This coming Friday, August 18th, is Euchre Day in Dunvegan. Last month, we had a whack of players show up, thanks to groups of enthusiasts from Vankleek Hill and Cornwall. I have no idea if we’ll repeat this performance, but I hope so.
Admission is only $5 and includes handcrafted sandwiches courtesy of Linda Burgess, Terry Sweitzer and myself… and a scrumptious sweets tray from Sandra Daigle’s kitchen. As an added bonus, the luncheon will be served by Linda of the perpetual smile and James of the perpetual frown. Held in the DRA Hall at 19053 County Road 24, the card-based social event starts at 12:00 noon and wraps up around 3:30 PM. Everyone is welcome.
“Ask an Expert” Day
Ever wonder if that De Laval Cream Separator sign you have on the side of your barn — or your grandmother’s 78 RPM recording of Maple Leaf Forever— are worth anything? Well, this coming Saturday, August 19th from 11 AM to 4 PM is the perfect time to find out.
Local antiques and collectibles experts Dave Rosen, David Anderson, David Lesurf, Robin Pridham, Josée Bonneville and Hélène Couture will be at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum to offer verbal assessments of textiles, furniture, fine arts, folk art, sculpture, jewelry, glass, pottery, posters, toys, pop culture memorabilia, documents, lithographs, coins, silver, postcards and much more. The cost is just $5 per item, up to a maximum of three items. By the way, antique firearms, electronics, pharmaceutical bottles and old fire extinguishers are verboten and will not be appraised.
On top of enjoying a down-home version of Antiques Roadshow, you’ll also be able to feast your eyeballs on a number of private collections… and an exhibit of antique cars and tractors. I’m also told that museum volunteers Vivian Franklin and Barb Newman have been working their fingers to the bone getting the Silent Auction artifacts ready for sale. When I asked Vivian what her favourite ones were, she replied, “a cherry pitter that does two at once, a steam iron with an old man’s face that you slide to reveal the water reservoir, a lovely handmade wooden wool winder and a one-piece double boiler with a copper bottom.” If you notice that the copper items on the auction block are spic and span shiny, you can thank Heinz 57. The secret cleaner they used was ketchup, a technique passed down to Vivian by her mother Velma. While Barb was astounded at how well tomato condiment worked, she vowed to tell her husband Gary “what it must be doing to his stomach” when she got home.
Admission to the site on What’s It Worth? Day is just $5, with children under 12 free. Food and refreshments will be on sale, so plan to make a day of it. The museum is located in the heart of Dunvegan, at the crossroads of Dunvegan and Greenfield Roads.
PS: If you’d like to see the entire Silent Auction line-up, just go to the museum’s web site: GlengarryPioneerMuseum.ca.
Olivier’s anvil comes home
It was a sad day in Apple Hill when the contents of Olivier Hamelin’s blacksmith shop were auctioned off in 1984. His anvil, tools and the other professional paraphernalia one collects through the years were dispersed to the far corners of the County and beyond. All that remained was the log building that had housed his shop. Luckily, it escaped the auctioneer’s gavel and was relocated to the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in 2000.
Luckily though, the story doesn’t end there. Last year, the person who purchased Hamelin’s anvil, grinding wheel and some of his tools died, and his widow kindly gave the items to Bert MacLennan of Apple Hill. Bert, in turn, has generously donated the Olivier Hamelin artifacts to the museum in Dunvegan. The only stipulation is that they be used for display purposes. If you’d like to see these most recent additions to the collection, just stop by any time Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM and explore the old Apple Hill blacksmith shop.
Meala-naidheachd, Liam
If you’re wondering why fireworks lit up the sky east of Dunvegan on Highland Games weekend, it was in honour of Liam MacDonald’s winning the Intermediate Heavyweight competition.
The event is for teenagers 13 to 17 years old (male or female) and includes: the 10 lb. Sheaf Toss, 12 lb. Hammer Throw, 12 lb. Stone Throw, 14 lb. Weight for Distance and the Caber Toss. To be eligible to compete, athletes have to have attended a local heavy events clinic or been coached by someone who does highland games heavy events. Liam, who is 17 years old, has been competing in Maxville for the past three years. This year’s win means that he automatically qualifies for the next level — Amateur Events — at the 2018 Glengarry Highland Games.
Liam’s parents, Alistair and Katherine MacDonald, are justifiably proud… as is the entire family. Congratulations!
-30-