Zephyr & Sandford News

by Pat Asling

On Sunday, June 1st, when I am writing this, the sun is shining, but the wind is blowing mightily, as it has for the last few days. There was a birthday party in Elgin Park for my great-great-nephew (age 5) and niece (age 3), but it was so cold under the shelter and with the wind that I stayed only half an hour. I had to come home, as my fingers were going numb!

Everyone is complaining about the cold and rain and not being able to get in the garden, while the north of Manitoba, Saskatewan, BC, and, to a lesser extent, northern Ontario are burning from heat and dryness. We may get some of that later, as the forecast for the next few months is above normal temperatures. We will not need to evacuate our homes, as thousands have been forced to do on our prairies. Stand together, Canadians!

Best wishes to Don and Fay Simmons on their 50th anniversary, which was celebrated last week. I knew both of these youngsters when they were much younger. I knew Don when his family moved just north of Epsom on the 8th and came to Epsom United Church for a time. I met Fay when I started going to Sandford United Church, where her family and many relatives resided.

Happy 49th anniversary wishes go out to David and Judy (Warren) Risebrough. Dave was born on the family farm south of Sandford, while Judy was raised in Uxbridge, where her parents owned a hardware store. My dad did a lot of painting and decorating for them at the store and apartments. Dave and Judy have two children and five grandchildren. Congratulations to Rob and Karen Croxall who became first-time grandparents with the birth of June Corinne, thanks to David and Kelsey. The baby is named after her great-grandmothers, June and Corinne. Birthday wishes go out to Amanda Van der Gulek. Amanda runs a successful entrepreneurial business. Birthday greetings also to Bryan Smith. Brian followed in his father's footsteps, selling tractors and other farm equipment, just a different make. A huge congratulations to Tish MacDonald who was given the King Charles III award in a ceremony last week. Tish certainly deserves all this for her work with veterans and the educational programs she instituted with young people to keep the memories of our veterans alive. It was nice, too, to see Norm Goodspeed looking so well in the photo.

The Chamber music for Lucy Maud Montgomery had their final Spring session on May 23rd, and it was a great success. Both Chamber and Jazz sessions are fundraisers for the new grand piano. Don't forget the Gardens of Uxbridge Tour on Saturday, June 21st, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. The summer teas will begin on July 16th. The cost this year is $35!

On Tuesday, a group of gardeners met at Richters Greenhouses for an in-depth tour of the facility. This included where all the plants for sale are displayed, the area where the potting and seeding are carried out and the shipping area. They ship all over Canada and the US; generally, plants arrive after 3-4 days at the most. Our guide was an extremely knowledgeable person who knew about every aspect of growing, planting and scientific study! That evening, Members of North Durham Nature met at Scugog Library, where we learned a great deal about the ant kingdoms. My interest is more about keeping them out of my house. Still, they are a very interesting and diverse insect found worldwide. On Wed. evening, the Friends group put on a talent show with an amazing diversity of talents on display! On Thursday evening, I was privileged to attend the Bethesda Reach WI meeting. Some weeks ago Corinne Croxall had asked me to read some stories from the book my father wrote, dedicated to his grandchildren, about tales from his life. The WI is dedicated to preserving the history not only of their group but the community in which they were formed. Like too many groups today, volunteers are greatly needed to assist with programmes and social events. Should you contribute to this group, please contact President Kathy Wasylenky.

This week, June 6th, at the "Friday Night at the Foster" Richard Elliot will be performing with guitar and vocals. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the concert at 7:30 p.m. Admission at the door by donation. On Saturday night, at 7:30 p.m., the Northern Trails Vocal Connection will perform at St. Paul's Anglican Church under the direction of Jennifer Neveu-Campsall. Always a super show, they perform again on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Tickets are for sale at Threads.

On June 12th, at the Quaker Hill Public Schoolhouse at the Uxbridge Scott Museum, Allan McGillivray will give an informative talk about aspects of Uxbridge. Allan's talks are always insightful and humorous. Unfortunately, the Uxbridge Genealogy group is also scheduled for the same evening, another time when a billboard of events might help manage the town's activities! Both gatherings are scheduled for 7 p.m. On Saturday, June 14th, the first Leaskdale Loop day of the season will take place. This will occur every second Saturday of the month into the autumn. A variety of sites are open for perusal, purchasing and learning.

Church this morning was led by Adele Boy. Rev. Li was scheduled but somehow broke her wrist and is unable to drive. She will not be able to until the end of the month. Ruth Baker also took a break (not the same kind) and Nancy Wolfe was at the organ, the only musician who plays it! The Annual General Meeting was also scheduled but postponed to a later date. Next week Carol O'Neil will be back with us, one of my favourite speakers. The following week, Adele will again conduct service. On the 22nd, we look forward to having Nicki Slovitt and her guide dogs with us. Everybody loves puppies! Please join us for any of these services at 10 a.m.! On June 22nd, the annual Decoration service for Sandford Cemetery will be held at 2 p.m. at the church.