Happy Canada Day

 [Photo:  Black Creek, Port Dover ON lbw]

Smile for Today ~

"You must excuse the 'bright thread of laughter' that we have woven into the experiences herein, knowing that if one were stranded on a South Sea Island without a sense of humor it would be tragic.  And surely we can, loving the people no less, still chuckle at the delightfully funny situations in which we find ourselves in relation to them." ~ Lillian Dickson (The Mustard Seed founder) Chuckles Behind the Door, Edited by Marilyn Dickson Tank.

"A sense of humor may have more integrity in dealing with all the nonsense of life than the customary solemnity that passes as an exhibition of Christian faith." ~ Dana Prom Smith, The Debonaire Disciple.

The Neat L'l Bookshop is pleased to have Dr. Alan Bishop reading and discussing Vera Brittain* at the Third-Thursday, literary group on July 17.  Everyone welcome.

"Kingsley's idea that 'men must work and women must weep', however untrue it ought to be, seems in one sense fairly correct at present."  In a letter to Roland Leighton, 17th April, 1915.

Perhaps ~ To R.A.L. Died of wounds in France, December 1915.

Perhaps some day the sun will shine again,
And I shall see that still the skies are blue,
And feel once more I do not live in pain,
Although bereft of you
[. . .]
Perhaps the summer woods will shimmer bright,
And crimson roses once again be fair,
And autumn harvest fields a rich delight.
Although you are not there.
[. . .]

Please join us on Thursday, July 17 at 1:00 p.m. in the Neat L'l Bookshop.

* (1893 - 1970) The Vera Brittain Collection is in McMaster University Library, Hamilton, Ontario.

Congratulations Marilyn

Scene at Michelangelos, Hamilton.  Friend, Marilyn Paterson, was among sixty nominees for Senior of the Year Awards, 2014. "Celebrating our Senior Volunteers." Congratulations Marilyn.  Well deserved. An inspiration to all of us.

Retired from the Dean's office in the Faculty of Engineering , McMaster University, Marilyn has worked to brighten other people's lives ~ spending  many hours at Wesley Centre, Hamilton and previously Carey House in Burlington, a home for ten physically challenged adults.

Her untiring efforts to raise funds to help ALS patients and whenever possible meeting and encouraging ALS and PLS friends, make Marilyn one of our favourite people.  Marilyn is an active member of Chalmers Presbyterian Church, Hamilton.

[Photo:  June 24, 2014 lbw]  

Turnbull Road

Haldimand Stewardship Council's discussion of Haldimand County's tree-planting policies continues.  There are various tree-planting programs in place that could be brought together.  The council is considering making a presentation to County Council.

"Starting in 1883, municipalities could pay farmers up to twenty-five cents for each roadside hardwood tree planted, on either side of the fence.  Careful positioning helped control erosion." LOOKING FOR OLD ONTARIO, 1997, Toronto University Press.

"We read in Canada Farmer's Sun* of the resident who cut down his line of non-productive forest trees.  The journalist urged others, as a compromise, to plant nut trees at the roadside.  Shade benefited church-goers, weary travelers, and sweaty kine [cows] on sultry August afternoons. It did not matter that such trees did not grow ramrod straight for the satisfaction of lumber merchants.  As for the romantics, the play of light and shadow through basswood or hemlock added immeasurable to the maturing landscape.  Wrote one, trees relieve the parched and dusty appearance of the country in summer, and break the dreary monotony of the winter landscape.
As the forest cover diminished, ground-level winds increased and blowing snow became a menace to winter travel.  Windswept the raised roadways clean in some places.  Newly erected rail fences disrupted the flow of air and caused deep drifts to accumulate elsewhere. Neither sleighs nor wagons could be used properly.

*7 Feb. 1893.

Found: LOOKING FOR OLD ONTARIO

It is worth quoting from our missing book by Thomas F. McIlwraith *

"Roadside trees are as much a human-made element of rural Ontario as the ditch in front, the fence beneath, or the farmstead behind.  They give articulation to a landscape where the next-highest field feature may be the fence post.  Roadside trees are not remnants of clearing but were consciously reintroduced after that era [the culvert/ditches initiative] amid the widespread belief that trees 'for shade and ornament' contributed to the virtue of country life.  Poets were aroused by the frightening prospect of a treeless landscape, and Arbor Day plantings became regular spring events at country schools late in the nineteenth century."

Turnbull Road

Trees contribute to "the virtue of country life."

Tomorrow: [If we can hang onto the book...] The value of trees and local efforts to educate.
Photos:  Haldimand County

* University of Toronto Press Incorporated 1997.

If you sit down at set of sun
And count the acts that you have done
   And counting, find
One self-denying deed, one word
That eased the heart of him who heard ~
   One glance most kind,
That fell like sunshine where it went
Then you may count that day well spent.

~ Mary Ann Evans, pen name: George Eliot  (1819 - 1889) English novelist.

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (18-3 - 1882)  American essayist, poet.


~ To See a World in a Grain of Sand, Caesar Johnson, C. R. Gibson Company.

[To "The Other Maria,"  Miss you. Please write!]



  

Waiting For Business

Bookshop Closed Today ~ Reopening on Wednesday

Located on Hwy 3 & Cayuga Street, The Neat L'l Bookshop is affected by the exciting revitalization of the village.  The streets and sidewalks are torn up to the extent that customer parking is difficult if not impossible.  Yesterday the long-awaited bridge opened; however, with only one lane using STOP and SLOW sign-crew,  traffic, including trucks, transports, large industrial equipment, farming equipment and every imaginable thing on wheels, there was a constant back-up at the traffic light at our corner.  Traffic merged from Cayuga Street, the business section. 
Travellers ~ most ~ were understanding; however, it was easy to see from our window that one traffic officer at the light could have kept traffic flowing comfortably ~ preventing the  jammed conditions on Hwy 3.  Eastbound vehicles crossing the new-bridge after being stopped for Westbound traffic, eventually rushed over the new bridge only to be stopped abruptly again at the light ~ most times unnecessarily.

Good luck, Cayuga, today.  Welcome visitors.  We will reopen on Wednesday, June 25.  Thank you for your understanding. ~ John & Lorna

 

 

Counting the Moments to Opening One Lane of the Long-Awaited New Bridge

 



 

 

 

 

Brendon Keeping Cayuga Beautiful

The Bridge

Nearing Completion

 



Talbot Street Bridge ~ More Concrete Today. . .

 

 

 

 

York Grand River Historical Society ~ Day in Port Dover

Join us on JUNE 19 at 1:00 p.m. Third Thursday.  Topic:  Ludwig van Beethoven ~ the great pianist and composer.  John Passfield brings Ludwig to life!

Everyone welcome. "Coffee pot's always on..."

Picture:  Wikipedia

 

 

 

 
We are asking Haldimand County Council to consider making available for public parking the property located on Talbot Street (Hwy. 3) between the Royal Canadian Legion and the Chinese Restaurant.

Please take a minute to sign the petition available in most of the businesses downtown Cayuga affected by the lack of public parking.

The availability of this property on a main thoroughfare would relieve the current parking issues and work in concert with the planned downtown revitalization.  It would serve the visitors, tourists, rental tenants, residents, and service organizations, encouraging economic development.

Too Exciting for Words

 

 

 

 





 

[Photos:  Sat., June 14 lbw]

 

The Things I Prize ~

These are the things I prize
   And hold of dearest worth:
Light of the sapphire skies,
Peace of the silent hills,
Shelter of the forests, comfort of the grass,
Music of birds, murmur of little rills,
Shadows of clouds that swiftly pass,
   And, after showers,
   The smell of flowers
And of the good brown earth ~
And best of all, along the way, friendship and mirth.

~ Henry Van Dyke (1852 - 1933) American author, educator

Happy Father's Day!

[files lbw]

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY !

[Files lbw]

James Walker ~ Among Trees

When one lives with a bookshop, there is a rule:  do not lay your book down unless you have your name on it ~ and a big bookmark in it.  I have lost the book Looking for Old Ontario, which wouldn't be a big deal except that I posted yesterday that I would quote from it today.

The intended quotation about trees is an important one given that rural areas have adapted a culture of clearing land of trees. It is well-known that Haldimand County resists planting roadside trees and modern farming requires huge fields void of fences and trees.  Haldimand-Norfolk Stewardship Council partnering with other environmentalists is working to combat the trend by developing tree-planting programs ~ one being Memory Gardens.  The Stewardship also encourages and supports land-owners in efforts to create new woodlots.

Tomorrow, if the historical book shows up, we will present the story of municipalities paying farmers to plant hardwood trees along roadsides.


[Great 'shot' James.  Where is this?]
Postscript:  Sunday, June 15 ~ Still looking for Looking for Old Ontario!

ROADSIDE TREES ~

"...a human-made element of rural Ontario.  They give articulation to a landscape where the next highest field feature may be the fence post.  Roadside trees are not the remnants of clearing but were consciously reintroduced...amid the widespread belief that trees 'for shade and oranment' contributed to the virtue of country life.  Poets were aroused by the frightening prospect of a treeless landscape, and Arbor Day plantings became regular spring events at country schools late in the nineteenth century.
"Farmers pointed out that shade and beauty did not increase their income, and we read in Canada Farmer's Sun of the resident who cut down his line of non-productive forest trees.  The journalist urged others, as a compromise, to plant nut trees at the roadside.  Shade benefited church-goers, weary travellers, and sweaty kine on sultry August afternoons.  It did not matter that such trees did not grow ramrod straight for the satisfaction of lumber merchants.  As for the romantics, the play of light and shadow through basswood or hemlock added immeasurably to the maturing landscape."

~ LOOKING FOR OLD ONTARIO, Thomas F. McIlwraith, University of Toronto Press, 1997.

[Tomorrow:  Beginning in 1883 municipalities could pay farmers for planting roadside hardwood trees]

Thoughts and prayers with those mourning a loss today.

"A NEWSPAPER once ran an unusual competition.  For a large cash prize a question asked, 'Where is the shortest way to London?'  It didn't say where from, but didn't have to.
As every seasoned traveller knows, 'The shortest way to London (or anywhere) is good company."

or "The road to a friend's house is never too long!"

~ The Friendship Book, 2010.

"For where two or three are gathered together..."

Sunday, June 8 at 2:30 p.m. East Seneca Church ~ "The Little White Church in the Country."

151 th Anniversary Service

[Photo files ~ lbw]

Yes, in the poor man's garden grow
Far more than herbs and flowers ~
Kind thoughts, contentment, peace of mind,
And joy for weary hours.

~ Mary Howitt, English poet. (b. 1799).  Mary & William were well-known writers in their day.

"You know, Francis, when I have problems and feel a bit downhearted, I like to go out and work in the garden.  Maybe it is just being in the fresh air beside so many growing things, but I know I go back indoors more relaxed and hopeful about dealing with my worries, which seem to become smaller.
I smiled.  'That's the value of your garden, John.  Mary Howitt knew all about it, and so do lots of people, including yourself. ' "
[Conversation related in The Friendship Book by Francis Gay, 1999.]

 

D-Day June 6, 1944

 

[Photo: lbw] 

Jane Austen's defence to accusations of triviality of the novel:

"...there seems almost a general wish of decrying the capacity and undervaluing the labour of the novelist, and of slighting the performances which have only genius, wit and taste to recommend them.  'I am no novel reader...I seldom look into novels...Do not imagine that I often read novels...It is very well for a novel...'  Such is the common cant.  'And what are you reading, Miss --?' 'Oh, it is only a novel!' replies the young lady while she lays down her book with affected indifference or momentary shame.  'It is only Cecilia, or Camilla, or Belinda'; or, in short, only some work in which the
greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language."

~ Jane Austen, English novelist (1775 - 1817) in  Northanger Abbey [Posthumously Published in 1818]. 

Meeting Train/ Hearse & Team/ Burial

Early Cayuga Businesses

Memorial Cards Printing / The Haldimand Advocate 1920

 

[Collection J.E.Walker]

Welcome to Early Cayuga ~

[Tomorrow:  & more...Collection J.E.Walker, grandson of Mrs. J.Hinds]

Please click on invoice for larger image.

Earth has not anything to show more fair ~

Earth has not anything to show more fair;

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty"

This city now doth, like a garment, wear

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Open unto fields, and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

 

~ Wm. Wordsworth (1770 - 1850) Composed upon Westminster Bridge, 1807.

 

 



Thought for Today ~

"People will forget what you said,  they will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

~ Maya Anglou (april 4, 1928 - May 28, 2014) American author, poet, human rights activist.