Zephyr & Sandford news

PAT ASLING Special to The Standard

I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend. It wasn’t the best of weather, neither was it the worst. I know many families took the opportunity to gather together for food and fellowship either on Sunday or one day over the weekend.

I know there were a few events like the Easter Bonnet Competition (hang on to those extra fancy and big hats!) and the Easter Egg hunt for the kids. I hope it all went well in spite of the chilly wind.

This next week many not feel like Spring but the garden is moving right along with more and more blooms appearing every day. The pots of begonias and canna/callas in my flower room continue to put out new shoots. It’s a lovely surprise to find a new one each morning.

Deaths connected to our community continue to occur with sad frequency. Lenora Oliver Broughton passed away on March 22nd. Lenora was the sister of Dorothy Risebrough (Gordon) and Ruby Leek (Morley). I don’t recall meeting Lenora although I probably did years ago but I do remember her parents who were still quite active when I moved into this community. Lenora and Jim have a son and daughter and two grandchildren. The Risebrough family had very recently, as you will recall, suffered the passing of Ross, the last of that generation of siblings. Our continued love and condolences to all the family.

Then there was the passing of Dennis Trowse. Dennis was not from here but lived for several years in Uxbridge and attended Sandford United Church. While with us he was involved in many different aspects of the community such as looking after a specific trail on the Moraine. In this he was abetted by this wife Jean who passed away several years ago, sadly missed as well. Dennis took part in our church activities and entertained us all with his tales of adventure, gardening, and his accent while doing so. He was greatly missed when he suddenly disappeared and we learned he had moved to Newfoundland close to his granddaughter. Dennis’s service will be held Thursday, April 4th at 3 p.m., at Low and Low Funeral Home.

Another very long-time community member, Rae Kennedy of Leaskdale also passed away. The Kennedys farmed in Leaskdale but it seemed Rae is most loved for his years of driving the school bus. A most important position for sure; I still remember well my own school bus driver. His wife Dorothy passed away back in 2011 and it must have been soon after that Rae moved into Butternut Manor, where he resided for 12 years.

Our deepest sympathies to the family of another man who loved and was loved by his community. I never met Hugh Kydd, but of course the Kydd name is well known in Uxbridge. He was a cousin to Bruce Harwood and family and to George Kydd and his family. But in the back of my mind was the memory of one of my Epsom ladies who was born a Kydd and married a Taylor. Her daughter Jean married Bruce (Huffy) Houghland. Piecing things together, it seems Jean’s mother was an aunt to Hugh and his brother Walker, a sister to Elsworth Kydd. The Payne family are also connected so the Kydds did get around. If you have any other information please pass it on to me, just genealogical curiosity.

There were several celebrations this week. Andrea Smith, wife of Bryan and mother of three, celebrated her birthday. Bryan has been doing a lot of travelling but was home for this occasion. However, his parents weren’t there as Bruce and Tanis were on an extended trip to Florida, travelling over a great variety of Florida terrain in the weeks they were away.

Birthday greeting also to Janet Rose, formerly Cox, who celebrated. Janet grew up on the 4th and went to Scott Central and Uxbridge High School before marrying Jamie, who carried her off to Seagrave. Now she spends more time over this way because she has a new little granddaughter.

Birthday greeting were sung in church for Adele Boy, who celebrated a birthday earlier in the week. Adele is a very busy lady in so many ways. Birthday greetings also to my cousin Lori Ryall Shier. Now Lori doesn’t live right here, just a bit north, but if you follow Bruins hockey both her sons, Owen and Ryan, were picked up this season and made a good showing. She is a proud momma. I think our Trevor Cox had something to do with that.

Congratulations to Jonathan van Bilsen who was awarded the Port Perry Volunteer of the Year Award at a recent mayor’s luncheon. Congratulations and continued success in your many endeavours.

On March 26th the North Durham Nature Group met at Scugog Memorial Library. The presenter was Deborah Metsger, from the Royal Ontario Museum, who was a big part of the group who spent a number of years putting together a definitive book about the Trees of Ontario. She detailed how they went about it and how they decided just what they wanted to highlight in this book. It is a beautiful book with everything you would ever want to know about trees. This meeting demonstrated just how many people are interested in the subject as there were about 90 people in attendance, twice as many as usually appear. The next meeting will be April 23rd.

On Friday I attended the Pancake Breakfast/Brunch at Epsom United Church. This has become an annual event to raise funds for the Canadian Food Grains Bank Project. Local farmers purchase the seed with this money but after they till, sow, cultivate and harvest using all their own funds. Real farmers take time from their own farming duties to feed the hungry of the world.

It was interesting to see a new Probis group is forming since the other two have been so successful. Since there already is a waiting list, it won’t take long to fill up. The first meeting is at Hope Church in Prince Albert, on Wednesday, April 11th, at 10 a.m.

This Friday, April 5th, at 7:30 p.m., in Leaskdale, the final Jazz session will happen. Tom Baker is bringing along two more excellent musicians, Larra Skye and James Warburton.

Church this Easter Sunday was at Sandford United Church, with rev. Bill Fritz leading the service. There was a good attendance, beautiful music and a couple of kids he could talk to as well. Next week we are back at Zephyr United Church, at 10 a.m.