Posted on July 17, 2017 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

In search of living things

 

What does one do on a cool, overcast summer day to entertain two grandchildren when the beach is not an option? Why, you take a walk and look for living things.

Yes, I employed one of the oldest tricks in the book to keep the young ones occupied: bribery. We decided to take a walk around The Landing. If the girls could identify ten living things, they would be rewarded with a koala cone later in the day. I was expecting and hoping to see one of the bald eagles who frequent this sanctuary. Beavers, muskrats and turtles are also common sightings. But on this day, none of these were to be found.

It is interesting to see through the eyes of a child and this is as good a way as any to experience nature a bit closer to the ground. It didn’t take very long to complete the list: cat tails, mosquitoes, roses, birds, spiders, a dog, a duck, bumble bees , snails…. and a ten day old baby. After crossing the bridge, we noticed a young family with a newborn sitting at the viewing platform. We paid them a visit and got to see the baby and first time parents. My granddaughters were very excited to see the newborn and we spent 20 minutes marvelling at the most precious of living things. The new mother admitted to fatigue and the couple both admitted that having an infant was both enthralling and terrifying. I told the mother that she could count on some sleep when her son reached the age of 30!

All in all, it was a great time and the girls really seemed to enjoy it. You don’t have to go far or spend a lot of money to have fun. Sometimes, the simplest of things are the most rewarding.

On Saturday, we travelled to the DeCoste Centre in Pictou to see a troupe of young performers called The Dream Catchers. According to the brochure, “ the Dream Catchers is a multi faceted Canada 150 signature project that looks at our country, our past and our future through the lens of the dreams of the next generation of Canadians.”

The Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown sent a creative team across the country in February and March to work with young people in each province and territory exploring the dreams for the future, with a focus toward the environment , inclusion and reconciliation. All I can say is that this is a must see. The show is one hour and most of the performers look to be in their late teens or early 20’s. It is high energy with a mixture of music and dance. They are touring across Canada but one of the two groups is always performing in Charlottetown until late August. And folks, this is FREE.

A new batch of Coady students has arrived in town. Make sure you stop them and give them a hearty welcome when you see them on the street. I would like to welcome, in a special way, a friend from southern India, Merlin James. I hope she enjoys her time in Antigonish. I’m sure Antigonish will be as shocking to her as Nagercoil was for me when I visited  her home town . Nagercoil is a very busy ( and noisy! ) city of about 250,000 people.

Have a great week.

 

Merlin James

Posted on July 13, 2017 under Storytelling with 3 comments

 

“Strawberry fields forever. “

The Beatles.

What is nature’s perfect food? This is a topic that has been bandied about for centuries. For the longest time growing up, we were told that milk was numero uno.  An “ apple a day” is supposed to keep the doctor away. In this part of the world, some might argue that the first mouthful of fresh, warm  Atlantic lobster , dipped in melted butter and washed down with an icy cold ale is as close to perfection as one can get.

At this time of the year, there can be little argument that the humble strawberry just might be at the top of the list.

Most of us ancient specimens remember going to pick wild strawberries in our youth. In those warm, idyllic days of summer with school in the rear view mirror, we would gather up any empty tin can and head out into just about any field and pick wild berries to our heart’s content. Very few of them arrived back home. We always ate more than we picked often ending up in a sore tummy. Beet red fingers and a red raccoon mask were dead giveaways.

While you see the odd person picking strawberries in the wild, you’re more likely to see people at a grocery store, a produce truck or at a U-Pick. But picking strawberries is not nearly as much fun as eating them. While strawberries are great for smoothies and are even better in preserves served on warm homemade bread, you simply can’t beat strawberry shortcake.

The secret to an awesome shortcake is world class biscuits made right at home. They’re not hard too make. If someone with my meager culinary skills can produce a respectable biscuit, then yours will be infinitely better. “Some like ‘em hot; some like em cold.” My personal preference is warm biscuits.

The whipping cream has to be fresh and real. None of this stuff squirted out of an aerosol can. It can’t be runny. If it doesn’t whip properly, immediately go to the store and get another carton. Whip until fluffy.

The piece de resistance, the centerpiece of the whole operation , is the strawberries. You must wash them, according to an unimpeachable source ( my wife! ). While hulling the berries, you should test one or two to make certain that they are worthy of being in the shortcake. Throw them in a bowl and smush them up, adding a touch of sugar if the berries are too tart for your liking.

Warm biscuits, fresh strawberries and whipping cream. Just another example of heaven on earth.

One of these days ( soon ), I will take the grandchildren to Haverkorts  to pick a few baskets of berries. Many claim that our local berries are the best to be found. We’ll get down on our knees, swat away the odd mosquito and fill our baskets. My hunch is that a few will go astray in the picking. Hope they don’t do a weigh in before and after picking! I see a new motto for these purveyors of fine strawberries and world class maple syrup: “ Have a quart or two.”

Among the many standing orders from my wife ( coffee by 6:30 a.m.; always wash bras in cold water; obey the speed limit ), there is one that stands above all. During strawberry season, make sure that there is always a supply in the fridge.

Life is “ just the berries.”

 

Posted on July 10, 2017 under Monday Morning Musings with one comment

Me and Mark Heffernan at the Art Fair

 

The Antigonish Art Fair is in its fourth year and it just keeps getting bigger and better. Last Friday evening, over 2,000 people meandered through the grounds of Chisholm Park to soak up the sunshine, art, food and a vast array of entertainment. Brian Riley, an Antigonish native, brought his “ Circus of the Normal” to Antigonish and delighted the audience with clowns, “ bubblers” and stilt walkers. There was a little bit of everything.

I’m a bit biased but the highlight of the night in my opinion was the unscheduled  appearance of my friend, Mark Heffernan. Mark has serious physical challenges but this does not stop him from leading a full , active life. I have known Mark for many years and despite the cards that he has been dealt, I have never heard him once complain about his lot in life. He has a good sense of humour, and as I discovered some time ago, he loves to sing.

I made arrangements to have Mark come and perform a few songs at the Art Fair. The crowd loved him. And he loved them back , such are the gifts of individuals like Mark.

Volunteers…. The life blood of communities.

There was so much going on last week that it is not possible to chronicle them all in this space. But one thing is apparent. None of these events could have been done with such excellence were it not for the hundreds and hundreds of volunteers.

The Main Street Fair last Thursday was really remarkable including the Canada 150 banner that was painted on the Main… by a group of volunteers. Kudos to Jamie MacDonald and the Downtown Business Association for this magnificent show. Maybe it’s time to consider blocking off a section of the Main for longer stretches of time. People seem to love the concept.

Everyone loves a parade, even when Mother Nature throws out a challenge. The weather was not optimal on Saturday for the Highland Games parade yet thousands of people lined the parade route to watch the annual spectacle. You had to feel sorry for the parade participants who had to arrive an hour before the parade to line up and then walk for the better part of an hour in a steady drizzle. There were some soggy specimens in evidence on the floats.

Despite the inclement weather, all events went ahead including a moving ceremony to acknowledge the contribution of the late Frank McGibbon. The roadway into the Club 60 building at Columbus Field was named in Frank’s honor. In case you missed it, here is a story that I wrote about Frank a few years ago: https://www.week45.com/frankly-ahead-of-his-time-2/

I spent quite a bit of time at Columbus Field on the weekend selling books. It’s not too late to get the Highland Games Special: my three books for $25, a 55% saving. There were a lot of American tourists in attendance along with locals and former Antigonishers. It is like old home week around town. And speaking of gatherings, there is a reunion of former students of the old Antigonish High School on Tuesday ( tomorrow ) at 4:00 p.m. Sister Loretta Gillis will be there selling her new book about our former principal, John Hugh Gillis and his wife, Isabel. It’s always fun getting together to reminisce.

“ Will ye no come back again.”

Have a great week.