Believe this…or not! We’re just passing on the news…

     Something unbelievable and exciting has happened at Westfield…a repeat of an event from the past! A fairy has been captured on film at Westfield Heritage Village. Is it real? Is it a hoax? The only way to truly know is to see the photograph with your own eyes. The photo will be on display at Westfield’s Haunted Halloween this Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
     Westfield Heritage Village has a photograph of a beautiful young fairy sitting on the bed upstairs in their historic Gillen house. Photographer David White, a volunteer at Westfield, uses a working antique box camera to take sepia photographs of images at Westfield. [Ed. note: He is the photographer in the photo in the blog post below.] When David went upstairs recently to photograph the bedrooms at the Gillen house he was surprised to see a young girl with fairy wings sitting quietly on the bed. Without disturbing her he was able to capture the image on film.
     This unlikely event is strikingly similar to the Cottingley Fairies story from 1917 when two young cousins in England captured photographs of themselves with fairies beside the beck (stream) in the village of Cottingley where one of the girls lived. The pictures came to the attention of writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who used them to illustrate an article on fairies he had been commissioned to write for a Christmas 1920 edition magazine. 
     Efforts were made to validate the Cottingley photos but none of the experts could prove or disprove whether they were of real fairies or not. By sheer coincidence, Westfield now also has a photograph of a lovely young fairy.
     Has history repeated itself? What other mysteries may be uncovered in the Village during Westfield’s Haunted Halloween? Visitors to Westfield’s Halloween programme will have the opportunity to view the photograph, decide for themselves if it is real or a hoax and discover many of the past traditions and mysteries of Halloweens gone by.

Have you ever seen a fairy?

Hallowe'en from the past

 

Things are looking pretty spooky in Rockton! See what’s brewing…

 Haunted Halloween allows visitors to explore All Hallow’s Eve history and folklore in the unique setting of one of Ontario’s best living history museums, Westfield Heritage Village, Friday, October 28th and Saturday, October 29th, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Time after time, Westfield takes you back to our past with historical buildings, costumed interpreters, live demonstrations and presentations that entertain and educate like no other.
     In the setting of more than 30 historical buildings lit by lantern-light, learn the story of Stingy Jack or join the roaring ‘20s costume party. Enjoy presentations of our ancestor’s phobias, superstitions and history including puppet shows, ghost stories, and relive the traditions of Halloweens past! Younger children can try their hands at Halloween crafts and even try on a pair of feathered fairy wings. For the more adventurous visitor, take a stroll through the haunted train station or do the Walk of Doom… if you dare! Enjoy some free hot popcorn (while quantities last) and remember your trip with a one-of-a-kind souvenir from the gift shop.
     So bone up on your history at Westfield Heritage Village located on 1049 Kirkwall Road (also known as Regional Road 552) in Rockton, just off Highway 8 between Hamilton and Cambridge. For more information, call 1-800-883-0104. For all Westfield event information and directions, visit www.westfieldheritage.ca.
     Admission is only $11 for adults, $10 for seniors and $6.50 for children 6-12 yrs of age. Kids 5 years and under are free and parking is free. Buy your tickets online at www.westfieldheritage.ca and save $1 per ticket.

Miltongreen Environmental Association sent us this news about an event this week:

See the motivating presentation by Rod Muir of the Sierra Club Canada about Waste Diversion – the quick, cheap, and yes easy-means to achieving Sustainability! Then, join workshops on smart and practical approaches to events, celebrations and gift giving!This ecofriendly event is held at the Milton District High School Theatre on Thursday, October 20^th, 6:30-9:00 pm. Refreshments will be served. 
     Hear-about and participate-in workshops on family, cultural and public celebrations and household or other waste issues to reduce your “footprint” and sustain the earth’s resources. You will take away from this event, lots of fun and hands-on ideas to making sustainable choices and activities a part of everyday life. This family friendly event is held with regard for all cultures.
     Presented by Miltongreen Environmental Assoc. and MDHS Ecoclub in partnership with the Halton Environment Network and sponsored by an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant of Miltongreen. Please bring clean gently-used (or new) PYJAMAS to donate to the Halton Women’s Place – all sizes are needed.
     Sign-in at 6:30 pm when you arrive to receive your “door prize” tickets for cool items donated by the handful of this event’s theme-based vendors. For more information or to let us know you are coming email miltongreen.ontario@gmail.com; call 905-878-0995. 

Here’s what’s happening at Conservation Halton this weekend:

Conservation Halton’s Fall into Nature offers activities at six different Halton Parks. The festival celebrates the spectacular landscapes and fall colours of the Niagara Escarpment.
     Fall into Nature is on the weekend of October 15 and 16, at Mountsberg, Crawford Lake, Kelso, Rattlesnake Point, Hilton Falls and Mount Nemo Conservation Areas.
See what our parks have to offer:
     Fall into Nature is a wonderful opportunity to see all of the parks in their fall splendour. A detailed schedule of events is available online at www.fallintonature.ca. Visitors will enjoy a variety of unique outdoor experiences including:
*Chairlift rides to the top of the escarpment with spectacular views
*Self-guided and interpreter led tours through our many trails and landscapes
*Tractor-drawn wagon rides through the parks
*Educational and interactive programs (visit an Iroquoian Village, learn about the science of nature)
*Live performances (music, First Nations dancers)
*Demonstrations (Bird of Prey shows, reptile shows, mountain biking)*Various other activities (children’s activities, BBQs, family campfires, and more)
     On Saturday, October 15, Conservation Halton will hold its inaugural Forest Festival at Rattlesnake Point. Come out and celebrate the International Year of Forests and learn about the importance of trees and forests in our region. Enjoy interactive displays on the use of forest products, logging demonstrations and more fun activities.
     During Fall into Nature visitors will also be able to enjoy the regular activities and programs available at Conservation Halton parks. Be sure to check out the amazing Birds of Prey demonstrations at Mountsberg or travel back in time to the Iroquoian Village at Crawford Lake.
     Conservation Halton parks have some of the best places in our area to enjoy the amazing fall colours, the vistas from Mount Nemo and Rattlesnake Point are particularly incredible.
     Park visitors who purchase a one-day park entry during the festival will receive a Fall into Nature passport valid for one full day’s admission to all six parks. Show your passport on subsequent days and receive a discount on your entry.
     Take a ride on the Fall Bus Tour and lunch is on us! You can sit back and enjoy the ride as we take you on a guided tour of Fall into Nature on October 15 and 16. The tour will take you to three distinctive parks, Kelso, Crawford Lake and Mountsberg where you will learn about the areas natural and cultural history, while enjoying a variety of special events. 
     Your full-day bus tour includes:
*Chairlift ride at Kelso to enjoy autumn views along the escarpment, with a guided walk to learn about the landscape from spectacular vantage points
*BBQ lunch
*Stop at Crawford Lake for a feature presentation with Iroquoian Dancers and an opportunity to tour the village
*Birds of Prey Demonstration and Wildlife Walkway at Mountsberg
     The Fall Bus Tour is $30.00 per person (including taxes) and will be from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., departing from Kelso. Book online through the Fall into Nature website (www.fallintonature.ca) or call 905-854-2276.
     The fall colours in Halton Region are accentuated with our region’s many country roads, rolling terrain, and of course the Niagara Escarpment. As you travel through Escarpment Country during Fall into Nature, there are many other great attractions in our area, such as shops, local artisans, and numerous farms with fresh produce.
     You can find everything you need to know at www.fallintonature.ca or www.conservationhalton.ca. Residents and visitors alike are invited to join us in celebrating autumn at this fun filled festival, great for people of all ages!
     Fall into Nature is made possible in part through the generous support of the Government of Ontario Celebrate Ontario Program. Conservation Halton launched its first Fall into Nature festival in 2009 and over 28,000 people attended, last year over 45,000 people attended.

Here’s some news from our friends at Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority:

     As the trees begin donning their fall colours, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority is busy preparing for its long-standing classic Niagara tradition with the 37th annual Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival weekend. The Festival will take place from October 7 to 10 at the beautiful Ball’s Falls Conservation Area in Jordan. This event is truly a favourite family tradition where visitors converge from far and wide to enjoy the many aspects of this fun festival.
     The festivities begin on Friday, October 7 and run through to Monday, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $6.00 per adult; children under 14 years of age are free when accompanied by an adult. Friday, Oct. 7 is Seniors Day with admission only $4.00 for seniors.
     The Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival features the exceptional work of over 100 artisans offering beautiful items for sale, a host of daily live entertainment, children’s activities and numerous heritage displays. Visitors can explore the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area including the many historical features such as the Ball family home, the historical Church, a visit through the operating Grist Mill and a peek inside the Blacksmith shop.
     Be sure to visit the Seeds in Disguise exhibit sponsored by Stokes Seeds in the Centre for Conservation sponsored by Stokes Seeds. Again this year, wineries of the Twenty Valley will offer an assortment of wines for sampling. This is a great way for visitors to learn about the unique growing region while sampling some of Niagara’s finest vintages.
     A courtesy shuttle service from the parking lot into the park area is available for those who wish to use it and visitors will be able to utilize a courtesy parcel checking service that will be conveniently available at the NPCA Information Tent.   Handicap parking is available and visitors are reminded that the NO PETS POLICY at Special Events is in effect for the duration of the festival.
     DIRECTIONS:  Ball’s Falls Conservation Area is located south of Vineland on Regional Road 24. To avoid the traffic congestion along Victoria Ave., visitors are encouraged to use the alternate routes as follows:  From Toronto; Follow QEW Niagara to Exit 64 (Ontario St. Beamsville) Take Ontario St. to Regional Road 81 (King St.) Turn LEFT and follow to Regional Road 24 (Victoria Ave.) Turn RIGHT onto Victoria Ave. and follow to 8th Ave. Turn LEFT onto 8th Ave. then turn LEFT onto 21st St. and LEFT at 7th Ave. to enter Parking Area; From Niagara Falls/ Buffalo: Follow QEW to Exit 55 (Jordan Rd.) Follow Jordan Road to Regional Road 81and follow signs to Ball’s Falls Parking; or access via Hwy 20 to Victoria Ave. Southbound – Follow Directional signs to new park access entrance.

Escarpment Views will host a Customer Appreciation Day for advertisers and subscribers on Sat. Oct. 1 at Orchard House near the Niagara Escarpment in the country north of Georgetown. Weather permitting, we will lead a short hike or walk through part of the nearby Niagara Escarpment, followed by a buffet supper.
     If you are an advertiser or subscriber, we invite you to contact us for directions and time details. We look forward to welcoming you to Orchard House!

Cover of Lucky Lou Gets Game by Sarah Yates

     Before I review Sarah Yates’ latest book, I feel I have to declare my bias. I have been friends with Sarah ever since the early 1980s, when we both lived in Toronto and were members of the Periodical Writers’ Association of Canada (PWAC). I met Sarah when I was a new member, when she delivered PWAC papers to me. I have a vivid memory of her appearing at my door on a hot pink girl’s bicycle, wearing a hot pink helmet, her lovely long fingernails likely painted hot pink to match. She was impressive at first sight.
     Moving about 25 years ahead, we’re still friends although we have both moved away from Toronto. Sarah hired me to do some media relations for her previous children’s books, and she hired me again this year when she published her latest work of fiction. So my review of her book can hardly be objective. But I can give an idea of what it’s about, and give my response to it.
    Lucky Lou Gets Game is a young adult novel about a teenaged girl who has cerebral palsy (cp), gets around in a wheelchair, communicates vocally with a “cp drawl,” and through a computer or by means of alphabet board, both used with one foot.
     If it seems that this girl, Lou, is severely restricted by her physical circumstances, this book shows how this isn’t true. Without denying the limits and challenges faces by Lou, Sarah shows just how ordinary her life is. Yet of course a book about ordinary life wouldn’t make very interesting reading.
     Sarah has written about one dramatic summer in the life of a teenager with a disability. This is the summer when Lou gets involved in community activism over the right to have a wheelchair ramp built up to her house despite opposing neighbours who fear the loss of property values. This is the summer when Lou gets to play baseball with her peers and a group of able-bodied helpers. And this is the summer when Lou gets to experience the company of boys, and one special boy in particular.
     I started to read the book out of obligation to a friend. I soon became eager to read on to find out what happens next. While almost any young girl could enjoy this book, anyone with a disability or concerned about disability issues will likely devour it. There are just not that many books published featuring protagonists with disabilities. And having a protagonist with a disability who plays a leading, active role in her own life and in her community is rare.
     This is the very reason that Sarah has written a total of four books with young main characters who have a disability. As the mother of a child with cp, Sarah couldn’t find books that mirrored her daughter Gemma’s situation, so she began writing them.
     The book focuses on what Lou can do and achieve and not on what could hold her back. This has been Sarah’s attitude througout Gemma’s life. Ironically, instead of creating a role model for her daughter to follow, in Lucky Lou Gets Game Sarah has written a character based very much on Gemma’s leading example of a role model.
     Whatever your level of ability, this is a fun YA novel to enjoy. For how to get a copy, check out Gemma B. Publishing.

One of our readers, Alexander Forbes of Caledon East, has written a letter to the editor of The Toronto Star about the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. In it, he writes that the party “appears to be avoiding media and public scrutiny.” He also points out that “when asked by the Escarpment Views magazine to respond to five questions selected from reader contributions, they were the only political party that did not provide a direct answer.”
     This is true. Our Autumn issue contains an election feature of questions by readers and answers by the political parties. The Liberals, NDP and the Greens provided detailed answers. The PCs didn’t.
     I was surprised and annoyed. We’ve had several Conservative MPPs advertise in the magazine, so it was odd that the party seemed to dismiss us in a way I felt to be rude.
     We’re interested in our readers responses to this. What are your thoughts?

     Locke Street Festival at the base of the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton, the “mountain” to locals, was a great place for us to give out copies of Escarpment Views on Sunday. So great that Mike and I left with not one copy left over. Not just the current Autumn issue, but every single back issue we brought, was taken. I’m talking about hundreds of copies. Possibly close to 2,000. And we could have given away more.

People taking free copies of Escarpment Views at Locke Street Festival

     I knew that the festival draws crowds. I think I read that there were 15,000 visitors in 2009. So we packed the car as full as possible with boxes of magazines.
I did not expect we would be cleaned out.
I did not expect to sell so many subscriptions.
I did not expect to meet people from Georgetown who came because of the ad in the magazine.
I did not expect to see current subscribers picking up back issues they hadn’t received.
I didn’t expect to hear that one lady uses our centre photos for meditation.
I didn’t expect to be questioned about our mandate and then to see the person get teary-eyed and wish us well because we have the best intention.
I didn’t expect the long day, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., during which we stood most of the time, to fly by as quickly as it did.
     Mike roamed the street taking photos and came across Andrea Horwath, leader of the NDP and a previous advertiser of ours, out campaigning. He gave her a copy of the Autumn issue because it contains an election feature of questions by readers and answers by the political parties. To Mike’s delight, Andrea had the magazine in her hands for a while as she spoke to people.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath campaigning with a copy of Escarpment Views.

    There were lots of people wearing Green Party buttons at the festival, and suddenly one of their candidates appeared at our table saying “I heard you have an election article?” I was happy to give him a copy.
    I have to mention Goodness Me, a natural food store, for excellent public relations in inviting us to use their washroom, handing out gift bags with neat samples of products, snacks and lotions, and selling delicious, wholesome ready-made wraps and big bottles of water at reasonable prices. I’ll be back at this friendly store.
    And I think we’ll definitely be back at the Locke Street Festival next year.

     Despite the bad weather forecast, we had a good time at the Lakeside Park Carousel with the Friends of the Carousel and Patrick Wentzel of the National Carousel Association, introducing Escarpment Views to people and celebrating the launch of our Autumn issue. Thanks go to the City of St. Catharines for making all the arrangements to keep us organized and dry despite (only!) one late downpour.
     Next up: the Locke Street Festival in Hamilton on Sept. 10, this Saturday, where we’ll be opposite Starbucks, giving away free copies of the magazine and signing up subscribers. Crowds of people traditionally attend this festival , so come out for a full day of fun and make a point of saying hi to us!