Country chick goes to the city

I grew up in inner city Toronto. On Walker Ave, at Summerhill & Yonge Streets.

We spent summers in Muskoka from 1960 - 2006, and lived there from 2006 - 2010.

Moving to an acreage in Perth, Ontario, (near to Ottawa where I lived 25 years) has changed my life. I'd forgotten about chokes and clutches, on the riding tractor. (Purchased from the previous house-owners who went to England to care for ailing parents - how ironic!).

Joe, my husband, grew up on a farm in Chesterville, a mere 50 km east of our new home! He coached me on the delights of getting the choke just right and starting the machine.


Now, in Perth, a big trip to the city means picking up things unavailable out here (tropical fish), visiting friends, buying new shoes, and visiting with the grandchildren. I'd forgotten about local busses (Muskoka does not have such), public parking, joggers, and local pubs where 'everyone knows your name!'


I've missed my subscriptions to GCTC, a local theatre, as well as dinners in Little Italy. I was a student teacher (1982) in Little Italy's Devonshire P. S.,  now celebrating its 100th anniversary!

Lunch at the pub on a fine day!

25¢/ 5 min. to visit an ill friend!

Cars/Busses everywhere

But one of the other reasons for the trip was to buy Shirley, a Bubble Eye Goldfish, some new friends.

Shirley has had two friends, now swimming in that goldfish pond in the sky. She used to live outdoors in the pond I created in 2005. Then moved to Muskoka, and now Perth. One was eaten by a 'coon in Bala, the other passed away just before we moved.

I have to figure out names for the two new ones, of the Shubunkin species. One is black and orange, the other silver and orange, the breed tends to be of calico colours. They seem unfazed by Shirley's size. As you can see by 5-year-old Shirley's size, they can grow quite large. I shall have to build another goldfish pond!

Any suggestions for names?!

My world, Perth

Share your world

Having recently moved near to Perth, in Lanark County, we thought it a good opportunity to check out some of the local business people at the (last) market day.

Our drive into town was spectacular, with old buildings and newly painted trees. Perth's claim to fame:

Perth was the first military settlement in Canada - founded 1816

Founded in 1816, Perth was one of three military settlements established after the War of 1812 in the Rideau Corridor. The British government wanted a trained, fighting force close at hand should the Americans attack Upper Canada again. Disbanded soldiers and half-pay officers from several regiments, including two from Switzerland, were given land grants commensurate in size with their rank. Britain also provided financial assistance for civilians in Scotland to emigrate to the Perth Military Settlement and development of the region began in earnest.

Perth is an old town, established by early settlers in the 1800s, by Scots looking for a place to make their way in the world. Code's Mill, for example, used to make felt. Now a fund building, with pub, coffee shop, etc.

The Ottawa Valley (2500 subsistence farmers), and parts of Lanark County were settled by soldiers, farmers, unemployed weavers and artisans (4,000 weavers and artisans from the Scottish Lowlands to Lanark County after 1815, and labourers, looking to climb out of poverty, financially assisted by church groups. 


Women and children lived in tents or shanties, while the men followed survey crews slash marks on their drawn lots. The government supplied a few tools, and rough shelters were made, small patches of land cleared.

Trees were burned and turned into potash, the only product that could be traded for cash at the time. Syrup was made, after following the manner of the Native Peoples, rather than buying expensive sugar.

Perth Market, last one for 2010!
We went to the Crystal Palace, isn't it lovely?!), just before we began a big driving tour of Lanark County last Saturday.

View from the palace!

What was fun were the Chilli samplers, with donations going to the food bank. A great way to start out on a chilly day!

We bought some veggies, fabulous breads, and cookies!

What starts with a and ends with a?

Beautiful coats

Alpaca!

What a delightful time at the underadvertised Maple Tour in Lanark County.

We had some fun. I have a ton of photos, and met a new species of critter. Truly, I have never seen one before. We meant to travel overseas this year, but bought a gently-used house, instead.

They are called Alpaca. Unsheared, they appear something like a cross between a teddy bear and petite llama. They are precious.

Alpaca (Wikipedia - Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.
Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile.

Owner giving them some grass and dandelion leaves

However, In Ontario, they are to be seen on local farms! I was so surprised.


They live up to about 20 years. 
Females are pregnant for about 345 ± 15 days (Wikipedia), but the folks we visited said theirs run around 330 days. They wee cia was a week old. What a cutie. The mom's milk wasn't coming in well, and they were supplementing with goat's milk and yogurt.


With three stomachs, they chew their cud and efficiently process food energy.

Females giving us the eye

The animal is not used as beasts of burden, as are llamas, but for their lovely coat, used like wool, and their meat. This family keeps the males seperate from the females. The males are easier for us to visit, the females were a bit flighty, especially with the baby and another mother about to give birth any day now.


They are 'induced ovulators' in that the presence of semen causes ovulation. Wouldn't that stop the vast amounts of money spent in IVF?! 

The females are a bit testier, and more inclined to spit than their male counterparts.

I cannot believe the differences in their coats.

They tend to poo in the same place, females at the one time. One began, and the others followed. From my reading, it keeps down the internal parasites as they do not graze in these spots. The males do not go to the bathroom togther, but do use the same spot. There has to be a human joke there somewhere!

There are several provincial and national (e.g., alpaca.canada.ca, alpacaontario.ca) associations, and a registry of breeds, breeders and pedigrees.

This Toronto-born inner city girl learned something new on Saturday. What fun!

EMS & First Responders

Rideau Ferry crash leads to charges against driver

Aren't we glad they are here? No, not the drivers, but the First Responders.

This was a 7:00 a.m. accident incident caused by a driver who had been not only driving too fast on a curve in the road, Elmgrove Rd., near Rideau Ferry, but drinking.

I see this all the time!

Beware that curve in the road. You do not know what is around the corner, nor do you know what is over the hill.

Makes you wonder, though. Why would a 32-year-old man have a *G1? And why would he drink and drive? Duh. Why wouldn't his passengers step up? They were airlifted to the hospital. Maybe now they will get it.

*Graduated Licensing for Automobile Drivers

Class G1

New drivers of passenger vehicles learn to drive with six important conditions with a G1 licence. A new driver must hold a G1 licence for a minimum of 12 months before attempting the G1 road test. This time can be reduced to eight months if you successfully complete a Ministry-approved Beginner Driver Education Course . Drivers earn more privileges after passing their G1 road test.

As a G1 driver, you are required to:

• maintain a zero blood alcohol level while driving;
• be accompanied by a fully licensed driver, who has at least four years driving experience, and a blood alcohol level of less than .05 (accompanying drivers 21 and under must have zero per cent), in case he/she needs to take over the wheel;
• ensure the accompanying driver is the only other person in the front seat;
• ensure the number of passengers in the vehicle is limited to the number of working seat belts;
• refrain from driving on Ontario's "400-series" highways or on high speed expressways such as the Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, E.C. Row Expressway and the Conestoga Parkway;
• refrain from driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m.

Snake, salamander, dragonfly, cat

We're making ourselves at home here. It's funny how one thing leads to another. I was putting my dragonfly up over our garage, with Joey's help steadying the ladder, not to mention the fabulous cordless drill I bought from the previous house owner!

Off in the forest I spotted something BLUE. Now, blue is not normal in the forest. Yellow, yes. The poplars are happily shedding their chlorofyll-deprived leaves.

Joseph went off to find out what it was.
Blue and yellow balloons.

On the way, he spotted a sweet little garter snake.


All that settled, I was looking for rocks to put around the garden, sure enough, another critter.

Blue-Spotted Salamander Ambystoma laterale.

I know one is not supposed to mess around with the critters. You look but don't touch. Leave them in their habitat. It was an accident. I covered the wee thing up quickly. They are nocturnal, unlike the busy, happy cat, Oliver. 


After chores were done, shopping (him), putting my tools away in the garage (me), feeding deer, birds and all (me, again), we went for a walkabout. The Dauphin, himself, came along.

Sheer glee, climbing trees, bouncing, like Tigger, through the weeds, grasses and forest. 


He likes his new place. I know. He came in smiling this morning after a good jaunt. There were a few feathers on his chin and cheeks. I am deeply suspicious. 


Back to the house, he had a wee run through the tree house. 


Happy as the cat who swallowed the canary, so-to-speak.

Haliburton - watching the skies

Click on the image to see more!

Our recent trip back to Muskoka, to recover things the movers left behind, meant a trip through Haliburton. The skies were amazing.


Skies, even in the murals.

Our white rental van - OPP stopped us to check us out! We were cleared...

The town was dressed for fall.

We met the local Green Party candidate, who knows our S-I-L, Jean-Luc Cooke, a Federal Green Party candidate!

Haliburton - Kawartha Lakes - Brock | Green Party of Canada

Susanne Lauten is a retired small business owner who's been a three-season resident of Haliburton County for the past fifteen years

Nepean - Carleton | Green Party of Canada

Jean-Luc intends to become one of the first Green members of Parliament in parliament... Jean-Luc Cooke is the nominated candidate for the Green Party of Canada for Nepean-Carleton.