As a means of gathering more historic photos and documents as well as making their current collection more accessible to the world at large, members of the Cloyne and District Historical Society (CDHS) engaged the know-how of one of their members, who is well versed in the workings of the world-wide web.

Ken Hook, who some might know as the owner of Flintshire Pheasant Farm, former Addington Highlands reeve, and the former general manager of the Land O' Lakes Tourist Association, currently co-owns and operates his own media production company called 45 Degrees Latitude, where he and his wife Cathy do video and website production as well as SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Hook recently volunteered his talents to set up the Historical Society’s current website and most recently has included the free photo sharing site FLICKR as part of the Society's newly fashioned web presence. He demonstrated to Society members in a special presentation on October 20 at the Barrie Hall in Cloyne how the society’s current collection of photos and documents can now be viewed online world wide. In additions to joining Flickr the society's collection has also been included in The Commons, a site for organizations who wish to share their photo collections with the public, and which includes notable organizations like NASA, the British Library, the Getty Research Institute, and countless others.

Hook said, “In the past before computers we did not really have a way of sharing all of these documents worldwide. Now it is not only fast, easy and free but it offers up a safe storage place for all of the museum's materials.”

Given the fact that the Pioneer Museum in Cloyne is open only in the summer months, interested historians will now be able to access the museum's unique collection at any time. Another advantage to the online collection is that the Pioneer Museum, like most museums, houses thousands of items that it does not have the space to put on display. Flickr will allow the society to display the majority of its collection so that interested parties can view items that are not displayed at the museum.

In his presentation Hook also demonstrated another reason why having the collection available online is a plus. He showed one particular photo where a viewer in a comment section identified a person in the photo whose name had been previously unknown.

CDHS members are thrilled with the work that Hook has done in making the museum collection more accessible. Because the number of photos and documents that can be shared are virtually limitless, the society is inviting those with historic photos or documents from the local area to contact Society members to arrange to have their photos added to the on-line collection. Anyone interested can contact the Cloyne and District Historical Society's president, Red Emond, at 613-336-8011; Carolyn McCulloch at 613-336-6858; Ian Brumell at 613-336-2203, or can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

A special service on October 19 at St. Paul's United Church in Harrowsmith marked the 165th year that the church has been a gathering place of worship for the local community in and around Harrowsmith. Rev. Patsy Henry was joined by guest preacher, retired United Church minister Rev. Ian MacKay, in the special service that included songs of praise by the joint St. Paul's/Trinity United Church choir under the direction of music director Annabelle Twiddy. Rev. Ian MacKay, in his sermon titled “How Big is Our Church”, spoke of the 8580 Sunday services and sermons that have taken place at the church in its 165-year history, which he called “an altogether remarkable achievement.” He continued by addressing the congregation: “Your presence in this church building here in the centre of Harrowsmith continues to enrich community life and spiritual life and naturally I applaud you for that.”

Rev. MacKay in his final prayer thanked “all of those who in years past helped to establish this community and who had the vision to step forward to establish this church.” The service included a children's portion in which Sunday school teacher Marni Pedersen gathered with youngsters on the steps of the main sanctuary, and following the service, members of the congregation were invited to share a special meal in the community hall.

Rev. Patsy Henry, who has been the minister at the Harrowsmith-Verona Pastoral Charge for the last three years, said she felt it was “important to celebrate the contributions of the people that we did not know but who paved the way for our welfare, as well as looking ahead to caring for a community that will come long after us.”

With that in mind it was noted that many youngsters attended the special service and Rev. Henry said that the youngsters always bring “a certain kind of energy and joy to the celebrations”.

by Valerie Allan

Students and staff found their rhythm at high energy, fun workshops presented by Derek De Beers on Friday, October 17. Derek brought a large assortment of drums and other percussion instruments such as shakers, odd contraptions involving pedals and instruments, and basketballs.

Students and staff learned from Derek that “You think you are drumming, but you are really doing mathematics. You are adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying. You are counting.” He added that mathematics is important in life, when people have to consider how much rent they pay, their hydro, their gas bill, etc. Teachers were very pleased that Derek highlighted the importance of mathematics.

However, Derek also stressed that without the Arts, students’ “souls would wither and die.” Derek stated that students need a combination of the right brain and the left brain to be successful.

Derek’s workshops were full of fun and drumming. One particularly amusing aspect was Derek’s assigning random names to students and teachers. Due to the very large numbers of participants, it would have been impossible for him to learn everyone’s name, so this was a clever way to still make a connection with the attendees.

The workshop was made possible by a subsidy from the Crabtree Foundation, which subsidized the “Bboyizm” workshop held last year. Students and teachers both enthused over how much fun they had had, and several said they would love it if Derek were to come again

If the first of the three classical music concerts in the MERA Schoolhouse's Blue Jean Classical Sunday Afternoon concert series is any indication of what is to come, I'd have to say, get your tickets now.

On October 19 I caught the stellar second set played by flautist Gertrude Letourneau and guitarist Garry Elliot, who captured and enraptured listeners with their top-notch playing. I did not get a chance to hear Letourneau sing, which was unfortunate since if it was anything like her playing, it must have been a real treat.

That being said what I did see was mesmerizing. The two covered a wide range of musical styles from Piazzolla's Argentinian cafe-style music to Bach, to Bartok's Six Romanian Dances. This duo are powerful and talented players, both virtuosos in their own right, who come together to create music that is so much larger than what you might think possible from two single musicians. Their repertoire demands much from both; for the tangos Elliott has to not only keep up the pace with multiple rapid-fire rushes of staccato notes but also change rhythm and tone at the drop of a hat in the dramatic style that the passion of tango demands - and all without missing a beat.

LeTourneau is a good as it gets on the flute; she demands attention with a rich, strong sound when need be, which is lots of the time, and her melody lines are so long and lustrous that they seem close to impossible. Often her playing is so light and airy one imagines a feather floating upwards to the realm where angels dwell.

You can tell these two have spent hours mastering their techniques for this demanding repertoire and hours together polishing it to the point of perfection. Yet their eye contact is minimal - a quick glance here or there and hardly ever.

They saved some of their finest until the last and their variations on the theme of Carmen brought a tear to my eye. The duo received a well-deserved standing ovation after their final note played. One additional treat was the fact that Elliott was playing one of Oskar Graf's guitars and Graf, who was in attendance, no doubt must have been pleased with what he heard.

The only disappointment was that I did not see any teenagers in the audience. What a missed opportunity since they can attend the concert series free of charge. For those who missed an exquisite afternoon of some of the best classical music around, you can hear the duo and much of the repertoire they played on their CD titled Habernero. If you want to catch them live, the duo will be joined by Guy Edrington on the French horn and the three will performing “The Great Songs of the Great War” at St. Andrew’s United Church, in Metcalfe, Ontario on Sunday Nov. 9, at 2pm and again at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 1:30pm.

The next classical concert at MERA will take place on Sunday Nov. 9 at 2PM. Cecelia Ignatieff will be performing Dances on keyboard. Ignatieff will bring more than 30 years of professional playing and teaching to her MERA concert, where she will offer a wide-ranging repertoire from Scarlatti to Scott Joplin. After many years as collaborative pianist with other musicians and vocalists throughout Ontario, Cecilia now lives in the Lanark Highlands and is excited about sharing her passion for music with a local audience. Single advance tickets are $22 and MERA members get a discount. Tickets can be purchased on line or at Tickets Please, 39 Foster Street in Perth (at Jo's Clothes) or by calling 613-485-6434. For more information about other events and concerts taking place at MERA, visit meraschoolhouse.org

Music lovers came out in droves to the Sharbot Lake Legion on October 9 for the second installment of the fall session at the Centre Stage Cafe.

Beloved house band the Feral Five, (though they happened to be just four on Thursday), book-ended a generous set by Centre Stage Cafe regulars Rob and Nancy Moore and their band, which included Nate Paul on drums, Gabby White on fiddle and back ups, bass man Mike Dellios, and the band's latest addition, Dan Keeler on guitar.

The six piece charmed listeners with their relaxing eclectic mix of classic and alternative covers. By the end of the night the ladies were up grooving, bringing another great musical night at the Legion to a rousing close.

The next Centre Stage Cafe will take place on Thursday, November 13 when the famed Five will be joined by local rockers One Busted Ego. Admission is $5 and don't forget to wear your dancing shoes.    

Over 30 art lovers gathered at the Southern Frontenac Community Service Corporation’s Grace Centre for a stellar afternoon of great art, both in works and words thanks to two accomplished local artists, Wendy Cain and Margaret Hughes.

While their works are in no way similar, hung side by side they represent two very different approaches to art, the results of which are surprisingly complementary.

Margaret Hughes, a former potter and co-owner of Cornerstone, Kingston's premiere fine Canadian craft and Inuit art store, took up chalk pastels years ago. Enjoying their directness and rich hues she approaches painting like one would a lump of clay, digging right in and working in a very direct, hands- on way. As a result the works are fresh and vibrant, and burst forth in an explosion of colour. Her past as a potter is literally apparent in her compositions; her colorful functional ceramic pieces are included in many of her still lifes.

Hughes creates her paintings by layering colour upon colour, often beginning on a black paper background. By allowing some of the black paper to show through, the colours have an added intensity. Pattern and surface decoration are key in these works, with rich, broad swaths of gorgeous colour lying side by side and portraying various table and wall coverings that boast rich plums, bright oranges, purples, blood reds and deep blacks and blues. These works are reminiscent of other colour and pattern-focused painters like Matisse and Cezanne, both of whom Hughes said are influences.

In her talk Hughes spoke of her former work as a potter for 30 years and how working with coloured glazes eventually led her to pastels. “The interaction of having made the pots and then re-presenting them in a two-dimensional form as part of a still life composition presents a stimulating challenge and connects my current practice to my past.”

Artist Wendy Cain, a printmaker/papermaker who teaches printmaking at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto and who has participated in over 250 individual and group shows, spoke next. Cain developed her own pulp paper painting technique and currently works out of her studio in Newburg, Ont. Paper and printing making are more process-oriented art forms and Cain's works are crisp, clean and precise, with a certain lightness that makes her pieces appear effortless. In her presentation she demonstrated through slides the processes she uses, and it became clear that each piece involves numerous carefully pre-planned steps. Her most intriguing pieces include her homemade patterned papers, which form the backgrounds of the piece. These beautifully patterned background sections boast mainly fish and natural foliage motifs, on top of which are screen- printed, larger, more central images - things like Grecian urns and other subjects that lend the works a more cerebral quality.

Cain likes to play with juxtaposing seemingly unrelated images in a single frame and this is what gives her work its edge. Considering how the images relate is part of the puzzle she seems to offer up to her viewers and as we learned from her talk, her work is always changing and developing. In contrast to these, some of her newest works involve actually using the pulp/paper mixture as paint by spraying it in layers and creating unique landscape pieces where swirling blue skies are often front and centre.

The complementary nature of both artists’ work and their talks, which gave additional insight into the minds of these two creative and finely tuned artists, made for a very worth-while visit to the Grace Centre on Thanksgiving weekend.

The show will be up until December 12 and many of the works are for sale.

A visit to the home-based shop/studio of local chocolatier, Ludwig Ratzinger, feels a bit like winning one of Willy Wonka's golden tickets. An experienced chocolatier, Ludwig recently set up his studio in the new straw bale home he designed and helped to build near Maberly. The studio is located in the basement of the home, where Ludwig works full time and on average produces from half to three-quaters of a tonne of chocolate per year.

When I visited his studio early last week a brand new semi-automatic tempering machine, which Ludwig purchased thanks to a grant from the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, was in full operation. Its fly wheel was spinning up a fresh, warm, velvety batch of sweet-smelling chocolate and pouring it from a spout, where Ludwig was filling a series of intricate, feather-shaped bar molds.

Made from “single origin noble grade cocoa beans” from South America, Ludwig’s bars are premium quality and are not your average chocolate bar. The process involves first creating batches of chocolate from raw blocks and pellets, which Ludwig imports from a Swiss company that offers South American cocoa farmers 50% more than other Fair Trade rates. Ludwig explained that as a result of the way the pods are harvested the raw beans are a higher grade than those used by commercial chocolate producers. “Each pod is first picked and left to sit in its pulp, where it ferments for a day and then is sun dried, which gives the cocoa its unique high quality flavour.” The pods are then bagged and shipped directly to Switzerland (sans middle man), where they are refined and then purchased by a host of premiere chocolatiers, of which Ludwig is one.

In his studio Ludwig mixes these imported raw batches in his special tempering machine, sometimes adding flavors of lime or mint. He explained that the tempering process allows the chocolate to go through the necessary crystallization process, which gives the chocolates their ideal colour, texture and density, and their bright, crisp-sounding “snap” when a piece is broken off the bar.

Once crystallization has occurred, the temperature of the mix is then raised to 32 degrees Celsius and the liquid chocolate is poured into a series of decorative plastic molds and left to cool. Prior to cooling, additional ingredients can be added; Ludwig incorporates high quality sea salt, caramelized cocoa nibs or barberries to create interesting and unusual flavors.

Later the individual bars are removed from the molds and packaged as either single or double bar offerings. Packaging is another area where Ludwig excels and he designed some of his own packaging. “I figured, since I am producing a premium product why not also make an effort to package it right?” The smaller sized 40 gram bars ($4.50-$5.50) are wrapped more simply, and the 100 gram double bars ($13-$15) are wrapped in silver/gold metal foil and encased in an aesthetically pleasing heavy paper pull sleeve and come with an explanation of the ingredients, the production process and suggested wine pairings.

A fourth generation pastry chef who hails from Bavaria, Germany, Ludwig came to chocolate making in 2006 after a successful eight-year stint as pastry chef at the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa. “I decided to focus at home on chocolate making because it is a simpler, more immediate undertaking that requires less space and less equipment, and I have a lot more control over the production process.”

Ludwig has future plans for his chocolate products and is hoping to talk to a local brewery about making beer truffles. Ludwig sells his premium chocolate bars at Foodsmiths in Perth, Peches et Poivre in Almonte, Mrs. McGarrigles in Merrickville, Read's Book Shop in Carleton Place and at Seed to Sausage's brand new store in Ottawa at 729 Gladstone Ave. Local chocolate lovers can find Ludwig and his sweet offerings this Thanksgiving weekend on October 11, 12 &13 at the Perth Autumn Studio Tour. He will be a guest at studio # 7, the Brent Kirkham Studio located at 2486 Christie Lake Road and will be there each day from 10am-5pm.

By Brian Robertson

NFLT veteran Pam Giroux walked up to the stage, picked up her award, delivered a short acceptance speech, and then burst into song: “Overture, light the lights, this is it, the night of nights!” And the ‘night of nights’ it certainly was for Pam and the four other 2014 NFLT Lifetime Recognition Award honourees - Doug and Lynda Boulter, Craig Godfrey and Karen Steele - as the North Frontenac Little Theatre’s second annual Lifetime Recognition Awards Evening was celebrated last Saturday, October 4 with a flourish of praise and appreciation.

The NFLT Hall in Tichborne was resplendent in autumn decorations and a variety of paraphernalia honouring the recipients. Fred Langton, a next door neighbour who gave extensively of his time and resources to ensure that essential services were all in place for the big evening, had a chance to tour the finished product with his wife Cindy, and both were in awe of the transformation to a formal banquet hall that had taken place.

Emcee Brian Robertson’s opening monologue included the sharing of a dream he had had in which The Frontenac News editor Jeff Green and reporter Julie Druker were both moonlighting as gossip columnists for the National Enquirer, submitting articles to the mother company in LA. about the humourous activities of our NFLT celebrities.

Each award presentation was prefaced by an informative and entertaining video montage produced by Wendy Parliament, NFLT videographer and photographer. The short films included excerpts from interviews conducted in the summer by Brian Robertson with still shots and videoclips, (often hilarious), from show footage, highlighting the recipients’ stories of their history with the Little Theatre.

The honourees spoke with the fondest, (and at times with the most sorrowful), of memories of their individual journeys with NFLT. Doug Boulter, (actor and director), and Lynda Boulter, (actor and costume mistress), recalled the tragedy of the passing of actor and teaching colleague Maurice Lowery during the production of ‘Oklahoma’ in 1987.

Pam Giroux, (wearer of all hats including actor and set painter), was recognized not only for her involvement in over 30 NFLT productions throughout the years, but also for the fact that her four children and husband Marcel eventually followed her into the arena making a considerable mark on the theatre company’s legacy.

Craig Godfrey, (actor, house manager, producer), spoke of his longstanding involvement with the troupe, (dating back to 1980), quipping that if you were male you automatically got the part, referring to the fact that there seems to be a perennial shortage of male actors available for productions.

Karen Steele, (actress, director and a former president of NFLT), spoke of how the Little Theatre was such a wonderful diversion for both her and her family, giving them an enjoyable break from the routine of daily life.

If there was one overriding message from all honourees, it was that the North Frontenac Little Theatre is a place where you make lifelong friends, form family-styled ties, and build community with fellow actors and audience members alike.

Congratulations go out to each of this year’s Lifetime Recognition recipients and we look forward to many more entertaining productions from our very own community theatre, NFLT. Check the NFLT website for links to the Recognition Evening video presentations.

The MERA Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners will once again be filled with audience-pleasing classical music as the third annual series of Blue Jeans Classical Sunday afternoons begins again. All performances start at 2 p.m.

This series of classical performances is aimed at bringing professional musicians to play in the intimate space of the MERA Schoolhouse. As part of the relaxed atmosphere, the players will be introducing their repertoire, discussing their instruments and answering questions from the audience.

On Sunday, October 19, Gertrude Létourneau and Garry Elliott will be offering an intimate concert of virtuosic and passionate pieces for the flute and guitar. Gertrude and Garry have performed together since 2007, presenting their brand of lyrical music to a wide range of audiences. Gertrude plays the flute and sings, and Garry masterfully plays a Oskar Graf-built classical guitar.

On Sunday, November 9 Cecilia Ignatieff brings more than 30 years of professional playing and teaching to her MERA concert, where she will offer a wide-ranging repertoire from Scarlatti to Scott Joplin. After many years as collaborative pianist with other musicians and vocalists throughout Ontario, Cecilia now lives in the Lanark Highlands and is excited about sharing her passion for music with a local audience.

On Sunday, December 14, MERA presents "Music for Double Reeds and Piano". After wowing the MERA audience at the very first Blue Jeans Classical music event several years ago, Richard Hoenich is returning with his musical friends and teaching colleagues to present a wide array of memorable pieces. This afternoon promises to be a rich musical experience with a trio of very experienced musicians, pianist Michel Szczesniak, oboist Barbara Bolte and bassoonist Richard Hoenich.

Tickets are $22 in advance or $55 for a three-concert series, and are available from Tickets Please at 39 Foster St. In Perth (Jo’s Clothes), by phone at 613-485-6434 or online at www.ticketsplease.ca. Tickets can be reserved at Tickets Please and picked-up at the door. Teenagers are free.

Photo:

by Marilyn Barnett

In this day and age of plastic and metal baskets most children have no idea that a basket can be made by hand using natural materials. Baskets are a very good craft to teach children as the only tools they need are their hands. The basketry project is being organized by MERA Schoolhouse in McDonalds Corners and spearheaded by Ankaret Dean. Funding is provided by The Basketry Network, a group in Toronto, now defunct, whose purpose was to encourage and teach basketry throughout Ontario.

Members of MERA are volunteering to go into the local schools in Lanark Highlands, Perth and Tay Valley and teach children in grades 3, 4 and 5 how to make a small basket to take home. Each basket is made using round reed and dyed in bright colours and woven in the traditional manner.

MERA hopes to visit all the local schools. Local organizations who would be interested in basket making may contact MERA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if your group would like to learn how to make a basket. Visit www.meraschoolhouse.org for more information about MERA's ongoing community arts programming.