While much of my education about pop culture in the 21st c. is provided by my 12-year old grandson during our early morning walks with his dog, Canadian history is not one of our hotter topics . Recently, however, a passing question about the settlement of New France led me to dig around and discover several little known events in our national story.
Bill Kilfoyle
In their travels many Just Ottawa readers will have come across some interesting off-the-beaten-track festivals, often in foreign lands. Here is one I recently stumbled upon just a few miles south of Pembroke in our own Ottawa Valley.
I have always loved lilacs. Every year Malcolm and I go back to the farm in late spring to gather an armful of branches from the thick cluster of lilac bushes that had embellished our log cabin at the end of Flood Road along the Rideau Trail in the south west corner of Ottawa. Now only an outline of the foundation remains of the 500 square foot storey-and-a-half log building that had been built by Adam Baker in 1843. After our ownership ended, hunters or vagrants burned it down.
HOW WE SUNK THE TRUCK AT THE GREAT MABABE DEPRESSION By Allan and Mira Culham
Allan and Mira Culham
The story of our drive through Northern Botswana starts with a footnote from a travel guide.
("NOTE: This is only a suggested route and some areas are not accessible during the Okavango's wet season when the water reaches far into the Moremi and floods many of the roads. Please check with Botswana travel experts regarding the conditions at the time of your planned self drive safari." From "Safarico - Africa Travel Made Easy".)
GOLFING THE ROYAL COURSES By Global Golfer (Article)
David Stockwell
Playing the "Royals"
(© by the Global Golfer. Article should not be sold or distributed without the permission of the author)
Actually there are no "Royal" golf courses because the right to use the
prefix "Royal" is granted by the British Monarch to golf societies (2:
Perth and Burgess in Scotland) and to golf clubs (64) not to golf
courses. Two of these 66 play on municipal courses and the most
famous, the Royal & Ancient, uses the Old Course for most of its
competitions.FISHING WITH YOUR GRANDCHILDREN By Bill Kilfoyle
Bill Kilfoyle
There are some things that should be passed on to your grandchildren - like the fun to be had in an afternoon of fishing. I’m thinking of kids, say 6 to 11 years old. I can still remember the first fish my daughter caught - and so can she!
SURVIVAL IN BOLIVIA By Jack Derksen (Article)
Jack Derksen
A SANTA CRUZ SURVIVOR
For some years Santa Cruz motorists using the 4th ring road have had to cross a major canal on a narrow, dirt covered provisional bridge. Two lanes of traffic crossing a one lane bridge leads to complications.
CRUSHER WINS THE COLD WAR By John Lang (Article)
John Lang
p> While at UBC in the early 60s I spent my summers as an employee of the Standard Oil Company. In those pre-self-service days, every car that drove into a Standard Oil gas station had its windshield washed, tire pressure checked, under-the-hood examined. We wore white uniforms, including a wedge cap. As a part-timer, my job was mostly at the front end, serving customers at the pumps, but I also did my fair share of lube jobs, tire repairs, lot sweeping and rest-room cleaning. I was a ‘floater’, assigned to stations in the Vancouver area as needed, and thus had the opportunity to meet most of the full-time employees in Standard’s Vancouver gas station empire. They were a fine lot of fellows, generous, hard-working, helpful and funny. I often think of them and wonder what became of them.
WRESTLING THE HURRICANE By Jim Midwinter (Article)
Jim Midwinter
A MARINER'S ADVENTURE
The voyage began auspiciously enough, even joyously: my birthday, my last day in the Public Service of Canada, and my last day as ambassador to Venezuela. We (my wife, Sally, and 1) had a glorious send-off from the elegant Caraballeda Yacht Club where we had been privileged to be honourary members during our tour of duty in that South American republic. A spirited gathering of staff and other friends; then, as prearranged, we cast off just as the sun dipped below the horizon.
FAREWELL STANLEY GIBBONS STAMPS By Tim Williams (Article)
Tim Williams
There comes a time when ageing pack rats must bend to the admonitions of a partner. “And what are you going to do about your stamp collection?” The downsizing and disposal of such long-neglected possessions seems inevitable.
