by Pat Asling
It keeps trying, unsuccessfully so far, to make a comeback, snow and winter, that is. After a beautiful week where snow piles melted and pond ice grew punky, we get another jolt of cold air.
However, by the calendar, it is Spring, and new growth is showing. First, I found my beautiful deep purple helleborine with buds about to unfold. Then, the snowdrops were in full bloom in several places in the garden, and now the crocuses are coming into their own, and a clump of daffodils will soon show their sunny yellow. The redwings were back, and I saw a crow flying across the sky with a stick in its beak, no doubt in preparation for nest building. The skunks are digging holes in the lawn, searching for juicy grubs, which later kill your grass. Unfortunately, one small skunk met its demise on the highway. My indoor plants are also responding to the call of Spring. My Christmas cacti are putting on their Easter bonnets. The Callas and Canna lilies I brought in in their pots in the fall are also sending up new shoots; one Canna has a beautiful bright yellow bloom on top, and many of my begonias are also putting out new sprouts. One, which is not known to be a perennial, is getting ready to put on a show for about the fifth year. A lady in Sandford had such an abundance of canna lilies that she called to give them away. I answered the call, potting up another six, most with already large sprouting tips. So it starts, and my fingernails will not truly be clean until November!
For others who are also getting the bug and maybe you would like some advice, the Uxbridge Horticultural Group will hold its first meeting of the year on April 9th at the Seniors Centre at 7 p.m. Membership is $20 for nine months. You will have access to a large number of experts in various fields. There is a flower and produce show each month and the Fair in September to test your knowledge.
On March 20th, members of the Genealogy Group had a rare afternoon meeting in the form of a Zoom live tutorial from England. The speaker had a unique way of going about her research which she called The Six Hats method. She used each of these "Hats" to check for various aspects of the information she was searching for to ensure it was about the person or persons she was researching. It was a different approach and one which could be used by everyone.
There were a number of birthdays, including Linda Morgan. When I first moved to the Sandford area, Linda's family were also residents with a number of relatives. Then her family moved to town, and her relatives passed away, but her name brings back memories. Big Irish birthday greetings to Pat Malloy, who remains involved in the community. Birthday wishes also to one of our local farmers, Jim Phoenix. Jim and Cathy(Wilson) farm on Centre Road and often have prize-winning cattle. They also have prize-winning children, most involved in farming. Very best wishes go out to Adele Boy, who, although living in town, has not abandoned us. Her birthday is Wednesday this week, another milestone for these and any others who celebrated this week. I know there are still some celebrating by holidaying in warmer climes.
On April 4th, there will be another sparkling night of jazz at the Historic Leaskdale Church with Tom Baker on the grand piano, Ernie Mee on bass (at the last one, we learned he could also sing) and who we are all waiting for, Amy Peck, on sax (always an amazing performance). The next Chamber Music night will be April 25th.
Some sad news for Scott Central School staff and students is that their longtime custodian, Erin O'Donohue, passed away last week as a result of a two-car collision during one of our last major storms. She was only 39. Her cousin Jen Meyers has set up a GoFundMe Me Page to raise money for her wife and two children, ages 2 and 5. You can find it on Facebook. Our sympathies to all her friends, family and school staff, and pupils.
Bob Kirvan has informed me that Horseshoes will resume on Tuesday, April 29th, starting at 6 p.m. The Fee is $30 for the season and also includes membership in the Uxbridge Historical Society (UHS). For this season, two talks are already planned, with more to come, we hope. The UHS was formed in 1971 by Allan McGillivray and Isobel St. John, and soon after, the group worked to obtain the empty Quaker Hill School, which became the nexus of our museum. It is the only building which was there originally; all the others were brought in from both Scott and Uxbridge Township locations. Time has taken its toll. One building was seriously damaged during the tornado in 2022 and was removed a while ago, while a couple of the sheds now need restoration to house items safely.
Zephyr community is planning an Easter Egg Hunt at the hall on Sunday, April 20th, from 1 to 3 p.m. $5 per child. There will be face painting, Easter bunny, treats etc. To sign up email to zephyrhallboard@gmail.com. On June 14th they are also planning a Zephyr Family Fun Day. There will also be a Zephyr Scott kid's Camp. More later.
The Zephyr Scott Lions Club is pleased the Zephyr Hall will now be their permanent home although I would suggest they periodically hold their spaghetti suppers etc. at the Sandford Hall. On May 24th they will be holding a Seasonal Market where you can showcase your crafts, antiques, flowers, baking etc. It will run from 9 to 12 p.m. Contact them to register. At church today we had a special speaker, Shelley Knott Fife. Shelley is from Curve Lake and has worked a great deal within the school system in various capacities. She has accumulated a number of degrees, the latest being a PhD. She talked to us about some of the native beliefs and how the ancestors might have interpreted the world. She told the story of how Turtle Island was formed, the place we now call Earth. Next week, we are pleased to have with us the group "Reflections," who will bring the gospel to us in song and word. All are invited to join us any Sunday at 10 a.m.
A parting thought: "It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well" by Rene Descartes
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