Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville - Hometown News June 2023

A.C. Towing

She doesn’t ‘paws’ if an animal needs help

Smiths

Falls - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca

If the by-law amendment isn’t passed on Tuesday, June 13, Donna MacRae might have to close down Furry Tales Cat Rescue. Until about a month ago her life was ‘purr’fectly happy…but now it’s become a bit ‘cat’astrophic.

Closing down would add extra trauma to the unwanted, hurt and old cats that find their way there. It would also add an unwelcome load to the Township of Drummond North Elmsley by-law officers who would then have to deal with the cats.

MacRae, executive director of Furry Tales Cat Rescue, has a ‘tail’ to tell. She says that what she offers is a “needed service.” But in order to be legal in the community, an amendment is needed to “rezone 101 Salter Lane to allow for an animal clinic on a private road,” says Township planner Brady McGlade…and Salter Lane is a private road.

At one time the clinic was operated out of MacRae’s garage; needing more space, she built a small building to better house the cats but did not apply for, or obtain, a building permit for this new structure, McGlade adds.

The initial zoning by-law allowed the animal clinic in the garage attached to the existing building — but not in a new stand-alone structure on a private road. MacRae explains: “Basically, zoning on this lot does allow for an animal clinic, but we don’t have municipal road frontage.” That’s what the amendment is asking — to change the wording.

This is what Furry Tales does: there are 174 cats in care now,

“down significantly” says MacRae until the issue is resolved. That doesn’t mean all the cats are on site — maybe only 20 at a time are at the cattery. The others are being fostered and Furry Tales works with PetSmart in Ottawa, too.

They’re “vetted,” put out to foster homes for socialization and then adopted.

The Rescue covers Quebec, Ottawa, Brockville, Perth and all of the small towns in between. Last year alone 1200 cats were saved; in eight years in operation 8000 cats have been helped.

MacRae says: “We find homes for all the cats. We don’t euthanize. They stay here until they find a home. Some are diabetic, she adds, and “we just adopted one out with a thyroid problem.

“The bottom line is to help cats.”

“And now,” says friend and volunteer Carol Reid, “…is one of the busiest times of year.“ She adds, a bit morosely, “…homeless cats will be birthing outside because we can’t take them in.”

The two recall the story of Trooper, alone and wandering in the street; he had to have both eyes removed, is now blind and deaf, but, with care and attention has become a “wonderful cat,” MacRae says.

Or Hercules, who was taken in by the Rescue one day before his “kill date” (euthanization). “He was flat, scared, traumatized, had entropic eyeballs and no one could touch him at first.” Today, he’s become the “cat-father” to all the other cats at the cattery.

And Belliza. “We just said goodbye to her. She was palliative when we brought her here…had months and months of love here. She didn’t have to die alone. She had a dignified passing.”

So MacRae and Reid are ask-

ing for community support. Sign the petition, go to the Committee of the Whole meeting June 13, 5 p.m. at the Township of Drummond North Elmsley offices, 310 Port Elmsley Road, and help keep

Furry Tales Cat Rescue thriving.

MacRae adds a final thought: “Rescue is not just helping cats. We help volunteers. They learn life skills, they socialize. For many seniors who volunteer, it’s

their lives, as well as the cats’.”

Petition link: https://www. change.org/p/please-support-the-proposed-zoningby-law-amendment-for-furry-tales-cat-rescue

for many seniors it’s their lives as well as the cats’

Wally gives the typical Persian look to the photographer. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

[LEFT] Donna MacRae plays with Wally in the cattery. [RIGHT] Capricorn (orange) and Fling cuddle up for a midmorning nap. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

Publisher

Patricia Krotki

pmkrotki@pdgmedia.ca

Reporters

Kathy Botham

Sally Smith

Janelle Labelle

Brian Turner

Photography

Kathy Botham

Page Two

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Carrie Wynne

I miss Oprah. I watched The Oprah Winfrey Show off and on for 25 years and I can still feel the same emotions that she riled in me. I laughed and cried and related to her. Felt inspired by her. She genuinely cared about other people and made you want to be a better person. I can’t think of a talk show, news anchor or journalist today that imbues positive optimism and authenticity the way that Oprah did. Her ragsto-riches story exemplifies the American dream.

Oprah’s views were balanced between empathy and personal agency.

“Turn your wounds into wisdom,” she would say. She was not afraid to be seen and be open about her own life struggles. She didn’t subscribe to victimhood. She had the best quotes; “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. The ability

to triumph begins with you – always.” She understands the magnitude of her platform and stays in her own lane which is something else I admire about her. She has opinions but chooses to keep them private, stays out of controversy and politics. I suspect she would be cancelled for some of her views today. She told us to work harder and smarter and go after the life we wanted. “You are responsible for your life. You can’t keep blaming somebody else for your dysfunction. Life is really about moving on.”

She upset the cattle industry once in 1996 that claimed losses of up to 78 million dollars in revenue after saying, on air, that she would never eat hamburgers again over fears of mad cow disease. She ultimately won the case, but the experience was a difficult one to go through. As she entered the courtroom with Dr. Phil, whom she hired to support her through the trial, she kept repeating her favourite scripture; Acts 17:28, “in him we live and move and have our being.” I loved that woman’s heart, and it was great to learn that she

read the Bible. She influenced my life in a positive way. She had traits that I admired, and I think the world is a lesser place with her off the air.

She knows what she will and will not accept in her life. “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have, you’ll never have enough.” Never did she apologize for her success but explained it this way, “the reason I’ve been so financially successful is my focus has never, even for one minute, been about the money.” I heard Joe Rogan say the same thing. Both are wildly successful. I consider her to be one of the greatest role models of our time. “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.”

Oprah is an iconic figure, and she improved our culture for the better and now we’re stuck with the Kardashians on the Disney channel.

The opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hometown News’ management, staff or writers.

Cartoon by Patrick Labelle.

Westport from the Mountain, showing the heavily-wooded harbour. Photo credit: Rideau District Museum. [https://rideaudistrictmuseum.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=136415799]

community

I couldn’t leave them there to die

Opinion - Submitted

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Can you imagine starting a new life in a new country, with hopes of your family joining you, only to find out the Canadian government has disallowed it because of a wrong date?

This is the fate of Hamayoon Wafa, who lives and works tirelessly in our community running a local gas station.

He was only 20 years old when he joined the Canadian Military as an interpreter in Afghanistan. I asked him why did you join? He said, “At that time Canadians were looking for people who can speak English and two official languages, Pashto and Dari … And I really like to help people so I join(ed), got hired as an interpreter, and I got promoted after a year. I always wanted to help others.”

Wafa can speak 4 languages: English, Pashto and Dari Urdu, and a little bit of French. He was in the military for 4 years before settling here in 2011, while his family was safely working back home in Afghanistan. Because of his work with the Canadian military, his life and his family’s life was always at risk. Captain Kynan Walper from the Canadian Army writes, “Throughout my deployment, I worked closely with Hamayoon Wafa who served as my interpreter throughout the entirety of my combat tour. While serving alongside me, I personally witnessed Mr. Wafa receive numerous threats against his life from the Taliban by way of phone calls, text messages and even in person. The nature of his service to Canada placed Mr. Wafa and his entire extended family in great danger at the time which is now amplified severely due to the recent fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.” The Canadian government recognized the

danger these interpreters were in and promised their extended families safe passage to Canada.

But with the sudden pull out of the US Army in May 2021, things drastically changed. Wafa could see the increasing danger. Remember seeing the horrific videos of the USA aircraft leaving Afghanistan with people climbing and falling off the planes? How horrible it must have been, so desperate they were to leave.

As the Taliban was taking over territory around them quickly, he felt he had no choice but to move them before it was too late. “I couldn’t leave them there to die,” says Wafa.

So he moved them to a safe place in June 2021. Just three weeks later, the Canadian Government created a program to bring them here. But as government is always known for red tape, the government didn’t approve his family’s safe passage to Canada because they were moved before this program began.

And so Wafa’s mother, father, three brothers and two sisters live in hiding now. What should have been a few weeks or months has grown to 2 years, and they are still waiting for the Canadian government to do something. It seems their pleas are falling on deaf ears and this Canadian government's promise to ensure the safety of his family has disappeared.

While they sit in limbo they can neither work nor go to school and support themselves, so Wafa is supporting his entire family on his own wages, a huge responsibility.

He has contacted the Immigration office.

He is not the only one in this situation; there are some 300 families in need of safe passage to Canada. So, in September 2021 the group hosted a hunger strike on Parliament Hill that CTV

news reported on.

The National also did a News story in early 2021.

This past January rumors began of deporting families back to Afghanistan. This would be 100% torture and death waiting for them. That’s when local MPP Scott Reid brought it into Parliament. (We are waiting to get a further update from his office. At the time of this writing our messages have continued to go unanswered.)

Just this past week a new lawsuit has started against the Canadian Government claiming discrimination. Hundreds of Ukrainians are allowed into Canada but Afghan families that worked for the Canadian military are fleeing for their lives from the Taliban, and are stalled in limbo not able to get safely to Canada.

Wafa writes, “I love my mother so much. She is my best friend.” What would you not do to save your family from death and torture?

If you meet Wafa, you see that he is most kind,

always patient and calm. You would never imagine in a million years the horrible things he has seen in the military and lives with this uncertainty over his head daily. How many of us can say our life is so bad after hearing this story?

So if the mainstream media is telling their stories why is there still no movement for 7 people languishing in hiding as if it is WWII again? Everyday Wafa wakes to the dread that his family could be sent back to face torture and death. He has been depressed often. His mother tells him “… leave everything to God. Being depressed won’t help us.”

When Wafa shared his story, I could not believe nothing was being done to reunite this family to safety. “I know it’s really so sad,” says Wafa. “Most people still don’t know how risky it was for the interpreter…especially the regime of the Taliban now. They are looking for them house to house to catch them.” Visions of WWII again swirl in my head…

Living in Canada, we can often take our lives for granted. It is hard to imagine we still live in a world where so much violence is being done to innocent people. Captain Kynan Walper writes, “I will personally vouch for the family of Hamayoon Wafa to any agency that will assist with their evacuation to Canada. In the case of Mr. Wafa, I believe it would be an extreme disservice to the brave dedication to Canada displayed by Mr. Wafa if his

family does not receive a facilitated move to Canada immediately.” We couldn’t agree more.

If you are interested in helping Wafa be reunited with his family please contact me [Rita Davidson at findthewayhome23@gmail. com]. I would love to hear from anyone with any resources and ideas you have to share. We hope to have some good news soon. Until then, pray (if you can) for their family to be protected until they can be brought to safety.

Wafa with Interpreters on Parliament Hill on a Hunger Strike.

Photo credit: Submitted.

Wafa the day he became a Canadian Citizen with his best friend Joe. Photo credit: Submitted.

Wafa with Peter Makay, Minister of Defense in 2010. Photo credit: Submitted.

A tree grows in Smiths Falls

Smiths Falls - Submitted

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Eighty-five years ago when he was five years old, young Keith Salter, a middle child of five siblings, planted a beechwood tree in the middle of the backyard of his family’s home on Queen Street, near Old Sly’s lock. It was a small tree, a sapling, and with its planting came many hopes. They wanted it to grow tall, with many large long branches providing shade to the growing Salter family. Perhaps a swing from one of its branches for the three girls. Maybe a tire hanging or just a rope with a big knot in the end for Keith and his brothers.

Growing babies spent afternoons lying on blankets gazing at the sky. All of the family birthdays, at least those that took place in the summer, were en -

joyed in that backyard.

Picnics, and especially the annual May 24 celebrations, where families all over town enjoyed fireworks, were spent under the leaves of the growing tree.

In the fall, squirrels hid nuts every place they could find, in the hopes of remembering where they had hidden them come spring.

The lawn at the back of the house was huge, stretching right down to the water, the part of the Rideau River between the big town lock and the small Old Sly’s, called The Reach. Can’t you just see everyone out there with croquet mallets in their hands?

That tree was half grown when Keith and Louise said their vows and began their own married life in that very house. One by one, their two boys were born

and spent their time in the shade under the tree on their own blankets.

By the time the boys were grown and were forging ahead with their lives, the beechwood was huge.

Years went by. Keith cut the backyard grass each week and Louise tended to her garden. Before they knew it, the tree had matured and naturally so had they.

Louise went first, leaving Keith with so many memories. One son was far away but thankfully one nearby. Three of Keith’s siblings had passed on. His two sisters were nearby and tried to keep him occupied when they could. His eyesight began to worsen, and soon he could barely see anything.

The tree seemed to be at its full height.

Then, on October 26, 2021, Keith passed away at 90. And, today, the tree is dying…

Garden Matters: Roses

We have all, I’m sure, attempted to grow roses. Some are easy, just plant, and they will thrive. Others are more difficult. With roses, hardiness is the most difficult problem to take care of. Yes they do get insects and diseases but these are problems that can be overcome with a bit of effort. There are several native Ontario roses that are well worth trying. Some rose (Rosa blanda) is an almost thornless rose with pink to white flowers. Carolina rose (Rosa carolina )is a nice one that has rose hips all winter and prickly rose (Rosa acicularis) is another one.

Carolina Rose

With pink flowers. One

problem would be to locate a source that sells them. Being native they are definitely hardy. What I want to talk about here are the three showiest groups that most people want to try, hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribunda. The difference between them is the size of the flowers with hybrid teas being the largest and showiest to floribundas with smaller flowers in clusters on each stem. Most often they are grafted (or budded) on hardy root stalk. Because they are budded onto a root stalk suckering is often a problem. These suckers which are usually a lighter green colour and have more leaflets per leaf

By Paul Pietsch Master Gardener

are easily identifiable. These suckers must be removed completely. When these are planted, the bud union should be about an inch below the soil. This again is for winter protection.

Hybrid Tea Rose

Once you have bought the plants, remove any tiny spindly branches leaving three to five main stems.

These roses prefer full sun and a fairly rich soil with manure mixed in. Water well when planting. These roses will bloom on new growth sometime after June 20th. Once a particular stem has bloomed, cut the stem of the spent flower at a node where the leaf has

5 leaflets. It should bloom again by September. After that bloom is finished remove it in the same way but shorter this time to the first 5 leaflet node on that stem. With luck it will bloom again before a heavy frost. In late fall, once the ground has frozen slightly in the morning, hill the plant up with soil about a foot high. This soil is scooped up from around the rose to make the hill. Manure is then added into the depression around the rose. This protects the buds at the bottom of the rose bush. These buds will make the new growth in the spring. I would not prune anything

in the fall except branches to reduce the plant in height so as to make working around them easier.

When the forsythia flowers in the spring, remove the soil from around the roses. This also puts the manure into the soil. The pruning should be done now. On these rose bushes, prune

all the branches down to 3 or 4 nodes per branch. The top node will make most of the new growth and should be facing out from the center of the plant. Again keep 3 to 5 stems, getting rid of any spindly branches. And so it starts all over again for the roses to bloom on new wood sometime in June.

The old beechwood that provided shade to a growing family. Photo credit: Katie Hoffman.

Local man wins gold in Skills Canada Competition

Regional - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca

The Skills Canada National Competition was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from May 24-27. This enormous annual event is a national multi-trade and technology competition with 45 different competitive categories. Over 550 competitors participated, including local man Xander Powell, who graduated from St. John’s High School in Perth last year. Powell studied Marine Mechanics at Georgian College this year, and is currently working at Chris Raymond Marine in Portland.

Powell took first place for his skills in Outdoor Power and Recreation Equipment, one of nine competitions in the Transportation category.

Skills Canada was founded in 1989 to promote skilled trade and technology careers among Canadian youth. This annual competition draws thousands of students to view multiple trades and enlarge their understanding of what they involve.

Powell competed at the

provincial level in Skills Ontario in early May, winning gold, at the Congress Centre in Toronto.

Powell’s mother, Danielle, was deeply impressed by the Skills Ontario competition and show. “For two days, 18,000 students tour through the centre. It’s a great try-a-career day; they have opportunities for trying out all sorts of different trades.”

When he was a student

in high school, Powell himself wasn’t sure what he wanted to study. “I haven’t always been interested in mechanics, but I have been interested in just how things work, which eventually led me into mechanics,” he explained. “I could take things apart and see how they work and put them back together and fix things which I always thought was cool.”

A summer job further re-

fined his interest from mechanics generally into Marine mechanics specifically.

“I saw that there was a need for more Marine mechanics in the industry, so I knew there would be many employment opportunities,” Powell said. This interest served him well in the challenging Nationals competition, where he worked for two days repairing an outboard boat motor, a motorcycle, snowmobile,

four wheeler engine, and an electrical board.

Along with two other students in his class, Powell was selected to compete by his instructors at Georgian College, and their expenses were covered by Georgian as well. Skills Canada par-

ticipants, a wide swath of young people from secondary school and post-secondary, can be sponsored by their school, employer, or union.

“We are so proud of him,” said mom Danielle. “We are all in behind him.”

Photo credit: Danielle Edwards-Powell.

Xander Powell wearing his gold medal at the SCNC in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Photo credit: Danielle Edwards-Powell.

Old quilts tell about times of our lives opinion: Sally Smith

I was at a quilt documentation Tuesday. My plan was to have my three quilts documented and leave quickly. (I was sure it was going to be uneventful… maybe even boring.)

Shortly after I arrived, though, I started asking questions (as journalists do) and began to listen to the stories behind the quilts — the years and years of history, the stories of the stitchers, the times of their lives.

One notetaker recalls that a couple brought a quilt with this story: the quilt was given to him by his grandmother who had made it. She told him it was for his wedding; he was eight at the time…

Another recalls that many of the quilts were sewn together with pieces of army uniforms — Boer War, Korean War, WWI, WWII…

Even another pointed out that many of the quilts were “like new,” no damage over the years…well-loved and tucked away, a family story and history.

There were 10 or 12 tables in the viewing room at Grenville Mutual Insurance in Kemptville; at each table was a notetaker with stacks of numbered file folders, and at the end of the day each folder held a story.

Quilt owners were in -

vited to unfold their quilts across a table and then the telling started. There were large kingsize quilts and small baby-cot quilts; colours were every hue and tint of the rainbow — some subdued, some brilliant.

They were machine stitched, or hand-stitched or both, mostly the material was cotton, and if the quilt owners hadn’t made the quilt themselves then their mother, or grandmother, or even great-grandmother had.

I brought three quilts with me, all given by a friend who was cleaning out her mother’s house. My quilts are mostly blue and white, one has some turquoise in it, and each is a different pattern.

The biggest one fits a king-size bed and the pattern is “The Four Winds;” the other two are similar in size (maybe for twin beds) — one called “Wheel of Fortune” and the other had several descriptive names…Nosegay, Ice Cream Block (looks like an ice cream cone) or Bridal Bouquet. All were made of cotton or cotton lawn, a breathable cotton probably a little rougher than plain old cotton.

One of the experts in textiles from Kingston

leaned her elbows on the table and carefully, and even-more-carefully, teased apart the backing of one of the well-worn quilts. She illustrated how old, used and threadbare the quilt was by carefully running a finger behind a torn/worn piece; her finger was very visible, it looked like a blurry but recognizable picture.

And she carefully pinched a wee bit of the batting, well-clumped and thinned through the years.

I could hear with my ‘eyes’ with this illustration that the quilt was old.

All of the women who looked at the quilts then folded them: they fold the quilt from flat, quilt pattern folded to the inside. First fold one edge at the one-third mark, then the other edge over that. Take a bottom edge of the folded piece and fold to the middle; do the same on the other edge. Then fold in half to make a square.

They store easily that way.

Never, I was told, keep in a plastic bag; use a cotton sheet or a pillowcase to wrap them.

This information was being collected at every table in the room.

After my three were examined and noted, I was given a small piece of mate-

rial with my name (as owner), and confirmation that it was documented. I have still to sew the small oblong to the backs of the quilts but

it’s on my to-do list. Looking back, I learned three valuable things that day: My quilts are older than I thought — 1910 or so (I

thought 1960). Never wash them — spot clean them. And never, never let the dog sleep on them.

[TOP]Blue on his favourite quilt… [BOTTOM LEFT] Documentation label. [BOTTOM RIGHT] Wheel of Fortune pattern. Photo credits: Sally Smith.

Food & Drink The Little German Bakery

in Carleton Place Let's Eat

Carleton Place and area residents are about to learn what hundreds of Brockville and Kingston foodies have known for several years: there’s nothing like fresh pretzels, breads, and pastries from the Little German Bakery. Owners Doris and Rob have been filling those communities’ farmers’ markets with the unique and enticing aromas of their fresh-baked wares for years and now have opened a bricks and mortar home on Bridge Street in Carleton Place’s downtown core. Their Teutonic treats have created a tectonic shift in habits to the point that countless households can’t go long without their fix of all things warm and tasty that come from the Little German Bakery’s ovens. Like all creations born in our recent health pandemic, there was a lot more sweat and tears in converting a ‘turn-key’ operation into a fully functional specialty

great baked taste finds a home

bakery. As Rob put it, it was some key to turn. Organizing a horde of contractors, obtaining impossible-to-get equipment from broken supply-chains, and satisfying tomes of public health regulations wasn’t something he and Doris would want to repeat, but the results were well worth it. They’ve already completed a series of oven test-runs to feed the crowds at the last few farmer’s markets events they frequent before opening the doors at 14 Bridge Street, (next door to the CTC gas bar). When that happens on June 7, the street will be filled with the irresistible aromas of breads of all types, sweet and savory pastries, and of course the large soft pretzels they’re famous for. Doris and Rob have taken these traditional knotted delights and amped them up with bakedon cheese or cinnamon and sugar, even pizza toppings for example. The samples I tried and shared were the absolute

best examples of perfectly baked pretzels. These alone would be reasons for the popularity of their endeavors, but it doesn’t end there. There are verified rumors of pretzel sandwiches coming with fillings only limited by the Little German Bakery’s imagination. And sourdough fans can finally rejoice because there will be great bakery-fresh sourdough on the racks to satisfy your appetites. They’ll take their place besides all shades of traditional and modern breads such as rye, whole-wheat, multi-grain and much more. Those with a sweettooth or two will have difficulty choosing between strudels and Berliners and such. And the Little German Bakery will give you another reason to look forward to special occasions and events with Christmas cakes and stollen and more. The Bakery will be open Wednesday through Sun-

Beer, Wine and Spirits

Beers of Southern France and Spain

Brian Preston | The Travelling Sommelier | brianpreston@hotmail.com

This month I will take you on a beer tasting tour of Provence and the Riviera in Southern France and the Costa del Sol in Spain ending in Barcelona. We just got back from a 15 day escorted tour starting with 4 nights in Nice (visiting Cannes one day for the red carpet film festival where Tom Hanks arrived the day we were there), and another day in Monaco where they were setting up for the Grand Prix that weekend. Then we boarded the MS ‘Anne Marie’ French barge for 6 nights sailing the Rhone delta channels from Arles to Sete. Needless to say we had fabulous rosés from Provence and wines of the Languedoc too, but that is another story.

Many in our group tried ‘Kron 1664’: Kronenbourg owns the brand ‘1664’ which is very appreciated by the French. Kronenbourg was founded in Alsace in 1664 under the name of Hatt Brewery. it’s only in 1947 that Jérôme Hatt changed its name to “Kronenbourg” in homage to the district where his brewery was located, the Cronenbourg. The original 4.2% kro’ with hops and citrus notes is still as pleasant as ever and its fine bitterness, mellow texture and malt-hop finish are still as refreshing. The 1664, however, is the

Brian Turner

tastier variant of the kro’ and comes in several ranges: blonde, gold, white, vintage. Kronenbourg beers are still the cheap beers for parties: pleasant but commercial like our mass produced light beers in North America Spanish people aren’t only passionate about their siestas, soccer, and sangria. They’re incredibly passionate about their beer – and for good reason! With a warm climate all year round, beer is the perfect refreshing beverage to enjoy under the Mediterranean sun. And by the way, FC Barcelona women’s football team won the championship game in Eindhoven coming back in the second half down 2 nothing to win 3 -2! We left in the morning for Canada before they arrived in Barcelona when the city streets would surely be jammed!

Another popular and widely available choice was Estrella Damm Lager made in Barcelona, Spain. (LCBO#531400; 500ml @ $3.75; 5.4%abv). Bright and clear golden colour; lemon, light fruit and hop aromas; light body; grain flavour with nice bitterness and clean finish. Made with barley from local farmers and malted by Damm with Mediterranean rice, a delicious way to enjoy a hot summer day. Estrella Damm

is a refreshing Spanish beer inspired by Mediterranean culture, with a recipe dating back to 1876. The blend of barley malt, rice, and hops (pilsner and toast and Perle Hallertau) is all-natural and the delicate bubbles bring the aroma of fresh spices directly to your nose. The most popular beer in Barcelona with its crisp and clean, slight bitterness and hints of toasted grains, made this one a versatile choice for many of us. In fact, it was recognized as the “best Spanish beer of the year” in 2015 by the New York International Beer Competition jury, winning the Spain Brewery Awards.

Moritz Epidor was first crafted in Barcelona in 1923, and reinvented in 2009; this triple malt beer boasts a unique body, taste, and unique color with aromas of caramel, toffee and dried fruits. You’ll taste flavors of caramelized malt and a hint of fruitiness from the fermentation process and the pure character, intensity and aromatic expression of malt. The body and long fermentation process give rise to an intense experience with added power (7.2%abv) when you sip and savor a Moritz Epidor which finishes dry and pleasantly bitter. Brewed with mineral water and floral hops, this Spanish beer packs a delicious

day from 8 am to 4 pm making it easy to get the perfect additions to your meals, or to pick up some-

thing for a well-deserved treat. You can reach them at 613-257-8181 or check out their mouth-watering se-

lections at littlegermanbakery.ca. Little might be the name of their bakery, but the tastes are anything but.

punch with a strong finish, thanks to its extended fermentation process. Besides the taste, another unique feature of this beer is that the entire label is only in Catalan. And instead of saying ‘Gracias’ (Spanish), Catalans say something sounding like the French ‘Merci’ but sounding like ‘Mercy.’ They will smile and like you more for speaking their own language!

Spanish draught beers are typically served at bars and restaurants and offer a fuller

flavor experience. Draught beer is often more vibrant in flavor than lager beer, and it is also less carbonated, making it more pleasant to drink.

A lager typically has a more subdued flavor and is highly carbonated, which some beer drinkers find appealing. We found ourselves saying, “Quiero una cerveza por favor” (I want a beer please).

But in the end, our tour overall favourite was Heineken Lager Beer, a Dutch pale lager with 5%abv. which I have fea-

tured and described before. Heineken launched its first non-alcoholic beer in 2017, naming it "Heineken 0.0". I found it to be the best of all the non-alcohol beers on the market. It was evaluated positively with "almost the same taste" as the full-alcohol version, and lower in calories and sugar than a soda! All in all, it was a great journey experiencing the land, the people, the local food and beers…OK some great wines too! Until next month, enjoy the summer!

Rob and Doris of the Little German Bakery. Photo credit: Brian Turner.

Smiths Falls History & Mystery: The Keyhole House - Live

by Ted Outerbridge

If you like spine tingling tales and spectacular magic, you are going to love this. My wife, Marion, and I are now sharing our adventures unlocking secrets and living amongst ghostly manifestations at the Keyhole House, live onstage.

The Ottawa Valley is now being papered with posters, rack cards, and a few 16foot billboards. Lisa Weitz, our awesome publicist, has written this spectacular press release to spread the word with the local media.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Canada’s Grand Masters of Illusion, THE OUTERBRIDGES, premiere MYSTERIES OF THE KEYHOLE HOUSE, one of the most anticipated magical experiences of 2023. The tour of the Ottawa Valley kicks off with performances from June 30-July 22 at The Station Theatre in Smiths Falls and continues to Perth July 28-Aug 12, Carleton Place Aug 18-26, and Gananoque Sept 8-16. (Fridays @ 7:30pm, Saturdays @ 2:00pm & 7:30pm -- $33 plus HST and Eventbrite fees at https://outerbridge. eventbrite.com).

The Keyhole House is an enchanting sanctuary inhabited by Ted and Marion Outerbridge, TikTok sensations and headliners at Hollywood's Magic Castle. Beckoned by the spirits of yesteryear, these connoisseurs of all things magical were chosen by the abandoned, dilapidated home to be guardians of this historic gem. As they meticulously restored the creaking floors that carried the weight of countless footsteps, a treasure trove of cherished relics materialized before their eyes. From delicate skeleton keys to faded photographs, from a forgotten spool of

thread to yellowed newspapers, a Victorian dollhouse, and even a 1918 golf ball, each artifact whispered tales of bygone eras. But it was Ted’s compelling videologues, marrying history with the digital age, that transported the Keyhole House into the viral universe. With over 30 million views on social media and appearances on CTV National News, a TVO documentary, and NBC’s The Golf Channel (Brooke Henderson’s grandparents had a 54-year connection to the house) the Keyhole House became international news!

These videos and the true stories they tell birthed Mysteries of the Keyhole House, a simultaneously reverent, mystical, and joyous show, where magic becomes the master storyteller. Audiences will be transported through time as Ted and Marion Outerbridge take them through an evening of enthralling illusions including a historic re-enactment of a Victorian séance to create a spine-tingling spectacle of living history.

It all began when, fresh off their Hollywood appearances in search of an old Victorian home, a chance Google listing lured the Outerbridges to the home and its grand keyhole arched entryway. That was the first tell-tale sign -- after all, what magician doesn’t love a keyhole and its portal to the otherworldly!

The couple was immediately smitten with a love that was palpable and unconditional. Despite concerns from banks and building inspectors, the Outerbridges could not be swayed, and moved in on a cold November day. Ever since and ever thankful, the Keyhole House has generously returned its love with regular revelations of its storied past.

Indeed, on the very first night, Ted awoke to an aura of bright light at the foot of the bed, which they are now convinced was the spirit of Agnes Lamb, one of the first owners of the Keyhole House. To this day the cou-

ple’s sleep continues to be disrupted by things that go bump in the night.

Ted and Marion thought they chose the house but came to realize the house chose them. Evidence of this manifested itself when Ted discovered a book behind a hidden stairwell, he opened it to a random page only to find an illustration of a character named “Ted”! A dusty newspaper discovered in the attic featured a headline, “Dance Little Ladies,” a perfectly choreographed welcome to Marion, a professionally trained dancer.

And what would a housewarming for the couple be without a gift set of keys? The Keyhole House happily obliged by unearthing a set of 8 skeleton keys dating back to 1892 that Ted discovered behind

the fireplace mantel.

Serendipitously, the Outerbridges gifted the home an old gothic lantern found at a local antique shop that turned out to belong to the very architect who designed the Keyhole House. In reply, the Keyhole House’s long since silent doorbell miraculously started working on its own, revealing ethereal forces at play. It too can be said that Agnes has been known to mischievously lock and unlock the front door at will.

Delving into the depths of history, Ted’s meticulous research into Agnes, and all those who lived and loved there, has unlocked timeless stories of its former residents, many of whom played important roles in the development of this former railway metropolis including landowners, merchants, and veterans.

Among them is WWI veteran John Briggs, a returning soldier who found solace in the Keyhole House before later succumbing to a heart attack there and buried in an unmarked grave. Ted led an appeal to the Federal Government’s 'Last Post Fund', to ensure that John will receive the military gravestone he deserves, forever memorializing his service.

Through the power of TikTok videos and Ted’s

captivating 'Smiths Falls History & Mystery' column in Hometown News, he similarly rallied Township funds to restore Agnes Lamb’s tomb which had fallen into great disrepair. Now adorned with beautiful limestone, Agnes and her kin rest peacefully, knowing that their legacies will never be lost to time.

Setting itself apart from other magic shows, the Keyhole House is a real-life in real-time celebration of the departed, and serves as a living, breathing bridge be-

tween reality and illusion, past and present, and the rhythmic cadence of time. Prepare to be captivated as you step into this ethereal realm, leaving an indelible mark on your soul.

Ted & Marion Outerbridge are currently restoring the Keyhole House, a Smiths Falls heritage home built in 1892. They are also being swept away by local history & mystery. You can follow them on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok @thekeyholehouse or email ted@tedouterbridge.com.