OCTOBER 2024 by Apsley Backroads Magazine

andThanksgiving Halloween

Women in North Kawartha Victoria Readings, Clearwing Eco Gardening Season of Change for

Simpler Time on the Farm, Sharon Misener

T h i s i s f r e e m o n t h l y publiction. Copies re distributed by Cnd Post nd for locl pickup from Lkeﬁeld to Bncroft, Pudsh, Crdiff nd Coe Hill reion includin ll of the Apsley re.

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“The ﬁnl dte to submit ds, rticles nd stories for ech monthly issue is the ﬁfteenth of the month prior (or sooner!)”

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From The Editor’s Desk

Crisp early morning air, sweet spicy smell of cinnamon - oh YEAH...I LOVE Fall time. It’s also a time of year that all the strong trees around us, remind us how magiﬁcent it is to “LET GO”.

The Apsley Backroads is going to see it’s BIGGEST transformation in almost ten years and as necessary and exciting as it is, change can be terrifying! I’m letting go of a business model that worked for the ﬁrst 9 years of the magazine and taking a committed leap into something that will see this magazine through the next 9 years. It’s a huge pivot and without the support of this amazing community I know I wouldn’t have had the courage to “jump”.

COUNCIL’S CORNER

Please visit for all things www.northkawartha.ca municipalinNorthKawartha. Ifyouwouldliketoreceive regular municipal updates you may also subscribe to North Kawartha's email alerts via the website as well. If you would like to watch the Council meengs, please subscribe to the Township’s YouTube Channel. For those of you that are acve on social media please follow me @MayorAmyoe. It is my intent to share posive, factual and mely informaon about issues, events and happenings that impact our community and residents. To contact me directly, my phone number is (705)931-1342andmyemailismayor@northkawartha.ca.

• Council heard several public delegaons regarding the FR 52A boat launch on Jack Lake

• We received an update from MPAC on property assessments and taxaon systems

• Council supported in principle the County of Peterborough’s Road Raonalizaon policy

• We approved the purchase for a plan of survey for the 65 acre township property located on Balmer Road

• Council appointed Ma Aldom as our new Chief Building Oﬃcial

• We authorized staﬀ to begin the work of creang addional oﬃce and work space in the lower level building and planning department

• Council acknowledged the signiﬁcant in-kind contribuons made in support of the annual Creekside Music Fesval

Here’s what’s coming up in October…

Oct 1, 2024- Regular Meeng of Council

Oct 8, 2024- Short term Rental Advisory Commiee

Oct 15, 2024- Regular Meeng of Council

Oct 22, 2024- Regular Meeng of the Library Board

Oct 30, 2024- Capital Forecast Meeng of Council

By Sharon Misener, Bancroft, ON

Life in the 60's,

A Simpler Time on the Farm

In the 1960s many small farms doed the lands of Ontario. “Ma and Pa operaons” with 100-200 acres of land with 20-40 holstein cows, sending milk to the local dairy. As me went on the farmers rered and the farms were turned into hobby farms or swallowed up bythebigfarmsoftoday.

I grew upon on a dairy farm in Fenwick, Ontario, was an only child. My maternal grandparents lived two miles downtheroadinBoyle.

A typical day on the farm, my dad was up at 7 a.m, went to the barn to milk the cows. He came into the house at 9a.m. to have breakfast. His favorite cereal was puﬀed wheatwithagoodstrongperkedcoﬀeefromA&P. We had holstein cows about 40 along with pigs, chickens and sheep. We sent milk to Sunnyside Dairy in Welland. Had a big bulk tank to keep the milk cool, a truck picked up the milk daily. My mother washed the

milkingmachines,themilkhousehadtobeclean. Aer school I came home, and read the Hamilton SpectatorNewspaperthenmademywaytothebarnto feed the cows. They ate chop, silege and hay. I also fed thepigsandcalves.

We came into the house and had supper that my mother had prepared. Usually meat, potatoes, vegetables and cake or cookies for dessert. Aer supper my dad went to the barn to milk the cows. He usuallygotbacktothehouseabout9p.m.

Myself, I played the piano and did homework, aer which I watched a bit of TV unl 10P.M. (which was the usualbedme).

My mother grew a big garden, had potatoes, usually enough to last the winter. Also planted tomatoes,

onions, radish, cucumber, pumpkin, cabbage leuce and peppers to name a few We also grew raspberries apples, pears, quince and she alwayscanned5bushelsofpeacheseachyear.

In the yard we had lilacs, rhubarb, and willow trees. My mother planted pinkpetunias,herfavorite,alsowindowboxesofcolorfulﬂowers.

We had a hammock in the yard, tables and chairs with ﬂowers all around.Manyolderevergreentreesgrewaswell.

In many ways we were self-suﬃcient. We butchered a cow to have frozen and canned meat. My mother also froze and canned vegetables andfruits.ManyweekendsIwouldbakecookiesandfreezethem.

I went to a one-room school at Boyle, we had grades 1-6, with one teacher For grades 7-8 I went to Wellandport and for high school Pelham High in Fenwick. At Boyle we had one teacher who seemed to control the classroom. We had special events at Christmas. I played the piano. We had a concert and a play where the community could aend.

Valennes Day we had special treats gave each other valennes. One year we brought our skates and skated on the neighbor’s pond.. There wasaﬁelddayinWellandport.Weboardedabusandparcipatedinthe ﬁelddayevents.

We had a lile library, I remember reading all of the Nancy Drew books.

Weplayedmarbles,skiprope,Simonsays,andbaseball.

During the summer I worked on the farm, drove the tractor for haying, baled hay and stocked it. I also sewed my mother shi dresses for summerandmadeclothesformyself.Ialsomowedthegrassallsummer whichtook3hourstomow

I had a dog names Petunia, she would fetch the cows from the ﬁeld. I remember a me when the cows crossed the bridge over the Welland Riverandacowdecidedtoswimacrosstheriver,Iheldmybreath.

I had a swing near the Boyle Road and watched the traﬃc on Hwy 57. I spentmanyhourscontemplanglifeontheswing.

On a Sunday aernoon my dad might take a drive around the countryside. When I was 16 I got my drivers licence. The bridge was out betweenoutfarmssoIhadtodrivebalesofhayaroundthefarms.

One year m dad gave me a calf—a hereford, I called her Morcia. Then onedaymydadsoldher Iwassosad.

At the end of the summer my dad ask what I wanted, I said I wanted a typewriter. I had the typewriter for years and wrote many stories. One yearmydadmademeabookcase,whichIsllhavetoday Christmas on the farm was a special me. My dad would go to the bush and cut down a tree and my mother would put it in the livingroom and decorate it with lights and nsel. I would help her decorate too. My parents never traded Christmas gis. Myself I received three gis, stuffed animals, clothes and dolls. We would have my maternal grandparents for Christmas dinner. My mother made dark Christmas cake. She cooked and stuffed a turkey along with potatoes, vegetables and salad. Dessert was jello and whipped cream. I wrote leers to santa in Buffalo, NY, sll have his photo. My mother sent many cards and receivedmanyinreturn.

The MIGHTY PUMPKIN

By Denise Dunford

Pumpkin Spice Lae

Ingredients

1/2 cup strong hot coﬀee or 2 shots

espresso 2 cups milk of choice, dairy or non-dairy

2 TBSP pumpkin puree, or more to taste

1 t a b l e s p o o n

sugarormaplesyrup,ormoretotaste

1tablespoonvanillaextract

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus moreforserving

Whippedcream,oponalforserving Direcons

1 Add milk, pumpkin puree, and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly heatthemilkunlhot,butdonotboil.

2Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and the coﬀee or espresso. Taste andadjustwithmoresugarorspices.

3Dividethemixturebetweentwomugs.

4Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle ofpumpkinpiespice.

Pumpkin Spice

Cookie Sandwiches

Ingredients

1cupunsaltedbuer,melted

1cupbrownsugar

3/4cupgranulatedsugar

1egg

2teaspoonsvanillaextract

1cuppurepumpkin

21/2cupsall-purposeﬂour

11/2teaspooncinnamon

11/2teaspoonpumpkinpiespice

1teaspoonbakingsoda

1/2teaspoonsalt

PumpkinSpiceBuercream

1/2 cup unsalted buer, room

temperature

1/4cupcreamcheese,chilled

21/2cupspowderedsugar

1-2tablespoonsheavycream

3/4teaspoonpumpkinpiespice

1teaspoonvanillaextract

DireconsForthePumpkinSpiceCookies

Inamedium-sizedbowl,whisktogethertheflour,baking soda,salt,pumpkinpiespiceandcinnamon. Using a handheld or stand mixer fied with the paddle aachment, beat the buer and sugars together on high speedunllightandfluffy.About2minutes.

Next, add the egg, vanilla extract and pure pumpkin scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix unl everything is just combined.Letthecookiedoughchillinthefridgeforonehour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone bakingmats.

Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), scoop balls of dough and place them onto prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Flaen balls of dough with the boom of a glass or thepalmofyourhand. Bakeforabout12-15minutes.

Letcookiescooloncookiesheetforabout5minutesbeforetransferringtowirewrack.

ForthePumpkinSpiceBuercream

Using a handheld or stand mixer ﬁed with the paddle aachment, beat the buer and creamcheesetogetherunlsmooth.

Reducemixerspeedtolowandaddpowderedsugaronecupatame.Besuretomixonlow unlthebuerandsugararecompletelymixed.

Add the vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and heavy cream. Beat on high unl light and ﬂuﬀy About3-5minutes.

Assembly

Pipe swirls of buercream onto the boom of half of the cookies. Sandwich the remaining cookiesontop!

Instrucons

Ingredients

1.2 kg / 2.4 lb pumpkin (any type) OR buernut squash, unpeeled weight

1 onion , sliced (white, brown, yellow)

2 garlic cloves , peeled whole

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth/stock , low sodium

1 cup water. Salt and pepper

Finishes: 1/2 – 3/4 cup cream , half and half or milk (Note 2)

Cut the pumpkin into 3cm / 2.25" slices. Cut the skin oﬀ and scrape seeds out. Cut into 4cm / 1.5" chunks.

Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic, broth and water in a pot – liquid won't quite cover all the pumpkin. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and let simmer rapidly unl pumpkin is tender (check with buer knife) – about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and use a sck blender to blend unl smooth

Season to taste with salt and pepper, sr through cream (never boil soup aer adding cream, cream will split).

Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle over a bit of cream, sprinkle with pepper and parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread!

Recipe Notes:

Cream – cream will add a layer of richness, but it is truly sll delicious even made without – I oen make it with just milk. To add a rich ﬁnish, I somemes sr through a bit of buer instead!

Pureeing – you can use a blender BUT you must make sure that the soup is cooled slightly before blending it, otherwise you will ﬁnd out the hard way that hot soup + blender = soup explosion (literally, the lid will blow oﬀ the blender when you start blending it).

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

ABC SENIORS

Contributed by Maaike

Berg-Nonnekes

“Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were the big things!” (Robert Brault)

October hosts Thanksgiving Day which may include leaf raking, harvesting, closing the cottage and a family dinner gathering. Even though our more traditional Thanksgiving food choices have been inﬂuenced by the Americans, introducing squash, pumpkins and turkey in the 1750’s, Canada has its own Thanksgiving history, separate from our southern neighbours.

First Nations across Turtle Island have long ago had Thanksgiving traditions for surviving the winter and for securing sufﬁcient crops and game. These included feasts, dances, pot latches and ceremonies. The ABC Seniors were fortunate to have experienced the Curve Lake Pow Wow ceremony in late September.

The arrival of Europeans begins in 1578 with Frobisher and crew giving thanks and celebrating for their safe arrival in NewFoundland. This seems to be accepted as the ﬁrst Canadian Thanksgiving.

Not much later in 1606, the inhabitants of New France had huge feasts of thanksgiving with the Mi’kmaq. Champlain recognized the beneﬁts of these meals, especially the serving of cranberries which are high in vitamin C to prevent scurvy. He initiated the ‘Order of Good Cheer’ so feasts were

organized every few weeks. I think that they had the right idea - a weekly Tuesday shared meal at Seniors feeds many in a variety of ways. There is good food and a pleasant, supportive social network which can only boost the mood and give a sense of belonging and well-being.

The research suggests that intentionally keeping a gratitude journal or being able to list three things daily that you are thankful for can help to reduce anxiety, bring happiness, social connections and boost the immune system! Gratitude is a powerful human emotion. Thank you to the ABC Seniors Board! The weekly meals are appreciated, the craft afternoons are lively and the trips/excursions are enjoyed! Thanks to the many volunteers who assist with the lunch planning and preparation, the serving and the cleanup. Many thanks to those who set up, others who bring out the games and the members who make folks feel welcome. Thanks!

“Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life.“ (Rumi)

Don’t forget to visit our Annual Bazaar on November 2 at NKCC!

Anstruther-Burleigh-Chandos (ABC) SENIORS

Jim Alexander Sales Representative

613-202-1495 (cell) jim@teamalexander.ca

VIEW FROM THE CABIN

by Rick de Haan

As a Stillness Descends

A long day on the water slowly comes to a close. A quick paddle on the lake reveals the stunning colours of the setting sun. Like a mirror, the calm water reﬂects the sky and doubles the magic of the moment – a moment to be treasured, for soon it will be swallowed by the gloom of night.

With enough firewood to last till morning, a cozy camp rests snugly under the towering pines. The warm glow of the campfire looks inviting in t h e w a n i n g l i g h t . W i s p s o f woodsmoke drift lazily through the treetops and out over the quiet lake. Later, the fire snaps and pops in a cadence of its own design. Sparks rise to the treetops to welcome the

Roz Jones Sales Representative 905-259-6687 (cell) roz@teamalexander.ca

wakening stars. Mesmerizing ﬂames devour the crackling wood, ﬁlling the air with the sweet scent of burning pine.

A stillness descends as the light fades. The tranquility is soothing to the soul and calms a busy mind. This stillness ﬁlls but a short span of time, and is easily missed. After the creatures of the day settle for the night, nature pauses and waits expectantly for the creatures of the night to awaken from the slumber of day. Then, at an appointed time known only by God Himself, the sounds of nocturne begin to rouse the mystery of night.

The startling cry of a loon, and the clear, repetitive calls of a whip-poor-will begin to serenade the darkened lake. The soft scrabble of tiny claws in the woods just beyond the ﬁrelight reveal the whereabouts of a ﬂying squirrel as it prepares to glide to a more promising tree.

A pot of water is hung over the ﬁre to boil. A mug of hot tea will stave off the damp cold that slowly seeps into bones weary from travel.

Land and sky, as big and endless beyond all comprehension, has now been reduced to a small circle of ﬂickering light. It evokes a feeling of detachment from another world – a world rife with clamour and confusion, which is now but a distant memory.

The rising of a brilliant moon over one of the far hills softens the harsh ﬁnality of night. It is a welcome visitor as its saffron glow shimmers in gentle undulations on the lake's surface.

The small campﬁre is now the central focus in this mysterious world of darkness. It is a place of warmth and comfort that lasts deep into the night.

Then, with the closing of the eyes, rational thoughts slowly give way to capricious dreams as the sleeping mind replays the adventures of the day.

Author's Note: While painting this scene, I found myself transported into its very essence. The more it developed, the more I was emotionally drawn into the spirit of this peaceful place. As is often the case after ﬁnishing a painting, I was led to write a small story about it — essentially a collection of ramblingthoughtsandfeelings.

The unusual sky was actually one that I photographed during our stay at a cottage near Algonquin Provincial Park. The lake, trees, and cozy camp were painted from recollections of canoe trips past. Memories of sitting by a crackling fire listening to the night sounds, came flooding backwhenIfinishedthispainting.

I remember a time many years ago, just as it got dark, two bobcats, or lynx (hard to tell which), began caterwauling in some type of territorial dispute just across the lake. It sounded like they were tearing each other apart! So much for nice quiet night sounds. I put a few extra chunks of wood on theﬁreafterthat.

PETERBOROUGH COUNTY OPP

By Provincial Constable Dan Gay, Community Safety/Media Oﬃcer

Halloween Safety Tips

As Halloween approaches, Peterborough County OPP wants to remind residents to stay safe while enjoying this spooky season. With the excitement of Trick or Treang, it’s easy to forget about safety, but as the days grow shorter and it gets darker earlier, taking a few precauons can ensure that everyone has a safe and fun Halloween.

Here are some safety ps for children, parents, and drivers to keep in mind this Halloweenseason:

TrickorTreangSafetyTipsforChildren: Halloween is a me for fun, but children need to be extra careful when out Trick or Treang. Whether you’re a ghost, goblin, or superhero, these ps will help keep you safe:

1. Be Visible: As it gets dark earlier, it’s essenalforchildrentobeeasilyseenby motorists Wear costumes with bright colors, reﬂecve tape, or carry glow scks and ﬂashlights to help make yourself visible.

2. Stay in Groups: Always Trick or Treat in groups or with a trusted adult. Make sure to stay together, especially when crossing streets.There’ssafetyinnumbers.

3 Stay on Sidewalks: When Trick or Treang, where possible, sck to sidewalks and well- lit streets. Avoid walking in the road, and always use crosswalks or interseconstocross thestreet.Lookbothwaysbeforecrossing.

4. Don’t Enter Strangers; Homes: Even if someone invites you in, never enter the home of someone you don’t know Stay outside on the doorstep and always let your parents or guardians know where you’regoing.

5. Examine Treats Before Eang: Parents shouldalwayschecktheirchildren’scandy before it’s consumed. Discard any opened orsuspicious-lookingpackages.

6. Sck to Familiar Areas: Stay within your neighborhoodandavoiddarkorunfamiliar areas. Plan your route in advance, and if possible,tellatrustedadultwhereyou’re going.

GeneralSafetyTipsforParents:

1. Supervise Younger Children: Young children should always be accompanied by an adult. Even in familiar neighborhoods, accidents can happen, so it’s important to keep a closewatchonthem.

2. Teach Street Safety: Remind children to look both ways before crossing the street andonlytocrossatdesignatedcrosswalks.Bemindfuloftraﬃcanddistracteddrivers.

3. Plan a Safe Route: Before heading out, plan a route that’s familiar and safe. Ensure that therouteincludeswell-litstreetsandavoidsbusyinterseconsordarkalleys.

4. Costume Safety: Make sure costumes are the right size to avoid tripping hazards. Avoid masks that obstruct vision and ensure any accessories like swords or wands are so and ﬂexibletopreventinjury.

5.SetaCurfew:ForolderchildrenwhomaybeTrickorTreangwithfriends,setacurfew toensuretheyreturnhomeatareasonableme.

SafetyTipsforDrivers:

DriversalsoneedtoexerciseextracauononHalloweennight.Withsomanychildrenout andabout,beingvigilantiscrucial.

1.SlowDown:Driveslowlyinresidenalneighborhoods,especiallyinareaswhereTrick orTreatersarelikelytobepresent.Childrencanbeunpredictable,andit’simportantto haveenoughmetostopifsomeonedartsintothestreet.

2.StayAlert:Beonthelookoutforchildrenwalkingonthesidewalks,medians,orstreets. Beespeciallycarefulwhenenteringorexingdriveways.

3. Turn on Your Headlights Early: With the days geng shorter, it’s a good idea to turn on yourheadlightsearlierthanusualtoimprovevisibility.

4. Avoid Distracons: Stay focused on the road. Avoid using your phone or other distraconsthatcantakeyouraenonawayfromdriving.

GeneralSafetyintheDarkerMonths: With the clocks set to turn back soon, the Peterborough County OPP wants to remind everyone that it’s important to adjust to the changing light condions. Here are a few ps forstayingsafeasweheadintothedarkermonths:

1.WearReflecveGear:Whetheryou’reoutforawalkorcycling,wearreflecveclothing and carry a flashlight to ensure you’re visible to drivers.

2. Be Cauous While

Driving: As the sun sets earlier, driving condions c a n b e c o m e m o r e challenging. Stay alert and adjust your driving habits to matchthereducedvisibility.

3 Install Proper Lighng Around Your Home: Make sure that outdoor lights are working properly and c o n s i d e r i n s t a l l i n g addional lighng to keep pathways and driveways illuminated.

By following these ps and remaining aware of your surroundings, Halloween can be a safe and enjoyable me for everyone The Peterborough County OPP wishes all residents a happy, fun,& safeHalloween!

LIONS COMMUNITY REPORT

by Jim Empringham, \ Apsley and District Lions Club

A beautiful fall is upon us and our world is full of amazing colours. This time of year really shows the range of beauty and activities that can be enjoyed in our area.

Our Club was at the Creekside Music Festival selling 50/50 tickets on the Sept 6th. Despite very rainy conditions those attending showed great generosity, generating a winner’s pot of $650. Congratulations to Bev Rodgers of Apsley who had the winning ticket.

Fall euchre will continue on October 16 at 7:00 pm at the NKCC. Admission is $2. Euchre nights are always the third Wednesday of each month. Come on out and enjoy a fun night with friends new and old.

Its hard to imagine, but the Santa Claus Parade and Children’s Christmas Party are just around the corner. This fun community activity will be on Saturday, November 30. The parade begins at the school at 2:00 pm with the children’s party following, after the parade and Santa arrive at NKCC. There will be gifts for children age 10 and under. We welcome and encourage any individuals, groups and businesses to be involved in the parade. If you, your group or business want to take part please contact Brenda Lenson at 705-656-9254. In the recent past we have had some community members generously support this event ﬁnancially. If you would like to be a partner, we welcome your participation, The Lions Park revitalization is continuing. Pending estimates, the creation of the new soccer ﬁeld will go forward this fall. We look forward to it being ready for the spring. The new Lions Park signs are installed, making a welcome entry to the park from McFadden Rd.

We look forward to welcoming new members to our Club and joining us in the fun of s e r v i c e t o o u r community. If you have an interest in becoming a member please contact our Membership Chair, Una Warner at 1-613-334-9867. The fellowship and learning that comes from working together to make a difference enrich those involved. Feel free to ask any Lions member what we are all about.

THINK TURTLE CONSERVATION

by Kelly Wallace

Helping

Turtles in Autumn

Autumn is a busy me for the turtles. Did you know that turtles start moving to their winter habitat in September? Did you know turtle hatchlings can connue to hatch even in October? Some hatchlings will emerge to go to water; others will remain in the nest unl next springifitistoocoldtomoveorswimwell since environmental temperatures regulatetheirbodytemperatures. Our role in protecng turtle nests is crucial. It's of utmost importance to respect the natural process of turtle nests. If a nest has passed the 90-day incubaon period, refrain from digging it up. Remember, it's illegal to move eggs or hatchlings without a Ministry of Natural Re s o u r c e s & F o r e s t r y p e r m i t . Prematurely assisng hatchlings out of the nest can be detrimental. These lile ones may sll be absorbing their yolk sacs.Hatchlingscanemergefromnestsas late as Thanksgiving or even later Your paence and respect can signiﬁcantly impacttheirsurvival.

Overwintering: If you are wondering why the turtle nest you have been so aenve to has not hatched, it might be because the hatchlings have chosen to overwinter. This means the turtle hatchlings emerged from their egg but remained in the nest chamber for their ﬁrst winter. This behavior is more typical of Painted, Map, and Blanding's turtles, but other turtle hatchling species, such as Snapping turtles, will also resort to this survival

tacc. The success rate will vary due to the nesng depth and climate, and some turtle species are less resilient under such condions. Overwintering brings hope for manylileturtlesinthespringtolookforwardto.

Nest Failures: It is unfortunate, but each year, despite the aenve eﬀorts put into protecng turtle nests and monitoring them, there can be some nest failures. This can be due to the eggs not being ferlized, the locaon or environmental challenges that prevent development, or improper nest protecon (e.g., plasc crate/wooden palee) that prevents the nest from geng enough sun, air circulaon, or moisture. It is always important to remember that the nest is a living, breathing enty that has speciﬁc requirements that must be met to survive the incubaon period. Wood frame nest protectors are preferred for people looking to protect a turtle nest on theirproperty

Unexpected Nests: While it's not always possible to know if there is a turtle nest on your property, there are mes when people find a clutch of overwintering hatchlings in their garden, mulch, or topsoil piles when winterizing gardens or doing yard maintenance. Turtles love so, loose, warm substrates to lay their eggs. Disturbing overwintering hatchlings can accidentally interfere with their intended winter dormancy and put hatchlings at risk. If this happens, well-intenoned turtle 'rescuers' are asked to immediately call the Ontario Turtle Conservaon Centre, home of Ontario's Turtle Hospital (OTCC), at 705-741-5000. The OTCC is a key resourceforturtleconservaon.Itprovidesmedicalcareat'no'chargeandhasturtle taxivolunteerstoassistwithtransportaonifyoucannot drivetheturtletotheOTCC or the nearest first responder. The OTCC has moved to its new locaon at 2785 Television Road, north of Parkhill Road, Duro-Dummer (Peterborough). When you phone to report an injured turtle, disturbed nest, or hatchlings, the Turtle Taxi hotline staff will walk you through what you must do. For more informaon about theOTCCandtheirnewlocaon,visittheirwebsiteathp://www.ontarioturtle.ca.

Once overwintering turtle hatchlings are disturbed, there is no guarantee they will sele back in for the winter This could cause them to exit the nest prematurely and be vulnerable to cold weather exposure, mishaps, or predators. It's important to be cauousandawareoftheserisks.

Nest Protectors (End of Season): Nest protectors are structures designed to protect turtle nests from predators and environmental factors. If a turtle nest you protected with a wood frame nest protector has yet to hatch by the end of October, we recommend removing it and marking it. We use golf tees to reference the four corners where the nest protector was installed. The colored golf tees can be pushed into the ground ﬂush with the surface so the nest protector can be easily reinstalled in the spring. Nest protectors le in place once covered by snow run the risk of encounters with snowplows and snowmobiles This could harm the vehicle operators and hatchlings. Whether you remove the nest protector or leave it in place, check on the nest site during the winter if there are any warm weather spells and thawing. When spring sets in, and the ground is again exposed and subjected to the sun's warmth, the hatchlings should emerge from April to early June. Be sure the hatchlingexitdoorsareunobstructed.

Turtles On The Move (End of Season): As the daylight hours and temperatures change through October and the seasonal shi from autumn to winter approaches, the turtles will journey to their winter habitat. Some will have a short journey, while others will travel longer distances. During these travels, there's always a risk of crossing roads. This is a dangerous me for turtles. Please remind everyone in your household and visitors to be vigilant and mindful of the turtles and other wildlife with which we share the roads and trails. Together, our acons can help protect Ontario's wildlife. If you have turtle-related quesons or concerns, call or text Think Turtle Conservaon Iniave at 647-606-9537, e-mail thinkturtle@yahoo.com, visit thewebsiteathp://www.thinkturtle.ca,orfollowusonFacebook.

By Winston E Ralph, Bancroft, ON

POEMS By WINSTON Hurricane Hazel

In mid Oct ‘54 hurricane Hazel hit Ontario

Leaving a lot of destruction death and woe

It caused carnage before our border it did cause

Taking many lives and some didn’t know their loss

Toronto was a small city of a lot of small towns

As folks went to bed the rain poured down

Our chances of a hurricane is only one percent

So was it from Hell that Hazel was sent

Some said it would hit a mountain and go out to sea

But when Hazel arrived it sure wasn’t to be

The huge storm created harm as the water did rise

To their waist and higher a sight for sore eyes

Homes were built by the river on Raymore Drive

Then in the ﬂood some felt will we get out alive

Folks slept and dam broke ﬂooding a trailer park

A earthen dam won’t protect what a lark

Houses ﬂoated away others had water in the foundation

And people rushed to help there from across the nation

As the water rose people climbed into a tree

While some said rescue them then come to me

A ﬁre truck came on that bad stormy night

But was swept away what a terrible sight

A train derailment near Markham by a washout on the line

Then it headed north giving Holland Marsh a hard time

Small planes were tossed around but gave no lip

And streetcars ﬂoated in the Humber like a little chip

As usual looters were out to see what they could take

But isn’t this a time we should give folks a break

Hazel caused 25 million in damage some said not much

While today that would be 250 million or such

People pumped basements ﬁxed fences and in life moved on

After 70 years most survivors are now gone

As the storm left Toronto the carnage was less

Are country folks closer to God so he does bless

There was damage here some barn roofs blew in

Yes God will speak louder next time about our sin

APSLEY FIREFLY BAND

by Judith Manary

A Night to Remember

Ancipang the 20th Anniversary of the Apsley Fireﬂy Band, it was decided to do a dinner/concert at the North Kawartha Community Centre one more me. Much thanks to Gord Thompson and Murray Carr who have conducted and encouraged us for many years was set, volunteers lined up, the music was ready and the band raringtobeginrehearsing.

During this Anniversary year, we wanted to pay tribute to Joe MacNab and Sandy Zimmerman who founded the band,andformerbandmemberswhoinslledinusalove of music, a desire to learn to play and to keep this band acve with the ulmate goal of providing Big Band music here in North Kawartha. With the leadership of Gord Thompson and Murray Carr, who have conducted and encouraged us for many years, we connue to be a vibrant and growing band who enjoy each other’s companyasmuchasweallenjoyplayingourinstruments. On Thursday, August 15 th our dinner was prepared and served with the caring and careful hands of 7 students working at accumulang their Secondary School volunteer hour requirements. We couldn’t have asked for a beer group. Their parents and this community should beproudoftheyoungpeoplebeingnurturedhere.

Not to toot our own horns, but these are some of the comments received:

“I was so very impressed with the event you put on. It was fantasc. I saw how much eﬀort that you put into it. I had a really lovely me.

The band was great, the food equally great.”

…”It was fun to be part of the evening, watching the audience tapping their feet to familiar tunes with smiles on their faces. Well done Fireﬂy Band!! Thank you for sharing your proceeds with the Food Bank. We are very grateful for your support and thoughulness.”

The band, encouraged by hearing the audience parcipang and singing along,playedwithsuchenthusiasm,thatitturnedouttobeoneofourbest concerts yet! For the anniversary programme we selected pieces that our audiencesseemedtoenjoythebestovertheyears.Theseincluded:“easy” listening, swing, rock, Bohemian Rhapsody, songs from the hit series “Grease”, medleys of songs performed by Michael Jackson, Michael Buble, Chicago, The Beach Boys, Santana and thealwayspopularSweetCaroline.

The goal of this evening was to bring awareness to, and raise money for the North Kawartha Food Bank $720 00 was raised thanks to all who supported this event. Winners of the 50/50 draw were the Steves family from Wollaston Lake who generously giedtheirwin-fallbacktotheFoodBank.

Special thanks to Hunters, Kemps and Woody’s for selling ckets And to band members who helped set up, our son and his family, Laurie Bahen and Diane Rothney from the Food Bank all of whom pitched in when and where needed during the evening, to the constant and faithful photographer Jim O’SheaandlastbutdeﬁnitelynotleastTHANK YOU to everyone who came out to show their support for the Food Bank that provides such an important and needed service to those livinginourcommunity

EDITORS NOTE

Compiled from Facebook posts, by

Helena McMann

Season of Change

A good friend of mine recently referred to change, diﬃculty and mental health as Seasons - boy did that ever resonate with me! Seasons have a general me frame, somecanbelongerorshorterthanexpectedandwedon't queson it. We embrace each season for what it is: there is no fear because we are used to the diﬀerent climates everyfewmonthsandweadjust.

Fear only lies in the unknown - like when perhaps a tornado rolls in and causes an aermath beyond our control...its scary to trust the diﬃcult seasons because we don't know how long were gonna be in it - even though logic tells us “a joyful Spring is right around the corner” SomepeoplecallthatFaith:) So...with all that said it has come me that our magazine needs to THRIVE amongst the ever changing and strugglingworldofprintpublicaons-notjustsurvive. When I took the magazine over in 2022, I had my own personal “storm” going on behind the scenes (we bought the magazine in May and my 23 yr marriage abruptly ended three weeks later)...so my “stormy season” has lasted a while, and I am ﬁnally ready to launch the Backroadsintoit’sveryownseasonofabundance.

I'vebeenanentrepreneurallmylifeandIknowbusiness.I have also been a “one woman show” with this magazine (design, eding, Ad sales, bookkeeping, content creaon, socialmedia,distribuon,etcetc).

I only share this with you because in a small way, if I can inspire ONE person to get out of their comfort zone and ﬁnd 30 seconds of courage to create change - I PROMISE you...MAGICiswaingontheothersideofyourfear.

This magazine saved me...it was one of many things that gave me accountability and purpose these past couple of years, each and every month. Not producing a magazine (when my “storm” was raging behind the scenes) wasn’t an opon, because my heart couldn’t survive another failure.

without the stories contributed from our wiser generaon, the random strangers stopping me in the street, congratulang me on a great edion, the feedback and support of this community, not sure what would have happened. It has meant more to me than you know To say I am emoonally aached to these 28 pages of n e w s p r i n t i s a n understatement.

I don't take this change

lightly - I am ﬁercely dedicated to ensuring our magazine supports our community as much as it has supportedme.

These new things (print schedule, adversing packages and services oﬀered) are for many reasons. Firstly: no small business should EVER apologize for charging their worth. And just to be even more brutally honest between the inial investment of the magazine, a major rebrand, website, computer and design programs and more...I haven’t reallyseenapaychequein2years. Secondly, these changes are as much for the faithful adversers that carry the magazine revenue - less edions means more me for me to create an even beer hard copy magazine when it does print and I’ll ﬁnally be able to launch the social media presence I've been talking about for a year. This, in turn, helps turn your adversing dollars into revenue for your business with more exposure. A stronger business model also means I can hire somepartmehelptokeepthissquirrelbrainofmineontrack.

ChangeishardandIknowwearesmallcommunitythatlikesit’sroune. 4000 people each month for over 100 months have relied on the consistency of the Backroads showingup at their door- well I promise youthe magazine isn’t going anywhere - 8 mes a year you will sll get that moment we all crave - grabbing the magazine and seling into everything local. Many other print publicaons have been swallowed up to beast that isonlinetechnology.IwontletthathappentotheBackroads. We all face hard things and as Nightbirde said (see quote above) “you cant wait unl life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy”. For those that don't know this lady...she was an American Idol contestant baling cancer when she audioned. She lost her bale a short while later, but becameaninspiraontotheenrecountrywithherfaithdrivenposivity.

Let this magazine be your light, and your reason to smile through your diﬃcultseasons.

NEWADVERTISING PACKAGES & SERVICES OFFERED

Rates will be posted online (Nov 1st) will be printed in the December edition ofThe Backroads.

ADVERTISING OPTIONS:

• Yearly (8 editions plus online promotion)

• Monthly (Ads, community announcements,Advertorials, etc)

• 6 month premium Summer package.

SERVICES:

Ad design, editing, business consulting, oﬃce organization.

NEW PRINT SCHEDULE

MARCH

MAYthrough to OCTOBER

DECEMBER

OCTOBER 2024

EUCHRE, support of the Lions Club $2/pp 7:00pm,

PUMPKIN GIVEAWAY, in support of the Foodbank 11am-2pm NKCC, Sponsored by The Burton Group

Jack’s Lake Associaon, Annual General Meeng. Virtual

10th

BOOK CLUB 6:30pm

2nd, 9th, 16th

KIDS UKULELE 4 to 4:45pm

2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th

KNITERARY 3pm

HALLOWEEN

3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th (no club 31st)

AFTER SCHOOL KIDS CLUB 3:30pm 6-10yrs

3rd, 17th

UKULELE GROUP 6:30 - 8pm

20th to 26th (23rd Open House) CELEBRATING LIBRARIES

21st

Looking Ahead

NOV 2 Annual Seniors Bazaar

NOV 7 Hearing Health Care Clinic

NOV 11 Remembrance Day

NOV 16 Holiday Extravaganza

NOV 30 Christmas Parade and Childrens Christmas Party

What’s up WEEKLY...

COMFORT COOKING WORKSHOP 10am with Linda Paerson, of Bordertown Café. Cost $45 LOCATION WOODVIEW Library

24th

TEENS & TWEENS 3:15pm Games and Chips!

26th APSLEY GARDEN CLUB Seed Saving 2pm Enjoy some warm apple cider and apple pie

29th PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST 3:15pm

MONDAY WEDNESDAY TUESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

FALLPREVENTION

EXERCISE CLASS

10:00-11:00AM NKCC

DARTS 7:00pm Apsley LEGION

Adult Community

PICKLE BALL($2) 6pm to 9pm NKCC (not on Stat Holidays)

FALLPREVENTION

EXERCISE CLASS

10:00-11:00AM NKCC

PICKLE BALL 11:15am-2:00pm

CRAFT CLASS 2:00 pm-4:00 pm Seniors Club, NKCC

SHUFFLEBOARD 1:00 pm Apsley LEGION

KNITERARY 3:00pm to 4:30pm SHUFFLE BOARD CORNHOLE 10:30AM Then Lunch and EUCHRE/CANASTA (Hand & Foot) NKCC (ABC Seniors) TABLE TENNIS 7pm to 9 pm NKCC EUCHRE 7pm to 9pm WILSON PARK Community Centre PLAYGROUP 0-6yrs 10:00am-12:00pm NKCC

CANASTAHAND & FOOT OR DARTS 12:30 to 4pm WILSON PARK Community Centre KIDS CLUB 3:15pm NK LIBRARY

Adult Community PICKLE BALL($2) 6pm to 9pm NKCC 1st, 3rd, 5th Thurs DUPLICATE BRIDGE 1:00pm to 4:00pm NKCC MUSIC JAM Sessions 4pm Apsley LEGION

WOMEN OF NORTH KAWARTHA

by Helena McMann

The driving force and inspiration behind some of the most successful businesses’s, events and important roles, right here in our community. This column, launched March 2024, will feature one or more women, their stories and how they contribute to the very essence of why we Honour and acknowledge International Women’s Day.

VICTORIAREADINGS

Clearwing Eco Gardening

I had the pleasure of interviewing Victoria for this months column and we had been trying all summer to make it happen. As true hardworking business women, it was hard to nail down a me - well we ﬁnally did and it wasepic.

By the warm glow of her ﬁre pit, under her gazebo, surrounded by acres of blooming nave perennials, we had an authenc conversaon about running a business here in North Kawartha, her background, her dreams and goals. The sky turned dark aer a sunny day and it began to torrenal rain around us, but her huge smile and chill vibe kept the conversaon going with ease. I could listen to her passion about making a diﬀerence in ourcommunityandtheworldoflandscapingforhours...

Victoria and her husband, Jim, moved to the area permanently right near the beginning of the pandemic. She was compleng her studies, working for a garden centre, and experimenng in her own gardens at the me. An avid learner, with eight years of university and college training under her belt and ten years of horcultural experience, Victoria was ready to hit the ground running and make a name for herself Two things serendipitously happened: more people were geng into nature and gardening during the pandemic (some for the first me), and many graduates were unemployed andlookingforworkinaverycompevefieldofwork. She very quickly realized she could turn her passion into a career: creang beauful, nature-friendly g a r d e n s t h a t b e n e fi t homeowners and the planet. She also sought to empower and provide a living wage to a hardworking and dedicated crew of graduates who are passionate about gardening, too

Having an all-women crew happened organically, as many women apply to work in the

but have

imited opportunies, especially in coage country. The Clearwing Eco. Gardeningteamcurrentlyemploysfive women,whoworktogetherasasingle, skilled gardening unit and travel to several properes in a day. As a business owner myself, I know how important integrity and quality work is for our clients, and Clearwing Eco. is no different. They will never compromise theirvisionofworkingwithnaturetoenhancetheirclient’sproperesand habitat, just to make a profit. It’s challenging being owner and crew member in a growing business, but that’s the relaonship Victoria builds with her clients - earns their trust, develops friendships and a long-lasng partnership in creang soscapes that benefit them and surrounding ecosystems. It is important for her clients to share in this commitment to protecng local ecosystems and the community that depends on them. She specializes in designing, installing, and maintaining gardens full of beautyandbiodiversity,usingeco-friendlymethodsandnaveplants. Long term goals for Clearwing Eco. include sharing more resources on ecofriendly gardening and nave plants with the community at local events. Other plans include expanding her already impressive Habitat Gardens (cerfied by the Canadian Wildlife Federaon) and hosng garden tours. Many of the plants used in her projects and provided to clients are grown here in the Habitat Gardens, and the rest are all sourced ethically and locally. It’s important for Victoria to support as many other small businesses that are tryingtomakeadifferenceaswell. In the next twenty years, she hopes to have a storefront, providing nave plants, eco-friendly giware and gardenproducts(thatactuallywork)for coagersandhomeownerstoenjoy. What does this powerhouse do in her downme? She enjoys her own gardens...she also likes to read and adventureoutdoorswithherhusband,relaxwithhertworescuedcatsand her dog. Balance is important. The bulk of her work is seasonal, however there really is no OFF season - the winter months are spent planning, ordering plants, having Zoom consults with clients and designing pollinator gardens. And who doesn’t love being in the warmth of a garden centre or greenhouse in the winter...she suggests everyone do it for their mentalhealth.

When asked about words of inspiraon at the end of our interview together-thefollowingdancedoﬀhertongue:

“Coage country gives so much to us, it is a sanctuary for people and wildlife, and we need to respect that. Give back to nature... We can make a living doing beauful work, and having beauful properes, in a way that works with nature and not against it”

I le our me together recharged and inspired. Victoria and her crew of authenchumansaremakingadiﬀerenceandanycoageorhomeowner would be lucky to have her energy and experse infused into their gardens andlandscape.

SeetheClearwingEco.GardeningAdonthispageformoredetails.

by Roy Anderson

THE BEAST Chapter Five

The next morning after ﬁnishing the cemetery and the remainder of the move of the boxes. I made my way downstairs as I turned from the stairs towards the breakfast area I froze.

Sitting at the table with my mother (remember dear father was off on his travels for work), was the landlord and his wife.

I always liked the landlords wife, she always had a smile and kind words. The landlord husband although he too was always polite and spoke kindly, his general feature on his face were a frown or a scowl. One of my older brothers described him one day "brushes his teeth with powdered alum".

No matter I approached very cautiously towards the table and the gathering. The landlords wife was ﬁrst to smile, then speak to me. The words I heard, could not believe. If it was not for smiles all around my ﬁrst thought as "I stepped in the thunder mug again."

"Richard," then a pause. "My husband and I wish to thank you for cleaning up the cemetery."

Her husband still grinning like a Chesser cat stepped forward and good lord announced, " Yes. It is greatly appreciated. " The farmer landlord extended his hand to what I thought was to shake my hand. What happened next would have shocked the entire farming community. You see this particular gentleman was known as the township tightwad. But in one bold move he presented myself with two silver dollars. Still holding my hand I really did not know if it was a temporary gift until he spoke "good deeds deserve good rewards."

The whole day was ruined for me, when after some chatter, I ﬁnished breakfast. Just as I rose from my chair Mother spoke, "Go wash up and change into clean clothes, we are going to church."

After washing up changing clothes just before putting on my best shoes, I put one silver dollar in each shoe. No one was getting them. It only took the few steps from my bedroom to the top of the stairs to realize silver dollars in your shoes was deﬁnitely a bad idea.

Just as I arrived at the top of the stairs, Mom was there and with a huge smile, then presented me a quarter, "here put this in the offering dish, keep your silver dollars and for heaven sake take them out of your shoes."

After that episode and many times after I wondered if Mothers could read their children's minds.

While standing at the top of the stairs, to our right there was a door that opened into what would be a large room. From outside the first floor would be the woodshed and coal storage room. There was also large windows on both sides along with a very large door for access. The strange part about the second floor, there was no large windows or doors, only at the top of the wall was a complete ring of small windows that went right around both walls and the end. At the roof peak sat two or three ventilators. Looking at the door from the area at the top of the stairs asking Mom "What is that door for and why is it always locked ?”

Mother answered all the while looking very uncomfortable, "oh, that is where the landlord keeps his old furniture and antiques. We are not allowed to go in there."

Now at that time one of my older brothers, standing in the doorway of his bedroom spoke "Tell him the truth Mom." 18

PEST-RX The

Mother looking very stern responded, "The landlord and his wife are downstairs waiting."

My brother replied, "alright, I'll tell him." Before Mom could answer or stop him, he continued. "It's a death room," slightly pausing continued. "When you get sick and can't be cured or just plain old, that is where they put you in the old days along with a nurse for care." At the ﬁnishing of his statement he turned back into his bedroom and shut the door.

Mother looking at me with a defeated look, I just shrugged my shoulders and forgot what was said. "This will be a good day. Lets start with church, come home, then your Dad will be awake. We are going to the village this afternoon to visit with the people selling us the house we are moving to," Mom said.

On the words of "village" and then "people selling us" the entire episode of the room with the locked door took a backwards step in my mind."

Myself and Mother turned to exit the landing, started down the stairs, I made sure I was on the far side.

The statement from my brother along with his facial expressions accomplished one thing, "It took the sparkle off my silver dollars."

After descending a few steps, looking at Mom and the scowl on her face, along with my habit of "the last word" I remarked to him, "You should come to church, because when we get home, my dear brother, you will catch hell."

On the last remark, continued down the last few stairs, thru the hallway and into the breakfast area. Leaving the house and going to the car, the car by the way, was very large and black. If I remember correctly, the landlord described it as a Buick.

Getting over the surprise of the car, a greater surprise was the landlord stated, "the ladies will sit in the back, us gentlemen will get in the front."

The seats were very soft meaning as I sat on it sinking down, had a view of the dash board and if looking up to see out the windows a even nicer view of the tree tops.

The church was on the corner of a intersection of a gravel road and even then years ago, the church looked neglected and the church cemetery looked neglected.

Though I was only 11 or 12 years old, I thought "what is it with theses churches and cemeteries. Does no one look after them?"

Once inside the church, although the exterior was covered in dust and overgrown shrubbery, the inside was clean and dust free.

More cars began to arrive and I recognized many of the children from the old school house. The one means of travel that caught my attention was the horse drawn buggies.

Now I will confess the horse and buggy was the ﬁrst attention getter, the second was the girl about my age. Her name was Bethany. Bethany sat beside myself in the classroom at school.

The adults entered by the main steps, the children entered by the side door as if they were second thoughts. Inside the basement area was an altogether different sight. The wall painted white, and the ceiling wood was dark in shade, but highly varnished to match the ﬂoor. Several tables were within the room and placed through out the room.

I soon found the pecking order for sitting at the tables. The older teens sat at the table farthest from the Sunday School teacher desk. The ones my age sat closer to the teacher's desk. Just before the "lesson of Christianity" started a second teacher entered the room. The ﬁrst teacher was a much younger female probably in her twenties if that. I recognized her from being around the neighbourhood. The second teacher everybody knew, simply because she was the local rural mail driver.

I sat in my chair very quiet waiting for the Sunday School to start. The second teacher spoke, " you know the proceeding children" with a look on her face that would peel the bark off a oak tree. The head teacher turned and spoke to the young girl, that I knew from school. "Bethany" the teacher spoke, "you know Richard from school, show him the procedure."

Now I don't know other peoples opinion, but sitting on your rump on a hardwood ﬂoor with your legs crossed for an hour or so was not a really good experience, especially if a comfortable chair was with in reach.

Once again, even after two years of farm living more episodes were to come. Some good, some really good and of course others not worth mentioning.

What’s Happening at the Library

Contributed by Kim Tucker and Lisa Mace

Thanks So Much!

Thank you to Jackson Painng for generously donang orange paint and brushes for the pillars outside the library. This gesture represents our support for the Naonal Day for Truth and Reconciliaon, observed on September30th.

Thank you to Mace Contracng for purchasing the lumber and construcng a colouring stand, that the library then setupatthisyear’sCreeksideFesval.

We’d also like to thank the anonymous couple who droppedoﬀoveradozenboardgamesforourTweensand Teensprogramming;thiswassuchagenerousgi! As well, we’d like to give a huge thank you to the Tomato Tasng Social prize sponsors Woody’s, Hailey Brown Realtor Bowes & Cocks ltd., Lori’s Blooms in Season, Shorline Furniture, and Tucker Carpentry. The winners were thrilled with their prizes and your generosity is appreciated. We would also like to extend our thanks to Mike and Ma Delmastro and Ivan Findley for adding so much to the atmosphere of the event by giving their me andentertaininguswiththeirwonderfulmusic!

Kid’sUkulele

Wednesdays:September25th–October16th

4:00-4:45pm

As promised, we are running Kid’s Ukulele this fall aerschool, and we hope your children will come to the library to learn how to play basic chords and some fun songs together Kid’s Ukulele is planned to run for 4 weeks, once a week on Wednesdays from 4:00pm to 4:45pm, running Wednesday, September 25th, October 2nd, October 9 and ﬁnishing on October 16. This is for

ages 6 – 11 yrs, with ﬂexibility around the age range. If you don’t have a ukulele, the library has 4 ukuleles available to borrow So come on out and let’smakesomemusic!It’snoproblemifyoumissedtheﬁrstsession,come onouttothenext.Pleaseemailorphoneusifyouhaveanyquesons.

BookClub

ThursdayOctober10th

6:30pm

Last month we were joined by some new faces and, we hope this trend will connue! This is a no pressure club, requiring you to simply bring the last book you read. It’s a great way to meet new people and learn about new booksandauthors.Coﬀeeandcookiesprovided.

CelebrangLibraries!

October20–26th

October is Canadian Library Month. Throughout the month, libraries and their partners across Canada highlight the vital role libraries play in the lives of Canadians. In Ontario, the ﬁrst week of October is dedicated to First Naons Public Library Week (October 1-4), and the third week is Ontario Public Library Week (October 20-26). Libraries are crucial to our communies, preserving history, providing free resources and services, andfosteringconneconsamongpatrons. Here in North Kawartha, we are so fortunate to have such an incredible resource within our community; it truly serves as a hub of connecon and educaon. We invite you to join us in celebrang by vising during the week of October 20-26. Every patron who checks out a book(s) that week will receive one ballot for a chance to win a new Kobo e-reader! Addionally,come by on Wednesday, October 23, for free cookies and coﬀee as you peruse the library.

ComfortCookingWorkshop!

MondayOctober21st@10am

*Locaon:WoodviewLibrary*

As the leaves change and the temperatures drop, we tend to start changing our cooking habits; suddenly craving warm, nourishing meals. Join us in Woodview as we welcome back chef extraordinaire, Linda Paerson, from Bordertown Café. Linda will be sharing with us her personal recipe for a cozy stew, a quick rise bun, and bread pudding. Every parcipant goes home with dinner for two! The cost is $45. If cost is a barrier to your parcipaon, please contact us. Limited spaces, please pre-register by calling Lisa at 705-656-4333 or emailing l.mace@northkawarthalibrary.com

ApsleyGardenClub

CanyouhelpusSeedApsley’sSeedLibrary?

We welcome your contribuon in helping us re-stock our seed library as it is EMPTY This is actually a good thing, but as always, we need more seeds to keep the library vibrant with diversity We hope everyone who borrowed seeds from our seed library had a bounful year in their gardens,andnowit’sthemeofyeartoharvestseeds.We are going get together and package our harvested seeds around hot apple cider and warm apple pie. We will also be screening some short docs from Depth of Field, ﬁlms showcasing Canadian farmers and farm workers, and their sustainable farming pracces on and oﬀ the land. We hope you can join us for this cozy aernoon on Saturday, October 26th, 2:00pm. Parents are welcome to bring their children.

KidsClub!

EveryThursdayAerSchool

3:15–4:15pm

If you are between the ages of 6 and 10, we hope you will join us for our aer-school Kids’ Club. Each week, we provide a snack and a drink before diving into a cra, art, games, or STEM project. It’s a fun way to connect with friends and explore new acvies! NOTE: There will be no KidsClubonThursdayOctober31st.

Kniterary

Wednesdays3:00pm-5:00pm

Come on down to the library with our laid-back group of kniers, spanning all skill levels and ages. Bring along your current project, whether it's kning, crocheng, needlework, or any portable cra that strikes your fancy

Around our circle, you'll ﬁnd socks, scarves, and blankets in the making—plus, we've got needles for beginners eagertodivein.

Tweens

&Teens!

FridayOctober24th@3:15pm

(orwheneveryougetoﬀthebusandgethere)

You guys, we have over a dozen new board games! Come check them out andgiveoneatry.Evenifboardgamesaren’tyourthingwehopeyou’llsll comeandhangout.Aerall,wewillhavefreechips!

KidsHalloweenPumpkinCarvingandContest!

TuesdayOctober29th@3:15pm

Join us aer school and get a free pumpkin to carve. Take your creaon home or leave it here and enter it into our annual jack-o-lantern contest! ThewinnerwillbeannouncedaerHalloween.

UkuleleGroup

1stand3rdThursdays

6:30pm–8:00pmDropin

Our weekly August and September has wrapped up and now as fall arrives weareadjusngourmeengstoevery1stand3rdThursdayofthemonth.

In October, join us for 1 ½ hours of music and camaraderie at the library!

Whether you're picking up the ukulele for the ﬁrst me or you're a seasonedplayer,you'llﬁndawelcomingcommunityeagertosharethejoy of music together. No formal instrucon, no pressure to perform—just a relaxed atmosphere where everyone supports each other's musical journey. Don't have a ukulele? No problem! Borrow one from the library and discover the magic and join us for an upliing blend of music and socializaonthat'ssuretobrightenyourspirits.

Around the Rink

By Helena McMann, AMHA Board Secretary

KNIGHTS

HOME GAMES

OCTOBER

4th vs Amherstview

5th vs Napanee

12th vs Trent Hills

19th vs Picton

26th vs Amherstview

27th vs Frankford

North Kawartha Community Centre 7:25pm

Full Circle

Keagan Perks and his younger Brother Creighton waing for the Knights Home Opener to start back in September 2014. This picture, posted by Keagan’s Mom April, got me thinking about our amazing sportscommunity.Forasmall town, we have quite the presence on ice. A thriving LEO League (Apsley Flames) that have made Silver Sck history and provides our youth a space to be a part of a posiveteam.GOFlamesGO!

We have our North Kawartha Figure skang club that encourages young and old to fall in love with being on the ice, and a much ancipatedSkangShoweachyear.

Our Junior C team: The North Kawartha Knights - an organizaon that has triumphed and struggled but wouldn’t be where it is today without the dedicaon of passionate coaches, volunteers, sponsors andofcourseourtalentedplayers.

This pic means so much more than some cute kids hanging out an arena...it represents community, family and spirit. Keagan started and ﬁnished as a Flame,grew and developed with the Peterborough Hockey Associaon, and now earned a well deserved spot as a Kawartha Knights Defensemen. Many Apsley Flame players have becomepartoftheKnightsovertheyears.

These are skang programs that our youth and parents want to be a part of and many Flames players and Skang Club parcipants are now coaches, and it’s hearthwarming to see an examples like these comefullcircle.

CongratsKeagan(#77)!Proudofyou.Seeyouattherink!

THOUGHTS From GAYLE

Gayle Davis, Freelance

Time Waits for No Man Make it Count

Recently I found myself unable to do much other than read and rest. I got to thinking about ‘me’, a term we use oen inaday Whatmeisit?Whohastheme to do that? Daylight Saving Time starts soon.

This past summer was an interesng dichotomy There was brutal carnage on our roads. Many of those around us were felled by debilitang viruses. But there were also happy mes of gathering. Weddings Births Deaths The cycle connueduninterrupted;memovedon, no maer the circumstances. As my dad usedtosay,“Timewaitsfornoman.” Time is a human construct. It came about to bring order to human acvies and is foundaonal to everything that we do –working, sleeping, school. Modern computers could not funcon without an underpinning of the concept of me. The world would be chaoc, and we would ﬂounder without me holding us in check.

In ancient days, the sun and the moon were used to measure me. Clocks, calendars, and me zones were created over the centuries to record acvity. Observaons about me helped humans to decide when to plant crops or tell us how many ‘moons’ one had been away hunng.

Not to get too technical as I am not a scienﬁc scholar, but Einstein’s Special Theory of Relavity posits that me is relave.Toputitmoresimply,memoves relave to the observer For instance, when I was a youngster, I wanted to go outside and play But, as Mum worked nights, I had to be indoors while she had a

quick nap. I remember her saying, “Just give me a half hour” aer which I would be free to join my friends. At that point in my young life, she may as well have said give me a year, as my percepon of “a half hour” felt like forever! Conversely, I’m sure my Mum’s half hour nap whizzed by as if it were ﬁve or 10 minutes. We bothexperiencedthesameamountof‘me’at the same me, but it was relave to each of us. I felt the half hour was a monstrously long stretch ofme.Mymother,ontheotherhand,probably felt the same 30 minutes didn’t provide nearly enoughmetorest.

Time in its simplest form allows us to relate life events to one another I ran the race at 3:00pm on Tuesday. I received the medal at 4:00pm. If you were there between 3:00pm and 4:00pm on Tuesday, you observed this event in real me. If you were there at 4:30pm,the event would be in the past and you would learn of it as a fait accompli.

Essenally, the world is a series of events strung together by me. Time therefore provides a complete ordering of all the events in the world, according to Craig Callender in his arcle publishedinScienﬁcAmericanonJune1,2010. Time is a precious commodity and gives our lives structure. We all have the same 24 hours every day. We each decide how to spend it. Be conscious and intenonal about it. Don’t let it slip away, thinking ‘there always will be more, another day, another me.’ You may come to ‘another day’ and ﬁnd outthereisn’tmuchle. Decision me. Are you going to squander the me you are given each day or revere it as a gitobespentwisely One day a life event will come along and change everything, no maer who you are. I trust you will have no regrets ‘I should have. I could have’ ring emptyoncean eventispastand gone. Live in the now. Don’t squander the gi. As William Shakespeare put it, “I wasted me,nowmedothwasteme.”

Think of the hourglass. Eventually all the sand reaches the boom. As the last grain of sand hits the boom of your hourglass will you be at peace about your decisions or full of regrets.It’syourchoice. 23

The Monarch & The Milkweed

By Marjorie Wilson, Freelance World War 2

Part Two - Rationing

endofarcle-weusedthisto help stretch buer used on bread.

You might think that meat raoning might mean just a reducon in the quanty of meat we ate. In fact some cut of meat, roasts, steaks, etc did not seem to be available. We ate a lot of organ meats like liver When mother bought a chicken what she actually got was an elderly hen. It would have been one which no longer laid eggs regularly. The bird would be complete - just the head missing. Plucking was a messy business with bits of feather everywhere. Canned salmon seemed to just disappear.

Breakfast Café & Inn

The ﬁrst item to be raoned was gasoline. We were all issued raon books from which coupons could be taken. While you might think that I, as a child, might not be aﬀected by gas raoning you would be wrong. We learned to walk everywhere. The nearest large town was Lachute. We oen walked the four miles to Lachute. Dad was saving coupons so we could make the trip to StansteadRock Island in the summer to visit my grandparents. In the winter the car was put in the garage. The baery was stored in the house In an emergency I suppose the warm baery might mean the car would start.

Sugar raoning meant that we only had dessert on Sunday. Mother saved the raon coupons so that she could preserve peaches and pears in the summer. She did make special occasion desserts such as birthday cakes. In the spring the opportunity to get maple syrup and maple sugar was welcome. A recent conversaon with a local person revealed that because his family had a store they were able to cheat and use however much sugar they wanted. Curiously h e s e e m e d p r o u d o f t h a t .

Unfortunately that family would not be the only people looking for “loopholes“

Buer raoning meant that mother became very creave. See recipe at

My parents had always planted a large vegetable garden. During the summer that garden provided most of our meals. Potatoes and carrots were stored for winter consumpon It became popular for people to plant a garden. It was called a “victory garden”. We certainly did not starve and knew that people in England were having a diﬃcult me. We were not sure about Europe but assumed it was notgood.

1/2 pound buer, soened, 2 egg yolks,1C light cream,1 tsp. Salt. Add salt to egg yolks, beat. Heat milk and pour over beaten egg yolks, return to pot on top of stove cook to make a so custard. Cool. To soen buer add 2 TBS of custard at a me. Proceed unl all the custard is mixed with buer Refrigerate.

Don’t forget to check the Bancro North Hasngs HeritageMuseumonFacebook

APSLEY LEGION BRANCH #381

Contributed by Lori Brock

We are sad to see summer go but want to remind everyone that we have the paoopenunlthanksgiving.

We enjoyed the Creekside M u s i c F e s v a l a n d appreciated everyone who bought 50/50 ckets and le their empires for us to collect. A special thanks to Creekside for allowing us to parcipate in your event and all the legion volunteers who put in countless hours of hard work.

Heading into our fall season we have early bird membership renewal u n l t h e e n d o f November.

We are also excited for all of our October acvies. We invite you all to our Halloween Dance on October 26th with doors openingat8pm.

Our annual haunted house is scheduled for

Halloween night and we can’t wait to see all of your costumes. We are starng to be on the lookout for candy donaons. The haunted house wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our community. Unfortunately due to the haunted house set up we will have to cancel shuﬄeboard on Oct 30th. The processes for seng up is intensive and takes up alot of me and space, we are sorry for the inconvenience andthankyouallforyourpaence.

by Kathy Figueroa

May a Bat Never Get Tangled in your Hair

May a bat never get tangled in your hair

May you never be lunch for a hungry bear May the sight of vultures never give you a fright And may skunks avoid you with all their might May moose vamoose when they hear you draw near And the sound of your voice, in a ﬁsher, strike fear May you never cross paths with a wolverine And all outdoor adventures be safe and serene!

~Kathy Figueroa

AROUND TOWN

Down the Road and Over the Fence

MCILMOYL, Lynne

P a s s e d a w a y p e a c e f u l l y a t Scarborough General Hospital on September 8 th, 2024. Lynne is predeceased by her parents Weldon and Doreen McIlmoyl. Lynne will be deeply missed by her siblings Donna (Peter), RuthAnne (Gary), Heather (Michael), David (Shelley) and is predeceased by siblings Iris and Ross. Lynne will always be remembered by her nieces Sydney, Bethany, Kathryn, nephews Russell, Ryan, her Uncle Bob and Aunt Faye along with her “personal nurse” Andrea and her surrogatesiblingsWayneandCamilla.

ynne was born in Apsley, Ontario, where she grew up surrounded by natural beauty and a close-knit family. ynne spent a disnguished 30-year career as a vesbular technician at Sunnybrook Hospital. Her d e d i ca o n to h e r p ro fe s s i o n a n d h e r compassionate care for her paents were evident to all who worked with her. Her experse and gentle demeanor made her a trusted colleagueand asourceofcomforttothoseinhercare.

Upon herrerement,Lynne found joy in herfavorite pasmes: kning and looking aer her rescued cat Ginger. She poured her heart into creang beauful cozy pieces for her family, friends and strangers. Her works of art are treasured by many. Lynne’s generous nature isshownbyhermanycontribuonsandworkwithchariesandnonproﬁts.

Arrangements have been entrusted to THE HENDREN FUNERAL HOME – LAKEFIED CHAPEL. A Celebraon of Life will be held on October 12, 2024 at St. George The Martyr in Apsley, with visitaon starng at 11:00 with a service to follow at 12:00. In lieu of ﬂowers, donaons can be made to Crohn’s and Colis Canada or to Diabetes Canadabycalling705-652-3355orbyvising www.hendrenfuneralhome.com