Posted on July 14, 2014 under Monday Morning Musings with 2 comments

R.C.M.P. Pipes and Drums

 

 

Why do I love Antigonish?

There are so many reasons to love where I live. I’ll start with the obvious stuff. First of all, we are safe. By the luck of geography, we are generally not prone to natural disasters although last week’s tropical storm has left some people without power for over a week. Politically , we live in a reasonably stable part of the world. While we might not like the choice of political leadership on any given day, we elect people democratically and don’t have to worry about armed guards at the polling stations. We don’t get up in the morning worrying about mortar attacks. Our air is clean and we still have fish in our rivers and lakes.

Ok. Those are the macro issues.

This past week has left me with my head shaking. The amount of human energy expended ( 99% of it voluntary ) to host different events, is mind boggling. ( Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be better to spread some of these events out over a number of weeks. ) One tourist I spoke to,  was lamenting that they wished they could clone themselves in order to attend more than one event happening at the same time.

Here are just a few of the things that were going on in a small geographic area last week: The Highland Games; the Evolve concert ( which attracts thousands of visitors ); an international rowing regatta ( congrats to the folks in Lochaber ); Strathglass Farewell ( a musical production ); The Antigonish Art Fair; Doctor’s For Nova Scotia bike tour; The Kilted Golf Tournament; the Street Fair; lobster and salmon suppers galore; the hockey school; strawberry festivals,; the Farmer’s Market; a soccer tournament ( I’m sure there was probably a ball tournament too ! ); and if you were still bored you could have gone to one of our spectacular beaches, one of the many fine hiking trails or gone out to the Keppoch and gone trail riding.

It certainly helped that the weather was perfect all week long. When a province relies so heavily on tourism, good weather is so important. It lifts people’s spirits and it just makes hosting events ( especially outdoor events ) so much easier.

I am not the first nor will I be the last to propose the following as a tourism strategy. The province spends millions of dollars every year trying to market itself in other parts of Canada, the United States, and more and more to our European neighbors. I don’t think that this is necessarily a poor way to spend our tax dollars but I think that there is another market that is closer with a less expensive marketing budget: Nova Scotia.

Why doesn’t the province try and get Nova Scotians to explore their own province? I’m sure they do to some extent but when you think about the tourism dollars that leave the province every summer, keeping a small portion of it here would make a lot of sense.

I also believe the province needs to spend some money on an “ambassador program.” The best promoters and cheerleaders of Nova Scotia are Nova Scotians. I’m not bragging but me, along with some other people I know, go out of our way to welcome tourists. Here is a small example of how one encounter can add tourism dollars. I met a couple from Virginia  on Saturday on Main Street. They were trying to find their way back to the Trans Canada highway. They had come off the highway earlier on their way back from the Cabot Trail. We got chatting. They were at the east end of town near Chisholm Park. When I told them what was going on at the west end of town ( The longest running Highland Games in North America ), they decided on the spot to stay overnight and attend.

Do the multiplier on that one. What if we made it part of our collective psyche to market our community and province in simple ways like this? I believe it would have a profound effect on tourism.

I feel blessed to live in Antigonish. I happen to feel that it is one of the best small towns in Canada.

Have a great week.

Posted on July 12, 2014 under Storytelling with no comments yet

Phoebe

 

 

Prior to getting married, many religious denominations require that young couples take a marriage preparation course.  I’m all for that.  My wife and I were presenters for one of these programs back in the day, a few years after our own wedding.  If we only knew then what we know now!   A marriage preparation course reviews most aspects of what people should expect as a couple.  It talks about commitment and hard work.  It reflects on the notion of give and take.  Financial management is another very important topic.  A lot of time is spent talking about the enormous responsibilities of bringing children into the world.

Nowhere in the agenda, or in “Marriage for Dummies”, is the sensitive topic of pets addressed.  You thought I was going to say sex.

In my childhood, our family had a dog.  Chipper was most often found under the kitchen table hoping for a few scraps.  Fat chance with a family of ten.  I think the only time she got a whiff of a leftover was when Mom served liver.  Despite this dearth of treats, she still managed to pack on the weight.

Our children had angled for a pet for a long time.  When our youngest was two, we (my wife and the kids) decided on a cat.  I wasn’t crazy about the idea but acquiesced after days of bruising brow beating.  And before you knew it, we had three cats, the last one arriving concealed in a four wheeler helmet.   I actually became quite fond of the cats.  They all lived long lives and the last of the three was buried last year.

Still town residents, we learned very quickly the reproductive prowess of rabbits.  We were assured, by someone who should have known better, that the rabbits we acquired were two females.  We learned quickly that the male and female have to be separated before the litter arrives, and that the next litter will arrive almost immediately.

We decided to switch species.  When we moved to the country to accommodate our flock of chickens and roosters, our children immersed themselves in the world of 4H.

So it was with considerable interest that I was sitting at a table the other day at the Farmer’s Market, chatting with a friend about animals.  She had just procured a large bag of fresh carrots and greens from one of the vendors. She volunteered that this bag of nature’s best was not for human consumption but rather for an indigent rabbit.

“…for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer …” The marriage rite does not expressly talk about pets, especially pets that have been orphaned by your offspring.

We know the drill well.  One of your children meets the love of her life and presto, they acquire a pet.  When the relationship goes sour, one of the fallouts is the custody of the pet.  In many cases, Mom and Dad step in and unexpectedly become foster parents to a four legged creature.

I received a quick history on Phoebe, who was named after a character from the sitcom “Friends”.  The conversation was moving along nicely until my friend volunteered that the rabbit lived in the house. This was a domesticated bunny.  My head did a complete 360 degree swivel when I heard where the rabbit spends its days.

In the bathroom.

The rabbit is toilet trained (obviously, as it lives in the bathroom!) and spends its day hanging out with the tub, sink and toilet bowl.  Apparently this doe has a towel fetish and has destroyed more than one bath sheet.

I am now in a state of shock and bewilderment, trying to imagine some of the possibilities. What happens when you’re entertaining and a guest needs to powder her nose?  I am trying to conjure up the image of an invitee, having had a bit too much to drink, spying a rabbit in the bathtub just as she settles onto the throne.  Is someone pouring the drinks a little too strong?

Let’s just say that bringing up a rabbit would be a hare raising experience for all involved.

Posted on July 10, 2014 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet

Allan Syliboy appearing tomorrow at Antigonish Art Fair

Hope you’re having a great Highland Games week so far. There’s lots more to come.

I want to dedicate this space today to the Antigonish Art Fair. The second of five shows will be held tomorrow evening ( Friday, July 11^th. ) at Chisholm Park starting at 6:00 p.m. You can just click on the link and get yourself up to speed. www.antigonishartfair.ca

To put it simply, an ambitious group is trying to make Antigonish into an arts and culture destination, along the lines of what Nashville did with country music. The fair is a multi faceted event showcasing local artists and artisans as well as other artistic forms. There’s also a food court. Two weeks ago we had ethnic foods. Not sure what’s on the menu this week.

I will once again host the main stage at the gazebo for an action packed evening of music and entertainment.

We have a very special treat this week. First Nation’s artist, activist and musician, Allan Syliboy will be in attendance. His life long friend and occasional “partner in crime”, Bruce Campbell will be doing an old fashioned “medicine show.” There will be two performances during the evening. Allan and Bruce will also have some of their art available for purchase.

I met with the organizing committee a few days ago, along with Bruce, to try and understand exactly what he and Allan would be doing. I don’t inhabit the art world nor do I claim to understand artists themselves. They see the world differently. I listened intently three times trying to figure out how to present this as the Emcee. I have a couple of university degrees but I was still befuddled when the discussion wrapped up. I guess art is meant to be unpredictable so Friday will be a work in progress for me. I think it is going to be a lot of fun.

We will also have a harpist, some classical musicians and tiny Highland Dancers. These young ladies performed at the last show and were definitely a crowd pleaser.

I did mention multi faceted, didn’t I ?

We will also be treated to a demonstration of Sheng Zhen Qi Gong. Please don’t ask me to explain this. Just come and see for yourself. I am told that one of the world’s leading practitioner’s, Master Li will be joining us for a performance on August 8^th. I gather he is the “Wayne Gretzky” of this discipline.

As an aside, we were meeting in a room above Marie’s Flower Shop. By the time our meeting ended, the flower people had left and locked the side door to the building. We were locked in. I scanned the room and noticed a package of gum and four bottles of water. I had visions of “Lord of the Flies” if we had to stay the night. Luckily we were rescued.

Oh yes. A reminder of the street fair today on Main Street. I will be parked outside of the 5 to $1.00 hocking my books. Come by and say hello.

Have a great weekend.