-building, history, fantasy and what’s next.
On Saturday, Joshua Whitehead will be featured at an event called Identities in Rupture: Memoir, and will read from his latest work, Making Love with the Land. Author of the wildly popular New York Times bestselling novel The Maid, Nita Prose highlights Late Check-Out: Whodunit? — an event sure to delight fans of the masterful mystery and win over new readers as well. Later that night, internationally renowned singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright will read from her heartfelt memoir Stories I Might Regret Telling You. “With disarming candor and courage,” writes Emmylou Harris, “Martha tells us of finding her own voice (one, in my opinion, without peer) and peace as a working artist and mother.” Martha Wainwright will talk about growing up in a famous musical family and making her own path — from a childhood surrounded by musical legends like Leonard Cohen and Emmylou Harris, to the challenges of being a woman in the music industry, the rewards of motherhood, and her edgy new album Love Will Be Reborn.
The final event of the festival, now in its 14th year, is Sunday’s The Last Chapter Brunch featuring Governor General’s Award-winning author David Adams Richards, who will read from his latest book, The Tragedy of Eva Mott. As those in attendance enjoy brunch and perhaps a mimosa, novelist Wayne Grady will moderate a discussion with the author who has been billed as one of “Canada’s greatest living writers.”
There will also be a special, free community Open Mic celebration in memory of the late poet, author and musician Steven Heighton on Sunday, October 2. Steve was a delightful fixture at the Kingston WritersFest. Whether he was reading from a new book, moderating a panel discussion or teaching a workshop, he did so always with great passion, professionalism, charm and unmatched wit. Steve will be remembered by many as one of Canada’s greatest writers, as a dear friend and prodigiously gifted wordsmith and songwriter, an inspirational and supportive colleague, and a beautiful human being.
Sunday’s event honouring Steve’s memory features a performance by a Poetry In Voice National Finals winner Lauren Altomare, and then the stage will be open for others to recite their work and take a moment to reflect on Steve’s legacy in the Kingston and Canadian literary landscapes.
In fact, the 2022/23 line-up presented by Blues on the Rideau at The Cove Inn promises to have you up on the dance floor, enjoying a fabulous season of blues, rock, soul, funk and R&B performed by some of Canada’s best artists. And in addition to the terrific music, you also get a fabulous meal and the opportunity to contribute to local charities!
The season opens on Friday, October 28 with the phenomenal Samantha Martin, backed by her band Delta Sugar. Samantha has multiple Juno and Maple Blues award nominations, and will be fresh off a successful European tour and a summer of performing at major blues festivals across Canada to large enthusiastic audiences. Spencer MacKenzie follows on November 18, and Angelique Francis rounds out the 2022 shows on December 2. All these artists may play a second night if there are enough advance bookings, so reserve your tickets now (and let The Cove know if you would prefer to come out to a Saturday show instead).
In 2023, January 20 & 21 brings the incomparable Jack de Keyzer, and the line-up continues with Lloyd Spiegel & Suzie Vinnick on February 17, David Gogo on March 24, Harrison Kennedy on April 14, Mike Goudreau & The Boppin’ Blues Band on May 5, and the Blackburn Brothers on June 2. All evenings run from 7–11pm.
More details will be available in future issues of theHumm, but in the meantime please visit <BluesOnTheRideau.ca> for artist bios, links to websites and YouTube videos.
This season, the price for dinner and the show is $100 plus HST, with proceeds from all shows going to wonderful local charities and good causes. The price includes a delicious full-course dinner, the show, dancing, door prizes and donation to charity.
On this year’s new ticket price, Blues on the Rideau’s stalwart organizer James Doran notes that: “Yes — the ticket price has gone up. It had to. Everything has gone up in price over the past two years — especially food costs. We have also increased the amount we are paying the artists — and they’re worth every penny — to help offset the past two years of hardship they have suffered due to Covid. When you consider the fact that a delicious dinner is included, that some of the proceeds are going to help local charities, and the quality of the artists — plus being able to see them in the small, friendly, intimate setting of The Cove, BOTR is still one of the best entertainment values in the country!”
Reservations are required for all shows, so please call The Cove at 273–3636 or email them at <thecoveinnwestport@gmail.com>. The Cove has a limited capacity and most BOTR shows sell out in advance. Cancellations or changes to reservations will be accepted up to one week prior to show date without penalty. Overnight accommodations are available at The Cove, nearby B&Bs and the Westport Station Motel, but book early because there are a limited number of beds in town and they usually sell out on BOTR nights.
Blues on the Rideau is produced by Choose the Blues Productions in cooperation with The Cove Inn and is sponsored by Jacob’s Creek Wineries, Perth Brewery, DAWG FM.com, Lake 88 radio Perth, The Black Dog Inn Westport and the Ottawa Blues Society, whom the organizers gratefully thank for their support.
Summer is here, and after 3 years under Covid it’s time for the folks at Union Hall to open the doors to continue tradition with the annual Blueberry Tea, now taking place on Sunday, September 11.
Everyone is invited to join neighbours and friends for blueberries with fine pastry and tea or Equator coffee in this old-fashioned celebration of summer. Doors are open from 1–4pm. Admission is free, and donations are greatly appreciated.
Union Hall has been a focal point for social gatherings for over 150 years, from church services to the temperance movement, and for institutions as diverse as the Women’s Institute and the public library. Today, with support from Mississippi Mills, the volunteer committee works to preserve and maintain the building, home to so many local community events.
Come to Westport on Saturday, September 17 for the return of this popular event, where local residents meet businesses on front porches around the village for fun, food, and fabulous entertainment! Running from noon to 9pm, Westporch is a FREE outdoor walking tour of Westport, as front porches become a showcase for regional artists, musicians, activities and treats.
Organizers John Pringle (Rideau Lakes Radio) and Trevor Connell (What’s On Westport) were inspired to bring Westporch back after an overwhelmingly successful inaugural event in 2021. “The idea is to take some of the great, iconic porches in the village and turn them into a stage, an entertainment centre,” explains Pringle. Connell adds, “After such an amazing day in September last year, how could we not do it again?”
So far, over 20 porches are on the bill — with more to come! Attractions will include live music (including bands, a DJ and Karaoke), food and refreshments, a Kid Zone with balloons, face painting, cotton candy and popcorn, a pet adoption and much more.
Providing a soundtrack for the day are the following musical guests: The 4 Classic Country Ladies, Albert St. Pierre & Patti, Cabin Fever (featuring George Reynolds), Evan Carlson, Mike Cochrane & Fred Pringle, Matt Dickson, East Coast Experience, Head Over Heels (featuring Zak Colbert), Karaoke with James Kirkham, Shawn McCullough, Nate and Thomas, No Principals (Dave Balfour & Jamie Campbell), Rocky High & The Northern Lights, Tom Savage, Savannah Shea, DJ Mike Sitchon, Ron Stevens, Three’s Company, Eric Uren and Doug Van der Horden.
Come on out to Westporch for this village-wide family-friendly day, and have fun supporting local talent and businesses. Tips, donations and purchases are welcome.
Don’t forget to post photos on social media and show your favourite decorated porch. Find more details at <whatsonwestport.ca/westporch-festival-2022>.
From their manure to their fleece, alpaca farming is exceptionally eco-friendly because these four-legged fluffy animals have very little impact on the environment. Alpacas are low methane-producing and relatively clean animals who utilize communal manure piles. Their pH-neutral manure is often used as fertilizer and a soil amendment. Due to their unique soft-padded hoof, the direct impact to the soil matrix is very minimal as their hoof does not penetrate or disturb the ground, unlike most other animals and livestock. Also, the yearly fleece shorn off an alpaca does not require caustic measure to be processed into useable garments — a very simple cleaning, sorting and spinning process is performed prior to the next steps: dyeing, knitting, crocheting, weaving or felting. Alpaca fleece is light and water-repellent, yet durable and incredibly warm.
For alpaca farmers, working with the fleece of their own animals is a rewarding experience; seeing a usable end-product and knowing which alpaca the fibre belongs to is very special!
Many alpaca farmers have diversified their agritourism businesses to include other livestock, lavender, vegetables and farm tours. They have their own passion for their animals and the alpaca industry as a whole; however, they also offer unique and creative complementary options such as woodturning, florals, ice cream and beehives — to name just a few. Alpaca farms have increased in popularity, which allows for diversification, with some offering overnight guest stays, birthday parties, weddings, workshops and educational sessions, photo sets, yoga classes and therapeutic sessions.
Alpaca Farm Days
On September 24 and 25, four area farms welcome you to visit their established settings that focus on alpaca genetics, breeding and fibre quality. Each farm has their own unique set-up with an array of viewing areas and opportunities to visit with the alpacas, and possibly self-guided tours.
Venture to each farm to hear the stories, visit with the animals, and hear from the farmers about how they have adapted and embraced their alpaca journey. Join them for National Alpaca Farm Days, from 10am to 4pm on the weekend of September 24 and 25. Bring your questions and cameras. See you at the farm!
Lanark County Interval House and Community Support (LCIHCS) offers emergency and ongoing programs to women and children living in or escaping from domestic violence. Founded in 1979 by a number of brave and determined feminists who saw the need for a safe place for women experiencing violence at home and in their relationships, the organization continues to provide care and support for women in our communities. They have two important events coming up in September:
Take Back the Night March
LCIHCS is asking the community to come together to join survivors and allies for a march of solidarity against sexual and domestic violence with its annual Take Back the Night event. The event joins hundreds of thousands of supporters across the country.
“We march together in solidarity to demand that a woman’s right to walk our streets safely be upheld,” says Brianne Luckasavitch, Victim Advocate at Interval House. “We remember and honour the women and children who have been taken at the hands of violence and those who live with violence every day.”
The march will be held on Thursday, September 15 from 6–8pm. Participants will gather in the park next to Carleton Place Town Hall. The march will begin at 7pm and plans to follow the traditional route through town on Bridge Street, although this is subject to change based on the construction. All are welcome to participate.
“The march this year is so important,” adds Erin Lee, Executive Director. “After two years of violence exacerbated by COVID-19, recent femicides in our County and our neighbouring County, and the recent Renfrew County Inquest, we need to come together and use our voices. All women need to feel safe, and the more people that stand with you, the less you are alone.”
For the last 15 years, Carleton Place has been the host of one of the best-attended rural Take Back the Night marches in Canada. Even on the soggiest of nights, residents have turned out with their banners and noisemakers in record numbers. Lanark County Interval House and their Community Partners also plan to relaunch their See It, Name It, Change It campaign at the event. The campaign urges us to use our voice to end violence and features new additions including a call to end racism.
Pebble Mosaic Honouring Victims of Violence
Lanark County Interval House and Community Support is proud to have collaborated for the third time with ReDefine Arts to bring a unique pebble mosaic monument to Town Square in Smiths Falls. The mosaic will be unveiled on September 29, and all community members are welcome to participate in the event.
The mosaic, part of ReDefine Arts’ Countdown Project, honours victims and survivors of gender-based violence while “counting down” to a world free from violence. The mosaic is designed and built by community members, guided by the talented artist team at ReDefine Arts. The mosaic offers a gathering place for reflecting on, remembering victims of, and creating change towards ending gender-based violence.
LCIHCS Executive Director Erin Lee says: “though plans for the mosaic began last fall, the tragic instance of femicide in Smiths Falls in December, the recent Renfrew County Inquest and rates of violence exacerbated by the pandemic create an increased need for a project like this one. The community needs a place to heal and reflect. Conversations around ending violence need to happen.”
LCIHCS invites all community members to join them on September 29 from 6–8pm at Town Square, between Smiths Falls Public Library and the Town Hall, for an evening of community celebration and commemoration at the official unveiling of the Smiths Falls Countdown Pebble Mosaic. This free outdoor event will feature speakers, performers and light refreshments. All community members, project participants and their friends and family members are invited!
The mosaic’s design was collaboratively created by community members through five workshops. Anna Camilleri, Artistic Co-Director with ReDefine Arts and the mosaic’s lead artist, says the design “reflects resilience; the hummingbird is the anchor element, with rays around it being its energy, and the bottom includes an interpretation of elevation, mountains or water.”
For more information about these events, or other LCIHCS programs, please visit <lcih.org>.
The monthly Friday night lectures series, Almonte Lectures, is launching its new season with an eclectic mix of lectures for the next three months. Following a successful reception to Zoom — yup, glass of wine, jammies, and no driving — the Lectures will continue on Zoom for September, October and November, in the traditional 7:30pm time slot on the last Friday of the month.
On September 30, Jan Johns, the President of the Orchid Society of Ottawa, will dispel the myth that orchids are hard to grow. Jan is the proud owner of over 100 orchids in her home and garden. A scientist, teacher and obvious devotee of this specialized flower, Jan will offer her Confessions of an Orchid Lover to encourage everyone — even those who can’t keep a cactus alive — that growing orchids is a fulfilling and exciting experiment.
Jan has helped organize the Ottawa Orchid Show (which will return next spring) — an extravaganza of beauty not to be missed by photographers and plant lovers alike. Try to walk away without a flower in your hand!
On October 28, technology takes the front seat with a lecture by Dr. Halla Thorsteindottir. Is High Tech only for Rich Countries? is a relevant question when worldwide news travels so fast. Dr. Thorsteindottir has been actively involved at the UN level in researching innovation and cooperation among diverse smaller countries, and has valuable insight into the working relationships available through various media. An Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto and Cinvestav Mexico, as well as a native of Iceland, Halla had developed extensive relationships on which to base her research.
Richard Van Loon will return on November 25 for the final 2022 lecture entitled David Thompson, Canada’s Epic Mapmaker. Those who heard Richard’s previous lectures will not want to miss this one. Richard’s interest in Canadian history brings his lectures alive with stories we likely haven’t heard before.
All three lectures can be accessed through <almontelectures.net>, where you can register for the Zoom lectures, discover more details about the speakers and their subjects, or donate to Almonte Lectures.
These lectures have been running for 18 years under the guidance of the late Don Wiles, Warren Thorngate, Mel Turner, Jan Johns and Glenda Jones. They have provided a wide range of subjects and speakers, all of whom have been enthusiastically received. It’s been a fulfilling run, and likely will continue in a new direction in 2023. Watch for details at a later date!