Christmas Is . . . was the theme for this year’s Festival of Trees.  All entries showed creativity and great talent.  Winners were two-fold: those who entered an item, and those who took it home!

Large Trees: North Frontenac Little Theatre won 1st prize for their tree “Beautiful Music” and the lucky winner was Sherry Wilson. The 2nd prize went to the Friday Night Ladies for their creation “Stockings hung by the chimney with care”, taken home by Kelly Greenstreet. The 3rd prize was Mike Dean’s Super Foods Store “Home Made” which was won by Katie Gable. “For Family” decorated by W.A. Robinson Asset Mgt. Ltd. went to Brian Gilpin. Township of Central Frontenac’s tree “All About the Children” was won by Jane Neadow and “The Joyful Sounds of Music” by St. Lawrence Employment Services went to Candy Thompson.

Small Trees - First prize entry by CF Railway Heritage Society “A Ride on the Polar Bear Express” was won by Logan Chiasson; 2nd prize by Medical Centre Fitness Class, “Fun in the Snow” went home with Ashley Desrosiers; and 3rd prize winner, “Love” by Subway went to Alice Knox. “Family Love” by RBC to  Elizabeth & Maddy Whan-Corkum; “Family Traditions” by Sharbot Lake Pharmasave to Elinor Bailey; “Family” by NFCS to Kathy Scott; “Love” by George Allen to Brandon Hawley; and “Sharing Traditions” by NFCS Youth Program to Liz Bonser.

Mini Trees:  The Parham United Church Sunday School won 1st prize for their entry of “The Day of Love” which was won by Toots Harvey.  “A Christmas Vacation” took 2nd prize by Community Living NF went to Sophie Shelley.

Gingerbread Creations: First prize went to “Steaming into Town” by Anne Howes & Heather Card and was won by Martha MacLeod. Second prize, “Is for Believing” by Steve Duggan’s Law Office went home with Fern Marwood.

Wall Hangings: Martha MacLeod was the lucky winner of the 1st prize “The Gift of Love” by Arden Batik; 2nd prize “Being with Friends” by Ann Howitt went to Lori; and Janice Anderson 3rd prize winner “Christmas Holly” to Joan Hollywood. The winner of “Christmas Cardinals” by Carol Raymo was Margo McCullough; “Snowfall Magic” by Helene Riddell went to Sukhi Kaillon.

Wreaths: “Peace on Earth” by Arden Seniors received 1st place and was won by Judy McClure. The 2nd place wreath, “For Kids”, entered by the Sharbot Lake Dental Office, went home with Wendy Crain; and 3rd place, “Sweet” by Sharbot Lake Karate to Ryan Conboy.

Anything Goes: “Greeting Friends” created by Nancy Harding and Stephane Cliche received 1st prize in this category and was won by Susan Willby. “Family Traditions” by Seeds & Company took 2nd prize and was won by Joyce Lemke. The 3rd prize, “Frosty Feeding Feathered Friends” by Sharbot Lake 39’ers went to Courtney Meeks.  “An Adventure on the Track” by the Treasure Trunk was won by Angie Mallette.  “Christmas Kicks” by Community Drop was won by Doug Steele and “Welcoming you Home” by Linda DeVries was brought home by N. Bellamy.  “Decorating your Home by Ram’s Esso went to Tammy Parks; Goodfellow’s Flowers “A Beautiful Thing” to Cheryl Ellerbeck and Linda Moland’s “Christmas Dinner is the Centrepiece of the Day” will be decorating Dawn Hansen’s table.

Baskets – “Partying With Friends” by Friends of Arden took 1st prize and was won by Frances Smith; “Time to give a Latte Thanks” by the Cardinal Cafe won 2nd prize and went home with  Julia Muth; 3rd prize, “Time at the Rink” by the St. Lawrence Employment Services to Joyce Burke. “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.  Maybe Christmas, perhaps, is a little bit more.” by the North Frontenac Telephone Company won by Rosemarie Bowick; “Reading a Good Book” by Lakeside Readers to Carrie Laporte; “About Spending Time with Family” by Maples to Rob Richardson; “Sharing a Meal” by Sharbot Lake and District Lions to Theresa Lowey; “Coming” by Masonic Lodge to Homer Card; “Cosy” by Lake District Realty to  Judy McClure; “Warmth and Comfort” by the Black Kettle Popcorn Company to Theresa; “Chilling at Home” by Canadian Legion went to Kathy Byrnes; and “Full of Shine” by Sharbot Lake Country Inn to Sue Wing.

Gift Certificates – The Gibson’s Garage gift certificate for an Oil Change was won by Ashley Klatt, and the Amazing Dollar Store certificate went to Lillian Barker. The food hamper, put together by Villages Beautiful, was won by Linda Cook.  Children from various schools visited the Festival on Friday and were asked to guess the correct amount of chocolate balls in a jar. There was a tie; the winners were:  Alexis from St. James Major and Elizabeth from Claredon.  Each won a jar of 350 chocolate balls.

The People’s Choice Award went to “Partying with Friends” by Friends of Arden.  The Children’s Choice Award went to “All about the Children” by the Township of Central Frontenac.

Each year Villages Beautiful recognizes a person or persons who have contributed their time and effort to the festival over the years. This year that recognition went to Barbara England.

Many others must be recognized too: there are those who, instead of making an entry, contribute “in kind”, either financially or through services needed by the festival. Villages Beautiful thanks the following: Woodwark Legal Services; Sharbot Lake Marina; Sharbot Lake Dental Office; Robinson’s Excavating & Trucking; Donna’s Sign Shoppe; Home Hardware; Gray’s Grocery; RTR Tree Service; Angelo Dicienti; Mike Dean’s Super Foods; Tarasick Carpentry, Sydenham Veterinary Services; Leonard Fuels; Goodfellows Funeral Home; and Ken Young. 

Thank you to all the volunteers that made this year another success.  The theme for next year is: “A Canadian Christmas”.

It was a full house at Bellrock Hall as the Frontenac Women’s Chorus held their annual Christmas Concert on Saturday night.

The event was held by donation and guests were asked to bring along an item for the food bank.

The chorus sang a wide array of holiday classics including favourites like “Let it Snow,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Sleigh Ride.” They also covered a number of less known but equally charming classics like the traditional Jewish folk song, “Mi ze Hidlik.”

Special guests, Toute Ensemble (Anne Archer, Debbie Twiddy and Melanie Fyfe) and Val Hamilton took the stage for a few special songs throughout the night.

The audience was even encouraged to get involved at times and sing along to a few popular holiday classics. Lyrics to songs like “Frosty the Snowman” were provided in the night’s program for audience members to refer to as they participated in the fun.

The beautifully decorated hall made for a cheerful, warm place for the audience to enjoy their favourite holiday tunes.

Many of the performers even stuck around after the show to enjoy refreshments and conversation with the audience.

The Frontenac Women’s Chorus celebrated their 20-year anniversary around a year and a half ago.

Director Patty Smith has been with the chorus since last September. She took over the position from Betty Wagner who had previously directed the chorus for approximately 15 years.

When accompanist, Kate Van Allen approached her about the directing position, Smith jumped on the opportunity.

She had taken directing workshops in Toronto and was looking to branch out and further widen her music career. “They have been really patient with me,” she says.

Smith has been involved with music for most of her life. She grew up with her father playing all different types of music. She started singing lessons at 19 and has been fairly involved in the music community ever since.

“I started enjoying choir music as I got older,” she says. “I don’t have as much of a need to be the star performer anymore so it’s kind of fun to just work with a bunch of voices and work to blend them together.”

“It’s like being a sculptor… you’re making an aural sculpture out of [the voices],” says Smith.

The chorus is made up of many incredibly talented women. There is a lot of time and effort put into creating the perfect harmony with their voices to make successful shows like this possible.

The group gets together every Monday night at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity United Church in Verona to rehearse. They encourage anyone with a passion for singing and the ability to sing in tune to come out to rehearsal.

This is a simple craft, that can be adapted to make snow angels, snowpeople, gingerbread people, birds and anything else your heart desires. I like the idea of using old newspapers, flyers or wrapping paper to re-use, but I encourage you to use whatever you like. The Angel chains can be hung up above windows, on a tree, or used to decorate gifts. I’m making them in memory of Jule Koch who loved paper crafts and whose love and determination held the paper together these past 16 years.

You will need: 1 pair of scissors, 1 pencil, clear tape, 1 newspaper or printer paper or any paper of your choosing

1. Cut out one page of the paper, then cut that page in half.
(I like placing one of these halves over the other and folding them at the same time, but one at a time is easier for your first angel chain)

2. Fold page in half lengthwise.

3. Repeat twice, you should have a small rectangle.

4. Draw the template of one half of a head, 1 wing, an arm, and a robe. Make sure to have the wings and arm pointing towards the open side of your folds.

(I also included ruffles along the bottom of the robe and wings, a little circular mouth and a half heart for fun)

5. Cut along your lines, making sure not to cut too much on the folded side of the rectangle.

6. Using the clear tape, attach rows of angels together

The finished product!

Recipes

Maple Vanilla Baked Pears
Serves 8 (or 4 because I don’t like to share!)

Ingredients:
4 Anjou Pears
½ cup Maple Syrup (Use good local stuff!)
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Vanilla
1 cup granola
Yoghurt or Ice Cream (Do what ever you want, I’m not the
boss of you!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350f. Find a baking sheet in that crazy
   baking sheet cupboard. I’d suggest you use some parchment
   paper, because nobody wants to have a hard time
   cleaning up when it’s dessert time!
2. Slice your pears in half and then cut a little off the skin
   side so they’ll lay nice and flat. Use a melon baller (or a
   teaspoon) and core out the pears. Place pears face up on
   your baking sheet, sprinkle the cinnamon over top (they’ll
   look better if you don’t try to get it too evenly!)
3. Mix your maple syrup with your vanilla. Save some of
   it for the end and drizzle the rest on the pears.
4. Bake pears for about 25-30 minutes. (In my experience,
   all ovens are different and so are most pears, the
   last time I made these it took about 40 minutes! Start them
   early, they can always be heated up again! In fact, you can
   do these a few days ahead of when you need them!
5. Throw some granola on them, put them on a plate with
   some yoghurt or ice cream, drizzle your maple vanilla over
   top of everything and enjoy!

- Submited by the hungry chef - Dan Keeler, Black Kettle Catering

Parmesan Sausage Stuffing
Serves 8 (or 1 if you’re me…)

Ingredients:
12 cupsBbread
1 lb Sausage meat (Apple Sage from Seed to Sausage)
8oz Chicken Liver, chopped
3 cups Onion, chopped
1 cup Parmesan, grated
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Chicken Stock
¼ cup Parsley, chopped
2 Large Eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Thyme, chopped
2 tsp Sage, chopped
1 tsp Rosemary, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Course Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350f. Bake Bread, spread out, until dry. Set bread aside to cool.
2. Butter a glass baking dish. Heat 1 TBSP oil in heavy skillet on medium. Saute sausage for 5 minutes. Add chicken liver; cook until sausage and liver are cooked through. Transfer to large bowl with bread.
3. Add 1 TBSP oil back to skillet. Add onions, celery, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Cook until celery is tender. Add to bread mixture.
4. Stir in ¾ C parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.
5. Mix eggs into stuffing.
6. Transfer to buttered dish, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
7. Uncover, sprinkle remaining parmesan on top and bake until lightly browning.

- Submited by the hungry chef - Dan Keeler, Black Kettle Catering

Cathedral Windows

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
4 hard-boiled egg yolks, mashed
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp grated orange rind
1 cup mixed candied fruit
1 cup glazed cherries

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in mashed egg yolks, flour, salt, orange rind, then fruit and cherries. Shape into rolls, 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap rolls in foil or plastic wrap and chill thoroughly. To bake, slice dough very thin (1/4 inch), spread on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 300F until set but not brown (8 – 10 minutes). Careful! These cookies bake quickly!

- Submitted by Marg Desroche

Poems

A Granny’s Christmas Wish

If I were ol’ Santa, you know what I'd do?
I'd dump silly gifts that are given to you,
and deliver some things just inside your front door,
things you have lost, but treasured before.
 
I'd give you back all your maidenly vigor,
and, to go along with it, a neat tiny figure.
Then restore the old colour that once graced your hair,
before rinses and bleaches took residence there.
 
I'd bring back the shape with which you were gifted,
so things now suspended need not be uplifted.
I'd draw in your tummy and smooth down your back,
‘till you'd be a dream in those tight fitting slacks.
 
I'd remove all your wrinkles and leave only one chin,
so you wouldn't spend hours rubbing grease on your skin.
You'd never have flashes or queer dizzy spells,
and you wouldn't hear noises like ringing of bells.
 
No sore aching feet and no corns on your toes,
no searching for glasses when they're right on your nose.
Not a shot would you take in your arm, hip or fanny,
from a doctor who thinks you're a nervous old granny.
 
You'd never have headaches, so no pills would you take,
and no heating pad needed since your muscles won't ache.
Yes, if I were ol’ Santa, you'd never look stupid,
you'd be a cute little chick with the romance of cupid.
 
I'd put a smile on your face when those wolves start to whistle,
and the joys of your heart would be light as a thistle.
But alas! I'm not Santa, I'm simply just me
getting older myself, as it’s plain to see.
 
I wish I could tell you all the symptoms I've got,
but I'm due at my doctor's for an estrogen shot.
Even though we've grown older, this wish is sincere:
Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Holiday Day Remembered

The Christmas holiday had so many jolly days with bands parading throughout the town.
The Christmas holidays had so many folly days with rooftop icicles hanging down.
The traffic hurried and people scurried with snow-capped street lamps to guide their way,
voices singing, church bells ringing, the angel faces came out to play.
The Christmas holidays had so many merry days with salutations sent through the mail.
The Christmas holidays had so many cherry days, cranberries and popcorn by the pail.
Dreaming, young hearts believing, our Shortbread cookies scattered on a tray,
The hour was nearing, the elves were cheering, Santa’s reindeer were on their way.
The Christmas holidays had so many swirly days, snowflakes dancing into the air.
The Christmas holidays had so many twirly days with frozen ice drops inside our hair.
The trees were brimming with sparkle trimming, beneath the boughs the presents lay,
hugs with kisses and yule-tide wishes to celebrate our Christmas day.

- Susan Elizabeth Radford

We thank all the children, who worked so hard on their drawings for our contest, and all the teachers and parents/ caregivers who encouraged them to enter. This is our last edition of 2016 and we will now take a two-week break. The office will close on Friday, December 22 at 2:00 p.m. and will reopen on Monday, January 5 at 8:30 a.m. Our first edition of 2017 will be published on January 12 and the deadline for that edition will be 5pm Monday, January 9. We also thank our readers and advertisers for their support this past year.

Christmas Art Contest Winners

Overall Winner

Leah Rymbolt , Grade 2, Loughborough P.S.

Grades Kindergarten & Grade 1

First place: Reid Tooley, (Santa’s Sleigh) Grade 1, Clarendon Central

Second Place: Blake (Oval Christmas Tree) S.K., Land o’ Lakes Public School

Third Place: Michaela Clancy, Grade 1, Land o’ Lakes Public School

Grades 2 & 3

First place: Coen Turner, (Little hanging lights) Grade 3, Land O’Lakes Public School

Second Place: Brooke Gunsinger (Northern Lights, Blue), Grade 3, Clarendon Central P.S.

Third Place: Audrey Bateman (Pencil House) Grade 2, Land o’ Lakes Public School

Grades 4 & 5

First Place: (Tie) Jake Bodurtha (Reindeer), Grade 4, Loughborough Public School

First Place: (Tie) Eva Devries, (Santa Claws) Grade 4, Loughborough Public School

Second Place: Emma Fox (Christmas Tree), Grade 5 Prince Charles Public School

Third Place: (Tie) Hector Nielson – MacAlister (Christmas tree in house) Grade 4 St. James Major

Third Place: (Tie) Kayson-Lee Marjorie Dewolfe, Grade 5, St. James Major Caltholic School

Grades 6-8

First Place: Andy Gemmill (Hockey Santa), Grade 6, Loughborough P.S.

Second Place: Amber Minutillo, (Merry Christmas Tree) Grade 8, St. James Major Catholic School

Third Place: (Tie) Poppy Limber (Indoor Christmas Tree) Grade 6, St. James Major Catholic School

Third Place: (Tie) Benjamin Wooby, Grade 7, St. James Major Catholic School

Honourable Mentions:

Angelyn Wood, (Santa’s Sleigh over Christmas tree) Grade 2, Land O’ Lakes P.S.

Cloe (The angels are looking for baby Jesus) SK, St. James Major

Kya Betke, (Tree with Santa Head) Grade 5, Loughborough

Miles, (Santa and Reinduck) Grade 3, GREC

Evan B, (Wolf and tracks) Grade 5, Loughborough P.S.

Phoenix, (Santa and cute reindeer) Grade 3, GREC

Haylee Barker, (Santa and Stars) Grade 2, LOLPS

Lillie Marshall, (Patterns) Grade 6, Loughborough P.S.

Nevaeh Teeple, (Skinny Tree and Santa) SK, NAEC

Draven C, (Christmas Owl) Grade 7, GREC

Maya Wolf, (Santa, Rudolf and Mrs. Claus) Grade 4, Prince Charles

Mason England (Santa, Elf and table) Grade 5, Clarendon Central

Hunter Dale Cooke, (Santa in night) Grade 2, GREC

The ever expanding Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra packed the Oso Hall on Saturday (December 10) during the final day of another succcessful Festival of Trees. The orchestra is preparing for their annual concert on January 8th at the Maberly Hall. We will have full coverage of the Festival of Trees in our Christmas edition next week.

The ever expanding Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra packed the Oso Hall on Saturday (December 10) during the final day of another succcessful Festival of Trees. The orchestra is preparing for their annual concert on January 8th at the Maberly Hall. We will have full coverage of the Festival of Trees in our Christmas edition next week.

The Cardinal Cafe in Sharbot Lake is presenting a three hour shopping extravaganza tonight from 5-8 pm. Enjoy the friendly, caffienated atmosphere, music by the most famous floutists in Frontenac County, Toute Ensemble, and experience the main event; works by local and regional artisans and designers.

Mariclaro (recycled leather bags and wallets) Willa Murray designs (belts aprons and more), Silver by Laurel Minutillo (silver Jewellery), Sara Brown of Naptime Creations Studio, Natali Claire, Lonesome Dove Ceramics, and more.

This is a first time effort for Cardinal Cafe.

"It is a chance to expand the use of this wonderful space," said Cardinal co-owner Nancy Moore, "and an opportunity for our customers to look for that perfect one of a kind gift."

Coffee, light refreshments, beer and wine will be available.

Need one last opportunity to drive up the 509 before Christmas?

The combined open houses at Mariclaro (located on Road 509 just north of the Mississippi Bridge) and Back Forty Cheese (located a few hundred metres down the Gully Road) feature fine handmade Christmas gift options.

Mariclaro will be featuring its full line of bags, purses, clutches, wallets and more all made from top quality reclaimed materials, including many pieces from the Air Canada Collection,  a line of handcrafted items made from re-purposed Air Canada seat covers that was very successful at the recent  One of a Kind Craft Show in Toronto. Susie Osler, a ceramic artist who lives and works near Mablerly will also be showing at Mariclaro. She makes colourful vases and containers in unorthodox shapes, glazed in a very painterly way. She may also have some samples of a new project she has taken on this fall, one that she calls Objects for the hand and heart, unglazed clay objects that are, in the words of her wesbsite “made to be held and explored through touch and as objects of contemplation.” These items are all about curves and smooth surfaces, some resembling found objects such as animal bones or smooth rocks that can be found on old farm properties throughout the region.

At Back Forty Cheese, Jeff Fenwick will have a selection of holiday sheeps milk cheeses for sampling and purchase as well Berkshire Pork and gift certificates. Jenna Rose, the textile studio of Jenna Fenwick, occupies the loft above the cheese factory. Jenna is also just back from the One of a Kind Show, and she will have a selection of work available, including her Etsy award nominated Weekender bags and newly introduced Journey Bag. She will also have hand printed pouches, tea towels, hand kerchiefs and more.

Both studios will be open from 10-4 on Saturday, December 17th. For more information, contact Mariclaro at 613-278-1631 or Back Forty Artisan Cheese at 613-278-7011.

Time to bring you up-to-date on knitting activities in the past year. My oldest knitter, Brenda Garrett from Zealand Road and Sharbot Lake, died in August. She was over 90 and knit the most beautiful children's sweaters and toques, usually adding pins for fancy to buttons to them.  Brenda played the organ at the United Church in Sharbot Lake and was a member of the Women's Institute for many years, plus many more community activities over her many years in Canada. She is missed by many.

Again, a big thank you to all who have donated yarn to our efforts, including Bev Murdock, Theresa, Joyce Hamilton, Carol Stinchcombe, Anne Wise, Marg Whan, Theresa and also those I have forgotten. It is much appreciated.

We were able to send 121 pieces of knitting up North via Marg Taylor of Ompah and 157 pieces to the Perth/Smiths Falls Salvation Army for Christmas Baskets. Also I have been able to send knitting North with the Anglican Church Bales last spring.

Thanks to our prolific knitters, Brenda, Henriette (the sock lady), Yvonne Leblanc and Liz Bruce of Sydenham.

I mainly do toques.

Blessings at this Christmas season to all.

Peggy Beckett--268-2443

It takes a lot of work for the North Frontenac Little Theatre to put on a musical. The casts are large, there are songs and lines to learn, musicians to be found, costumes, and on an on. It's pretty hard to pull all the pieces together in a small community when actors and back stage people need to travel 30 to 60, and in one case this time around, 90 minutes to rehearsals.

Usually the effort is grounded in a script and a set of songs that have been worked out over time through workshop productions, regional theatre, a stint on Broadway and often a movie version before being taken up by the Little Theatre. The company tends to use licensed versions that are specially prepared for amateur theatre companies across North America.

Not so with Turtle Crossings, an original musical written by long time NFLT member Craig Godfrey. Godfrey has been shopping around the idea of a musical for a few years. He wanted to set it in cottage country and he wanted to explore the relationship between permanent and summer residents. Last year Brian Robertson, the current President of  NFLT, agreed drect the play and Godfrey set out to complete the script and write the songs for Turtle Crossings, which is based on his own Novella, The Custodian.

The challenges that come with a new piece of theatre, with unfamiliar songs, is immense. Never having seen the play performed, not knowing if the characters will ever translate to the stage, if the songs will be understood and will move the plot forward, made Turtle Crossings a risk for NFLT to take on.
In the end the production of Turtle Crossings was a success. Performances by a cast that included some talented first time NFLT performers who were able to perform songs in tune and in character, made the play work.

A trio of NFLT veterans (Danielle Quenneville, Sandy Roberston, and Dick Miller) played the urban friends of the lead character Tesah with assured comic timing and physicality. They kept things entertaining as the serious business of the relationship between Tesah and Billy (the custodian) was played out over the 2.5 hour long running time of the play. The crew of young actors who’s skills have been developing over the last few youth oriented productions showed their experience has paid off as well, keeping everything moving and bringing a sense of community to the action of the play.

Danielle Quenneville, Tesah's room-mate Vicky from the City, got the evening going singing the only cover song in the production, Janis Ian's At Seventeen, not an easy song to pull off, in a set designed by Donna Larocque which captured the feel of an urban country bar in the early 1990's. The band, led by musical director Elisabeth Convery on piano, with Gary Giller on bass, Nathan Paul on drums, Martina Field on fiddle, and David Yerxa on percussion, were visible at the back left of the stage. This was particularly effective in the bar scenes, although not so much when the play shifted to the cottage scenes later on. Throughout the night, however, the band did a great job supporting the numerous vocalists.

Quenneville set the stage for Jennifer Argyle, who played the adult Tesah, a music teacher in her late 30's and a regular performer at the bar. Argyle, who performs as a country singer herself, easily slipped into the persona of Tesah as a fun loving teacher who enjoys letting her hair down on evenings and weekends singing and drinking with her friends at their local. The whole scene was pulled together by the antics of John Stephens as the bartender/announcer.

Tesah's past intervenes early on as she reveals that her estranged father has left her the family cottage. Tesah tells her friends that she spent each summer at the cottage as a child and then attended High School in the country after her father decided to move the family to the cottage, much to the chagrin of her long suffering, alcoholic mother.

The scene shifts to the cottage during Tesah's youth, and for this transition a simple yet effective technique was used. Arglye stood still, facing the audience, and Ellie Larocque, who played Tesah as a child, came onstage and stood behind her, facing the back of the stage. The two actors spun around slowly until Larocque was facing the audience, and Argyle left the stage. Back in the early 60's, Tesah and Billy (Bailey Paddick) an older local boy who does maintenance at the cottage, are helping baby turtles get from the driveway where they have hatched, to the water. The relationship between Billy and Tesah, which is central to the play, is set in this scene. The play shifts back and forth from the past to the present (which is 1993), as Tesah and her friends are preparing to visit the cottage on Canada Day Weekend. Gradually more and more of the past is revealed. The teenage Tesah is played by GREC student Emma Douglas, who did a great job singing and playing and also showed the depth of character as Tesah deals with her parents marriage disintegrating, her mothers breakdown, and the transition from seasonal resident to high school student in small town. Kids do a lot of growing up between grade 9 and grade 12, and Douglas did very well showing the effects of that on Tesah.

Kora Kamps Sissons, who teaches at North Addington Education Centre, plays Tesah at age 18, the crucial period in her life when her mother Mrs Carter (Connie Rennebarth) suffers a break down, and the push pull between her feelings for Billy (now the custodian at the high school) and bad-boy rocker Zepper (convincingly portrayed by Tom Asselstine) are played out. Connie Rennebarth delivered a moving performance “It isn’t fun here anymore” in this section of the play, and this was followed by Kamps Sissons equally powerful performance of “Are you Still There”. Plot twists that could have strayed into melodrama were brought to life with these two performances. They were highlights of the evening.  The first act ends at the High School Prom. Tesah is there with Billy, and her music teacher, Mrs. B. played to comic effect by Marcie Asselstine, calls out “You're Pregnant”.

In Act 2 Tesah returns to the cottage, and finds, after a twist and turn or two, that her life has been waiting for her to return and take it up, which she ultimately does. There are  some convenient plot elements at play, this is not unusual for musicals, which are really all about the songs and the singers and big emotions, the 2nd Act provides Jennifer Argyle the opportunity to develop her character fully. It also provides comedic fodder for Dick Miller, Sandy Robertson and Marcie Asselstine. Derryk Monsour, who plays the adult Billy, becomes the play’s anchor, making sure everything will work out in the end.

Other performers who should be mentioned included Greg Morris (Mr. Carter) Cash Matson (Young Eddie) and Jessica Wedden (Jessie) who also performed some fiddle solos in character, Pam Giroux (Nokomis), Makenzie Drew (Macca),  Amber Asselstine (Lori), Gillian Hoffman (Julie) Sidney Drew (Danielle) Tim Drew (adult Eddy)  Carol Morris (Nana), Donna Larocque (Bar Patron) and Ken Fisher (Bar Patron).
Craig Godrey did a good job capturing the way people speak and carry themselves in this neck of the woods. The underlying issues at play, the restlessness of youth, the pressures people face in the city and in the country, are all very real.

Turtle Crossings had its flaws. A scene or two could have been trimmed and the pacing could have been quicker, but basically the production worked, no small feat for a musical in its first incarnation. The efforts of the set designer and construction team, and particularly stage manager Marc Brown, who came before and left after everyone else and made sure everything was in place, and lighting director Jeff Siamon cannot be over-stated.

Brian Robertson had the vision, and put in the effort to bring Godfrey's story to life, providing an opportunity for a new crop of talented performers to shine. Finally, a nod to Kathy Bonsal, Craig Godfrey’s sister, who put up with him, and everyone else as the play’s Producer.

It was an accomplishment for all of them.