Zephyr and Sandford

By Pat Asling

My apologies again; this should have been last week, so here we are with additions. What a wet week. My farm friends and family need some help, firstly getting their hay cut and secondly, getting it dry enough to bale. I am not sure about the situation with haylage, but certainly, it's nice to have a cab on the tractor these days. I have also noticed some fields of grain which have large areas where it has been flattened by wind and grain. Years ago, that would have been difficult for the binder to pick up, but I hope the new equipment can work closer to the ground. However, other things in the garden, flowers, vegetables, and the lawn, are adapting well to the extra rainfall and providing a good crop for your efforts. Have you noticed all the fruit-producing trees and vines, and shrubs are bent over with fruit? The sweet clover along the roadside is 6" tall, obscuring the view of oncoming traffic.

Here is a poem about the present situation without the rain, that is all around us.

In August by Katharine Lee Bates Beside the country road with truant grace Wild carrot lifts its circles of white lace. From vines whose interwoven branches drape The old stone walls, come pungent scents of grape. The sumach torches burn; the hardhack glows; From off the pines a healing fragrance blows; The pallid Indian pipe of ghostly kin Listens in vain for stealthy moccasin. In pensive mood a faded robin sings; A butterfly with dusky, gold-flecked wings Holds court for plumy dandelion seed And thistledown, on throne of fireweed.

Happy 18th birthday to an up-and-coming young lady. Jessie Tindall, daughter of Karyn and Ryan, just graduated but has her future plans all mapped out on how she is tackling her future education and life. We are all aware Conrad Boyce has had an exciting career from when he was also quite young and has continued his contributions to whatever community he has been living in. We here in Uxbridge feel blessed that he shared his talents with us so often. Happy birthday also to Ryan Stemp. Ryan grew up in Uxbridge as part of the Harry Stemp family, but he and his wife, Tammy, moved to Caledonia, NS., a few years ago. Rick Bagshaw also grew up in Uxbridge, the son of Bill and Eleanor (Beare). The family now lives in Woodstock. Janet Morton, the former Janet McTavish, grew up in several places, none far from Uxbridge but settled in Uxbridge when she married Floyd. Seems to me I was at that wedding too. I knew Janet and her siblings years ago, from the time they lived in Brookdale, where their father cared for the livestock there.

Walter Campbell is well known in Uxbridge for his wonderful artwork, bringing old-style homes and customs to life in his beautiful paintings. I keep hoping he will restart his calendar collection. Walter is also well-known in the Uxbridge music scene from his Open Mike Sunday afternoon session at the Legion. Dianne Bennett has lived for many years in Zephyr. Dianne is the treasurer for the Zephyr United Church and also for the Uxbridge Seniors Club. She loves flowers and cats, a lady after my own heart. Her cat and one of mine could be twins. And finally, birthday greetings go out to Jamie Risebrough. Jamie is the son of David and Judy (Warren) and works along with his uncle Mike at the family farm, Maplebrough, where they are raising some very special cows, including Ashlar Rhoda, Heart of the Herd. Birthday wishes to all these very special people and to anyone else who celebrated this past week, birthdays, anniversaries, family births etc.

Our family celebrated a few birthdays this week as well, my sister Faye and husband Keith Ashton and myself. My brother, who is the youngest, visited and helped me with a few yard jobs, but on Wednesday, we were with Faye and Keith for both lunch and supper, a great catch-up time. Faye is the cook and baker of the family. If the name looks familiar, maybe it's because she also writes a column for The Standard, covering Epsom and Utica.