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.