A beautiful rain is falling as I sit writing this column, and I am joyful! All farmers and gardeners will be smiling. Before the heat and dryness came some of us wondered if the cold nights would ever give way to better growing conditions. But gardeners know how quickly the … Continue reading
By Glenn Spurrell The House Wren had just arrived back, and as predicted he started investigating the birdhouse in my backyard almost immediately. You might remember I reported that White-breasted Nuthatches had taken up residence in this house this year quite early in the season. I knew the wren would … Continue reading
Get Out! By Glen Spurrell We all know it’s been a cold start for April. It seems we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t complain! But one group that isn’t complaining is the maple syrup producers. I have it on good authority that all the producers have had their best … Continue reading
March 2016 Get Out! By Glen Spurrell The spring air smells so delicious and it’s such a tonic after the winter that I draw it into my lungs greedily. In fact I find myself unable to get enough into my lungs! Do you ever daydream of bottling a certain smell … Continue reading
In 1903, one could find over 500 varieties of lettuce, 500 varieties of cabbage, 400 varieties of peas and tomatoes, and 285 varieties of cucumbers offered in seed catalogues in Canada and the United States. By the 1980s, the varieties available had dwindled sharply, to just 36 varieties of … Continue reading
As a lawyer who practices in the area of wills & estates, I often get asked by people to help them with a living will. Unfortunately, there is no such thing under the laws of Ontario! The term is used in other jurisdictions, such as the U.S. In Ontario … Continue reading
The year 2016 marks the fifth year for local volunteers to travel to Belize. As a result of the generosity of local donors who support the annual dinner/auction, donating cash, soccer equipment, school supplies and Wayne Blaby whose organization is collecting used laptops and refurbishing them, the Belize project … Continue reading
In my role as Senior Millbrook Fair Ambassador, I represented our Agricultural Society last week in Toronto at the 2016 Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies (OAAS) which was held at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in downtown Toronto. It was a gorgeous hotel, and it felt like the country … Continue reading
I am 16-years-old, and I don’t use my phone. Well, that’s not strictly true. I do use my phone, but not often, and I certainly do have one. Unlikely as that may sound to you folks out there, it’s true: there are some of us who don’t have to … Continue reading
Last weekend our local Explorers group held a winter camp an hour north of Kingston on the Bob’s Lake system. The parking area was 2 km from the camp, so upon arrival, the participants donned cross-country skis or snow shoes in total darkness to make the trip to the cabin … Continue reading
In the five years since his arrival in town, Glen Spurrell has embraced his new community, joining the Historical Society, the Millbrook Valley Trails, and the Garden Club, to name a few. Never one to be obsessed with his career, Glen spent his working life in a variety of … Continue reading
Introducing a New Column: The Generation Gap The Millbrook Times, this week, welcomes a new column: Generation Gap. The twice monthly column will see a father-and-son team take turns waxing humourously on issues they each relate to – in their own unique, and oft-opposed, ways. Denis Grignon is a radio … Continue reading
It’s the perennial question. Last month this paper ran a profile on the young family at Puddle Duck Farm, an organic operation in Millbrook producing honey, maple syrup, vegetables, cut flowers and more. While stories like theirs aren’t popping up in the same abundance as dandelions in spring, younger … Continue reading
On the heels of a sometimes entertaining, always interesting conversation at our January gathering at the Manor, the Millbrook and Cavan Historical Society is looking forward to the annual Winter Tales ‘Round the Fireplace on Thursday, February 25. This annual gathering is a chance to share stories and photographs … Continue reading
This year at Millbrook South Cavan Public School, the Me 2 We Club is visiting residents of Centennial Place once a week for a half hour visit. They meet at 9:00 am every Wednesday and come up with a plan for activities to do with the residents. Some days they … Continue reading
This weekend, the Millbrook Tyke team coached by Josh Gardner participated in the Tyke Hockey Showdown tournament in Peterborough where 32 teams joined up to show their stuff and compete for a full-size model of the Stanley Cup trophy. Knowing the Millbrook squad had won the tournament the previous year, … Continue reading
Kirk Hillsley A new section of the Millbrook Valley Trails is now open, connecting the southern portion of the trails to the end of Elgar Drive. This now allows walkers to hike a loop from 4th Line along the trails and back down Elgar Drive back to 4th Line. Members … Continue reading
Over the years, Jackie DeKnock has re-invented herself many times, but what never changed were the foundation pieces: a love of food and travel. She caught the travel bug at a young age, when at 18, she applied for a nanny position in France. From her vantage point in Thunder … Continue reading
Cara Tetroe “Just be happy and sing!” This is 103 year old Carroll Davidson’s secret to longevity. Carroll was one of seven special residents celebrating a century of life, last Thursday, January 21st at Centennial Place in Millbrook. Photos: Karen Graham. Centennial Place residents Frances Caird, Caroll Davidson and Donald … Continue reading
Patrick Stephen The class rooms were full of excitement and creativity on Wednesday at North Cavan Public school as Senior Kindergarten students took part in a special art class. After all, what could be more exciting than pallets of paint, paintbrushes, blank pages, a healthy amount of soap and endless … Continue reading
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