Potatoes And Grapes

When we were young and all living at home my father developed a potato patch. By down east standards it was not large not having the best soil. It was really our winter salvation as we were able to put away about 50 bushels of fine dried potatoes. It was a family affair as our horse and single plow dug the spuds by turning over the drill, Then mom and dad would rake the furrow to release any hiding potatoes. We the children would pick the spuds and put them in a pile to dry.

The process took a whole morning and for two days the potatoes were carefully watched to make sure they were completely dry and ready for storage. We had large bins in the cellar beneath our house where they would be cool. Mom made these potatoes into a dozen different dishes but all tasted real good. Once in a while we had french fries and it was considered a treat.With a dozen mouths to fill we were able to have that resource just for the sweat equity. To this day I am sure potatoes are a staple in all our kitchens.

This year I decided to plant some potatoes just for the fun. I avoided squash and melons and planted 30 hills of white and red potatoes. They grew well and were ready to be dug a month early. Much to my surprise we were treated to a large number of fresh potatoes. I felt like I was reliving my youth except on a very small scale.

Grapes grow well in our neck of the woods and every year we get a good crop. Every year the squirrels and raccoons get there before me. This year I fooled the little creatures and harvested the grapes. This is the first time since I moved here and the juice is so good. I finally outsmarted the little creatures and tasted the fine grape juice.

55th REUNION of NSTC

This year the class of 55 had a great turnout and all the regulars attended. Our class is the only class to have this yearly event and it is because a number of caring classmates make the time and effort to make sure a program is in place. This year two extra days were included to get our group together at a little town called Parrsboro.

One of our classmates, Howard made arrangements for us to stay at a local motel and take in the beauty of the area. It is truly a special place where you can walk on the oceans floor and hours later see the Bay of Fundy fill the area with water up to 58 feet deep. Culture was included in our agenda and we all attended a live performance of a play called The Net. The time after the play ended in a local Pub where we shared stories and tried to remember events from the past. Often it was more fiction than fact but all turned out well.

During that day and the next we were entertained by two of our classmates at local cottages but could be better described and seaside homes. Their welcome was as gracious as their summer place and the excellent food and drink made it even more so. Nancy Lou and Mort gave us a visit that few of us are able to experience on a regular basis and everyone appreciated the treat.

The regular program ended with a dinner dance and general mixing with mates whom we have not seen for some time. Every year Donald better known as THE DUCK has us at his house each night and we enjoyed each others company for a short while.The experience of getting together yearly has established a strong bond and helps us when we go through rough times. At least half of us lost a spouse but continue to cling to the group and receive strength through the fellowship.

What would a reunion be without a garden party and peanut butter pie? Eric and Joan have hosted several and with good weather it is that added touch of class we need to be reminded we are all teachers and should act accordingly. Actually we act more like rowdy youngsters having fun. For another year we closed the door after nearly five days with hugs and best wishes and waiting for next year to come along. We are also long range planning for our sixty year anniversary.

Down Home Reunion

Our family of nine kids and a wonderful mom and dad was the beginning of a clan that stretches across Canada. The core group however stayed in Cape Breton or returned after a stint in upper or lower Canada. Four of the family live in close proximity to our old home or cottage. Two boys and two girls call Cape Breton home and live close to the sea and the family roots. I make a yearly pilgrimage to the East and we always manage a family gathering.

It is not very formal or structured but after a few calls everyone who is available descend on the host or hostess with food and stories. We are not a family who over the years invaded the private space of each other but come an occasion to get together the attendance record is sterling. Our numbers have gone down and as all aging families they will decrease even more in the future. While we are able we make an effort to keep in touch and support each other when the need occurs.Our family ranges in age from 80 to 57 so by any standard we are a middle age family.

I love the contact with my brothers and sisters and to share their joy at the birth of another nephew or niece or grand children. It is the children who are the main attraction at our gatherings. They provide the energy to keep the traditions alive and to bring fresh arguments to our stale conversations. Every year we have to face life and death in our family and the family bond helps us through both.

Our third generation is the new strength and from what I see we will be well represented in the future with keen minds and bodies. Our family have been contributors for the most point, having chosen the humanities for their life's work. Education and public service heads the list and I am proud of that. Our parents made sure every one of us had a start in life with at least a year of post secondary education. That was an achievement in itself but the fact that all are gainfully employed and always have been so speaks loads of the work ethic instilled in all of us from a young age by our parents.

My journey to Cape Breton is over for this year but I left the Island feeling confident that all is well back home and I look forward to our next visit sometime in the future.

Back Home

Theresa and I have been home for a few hours and already I am bogged down. Holidays are great but when you return the work unattended comes to roost and you have to dig in and rise out of the mess you left. It is amazing that two weeks can impact your yard and garden so dramatically. It therefore you can assume there is a similar effect on your relations with your kids and friends.

My neighbour had a heart attack, my brother-in-law died, my kids are packed for university and my mother-in -law will turn 93....all in two weeks. Good time to be away.

Our trip or adventure was amazing in so far as the weather was perfect, our schedule went according to plan, the lobster season opened three days before we arrived and our golf seemed above average. Most times we get a great charge out of the planning but this time the time utilized was greater than the expectation.We left the East yesterday at 9.30am and expected to take two days to return to our home.

When we crossed the Champlain Bridge in Montreal Theresa gave signals that we should go all the way home. I looked at the sign and it read Toronto, 540 kms and thought that since we came 1153 kms that maybe we would have to stay over and a town closer to home. Doris said she was OK and off we went. I was awake and only slept on the straight stretches but otherwise ready for the surge to Oakville. Some coffee and a little food made me feel good so we crossed into Ontario by 8.00pm. I thought we would be home by 1.00am but were confronted with lights from the OPP who closed the road because of an accident. We detoured and went God only knows and returned to our normal highway later. Travelling at a steady 115 kms brought us to our house at 1.40am.

We fell out of the van having travelled 1587 kms and Doris said she would sleep in. Theresa and I talked a little about the trip and I had a shower and a drink. I finally felt like I was on land again and retired at 245 am. Sleep came quickly but before we slept we expressed thanks for the wonderful 15 days and a safe journey home. Life really is rewarding and travelling with a loved one makes it all worth while. I have several blogs in the next days to share some of my love for the journey.

The only negative is the fact that we were separated from the family and were unable to share the experience except through e-mails and the telephone. Life is wonderful and worth sharing.

Walking On The Bottom Of The Ocean

One strange thing about our trip to the East coast was the adventure of walking on the floor of the ocean. In Parrsboro, Nova Scotia the average tide is 58 feet. When the tide is in an ocean liner could tie up to one of the many docks without trouble. When the tide goes out it would be sitting on the floor of the ocean.

Theresa and I did walk out for miles to experience the phenomonon. It felt weird to look up to the top of the dock 65 feet above but to be dry and know that hours later you would be covered by many meters of water. All through this area around the Bay of Fundy these tides shape the way of life for the residents. Fishermen must work with the tides and know the impact of this natural wonder.

There are many people working on ways to capture this tremendous energy to produce electric power and if they succeed there will be available the largest clean, renewable energy source in the world.

Travelling

Theresa and I have been looking around some of the most beautiful countryside in America, we are talking about Vermont. We were amazed at the amount of space not taken up with urban sprawl but natural, untouched beautiful vistas. On every glance we were trying to get each other to look at this or look at that and there was so much to take in we gave up trying to share.

We played several golf courses but the number one in the State is Green Mountain and golf is nearly forgotten as the beauty of the surroundings take over. Our golf did not suffer as we play for fun but our camera use was to say the least spectacular. Theresa even had two otters run over the full width of the course but I missed it as I was looking for my errant golf shot.

If you like mountains this is the place to be but if you like mountain biking you have to be here. I never realized the extent of this sport. There were thousands of bikers, old and young going up the lifts to reach the tops of the mountains and then scoot down only to repeat this as you would in winter with skiing. We had an experience but we did not bike down the mountains . I will write again but I will be taking off a few days.We appreciate the time off and the wonderful feeling we get while exploring our land.

Special Guests

This day we were treated to a visit from four of our grand children. It just happens that one graduated from elementary school, one from secondary school , one is a junior in secondary school and the other is in third year university. All two years apart except for the third year man and all as different as can be. They show the diversity of their backgrounds but share a common universal thread in their character.

We decided to have lunch and a good conversation about the state of the country and world in general. Their shared background made the conversation stimulating but reasonably consistent with our own thoughts. I always marvel at the ability of these young people to analyze situations and formulate solutions. They are concerned about the state of the world and climate change and the environment is at the top of their list in importance.

The topics were not all heavy as some good gossip crept in and as on of our guests was from Ottawa. We were given news from from there and stories about our family who reside there in beautiful Ottawa. After the hamburgers and local corn was eaten we retired to more comfortable chairs. A further discussion on education and the future plans of these young folk assured me that they were heading in the right direction.

We always love these visits from grandchildren but having them with us without their parents gives us an opportunity to see them as they really are without the oversight of adults.These four young people represent three of our families and I can assure you that they make me proud to be their grandfather. After some hours they had to leave and as they said their farewells we were a little sad to realize it will be a while before we have another visit from our grandaughter from Ottawa.

A visit from friends is always welcome and pleasant but visits from family is special.

Rained Out Golf

With perfect golf weather in the works we decided to arrange a golf day with our friends. These friends have a game with us here and in Florida each year for the past number of years. The weather today was humid but tolerable . There were a few clouds to the west but nothing to call off a game of golf. As we drove the 30 Kms to Rock Chapel Golf course there were a few drops on the windows .

Before we could get out of the car a lightening bolt flashed and thunder began to resound throughout the golf course. People who were playing came running in and cars were loaded with disappointed golfers. We sat and waited because we knew it was only a shower. Forty minutes later and the rain was worse than before and we resigned ourselves to a rain out.

Instead of losing the day we went back to our friends house and finished a half bottle of wine. We collectively decided to go out for dinner and we picked a rib house. As we sat down the young waitress clued us in that they were having a rib fest and we really should go with the promotion. The ribs were good but the conversation was better. We discussed everything p0ssible knowing the time was short and we would not be seeing these folks for a while.

What could have been just a rained out golf game turned out to be a good time with old friends. We have a few days like this and the older you get the time associating with friends becomes even more enjoyable. I look forward to many more rained out golf days.

Mom's Flocks

My Mother loved to grow anything but her Flocks were special. Mom bought some flock roots from a lady in Bras D'or and from these roots came a beautiful Flock display. Our earth was poor in our yard in Cape Breton but the flower garden flourished in spite of it. Many colours made a real contribution to our back and front yard.

When I moved to the Ottawa valley and owned my first home Mom gave me a few roots to plant. I was visiting home and making the traditional walk through her backyard when she took a shovel and plucked some roots into a pail. I never thought that they would live through our home travel but they were planted in excellent soil as soon as we arrived home and they did well.

That year they survived and grew to a large and healthy state. The following year I was greeted to a fine display of white and red blooms. I moved a year later to a newer home and took the flocks with me. Again they grew and as I moved more times I always took Mom's Flocks along for the ride. One year we had terrible rust on the flowers and I thought they were a goner.

Mom came to visit a few times and she always looked for her flowers. She passed away at a young age and I kept her memory fresh with the cultivation of these flocks. After several more moves we settled here in Ontario and the flowers flourished. I mentioned once to my older sister that I had some of Mom's flocks and she wondered if I could spare a few. I brought some roots home to Cape Breton and the circle was complete. Her husband was a wonderful Gardner and he grew the flowers with great success.

Here in my back yard I have a little plot reserved for the flocks. Every year they are a different colour and this year they are blue or mauve. After a half century of travelling with me they have found a home here with us.

Garden Chores

It is easy to watch your garden grow and not notice the battle among competing vegetation. In grade four my teacher said that a weed was any plant that is growing where it is not wanted. I pride myself in saying that I don't have any weeds growing in my garden but this week I noticed an invasion of strange green plants among our vegetables.

Strawberry plants have a way of travelling many feet in a short time. Our cucumbers are climbing our neighbours hedge and overtaking the tomato plants that were planted eight feet apart. The climbing beans have invaded the apple tree and our Virginia Climber have filled our second floor gutters. I call these invaders weeds as they have to be conquered and the garden restored to an orderly selection of vegetables......wrong...I have not the heart to kill these green plants so I try to move them to their own space.

It would be easier to cut and bundle these plants and make them compost but somehow the beans can be picked from the apple tree and the cucumbers are able to be harvested from my neighbours hedge. The grapes planted on the fence line have taken a liking to the neighbours smoke tree and have engulfed it. I told him he could keep the grapes but he did not smile.

Anyone who has morning glories knows that once they are rooted they make their area safe for themselves and crowd out everything else. Ours were planted to cover a trellis and they did but they have invaded the climbing rose bushes and now we have purple roses among the red roses.

The past few days I have tried to bring order to our greenery and I did in a sense that I have joined up with the free spirits of our flowers and vegetables and have recognized them as equal and may the strongest prevail or learn to live together in harmony. In any case I love to walk among our flora and recognize it for what it is ...sheer beauty.

Family Boating

Boating has always been in my blood and at the first opportunity I built a canoe and later owned a number of boats large and small. Probably the pleasure I derived came from the fact that once on the water with your boat or watercraft you leave your connection to land with it's demands. When our children were very young we owned a cottage and had three watercraft. The kids used to love the old punt. It was a home made ,flat bottomed boat , powered by home made oars and leaked like a basket in spring.

The kids with life jackets in place , would bail out this boat with the help of their friends and amuse themselves for hours. Many years later we had a slick 22 foot Starcraft with an inboard and toured the Ottawa River over a sixty mile range. Once on board the family were compelled to adjust and cope with each other for the hours we plied the river. We came together as a family on these ventures and pulled into beaches for bathroom breaks and exploration. These adventures made our kids understand the nature of the out of doors and an appreciation for the natural beauty of our environment. They also became good boaters and were my stable crew when we bought a larger boat.

This new boat had a long history dating back to the second world war when it was commissioned into the Royal Navy as Jocelyn the Third. After years in the service it was purchased by a man in Peterborough and sailed the local waters for years before I managed to buy her and take her to the Ottawa River and renamed her Miss Pembroke.

This purchase was without a doubt one of the best family motivators. We as a family used every opportunity to get out on the river. The big thing was that she was large enough to take all the friends. Miss Pembroke was registered to carry 55 passengers and a crew of three. There were times that we filled the Quota and then some. The other day I was looking through the captains log and estimated that over the years we sailed this boat several thousand friends and family benefited from their trip on the Ottawa.

We had cabinet ministers, Lords and Ladies, men and women of the cloth and all between risk a cruise on the Miss Pembroke. She was a fine stable craft capable of handling bad weather and on one occasion sailed by a tornado with my son in law hiding under the seat afraid for his life. The storm came within a hundred meters of us and veered off to the Quebec side. The real story of the Miss Pembroke was that it was a family boat where everyone was welcome. She re-opened up the Ottawa River after fifty years of neglect. The lumber industry polluted the river with millions of log and made it unsafe to travel this magnificent seven hundred mile waterway until the industry started to truck the logs rather than to have log drives every spring and summer.

For we, the family she was freedom to go up the river for corn boils, sunset cruises and just plain pleasure. I loved that boat and feel sad that she now rests out of water with a new name as a tourist bureau. Yes boats help to bond families, educate people about our water resource, provide a peaceful time for us to just chill out and escape the rigors of the day.

Another Birthday

As I have said many times a birthday is important in our family. Sadly we were unable to gather the clan for this special occasion as some of us work. Better put I should have said that some of them work. My son is 44 and comfortable in his skin. He has become the careful , skilled one when it comes to projects requiring measuring and precise fitting as in finish work.

As a youngster he loved music and playing with hot wheels until he was old enough to discover the world of technology. At twelve he volunteered at the local cable TV station and began a paying job at CHRO shortly after. Since we were a family connected to the Ottawa River he became one of the youngest people to receive his captains papers at sixteen. He was a responsible person on the river with our family boat the Miss Pembroke. I trusted him to do the right thing and he usually did but there were occasions that he tells me about now that give me doubts about his overnight excursions on the mighty Ottawa.

Good friends give parents that security to know all is well and he did have good friends. As a matter of fact his friends back then are still his good friends now. His son is much like him and as he ages I know his influence will hold him in good stead. It is a good feeling to have children who become your good friends when you enter that stage when you become a senior citizen. Even though I don't feel old the calendar tells me that I should live every day to the fullest. Theresa and I do our best to live up to that motto and every birthday we celebrate makes us more aware of the gift we have in children and grand children.

Later this month my son will come to us and with a outdoor meal of steak ( his speciality ) and fresh grown vegetables we will celebrate his B'day again. His own family probably spoiled him already but we are prepared to do it again. Happy birthday son Henry.

Doris Up, Up And Away

My 92 year old mother-in-law is a frequent traveller. She accompanies us on most of our trips and all the ones we make to Florida. She is a good traveller and rarely sleeps on our long 16 hour days on our way south. This week she is travelling to New Brunswick to spend a few weeks with her sister-in -law Polly.They have been friends for longer than most of us have been living and still love each others' company. The weeks of visitation have already been filled with social engagements and I am sure that when she steps on the scale on returning to Ontario, she will be in for a shock. Down there they know how to cook and eat.

Doris gets excited when she travels and sleeps lightly the night before leaving. This morning I heard her creeping around well before her normal time of getting up. She tries to be quiet but I hear her. She has packed her clothes days before and checks and re-checks everything a dozen times.

She is not a nervous flyer and gets special treatment because of her age; seat number F, row 1. Since there is little service on flights these days she packs a good lunch. Usually she shares it with her seatmates, specially if it is a young man.

Today we drove Doris over to Hamilton to board the West Jet flight. You would never know that she was her age as she walked through security. We will miss her for a few weeks and will pick her up at her sister-in-law's house to travel home. I know Doris will have a great visit and tell us of all her adventures while in New Brunswick.

Skilled Workers From Central America

Yesterday I had a new roof put on my house. Not a complete roof but a portion not considered bad enough to do when we had our shingles replaced eight years ago. My son and myself planned to do the work ourselves but a good salesman for the roofing company convinced me otherwise. He promised to do the work quickly and professionally for a good price and I was sold. The temperature was 32 degrees and with the high humidity it felt like 38 C.

I received a phone call from the boss and he said the workers would be there at four o'clock. A white van appeared in my driveway on time and five men crawled out and instantly began the job. One came to the door and asked for water and that was the total conversation. Everyone in the crew knew his job. Without words they ripped off the shingles and laid the new fabric after clearing and nail heads. I was quite amazed at the smooth transition from one stage to the other.

Ladders were placed at crucial points and the bundles of shingles were carried up the narrow ladder and placed in the proper places. Everything was done by hand. No machines here and not a complaint. This was the third house they were doing this day. At seven the work was done and cleanup over. As they were packing their equipment I had a conversation with the leader. He and two of the others were from Costa Rica and the other two chaps were from Honduras.

They were here in Canada on a work visa but planned to become Canadian citizens at the first opportunity. Their quality of work and their cheerful attitude made me appreciate the contributions immigrants make to our country. In the few minutes we talked, I was won over by these hard working men from Central America. Before leaving, the leader took me for a quick tour of their work. They were proud of their completed job and I was satisfied that I had a good roof over my head.

Ouimet Canyon

Half a century ago I was principal of a school in Dorion, Northern Ontario. It was a rural area where lumbering was king and commercial fishing was a close second. The residents of this area were mainly European, first and second generation. People from Finland and Denmark were in the majority and their culture was apparent. Steam baths and cross country skiing were the winter way of life. I lived in the village in a teacherage provided by the board of education. The whole area was in an improvement district and was not incorporated. My role was to bring the school up to a respectable level and I was given a free hand to reach this goal.

I attempted to give the students a feeling of "you can do it". I hired a complete new staff but kept one local. Every staff member I hired had to have energy and a attitude that would blend with my philosophy. I wanted to have the students appreciate their environment and to take advantage of the wilderness surrounding the school to learn the academics necessary.

We designed an outdoor education program involving getting out there one half day a week. Walking tours and skating on the lakes but above all examining the natural wonders found there.
Hearing from a trapper of a natural wonder made me think of a long range project. There was a canyon with no bottom some said a few miles from the school. We never knew exactly where so we had this wonderful geography project for the grade sevens and eight classes. We pretended we were explorers and started to study the available maps. We sought the best possible routes to reach the canyon and with compass and charts set out to discover.

We had four groups, each with a leader and a local parent as helpers, and decided to make it a Friday -Saturday project. 58 students and 8 adults were to have the time of our lives. We all started from the school with everything we needed, food, tents and lots of fly dope. We planned to join up at the small lake close to the canyon floor. Only one person in the group ever saw the canyon. The routes we chose were all about the same distance from the school and ranged from 5 to 6 miles. What a sight to the local people to see us trekking through fields, along cattle trails and lumbering roads to find this natural wonder.

We did arrive at the selected sight for the camp around dark. Tents were raised, fires started and food prepared. I discovered that there was an Independence about these students and first hand knowledge of the land. Everyone seemed to know what to do, what a relief for me. Before settling down for the night we told a few stories and I listened to the tales of this place. Although they were never there they all heard stories. We told of the plans for tomorrow and with a few camp songs we retired. It started to rain so everyone settled down quickly.

Next day we set about exploring. What a sight. Canyon walls hundreds of meters rising from a deep hole where the sun never reaches with its warm rays. Unfamiliar vegetation and a lake filled with land locked salmon and brook trout. All morning we saw, recorded, mapped and stared at this wonder. As we retraced our steps home one student said he discovered Ouimet Canyon. It was spontaneous and we called it by that name ever since. Actually it was marked on a map in that way.

What a wonderful couple of days. Our local reporter was one of the parents and wrote a huge story of the event. Our school fed off of this little safari and for the next weeks our English and math programs were received by the students with enthusiasm. Mapping became a pleasure, not a chore and I achieved what I wished - students who wanted to learn.

Fifty years later this Ouimet Canyon is a provincial park and nearby Eagle Canyon is a tourist attraction. I have re-visited this place several times since and I always remember the first time I saw Ouimet Canyon with my kids, the students of Dorion Public School.