On September 18, Maberly Hall hosted an afternoon of music as part of the Festival of Small Halls, which started on September 14 and runs until October 2. The festival was inspired by the spirit of small hall festivals in PEI and Australia and is now in its third year. It has grown from three shows in 2014 to 24 venues and over 35 artists this year. Top-rate performers like Breabach, Elliot BROOD, Jim Bryson, Devin Cuddy Band, and Sherman Downy will take a break from the big stages and perform in small towns from Pembroke to Maxville to Gananoque, thus fulfilling the organizers’ vision of bringing Big Music to Little Places.

Sunday was no exception and fantastic performances were brought to the audience by the Lanark Fiddlers Guild, Change of Step, and Breabach, a Scottish five-piece folk band.

The Lanark Fiddlers Guild opened the show with their unique mix of traditional Celtic music with a bit of a Lanark accent - a sound they have become known for over the past 15 years. Cindy McCall, who took over the reins as conductor from Carolyn Stewart, proudly showed off the group's talents and introduced the two newest members of the group, Natalie and Lukas Reynolds.

Change of Step, a group of world-class dancers from Nova Scotia and Ontario, shared the stage with Breabach for many of the faster-paced numbers. They performed powerful and graceful original choreography of traditional Highland dancing with a modern twist. They have won international titles and have performed at such prestigious events as the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill and the Vancouver Olympics.

When Breabach took to the stage, they did not disappoint with their high-energy, unique brand of contemporary folk music, which has earned them international recognition in the music scene. Their awards include Best Live Act 2013 and Best Folk Band 2012 at the Scots Trad Music Awards. Breabach consists of Calum MacCrimmon (pipes/whistles/bouzouki/vocals); Ewan Robertson (guitar/vocals); James Mackenzie (pipes/flute/whistles); Megan Henderson (fiddle/vocals/step-dance); and James Lindsay (double bass). The traditional sounds of bagpipes with beautiful vocals, whistles, fiddle and guitar were often layered by James Lindsay, using loop pedals for both the double bass and the fiddle. This created a warm, swelling feel to their music and brought the crowd to their stomping feet.

They have recently released a new album titled Astar and performed three times for the Festival of Small Halls. They have three more shows coming up, including in London, Peterborough and Saint John, NB to wrap up the Canadian leg of their tour.

The Festival of Small Halls will continue to bring big music to the small halls in the area for the next two weeks, including Jim Bryson with Melwood Cutlery on Friday, Sept. 30 at McDonalds Corners Agricultural Hall, and Devin Cuddy Band with Keegan Carr on Sunday, Oct. 2 at ABC Hall in Bolingbroke.

Not only can you enjoy the incredible music, but if you go the festival website, you can find information about community dinners being hosted prior to many of the shows. For more information and tickets visit www.thefestivalofsmallhalls.com or call 613-791-3476.

The Sundance Artisan Show was held in Maberly on the Labour Day weekend at the scenic property along the Fall River behind the Fall River Restaurant at Highway 7 and County Road 36. It was a “must see; must go; mark your calendars for next time if you missed it” event! The show is totally free to park and attend, which leaves money in the pocket to support your Canadian artisans while stocking up on holiday gifts or simply gifting yourself with a treasure.

The show is juried, which ensures that all the exhibitors are top notch and that there is a lovely balance of work. Repeat categories were not repeats as each artist brought their own thumb print to their medium. It was evident that here was quality workmanship by seasoned artisans who have stood the test of time, many boasting decades of commitment and expertise.

Among the exhibitors was Tori Capes, who is the owner, designer, fabricator, marketer, exhibitor and money manager of Mad Cap Hats. At the show she could be found subtly allowing her hats to sell themselves as people experienced the feel, quality and final mirror tests of the hats when deciding to buy one.

What a wonderful name for a business, Mad Cap Hats! That is not just because the hats have that special quality in the designs, fabric and fabrication, but also because it takes a certain kind Madcap quality tempered with a lot of positivity to be an artist. One must wear a lot of hats to successfully create a product, market and sell it, and keep the books of the business. All that talent in one person does not come without a will to succeed and the tenacity to grow and stick to it while on the " learning curve."

When Tori was asked how long it takes to make one of her appealing summer hats she replied, "Do you mean how long it took me to reach the stage where I could make this product? Or how long now?"

In a world where we often forget how important it is to our neighbour to have their hopes, dreams and labours supported, she makes an excellent point.

Although there is a case for innate artistic ability, so much more is behind the scenes of that hat you are trying on; or that cleverly re-utilized metal art; or that perfectly weighted, “fitting in your hand just right” ceramic mug.

In Tori’s case, she is a graduate of George Brown College and has been a certified milliner for 30 years. She is also a savvy businesswoman who is not a stranger to starting up businesses. She has earned the right to boast of many business highlights in her life. She has owned two stores as well as a bed and breakfast, and once made 11,000 hats for cancer patients. She is a “jump in feet first and get it going” kind of a woman and we can all be proud that she is now a full-time resident and business owner here in South Frontenac. When you buy one of her hats, she in turn goes out and buys locally in Canada. If you missed Tori at the show, you can call her at 613-273-6666 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Photo: Frit Flava Vase by Alexi Hunter

The Sundance Artisan Show is marking its 10th year. For the past five years the show has been held on the picturesque Fall River, at a wooded site right behind the Fall River Restaurant on Highway #7 and Road 36 (Maberly Elphin Road) in the village of Maberly.

With over 40 artisans in one location this show offers the unique opportunity to see many artists showing their one of a kind work in many different mediums. Pottery, wood turning, jewelry, furniture, weaving, glass and even cedar strip boats are all here for your viewing and shopping pleasure.

Among the artisans at the show this year there are nine who work in wood, plus seven of Ontario's leading glass artists, including Sarah Dionne from Stirling, Alexi and Mariel Hunter from Kingston Glass Studio, Lalaland Glass Studio from Prince Edward County, Yolanda Noble from Inverary, Diane Proulx from Ottawa, and Cindy Laneville from Winchester,

Add in fine food catered by the Fall River Restaurant and live music and you have a can't be missed celebration of the arts.

Held on Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Labour Day weekend, organizers have added a new "preview opening" on Friday evening, Sept. 2 from 5 to 7 pm. The main show hours are Saturday & Sunday from 10 to 5 and Monday from 10 to 2. Parking and entry are free!

So come out and enjoy the art, the food and the music. Chat with the artists, meet old friends and make new ones at the Sundance Artisan Show. For more information and to see a full list of the artists and their work go to www.sundancestudio.ca

This Saturday, the 134th annual fair will take place in Maberly. To coincide with the Tay Valley 200th Anniversary, the theme is “Heritage”. The light horse show beginning at 9:00 am sharp. The opening parade of the ‘biggest little fair to stop traffic on Hwy 7,’ will commence at 10:30, entering the fairgrounds around 11:00 am.

New this year, following the opening ceremonies, will be a cake decorating contest including: Keith Kerr - Reeve Tay Valley Twp., Paddy O'Connor - Town Crier Central Frontenac, Gail Code - Warden Lanark County, Frances Smith - Mayor & Warden of Central Frontenac, and of course our very own Agricultural member Gordon Patterson - Vice President. They will hopefully all be dressed in period costume. Dave White from Lake 88 will act as MC. Once completed, the cakes will be auctioned off. The highest bid will determine the winner.

Tony Leduc, Hermann Amberger, Barb and John Fife, Fiddlers and Friends, and Norm Herns, Harry Van Alstine and friends will entertain on stage starting at noon. The horse draw starts at noon and the famous zucchini races begin at 1:30 p.m. Also on the grounds will be the West Wind Petting Farm, Psychic Marilyn of Kingston, Tai Chi Demonstration and others, plus all our hall displays. There will be Agricultural displays in the steel building this year, Milk Marketing board and Cattlemens Assoc. will have a display there. The dinner will be hosted by the Fall River Restaurant starting at 4 pm and will include pulled pork on a bun, salad, drink and dessert for $15.00. Entry to the fair is $5.00 for adults, 7 - 17 years $3.00 and 6 and under free.

The Maberly Agricultural Society website crashed in July and has yet to be fixed. Anyone looking for information can contact Rosetta McInnes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on facebook or at 613-268-2548 or cell 613-390-2548 or any member of the Ag. Society. Fair books available at Maberly Post Office, McDonalds Corners Store, and Dodds and Erwin. Come on out to the fair. Entries can also be dropped off at the drop box at the entrance to the fairgrounds prior to the fair.

If you want to have some fun, meet new friends and make beautiful music with others, then the Tay Valley Community Choir may be the place for you. The choir meets on Monday nights from 6:00 to 7:30 pm alternating between the Maberly Hall and Lanark Lodge.

An eclectic repertoire, lovely four part harmonies and warm, old-fashioned country-style concerts are the hallmark of this choir. Christmas and spring concerts and visits to local senior homes are already planned.

The choir is delighted to have the leadership team of Rebecca Worden, director and Mary Lou Carroll, accompanist, return again this year. Music for the term has been chosen so all is ready to begin on September 12th at the Maberly Hall.

To join the Tay Valley Community Choir, register at the Tay Valley Township office or at www.tayvalleytwp.ca. Registration is $50 per session however Early Bird registration (by September 6) is $40 for the fall term or $75 for the fall and spring term. For further information, contact Rebecca Worden at 613-264-1458.

No audition is required. It is not essential to be able to read music though it is helpful. What is essential is to love to sing.

Kevin Fenner has a lot of experience in the roofing business. He worked in an industrial setting as the manager of a roofing company during boom years in Alberta, and after moving to Ontario 15 years ago he built a company with 25 employees that did roofing for homeowners and for home construction companies in the Perth and Carleton Place areas. In the last few years, however, he has narrowed his focus to residential roofing jobs, mainly replacement roofs on family homes and cottages in the Lanark County and Land O’Lakes regions.

He prices every job based on a site visit.

“Every house has its own individual character and technical challenges. For example, you might not want to put a metal roof on a older home that is not completely square because it wouldn’t look right, but western red shingles or architectural shingles might be a better option. Materials are only one factor that plays into a price. That’s why I have to physically look at each job.”

One of Fenner’s key concerns is with customer satisfaction, and a major component of his website, Landoflakesroofing.com is a long list of customer comments on the jobs that he has done in the past. A common theme is the professional look of the new roof and the lack of mess around the house once the job is done.

“We are not interested in compromise,” he said of his five-member crew, who work on only one job at a time. “We plan out all of our jobs; we stick with them once we start out, and we won’t tip garbage out into a farmer’s field at the end of the day.”

Roofing installation includes ensuring proper venting, ice and water seal in valleys, attention to skylights and other features, etc.

“One of the unfortunate things about the roofing industry is a lack of regulation,” said Kevin, “anyone can say they are a roofer, but it is a tough trade. It is physically demanding and you have to know what you are doing.”

One of the improvements that Fenner has seen in his long career has been improvements in the technology of materials, which means that new roofs, whether they are steel or shingle roofs, tend to last longer.

“In the past we didn’t have the synthetic underlays that we have now and the quality of other materials has gone up as well.”

Warranties reflect those changes. Architectural shingles, for example, come with a 50 year, transferable warranty. Land of Lakes roofing also provides a standard 5-year warranty on all labour.

“Our goal when we do a job is to foresee everything that needs to be done, use the right materials and do the job right, and then we hope never to hear from the customer again, except to hear they have recommended us to their neighbour,” he said.

Spring and summer are the optimum seasons for new roofs, and Land of Lakes roofing is booking work for the coming season now. They do about 100 roofs a year, with a 4-6 week waiting list for construction.

For a free consultation, contact Kevin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On May 22, 2016, Silver Lake Wesleyan Camp formally dedicated their new water-slide. As if summer camp wasn't already fun enough! The dedication event was a great success, with well over 200 people from the community near and far coming to commit this slide to the glory of God. The slide is 120 ft. long and can be seen on the beach-front across the lake from Highway 7. All are invited to come up to the camp this summer to enjoy the slide and the grounds. The slide will be open on a schedule during the summer. Please call the camp before going to confirm when the beach and the slide will be open.

An abandoned old car sits in a field. Not an unusual sight on a back road in Lanark County, or anywhere else in Eastern Ontario.

Did someone try and fix it up but then give up when they could not get parts? It's an old car, a white 70s era Cadillac, a beauty in its day but now it sits, waiting to be swallowed up by grass and brush like so many other relics of the past.

But this is no ordinary Cadillac. It is an art installation, one of six new pieces in the open-air art gallery that is Fieldwork, located on Old Brooke Road just east of Maberly.

The gallery, which is located in a field and the surrounding woods, features pieces that are created each year. In addition to the new pieces, older pieces remain for years, sometimes deteriorating as the weather takes its toll. In one way or another, they respond to or reflect the landscape that surrounds them.

The Cadillac is called Dreamcar. It is not really abandoned, although it is a 40-year-old car that was purchased and driven to the site by artist, Marco D'Andrea. It is outfitted with a sound system that is triggered by the approach of a person. The car is meant to be experienced from inside, as the viewer settles into the car, listening to ambient tones and watching the landscape.

Dreamcar is not the only new piece that turns the idea of things left behind on itself. Jolie Bird's What's Around Me is a series of shiny, golden objects strewn about a small clump of trees. The gold is thread tightly sewn around an empty can, a rock, and other objects, bringing value to things that are normally tossed aside.

Land/Mark, by artist-poet Chris Turnbull, is a rock at the edge of a field, tainted by graffitti. But the piece is really a comment on the meaning of text. The words are: “You are th erratic is”. One of the intentions of the piece is to stimulate the viewer to think about the physicality of words, whether they are on paper, on a screen, or on rocks and structures in the modern landscape. It is not intentional, but a wooden sign with the word “Private” painted on it to mark off the edge of the public portion of the field is located next to the Land/Mark.

Ways, by Janina Meidzick, are wrapped billboards, flanking the outhouse on the site, appearing as if they are in between uses. The old message has been cleared out and the billboard is covered, waiting for a new message to be created.

Tripods, a piece by the RSSY Collective (Jerrard and Diana Smith, Gayle Young and Reinhard Reitzenstein), makes use of the breadth of the field. It features a large wooden tripod at one end, with a plumb line using an old axe to hold a straight line at the very centre of the space, a long tapered rule at the other end, and a screen with fabric representing a map in the middle. Tripods symbolises the way land was divided up when settlers arrived in this country, so it also makes reference to the 200th anniversary of Tay Valley Township, as the ways land was divided in that era remain in place to this day.

The final piece in the show was made during a field trip by students at the Brooke Valley School. The students used natural materials, under supervision from parents at the school, to create a circular maze, a play structure of sorts at the edge of the field. The piece is called Nowspot, and it is similar to the things kids have built at the edges of fields for generations, perhaps centuries - out of sight of parents, who were engaged in the struggle to survive. It has a rough beauty, a fairy-like quality. Kids were playing in it on the opening day of the Fieldwork season, as they will over time, until it too, deteriorates and melds into the landscape, just like all other structures do.

Fieldwork is open for visitors at any time during the summer. It is located at 2501 Old Brooke Road on the property where the project’s founder, potter Susie Osler lives with her partner and co-conspirator, Cam Gray.

Fieldwork is run by a collective of artists. Later this summer, two events are planned in collaboration with the Ottawa Writers Festival. On August 21, at 3pm, a reading will take place in the loft of the barn near the site featuring work created on that weekend by a number of invited writers. Finally, on Saturday, September 24, starting at 2pm, regionally known storytellers will be featured in Storyworks: Tales Rooted in the Land.

For tickets and information about both events, go to Fieldworkproject.com.

On April 23, the Blue Skies Fiddle Orchestra (BSFO) Jam-a-thon took place at the Maberly Hall. This year's Jam-a-thon, which was a fundraiser for the orchestra, also celebrated Tay Valley Township's 200th anniversary of the Perth Military Settlement.

The all-afternoon acoustic jam circle featured an array of soloists, trios and groups sharing songs with a community of joyful musicians and listeners.

The day began with Gary's lively play-along tunes. The hall was abuzz with the sounds of all kinds of instruments, including the fiddle, bass, mandolin, cello, and ukulele.

Next, the beginner and intermediate groups showcased their well-rehearsed sets of reels, jigs and hornpipes.

Shortly after, the Unspoken Rests, a youth ensemble group representing the BSFO, played their signature set of tunes, featuring their own arrangements and ending with a rock n' roll, foot-stomping tune by Gordon Stobbe.

The Fiddlers Guild then performed their dynamic sets of tunes, some of which were accompanied by entertaining narratives.

To follow, the Long Sault Trio shared their music, which consisted of original and traditional tunes, and ended with a captivating, new vocal number.

The Classical Group brought a new angle of music to the Jam-a-thon and many people were raring to play along and join the fun.

The pie auction was a massive success. Eager pie-buyers helped raise over $300 on the auction alone.

At the end of the afternoon, the over 50-member Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra performed their polished set-list of tunes including bluegrass, Scottish, and Cape Breton tunes.

With the help of sponsors and the community, over $3000 was raised from the Jam-a-thon. The jam was a great turnout and for sure a huge success for the BSFO.

On April 16, music lovers were treated to a concert celebrating 200 years of history in Tay Valley. The concert, titled “Tay Valley 200th: A Song Celebration”, was performed by the Tay Valley Community Choir at the Maberly Hall. It blended a chronological historical narrative read by individual members of the choir, and each section was accented by a musical number suited to the particular period.

In her opening remarks to the capacity crowd, choir director, Rebecca Worden, thanked those who contributed to the narratives, including Maureen Bostock, the Irish Times, Diary of Rev. William Bell, Bud Van Alstine, Emily Weaver, and Kay Rogers. Rogers spoke about the book she put together to mark the historic 200th anniversary event.

The narrative began with the area's pre-colonial history, describing the over 5,000 years that Algonquin people inhabited the land. At the time of European contact in 1603, the Algonquins numbered approximately 6000. Today, they number 11,000 and are spread across multiple First Nations in Quebec and Ontario. The choir's first song, “Colours of the Wind”, honoured the Algonquin people, past and present, and showcased the choir's impeccable four-part harmonies under the confident direction of Worden.

Mary Lou Carroll proved she is a more than capable piano accompanist, and her impressive intros helped set the bar in many of the songs the choir performed.

The narrative moved through various time periods and places, including across the Atlantic, to Scotland in the early 1800s. The choir honoured those first settlers with their sing-along tune, “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.” The Scottish Insurrection that occurred in Scotland at the end of the Napoleonic War of 1815 due to a depressed economy was recognized with the tune “A Wee Deoch and Doris.”

Ireland also experienced hardships during the same time period. Irish Catholic emigration to Canada attracted farmers, many of whom settled in the area and brought songs like the still popular “Molly Malone”, another festive sing-along tune at the show.

Settlement in Lanark County began in 1815, and the tune “Flying Free” paid homage to the Scottish highlanders, who accepted the free passage and 100 acres of land offered to them. The perilous crossing was highlighted with the modern tune, “Skyfall”, aimed to demonstrate the difficulty of the passage across the ocean as experienced by many immigrants.

The concert continued with Natalie Reynolds on piano and Lukas Reynolds on fiddle, opening up the second half with their highly polished medleys. The sets included many popular Scottish, Irish and English favorites like High Road to Linton, The Fairies of Montecello, and St. Anne's Reel. The duo showed how traditional music from the area's first European settlers continues to inspire musicians of all ages in the township today.

The choir's songs and narrative continued with tunes like “Here Comes the Sun” and “Land of the Silver Birch”, the latter relating to the help the first settlers received from the Algonquins as they tried to survive their first winter.

“The Log Driver's Waltz” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” were also woven into the historical narrative, and the effect of words and song together made a great impact on the listeners.

Audience members not only left with a better understanding of the history of Tay Valley, but also with a greater appreciation for the choir, who did a marvelous job relating the wide range of emotions that the 200-year history of Tay Valley can evoke.