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

Submitted by NAEC

The students of North Addington Education Centre will be suiting up in their Campbell’s Soup costumes on October 31 and knocking on your door! They will be asking for non-perishable food items which will be donated to the local food bank, which is experiencing a shortage of food.

About a dozen secondary students will be spreading out between Flinton, Northbrook, and Cloyne to collect non-perishable food items, instead of tricking or treating for candy.  The students are not strangers to supporting the community who supports them.

This is the fourth year for the very successful event. We’re asking community members to contribute what they can. We will be having three to four students canvassing each community between approximately 5:00 and 8:00pm. They will be wearing NAEC ID tags and a very large smile. We are going to visit as many households as possible, but if you have contributions and the food is not picked up, please call Candice Bovard throughout the week at 613-336-8991 and we will pick it up.

On behalf of students and staff, the principal, Angela Salmond, would like to thank the community for their contributions to our food drive efforts over the years: “The response we have received is overwhelming. We would not be able to organize events like this without the support of very generous families in this community. I am proud to see students take ownership of the area in which they live and recognize what really matters”.

If you see students in the community and they are ‘trick or eating’, feel free to ask them to sing or dance for your donation; they are prepared to work for your generosity!

BY J.J. (Red) Emond

As ordered, the sun shone, people brushed off their old clubs, corn was husked, the barbeque was lit and the game was on for the first Land O' Lakes Lions' Charity Golf Tournament. The event took place at Hunters Creek Golf Course where staff readied the grounds, welcomed competitors, supplied all with great food and beverages for what proved to be better than expected tournament. Adding to the excitement was the fine music provided free by John Fradenburgh of Spill the Beanz along with Clarence Berube and Chris Whiteman. The beat was such that normally painful hips were swinging and dancing to the sound of old time favourites.

This event could not have been successful without the generosity of merchants and people living in and out of the area. Games such as putting, chipping and bean bag throwing added to our revenue. Some winners even returned their winnings to help boost our profits over our financial goal of $1,500. That goal was exceed by $363 and will further be increased once we auction off the few gifts that didn't get claimed.

This tournament was put together quite rapidly to help the Cloyne food bank meet its ever increasing needs. We heard they were desperate, and the community jumped in. The committee elected to forgo giving prizes to the lowest score tournament winners so that cash could be added to revenue. Instead, their names would be published nation-wide. Hence, the foursome led by very capable Heather Machan and assisted by Lois Emond, Bruce Cooke and Dan Myers provided distance and accuracy to card a respectable tournament record of 3 under par. Their names will be inscribed on our yet to be designed golf trophy.

Folks, we were touched by the generosity of all who helped us put this together. You may think you played a very small part; but believe us, that's what is expected from people of such small communities. Together we can make a difference. In this case, you are helping feed the less fortunate and for this we say: Thank You.

In an effort to get those with the best knowledge and understanding of the land north of Highway 7 to engage with local landowners and users, members of the Frontenac Stewardship Foundation organized a Community Day in Cloyne, where numerous groups and organizations gathered at the Barrie Hall to present information and answer questions. The event, which took place on September 6, was an informal gathering that included 20 booth displays representing Quinte Conservation, the Mississippi Conservation Authority, Friends of Bon Echo, the Kennebec Lake Association, Friends of the Salmon River, the North Frontenac Dark Skies Preserve, The Land O'Lakes Tourist Association, the Land Conservancy for Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington and more.

Frontenac County Manager of Economic Development, Anne Marie Young, was present highlighting the North Frontenac Township’s Community Improvement Plan, which was recently approved by the county. The topics covered at the Community Day were plentiful and included various local histories, invasive species, land stewardship, local watersheds, water quality, septic systems, local biodiversity, geology, managing crown forest land, Benny's Pond and much more. Jenny Pearce and Matt Ellerbeck had several live snakes and salamanders on display for guests to visit with, and Chad Clifford of the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust offered up live recordings of various soundscapes found in the area, which are used by the organization to record and create an inventory of the animal and insect life on their properties.

The Cloyne Museum was open for those interested in the human history of the area, and certified chainsaw trainer Dave Smallwood and Dave Sexsmith of the Ontario Woodlot Association gave a basic talk and demonstration on safe chainsaw practices.

On one table were numerous books on related topics including “Discovering Natural Processes” by Gray Merriam and Jeff Amos, “Wind, Water. Barley and Wine: The Nature of Prince Edward County” and “Lennox and Addington”, both by Orland French. Professional ecologist Gray Merriam, who wears many hats in the stewardship world, as the founding member of the Friends of the Salmon River, as a board member with the Frontenac Stewardship Foundation and a member of the Kennebec Lake Association, said that the primary aim of the event was to engage area landowners in conversation with members of these groups. “Ultimately it is the land owners and users themselves who are going to be the stewards of the land. I believe that we are well past the point where you just call a provincial phone number to have your questions answered. In my opinion the role of volunteer stewardship groups is to talk to landowners and users, find out what their objectives are and then help them to meet those objectives.”

Merriam said that the second aim of the event was to give the various groups a chance to engage with one another. “The networking that has gone on this morning between the members of the groups and organizations has been wonderful and this event provides an opportunity for these like-minded groups and individuals to engage with one another, which does not happen very often.”

Merriam also highlighted the fact that the land north of 7 is some of richest land in Ontario and some of the only land in the province that remains undamaged. “It is the natural capital here that we need to be working with and we want the planners to recognize that the nature of the richness here is not in factories and shopping centers but in the land itself. The natural capital here is irreplaceable and with that in mind we should be planning all future activities here with deference to that natural capital.”

submitted by the Pioneer Museum

The museum will only be open a few more weeks and many folks have not yet seen the special display about the First World War.

In the words of curator Marg Axford: "Like many other museums, libraries and other cultural institutions across the country this year, the Cloyne Pioneer Museum and Archives is paying tribute to those young men who went from this area to fight in "the Great War".

Their contributions are no less important than those in large centres; indeed, in many ways. the impact of their sacrifices seems greater, because they represent such small numbers of people.

These were boys, really, who were out working the fields of their family farms when recruiters came along. Township and church halls, and perhaps the local hotel, were also canvassed. The lads were told by their recruiters that if they came to Kingston, or to Belleville, to join up, they would spend the winter in those cities doing training and would be home in the spring for next year's planting.

So many signed up. So many did not return."

You will see some of their photos in the museum, which is open daily from 10 am to 4pm in July & August.

If the number of cars parked on the lawn in front of the Land O' Lakes Petting Farm on Road 506, near Cloyne was any indication, the farm's Family Day fundraiser on August 10, was a resounding success. The event attracted residents and tourists from all over the area, who enjoyed a leisurely day exploring the outdoor pens, the barn and ponds that are home to the farm's over 50 rescued animals. Animal lovers of all ages petted and fed the horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, sheep, lambs and pigs, all of whom seemed as pleased to receive the attention as the visitors were to give it.

Owner Barry Smith gave tours of the large barn, which is home to numerous ducks, geese, peacocks, rabbits and a gosling with a broken wing named Skeeter, the newest member of the bunch.

One of the day's special draws was Zanzar the Magical Genie, who put on a show that included numerous tricky escapes, fire breathing and his showstopper - turning a dove into a rabbit. Another draw was the five piece band, the Original Slam Grass Orchestra, formerly known as the Tweed Twangers, who played a fabulous line up of what they call “poly-ethnic Cajun country slam grass”. The music was very danceable. The band also provided instruments for fellow twangers.

The Smiths were some of the busiest people there, with Barry on tour duty while Donna had her hands full manning the main gate and the main kitchen area, where guests could enjoy a BBQ lunch, fresh corn on the cob and other sweet treats. Donna was thrilled with the turnout, which she estimated at over 400 visitors. Funds raised from the fun day will help the Smiths keep the animals well fed and looked after throughout the year, which is especially hard to do in the winters months, when they do not get many visitors. Donna said guests not only help the animals to heal by allowing them the chance to trust humans again, but also are therapeutic for people, especially those with developmental disabilities and other medical issues. Animals are known to bring a sense of joy and calm and well being to all who are fortunate enough to visit them. Donna said that the farm is constantly being inundated with sick, injured or unwanted animals and that she and Barry strongly believe that “These animals deserve to live a humane life and to be free from suffering.”

The educational farm is run solely by volunteers, with many local students doing their community hours there. The farm is also visited regularly by school children at the North Addington Education Centre and is part of their grade 2 curriculum. Special needs students at NAEC are also regular visitors.

The fun day was the farm's second fundraiser in its five-year history and Donna Smith is hoping to make the event an annual one.

For those who would like to donate, call 613-336-0330 or visit the farm at 1200 Road 506 near Cloyne.

Once a year the North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne is transformed into a vast and varied art and craft venue for artists and artisans from all over the province. The show, which is free to visitors, has been running for decades and once again this year it offered up a mind-boggling selection of work from over 70 exhibitors.

The artists' booths cover the entire ground floor of the school. Visitors spend many hours leisurely viewing the work and are hard pressed to depart without some unique hand made treasures. Pottery, glass work, wooden crafts, jewelry, fine art and photography, quilts, knit goods and body products were just a few of the items up for grabs, not to mention a number of other unique treasures that caught my eye.

Lisa Driscoll of Stirling, ON, owner of Hetty Jean Handmade Designs makes unique hand sewn creatures from felt, fleece and fur. Her creatures are cute and colorful and she aims to make each with its own unique character. Her bats boast clever teeth made from zippers and their wired wings can be manipulated to open and close. Her “Hugglies” are small, bright uni-blob-bodied monsters that Lisa calls “huggable uglies”. They make cozy and cuddly friends for youngsters of all ages. Lisa's other creatures include giraffes, cats, dinosaurs, owls, and many more. Her businesses name derives from Lisa's two grandmothers - Hetty, her father's mother and Jean, her mother's mother, who both taught her how to sew and inspired her to create the imaginative sewn animals that suit the young at heart of all ages.

Photo: Painter Carol Jones of the All Creatures Great and Small Studio and her feather paintings at the 2014 Cloyne Showcase

Another artisan working in one of the more unusual mediums at the show was Carol Jones, who hails from Dunsford, Ont. near Bobcaygeon, where she has a studio called All Creatures Great and Small. Jones is a painter, who instead of painting on canvas or board, opts to ply her brush to feathers - specifically, the tail feathers of wild turkeys. Her motivation came after seeing a similar way of painting when she visited western Canada years ago. “I wanted to create my own little niche, so I chose to make feather paintings instead of regular ones.” Her subject matter includes wildlife, landscapes, fantastical and aboriginal scenes, butterflies and animals that include foxes, bears herons and more. Prior to painting, Jones uses a small Dremel tool to smooth down the central quill on each feather in order to avoid having to paint on its ridges. Jones said that it took a lot of experimenting before she finally got her technique down. Once the painting is complete she covers the quill tip at the bottom end of the feather by attaching additional decorative feathers and finishes them off with a piece of circular leather adorned with a semi precious stone. The feather paintings are then mounted on matte board and framed in a shadow box. New to her work is the recent addition of crushed glass, which she applies to certain painted sections on the feather. She describes these new works as her “newest fantasy line of paintings” and the glass gives them a sparkling, shimmering surface that adds to their more mystical feel.

Anyone who missed the show can view the work of these two artists by visiting www.carolsfeatherart.com and Hetty Jean on facebook.

There is nothing better than witnessing a talented artist selling their works at an art show. That was the case of Lisa Johnson, one of many artists who set up shop at the Art Exhibition and Sale that took place at Bon Echo Provincial Park last weekend. Johnson was busy attending to a customer when I visited her booth on Saturday afternoon. Mazinaw Lake cottage owner Christine Post was looking at a number of paintings and ended up purchasing one of Johnson's paintings titled "Rekr's Rock", which Post she said she can see from her cottage.

Johnson is no stranger to the magic of the landscape at Bon Echo. Her paintings are proof that the landscape is somehow in her blood and that might just be because she has been cottaging on Mazinaw Lake since was a wee one.

An honours graduate from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 1996, Johnson has been painting for 25 years. She returned to the Bon Echo show after a decade of absence, offering up an impressive selection of large and small oil landscapes that caught the eyes of both browsers and buyers at the show.

Johnson, who sells her work at a variety of galleries and shows in Toronto, London and Windsor, painted her Bon Echo inspired pieces en plein air (in the open air). She paints in the tradition of the Group of Seven artists who also painted this landscape decades ago. Included in her display was the paint-smeared box that accompanies her on hikes and on rides in her small motor boat where many of her creations are made.

“The en plein air process enables me to observe and capture what I see. It's a very observational way of working. Later, back in the studio I use these paintings or sketches to create larger, more abstract works that come more out of my head and have more to do with how I feel about the landscape, but that are also a direct result of that initial en plein air study process.” Her works capture both the majesty and the ever changing beauty of the landscape, which she describes as “powerful, spiritual and magical places that have been attracting artists here for centuries.”

Some of the works appear soft and flowing with layers of colour that are blended together seamlessly, like one large work of the famed Mazinaw rock painted in soft, subtly changing oranges and brown. Others of the same landscape are more hard edged and bold, painted with fat, textural and generous applications of paint that together make up the shapes that define the unique landscape. In many works Johnson is able to create a sense of movement, as in the clouds and sky in the painting "Rekr's Rock", which seem to swirl and move overhead. She said her former experience as a dancer is what informs the movement in her pieces, and which also underlies the fact she has experienced first hand for years how the landscape that surrounds her is always changing. “It's amazing how everything, the elements, the light and colour can change in an instant.”

Johnson feels very much “connected to the history of painters who came here to paint, from A.Y Jackson to Charles Comfort and Arthur Lismer.” Last year she hiked to the location where A.J. Casson painted one of his works. “ I like the idea of connecting with artists of the past but finding new ways to do it.” Johnson's aim, she said, is always to “capture the feeling of a place. Not so much the photographic image but the space, the light, the movement and the atmosphere.” Her work demonstrates the fact that it takes a talented and experienced painter to do justice to the landscape of Bon Echo and Johnson is one artist in a long line who have managed to do just that.

A selection of Johnson's work will be at the Colin Edwards Gallery located at Bon Echo Park in the latter half of August. Her work is also available at Quinn's of Tweed Fine Art Gallery. For more information visit www.lisajohnsonart.ca

Over 20 representatives from various groups and organizations that offer essential services to residents and guests in the Township of North Frontenac showed off their gear and know-how at the third annual Essential Services Fair, which took place at the Barrie Hall in Cloyne on July 26.

Mayor Bud Clayton, who was in attendance at the event, said that the fair is a way to let residents and potential residents of the township know that it is well looked after by a number of service groups in the area. “We are here to let the public know that we do have these services in the area and that the Township of North Frontenac is a safe and great place to live,” Clayton said. “It is also a way for these organizations to get important information out to the public.”

Matthew Doyle from KFLA Public Health passed out information about the free dental services and the tobacco reduction services they offer, as well as information about ticks and West Nile virus, septic system guidelines and the free well water testing they offer. Kelly Skaug of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters was spreading the word about the numerous invasive species in the area including spiny and fishhook waterfleas, Eurasian watermilfoil, rusty crayfish, zebra mussels and more. Randy Moore of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority spread the word about the regulations for safe septic systems and docks along with information about how to properly maintain natural waterfronts.

Members of the OPP detachments from Napanee and Smiths Falls were also present and did demonstrations showing off some of their gear. Members of the North Frontenac Fire Department had a number of their vehicles on site and gave demos of their new vacuum tanker, which empties and then reloads water in just a matter of minutes. They also offered up a BBQ lunch. Members of the Kaladar/Barrie Fire department were also on hand with some their new equipment including a new water rescue boat.

Members of the 150th Anniversary of the County of Frontenac committee were also present making visitors aware of the celebrations that are coming up in 2015.

It came as no surprise to find Bon Echo Provincial Park recommended as one of Ontario's premiere camping destinations in a recent article in the Globe and Mail's travel section. The park, located just north of Cloyne on Highway 41, offers campers and one day visitors all of the usual amenities. Yes, Bon Echo has that and so much more.

The park is one of a kind when it comes to unique Canadian landscapes. The famed Mazinaw Rock, which stretches 1.5 kilometres across and stands 100 metres high above Mazinaw Lake, is the same granite rock cliff that was the muse for members of the Group of Seven painters. Today the rock continues to inspire artists and campers who are lucky enough to get a glimpse of it.

Rising above one of Ontario’s deepest lakes, it is an awe-inspiring sight. It was once and perhaps still is a spiritual landscape for Aboriginal Canadians, whose pictographs can be seen on the boat cruises that are offered several times every day in the summer. The rock face is a stunning geological wonder that both humbles its onlookers and begs the question: How? Thanks to the Friends of Bon Echo, a group of over 100 volunteers who last year celebrated their 25- year anniversary, that question was answered recently. The Friends fundraise close to $50,000, which they use to provide some of the best educational programming in any of the Ontario parks. Their national heritage programs are enjoyed by over 50,000 campers annually.

On July 12 the Friends sponsored a talk at the park’s amphitheater given by Dr. David Pearson, science director of Science North and professor of ecological studies at Laurentian University in Sudbury. Pearson divided his talk into two parts. In the first he invited listeners to imagine the 1.5 km thick layer of ice that once covered the cliff site roughly 23,000 years ago. The gradual melting of the ice helped to create the glacial lakes that would later become the Mazinaw. He spoke of “glacial erratics”, namely the unique rounded boulders that dot the park, which were formed when water melting from the enormous ice sheet lubricated its lowest reaches and ground the rocks into their present day smooth, rounded forms.

Pearson also spoke of “eskers”, the long winding ridges of sand and gravel left behind from glacial melts. He also described “moulins”, which are roughly circular, vertical to nearly vertical well-like shafts within a glacier through which water enters from the surface. One such glacier covered the park’s most northern tip.

In the second half of his presentation Pearson invited listeners to travel back millions of years in time, specifically to the time of the existence of the continent of Rodinia one billion to 800 million years ago, which accounts for the unique geographical formations in the park. He spoke of the break up of Rodinia 180 million years ago into the continents we now know as North America and Africa.

Regarding the extreme depth of Mazinaw Lake, over 400 feet in some spots, Pearson related that over 25,000 years ago when the ice sheet that covered most of North America melted and retreated from the cliffs above Mazinaw Lake, huge icebergs fell off into the ground below, creating incredibly deep pot holes, which account for the lake’s extreme depth.

In his presentation Pearson shared his own personal feelings for Mazinaw Rock. “This rock dates back a long, long way and deserves enormous respect. It most definitely has a heck of a story to tell.”

For those who have yet to visit Bon Echo Park, it is more than worth the trip. Its unique and awesome landscape never fails to inspire a sense of wonder and luckily the sight remains accessible to all.

The next big event to take place at Bon Echo Park is the Friends of Bon Echo's annual Art Exhibition and Sale on July 25-27 from 10am-4pm. Don't forget to support the Friends of Bon Echo, who will be offering up a BBQ lunch and raffle tickets for three grand prizes that include one original art work and two impressive canoes. For more information about other upcoming events at the park or to become involved with the Friends of Bon Echo visit www.bonechofriends.ca