Online Articles - theHumm
Indefatigable Jennifer Ajersch - theHumm May 2025
By Sally Hansen
Art… and Soul
This month’s featured Valley artist is the opposite of a couch potato. My thesaurus led me to the choice of “indefatigable” to describe her, because it listed three basic attributes: “Extremely persistent and untiring… Too powerful to be defeated or overcome… Full of life, spirit and energy.” Jen approaches her newfound passion for painting with the same gusto that characterized her sports activities and her career prior to her retirement five years ago.
The outcome is the sam......
Art in the Attic A Kaleidoscope of Creativity on May 10 & 11 - theHumm May 2025
By — Laurette M Lafleur is a photographic and literary artist, and the publicity coordinator for the Almonte & Area Artists Association
In our 35th year, members of Almonte and Area Artists Association (4A) look to the endurance and beauty of coral reefs for inspiration. Just as the reefs have protected and nourished our ocean, our artists, over the years, have protected and inspired our sensitivity. Through the kaleidoscope of creativity, 4A members have withstood the test of time and changing sociological environments. They will showcase their work at the annual Art in the Attic Show and Sale on Mothe......
In Memory of Noreen Young, 1939–2025 - theHumm May 2025
By Kris Riendeau
I can’t recall exactly when I first encountered Noreen Young, but I will never forget the experience of meeting her. Within a few minutes, she sussed out my penchant for volunteering and offered me the first of many opportunities to assist her in bringing something creative to the community. Even though she had decades of professional experience and I was just starting out in an amateur capacity, she made me feel like my contributions were welcome and important. Noreen has a rea......
EcoFest Westport A Day of Inspiration, Action, and Fun for All Ages! - theHumm May 2025
Plan a day in Westport and get inspired at EcoFest on Saturday, May 24. Activities take place from 10am to 3pm at Lockwood Park and the WTC Communications Centre at 37 Spring Street. Brought to you by Better Together Circle, the festival is now in its third year and better than ever. EcoFest brings together advocates, artists, crafters, experts and business leaders who are making a difference in protecting our natural environment.
You’ll find interesting speakers, info booths, exciti......
There’s a Place for Me Here A Documentary by Queer Connection Lanark - theHumm May 2025
On May 15 at 7pm, Queer Connection Lanark (QCL) is very proud to be presenting Lanark County Voices… There’s a Place for Me Here — a documentary featuring thirteen incredible members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, offering a glimpse of what their lives are like in Lanark County. This documentary weaves their stories together into a vital archive of their insights, struggles and hopes for the future. You will hear how people have built a community; how, amidst many positive changes, the cont......
Songs for the Grove: A Concert for Conservation Valley Artists Amplify the Fight to Protect a Beloved Arnprior Forest - theHumm May 2025
By Jess Hallam
Twenty-some years ago, Jen Noxon strolled into Gillies Grove for the first time — and found something.
“I was all alone in there, the warm breeze running through the trees,” she remembers. “It was a profound experience, like walking into a cathedral.”
With newfound inspiration, Noxon returned home to Almonte, did some research, picked up her guitar and wrote Tall Pines. The song eventually landed on an album by Frida’s Brow, a trio with whom Noxon was nominated for......
Friends of the Library Online Auction The Best of Mississippi Mills - theHumm May 2025
By Barbara Carroll
The Friends of Mississippi Mills Library are holding our fourth annual online auction in 2025. This year we are calling it “The Best of Mississippi Mills” as it will feature wonderful local businesses, organizations and individuals. Last year our auction raised nearly $7,000 to support Library programming, and we hope to top that this year.
The Best of Mississippi Mills auction will be presented in May and June. In May we are looking to businesses, organizations and individuals for donations of a gift certificate, a service or an experience. Those businesses and organizations who don......
Malak Karsh: Here There Be Connections! - theHumm May 2025
By Heather Phaneuf
Don’t you love the greening of the season and the promise of tulips? The rushing of the Mississippi River nudging the land where so many mills set our history? Local museums holding so much to discover? And do you know that one thread connecting them all is none other than Malak Karsh?
Malak Karsh, an Armenian Canadian photographer, was born in what was then the Ottoman Empire and immigrated to Canada in 1937, following his older brother who immigrated in 1924. He was known as Malak —......
A CD Launch for MMYC - theHumm May 2025
By Kentucky
Dear reader, I am Kentucky — an acoustic rock singer/songwriter living and working right under your nose in Almonte, my adopted hometown and the backdrop for my songs, music videos, and first-ever solo album Second Chance Music, due out on May 25.
I knew when I was putting together my Ontario album preview tour that I needed to end it with a big bang in Almonte… so we booked the Old Town Hall for Sunday, May 25 at 3pm. I also knew that we needed the absolute best and brightest for miles around… ......
The 55 Plus Expo Empowering Our Active Community to Age Well - theHumm May 2025
By Carolyn Leslie
On Thursday, June 5, Home Hospice North Lanark (HHNL) and The Municipality of Mississippi Mills are proud to partner in hosting the 55 Plus Expo, bringing the 55+ community together at the John Levi Community Centre in Almonte from 10am to 3pm. The Expo promises to be an exciting, informative and engaging event, offering attendees the opportunity to explore local resources, expert advice, and practical solutions designed to help them live life to the fullest, maintain their independence, and stay......
On Telling Tough Tales - theHumm May 2025
By John Pigeau
Oftentimes, our most difficult stories are the ones we need to share.
Gwen Lamont, the author of The View from Coffin Ridge: A Childhood Exhumed, thinks so too. Lamont’s book is a memoir in which she shares her childhood stories of trauma, abuse, and spousal violence. For many years, Lamont filed away these painful memories and moved forward with her life. When she was ready and better equipped to examine her past, she believed it wasn’t just important to write about those traumatic experiences, it w......
The Lanark Lit Festival of Writing Events and Workshops Continue through May and June - theHumm May 2025
By Jenn Snider Cruise & Jessie Carson
This May and June, the charming towns of Almonte and Perth continue to host the Lanark Lit Festival of Writing. Produced by Almonte Readers & Writers, this inaugural festival has invited both seasoned writers and those starting their creative journeys to gather, share skills, and spark new ideas. With a vibrant lineup of workshops, talks, and writing events, there’s something for every literary enthusiast to enjoy.
Inspire, Connect, & Learn — that’s what’s at the heart of the Lanark Lit......
Moonfruits to Play in the Library Garden - theHumm May 2025
Why did a gig at Blue Skies Music Festival end with a very slow bike ride through downtown McDonalds Corners and an Almonte rescue mission? Find out more on June 1 at the next Live @ the Library outdoor concert sponsored by the Friends of the Mississippi Mills Public Library. Plan to bring a lawn chair, settle in for an afternoon of beautiful harmonies and creative folk stylings, and hear the story of the electrified adventures of Moonfruits and their Slow Touring Pilot Project.
Moonfruits, 202......
Singing for Songbirds and More Notes for Nature II Benefit Concert in Almonte - theHumm May 2025
As we know, the living, breathing biological world in which we are so fortunate to dwell is also increasingly endangered. In this era of “The Sixth Extinction” (a mass extinction event), countless species are diminishing in their numbers — or vanishing altogether.
Pushing back, however, and striving for the long-term conservation of ecologically invaluable places are land trusts across Canada and elsewhere. These non-government organizations are building an incredible ......
Taste of the County Delicious Fundraiser for Therapeutic Riding - theHumm May 2025
By Amy Booth
The ConnectWell Therapeutic Riding Program would like to invite you to our “Taste of the County” Food, Beer and Wine Tasting Gala, taking place on Monday, June 2 from 6–9pm at the beautiful Stonefields Estate in Beckwith. Come out with your friends to celebrate spring and treat yourself to a delicious evening for a really great cause.
Some of this year’s exceptional local cuisine, local beer, cider and great wine will come from The Waterfront Gastropub, The Grand Hote......
Genealogy Society Marks 44 Years of Dedication - theHumm May 2025
By Jayne MunroOuimet
Save the date for a special occasion on Saturday, May 3! The Lanark County Genealogical Society is excited to commemorate 44 incredible years of helping individuals connect with their heritage. Since its modest beginnings in 1981, this dynamic community has expanded to approximately 150 members, welcoming passionate individuals from our area and around the world. We are particularly eager to celebrate some of our founding members, whose steadfast dedication continues to motivate others in their quest to uncover family histories.
Join Us for a Joyous Celebration
May is Museum Month! - theHumm May 2025
Since May 18 is International Museum Day, the museums of Ontario have designated May as “Museum Month” — a time to highlight and celebrate the contributions of these institutions to their communities. theHumm put a call out to the museums in our catchment area to find out what they have planned.
Almonte
The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum mvtm.ca will be hosting a vernissage on May 3 from 1–4pm for an e......
Groundhog Day — The Musical You’ll Want to See it Over and Over Again! - theHumm May 2025
The Mississippi MUDDS are bringing the amazing musical Groundhog Day to the Carleton Place Town Hall this May, with performances on May 1–3 and 8–10 at 7:30pm, and a special matinée on May 4 at 2pm. Tickets are now available at Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434). This exciting production promises to bring the charm, humour, and heart of the hit 1993 film starring Bill Murray to the stage in a delightful new way.
Based on the classic comedy film, Groundhog Day follows Phil Connors, a......
Peeking Behind the Curtain of Waiting for the Parade - theHumm May 2025
By Jane Stott
Waiting for the Parade opens on May 1 at Studio Theatre in Perth. Less than a month before that date, on April 8 to be precise, director Carolee Mason was bustling about in the auditorium setting up some stools and tables on stage as the cast of five women climbed up the 16 steps from the Studio Theatre stage door to begin their first on-site rehearsal. That’s not to say the ladies hadn’t been working on their lines, songs and dance moves over several months — it’s just that when another......
From Palestrina to Rutter - theHumm May 2025
The Kanata Choral Society will close their 38th season with a performance of choral music from the 15th to the 21st centuries. Although the subjects of early music text tend to be more of a sacred nature, in some of the early music the lyrics are more whimsical — even making fun of relationships and of everyday life, hope and memories.
We will hear the Renaissance polyphonic music of Palestrina before traveling through the centuries to Baroque and classical music by Bach and Mozart, and then to the contemporary music of John Rutter and Arvo Pärt, among others.
The conductor will ......
The Red Trillium Studio Tour It’s Closer than You Think! - theHumm May 2025
This year marks the 27th year of the Red Trillium Studio Tour. The spring edition is taking place on the weekend of May 31 and June 1, from 10am to 4pm each day. And when we say it’s just around the corner, we mean timing and location!
Just 10-15 minutes from Kanata, Stittsville and Arnprior — and only 35 minutes from downtown Ottawa and Carleton Place — this self-guided tour invites you to explore the vibrant artistic community in scenic West Carleton.
This spring’s......
Support Local Watersheds — and Win! Local Foundation Launches 50/50 Raffle to Support Watershed Conservation - theHumm May 2025
The Mississippi Valley Conservation Foundation (MVCF) has launched a 50/50 Raffle to raise funds for conservation and education programs throughout the Carp River and Mississippi River watersheds.
From Mazinaw Lake and Sharbot Lake in the west to Almonte, Kanata and Stittsville in the east, MVCF supports vital projects that protect local ecosystems and connect communities with nature. Proceeds from the raffle will directly fund ongoing initiatives focused on habitat restoration, env......
Rural Woodlands Presents Our Green Heart - theHumm May 2025
On May 22 at 7pm, come out for an evening of thought-provoking conversation as Diana Beresford-Kroeger, renowned author and botanist, discusses her latest book Our Green Heart – The Soul and Science of Forests and speaks to the importance of protecting our forests and collectively planting more. Presented by Rural Woodlands, the event takes place at the Alfred Taylor Centre in North Gower. Tickets are $10 each or two for $15 at Tickets Please (TicketsPlease.ca, 485–6434), and youth under 18 ge......
Out of Sight, Out of Murder A Mystery-Comedy Full of Twists, Laughs, and a Little Magic - theHumm May 2025
Get ready for a wild ride this spring as Rural Root Theatre brings you Out of Sight, Out of Murder, a clever and quirky murder comedy that’s anything but ordinary. The show runs from Tuesday, May 20 to Sunday, May 25 at the Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Centre, and it’s bound to keep audiences guessing and laughing all the way to the final scene.
Directed by Lee Powell, with support from assistant director Judi Bastable, this delightfully offbeat play follows Peter Knight, an autho......
Living Below the Line A Powerful Story of Poverty and Resilience - theHumm May 2025
On Thursday, May 8 at 7pm, the Lanark Basic Income Network (LBIN) will host a special screening of Living Below the Line at the Station Theatre in Smiths Falls. This powerful and moving filmed production is based on the lives and stories of individuals living in poverty in the Waterloo region. Originally a play, this filmed version was co-created by Watercourse Theatre and fourteen individuals who shared their personal experiences with systemic poverty. The production tackles issues such as stigma, resilience and hope. It originally débuted live in June 2022, receiving an enthusiastic rec......
Hike for Hospice Hub! - theHumm May 2025
By — Margo Bell is a volunteer with The Hospice Hub
The Hospice Hub is excited to announce that our application to the Canadian Revenue Agency has been approved and we are now a fully registered charity — the benefits of which include issuing official donation income tax receipts!
The past twelve months have been a very busy time for The Hospice Hub (THH) with day-to-day organizational tasks, programs and fundraising activities to allow us to run our ongoing programs which include the home support program, grief and bereavement ......
Town Singers PresentA Spring Reverie - theHumm May 2025
By Janice Gartner
It’s finally here! Spring, that is, but even more exciting it’s The Town Singers’ annual spring concert, A Spring Reverie! At 7pm on May 25 and 27 at Zion United Church in Carleton Place, a lovely evening of music and song will be presented by The Town Singers.
This wonderful choir started in 2007 when a group of friends got together to sing for fun. The Town Singers is now a four-part, approximately sixty-member choir. The choir is growing, developing and still having lots of fun. As a ......
ADHS Fundraises for the AGH Run - theHumm May 2025
By Karissa Bianconi
On May 28, Almonte & District High School (ADHS) is switching things up from Relay for Life and introducing a new community fundraiser called Thunderstomp! It’s all about coming together to support an important cause. This time, all the money we raise will go directly to the obstetrics and birth unit at the Almonte General Hospital. Thunderstomp will be an energetic way for students to give back to the community and support the hospital.
Last year’s Relay for Life at Almonte & District High School was a huge success. Students came together with plenty of energy and enthusiasm,......
Curated FindsInspired for You The Real-Life Dream of Myrna, Sue & Arlene - theHumm May 2025
By Sue Pitchforth
Just over a year and a half ago, we opened our door to an exciting, fun and unique space right in the heart of downtown Smiths Falls. We have been amazed at the wonderful welcome by the community and our customers!
The mainstays in our shoppe are pre-loved, curated, unique vintage and new-to-us treasures. Every time a customer comes in, they truly never know what they will find. It’s like one big treasure hunt! And you get to take home your very own treasure. How fun!
Guardian Angel Program - theHumm May 2025
By Cheryl Moore
Over 500 dedicated healthcare professionals, support staff, and volunteers at the Almonte General Hospital, Fairview Manor, Ottawa Valley Family Health Team, and the Lanark County Paramedic Services touch the lives of others in this community through their work. Nothing is more precious to them than hearing the words “Thank You” from a patient, resident, family member or colleague who truly appreciates their efforts.
Almost every day, we hear a story about one of the incredible care team members......
Between Brush and Branch The Quiet Struggle of a Wildlife Artist - theHumm May 2025
By Kimberly Lulashnyk
While our era is shaped by fast-paced digital innovation and ever-changing artistic trends, the quiet, intentional work of wildlife artists can feel as though it belongs to another time. In a world where countless forces compete for our attention, artists like Kristi Bird encourage a slower, more mindful approach to art, one grounded in patience, presence, and a deep reverence for the natural world.
Kristi, an Ontario-based wildlife artist, has spent years capturing the landscapes and creatures of......
The Aging Gardener - theHumm May 2025
By David Hinks
“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” The plaintive call came from George, an older gent, who had an allotment plot next to me in an Ottawa community garden. Clearly his 1,200 square-foot garden had become too much for him to manage.
I have been a somewhat obsessive gardener for close to seven decades, starting at a young age under the tutelage of a watchful grandmother. While my interest is still strong, the body at times is not so willing. It is harder to get back up......
The Adventures of an Unsuccessful but Optimistic Author - theHumm May 2025
By Ken Scott
Most people have lived a full life of wins, losses, and everything in between. Nobody gets out alive!
All of us have at least one book in them.
This is a brief article about my journey in writing that book. I always promised myself I would write that book after I was accepted into a creative writing course at Ryerson University. Unfortunately, life intervened… that and the bank wanting payments on my student loan!
Three kids later, one high tech downsizing and 18 yea......
Not Again, You Silly Woman! - theHumm May 2025
By Glenda Jones
Our garden journal is stuffed with notes like when to call various services, plus a whole lot of comic strips that make me think we have writers lurking in the attic. Occasionally I will turn the page and find notes like this:
Don’t buy seeds. I mean it!
If I flip the page quickly enough, I can get away without reading the note and then go on my merry way following the siren call of the seed displays. Packets of tomato and parsley seeds fell into my grocery cart. Cosmos are so pretty, and what ......
Almonte Farmers’ Market - theHumm May 2025
The Almonte Farmers’ Market opens for the season on May 18. The market is located on the Alameda (along the Ottawa Valley Rail Trail) next to the Almonte library parking lot, from 8:30am to 12:30pm on Saturday mornings.
This handy little producers’ market offers hot breakfast and lunch, all kinds of baking, organically grown produce, pork, beef and lamb, plus Back 40 sheep’s cheese, fresh flowers, preserves, maple syrup and honey. They have an array of locally made crafts, as well as products to car......
May 2 Fine Art Exhibition
May 3 - 4 Fine Art Exhibition
May 3 Heatwave
May 3 Enchanting Miracles
May 4 LAM Literary Arts Mag Fundraiser
May 8 Garrett Mason
May 8 MMLT Talk & AGM
May 10 Bobby Bazini
May 10 Spring Flowers Walk
May 10 - 11 Art in the Attic
- Indefatigable Jennifer Ajersch
- Art in the Attic A Kaleidoscope of Creativity on May 10 & 11
- In Memory of Noreen Young, 1939–2025
- EcoFest Westport A Day of Inspiration, Action, and Fun for All Ages!
- There’s a Place for Me Here A Documentary by Queer Connection Lanark
- Songs for the Grove: A Concert for Conservation Valley Artists Amplify the Fight to Protect a Beloved Arnprior Forest
- Friends of the Library Online Auction The Best of Mississippi Mills
- Malak Karsh: Here There Be Connections!
- A CD Launch for MMYC
- The 55 Plus Expo Empowering Our Active Community to Age Well
