Issue #935
Including:

From Russ
From Al
From Carol
The Ontarion

Hi All,

Until a few days ago, we were enjoying the remaining days of several weeks of high pressure (the weather kind) and that lead to some pretty nice star gazing given that the forest fire smoke has been blowing away from us. By the way, that fire is now almost under control. Anyway, those nice clear and not too chilly nights highlighted Venus as she is shining brightly in the high west. To be more precise, she doesn’t shine, she reflects light but you all knew that. One problem with trying to see Venus through a scope is she is too bright and therefore you tend to see a distorted image because of the glare. I assume really hight quality scope lenses would take care of that but my scopes are all pretty much not that high. However, an easy work-around is to fit a dark filter over the eye piece. Actually, to be more precise, it goes under the eye piece but you all knew that too. So, with Venus darkened down a bit you get a really cool half moon image. Venus, being an inner planet, shows fazes just like the moon does. Currently it looks like about a third moon from our perspective. And, when you are the only one out there looking, there are no social distancing issues to be concerned about.

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Unfortunately, the pandemic took a back seat in the news for all the wrong reasons this week. I won’t dwell on that as we all know the information thats available. Where I am going with this is it got me thinking about Nova Scotia and the only Nova Scotia song I know. It’s know by two names, Farewell To Nova Scotia, and The Nova Scotia Song. Either way, its an oldie. We leaned it from Sing Along Jubilee on CBC TV way back when. The way I’ve done this cover is the way we’d be doing it sitting around the living room or where ever. Just my acoustic guitar doing the single guitar track and my voice doing the melody track, and then a few more of ‘me’ supplying some harmony. In all fairness, those extra’s of ‘me’ wouldn’t be sitting in said living room at the same time but there’s no one else around to do the harmony so I’m sort of stuck with ’me’. As are you. So, give it a listen. Hope you like it, or at least appreciate it.

Farewell To Nova Scotia

doug

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From Russ

Spring - Where is it?

In Southern Ontario, a mild Winter is usually followed by a late Spring. This year is no exception. With early morning temperatures at, or below freezing, and daily highs in the lonely digits, there aren’t many early bloomers blooming! Case in point; my Daffodils refuse to show their pretty heads, and the grass won’t need mowing until June!

Meanwhile, the winds have been blowing from the North and West with speeds of 30 to 40 Km and gusts up to 80 K’s. The Robbins are ‘hanging-on-for-dear-life’ within the shelter of the Cedar trees, chirping their little hearts out with a quiver in their throats.

I’ve been watching the relentless waves crashing onto the shore, doing what comes naturally – eroding the shoreline. Boiler Beach Road, which runs along the shoreline, from here to Kincardine was closed, no doubt with large breakers flooding the roadway.

Meanwhile, down at Point Clark Lighthouse, where there’s been ongoing high water damage, huge boulders and large chunks of scrap concrete have failed to stop the pounding waves from eroding the shore. Those 8 foot waves simply roll over the rocks and eat out the sod and earth behind and claim it for the lake!

When Lake Huron is angry she ROARS! With my wee cottage a mere 50 meters away, I can feel the pounding action inside, it’s only when I open a door that the roar hits me – it is indescribably LOUD!

The other day (when the waves were silent) I heard a knock on my back door, which was odd because during this lock-down, nobody has been coming near my place. Glancing out I saw two people standing there each holding a bouquet of bright, yellow flowers. Upon opening the door my eye was fixed upon the blooms and how perfect they looked – all the same length and shape – they were purchased from a florist shop, was my first thought.

“Oh, hi Grace – hi Doug!” My good neighbours had brought me Daffodils!

Now, I’ve been around a very long time, and I think this was the only time a lady (or gentleman) had ever brought me a bouquet of flowers!

What a treat! How very thoughtful of them. I felt like hugging them, but social distancing told me otherwise.

The Daffodils had not come from a shop of course, as all non-vital shops are closed for the duration of this ‘dampenic’. I thanked Grace & Doug, then put the cut flowers into a water tumbler (don’t own a vase), and now they sit on the table brightening up the room and my lonely life.

Now, go outside and listen to the sounds of nature, or the wind, or the traffic, or the sound of children laughing. Stay away from the TV, radio, or people, and all the bad news that surrounds us. God bless.

Your lucky, old Uncle Russ.

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From Al

During these troubled times I have found a haven to escape to. No, it’s not Wiarton where I probably would not be welcome. I go over to the “homestead” where Lorne and Vivyan raised their family. This is a place where I don’t have to wear a mask and distance myself from people. Of course on the sidewalk there is a constant stream of dog & child walkers, gawkers, bicyclists and even the geese join in.

I remember well my first trip to the Homestead. Carol had been trying to get me to meet the family and one weekend there was one of the various social events happening. So I finally got my courage up (part of it liquid) and off we went. Eddie Mansz was on the porch barbecuing. He said “You must be Al and would you care for a beer?” This, of course, created a lifetime friendship. Then we went in and met the matriarch of the family, Vivyan. Her first words were “Welcome to our home.” Once in awhile during your life you are privileged to meet a truly warm and wonderful person. This was Vivyan. She never had a bad word to say about anyone and immediately made me feel comfortable. Lorne was a different story, but over the years we developed a very good relationship. I enjoyed going over to give him a hand around the property. He always said “this place is like a farm, always something to do.” I spent 30 years in a tire factory so it was always great to be outside getting air and exercise. I soon discovered there was only one way to do things around the Homestead, Lorne’s way. One thing we disagreed on was how to put the stakes into the ground for the tomato plants. His method was to tap with the back of a hatchet while the other person held the stake. This was a very slow and difficult process. I suggested we use a garden spade which had a bigger surface and was heavier, making it an easier job. As usual, Lorne’s way prevailed. However the next season we could not find the hatchet. I’m not saying I “buried the hatchet” but using the spade we completed the job in about half the usual time. Afterwards, when we were having a porch beer, he grudgingly admitted that this had been a better way of doing it. He still seemed to be suspicious of where the hatchet had gone.

Things are going well this spring at the Homestead. Gale, Carol, Beth and Nick have raked the lawns and they are ready for the first cutting, whenever that may be. Nick and I cut up all the branch wood and there are only blocks left that need to be chained sawed and split. One of the compost boxes has been emptied and the compost put on the garden along with a bunch of leaves. It is now ready for James to roto-till. I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time at the Homestead over the years and never dreamed that when I drove by “that nice little house” on my way to work in the past that I would be married in it one day. Stay safe everyone and take care.

Al

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From Carol

Hi Doug, we enjoyed your music but have a suggestion for the next time. Since with the girls there you are having trouble finding the quiet for recording, record a song using the girls. Let them pick out a song and play and sing it with them. It won’t be professional but would probably be fun. Loved the picture of the girls at the beach but you couldn’t take that picture on Lake Huron. They are fining people for walking on the beach there, even if they are practicing safe distancing. At Sauble the politicians are driving by cottages with bull horns telling them they must leave or risk fines. They are refusing to allow them to turn their water on, if attached to municipal services. The thing is the Ontario government did not say people couldn’t shelter in place at their cottages. Some of those cottagers are snowbirds that have no other home or some live in apartment buildings where it is very hard to avoid contamination in the elevators and stairwells. I know the small towns are worried about their hospitals being overwhelmed with more people in the area. I’m not really sure what the answers should be.

Carol

Editorial reply: the girls are not interested in singing ‘kids’ songs. They each want to do their own thing. Kyra is into something called ‘Taylor Swift’ and Olivia is into something called ‘Frozen’ and each want to do their own thing based on their interests. This is the results of those interests.
(Listen at your own discretion:)

Kyra’s Song

Olivia’s Song

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THE ONTARION REPORT

Hello everyone

With all of this Covid 19 stuff happening, it’s difficult to find anything that takes one’s mind off this worldwide problem. So, I tend to sit and think of adventures I had as a kid! Some of the best times I encountered happened with my cousin and good friend Patrick Hoy. He lived on Hillview St about ten blocks away from our house on Floyd St. It wasn’t unusual to find the two of us meeting up on a Saturday and hiking off to the Stock Yards on Victoria St. We used to walk from Patrick’s house on Hillview St out Wellington St to it’s former dead end at River Rd. From there we’d trek through the fields that extended from River Rd all the way out through what was then the Bingeman family farm to the back side of the Stock Yards. We’d then volunteer to use canes supplied by one of the farmers to separate the cattle in the pens and one at a time usher them into the auction ring for sale. Once the head of cattle was sold we’d then herd it into the “Sold” pen and then pick out the next one for sale and so on! It was great fun and most times the farmer would either buy us food or give us a couple of dollars each for our days work. It was great fun and made for an interesting Saturday.

On the way out to the stock yards we would always encounter a few ponies in the farm field. There was one palomino pony that we called Queeny that was very friendly and we’d always take a few sugar cubes along in our pockets to feed her on our way by her favourite pasture. Once she had enjoyed a few cubes of sugar she would let us take turns riding her around the field. That made up an hour or so of our trip to the Stock Yards. Then we’d be on our way. We were both 11 years old as I recall at the time. One particular Saturday in the summer of 1960 we spent our usual day at the Yards. Once we had finished the farmer asked if we’d like to see the litter of puppies he had brought along that day for sale. We eagerly went to the area he had them in and they were beautiful black and grey mixed breed pups. He said they were mostly Springer Spaniel breed pups. There was one that jumped up onto my lap as soon as I sat down and after a few minutes the farmer asked if we’d each like to take one home as payment for helping him with the cattle that day. I jumped at the chance but Patrick said no because his dad didn’t want a dog. I figured my folks wouldn’t want one either but what the heck, if I already had him when I got home what could they say? I got home with my new acquisition and was met with mixed reviews from mum and dad. My mother wasn’t at all thrilled but I knew my dad would be an old softy and help me to convince her to let me keep the puppy. With the puppy in my arms and my folks discussing the pros and cons of keeping it I headed down to the basement where I laid down on my dads large wooden tool box where I stayed until hearing a call from my dad to come upstairs.

Once I ascended the stairs I was met with the standard instructions all kids must go through in this situation. I was told if we let you keep the puppy, you have to promise to look after it yourself and walk him every day, feed him and he must also live in a kennel out in the back yard, because my mother didn’t want all the dog hair in the house. I agreed to be a good guardian to the dog and clean up after him whenever he messed up the yard. I agreed to be a good dog owner and that was the end of the objections by my mum. Because he followed me wherever I went and kind of looked like “Tramp” from the Disney movie Lady And The Tramp, I named him Tramp! He was a very gentle dog and a good pet indeed but unfortunately after I reached my mid teens I found other interests and my dad became the main care giver of Tramp. I still walked him at least once a week but my dad walked him more than I did. Tramp lived outside in an insulated kennel that my dad and I had built for him for the next 14 years. He was out there year round and I’m sad to say that I regret not having him live indoors with us but that was not my choice to make. After I was married for about two years, I went over to visit my folks one evening to find that there was no Tramp in the back yard. I asked my mother where he was and she told me that Tramp became ill and when my dad took him to the Vet, he was too ill to continue living as he had for the past 14 years and had to be put down as they say. She said my dad was very upset with the fact that Tramp was gone and when my dad came home from work that evening he and I sat and cried on the back porch as he again explained what had happened to Tramp. I have never forgotten the saga of Tramp and to this day I wish I had treated him with more respect over that years he was with us on Floyd St.

This story came to mind when I heard from Patrick’s younger brother Colin Hoy that Patrick had passed away last Sunday morning. A flood of thoughts about my days hanging around with Patrick came to me when I was told of Patrick’s death. The story of Tramp was in the foremost of my thoughts at that time. Unfortunately there will be no funeral service for Patrick since the Covid 19 situation is limiting such events. However thanks to my years as Patrick’s cousin and friend I have many fond memories of those years.

That’s my story for this week folks!

Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next time in The Ontarion Report!

Bye for now … Greg

PS: Something To Think About>

Do you have a story to tell about your favourite pet as a youngster? If so don’t be shy, please write and tell us all about it in the Squid sometime soon!

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