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The song of the chainsaw is heard in the land getting in the winter’s wood. Backend-heavy pick-up trucks haul trailers with wood piled as high as it can be pitched. The rental shop is redolent with the smell of oil and guys getting chains, renting splitters, needing gloves. It’s all in anticipation of the first flurry when woodstoves can be fired up for winter.
For 28 years we too have been out in our woods with our little tractor and trailer, happily cutting up the stuff we can handle easily. We have our assigned tasks: mine to fuel up the saw, get it started, and then stand back while Alan cuts. Only once did I try running the saw, and the darn thing scared me to death. I conceded it was a guy thing.
Ah, but then in September the Ontario Woodlot Association tempted me with a Women’s Chainsaw Course. Suddenly, I wanted my own saw. Karen at Rental Village was just the person I needed. She took me under her wing, and we hefted nearly every saw on the shelf. It had to be not too heavy, not too long, and a gas motor. I definitely didn’t want a girlie saw, which she totally understood since she wields big saws I could hardly lift. She found me the perfect thing: a sleek Stihl 170C with a 10” bar. (It sounds like a little motorcycle, eh?).
Dear Alan indulged my fantasy and bought me the saw, the extra chain, the oil and safety goggles. We revved the motor to be sure it was working, and my new tool was ready for action. Lordy, what a rush!
I was so excited for the full day in the Limerick Forest that I got hopelessly lost getting there — great start! I likely would never be able to find the place a second time. We were seven newbies, and “eager” doesn’t half touch our enthusiasm. Before noon, we’d learned how to take the saw apart, switch the bar, clean the sprocket, check the air filter, fit the chain and use the sharpening file. We’d learned how to stand, how to hold the saw, and seen scary videos on what would happen if we didn’t obey every rule that we were being given. But as yet, we hadn’t heard the hum of the motors. Anticipation was served with lunch!
Finally, the moment we’d been waiting for. We got rigged out in our brand-new fancy gear, from boots to chaps, helmets, earmuffs, goggles and gloves. (An aside: none of this gear is made to fit women, so we all looked like kids playing dress-up.) “Ladies, Ignition”! Oh yes! The sound of seven chain saws all running at once was exhilarating. Into the forest we trekked, carrying our saws like we knew what we were doing, only to find the forest was hip-deep underbrush that nearly defied footing of any sort. We had to start our saws, scramble over downed limbs and shrubs, blinking behind a helmet screen over goggles, with the helmet threatening to cover our eyes, get the cover off the blade, release the brake, and then try limbing a dead spruce embedded in underbrush. I tell you, just getting to that point was a challenge on its own! However, as the brake was clicked off and I hit the throttle, I knew this was a bigger thrill than I imagined. That first cut was empowerment: I was actually using a real live chainsaw.
We took down a hanging tree, limbing as it came down, and finally getting it to the ground. We bucked up the log and felt our confidence grow as each piece hit the ground. We cut through scrub bush, we cut up stuff that was in our way, and we likely would have kept on going if we hadn’t realized it was nearly 5pm. Frank Knaapen, our instructor, had mercy at that point, declared we’d all had a successful day, and we tromped out of the bush, content that we had had a fabulous time.
Talk about excited! It didn’t matter that we were stripping out of our sawing gear right beside the road, that now our cars would smell of gasoline and chain oil, that there was sawdust in the back. We were going home happy, having achieved something really significant.
The next day I wrestled back into all the gear to test my new-found skill in our own woods. I had a ton of little jobs I wanted to try. Time flew. Two hours on a chainsaw is exercise that means something, and by golly, I felt it a few hours later. But when I looked back at my pile of cut wood, and remembered how hard it was to cut even one piece with the bow saw, I was ecstatic.
My saw sits pristinely in the basement, where I’ve taken it apart, cleaned every crevice, changed the chain and shone up the case. Now I’m wanting more: bring on the felling course. I will be so there!!
The artists of the Kanata Civic Art Gallery invite you to the 2022 Gift of Art Show & Sale to be held Saturday and Sunday, November 19 and 20, from 10am to 5pm.
With over thirty members, the Kanata Civic Art Gallery has been in the community for thirty years and continues to be a staple of the Ottawa art scene. As a juried gallery, the standards are set high and you will see some of Ottawa’s finest artists. This 2022 show will host artists of long standing as well as those new to the gallery this year.
This signature event offers the public original fine art in a wide variety of media and styles: paintings, photography, textile art — from abstract art to high realism. The artwork ranges in size and price.
This year 22 artists will exhibit their latest work in the upper halls of the John Mlacak Centre, located at 2500 Campeau Drive in Kanata. The show is an opportunity for the artists to meet the public and share their inspiration and talents. With free parking, admission and refreshments, this is a great venue to shop, relax and find that perfect gift for the holidays.
During this event the Gallery will also hold a fundraiser for Hospice Care Ottawa.
The artists are looking forward to gathering once again to share their work with the public, a public that has supported them throughout the pandemic, viewing online exhibitions and coming into the gallery with limited viewing and restricted hours.
From November 9 to December 30, Sivarulrasa Gallery is delighted to present their 8th Anniversary Show! Their biggest show of the year, covering all three sections of the Gallery, will feature works by 28 artists from coast to coast. Owner Sanjeev Sivarulrasa is thrilled to showcase sculpture, paintings, drawings, photography and mixed-media works in many sizes and suitable to many budgets — a festive time of year to add to your collection or start a new one.
The Gallery is also pleased to announce representation of Ukrainian-Canadian artist Iryna Merkulova! Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and now based in Montreal, Merkulova completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (with Distinction) in 2021 at Concordia University. Several of her new paintings will be featured in the 8th Anniversary Show.
Other artists featured in this show include Sue Adams, Sarah Anderson, Deborah Arnold, Carol Bajen-Gahm, Gizem Candan, Elaine Carr, Dale Dunning, Barbara Gamble, Catherine Gutsche, Karen Haines, Jim Hake, George Horan, Jane Irwin, Gayle Kells, William Liao, Susan Low-Beer, Iryna Merkulova, Jihane Mossalim, Mary Pfaff, Michael Pittman, Marina Raike, Wendy Robertson, Cathy Ross, Sanjeev Sivarulrasa, Louis Thériault, Susan Tooke, Eric Walker and Mirana Zuger.
Everyone is invited to a Vernissage/Meet the Artists Reception on Saturday, November 12 from 2-5pm. Come to Almonte to see the show, meet the artists and enjoy an incredible 8th anniversary cake!
Sivarulrasa Gallery is located at 34 Mill Street in Almonte. Find more details at <sivarulrasa.com>.
“When we were kids…” What parent hasn’t uttered that phrase with a sentimental nod to the golden past and simpler times? Arlene Stafford-Wilson has captured that nostalgia perfectly in her latest book, Lanark County Christmas. It could be a recipe book for creating an old-fashioned country Christmas, replete with fragrant trees culled from the wild and handmade decorations. Over fifty personal Christmas memories will pull you back to that magical time.
These stories from all over Lanark share a common thread: the joy of family, especially visits that surround a dinner table loaded with turkey and all the trimmings. According to these memories, there is no doubt that every mother in Lanark was toiling in the kitchen on Christmas Day.
Every school and church was hosting a concert that attracted a full house, no matter who was performing. And as long as Santa appeared at the end, everyone went home happy.
Parades, hot chocolate, sledding, the Sears catalogue, favourite toys, and of course all that delicious baking contribute to the overall excitement that comes through in every chapter of the book. The memories are crystal clear and it’s obvious that each one was lovingly included as a tribute to past seasons.
Stafford-Wilson gives voice to the beauty of the past, while presenting a host of traditions that are still honoured to this day. Stuff this book in a stocking for Christmas morning, or better yet, get it now, read it yourself, and pass it along. If it doesn’t make you get out the mixing bowl to start a fruitcake, or head to the woods to cut down a tree, I’ll be very surprised.
Lanark County Christmas is available at most local bookstores. Who knows: one of your family’s memories might be tucked inside!
From November 6 to 12, the Rural Root Theatre Company proudly presents A Red Plaid Shirt at The Northwind Wireless Fibe Centre in Constance Bay. It tells the tale of two friends filling the void left from retirement in different ways. Marty decides he wants to explore the open road on a Harley while Fred wants to pay more attention to his health, inventing many new ailments along the way. With “subtle redirections” from their wives and a creative solution to a very unusual problem (which may or may not include a homemade coffin) they find the right track … eventually.
When director Carolyn Walsh first read A Red Plaid Shirt she knew that she wanted to be a part of it. With the help of her amazing cast and crew, she was able to bring it to life. This is Walsh’s first time directing, and with the support from the RRTC family, her first time is a breeze.
Rural Root first opened its doors in the spring of 2005 at what is now the Client Service Centre in Kinburn. At that time the residents of West Carleton were traveling to Arnprior or Kanata to participate in community theatre.
Founding members Helen and Martin Weeden were approached by Adele Muldoon and Pat Tait with the idea of starting a theatre company in West Carleton. A call was put out to the community to see if there were other like-minded people, and the community did not disappoint.
Rural Root Theatre had many challenges to overcome in the beginning. The first major challenge was finding a new home when they outgrew the client centre location. In 2006 Ian Glen, then President of the Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Association (CBBC), offered their stage to hold productions, and with the CBBC’s support, hard work on the part of Rural Root volunteers, and most importantly the community’s desire to see quality live theatre, they have not looked back.
Over the years the group has met all challenges with that same determination and desire to bring live theatre to the West Carleton area. Through two floods and a pandemic, Rural Root Theatre not only did this but donated the proceeds of their productions to local charities during these difficult times to support their community.
Tickets to A Red Plaid Shirt are available from Tickets Please — visit <TicketsPlease.ca> or call 485-6434.
When the new committee for Learning Again in Almonte approached Warren Thorngate for his wisdom regarding the delivery of educational programmes, he was unbelievably generous with his time and his advice. Little did we know that within six months he would be approaching us to bring Almonte Lectures under our umbrella in order for him to retire to other adventures. We agreed with some trepidation, but are now very excited about the events we will be bringing you this winter.
One of Learning Again in Almonte’s goals is to not only maintain the quality of offerings of both our predecessors but also to expand the program. This is a luxury allowed by our having a six-person committee rather than two men who wore all the hats! We will be offering courses of varying lengths, at different times of day, including some courses that speak to socially relevant issues that impact daily life. Teasers for the new year include a modern day arctic explorer, a world famous luthier, a course on Gender Diversity, and another on The Practice of Difficult Conversations.
If you would like to get on the mailing list to be updated on all nine of our winter/spring events as we confirm the details, please send us an email at <learningagainalmonte@gmail.com>.
If you are feeling daunted by the scope of the climate crisis, Climate Network Lanark has an idea you will love — something easy, cheap and effective.
It sounds like an old idea. But when we understand its impact and how it helps our big existential crisis on our beautiful little blue planet, you may be inspired to really get into it.
It’s composting!
Don’t roll your eyes. Putting organic waste (kitchen and yard waste) into our landfills is one of the larger Lanark County contributors of Greenhouse Gases that are causing the climate crisis. (The two biggest ones are transportation and buildings.)
As a concerned, engaged citizen, you need to know that municipalities govern or influence half of local Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHGs), so decisions by our local governments in Lanark County and Smiths Falls about how to handle our organic waste are critical.
The best news is that composting is inexpensive and simple, and we all create organic waste!
Local compost expert Scott Hortop is working with CNL on a bigger composting initiative, so we asked him about household waste. Here’s what he had to say:
“When we throw away kitchen waste, it gets covered in the landfill. When it’s covered, it no longer gets oxygen. When organic material doesn’t have oxygen, anaerobic bacteria take over. These anaerobic guys fart out methane. When underground, this methane has to do something, so it finds its way into the atmosphere doing way more damage than CO2 itself. It’s the lack of oxygen that leads to the production of methane.”
When we compost food and yard waste, methane is not created! So what happens to the organic products? What is different from landfill?
Scott explains: “When it comes to food scraps and all other organic material, a home compost is vastly better than the garbage dump because of aeration. Food scraps in a home composter are eaten by a type of bacteria that needs oxygen and they can get it because the pile is open. At the garbage dump, bulldozers are routinely covering the garbage with earth and more garbage. When there is no oxygen available, a different type of bacteria called ‘anaerobics’ digest the food scraps and fart out methane. CO2 is released from a home composter, but this is a minor global warming problem compared to methane.”
What’s the solution?
According to Scott: “Backyard composting is the easiest and cheapest. Simply make piles or use compost containers that are preferably of one-cubic-metre so they generate sufficient heat. Most of our local municipalities sell subsidized composters. Don’t wait for spring! Fall is the best time to start composting. It’s easy to start — a layer of twigs, organic material — and perhaps a starter of a few handfuls of compost from a friend or neighbour. Leaves in the fall are an ideal source of carbon to mix in.
“For a complete handbook with easy-to-follow lists of what to compost and how, the best resource I’ve found, for beginners or to simply refresh your understanding of composting, is available at <compost.org> from the Compost Council of Canada. If you live rurally and don’t mind seeing raccoons and other small wildlife, you can include small amounts of fats, oils, dairy and meat.
“Don’t worry about your composter filling up over winter and ‘not working’. Things just slow down and freeze. But in the spring, grab a good bunch of your first green grass clippings and mix them in. They contain nitrogen and will cause that pile to shrink by about two-thirds in no time!”
But if you can’t or don’t want to compost, check out this service and offer to contribute your compostables to a neighbour: <sharewaste.com/share-waste>.
It’s so easy to use: if you like to compost and want more (and what gardener doesn’t want more Gardener’s Gold?), offer to receive compostables from your neighbours! What better way to build community and take climate action. Members of CNL have planted seeds on the map, add yours!
Leave the Leaves
Scott is involved in a larger leaf program using community piles or bags. This project is connected with a professor in Arizona who has developed a process to make a higher quality compost called Fungal Dominant Compost. Scott is currently inviting all of Almonte to bring their bags of leaves, before the leaf pick-up day, to build Fungal Dominant Compost on a larger scale and make this compost for farmers. To go one step further: CNL is hoping to influence how municipalities receive vast quantities of leaves in the fall and could effectively make better use of compost from it. Basic compost is organic material, but it is not as biologically developed as Fungal Dominant Compost.
If you’re in Almonte or Mississippi Mills, contact Scott to drop off leaves before November 27 at <f.r.scott.hortop@gmail.com> or at 647–637–8838.
But for our own yards, what’s better? To rake up leaves and take them to someone who is collecting them for the farmers, or to leave them on the lawn?
Scott says: “It’s best to leave them and not truck them about. You can run your mower over them so that they are chopped up and don’t seal off your lawn and create brown spots from dead grass. Or make a leaf pile in a sunny spot, throw a tarp over them and start your own leaf compost. Or add a ratio of 1:1 leaves to your kitchen composter. You can also bag the leaves and prop them around your compost pile to help keep the compost warmer and insulated. Every time a bucket of kitchen waste goes in the compost pile, throw in a handful of leaves.”
Imagine the impact on the climate crisis if every household stopped sending organic waste to landfill! Let’s get on board with this easy effective plan and contribute to cutting Lanark County’s GHGs.
Perth Community Choir is back! Auditions were conducted in June and the response was gigantic — resulting in one of the largest casts yet for the yearly fall musical. It seems everyone is raring to come back on stage — some new faces and some familiar faces — all ready to entertain.
Anne of Green Gables was written by L.M. Montgomery in 1908. One would have to have been born under a rock to not know this beloved character. A young Anne is taken in by a brother and sister living on Prince Edward Island who are surprised that, instead of a boy to help on the farm, they are sent a redheaded chatterbox with a large imagination and ability to make a simple day more extraordinary by her antics and propensity to wax poetic. Of course, Anne would spur a series of books following her life and everyday adventures, as well as books with similar themes of strong young female heroines living in either the east coast or rural Ontario tackling the trials and tribulations of being women at the turn of the century.
Premiering in the mid-sixties in Charlottetown, Anne of Green Gables is Canada’s longest-running musical. It has run consecutive years since 1965, with the exception of 2020 and 2021. While we are not Charlottetown, we are eager to put on this popular musical for our community.
The task of determining who would get the lead roles of Anne and her friends was not easy for the direction/production team and I did not envy their task. Our community boasts a number of young actors in its small population and it is our pleasure to showcase a new generation of talented youth.
Playing the titular role is Willow Hanlon with understudy MacKenna Branscombe, who are bringing Anne to life, playing her with hilarity and sensitivity. We cannot wait to see them as Carrots! Matthew and Marilla are being played by Mike Fletcher and Vicki Bassett respectively. Rounding out the cast are Livia Kruszelnicki and understudy Ayden Banfield as Diana, Addy Brown and understudy Skye Stepanek as Gilbert, and Maya Martel with understudy Kate Manson as Josie Pye. As well, we have a wonderful cast playing Anne’s school friends, their families and community members, portraying small town P.E.I. not unlike small town living in Perth.
As familiar faces on the stage for years, the direction/production team this year is comprised of Chris Angel, Kristy Tait-Angel, Kristen Widenmaier and Ron Cosens. Each player brings their strengths to the table as each has been involved in this community’s theatre scene since, well, time immemorial. You can expect a polished production with excellent comedic timing, vocals and dancing.
A musical is not complete without music, and we can boast a 10-piece orchestra under the excellent direction of Alexandra Guerin. Many of these musicians have been playing with PCC for years and we are so pleased to be able to see our friends in the “pit” again. We cannot express enough gratitude for our musicians who are instrumental (pun intended) to a fabulous production.
Come join us as we celebrate this beloved character and her life at Green Gables in Avonlea! We are so excited to bring to you another great production after a lengthy two-year hiatus. Our theatre community is back and eager to entertain! We have five shows from November 10-13. Get your tickets fast, as we have sold out in previous productions.
Tickets are now available from Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca or 485–6434). We have individual and family ticket pricing. While you are on the website, check out the other shows and events happening within our community.
If you enjoy this production and any of the other productions we have performed, check us out at <perthcommunitychoir.com> and subscribe for audition and show notices, bursary applications and sponsorships programs.
As someone living with an invisible debilitating chronic illness since childhood — an illness so invisible it has no test, an illness so invisible it is diagnosed only through careful evaluation of experience and excluding every other possibility — I have come to understand that my disability exists primarily through story.
Maybe that’s the writer in me talking, but I’ve been navigating this terrain for forty years now, and I keep being led back to the same place. Story is the path my disability travels in order to seek validation. Story makes us real, it conjures us into being. And story requires others to participate.
My story, I had been told, was one of not being tough enough, not believing in myself enough, or not having found a way to rise above my limitations. According to our society’s narrative structure, my story needed to be a story of triumph, not collapse. So, I often felt shame when sharing my story with others. I used to offer my experience up as an apology for unmet expectations and requests for accommodations. And that shame held me back as a writer — as an artist — and it damaged me as a person.
I keep getting asked what it means to me to be included in In Between Spaces: An Anthology of Disabled Writers, and I feel no shame in saying it: validation.
After a devastating relapse in 2011, I dedicated myself to a new approach to my health. I began a radical rest protocol that has kept me housebound for much of the last ten years. It has revealed a profound amount about my limitations and how important they are. It has taught me to see myself as an artist and healer, free from the fictional tales of shame and marginalization. And it allowed me, after a lifetime of struggling with homelessness, employment instability and financial hardship, to realize I have nothing left to risk. I developed a writing practice of thirty minutes per day and when I was ready, I went looking for an anthology dedicated to people with disabilities.
My inclusion in the collection is an honour. It validates me as an artist and as a disabled writer. It holds a special sweetness because my short story isn’t directly about my disability. Nestled in amongst essays, poetry, and fiction sharing a point of view specific to certain illnesses or conditions, my speculative piece speaks to deep currents of ungrieved grief and our society’s resistance to reckoning with the damage our insistence on normality causes. It was as if I was asking the editors of the anthology, “Do you see me?”
Their answer, thankfully, was “Yes.”
I am proud to be hosted for the Canadian launch of In Between Spaces at Spark Books & Curios in Perth, Ontario. Join us for a drop-in celebration on Saturday, November 12 from 2:30–4:30pm, at 76 Foster Street in historical downtown Perth.
For more information, please visit <sparkperth.ca> and <deepwateryaya.com>, or call 466–0555.
Arts Carleton Place presents the 2022 Itty Bitty Art & Artisan Sale on November 12 and 13 from 10am to 4:30pm at the Carleton Place Arena.
The fall is extra colourful this year in Carleton Place — with vibrant yellows and oranges and stunning reds. It’s as if the world around us was painted with thick acrylics and we’re immersed in a beautiful landscape worthy of framing. Immerse yourself in even more beautiful artworks by attending the Itty Bitty Craft and Art Sale this month! It is a family event, with a diverse exhibition of beautiful original pieces and creative interpretations that will captivate the imaginations of all ages. And there’s no admission fee and no parking fee.
Presented by Arts Carleton Place with the financial assistance of the Town of Carleton Place, the Itty Bitty Craft and Art Sale is an annual arts event in our community. However, we are proud to say the Itty Bitty Craft and Art Sale is not so little anymore, in the sense that it has outgrown its previous venue and has been relocated to the Carleton Place Arena’s Upper Great Hall this year. It has become the biggest art show ever in the valley with 44 artists and artisans, and artists joining us from Kingston, Madoc and Cobourg to display their unique creations.
Small pieces of wall art will be available to admire and purchase, as well as delicate silk scarves, wood bowls, pepper grinders, pottery and jewellery — exquisite works of art to appreciate or give as a special present for someone just as special to you. Everything is priced at $200 or less.
Every piece has an authentic story to tell. The best part of the show is being able to talk with the artists, ask questions about the works of art and learn about the journey behind the creative process. Purchasing straight from the artisan skips the middleman (as well as shipping and other charges) and helps keep the arts thriving in our area.
A portion of the sales goes directly back to the community in the form of aid to Core Youth Programs, Interval House Art Program, and bursaries to each of Carleton Place and Notre-Dame High Schools for continued education in the arts.
The door prize is a night at the theatre with a pair of tickets to the Mississippi Mudds’s production of Elf The Musical, the near sold-out show coming to the Carleton Place Town Hall this holiday season. About to enter its golden anniversary season, the Mississippi Mudds is an award-winning theatre group in Carleton Place.
Due to the rise in Covid cases and to protect the artists, visitors are requested to wear masks. For more information about our Itty Bitty Art & Artisan Sale, please visit <artscarletonplace.com> or our Facebook page @artscp.
The legacy of Residential Schools in Canada has many asking how they can help with Reconciliation. The Perth and District Community Foundation has chosen to create an Indigenous Youth Award in partnership with Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures bursary program. Indspire, founded in 1985, is a national Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
Each year, the PDCF Indigenous Youth Award of $4,000 will be granted to an Indigenous student pursuing studies after high school. Half the amount will come from the PDCF and, through Building Brighter Futures, the other half from the Federal Government. Preference for the award will be given to youth living in Lanark County and the first award will be made in 2023.
To ensure the sustainability of the award, the PDCF has launched a fundraising campaign. Its goal is to raise $12,000 by November 30. If successful, this amount will be doubled by donors Christine and Reid Kilburn, Kay Rogers and others who have pledged to match the amount raised to a potential total of $24,000.
Every donation will support Indigenous youth in pursuing their dream of a post-secondary education. Recent stats show that the Building Brighter Futures bursary program is successful: 58% of recipients have received a bachelor’s degree or above; 90% are employed; and 45% of those employed work in fields that support Indigenous populations.
Hear the words of a few award recipients:
“When I received the award, I was able to stay close to the university and study and I became a role model for several of the younger students.”
“My grades are higher than they would have been without the award. I would have been required to work throughout the full-time program and would not have had enough time to study to keep an A Grade Point Average.”
“… I beat the odds. Here I am still attending university, working towards my goal. I truly believe that this award has given me the push that I needed to continue thriving.”
“This award eased my financial burden… it allowed me to limit my shifts at work and spend more time studying. My grades have been better with this award than they would have been without.”
Those who want to donate to the Indigenous Youth Award can go to the PDCF website <pdcf.ca> and click the Donate button and, under “Fund”, choose #4 — PDCF Indigenous Youth Award. They can also send a cheque to 33 Lewis Street, Perth ON, K7H 2R4 and write “Indigenous Youth Award” on the memo line. For more information, please contact Executive Director Victoria Gibb-Carsley at <info@pdcf.ca> or 326–0295.
Don’t miss Humm Team Productions’ Sketchy Santa! Another hilarious evening of adult entertainment is headed your way to get you in the holiday mood. Almonte’s Old Town Hall is gearing up for six riotous performances of Sketchy Santa — Holiday Shorts between November 11 and 19. The production is brought to you by the same dedicated group of local writers and performers that knocked your socks off in 2019 with their sold-out phenomenon Who Stole Christmas from Mississippi Mills. No one, and we mean NO ONE, who saw that show would willingly miss Ed Lawrence performing his latest inimitable Elvis solo. Elvis himself would be in awe.
The new show features other highlights reminiscent of Who Stole Christmas, including a big new musical production entitled This Is Not a Musical with lyrics by Rob Riendeau and music by Mike McCormick, who was such a big part of the success of the previous show. Puppeteer and comedic genius Steven Brathwaite is back with his raunchy contributions to the adult tone of the evening. Bonnie Vallentyne, who wrote all the lyrics for the Jingle Belles, is now a puppeteer too, and Zach Brown has joined the troupe as the author of a sketch in addition to being a performer. Ian Douglas returns as the excellent piano accompanist.
You just can’t keep a good team down! Due to ongoing Covid challenges, Humm Team Productions decided to offer individual sketches that could be rehearsed in smaller groups. The format also gives new thespians and playwrights a chance to strut their stuff — check out Zach Brown’s and Kris Riendeau’s contributions to Rob’s impressive collection! You won’t want to miss newcomer (to Humm Team, but definitely not to the stage) Will Richardson as the loud and lively Announcer. With its spirited blend of sketches, songs, puppets, screaming elves and heartwarming community spirit, it’s a great way to ring in the holiday season.
After working on this production for over a year (it was delayed a bit by a pesky pandemic), director Kris Riendeau can’t wait to show off all the hard work the cast and crew has done. “I have watched the show dozens of times now, and each time the cast brings something new,” Kris enthuses. “They continually amaze me with their dedication and creativity, and there’s something new to laugh out loud at every time.” Playwright Rob adds “I still recognize some of the original text…”
To add to your enjoyment of this hilarious night of adult entertainment, the bar will feature beer by Carleton Place’s Stalwart Brewery. It’s also introducing wine by Three Dog Winery in Prince Edward County — which was recently purchased by former Almonte physicians Anne Oldfield and Cecil Rytwinski and their sons! And no Humm Team Production misses a chance to contribute to the community, so Sketchy Santa is also a fundraiser for the Puppets Up Festival.
Head over to Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434) and join in the fun!
You’ve heard of the “Farm to Table” movement, but have you heard of “Table to Farm”?
I owe many of you wonderful community-focused Humm readers an apology. In last month’s article, “The Importance and Power of Compost” (p. 20), I outlined the many environmental harms caused by placing organics into the landfill, and the corresponding benefits that result from composting. Then, after briefly discussing the hassles and limitations of the back yard bin, I abruptly ended the article with an unsatisfying “If only there was another way ...”. I know that many of you haven’t slept for the last month in anticipation, and for this I am sorry.
I’m glad to say that the wait is over. Today, we formally introduce Just Good Compost (JGC), a new pilot project in Almonte that converts our everyday food scraps into valuable usable soil for local farmers. The process is simple. We give you a small, refurbished bucket for your kitchen scraps. Each week we pick up this bucket and replace it with a clean one. Your scraps are then taken to local farmers for compost. Simple, effective. No pests, no mess, no trekking out in the snow in -40° weather in your housecoat (sorry Mom). What’s more, unlike your backyard compost, we take most everything, including meat, bones, coffee grounds, and greens covered in salad dressings. Our motto is “If you would eat it, we will take it”.
As important as healthy soil and clear air are to our world, the goals of this project are more than environmental. Healthy, socially connected communities are extremely important for individual wellbeing. They help prevent and mitigate common mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, and delay the onset of many age-related conditions. People living in tight-knit communities are less likely to become socially isolated, and as a whole they bounce back faster in times of disaster.
Unfortunately, in this era of Netflix and online shopping, fewer and fewer opportunities exist for people to get to know their neighbours; it is easy for the vulnerable people to fall through the cracks. In its own small way, Just Good Compost can help. This service will act as a weekly check-in for those citizens at risk for becoming isolated, such as seniors or people with intellectual or physical disabilities. And once the service is up and running, we plan to hire vulnerable people from our community to help with the pick-up and processing of the compost. Lastly, in the spirit of community, we encourage neighbours to share a bucket in the hope that they will visit and chat while doing so.
If you live in Almonte and would like more information, or would like to sign up for our service, please visit <justgoodcompost.com> or email us at <justgoodcompost@gmail.com>.
The annual November 11th Remembrance Day Ceremony has played a major role in Canada since 1931. Every year, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Canadians gather in memorial parks, churches, community halls, workplaces, schools and homes to stand in honour of all who have fallen.
In continuing with this tradition, the local organizing committee consisting of members of the local Legion Captain A. Roy Brown Branch #192, are in the planning stages of conducting a normal parade and Cenotaph Ceremony this year in Carleton Place.
Although pandemic restrictions last year did not deter the holding of a Cenotaph Ceremony, it did restrict the full participation of regular participants and the holding of a normal parade. Despite this, there was still a large crowd in attendance to ensure that the tradition of Remembrance continued in order that Canada’s fallen will not be forgotten.
With the lifting of various pandemic restrictions over this past year, it has allowed the organizing committee to once again include a parade and Cenotaph Ceremony similar to pre-pandemic ceremonies. The parade will form up on Mill Street at Bridge Street in front of the Town Hall at 10:15am and march off at 10:30am. The parade will march from Mill Street along Bridge Street to Veterans Way in front of the Cenotaph. The Ceremony will begin in Memorial Park at 10:50am.
The parade will be led by the local Captain A. Roy Brown Branch 192 Legion Colour Party with Branch Sgt-At-Arms Barry Pascoe leading them. The parade itself will be led by Parade Commander Peter Schaffer, President of Branch 192. There will once again be a contingent of military personnel from Base Petawawa included in the parade.
The Carleton Place and District Community Band will return for the first time since 2019 and band member Mike Peckett will again play Last Post and Rouse during the Ceremony. Local piper Dr. Cam Ellis will once again play the Lament. Participants in the Cenotaph Ceremony will include Master of Ceremonies Ron Goebel, a Past President of Branch 192 and current Chair of Ontario Command, Captain A. Roy Brown Branch 192 Padre Father David Andrew, Immediate Past President of the Captain A. Roy Brown Branch 192 Brian Comeau, and long-standing member of Branch 192 Jerry Flynn.
After being absent for the past two years, the local Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps #211 Lanark and the Navy League Cadet Corps #181 will also participate once again in the parade and during the Ceremony including to provide a sentry at the Cenotaph.
The cadets will also be holding an all-night vigil again this year at the Cenotaph from sunset on November 10 to sunrise November 11. Residents are encouraged to visit the Cenotaph during the evening hours of November 10 from 7pm through to sunrise on November 11 to support these young cadets.
Road closures will take place to facilitate the parade and Ceremony on November 11. The Veterans Way portion of Franklin Street will be closed to traffic from 5am through to the completion of the Ceremony at approximately noon. Franklin Street from Bridge Street to Beckwith and Beckwith Street from the Library through to Mill Street will also be closed from 10am until after the Ceremony. Mill Street from Bridge Street to Beckwith Street will be closed to traffic from 9am until after the Cenotaph Ceremony.
Residents and businesses are being asked not to park in these areas during this time. No parking signs will be placed in the areas where street closures will take place and everyone’s cooperation is being requested.
The annual Poppy Campaign will begin the last Friday in October and poppy boxes will be placed at various merchants throughout Carleton Place. The Royal Canadian Legion encourages all Canadians to wear a poppy and observe a moment of silence on November 11 to mark the sacrifices of the many who have fallen in the service of their country, and to acknowledge the courage and dedication of those who have served and to those who continue to serve. We will remember them!
Local Colours is excited to announce a two-day Art Show and Sale on November 19 and 20 from 10am to 4pm at the Lombardy Agricultural Hall, located at 6 Kelly Road in Lombardy.
“We are thrilled to be able to showcase our local fine art group,” says Nora Brown, “which is very diverse in many different media”. The Local Colours Fine Art Group meets weekly to support and encourage one another and to experiment with new methods, all of which will be on display at the Art Show and Sale.
Local Colours is pleased to be showcasing Gordon Coulthart as their guest artist. Gordon is a very accomplished cartoonist, animator and fine art painter. His vibrant paintings sing with energy and his sense of humour is evident in his cartoon paintings.
The public is warmly invited to come and explore the exhibition and to enjoy free parking, coffee and a treat. Please visit <localcoloursartperth-on.ca> for details about the show, and <gcoulthart.com> for information about Gordon Coulthart.
The Mississippi Mudds are bringing Elf the Musical to the Carleton Place Town Hall stage this holiday season, with shows running from November 25 to December 3.
Elf the Musical is based on the New Line Cinema film that first exploded into popular culture in 2003 and quickly turned its main character, Buddy, in his yellow tights and kelly-green elf-jacket, into a Christmas season icon. Every year families watch and rewatch the movie as a Christmas tradition, alongside classic holiday movies such as Miracle on 34th Street and Die Hard. And everyone knows that “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear”!
Elf the Musical was originally proposed by the Mudds for the 2020 holiday season, and the rights were purchased right before the Covid lockdown. The Mudds Youth Theatre had just finished their successful run of Frozen Jr. and everyone was excited to bring Buddy to life. However, things quickly changed and the Mudds were forced into a two-year hiatus — the first time in almost fifty years where our stage was darkened for any extended period. But as the Board of Directors struggled with keeping the Mudds afloat during two long years of no theatre productions, Elf was always there, giving us hope and keeping us going with the knowledge that we’d be back on the stage with such a feel-good story and a musical with a sincere message that if you believe, anything is possible.
The best thing about this upcoming holiday production is each and every member of the 34-person cast, led by Andrew McDougall as Buddy. Andrew has brought charisma and playfulness to Buddy. He towers over the younger elves, screams gleefully for Santa, and keeps everyone giggling. In almost every scene of the musical, Andrew belts out all his tunes, dances merrily with the child actors playing the elves, and endearingly sings to Daniel MacDonald, who plays Buddy’s father Walter: “I found you… Daddy… And guess what? I love you, I love you, I love you!”
Along with Daniel MacDonald, Stephanie Scott and Max Karrandjas play Buddy’s new family — Walter’s wife Emily and son Michael. Buddy’s love interest, Jovie, is played by Kristin Dewe. The strength of the lead cast lights up the stage even more so than the stage lights. When they sing, goosebumps form. They play the perfect “straight man” in response to Buddy’s goofy antics. As their characters change and develop thanks to the Christmas spirit that Buddy brings to their lives, they depict that vulnerability perfectly in their acting, and it’s their character development that really makes it an emotionally moving story that will have you leaving the theatre believing in the magic of the season.
There are two matinée performances (on November 26 and 27 at 2pm), and the other four shows on November 25, December 1, 2 and 3 begin at 7:30pm. December 1 is Cheap Seat Night and Ugly Sweater Night — come dressed up in your ugliest Christmas sweater to join in the fun!
You won’t want to miss this incredible family show, a perfect way to spend time together this holiday season. Tickets are available through Tickets Please (TicketPlease.ca, 485-6434).
The largest room at MERA (McDonalds Corners and Elphin Recreation and Arts) is the original one-room school, now named Dean Hall in honour of Ankaret Dean, one of MERA’s founding members and still an active volunteer. Today, with its high ceilings, wainscoted walls and good lighting, the hall lends itself well as an art exhibition space. MERA has happily promoted it as such for several years, featuring local artists in shows that change monthly. On Sunday, November 6, MERA welcomes photography lovers to an Art Show and Meet the Artist event featuring the Perth Photographic Society.
The Perth Photographic Society is a group of like-minded photographers from in and around Perth, Ontario. The group came together in 2021. Members come from different backgrounds and different life experiences with photography. They also have diverse interests in terms of the genre of photography that they either favour or pursue. Interests include such things as nature photography, macro photography, still life, sport and street photography, drone photography, portraiture, composites and photo artistry. Interests can also include anything else that offers an interesting or technical challenge or a unique shooting opportunity.
Most importantly, society members share a passion for creating wonderful images. This shared objective is achieved through a combination of in-camera shooting, studio setups, computer-based post-processing and the use of various print media and image presentation formats. By sharing their individual interests and skills through meetings and photographic outings, they help each other grow and develop as photographers.
The exhibition is titled “Everything and Anything” to reflect the variety of images that are included. This exhibition is the second one for The Perth Photographic Society. The first was in the gallery at Studio Theatre Perth earlier this year.
Members of the Perth Photographic Society include Graeme Crabb, Robert Feduke, Don Farrow, Craig Greenwood, Jean-Denis Labelle, Len Modderman, Bruce Raby and David Zimmerly.
You are invited to join The Perth Photographic Society at the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners (974 Dalhousie Concession 9A) on Sunday, November 6 from 2–4pm to meet the artists, view their works and purchase that “must have” piece. To arrange to see the exhibition at times other than the Meet the Artist event, please contact Wayne Stryde at <gwstryde@outlook.com>.
The Annual MERA Christmas Fair returns this year! Come on out to the Schoolhouse at 974 Dalhousie Concession 9A in McDonalds Corners on Saturday, November 19 from 9am to 3pm. Patrons can socialize and warm up by the outdoor bonfire with a cup of hot cider.
This year’s Christmas Fair features homemade jams and jellies by Barb Flynn, handwoven fashions by Heather Sherratt, jewellery by PJ Wilson, fine chocolate by Ludwig, Blue Moon Fashions by Nicola Webb, handcrafted brooms by Raphael Kerem, cornhusk dolls by Marilyn Nicholas-Dahan, cutting and charcuterie boards by Barry Russell, as well as one-of-a-kind items from MERA’s Pottery Studio, Heritage Weavers and Art Circle.
By shopping at the MERA Christmas Fair you are helping this local arts and recreation facility to put on musical events, workshops, community dinners and much more.
MERA is a space in Lanark Highlands committed to connecting community members through the arts. For more information, please visit <meraschoolhouse.org>.
The Ontario Historical Society is pleased to present the 2021-22 Dorothy Duncan Public History Award to the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum for their Millworkers’ Staircase and Riverwalk project. The Dorothy Duncan Public History Award is presented to an outstanding public history project delivered in Ontario.
The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, in partnership with the Municipality of Mississippi Mills, put considerable effort into planning, coordinating and executing this complex project that incorporates public infrastructure, historical interpretation and public art to enhance the municipal heritage landmark. Completed in August of 2021, the project includes twenty interpretive historic panels along Almonte’s scenic Riverwalk, as well as a new workers sidewalk and, for modern safety requirements, a steel staircase that pays homage to the historic route used by workers of the No.1 Rosamond Woolen Mill.
The project is inspiring and embodies the power of place we discuss so often in the public history field. By walking the route that workers trod daily 150 years ago, local citizens and visitors can gain a greater contextual understanding of what life was like for textile mill workers. Encountering the interpretation and thought-inspiring public art enables the viewers to have an experiential, emotional and educational connection to the past.
It is inspiring to see such public-private partnership projects completed that further our historical knowledge for the good of all. The Honours and Awards Committee is proud to present the 2021-22 Dorothy Duncan Public History Award to the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum.
Founded in 1888, the Ontario Historical Society is a non-profit corporation and registered charity dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Ontario’s history for people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. To learn more about the OHS’s Honours and Awards Program, or to submit a nomination, please visit <ontariohistoricalsociety.ca/honours-awards> or contact the Society’s offices by telephone or email.
Perth’s Nick of Time Christmas Craft Show is back for 2022! Come find the perfect Christmas gift for all your special people on Saturday, December 3 from 10am to 3:30pm in Perth’s Crystal Palace, located in downtown Perth right beside the Tay Basin.
This year’s show features a great lineup of new artists and artisans as well as many returning favourites. Expect to find gourmet chocolate, fashion accessories, fine woodworking, unique pottery, jewellery, photography and much more. The show prides itself on offering a wide variety of work by area artisans with a little something for everyone. Their philosophy is to keep the quality as high as possible by featuring original juried works from over twenty gifted artisans.
The show will once again be supporting Perth’s food bank — The Table Community Food Centre. Cash donations would be greatly appreciated. Look for the donation box near the main entrance to the Crystal Palace. Please give what you can!
Mark December 3 on your calendar and plan to visit the 2022 Nick of Time Christmas Craft Show. Enjoy sweet treats and home-cooked food while chatting with artisans and neighbours. Soak up the ambiance of the Christmas music and festive decorations adorning the Crystal Palace. Shop and know that you are supporting local artisans while buying some of the best work that the area has to offer. Be sure to enter the free draw for a basket of fine gift items donated by participating artisans. Admission is free, and more information can be found on social media at <instagram.com/nick_of_time_perth> and <facebook.com/nickoftimePerth>.
During the holiday season, when the air is crisp and the snow starts to fall, Downtown Heritage Perth comes alive with small town holiday magic. The Perth BIA is planning a special event on Saturday, November 26 called “Once Upon a Christmas”.
“Take a step into your own Hallmark-style story and visit us in Downtown Perth for Once Upon a Christmas,” says Sherry Crummy, Marketing Consultant for the Perth BIA. “We’ll have activities throughout the downtown, starting at 10am and running until 5pm. There is something about the charm of Downtown Heritage Perth that brings visitors from all over, and we’re upping the charm even further for this event. It will delight visitors and locals alike!”
Shoppers will have an opportunity to stroll and shop the lively downtown streets, cheerfully surrounded by the spirit of the holidays. Some of the activities being planned include choirs singing Christmas carols, horse-drawn wagon rides, outdoor fire pits, and hot chocolate to keep you warm and cozy while shopping for that special gift.
“Bring the kids too,” adds Crummy, “because they’ll get to visit with Santa and his elves. And we’ll have face painting at Code’s Mill. The trees inside the Crystal Palace will be lit and we’ll have more entertainment and vendors in that location.”
For full details, please visit <downtownperthbia.ca/perth-bia-events>.
Stop, Stamp & Win
Shop and collect stamps in Downtown Heritage Perth from November 1 to December 31 for a chance to win big!
Pick up your Shop, Stamp & Win card at any participating downtown retail business or restaurant in Perth. When you’re shopping at a BIA business downtown from now until December 31, remember to show your card at the cash and you will get a stamp for every $10 you spend, up to $100 per purchase.
There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs! First prize is a $300 BIA Gift Card, second prize is a $200 BIA Gift Card, third prize is a $100 BIA Gift Card, and the Grand Prize is a one-night stay at the Best Western Plus Perth Parkside Inn, a gift certificate for The Locks Restaurant and a gift certificate for the Parkside Spa.
There is no limit on the number of completed cards you can enter. The more you shop, the more chances to win!
For further contest information and to find a list of the participating businesses, visit <downtownperthbia.ca>.
About Downtown Heritage Perth
Step away for a day, or a weekend and visit beautiful Downtown Heritage Perth.
It is the perfect place to get away and enjoy the small-town charm of our historic Scottish architecture and a beautiful five-acre park hidden steps from downtown. The quaint shops, boutiques and cafés create a setting reminiscent of your favourite holiday movie.
If you’re looking for the latest fashions, home décor, galleries or fine arts and crafts, downtown Perth is a shopping delight. With 22 restaurants and wonderful patios, we can satisfy your every craving.
Then there are the people of Perth, the ones who say hello as you pass by, or the shop owners who greet you as you enter. We are a community that welcomes you and is happy to have you visit.
After you visit our charming downtown, we are sure you will want to come back again and again.
Pakenham has long been known for its artistic background and is home to many artisans and makers who seek a slower pace in life. Our Holiday Hop seeks to “bridge” those artisans with their community, so we are starting a new tradition by highlighting the incredible things being made right here in our backyard! On November 26, Pakenham will be hosting an inclusive, community-driven and fun Saturday event. We want to share our gem of a community with our neighbours, so come on over and join the party by celebrating all the amazing creators who come from right here in the village.
Find all your favourites including Cartwright Springs Brewery, Fulton’s Sugar Bush and Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm. Discover some newcomers making their mark, like designer Dawn Walker at Paddye Mann Clothing, and Mikaela Wattie of Euphemia Vintage who will be hosted at Keepers Coffee Bar. Meet the friendly ski crew from Mount Pakenham, enjoy local live music, and don’t forget to send off your letters to Santa at our Post Office! As always, delicious fare will be found up and down the street. 3 Apples Bakery is hosting Cartwright Springs and will be incorporating their fantastic (and gluten-free) beer in a delicious savoury snack. So much more to see and taste! Stick around, because we also have a new twist on the annual Lighting of the Tree!
I would never go as far as to say that the pandemic and the lockdown that resulted from it had some positive effects; so many lives were tragically lost. But the fact remains that birdwatching and bird feeding quickly became favourite activities among thousands of people forced to stay home — and that can be called a positive development in more ways than one.
Birdwatching is good for the mind and for the soul. It can also generate another activity that leads to collecting very important data about birds, their populations and their behaviour: that’s where citizen science comes in.
The term “citizen science” has been defined different ways over time, one of which applies directly to us birdwatchers. The American ornithologist Rick Bonney described it as: “projects in which nonscientists, such as amateur birdwatchers, voluntarily contribute scientific data”. So you don’t need a degree or diploma of any type to take part in citizen science; all you need is your love and passion for birds.
The Lanark Highlands Christmas Bird Count is an event that certainly meets the definition of citizen science. Project FeederWatch is another such event; maybe not as well-known, but just as important as the first one. And it’s a lot of fun!
In the mid-1970s, Erica Dunn from Long Point Bird Observatory launched the Ontario Bird Feeder Survey. Although the program was a big hit, after ten years the organizers concluded that in order to get an accurate picture of the birds’ large-scale movements, it would be beneficial to extend the survey to all of North America. They approached the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and formed a partnership, combining Cornell’s advanced computer systems and Long Point’s experience with feeder survey management. Project FeederWatch was born!
Simply put, FeederWatch is an annual survey of birds that visit your backyard from November 1 to the end of April. You don’t even need a feeder to participate — you just need a bird-friendly space. If you join at any time during the season, you can get started the same day. You will receive an instructional email shortly after you sign up. Throughout those months, the goal is to count birds attracted to your yard or feeders during two consecutive days of your choosing, as often as every week or as little as once in the season. You don’t have to sit and watch birds all day (unless you want to!); you can spend a couple of hours or more counting birds, anytime during the day, as you wish. You then keep a tally of the birds showing up at your feeders, either with the FeederWatch mobile app, or a printable tally sheet available online.
Participating is easy: you can join by making a donation of any amount to Birds Canada at <birdscanada.org/feederwatch> or by calling 1–888–448–2473.
Besides being easy and open to everybody, Project FeederWatch is also an important way to contribute to citizen science. When you send your tallies to FeederWatch, they are added to a gold mine of data contributed by thousands of birdwatchers across North America. This information serves to monitor changes pertaining to bird populations and winter ranges.
Kerrie Wilcox, Canadian Leader of Project FeederWatch says: “FeederWatch data shows us how our resident winter bird populations are faring and the winter movements of birds across North America”.
I hope I have convinced you to be part of this very important citizen science effort. You’ll be doing some good and having a lot of fun too!
Art… and Soul
Couture milliner Ranelle Larocque creates bespoke headwear and hats designed to turn heads — towards the women wearing them. At Queen Bee Millinery in Perth, each artwork — and that is what they are — is an exuberant celebration of beauty and fashion and joy. Larocque lives for the moment when a client finds the perfect hat that brings out her personality and a spontaneous smile inevitably appears on her face. She loves helping women feel beautiful. That is Larocque’s special reward for every painstaking stitch that goes into each creation.
The workmanship is extraordinary. All the stitches are by hand. The materials are exquisite. Her designs run the gamut from elegant to spectacular. Larocque describes her creative muse as images that hover in her semiconscious until they emerge as an “aha!” moment: “…blurring the lines between what is fashion and art, dreams and reality.” Then she begins the challenging process of designing a comfortable, durable foundation for her next masterpiece. Her range is impressive. A visit to her tiny shop at 16 Gore St. E. in Perth reveals everything from warm, practical hats to fashion flights of fancy suitable for the most elegant events.
“Thank God for the Royals,” she exclaims. There are no better ambassadors for couture millinery. From fascinators to hatinators (really) and beyond, the Brits reign supreme for their embrace of couture headwear. Not just the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Beatrice; mothers of brides and grooms, garden partygoers, tea attendees and racetrack aficionados wouldn’t be caught hatless. It’s definitely catching on in Hollywood and in Paris. Larocque is doing her inspired best to help the Valley catch up.
On display along one wall is an ensemble comprising a dress, shoes, and a superb chapeau of which Ranelle is particularly proud. She was wearing the outfit at the Queen’s Plate Triple Crown Horse Race at Woodbine two months ago when a woman rushed up and demanded to know where she got her amazing hat. The reaction when Ranelle responded that she had made it herself was extremely gratifying. Fortunately her supportive husband Rob was on hand to present her business card.
Queen Bee Millinery is only a few doors down from the Katherine Muir Miller Gallery (profiled in the March 2021 issue of theHumm), and the two adventurous entrepreneurs have become friends since starting their respective businesses just as the pandemic hit. Ranelle recently selected four of Muir Miller’s paintings as inspiration for her couture creations. Impressions of the East Coast is one example, and it is indeed “a bold beauty.”
“I’m Living My Grade Eight Dream”
Word Hippo defines a quest as “A journey made, typically over a long distance, in pursuit of a goal.” Ranelle’s journey to self-realization as a couture milliner started in The Pas when her grandfather (!) taught her how to sew. She remembers staying up until 1am sewing her gold satin Grade 8 graduation dress with him. She has always loved fashion. By high school her family had moved another 2,000km north to Yellowknife, a community she describes as “warm, vibrant, friendly, and allows for eccentricity.” She held a variety of administrative jobs, working for a diamond mine and an environmental engineering company, and met her husband when he was stationed in Yellowknife with the Canadian Forces. Eventually he was posted back to Petawawa, and eight years ago the couple bought their farm near McDonalds Corners.
Hats just happened. She discovered that she felt much more comfortable attending military functions when she was wearing a hat. She self identifies as shy and she found that in addition to being functional, hats gave her confidence. Her hats provide her with a wonderful way to present herself to the world and start a conversation. Self-taught, she spent endless hours poring over texts, watching videos and signing up for tutorials. She soon realized that hat-making suits her perfectly. It feeds her visual creativity, and she finds the combined process of hand sewing and problem solving extremely satisfying, peaceful and relaxing.
Eventually she began offering her creations through Instagram, and expanded online to Facebook and beyond. The business grew, and she began shipping hats to Toronto and Scotland and Wales. When her husband was posted to Petawawa for two years, he encouraged her in her decision to open a shop. After fifteen years as a “military wife,” Ranelle decided to strike out on her own — “If I fail, at least I tried.” As an entrepreneur who opened at the onset of the pandemic, she is humbly grateful to the hat community for their wholehearted acceptance.
Her explanation for why she named her business Queen Bee Millinery rings true. Her dad always called her Ranelle Marie the Bee. She conjectures that she might have been a busy child and acknowledges that she remains a very busy adult. Because of her nickname she has always loved bees, and the couple now have honeybees on loan to their farm where “…they are always busy making things more beautiful. We have better flowers and veggie gardens because of them. Queen Bee Millinery just kind of rolled off the tongue. It felt right.” The couple also raise and ride horses, so staying busy is not a problem.
On her Facebook page she writes, “Surrendering to the passion of creativity, hats can be that magical medium that touches your heart. When self-expression is key to your authenticity, millinery should be your first wardrobe choice.” Just dropping in and trying on some of those on display in the shop can open your eyes to the possibilities that this fashion accessory offers. Working with Larocque to design a millinery creation to express yourself would be an amazing adventure. She views it as an honour to make something for you for your special day. As always, coordinates appear on the back of Ranelle Larocque’s Artist Trading Card at the top of the page.
Artist Trading Card
WHO Ranelle Larocque
WHAT Couture Milliner
WHERE Queen Bee Millinery, 16 Gore St. E., Perth; <ranelle@queenbeemillinery.ca>; <queenbeemillinery.ca>; <facebook.com/QueenBeeMillinery>
WHEN Wednesday through Saturday, 11am to 4pm, Tuesdays by appointment
WHY “I want to put beauty into the world.”
If you live in Perth, have a cottage nearby or just like to go there for a drive, chances are you have visited Riverguild. Riverguild Fine Arts and Crafts has been an institution in Perth for 45 years. Situated in the heart the main shopping area on Gore Street, it remains the one-stop destination for original handmade arts and crafts.
Although the establishment of Riverguild in 1977 was noteworthy, there were other things going on in Canada at that time. Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister, the country was struggling to learn the metric system, and Keith Richards was arrested in Toronto. The Toronto Blue Jays were born, we obsessed over Fleetwood Mac, and John Travolta mainstreamed disco in Saturday Night Fever.
While that was going on, a local group of artisans decided to open a fully cooperative retail store to sell their wares. This meant that the artists would manage and run the store, sharing in all responsibilities equally. Later, works from other artists were added to the shop on a consignment basis, which meant that they would pay a commission instead of working in the store. Riverguild still operates this way, with extra assistance by long-time member Joe, who many of you know. When you are at the store, the person serving you is usually a co-op member, so go ahead and ask them about the products or what type of art they create. As part “owners”, they know a lot and are always happy to chat about the art and the artists.
Customers tell us they are impressed with the high standard and quality of the arts and crafts available at Riverguild. All items in the store must be approved by the co-op board according to level of skill, design, function, originality and appeal to the public. Having a fairly large store allows for a good variety of unique works to choose from. Some items turn over quickly, like pottery, and since everything is handmade, occasionally the artisans have to hustle to meet demand. For many locals, Riverguild is their first stop for special gifts, even for themselves.
Riverguild is now considered more of a quality gift shop. The difference between Riverguild and other gift shops is that Riverguild products are hand-crafted locally and are perfect for that hard-to-buy-for person. Many people come in seeking wedding or host gifts because they can choose from several different styles and makers of pottery, textile products, and a large variety of household décor items such as pewter kitchen/hospitality products, stained glass and paintings. They know if they buy a gift from Riverguild it will be unique and treasured for many years. For women there are silk scarves, purses, woven jackets, sheepskin slippers, mitts etc. and one-of-a-kind jewellery. Families often come in to look at the wide array of games, puzzles and stuffed animals. Men like the wood carvings, but not to stereotype, everyone usually finds what they need or want at Riverguild.
Changes are upon us which will have implications for the look and feel of the store. Joe, our long-time “go-to-guy” will be retiring next year and many of our co-op members are winding down their production and commitment to Riverguild. We seek new and younger members so they will be ready to accept the torch in the not-so-distant future and carry it for another 45 years. In many ways we still do things the same way they were set up in the ’70s. We are a little time capsule from a period when there were many artisan shops and galleries to visit and shop at. Riverguild has survived to be one of the few artist co-ops still in existence in Ontario, but we are working to adapt to new technologies and practices to bring Riverguild into 2023, while keeping our ’70s charm.
To celebrate this milestone, Riverguild invites customers to drop in between 5 and 7pm on Friday, November 18. We will raise a glass to the history and future of this unique little co-op that started as a dream of a few artists 45 years ago. Please email <riverguildfinecrafts@gmail.com> for an invitation.
St. Andrews United Church in Pakenham will host Ottawa’s The fiVe Woodwind Quintet on Saturday, November 26 at 7:30pm. Local composer David Sale has arranged a wide variety of folk and classical music from seven countries for the quintet to perform. Since I have the good fortune to be in a local choir that has sung several of David’s beautiful arrangements, I contacted him to find out more about this very special musical event.
theHumm: Can you tell me a bit about your musical background, and about how and when you began composing and arranging?
David Sale: I studied music at the University of Toronto and took oboe lessons with members of the Toronto Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra, then went on the play in various orchestras and chamber groups while teaching music in high school. I began writing and arranging music for my classmates, students and ensembles more than sixty years ago and haven’t stopped since.
For this concert, your arrangements will be played by The fiVe Woodwind Quintet, which is comprised of members of the Divertimento Orchestra. What is your musical relationship with this ensemble?
I played with The fiVe from 2003 until my retirement in 2016. Three original members, Elsa Slater (flute), Bob Brown (French horn) and Gordon Slater (bassoon) are still with the quintet. Jade Butlin-Woo is a first-rate oboist and I am very pleased that she has been able to take over my position in the group. Julie Matte, another excellent player, is the new clarinettist. It was wonderful to have an excellent ensemble try out my ideas and to give me valuable feedback. We continue to collaborate even now on new arrangements.
What can audience members expect to hear, and where can they expect to “visit” on this musical journey?
We will be sampling folk and classical music from the USA, France, Hungary, Scotland, Spain, Mexico and Chile. Although much of the music may be familiar to people in their own country, they are generally not well known elsewhere. There are dances, love songs, musical pictures, exciting show-off pieces and even a lullaby — all pieces that deserve to be more widely known.
For the lay people among us, what is involved in arranging music for a choir or ensemble? And what emotions do you experience when you hear a talented group play music that you have arranged?
An arranger is like a screen writer. The screen writer takes a book or a play and reimagines at as a film. An arranger takes music originally created in one form — say for piano — and reworks it for a totally different ensemble — like a choir. I recently completed a work for full symphony orchestra based on two obscure pieces that I found in an instruction book from 1674 for learning to play the Spanish guitar. The pieces were written in unconventional notation and much of my preliminary work involved solving the notation puzzle. I then had to rework the ideas, add new material, combine everything into a convincing orchestral work, then score it for 60 musicians.
Although I can imagine quite well how the finished work will sound, there is nothing like hearing it performed live. I am excited about what works and connects with the audience, while at the same time I am busy analyzing the music to see what changes could make it even better.
I understand that you were instrumental in the revamping of the sound system at St. Andrews. What makes the church such a good venue for this type of music?
St. Andrews has superb natural acoustics because its shape resembles a fan with the minister, or the musicians, at the base. There are no large parallel sides that, in many buildings, create unwanted resonance on certain notes. The materials used in building the sanctuary enhance the warm sound.
Many visiting musicians have remarked on how wonderful it is to play in that space. The sound system has been added only to complement the natural acoustics and to allow for recording and live streaming.
Tickets and more information can be found at Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434).
Thanks to the Internet, David’s pieces are now available world-wide, and to date are in the hands of musicians in eighteen countries from Australia to Sweden, from Greece to Japan, and even in unlikely places like Malta and Kenya. For more information, scores, parts, and recordings of his music, see the publisher’s website: <scoreexchange.com/profiles/VenturiWindEditions>.
Just as turkeys were being turned into soup, the Lanark County Food Bank was already gearing up for its 14th annual Christmas Stocking Drive.
Last year long-time volunteer co-ordinator Sandy Schappert passed on the torch and in her honour, and to thank her and her husband for dreaming up this wonderful program, the campaign has been re-named the Sandy Claus Stocking Drive.
The Schapperts are the spirit behind the campaign, an idea that began when Sandy’s late husband Hank remarked while volunteering at the Food Bank that recipients often said, “this is the only gift I get to open Christmas morning.”
Because clients only access the Food Bank once a month, stockings start being handed out in the middle of November, so you can see why for us Christmas is literally just around the corner.
If you’d like to donate a stocking full of toiletries and goodies, please mark them His or Hers and drop them off at the Donations and Deliveries door Mondays and Wednesdays between 10am and noon at the Food Bank at 84 Mill Street in Carleton Place, or contact our new volunteer coordinator Kelly Betts at <kelbetts@gmail.com>.
Your generosity will put a smile in someone’s heart on Christmas morning!
Almonte’s “little charity that could” is still at their mission of “making education possible” for kids — but their work is now focused on supporting Indigenous kids and youth on-reserve in Northern Ontario!
SchoolBOX’s online auction goes live on Tuesday, November 1 at <32auctions.com/SchoolBOX> with creative experiences and items like a visit to a goat farm in Almonte for you and your family, a round-trip WestJet flight for two, coaching sessions and estate planning, soap-making workshop, Sens and Barenaked Ladies tickets, handmade moccasins from Muskrat Dam First Nation and so much more! Bids run until November 3, so be sure to get yours in early!
All proceeds support the ongoing work of SchoolBOX in remote Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario. The Auditor General of Canada found in 2018 that only 24% of young people on-reserve are graduating high school in four years. By providing school lunches, Indigenous books and learning centres, SchoolBOX is helping to empower basic education for Indigenous kids and youth. Learn more at <schoolbox.ca>. Thanks and Miigwetch for your ongoing generous support!
Here at theHumm we’re big on local economies. The retail and service businesses in the small towns that we cover play a huge role in the cultural life of those towns. Each store, restaurant, or small enterprise attracts and serves a particular clientele — some inside the community, some from outside. Some businesses host their own special events; others join together with local festivals to make the whole experience more vibrant. Many provide support in cash or in kind to local initiatives. All of them add their own particular flavour to the delicious mix that is small-town Ottawa Valley. A healthy local economy is an essential component to a healthy community.
It is with this in mind that we bring you theHumm’s 22nd annual Gift Giving Guide in both the November and December issues. After years of shutdowns (and construction!), they need your support a lot more than the big box stores and online retailers do.
Our hope is that you’ll find two kinds of inspiration in the many lists that appear throughout this month’s issue. As you peruse the “Gifts to Lift the Spirits”, “Gifts Made in the Valley” and “Gifts for Funky People”, we hope you’ll discover the perfect present for everyone on your list. But we also hope that you’ll be inspired to investigate even more of the independent, locally owned and run businesses throughout our coverage area. In doing so, you’re likely to encounter not only friends and neighbours, but also some old-fashioned small town peace and joy —not to mention amazing customer service!
The gifts we buy locally do double-duty by giving pleasure to the recipient and at the same time supporting the business of a friend or neighbour. Many shops and galleries feature works by area creators and/or gifts that are eco-friendly. The money you spend in your community tends to circulate back into the local economy too, so you’ll be contributing to a wonderful ripple effect.
We would like to thank the participating merchants for taking the time to send in their Gift Giving Guide suggestions, and thank our readers for shopping locally and thereby supporting both the shops and our paper. To see photos of many of these items, subscribe to our free weekly Hummail e-newsletter! Find details at <thehumm.com>.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy holiday season!
Scrooge! The Musical is the biggest show we have ever attempted here at Perth Studio Theatre. From its inception it became apparent to all of us that it would take a community to put on a musical of this magnitude. Over 30 youth and adults will be entering from all over the theatre, perhaps coming from the wings or down the aisle singing from edge of the stage, disappearing mysteriously into the dark, and possibly sitting right next to you in the audience. It might be your pharmacist that you see with a headset giving stage directions, or your doctor in a Victorian top hat. “Hey, that girl is in my class at school.” “There’s my neighbour from down the street!”
Scrooge! The Musical is community theatre at its finest and it is under the amazing direction of Carolee Mason. Carolee has decades of brilliant experience bringing great entertainment to Perth. Perth’s own Brad Mills will be tuning up all the wonderful vocalists. Scrooge! has a fabulously rich musical score that everyone has enjoyed learning and singing together. From the Ghost of Christmas Past to Jacob Marley to the littlest street urchin, there are no small parts in this production. Mills will also be directing an eight-piece orchestra in the wings — such a talented fellow!
So many people have given their time and talents to this Christmas offering, including set painters, wardrobe crew, set builders, sound engineers, stage managers and more. They are all generous and amazingly talented individuals. Take just one of the positions out of the equation and the machine that is community theatre stops in its tracks. If we didn’t have someone in the box office, how would you get your tickets? If we didn’t have someone putting up posters all over town, how would you know what is happening at the theatre? Who writes all the promotion articles, designs the programs, finds production sponsors? Who balances the books? The actor singing a solo on stage, the seamstress sewing on a button backstage, the snack bar person pouring your coffee — it’s all volunteer.
A whole team is involved in the costuming of such a large Victorian-themed cast. Head costumer Wendy Coombs has turned her garage into a costume house. There are shelves for hats and footwear, and rows of bars for hanging costumes on. Fittings are done, sleeves shortened, hems lengthened, and eventually costumes are sent home with each actor because that is where a lot of the cast will be dressing, as well as doing their makeup and hair. Some of them will come straight from home, ready to perform, and will be entering the theatre alongside you on show nights.
You will often hear people involved in community theatre saying that this is their family. They find it a welcoming place with no barriers, lots of laughter, and a chance to be creative and spontaneous. No ideas are rejected and no one is judged. Sounds like a family to me. We would love to have you join our family in whatever way your interests and talents steer you. If you can write, paint, hammer a nail, pour coffee, push buttons in the tech booth — we welcome you with open arms.
Catch Scrooge! The Musical on November 24, 25, 26 and December 1, 2 and 3 at 7:30pm, or our matinées on November 26, 27 and December 3 and 4 at 2pm. Tickets are $27 and can be purchased through Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485-6434) or at the door on performance days (if available).
This production is proudly sponsored by Déjà Vu Salon, 39 Gore Street in Perth.
The Small Works Event at the Katherine Muir Miller gallery in Perth is returning for its second year! Come by the gallery from Thursday, November 3 to Sunday, November 13 for a unique event that will bring 23 artists together in one space with affordable prices and set sizes.
The Katherine Muir Miller Gallery will host a reception day for the Small Works Event on Saturday, November 5 from 10am to 6pm. Refreshments of wine and cheese will be offered throughout the day, and all are welcome to come by to say hello, view art and maybe add something new to their collection. The gallery is also celebrating its second anniversary during the Small Works Event, and is excited to welcome new artists, friends and the community to the gallery!
The Katherine Muir Miller gallery is located at 22 Gore Street East in Perth. Find more details at <katherinemuirmiller.com>.
Mary Capper’s grandmother was not a terribly likable person. To Mary, Milly was “the old battle-axe,” and that was about it. Frankly, Mary held little interest in knowing more about Milly’s life. That changed in 2012, when Mary’s mother passed away and Mary inherited a box of old papers and photos she’d never seen before.
What she saw and read, she found compelling. In this patchwork of memories there was, it emerged, far more to her grandmother’s story than she’d imagined.
She decided she would try to tell Milly’s story.
“What began as curiosity became an all-out research project to piece together the fabric of a life that had previously held little interest to me,” Mary explains. “My grandmother was far from a typical granny, but my research uncovered a compelling puzzle and as the pieces came together, I came to understand ‘the old battle-axe’ just a little more. I have always enjoyed the magic of words, and I suppose Milly’s final gift to me was a story worth writing.”
That gift eventually became Mary Capper’s first novel, Sonnish… Whispers Through Time, a fictionalized account of her grandmother’s incredible life. The trouble with writing a straight memoir was that there were gaps to be filled in, Mary says, so she chose to write Milly’s life into a novel.
“There is far more freedom in writing fiction,” she says. “A memoir would have required knowing the connecting stories, I would have needed Milly to ‘fill in the gaps.’ Sadly, I became interested too late and Milly died before I could ask what lay behind the fragments of history that came to me in tattered boxes. Still, I felt that there was a compelling story to be told. I liken it to a quilt of facts, sewn together with supposition, imagination, family lore, and threads of fantasy. I wish I could ask her just how much of it I got right.”
One thing Mary came to know was this: Milly had left a life of privilege to volunteer as an ambulance driver in the Great War. Milly spent four harrowing years at the Western Front in war-torn France. What Mary also discovered in those papers and photos was her grandmother’s deep feelings about those four years of service.
“The most fascinating aspect that I learned about Milly was her dedication to service,” Mary explains. “I knew her as a devoted Legion member, but I didn’t know what led her to that. Her generation didn’t speak of their military service and the subject of war was never discussed; it was simply understood in the knowing glances between fellow comrades at the Legion. I mistakenly thought that her involvement was simply something to pass the time. I was wrong. She cared deeply about her fellow veterans; they were her first family. Like so many other women of her time, she was never recognized as a soldier. But that is what she — they — were.”
In researching Sonnish, Mary — who, like her grandmother, is a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces — found some joy as well.
“The most fun aspect of the research for me was in learning about my family connection to the Isle of Man,” she says, “and the mystical nature of the ancient Celtic culture. The word ‘Sonnish’ means whisper in the ancient Manx language, and it is through those fantastical whispers that Milly brings us her story in her own words.”
In Mary’s novel, Milly’s spirit materializes one day and begins to tell her story to Beth, her granddaughter. As the novel’s jacket copy explains: “The visitation triggers a journey of research into a life she had not understood and into the ethereal connection of the women in her bloodline who hail from the Isle of Man. While the mystic nature of the Celtic culture and the ancient Manx language play an important role in Milly’s story, it is the old battle-axe herself who weaves together the fragments of Beth’s research into a tale of adventure, hardship, love and loss.”
Significantly, what becomes clear in Sonnish is that Milly is filled with regret. Often in her life her actions were driven by fear; in the end, it is Milly’s fear of being forgotten that sends her spirit in search of Beth.
Fear, Mary believes, is “a primal instinct that too often pulls us back from life.” It’s a power motivator, but in Mary’s opinion not the best one. “While it can keep us from harm,” she says, “it is most often responsible for regret in the end. ‘Why didn’t I climb that mountain? Fear of failure.’ ‘Why didn’t I say I love you? Fear of rejection.’”
Through Milly’s partly imagined character, Mary allows her grandmother the opportunity to be remembered, to unburden her regret.
In writing this historical novel, Mary hopes to “encourage dialogue between generations to preserve stories and familial histories.” She believes it’s vital to do so.
“Our family histories, the people and their stories communicate so much,” she says. “They allow us to walk in someone else’s shoes for just a moment, share experiences and learn valuable life lessons such as kindness, courage and empathy. We learn from their mistakes. They offer us a connection and a place in a community. They unify us. These are the people and stories that shaped us.”
A retired administrator living in Carleton Place, Mary is also a history buff and self-described sleuth, particularly when it came to researching the hidden truths behind her own ancestry and genealogy.
Fittingly, her message to young people is this: Ask questions while you can.
“Otherwise, in the end, all we have are photographs, most with nothing written on the reverse… the faces of strangers.”
The official book launch for Sonnish … Whispers Through Time was held at the Carleton Place Legion on August 4.
“It was relatively well attended considering it was the hottest day of the year,” Mary says. “The Legion seemed to be an appropriate choice as it was such an important part of my grandmother’s life; as an ex-member of the CAF it is very dear to my heart as well.”
One area of the room was dedicated to military memorabilia — Milly’s medals and those belonging to other characters in the book, a WWI field camera, a soldier’s sewing kit and shaving razor. Lots of folks bought Mary’s book and she happily signed them all. “But most enjoyable of all,” she says, “was listening to folks tell their stories of family members who served.”
Mary Capper’s Sonnish … Whispers Through Time is available at Mill Street Books in Almonte, Spark Books & Curios in Perth, and the Merrickville Book Emporium. Your local independent bookstore will be very happy to order a copy for you, but of course the novel is also available on Amazon and other major retailers.
For over 18 years, the Almonte Lectures have provided monthly evenings of education through the winter. When the originator of the Almonte Lectures, Don Wiles, retired in 2015, Warren Thorngate valiantly took on the huge task of finding seven lecturers per season to keep the programme running. However, he too deserves to retire after organizing nearly sixty lectures.
Warren is a Professor Emeritus in Social Psychology at Carleton and other universities, as well as a recognized authority on economic theory, thus giving him an interesting mix of colleagues who were eager to present lectures. For eight years, Warren has scoured his academic contacts and the local community to find interesting and educational speakers. To his credit, his choices meant that the regular audience never waned, even during the two-year hiatus when online lectures became the norm.
A series like this takes considerable organization to be successful, and Warren has stepped up to the challenge in many ways. A year in advance, he arranged the lineup of speakers, their biographies and subject matter, and of course back-up speakers on hold for emergencies. Months in advance, all this information was sent to Mel Turner, the tech guru for input into the website. When the lecture season began, Warren couldn’t sit back and watch it unfold. No, there was a hall to set up, AV equipment to test, chairs to move, introductions to make, to say nothing of having to ensure that the speaker was going to appear as planned. The online lectures presented problems of their own, from remote presentations to precise timing to transmit the lectures as promised. Warren had expert technical help from Mel Turner, but the full responsibility fell on his shoulders to make sure the lectures went off as planned. Not once, even in bad weather, was a lecture cancelled. How efficient is that!
If we were attending the Almonte Lectures in person, we would all rise, and give Warren Thorngate a huge round of applause for his dedication to the series, for continuing the legacy that Don Wiles conceived, and for always having a speaker with a topic that left everyone with food for thought when the lights were turned off at the end of an evening.
To Warren, our heartfelt thank you for your commitment to the Almonte Lectures. Your endeavours are appreciated by everyone who has attended these lectures for many years. Don would be proud of you!
An exhibition by Bel Angeles entitled Beyond and Behind: Diversity, Community, Visibility and Invisibility will be on display from November 2–30 at Concave Gallery in Codes Mill, Perth. There will be an opening reception on November 5 from noon to 4pm.
The artist writes: “I wanted to push myself to find my own language for this show. With incidents of intolerance showing up in parts of society, I wanted to showcase a diversity of styles, textures, stories and backgrounds. It feels important to highlight diversity and the role of community in fostering a safe environment for all. There are many important aspects of people’s lives that are invisible to the community and yet other features which are over-emphasised that can be used to categorise or marginalize people. I wanted to explore these themes and find a way to express that in art.”
This show features large Recto Verso paintings — a style that is quite rare in Canada — which are art pieces painted on both sides. Bel adds: “I want to invite the viewer to physically and psychologically look for the hidden stories, texture, character, colours and nuance in different people’s lives and backgrounds. There will also be a ‘diversity wall’ made up of pieces in myriad styles, which I hope will offer up visual cues of ‘difference’. My series on affordable housing will be in another part of the exhibit, and there will also be several small, medium and larger pieces using diverse styles. I hope you will find the show dynamic and different.”
Visit <facebook.com/concavegallery> for more details.
In Maine near the Canadian border there’s a legend of a phantom locomotive sweeping through a peaceful village leaving death in its wake. One night (Friday, October 13, no less) a silly man stops a train so he can retrieve his hat and accidentally strands six passengers at Clearvale Station, where this phantom locomotive is legend. The stationmaster wishes them to leave so he can go home. He warns them that the station is haunted — telling them the story of the ghost train that will come that night, which is another reason he wishes to leave. As it is a very stormy night, and there is no location they can go to close by, they decide to stay the night in the waiting room. It isn’t too long before they regret their decision.
This timeless British play, written in 1923 by Arnold Ridley, is a classic drama first produced in 1925 that has been filmed no fewer than three times. It is said that Ridley was inspired to write this play after becoming stranded overnight at Mangotsfield railway station in Bristol, a now disused station on the Midland Railway main line. It took him only a week to complete, but the show played to packed houses at St. Martin’s Theatre for two years and became a staple of the British theatre for many years to come. A long-running success in London and on Broadway, it’s packed with thrills, chills and laughter.
We produced this show back in 2010 when we opened The Station Theatre. We had planned to reprise it in 2020 to celebrate our tenth anniversary; however, the pandemic put that on the rails, so to speak. Now that health restrictions have eased, though we recognize there are still some risks, we chose to go ahead and put it back on the rails while we could still cast it with some of the original cast. In fact, six of the twelve cast members (Mike Adams, Katharine Coleman, Donna Howard, David Snider, Christine Winter and Tim Bisaillon) were able to return, and we welcomed six new cast members: Maria Fournier (who actually worked backstage for the original production), Lewis Koluk, Sean O’Malley, Nathan Matthews, Taylor Gilligan and Ming Leonard. We also have been fortunate to bring back Pauline Crowder as Stage Manager and Catherine Davidson as backstage crew who also were on board for the original production.
While we are certainly reminiscing, this show is brand new and even we continue to be entertained by the story’s twists and turns, so we know you will be also!
Our theatre will continue to adhere to all Public Health advice and guidelines. At the time of writing this article mask wearing is not required, but we support each person’s plan to feel safe and secure and so if wearing a mask works for you, please do. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. If Public Health rules change, so will ours.
Evening shows take place on November 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 at 7:30pm, with matinées on Sunday, November 6 Sunday, November 13 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students and can be purchased at Special Greetings (8 Russell Street in Smiths Falls), online or by phone (283–0300) with credit card. If tickets are still available, they can be purchased a half-hour before showtime, at the door. We now offer debit/credit at the theatre and Special Greetings for your convenience.
Please visit <smithsfallstheatre.com> for more information.
All the members of the Carleton Place Town Singers are excited to be back singing every week. We have had two changes. Paul Norris moved to the far north and Laurel Tye has taken over as director. Peter Brown has taken another position and Michael Costello is our new accompanist. We are happy to have past members as well as a number of new members of the choir. We are having a great time at each rehearsal!
Many of you will know Laurel Tye from her work with the Mississippi Mudds over the past 30 years. Laurel was a music teacher and principal for decades, has sung with the Canterbury Trebles, and has been music director for several churches and musicals in Perth. She started directing at age 15 and studied it at university.
Laurel grew up in the Salvation Army, and her father was a musician and composer. As a teenager she was asked to sing a solo at a world gathering of the Salvation Army at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. She was terri?ed. She chose one of her father’s compositions. It is very memorable because her dad was so proud of her.
Laurel and her father wrote and directed a family musical called Wonderful Day which played in Chicago, Detroit, London and Windsor. Rehearsals were with inner-city kids in Chicago. They worked all summer rehearsing. The kids showed up every day, and got a lunch as well. Their costume was a t-shirt with “Wonderful Day” on it. This experience caused Laurel to decide on a career as a teacher.
Michael Costello’s family has lived in Carleton Place for a long time. He teaches piano at Kanata Music Centre and has a handful of private piano students. He is music director at St. James Anglican Church in Franktown and St John’s Anglican Church in Innisville. He has given a number of concerts in the local area featuring works by Chopin, a favourite composer. Michael composes his own music and does improvisation of meditative music, some of which is posted on Facebook.
Just before Covid, Michael was asked to accompany a famous violinist from the Dominican Republic — Eugenio Matos — who is a diplomat with the embassy. They were to do a string of concerts at local universities — until the pandemic put an end to that plan. The concerts were to feature Michael’s compositions and others. When they could not do these concerts, Eugenio asked Michael to do a duet with him to be shown in the Dominican Republic and around the world. It is a tribute to mothers who died during Covid. The song was written by one of the Dominican Republic’s national composers and was recorded in the sanctuary of Zion-Memorial United Church in Carleton Place. It shows scenes of the Town Hall and Parliament Hill.
Laurel and Michael have not worked together before, but they have developed great chemistry. They both enjoy the social aspects and camaraderie of working in a large group. As Laurel likes to say: “That song was worth the drive from Orleans!”
The concerts will take place at All Nations Church, 39 Bridge Street in Carleton Place, on Sunday, December 11 and Tuesday the 13th, both at 7pm. Tickets are available from choir members and from The Granary (107 Bridge Street in Carleton Place). Tickets remain at the same low price of $15. Laurel has chosen uplifting Christmas music for our return. Come and sing along with us!
260 Fingers has been a much anticipated and significant visual art exhibition on the Ottawa art scene for nearly two decades. After a 2-year hiatus it returns this November 11-13 at the Glebe Community Centre. The exhibition was created to provide a showcase for the award-winning ceramic art being made in the region. It now includes artists from all over Ontario and Quebec, such is its reputation.
Artists from Lanark County have been fundamental in the creation of this exciting yearly exhibition.
There are hubs of vibrant creative energy in studios in many parts of eastern Ontario and western Quebec that became home to numerous craftspeople in the heyday of the revival of studio craft in the 1970s. Those artists flourished and built strong reputations as leaders and teachers in their disciplines. Most of the founders of 260 Fingers are from this group.
For many of these full-time artists, finding a home and studio that was affordable for the lifestyle of a potter, glassblower, weaver or jeweller was paramount. This timing coincided with the back-to-the-land movement of the ’70s, toward a simpler lifestyle that embraced nature and peaceful, strong communities. Many of the studio crafts require lots of equipment that is harder to fit into an urban lifestyle. Plus many people who choose to make handmade art seem to prefer a lifestyle that is slower-paced and less about the amenities cities provide.
Lanark County has prime examples of this phenomenon. Some of the founders of 260 Fingers come from Lanark County. Potters Saskia and Sietze Praamsma came to Clayton in the ’70s along with textile artist Robert Pauly, jeweller Barbara Mullally and ceramic artist Christine Karton-Burns. It was also home to potter Darlene Keffer. Other artists joined them, including potter-turned-painter Rosemary Leach (now living in Almonte), painter Kaija Savinainen-Mountain, and weaver and photographer Karen Riches. The list goes on, but these folks were also the founders of the well-known Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour (soon to celebrate 25 years).
Brooke Valley, 15 minutes west of Perth, is home to another thriving community of artists and other creative types who bought up old farms and built their classic handmade houses in the ’70s. They even started their own famous little Brooke Valley School. All this magic is still in evidence when you go to the studios on the Perth Autumn Studio Tour, which winds along the beautiful old country roads of Brooke Valley.
Rita Redner and Susie Osler were founders of 260 Fingers and are longtime Brooke Valley artists, along with Anne Chambers, who moved to Glen Gangnier and Ali Ross’s home and studio after they moved to a farm nearby. Their work still wows the public and, like other Lanark artisans, these makers have been integral to the Perth Studio Tour, begun in 1993, which continues to grow in popularity after all these years.
All these artists earned their reputation from the excellence of their craftsmanship, which is fundamental to their way of living. Most of the artists in 260 Fingers also had the good fortune to attend the really great “craft and design” schools in Canada, coming out of the Community Colleges project of the 1970s. Sheridan College, west of Toronto, had a legendary craft school that I attended in the ’70s. In that day we practically lived in the studios! Other great community colleges such as the Nova Scotia School of Art and Design and Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver (all universities now!) turned out fine craftspeople, well grounded in all the skills, technical and aesthetic, necessary to produce world-class craft.
I’m convinced the remarkable beauty of the land in the Ottawa Valley makes its mark on the artists who settled here, and on their art.
I was attracted to Lanark County, having been caught up in cities most of my adult life. My dear friend, the ceramic artist and sculptor Jennifer Ryder-Jones, had moved to Blakeney, and in visiting her we found our very own little cottage complete with a workshop just waiting for us! Eventually, the terrific potter Richard Skrobecki also moved to Almonte and helped found 260 Fingers. Now he is the owner of the renowned craft and design gallery, General Fine Craft.
260 Fingers grew out of the love these artisans have for their craft — you simply don’t get art that shines like theirs without a lifestyle conducive to supporting the passion.
260 Fingers was cancelled for Covid for two years and now — voilà — it’s back, but with a fresh bunch of whippersnappers added to the roster. The show has been renewed. Some of the founders are retiring but have paved the way for an energetic new crowd of dynamic artists, and happily the show will go on!
260 Fingers takes place from November 11-13 at the Glebe Community Centre. Find more details at <260fingers.ca>.
Perth Tourism invites you to explore all that the town has to offer this holiday season. Enjoy a weekend in Perth and take some time for yourself to unwind and indulge. With over twenty events planned throughout November and December, the holiday spirit will be sure to surround you while you stroll the streets and explore the beautiful old-world charm of the town.
Bursting with carefully curated boutiques and shops, you’ll easily be able to find gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list — and maybe even something for yourself! Art, fine crafts, local fashions and more can be found throughout the community.
Take a break from holiday shopping and take a self-guided tasting tour or themed walking tour, and stop for a meal created by talented chefs at one of the numerous restaurants and eateries. Warm up with a beverage at a café, or sample some of the unique offerings at the local craft breweries and distillery.
As you wander the streets, you’ll notice the sound of familiar sounds of holiday carols ringing through the air. The holiday spirit culminates at the Crystal Palace which is filled with decorated Christmas trees as part of the Festival of Lights, taking place from November 19 to January 3.
Experience an unforgettable weekend in Perth. Visit <perth.ca/holidayevents> for more information and to stay up to date on details.
This November, Theatre Night in Merrickville (TNIM) will present their production of Deathtrap, written by Ira Levin, which is aptly described as a play within a play, where all is not as it seems to be.
The opening scene introduces the audience to Sidney Bruhl, an established playwright who hasn’t had a good idea in years. He’s been living off his wife Myra’s money for far too long, and it’s all run out. Sidney desperately needs a spark of creativity in order to regain his previous success and the cash flow that came with it. When Sidney receives a script from one of the students in a writing class he’s teaching at the local college, he considers the potential to collaborate on the next big Broadway hit. The question is: how far would someone go to have a successful play credited to their name?
Vicki Graham directs this two-act play with five characters — almost none of whom are immune to devious actions. Al Billiald portrays Sidney Bruhl, who is very much used to having things his way. He’s an outwardly charming character who is actually deceitful and self-serving, and will do almost anything to be back on top. Myra Bruhl, played by Heather Steele, is Sidney’s timid wife, who keeps him well financed and feeds his tender ego. Myra is ill at ease and worries that her husband will take things too far, and it becomes clear that Sidney is irritated by her weakness. Clifford Anderson, played by Michael Phillips, is the young student-playwright who eagerly comes to meet his mentor to discuss the play at the centre of the plot. The ensemble also includes Andrea Howard as Helga Ten Dorp, the world-renowned psychic who warns of deviousness and evil, and Keith Stanton who portrays Sidney’s highly observant attorney, Porter Milgrim.
Play rehearsals are underway and set designers are diligently crafting Sidney’s study, a part of the Bruhl’s Connecticut home, where the story takes place. The plot can’t be fully disclosed without giving away secrets, but rest assured that the twists come fast and unexpectedly enough so they don’t seem as preposterous as they are. Deathtrap holds the record for the longest-running comedic-thriller on Broadway, and still delivers as much double-crossing amusement as one could expect from a theatrical murder mystery.
TNIM thanks Scott Fleming from the Rideau Home Hardware Building Centre in Smiths Falls for their sponsorship of Deathtrap. Performances will take place at the Merrickville Community Centre, 106 Read Street, on November 24, 25, 26 at 7:30pm, and on November 27 at 2pm. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at <merrickvilletheatre.org> or at the door. Inquiries can be directed to <mail@merrickvilletheatre.org>.
Humm readers may be interested to know that this production of Deathtrap will be entered in the Eastern Ontario Drama Leagues (EODL) Full Act Festival, and will be judged at one of the performances. Following the performance, the adjudicator will critique the play. One of these critiques is open to the public. Keep watch on the TNIM Facebook page to find out which performance will be adjudicated.
The Celtic-Folk band Turpin’s Trail returns to Carleton Place for a concert on November 12. Members of this Kingston-based band play over a dozen instruments and sing traditional songs as well as original tunes. They have played all over eastern Ontario and Atlantic Canada, including Newfoundland. Visit <turpinstrail.com> to hear their music and find out more about them.
For this show they will also feature their new member — Jessica Wedden <jesswedden.ca>. This young musician sings, plays the ?ddle and dances, and adds even more variety to Turpin’s Trail concerts. Jessica has already won awards for her ?ddling and composing, and Ashley MacIsaac says she is one of the best performers he has ever seen.
The concert will take place on Saturday, November 12 at 7pm at Zion-Memorial United Church, located at 37 Franklin Street, in Carleton Place. Refreshments and merchandise will be for sale at the concert. Tickets are $22 for adults, $10 ages 6 to 16, and free for 5 and under. They can be purchased from Tickets Please (485–6434, TicketsPlease.ca), or from the Church o?ce from Tuesday through Friday from 9am to noon. Call the o?ce at 257–2133 for information, or visit <zion-memorial.ca>. Tickets will also be available at the door if the concert is not sold out.
After a fun and successful event last year, Union Hall is pleased to be hosting its second annual Community Builders’ Craft Fair on Saturday, November 5. In addition to raising funds for the Hall’s ongoing renovations, we have invited other charities and non-profits to join us at the event to raise awareness and much-needed cash for their enterprises.
The Union Hall Community Centre, a registered charity, was erected in 1857 and continues to be the hub of the community which bears its name. Funded mainly through hall and sign rentals, donations and fundraising, with financial assistance from Mississippi Mills and The Hub, the Hall is maintained and operated by volunteers. Hand-crafted hardwood cutting boards, along with items sewn from re-purposed fabric such as one-of-a-kind yoga mat bags, tote bags and aprons, will be on offer.
The Hub in Almonte sells gently used merchandise for every shopper at very reasonable prices. All profits are donated to community projects and to our friends and neighbours who need a helping hand. They will be selling dolls, doll clothes, high-quality housewares and collectibles at this event. The Hub has graciously offered to donate the proceeds from this day’s sale to Union Hall! Thanks so much!
Stir It Up Collective (SIUC) is a not-for-profit whose goal is to support peoples’ recovery from being sex trafficked and other forms of sexual exploitation. Partnering with other community agencies and businesses, SIUC will offer client-centred wellness, focusing on somatic healing practices and employment readiness so that participants can build the skills and confidence to move forward with their goals. They will be selling their own coffee blend from Equator Coffee Roasters, as well as handmade wooden meditation benches in various sizes and styles.
The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum conserves and interprets the industrial textile heritage of the area and tells the stories of the mill workers, while offering an open, inclusive space for the local community and visitors from across the globe. Bobbles, spindles and other selections from the popular gift shop, which supports the Museum’s operations, will be on offer.
The Friends of the Mississippi Mills Public Library is a fundraising group that works to support and promote the services of our local library, helping it to meet its goal of creating a strong library community. They will be selling one-of-a-kind or limited run items, often hand-crafted and always local. All proceeds support the library!
Join us on Saturday, November 5, from 10am to 4pm at Union Hall, located at 1984 Wolf Grove Road at the corner of Tatlock Road. There will be a fire in the woodstove to take off the chill, and there will be tea, Stir It Up Coffee and snacks for sale at a reasonable price to sweeten up your day.
There is still time for your charitable or non-profit organization to join! For information or to book a table (no charge), contact Linda at <camponi@storm.ca> or 808–2781 (phone or text).
The West Carleton Arts Society is delighted to announce that its holiday sale “Artistic Creations” will return this fall! From December 2–4, this exhibition and sale will showcase the creative talents of more than 25 artists and artisans from the Ottawa region. The annual show is presented at St. Paul’s United Church in Carp.
This show has been held for seven years, and after missing the last two years, the artists and artisans are thrilled to be able to connect with visitors in person again. There is a wonderful range of diverse high-quality items, making it the perfect place to get original, affordable gifts for the holiday. Items for sale include fine art, jewellery, woodwork, glasswork, photography and textile work. All work is priced at $200 or less to give visitors a wide variety of items from which to choose.
Entrance to the show is free and there is plenty of free parking. The venue is fully accessible. Cash donations to the West Carleton Secondary School Fine Arts bursary program are gratefully accepted. Show hours are from 3–8pm on Friday, from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, and from 11:30am to 4pm on Sunday.
St. Paul’s United Church is located at 3780 Carp Road. Look for the large orange West Carleton Arts Society flags.
Pamela Cross, a Canadian feminist lawyer and women’s advocate, was deeply involved with the Renfrew County Coroner’s Inquest, which investigated the 2015 murders of three women — Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk and Nathalie Warmerdam. Murders committed by the same man who had had a relationship with all three women.
Pamela will be the keynote speaker at the “What Now, Lanark County?” event taking place on Friday, December 9 at 6:30pm at the Almonte Old Town Hall.
Pamela wrote the following:
“When the jury read out its first recommendation — that the provinces declare femicide to be an epidemic — the excitement of those in the room was palpable, and rightly so. Implementation of this recommendation would send a clear message to Ontario decision-makers that Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious social and public health issue. Labelling it as an epidemic would help Ontarians understand that IPV is a legitimate health issue. It would create a new lens through which policy, program and service decisions are made. It would validate the realities of tens of thousands of women who have been or are being victimized by an abusive partner.
“As the reports of the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee tell us again and again, the vast majority of domestic homicides are both predictable and preventable. Yet they continue: at least 237 women in Ontario have been killed in acts of femicide since the 2015 triple killing, and five women were murdered over the three weeks of the inquest — two of them the evening before the jury returned its verdict.”
Lanark County statistics show that since 1985, thirteen women and children have been murdered by abusive partners. In the last year alone, Lanark County Interval House fielded over 4800 crisis calls.
Everyone is invited to a panel discussion with Pamela and other community leaders to learn more about the Inquest recommendations and how our community can help end violence against women and children once and for all.
Tickets are $10 or by donation. All proceeds will go towards future “What Now, Lanark County?” events, including a Women’s Conference in the spring of 2023. Tickets are available from Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434). Free tickets are available on request by emailing <whatnowlanarkcounty@gmail.com>.