Thought for Today: (A favorite)

"Have you ever rightly considered what the mere ability to read means? That it is the key which admits us to the whole world of thought and fancy and imagination? to the company of saint and sage, of the wisest and the wittiest at their wisest and wittiest moment? That it enables us to see with the keenest eyes, hear with the finest ears, and listen to the sweetest voices of all time?"

~ James Russell Lowell, Democracy and Other Addresses.
American Romantic writer, poet, critic (1819-1891)

Photo: The Grand River - Ouse St., Cayuga ~ lbwalker

Westminster Abbey is the site of the Royal Wedding of William and Kate ~

"Over-protective in the way that single parent families are, she [Diana] lavished William and Harry with love, cuddles and affection. They were a point of stability and sanity in her topsy-turvy world. She loved them unconditionally and absolutely, working with a singleness of purpose to ensure that they did not suffer the same kind of childhood that she did.

It was Diana who chose their schools, their clothes and planned their outings. She negotiated her public duties around their timetables. A glance through the pages of her official diary signified as much: the dates of their school plays, term times and outings were all highlighted in green ink. They came first and foremost in her life. So while Charles would send a servant to Ludgrove School to give William a tray of plums from the Highgrove estate, Diana would make time to cheer him from the touchline when he played left back for his school soccer team."
~DIANA HER TRUE STORY ~ Andrew Morton, 1992, Simon & Schuster

(Diana's funeral took place in Westminster Abbey, September 6, 1997. Inscription on the gates of Kensington Palace during the days of mourning: To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die ~ Thomas Campbell 1777 - 1844)

Dark Skies Over the Grand.

Crews work to clear fallen trees. . .No sunshine lighting today.

May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade your every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.

~ Traditional Irish Blessing

Photo by Lorna

Word Watching ~

Fascinator / n. As we recall, we first heard the word when a Scottish friend returned to Canada from a wedding in Scotland. Describing how essential it was to own a "fascinator" and the skirmish to purchase one, she was obviously traumatized over the thought that attendance without one would have been a travesty. At the time, we had no idea what this essential was. What could so insult a bride and groom? Since that of course, the British Royal Wedding news has made "fascinator" a household word. It is a type of hat! It appears to us to be a whimsical, feathery, perhaps lacey item ~ flamboyant in nature ~ worn on an angle on the side of the head.
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary The foremost authority on current Canadian English lists but does not define the word "fascinator" ~ only "fascinate"/ v. capture the interest of; attract irresistibly. deprive of the power of escape or resistance; transfix.

Webster's New World Dictionary appears to get it right. Fascinator/ n. a woman's scarf made of lace, net, yarn, etc., worn around the head and neck.

Mired in election hype? Disillusioned with the endless attack sound bites? Feeling that the politicians are just bickering again?

"Indeed, part of what makes the juxtaposition of competing press releases so alluring to reporters is that it feeds that old journalistic standby -- personal conflict. It's hard to deny that political civility has declined in the past decade, and that the parties differ sharply on major policy issues. But at least some of the decline in civility arises from the fact that, from the press' perspective, civility is boring. Your quote doesn't run if you say, "I see the other guy's point of view" or "The issue's really complicated." Go on the attack, though, and you can barely fight off the cameras. Often, reporters will go out of their way to stir up the pot, asking questions in such a way as to provoke an inflammatory response."

~ Barack Obama, p. 125 The AUDACITY of HOPE, Random House, Inc., 2006.

"Happy Easter" Everyone

The Neat Little Bookshop is CLOSED this weekend. We wish you a beautiful and peaceful Easter surrounded by family and friends.

We can be reached by telephone 905-577-5635.

Photo by Carol O'Handley of Kingston, Ontario

Excitement is building. . . Register your participation, whether it be launching a canoe ~ kayaks are coming too ~ or offering to assist with the day's activities. Volunteers are needed. For more information: http://www.1000canoes.com/ or drop by The Neat Little Bookshop. 905-577-5635.

For larger image, click 3X on poster.

Faye, Get Well Quickly. We miss you.

Everyone knows Faye Farrance and her little dog, Gizmo, from the bookshop. Recovering from knee surgery, Faye is looking forward to returning home for the Easter weekend.

Lois Marlatt, author of children's books, shares a story with Margaret Wilson at the Cayuga U.C.W. meeting.

Among the author's titles: Brock and Becca Canoeing on The Grand. Lois experiences each and every story that she writes. That involves personally travelling to every Canadian province and territory. Her next trip ~ the Northwest Territories.

Two of Lois' titles in the Brock and Becca series are on the Top Ten List on Books For Pleasure, a Canadian publishing company.

http://www.booksforpleasure.com/

Zig Misiak, historical re-enactor, writer, lecturer and educator was this evening's guest speaker at The York Grand River Historical Society, York, Ontario.

Zig is an active member of several local and international committees including the Bi-National Education Advisory Committee, (200th Anniversary of the War of 1812). War of 1812 Western Hooves of Thunder McArthur's raid against the Six Nations along the Grand River Territory, November 1814. Based on actual historical events.

The Neat Little bookshop is pleased to make available this 40 page, informative, entertaining and beautifully illustrated book by Zig Misiak. Living in Brantford near the Six Nations Territory on the Grand River, he developed a passion for the Haudenosaunee people's history and culture and this gives him a unique insight that he respectfully refers to.

He is an honourary vice president of the Dominion of United Empire Loyalists. For additional information including videos of Zig, visit his website http://www.realpeopleshistory.com/

~ Zig Misiak, Western Hooves of Thunder, Ball Media, Ball Media Book Factory, 2010. Illustrations by Scott Paterson.

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."

~ Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, Irish writer and poet (1854 - 1900)

Making of Friends ~ Edgar Guest

If nobody smiled, and nobody cared and nobody helped us along, If every moment looked after itself and Good things always went to the strong, If nobody thought just a little about you and Nobody cared about me. And we stood all alone, in the battle of life What a dreary old world this would be. Life is sweet, just because of the friends we have made. And the things which in common we share. We want to live on, not because of ourselves But because of the people who care. It is doing and giving for somebody else On which all life's splendor depends. And the joy of this world, when you've summed it all up Is found in the making of friends. ~ Edgar A. Guest (1881 - 1959) English born, American Poet became known as "The People's Poet."

To the reader: The unresolved glitch in blog ~ poem without lines. . .

HAPPINESS

John had Great Big Waterproof

Boots on;

John had a Great Big Waterproof

Hat;

John had a Great Big Waterproof

Mackintosh ~

And That (Said John)

Is

That.

~ A. A. Milne, When We Were Very Young, 1924, English author, poet (1882 - 1956). Best known for Winnie-The-Poo teddy bear stories

Grand River Kayak

We just recently met Ed. Our first reaction to this photo was: "You must be kidding."

Grand River Kayak, Dunnville, Ontario, just won the Haldimand County 2010 Business Excellence Award, Tourism Category. Congratulations!

Check out Ed Sullivan's March 23rd. kayaking photograph album on Facebook. You won't believe it!

(We stole the photograph from Ed's album.)

Ouse Street ~ Cayuga Along The Grand River ~ Signs of Spring.

Take a book! Walk a block behind The Neat Little Bookshop

Local authors, Cheryl MacDonald and Bob Blakeley have provided us with a factual summary of the significant role that Haldimand, Norfolk played in the War of 1812. Norfolk, Haldimand and the War of 1812 including the Six Nations.

"6 November 1814 -- AMERICANS REPELLED AT THE GRAND. Brigadier-General Duncan McArthur's plan to march on Burlington Heights was thwarted today at the Grand River. For some time, 1500 volunteers and a handful of Indians under McArthur have been burning and pillaging the countryside. Today they were met by 225 British regulars, 150 militia and 400 Grand River warriors near the Mohawk village, who fired upon them from the east side of the river. McArthur ordered his men to retreat, then sent word to his superiors that the river was impossible to cross because of high water." Norfolk, Haldimand and the War of 1812, Cheryl MacDonald, Bob Blakeley, Heronwood Enterprises, 2010. Available at The Neat Little Bookshop $15.

"It is a tie between men to have read the same book."

~ RALPH WALDO EMERSON, Journals, 1864. American philosopher, poet (1803 - 1882)

"Through the beauty of the landscape, the bounty of the season and the openness , creativity and generosity of the people, visitors will experience a memorable, heartwarming trip where the journey is the destination."
~ Shane Carmichael co-creator of Day of A Thousand Canoes.

Grand Oak Emporium

Pick up a book at the bookshop then walk around the corner and say "Hi" to the staff at the Grand Oak Emporium. Take your book with you. There are little tables if you wish to sit for a while. You may find yourself having tea and sweets with lively conversation. ~ ~ The name says it all! There are surprises galore. Fancy things, practical things, unique gift ideas. Pick up something for dinner before you leave. Baked goods, Lasagna, Cabbage Rolls and more.

Grand Oak Emporium Tea Room (Next door to the Towpath-On-The-Grand Antiques.)

12 Talbot Street, West. Hwy. #3 Click on photo for larger image.

"The essence of all poetry is to be found, not in high-wrought subtlety of thought, nor in pointed cleverness of phrase, but in the depths of the heart and the most sacred feelings of the men who write." ~ John Keble, Lectures on Poetry, English churchman, poet (1792 - 1866)

Neil Paul coming to The Neat Little Bookshop Thursday, April 21, 1:30 p.m. Everyone Welcome. Coffee pot's always on.

Some of our most memorable moments in the bookshop are those spent reading poetry.

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, poet (1803 - 1882)

Grand Treats & Treasures ~ a great place, 15 Cayuga Street, with "a little something for everyone." Find us on Facebook.

"Humour is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility." ~ James Thurber, American author, cartoonist. Best known for his contributions to The New Yorker.

The Supersonic Bee ~ The Swarm of "killer bees" at the Back 40 yesterday would have warmed the heart of the founder of The Neat Little Bookshop, Herb Martindale. In his book, The Caledonia Eye Opener, Herb writes about the supersonic bee. "If we can develop bees which fly faster, a squadron or two should be able to gather as much honey as a whole swarm of the old bees," reasoned Professor Ayphid. The day came when the flight of Professor Ayphid's bees broke the sound barrier and the tiny sonic booms had hardly stopped reverberating, when the college president, rushed over to convey his congratulations. But actually, things were not going quite as well as you might have thought. While a supersonic bee was an avid collector of honey, and could gather up a load of it in no time, it didn't have the faintest idea which way to fly with it in order to get home . It became a common sight around Clanbrassil to see an exhausted bee, dripping with honey, leaning against a veranda post or a barn door, confused and disoriented." ~ Herb Martindale, The Caledonia Eye Opener, wit, satire & parody in verse & prose...Alive Press Limited, Guelph, ON, ISBN 0 919568 16 5, Year unstated. (To the reader : Our apologies re: absence of paragraphs. Yet to-be-determined the annoying run-on sentences. Relying on other users and Help. Hopefully, once again soon we will feature paragraphs.) Update: Thank you to the user who supplied the tip.

Back 40 Restaurant ~ Cayuga-on-the-Grand

Visit The Back 40 Bar and Grill on Facebook.

(Click 3X on photo)

Swarmed by "killer bees" on Cayuga Street ~ ~ A Pub Crawl The warm spring weather brought everyone out.

"I love everything that's old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

~ Oliver Goldsmith (1730 - 1774) She Stoops to Conquer. Anglo-Irish poet, writer and physician. Known for The Vicar of Wakefield.

"If all the trees in all the woods were men,
And each and every blade of grass a pen;
If every leaf of every shrub and tree
Turned to a sheet of foolscap; every sea
Were changed to ink, and all the earth's living tribes
Had nothing else to do but act as scribes, And for ten thousand ages, day and night,
The human race should write, and write, and write,
Till all the pens and paper were used up,
And the huge inkstand was an empty cup,
Still would the scribblers clustered round its brink
Call for more pens, more paper, and more ink."

~ OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, Cacoethes Scribendi, American poet, essayist, physician 1841 - 1935.

Old Photos/ Damaged photos ~ Most of us have albums, shoe-boxes or even drawers of photographs -- sometimes kept in the dark for the purpose of conservation but often when only the original exists, we are reluctant to risk losing. Available at The Neat Little Bookshop is the careful restoration of treasured photos. Many options. Check us out. Scott Walker sun to earth photography

One Thousand Canoes website for registration or to volunteer. http://www.1000canoes.com/

For larger image, click 3X on poster.

"One reason your dog can help you so much when you are downcast is that he doesn't demand to know why."

~ John M. Henry (1863 - 1939) Major League baseball player.

(...and Rufus)

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."

~ Henry Ward Beecher (1813 - 1887) Amer. author and clergyman.

Oil Paintings ~ Haldimand Artist, Mary Galli (For larger image, click 3X on photo.)

On Writing ~

"A great writer creates a world of his own and his readers are proud to live in it. A lesser writer may entice them in for a moment, but soon he will watch them filing out."

~ Cyril Connolly, Enemies of Promise, English author and literary critic (1903 - 1974)

The Neat Little Bookshop is Closed this week. Thank you to the folks who braved the paint fumes and dust and wandered in ~ making the bookshop a fascinating place even when it is closed! By leaving the door open while rearranging bookshelves, painting and cleaning, we have met out-of-town book lovers who are not always in town. Please come back ~ Stay a while!

Re-opening on Wednesday, April 6 11:00 a.m.

ARMCHAIR TRAVELLING

Market day in Kingston

And While You Are in Kingston. . . Some of the sights.

Armchair travelling is something that anyone can do. Visit the Travel section in The Neat Little Bookshop. Relax with a coffee or tea. Opening again on Wednesday, April 6.

(Photos by Lorna) Click 3X on photo for larger image.