uxbridge town talk - march 2016

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...BECAUSE FOOD IS ONE OF LIFES GREATEST PLEASURES!

OPEN THE ENTIRE EASTER WEEKEND!

GOOD FRIDAYOpen until 6pm

EASTER SUNDAYOpen until 5pm

PLATTERS MADE TO ORDER

UXBRIDGE234 Toronto Street S.

905-852-2442

visit us at www.vincesmarket.com

CUSTOM ORDER CAKESCUSTOM GIFT BASKETS

Entertaining Made Easy...

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v o l u m e 8 | i s s u e 2 | m a r c h 2 0 1 6

7 11 15

STAFFManaging Editor: Elaine LeighGraphic Designer: Sandi LeighSales Manager: Sandi Leigh

CONTRIBUTORSDarrin DavisSamantha SmithGloria EngArthur FieldSusan Fumerton

COVER PHOTOJohn Cavers | Local Photographer |

CONTACT USPhone: 905 862 3747Email: [email protected]

MAILING ADDRESSPO Box 1035, Uxbridge ON L9P 1N3

OFFICE ADDRESS24 Toronto St. N., Unit 3Uxbridge, ON L9P 1E6

facebook.com/uxbridgetowntalk twitter.com/uxtowntalk

contents

Available online at www.uxbridgetowntalk.com or www.issuu.com/uxbridgetowntalk. Can be downloaded as well!

EDITORIAL MESSAGE Unless otherwise stated, all product reviews, articles and other features are chosen by us at our discretion. If you would like to be featured please contact us.

Uxbridge Town Talk is a monthly publication by Sweet World Media. The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for the claims, views, opinions, comments or advertisement herein. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Uxbridge Town Talk does not endorse

any advertised product, service or event. The Publisher is not responsible for any typographical errors. Advertisers are responsible for any copyright issues. Uxbridge Town Talk will not be held

responsible for errors, print or otherwise, in submitted ads. No part of this publication, including advertisements, may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.

Copyright © Sweet World Media 2009-2016 www.sweetworldmedia.com

The font used in “Uxbridge Town Talk” is the Gibson Family Font designed by Rod McDonald to honor my father in law John Gibson. It is available for sale at www.canadatype.net/fonts/

gibson. All proceeds are donated by Canada Type to various programs to help improve creative arts and to elevate design programs in Canada.

I cannot say whether things wil l get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better. -Georg C. Lichtenberg

Spring is a time of growth and fresh starts in nature and coincidentally in business. March came with a roar and will provide that last snowfall for winter sports and tourism. Businesses need to grow too and this is the perfect time to take a bold step and publish this month’s edition online only!

Publishing online was a big decision for us, yet one we believe will grow our audience in a very positive way. As technology advances at an enormous rate, more and more people are reading print online including ipads, phones and computers. Is everyone? Not exclusively, and I fall into that category. Print media is still a strong medium as we all love the feel of an old book and enjoy reading the local newspapers from cover to cover. However many of us are enjoying magazines online too as they become more available.

We struggled with this decision. Is it the right time? Will our advertisers stay on board? Can we establish ourselves as an online magazine? The answer is a resounding yes! We can promote to a larger population, link online in amazing ways and give our customers far more content. We will also be able to offer incredible photos of our local community online. Combined with our need to do our small part for our environment and reduce our carbon footprint, it is certainly worth pursuing. Time will tell whether this format will be permanent. For the moment, our customers are being offered a more diverse reading experience along with the benefit of saving trees.

As always, we appreciation your feedback and would love for you to let us know what you think.

-town talk

4Town Talk TidbitsCanadians are Connected

5Crafty CornerEaster Candy Jar

6Faces of UxbridgePam Beach

7Agricultural NewsWillo’wind Farm

8Community CalendarMarch 2016

9Community Calendar Cont’dMarch 2016

10Peacefully Productive5 tips for performing at an open mic

11Historically SpeakingCountry Fair

12Suzy’s Q & ABullying

13UTT KitchenStuffed Pork Loin Roast

14Guest ColumnNexus

15My EnvironmentTracks in the Snow

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s| canadians are connected | SOURCED FROM: WWW.CMF-FMC.CA | ISSUU.COM | WWW.WEBFUEL.CA | WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM/

SOCIAL MEDIA USE IN CANADA

Canadians are early adopters of the Internet.

Currently, Canada ranks in the top three

countries from around the world in terms of online

engagement. Canadians are also global leaders

in social networking usage. According to

Socialnomics, 40% off our nation’s population

had embraced either Facebook or Twitter by 2010. By 2012, almost half of the population

had joined social media sites. What are the stats

for 2013? According to a recent report from Media Technology Monitor, two

out of three Canadians now use Social Media in

one form or another.

189 million of Facebook’s users are ‘mobile only’

25% of smartphone owners ages 18-44 say they can’t recall

the last time their smartphone wasn’t

next to them

93% of marketers use social media for business.

Only 7% of marketers say they don’t use social media for their business. The fastest growing

demographic on Twitter is the 55-64 year age bracket.

This demographic has grown 79% since 2012.

The 45-54 year age bracket is the fastest growing

demographic on both Facebook and Google+.

For Facebook, this group has jumped 46%.

For Google+, 56%.Those are impressive numbers

against the prevailing idea that social media is ‘just for

teenagers.’ It certainly points to the importance of having a solid

social media strategy if these age brackets fit into your target

demographic.

STATISTICS85% have an Internet connection62% have a smartphone45% have a PVR39% have a tablet 25% have a smart TV63% connect to social media each month58% of Canadians are gamers

Uxbridge Town Talk

5624The number of impressions

on our UTT link for the first month’s issue

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Uxbridge Renovation Showroom | 905-852-7722 | 17991 Lakeridge Road

| easter candy jars | SOURCED FROM: WWW.CRAZYLITTLEPROJECTS.COM/

THIS IS QUICK AND SIMPLE CRAFT THAT SHOULD TAKE UNDER 30 MINUTES TO MAKE THREE OF THESE EASTER CANDY JARS. IT’S SOMETHING KIDS COULD DO AND LOVE TOO!

Supplies Needed:

Small jars (any size or kind will do)DecoupagePaint BrushFine GlitterCraft foam or construction paper in pink, white and orangeCandyPom PomsGoogley EyesHot Glue

Directions

1. Paint a thin layer of decoupage all over the outside of your jar. Sprinkle glitter on it and shake off excess.

2. Set aside and allow to dry.

3. Once dry. Cut ears from your white and pink craft foam and hot glue them to the lid of your bunny jar.

4. Hot glue a pink pom pom for a tail.

5. To make the face glue on googley eyes and a pom pom nose and then cut whiskers and glue them in place as well.

6. For the chick cut some little feet and glue them to the bottom of the jar and a little triangle beak and eyes for the face.

FILL THEM WITH CANDY AND GIVE THEM TO A FRIEND!

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It’s pretty evident that I like to share with you many of the people who make a difference in Uxbridge. Whether they are long-term residences or new to the area, our feature residents are people who represent our community in such a positive way. This month’s ‘Faces of Uxbridge’ happens to be one of our newest councillors. Her contributions are already significant and we would like to acknowledge her huge contributions.

Let me introduce Pamela Beach. I am sure many of you recognize Pam as a member Uxperience for seventeen years. Recently, her acting skills in the Rylepuss Productions are for me the most memorable. What an amazing pirate she was in Peter Pan!

There is so much more that Pam does and has done but let’s start with her early years. Pam was born in Uxbridge, delivered by Dr. St. John and Mrs. Alma Soper at the Cedarlea Maternity Home that was located on Brock Street. The Cedarlea Maternity Home was opened in 1949 in Uxbridge and many residences of Uxbridge were born there. Pam was one of them.

Pam grew up on the family farm. The Forsythe farm was a 100-acre farm located where Butternut Manor is now. Pam knows farming and as a farm child, knew the meaning of hard work. In 1973 she married Ed, and began her life as a women in agriculture, helping her husband manage his family farm. The Beach farm is one that has been around since 1876. The Beach family also established themselves as key people in Uxbridge. You may know that Pam’s father in law was a long time councillor in Uxbridge along with her father as a Deputy Reeve for many years.

Pam settled into farm life raising two daughters. Vanessa is a local message therapist and Candice a sales and marketing manager with a Toronto company. Working hard everyday as all women in agriculture do, balancing farm life, motherhood and also managing to be an incredible cook (yes I have sampled some of Pam’s cooking… it is excellent.)

Pam expanded her talents to include teaching art classes to children and adults for a period of eleven years. Her love of learning and her love of people led her to return to school and become a therapist in Bowen, Behaviour Therapy and Reflexology. The purpose of these treatments is “Liberating clients from Physical and Emotional Pain”. Pam has quite the portfolio that allows her to give back to people she sincerely cares about.

Pam’s biggest challenge and one of her most enjoyable is her latest role as Ward 1 Councillor. And she loves it! As a councillor, she is the voice for all the Ward 1 residents. Pam takes this role seriously. Councillors not only represent residents in council, but also are actively involved in many committees and the Town of Uxbridge. I am on the Boards of several committees with Pam and will definitely speak from experience that she is passionate, supportive, hard working and honest.

Pam is an incredibly creative person full of terrific ideas. Pam gives 100% of herself for the betterment of Uxbridge so next time you see her volunteering at or attending an event, discussing Goodwood Hall improvements or advocating for our much needed Tourism, remember

she does this for her love of Uxbridge.

Pam’s portfolio includes: Tourism, Heritage Culture and special events which includes being an active member of Tourism, Heritage Uxbridge, Historical Society, MAC (Museum Advisory Committee), Goodwood Community Association, Durham Youth Council, AVEC (Art and Visual Enhancements Committee. ) She is a volunteer with several other committees including YDHR (York Durham Heritage Railway). She is one of the founders of “Farmers of Uxbridge”, an active Canada Day volunteer, and if that is not enough she is actively forming new committees that will be instrumental in bringing more tourism to Uxbridge.

Pam’s energy is exhausting! As a town, we are lucky enough to have her as one of our councilors, but even luckier to have her as a volunteer. Thank you Pam for all you do. It is appreciated.

As a resident of Uxbridge Elaine has taken the helm of Sweet World Media, publisher of Uxbridge Town Talk. Elaine has three passions, family, photography and her Golden Retriever Jake. With a new business, four grandchildren and plenty of photo opportunities in Uxbridge, life’s been busy but fun!

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e| pam beach | BY ELAINE LEIGH

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| willo’wind farm | BY SAMANTHA SMITH

This month I had the pleasure of speaking with Adrian from Willo’ Wind farm, a 50-acre family run, multifaceted farm in the Uxbridge area. Established in 1984 when Rudy and Elizabeth Stocking left city life behind in order to follow their dream of opening a bed and breakfast and hobby farm to raise their children on. Their farm started with the planting of pine and

spruce trees on 4 acres to begin their reforestation and habitat restoration efforts, a vegetable garden, a small herd of sheep and flock of laying hens. Over time their family grew and so did the farm, which now includes beef cattle, meat birds, turkeys, pigs, 2 draft horses and approximately 8 acres of vegetables.

Adrian remembers growing up on the farm, noting the work was hard but rewarding and how he enjoyed the freedom and space to play, explore and to get into trouble with his siblings. He said growing up in the farming community gave him an appreciation early on of the land, environment and what it takes to grow healthy, organic food and to make your dreams a reality.

Farming comes with its fair share of challenges; from inconsistent weather to pests and predators, farming is less then predictable. The occurrence of any of these can cause the loss of an entire crop over night and be devastating to a small farm. Having so many aspects outside of your control can be one of the most difficult and frustrating aspects of farming. For Adrian and his family though, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. It is the satisfaction of being able to provide families with the opportunity to access local, healthy, organic food and to watch them come back happy and excited that their food tastes great, is locally sourced and healthy for their families. As well they enjoy being able to witness the results of their reforestation, habitat restoration and organic and sustainable farming practices, which help preserve and restore local ecosystems.

At Willo’ Wind they place high importance on creating an enriching and natural environment for each of their animals, doing what they can to keep them mentally and physically healthy. For example the pigs need space to root and wallow, while the chickens need access to outdoor space where they can scratch and feed. Although much of their livestock is raised for food they want to provide the best quality of life for them for the time they spend on the farm.

With the knowledge and experience the Stocking family has accumulated over the last 30+ years they offer training opportunities to pass that knowledge and way of life on to the next generation. From WOOFing to internships they give you the skills and experience necessary to work on or own a farm one day in hopes of keeping alive the spirit of farming and to pass on the organic and sustainable farming practices.

Willo’ Wind farms offer a selection of 100% grass fed, Organic Beef, Pastures GMO-Free Heritage Pork, poultry, eggs and vegetables direct to their customers through markets in Toronto and Uxbridge and through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. If you are interested in visiting Willo’ Wind Farm and Bed & Breakfast or want to find out more information about their farm and products they have available you can visit their website at www.willowind.ca.

After spending the last year traveling abroad Samantha has come home to discover the hidden gems in and surrounding Uxbridge. Local to Goodwood, Samantha splits her time between managing her family’s Alpaca farm, photography and traveling - so naturally exploring local farms seemed like a perfect fit!

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r| march community calendar |

SATURDAY MARCH 12TH

Wealthing Like Rabbits author event On Saturday, March 12 from 2 – 4 pm Blue Heron Books is pleased to present Robert R. Brown in the Blue Heron store at 62 Brock St. W., Uxbridge. Brown is the author of the Canadian bestselling personal finance book, Wealthing Like Rabbits – An Original Introduction to Personal Finance. One of the biggest challenges the financial services industry faces today is how to engage young people or younger clients. Brown is not your typical personal finance author and Wealthing Like Rabbits is not a typical personal finance bookTime: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Where: Blue Heron Books, 62 Brock Street W.Contact: Shelley MacBeth @ 905-852-4282

MONDAY MARCH 14TH

Uxbridge Library Scavenger Hunt Family (or friends) can drop in on Monday, March 14th and search for our list of interesting facts and items in the library. Each group will be timed so that we can announce a winning team at the end. This event is Free, please drop-in at any time during Regular Library Hours (10 am – 5 pm)Time: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Where: Uxbridge Library

TUESDAY MARCH 15TH

Uxbridge - Candyland Capers Come in with your children and enjoy our life-size Candyland game set up in the Children’s Department. Free, Time: 10:00 am - 9:00 pm Where: Uxbridge Library

WEDNESDAY MARCH 16TH

The Brook Never Sleeps An indoor/outdoor, hands-on event that connects young people with the ecology and nature of Uxbridge Brook. Youth aged 10 and up are invited to this free March Break event

that includes a live animal presentation, “critter dipping” (searching for wild creatures in Uxbridge Brook), presentations and other activities. Lunch is provided. Pre-registration is required by calling 905-862-3456. This event is presented by the Uxbridge Youth Centre and the Uxbridge Watershed Advisory Committee, with financial support from The Royal Bank of Canada, and is supported by many local conservation groups.Time: 9:00 am Contact: 905-862-3456

Uxbridge - Stupendous Show! Join us on Wed. March 16 for a show that will include the Ontario Falconry Centre “Birds of Prey” show and the Puppet Tamer, who was a fabulous hit last March Break. Tickets are $2.50 each and will be on sale starting Feb. 1. Parents will require their own ticket and must attend with their child. Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Where: Uxbridge Library

THURSDAY MARCH 17TH

Uxbridge - Babysitting Course This course is designed for participants ages 11+ who are interested in learning or improving babysitting and basic first aid skills. Cost: $70 per participant. Register ahead by coming in person to the Children’s Desk, spaces are limited. This course runs on Friday March 18th as well.Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Where: Uxbridge Library

St. Paul’s Lunch and Learn Program A monthly Lunch and Learn program is presented on the third Thursday of each month at noon at St. Paul’s Anglican Church 59 Toronto St. Uxbridge. The pay-what-you-can lunch is catered by North House. Following lunch this month Virginia Miles will speak on “Navigating the Health Care System” The program is mostly on concerns for seniors and their family/caregivers, but

open to everyone. Following the talk there is an opportunity for questions and answers from attendees. Limited seating, please call the church 905-852-7016 to reserve a spot.Time: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Where: St. Paul’s Anglican Church 59 Toronto St.Contact: 905-852-7016

FRIDAY MARCH 18TH

St. Paddy’s Day Dance St.Paddy’s Day Dance at 8:oo pm,Uxbridge Legion,109 Franklin Street,featuring The Pepper Shakers Rock & Roll Band .$10:00 Wear your Green.Time: 8:00 pm Where: Uxbridge Legion, 109 Franklin Street

SATURDAY MARCH 26TH

Goodwood Easter Egg Hunt Easter Egg Hunt Parents bring your children to have fun, active games , face painting, gift bags, healthy snacks. Oh of course the Easter Bunny just might show up! Lots of fun. Pre-registration required. Cost $5 per child. Rain or Shine. Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pmWhere: Goodwood Community HallContact: [email protected] or 647-467-3105

Uxbridge Lions Pancake Breakfast An annual fundraising event for Uxbridge Lions Club in support of Hope 4 Hockey Project, Canadian Tire Jump Start Program, The Uxbridge Bruins, and Uxbridge Minor

Uxbridge Stouffville Midwives2 Campbell Drive, Unit 207 | 905 862 3535 | www.uxbridgemidwives.com

always accepting new patients

Customizing your Interior and Exterior Finishes

Please Contact Jeremy at289.231.1319 www.jmtcustomcarpentry.ca

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Hockey Association.Time: 7:30 am - 12:30 pmWhere: Uxbridge Arena, 291 Brock St. WWebsite: www.uxbridgelions.com

REGULAR EVENTS

Baby Cafe is a non-fee drop in program offered Mondays, all pregnant women, parents & caregivers with infants are welcome. Each session is facilitated by a Lactation Consultant, and a healthy snack is provided. For more information families can contact us.Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 amWhere: Uxbridge Public School, 64 Victoria DrContact: 905-862-3131 or [email protected]

Friday Morning Music w/ Marg Time: 9:30 am - 11:30 amWhere: Uxbridge Public School, 64 Victoria DrContact: 905-862-3131 or [email protected]

Monday Morning Singers. Beat the ‘Winter Blahs’ by singing with the women’s choir, directed by Anne Mizen. The group’s preparing a spring concert on April 29th. Practices are Monday Mornings from 9:15-11:30 am. Begins January 18th. No auditions. Visit www.mmsingers.org Where: St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 65 Toronto Street SContact: 905-852-3693

Wanna Dance? Line Dancing. “You can dance, have fun and exercise all at the same time!” says Dianne Wiseman, the instructor for the line dancing classes being held at the Seniors Centre in Uxbridge. For ages 55 plusLine dancing is great exercise for virtually your whole body. Every Thursday.Time: 9:00am - 11:30amWhere: 75 Marietta Street, UxbridgeContact: 905-852-7792

Taoist Tai Chi at the Uxbridge Seniors

Centre. Includes a gentle set of movements that promote well-being for people of all ages and in all conditions. Beginner class: every Friday 9-10am. Continuous class: every Friday 10-11:30am. Where: 75 Marietta Street, UxbridgeContact: 905 852 2587

Royal Canadian Legion Every Friday night we play euchre, so if you are interested please come out at 7:00 to sign up and play starts at 7:30 PM. It is a great night of fun for all in the downstairs clubroom.Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion We have Bingo every Thursday night at 7:30 P.M. until spring. Come on by the upstairs hall with your friends, it could be your lucky night.Time: 7:30pmWhere: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge.

Royal Canadian Legion Darts runs every Wednesday night at 7:30 P.M. until spring. Teams are all set but someone is always looking for a spare. Cost for a spare is $3. It’s a great night of fun for all in the upstairs hall.Time: 7:30pmWhere: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion Meat rolls run every Saturday afternoon from 4–5 PM until Spring. It has been a Canadian Legion tradition for years. Come on out and support your local legion and maybe take home dinner..Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pmWhere: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

Royal Canadian Legion On the 3rd Monday of every month we hold a veterans afternoon from 2-4 P.M. This is open to all veterans and their spouse/guest in the area not just Uxbridge members. They enjoy food, beverages, entertainment and door prizes compliments of the Uxbridge Legion. So come out and enjoy an afternoon with old friends and acquaintances or meet

some new ones. Night of fun for all in the upstairs hall.Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Uxbridge

HAPP Y EAST ER from UT TOpen Mic Thursdays. Open Mic Thursdays are every Thursday at Wixan’s Bridge Presented by Beau’s All Natural Beer and Wixan’s Bridge! Watch awesome local talent, and sing a few songs if you feel up to it! It’s always a great time! The first Thursday of every month there’s a free sampling of Beau’s Lug Tread beer. There’s raffles every Thursday for the performers and the audience! Starts at 9pm. Hosted by Bodan. 2 mics, an acoustic, a bass, a cajon and a foot tambourine are provided for general use!Time: 9:00pm - 11:45pmWhere: Wixan’s Bridge 65 Brock Street WestContact: 416-587-4572

Karaoke Wednesday. Karaoke is now every Wednesday Night at Wixan’s Bridge in Uxbridge! It’s All Ages on the main floor.Time: 8:00pmWhere: Wixan’s Bridge 65 Brock Street West Uxbridge.Contact: 416-587-4572

Friends of the Uxbridge Public Library The Friends of the Uxbridge Public Library meet on the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Uxbridge Library lower meeting room. The Friends of the Library bring awareness to the library by organizing book sales and other events. All proceeds go to the library to help in various expenditures including adding to their extensive DVD collection. New members always welcome.Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pmWhere: 9 Toronto Street South

www.littleacorn.ca | 77 Brock St. W | 905 862 35244 Banff Rd., Hwy47S, Unit #7, Uxbridge, Ont., L9P 1S9www.roanespaint.com phone: 905-852-5315 fax: 905-852-2215

WE HAVE MOVED Visit us at our new location! Same plaza, different unit!

ROANE’S PAINT & WALLPAPER

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| 5 tips for performing at an open mic | BY DARRIN DAVIS

Whether you’re a newbie who has never performed onstage in front of an audience, a seasoned pro looking for a low-pressure platform to try out some new material, or somewhere in between- open-mic’s are great. They provide an opportunity to work up material, experiment, and hone your skills. They are also a great way to meet like-minded people, and form a musical community around yourself. When my wife Amy and I moved to Uxbridge 4 years ago, we didn’t know a soul here. Soon we heard about Tania Joy’s awesome Wednesday night Open Mic at Colonel McGrady’s (the longest running open-mic in Uxbridge) and decided to give it a shot. We loved it instantly, felt so warmly welcomed, and can now say that many of our friendships here started from the connections we made that first Wednesday.

Back in my Toronto days, I was the long-time host of 2 different Open Mic’s, (henceforth referred to as OM’s for brevity) one at the Labyrinth Lounge in the Annex, and one at the ever-popular Gladstone Hotel on Queen West. I’ve been witness to hundreds of open-mic performers over the years. Some absolutely brilliant. Some...not. I’d like to share with you my top 5 tips for improving your Open-mic success. Here goes…

1. Get there Early, and Stick Around.

Most OM’s have a sign-up sheet. And most hosts advertise when sign-up begins. If you want to be guaranteed a spot, show up at or before the sign-up time. If you show up an hour later and have to sign-up at the bottom of the list, (or maybe don’t even get a spot) who would you say is to blame here? Once you’ve signed-up, let the sign-up sheet be. This is a sacred text that must be honoured. Do not ask the host to switch things around ‘because your friend’s second cousin might be coming later’ to see you play. The sign-up sheet is a chaos prevention device. Let it work it’s magic.

Now that you’ve signed up, kick back, grab some food and a drink (or two) and enjoy the show. (If you’re taking up a seat or two at a venue, you do need to be spending some cashola. If you don’t drink, that’s fine. Order some food.) The Golden Rule strongly applies to OMs. Respect the other performers. If you don’t like loud chatter and laughter when you’re playing, it’s safe to assume the other musicians feel the same way. Be the audience you would like to have, and all will be well in the world. And please, stick around. One of the most magical thing about OM’s are the natural connections that form from people spending time together, listening to each other, sharing tips, forming bonds and growing both individually and together, as a group. This does not happen to the folks who show up, sign their spot, go sit at the bar alone with their backs to the music until they play, and then leave immediately after. Open yourself up to your peers around you, and some amazing things can happen.

2. Set Yourself up to Succeed.

Would you show up at a job interview and start things rolling by telling your potential future employer all the reasons why you’re not the right person for the job by listing all your faults and shortcomings? Of course not! So why do so many OM performers start their set off by explaining all the reasons why their songs are going to bomb? It never ceases to amaze me how often this happens. If you tell everyone in the room that your song is going to stink, then guess what? It’s probably going to stink. You’re preconditioning the audience to not take you seriously. No one wants to hear someone put themselves and their songs down, especially publicly. If you

don’t have anything good to say (about yourself) than just don’t say anything. Your songs would be much better served without the self-sabotaging introduction. Like good ol’ Henry Ford said back in the day, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t… you’re right.”

3. Step Outside of the Cage of Your Own Creation

This is a simple one. Mix it up a little. Do you play the same 3 or 4 songs every week? That’s ok if you’re just getting comfortable. But soon, you’re going to have to expand. There’s great freedom in experimenting with different genres, instruments, etc. Another great way to enrich your musical chops is to collaborate with other musicians. So go do it!

4. Ready Thyself, and Know Thy Gear

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin

Question: When is the best time to make your setlist?Answer: Anytime BEFORE you walk onstage.

There’s a roomful of people waiting to hear you play, who are also likely wanting to perform right after you. Hemming and hawing over what song to do next doesn’t really do anyone any favours. Also, know thy gear. Check the battery in your pickup BEFORE you leave your house. Figure out how to use your capo, etc. in the privacy of your own home. That way you can focus on BEING GREAT onstage, instead of worrying about a million little things. I find creating a little pre-show ritual really helps me feel prepared and focused before I play. When I forget to do the ritual, (which is rare nowadays) it shows. And with regards to gear- bring the minimum amount you need to play your songs. If there are two mics set-up onstage, and you want to do a song with 3 singers, share a mic. It cuts into everyone else’s time if there is a ton of equipment changes needed for your set. Unless you’re performing at an OM at Massey Hall or the like, a plug-and-play setup should be your modus operandi.

5. Have Fun!

Isn’t that why you’re doing this anyway? Because it’s fun? If your set doesn’t go so well, it’s OK. Your career isn’t sunk. The audience didn’t pay $75 to see you. Be grateful that it happened at an Open Mic, instead of somewhere more threatening. Pull up your socks, and figure out how to be better the next week. But again, most importantly, kick back and have a blast. For many people, their weekly Open Mic set has become their own private little Oasis in a busy week filled with kid’s Hockey practices and business meetings and traffic jams. A chance to meet-up with friends, hear some great music, and take a load off. I hope to see you out at one sometime soon!

Darrin Davis is a professional musician, singer/songwriter, painter and photographer. His bi-weekly live music video series ‘Songs On A Pink Couch’ can be subscribed to at www.youtube.com/user/the-darrindavisband. Darrin hosts a weekly Sunday night Acoustic Open Mic at Colonel McGrady’s Pub, 44 Brock St. W. He lives in the wild-wood splendour of Uxbridge, Ontario, with his lovely wife Amy, his darling newborn daughter Sadie, and his incorrigible pup, Dublin. All 4 are relentless Blue Jays fans.

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Let’s al l go to the country fair,there’s blossoms and ribbons and hope in the air.

The harvest is in and we have time to spare,and the best place to be is the county fair.

Our historical story this month enthusiastically features the Uxbridge Fall Fair. It’s not only Uxbridge’s most amazing annual event, but the quintessential historic event that has been around for at least 150 years! This year’s fair is focused on Women in Agriculture.

I had the opportunity to meet with a couple of the board of directors of our local Uxbridge Fall Fair. Their passion and sincere concern for the future of the fair was apparent throughout our discussions. Let me impart their love of the Fair, the challenges that have come up and the concerns for the future. How can we all help?

First let’s take a look at the history of the Fall Fair; it began as the North Ontario County fair and was held between Uxbridge and Port Perry, alternating each year. The Scott Agricultural Society was formed in 1864 holding their first fair in Leaskdale that year. Over the years the Fair

has been held at various locations, Sandford, Zephyr and Udora with its final resting place in Elgin Park Uxbridge. What started as purely an agricultural event has grown to include a derby (a very popular event), the tractor pull, photo, baby, pie contests and preserve contests and the all time favourite, the midway. We can all savour and sample the delicious foods from the local vendors. Did you know that anyone can get involved in competitions? From Classic cars and pumpkin carving for adults to junior artwork, photography and culinary skills, there is something for everyone. Don’t forget the animal contests and demonstrations!

The Uxbridge Fair popularity can only be measured by the smiles

in the many photos I have included. Uxbridge loves the Fair! Thanks John Cavers for sharing these wonderful photos.

Like any outdoor event, weather can be a challenge, and sadly the Fair has suffered in the last couple of years. Rising costs and bad weather are challenges that they have endured and the board candidly shared what we can do to help. First, they desperately need volunteers, without whom the Fair cannot operate. Check out www.Uxbridgefair.ca for information about meetings etc. New sponsors can show the generosity of Uxbridge as it has always shined with the Fair, but cutbacks with

all company donations are down. Last, but certainly not least, visit the Uxbridge Fair; the minimal entrance fee of $ 12.00 per person may just enable the great event to continue. Anyone under age 13 is free and parking is always free.

Whether you are a long time resident or new to the area, I promise you and your family will enjoy all the Fair has to offer, so remember it is always the weekend after Labour Day, this year September 9-11th, in Elgin Park and please share your photos we would love to publish them in a future Uxbridge Town Talk. Let’s all show our community that we believe in our heritage that includes another 150 years of the Uxbridge Fall Fair.

See you at the Fair!!!!!


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| country fair | BY ELAINE LEIGH

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a| bullying | BY: SUZY Q

Children are an integral part of our lives and our community. Exploring ideas and asking questions surrounding family dynamics are a trending topic in our society. Asking questions to seek insight is a good way to get support from other parents and experts in the field.

As a parent of four grown children and a working background in education, I have the opportunity to share thoughts about raising happy healthy children. I am certainly not an expert by any means and quick to acknowledge mistakes made a long the way. Yet sometimes tried and true methods still hold true for new parents. Ask questions, listen and decide what you will take out of this column and find the reality for your family.

Question: Our child is experiencing bullying at one of the local schools. I am seeking help with staff to resolve the issue but I am hearing from other parents that their child is having issues too. Even with the anti bullying campaigns out why is it on the rise?

Pinked out mom

Answer: Children’s physical and emotional, cognitive development and so-cial status greatly depend on their family dynamics. The rising inci-dence of behavioural problems among children might suggest that some families are struggling to cope with the increasing stresses they are experiencing and resulting in a child with low self esteem. Children with low esteem often bully because they are unhappy and coincidentally children who are being bullied may have low esteem as well.

I made some observations of my own in the classrooms, corri-dors and outside on the playground. Children who were bullied often reacted in a way that enabled the child who was doing the bullying. For example, the bullied child would cry, show distress, run away or go tell a teacher. Of course we couldn’t suggest to the bullied child that they go “bop” the child who was doing the bul-lying but instead offered the bullied child some strategies to end

the behaviour. For example, our four year old was just starting in JK when a few kids called him Dumbo because he had larger ears. My first reaction was to call the school, the parents and anyone else that would listen! A mother bear protecting her cub. Instead, I gave him some tools I thought might work. We practiced a bunch of “one liners” that he could use as a retort. When the bullies said: “hey Dumbo when is the next flight taking off?’ He would laugh and say I have a flight leaving at 2 and 4, but you will have to book ahead to get a spot. Once he showed that he was not affected or crying about their comments, they moved on to the next victim. I did address it with the school staff so that they would look into the children who were doing the bullying and hope it would stop. In addition, we really worked on self esteem with our son. We told him how good he was at numbers, that he had a lot of nice friends who really liked him and that all kids have different physical fea-tures. Some people have long legs, some have large noses, and some brown skin etc. and that is what made us all special. We loved who he was and what he looked liked. It seemed to work for us. Be creative, give them the tools they need to cope and don’t dwell too much on giving the bully power. You might just say “some kids say mean things about others because they are sad about something going on at their house and leave it at that. Try not to encourage your child to be a victim and if the problem persists seek profes-sional help.

Suzy Q

www.uxbridgetowntalk.com

www.sweetworldmedia.com

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| stuffed pork loin roast | PROVIDED BY : GLORIA ENG

Ingredients

4 lb Pork Loin - butterflied

1/2 lb Sliced Bacon

2 Granny Smith Apples,peeled,

cored, sliced

2 Springs Fresh Rosemary

1 tbsp Caraway Seed

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1 Medium Onion - diced

8 oz Crimini Mushrooms - diced

1 lb Sausage Meat

1 sm. pkg Baby Spinach

1/2 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Oregano

1/4 tsp Ground Pepper

Butcher Twine

1/2 cup Apple Juice

1/2 cup Water

A stuffed pork loin roast with many savory layersIt takes a little bit of time to put it all together.. But, it will be all worth it..

Left overs make a yummy sandwich on rye bread!!

Directions

Preheat oven 350 degrees fahrenheit. 1. In a frying pan, brown sausage meat, minced onions and mushrooms, add thyme, oregano and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Drain off any liquid and reserve for later. Let cool. 2. Butterfly the pork loin or have the butcher do it for you. Flatten with a meat mallet to have an even thickness. Rub flattened pork loin with minced garlic, lay the bacon on top and press into pork loin saving 2 slices for later. Sprinkle with caraway seed, layer spinach onto pork loinpress down to flatten. Layer the apples in a single layer, layer on cooled sauage mixture. Roll as tightly as possible. Tie securely with butcher twine. Tuck Rosemary under twine to secure and place remaining bacon to top of rosemary and secure into place with a couple of tooth picks. 3. Place roast in a roasting pan, add apple juice and water, cover loosely with foil. Bake covered for 1 hr, uncover and continue cooking until internal temp is 160 F. Baste occasionally with reserved liquid from browned roast. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Pork Loin Roast

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ost of us start our day with a cup of coffee…or two…or three...

Yet very few of us understand what goes into bringing each cup to life. It’s more than just some beans and hot water…much more in fact! This is what you come to appreciate after spending some time at the Nexus Coffee Company.

Founded and operated by Arthur Field, Nexus opened last No-vember and is changing the way we think about coffee. With over 20 years of experience managing North America’s largest coffee brands and a former board member of the Coffee Association of Canada, Arthur has transitioned from the corporate world to offer our community an authentic coffee house experience.So what can we expect from a genuine coffee house? First, an ed-ucated team that is passionate about all things coffee! Next, an absolutely incredible product! Lastly, a setting that enhances the taste of the drink! Let’s look at these in more detail…

Not unlike wine grapes, each coffee bean tells an incredible sto-ry...source country terroir, altitude, drying methods and the roast-ing process all influence the inherent flavours in each bean. The baristas at Nexus must complete an exhaustive training program before they are able to serve customers. Being able to calibrate the grinders and brewing equipment throughout the day means

they can extract the best flavour every time. Brewing at home? No prob-lem…Nexus will help you select the right beans, offer precision grinding, and suggest a few pointers on how to fine tune your home brewing system.

Nexus knows that

great tasting coffees are what people expect each every and ev-ery visit. Whether you love espresso based specialty coffees or the simplicity of drip coffee, it all comes down to taste! Precise grind-ing, brewing, and milk-stretching parameters ensure consistency and that your latte doesn’t taste like a cappuccino…or vice versa! The drip coffee line-up delivers a wide range of full-bodied flavours that accentuate the differences between coffee producing coun-tries.

We all know the importance of ambiance for any food establish-ment and Nexus was designed and decorated with the customer in mind. From the street-level view, lighting, countertops, and music..to the smell of freshly baked pastries, coffee tastes better at Nexus! The word “Nexus” is defined as a ‘link, connection, or bond between people or things’ and that is exactly what is happen-ing there. People are enjoying world-class drinks in a warm setting with friends, or by themselves…which is exactly what an authentic coffee house environment supports.

Take all of this and combine it with decadent pastries, baked goods, and healthy lunch items and you’ve got something right here in downtown Uxbridge that people usually expect to find only in downtown Toronto. Add to this a series of planned events in-cluding coffee tasting sessions, the history of coffee, home brew-ing systems and we have an incredible opportunity to learn more about one of our favourite drinks.

Arthur and the entire Nexus team are extreme-ly proud of what they’ve created and the over-w h e l m i n g l y positive re-sponse so far. Seasons will change, the menu will evolve, but their commit-ment to serv-ing the best tasting coffee in a warm and inviting set-ting is unwavering!

Facebook – Nexus Coffee Company

Twitter - nexuscoffeeco

Instagram - nexuscoffeeco

Arthur is a resident of Uxbridge, a proud father, and a coffee aficionado who opened Nexus in November of 2015.

| nexus | BY: ARTHUR FIELD

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| tracks in the snow | BY: ELAINE LEIGH

As you read last month, we have purchased 13 acres of paradise! We are committed to the maintaining of our property as a natural oasis for trees, wetlands and wildlife. I will continue to share our journey and love of the outdoors.

Last month,

I discussed our challenge with invasive species of trees and thus far we are confident that we can control it. My focus this month is to share the fun we have had identifying different types of wildlife. After a few snowfalls

and noticing a myriad of different tracks in the snow, it was clear that we have plenty of wildlife. But who’s out there? One thing I have learned is that the animals are shy and do not like be seen. So now there is the challenge of identify them and learning about the tracks they are making.

I am curious about their clues. The size of the paws, the distance of

the step and are they running or walking? Are there two or four? The questions keep coming! I have never had a need to identify animal tracks but now I find myself curious. So faced with this challenge of identifying tracks, I had to research. First step was to google them, buy books and ask everyone I could who might be in the know. I have learned there is an art to identifying wildlife; google takes you to an overwhelming quantity of websites that give you details on ways to identify for instance, using prints and scat. Yet, scat is the one clue that I am not ready to investigate yet!

What we have learned is how to identify a hare and a rabbit and

(yes there is a difference). Also we have seen evidence of coy wolves, coyotes, raccoons, chipmunks and squirrels. We found out we have skunks the hard way! It seems we have them all, except our favourite, the deer.

Our next step was to buy a trail camera. It can take photos or

video, during the day or even at night. We are very excited with the wildlife being on our property. Since wildlife has a dramatic effect on the environment and given the interest or opportunity, I urge you to view a fantastic video called “How Wolves Change Rivers”. It is an eye opening video on how re-introducing wolves into Yellowstone National Park had a dramatic effect on the ecosystem.

Although the

effects are far greater than this article has the space to share, some of these facts will give you an indication of the significance wildlife makes for us. Over the past year, we have seen and have observed on our property:

Coyote: a keystone carnivore having a positive effect on the ecosystem. Coyotes keep wildlife numbers in balance particularly wild rodents. Since wild rodents are carriers of Lyme disease and infects the ticks that feed on them, limiting the rodents helps to limit the tick population.

Skunk: insect eaters, who have an important roll in keeping our insect population down.

Raccoons: are scavengers but also eat snakes, snake eggs, frogs, rats and field mice. In essence, the raccoons keep these other species from over populating. They are the main diet for foxes. We have disproven the rumour that where there are coyotes, there are no raccoon.

Squirrels: are seed and nut gatherers helping to keep the tree population healthy. Gathering and burying the seeds and nuts called ‘caching’ helps with tree renewal. Burying the seeds far away from the trees promotes renewal of the tree species.Chipmunks: are an important source of food for coyotes, raccoons, minks, and large snakes. Their dispersing of seeds is important.

So now armed with our camera, we have confirmed we have

coyote, hares, and raccoons and of course many squirrels, chipmunks and the much avoided skunk. I thought it would be fun to share some of the photos we have obtained with our trail camera. Although not entirely clear, they do give you an idea on what our forest contributes to sustaining our environment.

Now our biggest challenge is encouraging the deer! I will keep you posted on this challenge and until we find some, maybe we can investigate our winged wildlife.

Until next month………..


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uxbridge town talk - march 2016

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