If you took the day off last Monday, you can thank Queen Victoria. She had the good fortune to be born exactly 200 years ago on May 24th. And, when she died in 1901, Canada’s parliament officially made May 24th a holiday, or May 25th if the 24th fell on a Sunday. As the late monarch’s hold on the hearts and minds of her subjects weakened and the name Victoria became more associated with lacy boudoir secrets, the holiday became more flexible. Today it is observed on May 24th only if it falls on a Monday. Otherwise, it’s held on the Monday immediately before the 24th. The holiday is also observed in Central Eastern region of Scotland, no doubt because that’s where Balmoral, Queen Victoria’s favourite castle, is located.
When I asked former Glengarry resident, Ken McEwen, if he recalled any special Victoria Day celebrations from his childhood, he said nothing memorable stood out aside from a Union Jack flag being run up what he calls a “substantial flag pole” in the yard of SS # 4 Kenyon. This would make sense as the time to which he is referring is during World War II. Up until 1951, Victoria Day was always celebrated on May 24th, regardless of the day of the week.
While not related to Victoria Day, Ken does recall War Saving Bond concerts led by Catharine Jean McRae, his school’s music teacher. Held in Maxville’s Ferguson’s Hall (part of the Ferguson Threshing Mill factory), the concerts, which featured students from SS#4 and other local schools would attract impressive crowds. Ken concedes that this may have had more to do with the lack of entertainment in that pre-television era, than the talent of the performers. Charmingly, Ken called his reminiscences “sepia-tinted memories from days as an Ottawa Valley farm boy.” I call them precious.
Entropy’s “Scream”
A less than scientific definition of the Second Law of Thermodynamics is that every system, devoid of external energy inputs, tends to move from order to disorder. This process is known commonly as entropy, and it is this concept that comes to mind each time I pass by 19599 County Road 24.
Perhaps you’ve taken note of the decline of this once-proud farmhouse on the hill. At some time between 2013 and now it must have suffered roof damage to its western wing. I say 2013, because that’s the date of the “street view” image presently on Google Maps. In this image, the roof may already be in disrepair but, from a distance, the structure still appears sound. Over the intervening years though, the west side of the house began to collapse upon itself, creating a striking tableau that reminded me of “The Scream” by Edvard Munch, the Norwegian Expressionist painter.
As a reader of the Glengarry News, you may have seen the marvellous black & white photograph of the structure that appeared in these pages this past winter (see below). Jim Leggett took the photo and he also posted it on the DRA Facebook page. I’m grateful to Mr. Leggett for having frozen this moment in time because, on my way to town Saturday, I noticed that the relentless march from order to disorder has entered a new phase.
Bye-bye black sheep…
And speaking of time marching on, Bob Garner and Laurie Maus are in the middle of their last lambing season. They’re tending to fifteen ewes, and I’m told that ten have already lambed, with eighteen lambs on the ground. Later this summer, their flock will be sold. They’ll just keep a couple of wethers (castrated rams, in case you were wondering) to give their guardian dogs a job.
The couple bought their first sheep in 2008 and had their first lambing in 2009. Ten years later, they still have two of the ewes born that inaugral season. At the peak, they had a flock of about 70 ewes, lambs, rams and replacement stock. “We were a small producer by industry standards,” said Laurie, “but it kept us off street corners at night.” Nevertheless, they can take pride in the fact their North Country Cheviot rams have production tested in the top of the breed. And they have gone from selling most of their lambs for meat to marketing their lambs as breeding stock.
“While it’s time,” Laurie told me, “it’s also bittersweet as we have enjoyed the sheep and especially the lambs.” Fortunately, Laurie and Bob have found a couple of breeders willing to keep the sheep as a purebred, registered Tunis flock. This means all the work the couple has invested over the years to insure the wellbeing of this breed will not be lost. Laurie confirms that she and Bob will be staying at Hawk Hill Farm, but will be moving on to the next chapter of their lives. “Maybe some travel, definitely more time for friends and family and, who knows, maybe other careers.”
It’s a crapshoot
Every time we throw open the doors of the Dunvegan Hall for euchre, it’s a bit of a crapshoot. One never knows how many players will show up. However, this past Friday’s euchre luncheon was one of the more satisfying ones. Don’t get me wrong, they’re all fun. But the more players there are, the more fun folks have. Part of the reason for our recent success is Lisa Chapman of Dunvegan West. She’s been actively promoting Dunvegan’s brand of low-impact euchre and her efforts are begining to pay off. If you’d like to hop aboard, mark June 21ston your calendar. Yes, it’s the first day of summer. But it’s also the date of the next DRA euchre luncheon and tournament. Ann Stewart, Linda Burgess, Lisa Chapman and I hope to see you there.
Tommy & Douglas… continued
It turns out that many of my readers have welcomed Baltimore orioles to their feeders this year. Which is great news. And some of those who are still waiting for one to drop by, like Silvia Terho from Stewart’s Glen Road, have been blessed with an indigo bunting.
The big news at our feeder this past week is that Tommy’s brother Douglas showed up a few days ago. And he wasn’t alone. By his side was an oriole of the female persuasion. While not as gaudy as her male counterpart — she lacked the jet-black hood and her chest feathers were a muted, dusty orange — she was impressive nevertheless.
As for why our area is awash in orioles and indigo buntings, I suspect it’s a Big Feed conspiracy. To encourage us to continue pumping seed through our feeders during the warmer months, it’s conceivable that they drive by in the dead of night and release flocks of unusual birds they’ve raised in captivity. Or like everything from the declining quality of Netflix programming to the increasing size of holes in Tim Horton’s doughnuts, it could be because of global warming.
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