GRAVENHURST TOWN COUNCIL COULD START US DOWN A NEW AND PRODUCTIVE ROAD

GRAVENHURST TOWN COUNCIL IS WHAT IT IS! CITIZENS MAKE IT A HOME TOWN!

HOW TO CHALLENGE COUNCIL, WHEN A TWEAKING IS IN ORDER - OR, WE FEEL A TAD REBELLIOUS!

     BEFORE PUBLISHING TODAY'S BLOG, I HEARD A NEWS REPORT FROM A TORONTO RADIO STATION, THAT STATED MAYOR-ELECT, JOHN TORY, HAS ASKED RESPECTFULLY, FOR ASSISTANCE FROM MAYORAL CANDIDATES, DOUG FORD AND OLIVIA CHOW, TO PLAN FUTURE STRATEGIES TO ASSIST THE CITY. GOSH, I LIKE THAT! IN A WAY, IT'S THE THEME OF TODAY'S BLOG ANYWAY. I HAD ALREADY WRITTEN NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT OF THE COPY, BUT THIS OLIVE-BRANCH DIPLOMACY, IS SO PROGRESSIVE AND INTUITIVE, BECAUSE OPPOSITION POINTS OF VIEW HAVE THEIR MERITS. IT'S EXACTLY WHAT IS NEEDED IN THIS COMMUNITY. A NEW COUNCIL BEING RECEPTIVE TO IDEAS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY THEIR OWN. AS JOHN TORY WANTS TO UNITE A CITY DIVIDED BY POLITICS, OUR COUNCIL SHOULD BE AWARE JUST HOW DIVIDED OUR SMALL TOWN IS, ALSO ALONG POLITICAL LINES. IT'S NEVER A SIGN OF WEAKNESS, TO SEEK ADVICE FROM THOSE WHO HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, AND ADVICE CONTRARY TO WHAT COUNCIL BELIEVES THE BEST ROUTE. IT SHOWS INSTEAD, A GREAT COURAGE, TO EMBRACE INPUT, AND COUNTERPOINT, WITHOUT ANY SACRIFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY. THERE IS RESENTMENT HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN OUTSIDE CONSULTATION IS SOUGHT, AND PAID FOR WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS, WHEN MUCH OF THE INPUT COULD BE PROVIDED, FREE OF CHARGE, FROM EXPERIENCED HOMETOWNERS, HAVING DAMN IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS. WHEN THEY DO COME FORWARD, IT IS OFTEN INTERPRETED AS AN UNWELCOME INTERVENTION. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING SO POWERFUL AS CITIZEN ACTION, BUILDING UP THEIR OWN TOWN. INPUT, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T MEAN A COUP IS IN PROGRESS. IT'S JUST INPUT. REMEMBER RINGO IN THE ANIMATED FILM, "YELLOW SUBMARINE?" RINGO WAS ADVISED NOT TO PRESS THE BUTTON. MANY TIMES. SO WHAT DID HE DO? PRESSED THE BUTTON! THEN THE FUN BEGAN IN EARNEST. CONSULTING THE CONSTITUENTS, IN REGULAR PUBLIC FORUMS, IS SMART PUBLIC RELATIONS. ALLOW CONSTITUENTS TO BE PART OF GOVERNMENT, INSTEAD OF DISTANT SPECTATORS.
     I DO NOT BELONG TO ANY POLITICAL PARTY. I AM NOT A LOBBYIST. I DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH ANY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP, (ALTHOUGH I HAVE IN THE PAST), AND I HAVE NO AGENDA TO UNSEAT ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL. HONESTLY, OUTSIDE OF ENJOYING MY LIFE IN THIS BURG, AND HAVING A PROSPEROUS BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, THERE IS NO OTHER AGENDA. I DON'T GET UP EACH MORNING, AND KICK AN EFFIGY OF A PARTICULAR MEMBER OF TOWN COUNCIL, AND I DON'T EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE WHEN THE NEW COUNCIL IS SWORN IN. I AM A LIFELONG PACIFIST, AND EVEN IN HOCKEY, I WAS ONLY IN ONE FIGHT, IN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF PLAY, AND IN THAT INSTANCE, THE OTHER GUY BEAT ME IN THE HEAD, WITH MY OWN HELMET. THOSE WHO KNOW ME WELL, REALIZE I'M MORE INTERESTED IN ANTIQUES AND LOCAL HISTORY, THAN RABBLE ROUSING JUST FOR SPORT. I MAY BE TOO PRINCIPLED, FOR MY OWN GOOD, AND I DO SUFFER FROM THE "SHANE" SYNDROME, WANTING TO FIGHT FOR THE UNDERDOG; WHICH I KNOW A LOT ABOUT AS AN UNDERDOG MYSELF. I DON'T ENTER INTO ISSUE DEBATES WITHOUT THOROUGH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE, AND I NEVER STICK MY OAR INTO SITUATIONS OF WHICH I AM NOT THOROUGHLY UP TO SPEED, AND SERIOUSLY COMMITTED. THE BALA FALLS SITUATION IS A CASE IN POINT. I SUPPORT THE "NO" SIDE BUT I'VE KEPT A PRETTY LOW PROFILE, BECAUSE IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE, AND I CAN ONLY RELY ON HISTORY AND ITS PRECEDENTS TO OFFER ADVICE. YET, DESPITE MY MODEST ACTIVISM, AND PROVEN WILLINGNESS TO PITCH IN, AND GIVE ADVICE ON SITUATIONS I'M ABUNDANTLY FAMILIAR, I AM SEEN AS TOO WILD TO HANDLE; TOO CONTROVERSIAL TO BE ANYTHING BUT A DANGEROUS HERETIC, TRYING TO BREAK THE MUNICIPALITY FREE FROM THE UNION, WITH THE REST OF MUSKOKA. IN THIS TOWN, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED TO DROP THEIR GUARD, AND OPEN THEMSELVES TO THE WORD ON THE STREET.....BY ACTUALLY WALKING DOWN THE STREET. MY ADVICE TO COUNCILLORS? DON'T ASK WHAT "THE WORD ON THE STREET," IS! FIND OUT BY IMMERSION. DON'T JUST ASK FRIENDS AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS. ASK FOLKS YOU DON'T KNOW, FOR THEIR HONEST APPRAISAL OF HOW THE TOWN IS FARING? OR, IS IT THE CASE, IGNORANCE IS BLISS? IN MOST CASES, I'M JUST THE MESSENGER, AND I DO GET SHOT AT ALOT. THERE ARE HARD FEELINGS OUT THERE, AND THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
     WHEN, AT THIS TIME, I REFER TO COUNCILLORS, AND COUNCIL, IN THE GENERAL SENSE, IT'S NOT MEANT TO SUGGEST, THAT AS CITIZENS, THESE FOLKS AREN'T KIND, CONSIDERATE, SHARING, AND GOOD NEIGHBORS WITH DECENT BUSINESS SENSE. IN THE MEDIA SENSE, HOWEVER, THEY, AS POLITICIANS, SWORN TO GOVERN TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENRY, ARE GENERALIZED AS "COUNCIL," FOR GOOD OR NOT SO GOOD. AND I HAVE MADE IT CLEAR IN THIS BLOG, THAT I AM ALWAYS WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH COUNCILLORS INDIVIDUALLY, TO LET THEM GIVE ME CRAP, AS LONG AS THEIR CRITIQUE OF ME CAN BE QUOTED. I OFFERED TO DO INTERVIEWS, TO PRESENT THEIR (COUNCILLOR'S) SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT, ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT (THEIR CHOICE), BUT HAD NO TAKERS. AS FOR WHAT THEY MAY PERCEIVE AS MY NEGATIVE APPROACH, TO REVIEWING THEIR HANDIWORK, GOSH, NOW THAT HURTS. I AM NOT A HAND CRAFTED TOOL OF COUNCIL, MEANING, I WILL BE CRITICAL IF REQUIRED. THIS ISN'T TO SUGGEST, FOR ONE MINUTE, THAT TOWN COUNCILS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT, WHICH HAVE IRKED ME SOMEHOW, HAVE BEEN IRRESPONSIBLE AT THEIR TASKS. I DON'T STUDY EVERY COUNCIL DECISION, WHICH THERE ARE MANY IN A FOUR YEAR TERM. THEY ARE ENTITLED TO TRUMPET THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, TO THEIR HEART'S DESIRE, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY DO. IF THERE ISN'T A COUNTERPOINT, AND AN ACTIVE CRITIC TO THEIR PERFORMANCE, IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE BLIND SUPPORT FOR EVERYTHING THEY GET UP TO; WHICH WOULDN'T SERVE DEMOCRACY'S INTERESTS VERY WELL AT ALL. I DON'T PERSONALLY DISLIKE ANY COUNCILLOR, AND THEY KNOW THAT ANYWAY. I HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, AND DISAGREE WITH MANY OF THEIR POLICIES, AND STRATEGIES, AND I'M NOT AFRAID OF LETTING IT ALL HANG-OUT. AT LEAST, THEY KNOW THE CUT OF MY JIB, AND WHAT KIND OF CHIDING, OR CRITIQUE THEY'LL GET, IF THEY, FOR INSTANCE, KICK SKOKIE OFF THE MAIN STREET AGAIN. MAYBE THEY THINK ITS SUCKY THAT I MAKE ANY COMMENT AT ALL, BUT I'M KIND OF HOPING THEY SEE INSTEAD, FREE SPEECH BEING EXERCISED, BY SOMEONE ELSE WHO LOVES HIS HOMETOWN.
     THE TOWN HAS SPOKEN. APPARENTLY, THE CITIZENRY, LIKES TOWN COUNCIL PRETTY MUCH THE WAY IT IS! THEY HAD THE CHANCE TO MAKE PROFOUND CHANGES, THIS WEEK, BUT INSTEAD, OPTED FOR STATUS QUO, AND MADE ONLY A FEW MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. I MAY NOT BE AS PLEASED AS THEY ARE, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE THE NEXT TERM COUNCIL-TABLE, EMBRACED BY AN ENTIRELY NEW GROUP OF POLITICIANS; TO BRING A FRESH APPROACH TO WHAT HAS BECOME, IN MY OPINION, VOID OF GUNG-HO ENTHUSIASM. YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT. WELL, MAYBE YOU CAN GET SOMETHING MORE THAN NOTHING. I THINK EVERYONE CAN CHANGE, EVEN ME, SO THE HOPE FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE, TRANSPARENT COUNCIL, WILLING TO OUTREACH FROM ITS COMFORT ZONE, IS AT THE VERY LEAST, A STRONG POTENTIAL. WOULDN'T THAT BE NICE? I'M NOT REFERRING TO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PHOTO OPS FOR THE LOCAL MEDIA. I'M WRITING ABOUT AN "OUTREACH," THAT INVOLVES STEPPING AWAY FROM TOWN HALL, AND VISITING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, TO COLLECT THEIR OWN INTEL, VERSUS HAVING IT HANDED TO THEM FROM SURVEY SHEETS. YOU CAN'T GOVERN THIS COMMUNITY, WITHOUT A MORE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE, OF THE DAY TO DAY TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS, OF THE CITIZENRY. HOW MANY CONSTITUENTS NEED ASSISTANCE FROM THE SALVATION ARMY FOOD BANK? HOW MANY ARE TOO PROUD, TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE, WHILE SUFFERING IN SILENCE? WHY DO WE NEED A FOOD BANK IN THIS TOWN? HOW MANY COUNCILLORS HAVE TALKED TO THE SALVATION ARMY FOLKS WHO RUN THE FOOD BANK, ABOUT THEIR GROWING DEMANDS FOR PROVISIONS, FROM AN INCREASING CLIENT LIST? THESE ARE OUR CONSTITUENTS. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR WELL BEING; BECAUSE FRANKLY, MANY OF THEM CAN'T DO IT THEMSELVES. AND THERE ARE LOTS OF CRACKS IN SOCIAL SERVICE PROVISIONS. I HAVE SEEN MANY COUNCIL TERMS COME AND GO, SINCE ARRIVING IN THIS TOWN, AND I'VE YET TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, COUNCILLORS HAVE TRULY UNDERSTOOD ALL THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE COMMUNITY. IF IT WAS SHOWING UP FOR GRIP AND GRIN PHOTOS, AND FOR FUN AND EXTRAVAGANT GALAS, THEY'D GET TOP MARKS. AS FOR HAVING WHAT SHOULD BE, A KEEN INTEREST, TO MEET WITH FOOD BANK REPRESENTATIVES, TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT LOCAL POVERTY, ME THINKS IT HAS BEEN PRETTY THIN THUS FAR. NOT ALL CONSTITUENTS OWN PROPERTY OR AREA BUSINESSES. A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS ARE UNEMPLOYED WITH NO GOOD PROSPECTS, AND FORCED TO REGISTER AT THE FOOD BANK, IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.
     DO WE HAVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN THIS TOWN? WE ARE LIKE ALL VILLAGES, TOWNS AND CITIES. YES WE HAVE PROBLEMS, AND AT TIMES, THEY TRANSLATE INTO CRIME AND VANDALISM, AND PERPETUATE DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTIONS, THAT DO VERY MUCH AFFECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL CITIZENS. COUNCILLORS CAN REMAIN ALOOF ON THIS, AND CLAIM THAT THEIR ELECTED POSITIONS ARE ONLY A PART-TIME COMMITMENT. THEY'RE WRONG ABOUT THIS OF COURSE. IT IS A 24-7 ARRANGEMENT THEY'VE AGREED TO ACCEPT, WHEN THEY TAKE THE OAK OF OFFICE. IN THE CASE OF A COMMUNITY-WIDE CATASTROPHE, THEY WILL FIND THIS OUT. I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE SURPRISED ABOUT THIS, SO THEY MIGHT WANT TO LOOK UP THE DETAILS OF THE MISSISSAUGA RAIL DISASTER, IN THE LATE 1970'S, AND FIND OUT JUST HOW MUCH IN CHARGE, THEN MAYOR, HAZEL MCCALLION, WAS, IN HANDLING THE LARGEST EVACUATION, I BELIEVE, IN CANADIAN HISTORY. OR DO COUNCILLORS HERE FEEL THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE SUCH AN EVENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHERE, JUST IN CASE THEY HADN'T NOTICED, THE RAIL LINES TRAVEL THROUGH THE CENTRE OF TOWN, AND FOR CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE; INCLUDING A PASS-BY OF THE COMMUNITY CENTRE AND ARENA, WHERE LARGE CROWDS COULD BE GATHERED AT THE TIME OF DISASTROUS DERAILMENT. IF COUNCILLORS WEREN'T AWARE OF ALL THE IMPLICATIONS OF REPRESENTING OUR TOWN, THEY SHOULD RESIGN BEFORE TAKING THE OATH OF OFFICE, LATER THIS AUTUMN. IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH TERM WITH MANY OBSTACLES. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A TERM FOR THE WEAK OF SPIRIT. BUT, EMBRACED WITH ENTHUSIASM, AND COMMUNITY PRIDE, IT CAN BE A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE; ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS IN A MOST POSITIVE WAY.

     I KNOW LOTS OF KEEN CITIZENS IN THIS MUNICIPALITY, OF SOUTH MUSKOKA, WHO ARE PROUD DESCENDANTS OF PIONEER FAMILIES. I KNOW CITIZENS, WHO HAVE A PASSION FOR THIS TOWN, THAT HAS BEEN FORGED THROUGH THE CENTURIES, NOT JUST THE DECADES, OR A FEW YEARS OF RESIDENCY. I ALSO KNOW THERE ARE THOSE WHO, DESPITE HAVING HAD A SHORT RELATIONSHIP WITH GRAVENHURST, HAVE ENORMOUS PRIDE IN BEING PART OF AN HISTORIC COMMUNITY; ONE THAT BECAME THE GATEWAY TO THE BIG BOOM OF THE PIONEERING PERIOD OF MUSKOKA, BEGINNING IN THE LATE 1850'S. I KNOW MANY CONSTITUENTS WHO CAST THEIR VOTES, FOR MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, WITH THAT SAME PRIDE, HOPEFUL THEIR VOTE, BASED ON THEIR VALUES, WILL HAVE AN IMPACT IN THE WAY WE ARE GOVERNED IN THE FUTURE. THEY HOPE THEY WILL BE INCLUDED BY THIS GOVERNMENT, IN SPIRIT, BUT HAVE TO ADMIT, IT'S UNLIKELY THEY WILL EITHER BE ASKED TO ATTEND A COUNCIL MEETING, TO THROW OUT A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE BETTER, OR GIVEN MORE THAN A FEW MOMENTS OF MICROPHONE TIME, AT A PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. YET THEY CLING TO THE HOPE, THEY HAVE VOTED-IN THE RIGHT PEOPLE, TO HELP PRESERVE HOME TOWN VALUES. THEY SOLDIER-ON IN THIS COMMUNITY, WORKING, VOLUNTEERING, AND BEING GENEROUS, THOUGHTFUL NEIGHBORS, DESPITE WHAT MAY DISILLUSION THEM; QUIETLY DISCONTENT ABOUT THE WAY TOWN COUNCIL HAS VEILED ITSELF, AS IF NOT INTERESTED IN UNSOLICITED SCRUTINY FROM CONSTITUENTS. THEY SEE THEIR PLACE IN THE GRAND SCHEME, OF COMMUNITY WELL BEING, AS IRRELEVANT, ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER A NEW COUNCIL IS SWORN-IN. THEY FEEL UNWELCOME PARTICIPANTS, IN CIVIC AFFAIRS, AND VOICELESS, TO STOP PROFOUND CHANGES OF DIRECTION, DESIRED BY THE FEW! MOVING FURTHER AWAY FROM KNOWN TRADITION. THEY FEAR THESE SHIFTS WILL COMPROMISE THE CHARACTER AND HERITAGE-LEGACY OF THEIR TOWN; THE ONE THEY CHOSE ABOVE ALL OTHERS, TO DWELL-IN AND RAISE FAMILIES. THE TRUE LEGACY OF MODERN TIMES, ROOTING HERE, "IN THE NOW" FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FUTURE. BUT WHAT IS THEIR ABILITY TO SHOW THEIR ANGST? WHAT IS THEIR CAPABILITY TO WORK TOWARD REFORM? MUST WE ALL JOIN ACTIVIST GROUPS, TO FIGHT TOWN HALL ON RESPECTIVE ISSUES? WELL, THAT IS THE MODERN WAY, IT SEEMS. BUT THESE QUIET, UNASSUMING RESIDENTS, DON'T ASK FOR MUCH, AND DON'T OFFER TO CARRY PLACARDS TO TOWN HALL TO FIGHT FOR RECOGNITION, FOR LOCAL ISSUES THEY FEEL IMPORTANT. THE QUIET MAJORITY WOULD RATHER NOT GET INTO POLITICS. THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN CAUSING A STIR, OR GOING AGAINST WHAT THEY FEEL IS THE MODERNIST TIDE, OR RULE OF THE MAJORITY, OF WHAT THE CONTEMPORARIES SEE AS THE FUTURE OF GRAVENHURST. STILL, THEY NEVER GIVE UP ON THEIR TOWN, AND CONTRIBUTING IN THEIR OWN WAY, TO MAKING IT RESILIENT AND DYNAMIC, EVEN IF IT IS, BY DEFINITION, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY OF THINKING ABOUT ONE'S HOME COMMUNITY. WE WOULD BE A HOLLOW TOWN WITHOUT THEM, AND THEIR EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN OUR OWN SENSE OF BELONGING, WHICH MAY BE AS SIMPLE AS TENDING A NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN, ON THEIR OWN DIME, LIKE I WITNESSED EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, AND EXTENDING A HAND OF GREETING, WHILE WALKING THE FAMILY DOG. WE STILL HAVE THOSE CHARACTERISTIC FAMILY VALUES, AND GOOD NEIGHBOR ATTRIBUTES, DESPITE THE INTERACTION OF POLITICS AND LOBBYING FOR PERSONAL AGENDAS; THE STUFF THAT CLOUDS THE ATMOSPHERE WITH POLITICAL APPREHENSION; THE SPARK OF QUIET REVOLUTION WHEN SOONER OR LATER, EVEN THE QUIETEST, GENTLEST CITIZEN, WILL HAVE TO REAR-UP AND DEMAND TO BE HEARD. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS STARK AND UNSETTLING TO THE GOOD OF COMMONPLACE. WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, IS INTUITION; MEANING SIMPLY, THE GENUINE INTEREST, FOR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTREACH INTO THE COMMUNITY, BEYOND THE TYPICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS FORAYS, AND PHOTO OPS, THAT DO LITTLE ANYWAY, AS HEARTFELT OCCASIONS; AND JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT, WINDING-UP, MAKING SOME UNANNOUNCED VISITS, TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES, HOW WE OPERATE DAY TO DAY AS WORKER BEES.
     THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY CONSTITUENTS IN GRAVENHURST, WHO COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE. THIS WAS CLEAR WHEN THE NUMBERS WERE PUBLISHED LAST EVENING. WHILE ELECTED COUNCILLORS UNDOUBTEDLY LOOKED IN THE MIRROR, THIS MORNING, TOAST CRUMBS ON THEIR CHINS, AND THOUGHT THEMSELVES AT A ZENITH OF POPULARITY...., THE ANALYST ONLY NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE VOTES CAST, TO KNOW, THAT EITHER THERE WAS A PROTEST, OF THOSE WHO MINDFULLY, AND ON PRINCIPLE, DECIDED NOT TO VOTE, OR JUST THE SPREADING GENERAL MUNICIPAL MALAISE, OF THOSE WHO NEVER EVEN OPENED THEIR BALLOTS, BEFORE TOSSING THEM IN THE RECYCLING BIN. A GOOD PORTION OF THE DIVIDED VOTE FOR MAYOR, IS MOST DEFINITELY A SIGN OF PROTEST, BECAUSE THE LOSING CANDIDATE DIDN'T SPEND MUCH, IF ANYTHING, ON ELECTION ADVERTISING; AND I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING A SINGLE SIGN OR NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENT FOR HIS CAMPAIGN. HEY, I'M OKAY WITH FEWER SIGNS. BUT NOT PUTTING-FORTH A YEOMAN'S EFFORT, TO WIN THE MAYOR'S SEAT, THE CHALLENGER COULD REALLY ONLY GET, AS A MAXIMUM, JUST SHY OF A THOUSAND VOTES, TO BE CONSIDERED A PEAK PERFORMANCE ON A BUDGET. A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTES, IN THIS RACE, WERE CLEARLY CAST BY FOLKS OPPOSING STATUS QUO. THE CHALLENGER HAD A TINY WEE CHANCE, ABOUT A THOUSAND TO ONE, OF COMING WITHIN A THOUSAND VOTES OF THE INCUMBENT MAYOR. WE WERE WATCHING HOWEVER, JUST HOW MANY VOTES WERE CAST FOR THE CHALLENGER, AND IT WAS KIND OF REMARKABLE. A THIRD CANDIDATE FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WOULD HAVE TURNED THIS CONTEST INTO AN EXCITING HORSE RACE, IN THE ELECTION SENSE; SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THE WHOLE TOWN. COMPETITION FOR COUNCIL JOBS GENERALLY, WAS UNFORTUNATELY VERY LOW. THE CAMPAIGN WAS LISTLESS FROM THE BEGINNING. THE INCUMBENT MAYOR'S OPPONENT, COULDN'T HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER, UNLESS HE HAD A THOUSAND MORE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. I THINK THE MAYOR ELECT SHOULD SEE THIS AS A CLEAR SIGN, THERE IS OPPOSITION TO TOWN POLICIES AND LEADERSHIP. IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO BRING ABOUT WHOLESALE CHANGE, BUT IT WAS CLEAR, SOMETHING IS BREWING IN POCKETS OF THIS TOWN, AND COULD BECOME A THORN IN COUNCIL'S SIDE, IF THEY CONTINUE TO RUN THE TOWN AS THEIR FIEFDOM.
     IT IS MY EXPERIENCE, THAT COUNCILLORS IN THIS TOWN, PREFER TO TREAT THEIR CRITICS AS UNWORTHY OF ATTENTION. ANNOYANCES. THE PROVERBIAL FLY IN THE OINTMENT. THEY WANT POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT, AND TO KEEP COMPANY WITH THE ENABLERS, OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY, WHO BOLSTER THEM WITH THE AFFIRMATION THEY CRAVE. THEY WOULD BE WISE, THIS TERM OF OFFICE, TO PAY A HIGHER REGARD, TO THE FACT CRITICS OFTEN TELL THE TRUTH. CRITICS ARE GOOD, IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SENSE, AND COUNTERPOINT IS ALWAYS WORTH CONSIDERING, NO MATTER HOW MOOT IT IS PERCEIVED TO BE, AS PART OF COUNCIL BUSINESS. THE SHUNNING OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO OFFER COUNTERPOINT, AND CRITICISM, AND DON'T AGREE WITH COUNCIL ALL THE TIME, IS RIDICULOUS, AND UNDERMINES THE SUCCESS THE MUNICIPALITY CAN ACHIEVE DURING THE TERM. PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GROWTH OF OPPOSITION IS NOT ONLY SMART, BUT NECESSARY. IF COUNCIL HAD REALLY BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, AND AWARE OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT, LAST TERM, THEY WOULD HAVE SAVED THEMSELVES UNTOLD ANXIETY, DEALING WITH SPECIFIC SPEARS OF OPPOSITION. THE TOWN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD THE BIA BACK, FROM SEEKING THE HUGE EXPANSION OF THE BUSINESS AREA, AND TO MAKE SURE OPPOSITION WAS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED, WITH GATHERED INTEL, WELL BEFORE IT CAME TO A VOTE, AND THE RESULTING DEFEAT. IT REQUIRED THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO MUSTER, AND IT DID. I THINK THIS WAS A GREAT SHOW OF WHAT CAN BE DONE, TO FORCE RECKONING FROM THOSE WHO GOVERN. BUT THE FACT THAT IT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE, DEMONSTRATES COUNCIL WAS EITHER WEAK, IN DEALING WITH THE BIA, OR WILLING FOR THE HELL OF IT, TO PARTICIPATE IN A PLAN THAT WAS DESTINED TO FAIL FROM THE GET-GO. AND THEN STAND BACK, AND LET THE BIA TAKE THE HEAT, AS AN AFTERMATH. IT IS MY OPINION, THAT COUNCIL DIDN'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS THE PROMOTERS OF THIS EXPANSION PLAN. BUT FORGIVE ME, FOR HAVING THE SUSPICION, THAT THEY WERE ENABLERS NONE THE LESS, TO HAVE ALLOWED IT TO GET AS FAR AS IT DID. ACTIVISM IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WAS ALIVE AND WELL, SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF THE VOTE, AND THOSE COUNCILLORS PAYING ATTENTION, SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC RELATIONS FAILURE, IF NOT A DISASTER. COUNCIL HAD AN INFLUENTIAL GOVERNANCE ROLE TO PLAY WITH THE BIA, AND IT WASN'T PLAYING HARDBALL THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE, TO LOOK AFTER ALL THE BUSINESS FOLKS AND PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE SUBJECT AREA. THEY DIDN'T NEED AN ACTUAL RECORDED VOTE. IT WAS CLEAR A MONTH BEFORE, THERE WAS NO WAY IT WAS GOING TO PASS. THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE, WHICH HAS OCCURRED, IS THAT A LOT OF THE SAME FOLKS, WHO VOTED AGAINST THE EXPANSION, NOW HAVE ONE EYE FOCUSED ON COUNCIL'S AGENDA, ON A HUNCH, WATCHING FOR THE VERY NEXT MOVE THAT MIGHT AFFECT THEIR INDEPENDENT STATUS.
     THE NEW VERSION OF THE FORMER COUNCIL, ELECTED IN MONDAY'S VOTE, HAS A CHANCE TO IMPRESS US. MAYBE THEY SHOULD CARE ABOUT IMPRESSING US. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP, THAT IS WILLING TO EMBRACE ALL OF US, THE CRITICS INCLUDED, TO HELP MAKE THIS A BETTER TOWN. BEING ELECTED TO COUNCIL IS A SHOW OF CONSTITUENT DESIRES. DEMOCRACY HAS RUNG THE TOWN BELL. BUT WE ARE NOT ABOUT TO GIVE UP ON OUR HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS, TO IMPROVE OUR HOME TOWN, AND I BELIEVE, IT IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR INCLUSION; VERSUS THE STANDARD OF EXCLUSION MANY KNOW, WHEN FINDING THEMSELVES ON THE OPPOSITION SIDE OF TOWN HALL. AN ASTUTE TOWN COUNCIL, AND PROACTIVE COUNCILLORS, WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO ADDRESS CITIZEN CONCERNS, BEFORE THERE IS A MORE POWERFUL UNDERTOW OF DISDAIN. IT'S TIME TO TRULY "MOVE FORWARD," ALTHOUGH I DESPISE THAT AS POLITICAL-SPEAK, TO BRING ALL SIDES TOGETHER, AND TRULY ENHANCE INTUITIVE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE. I CAN BE A HEAVY CRITIC, WITH FAST FINGERS, BUT IT WILL NEVER BE SAID, I WASN'T, WITH OUR ENTIRE FAMILY, WILLING TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN ALL WAYS POSSIBLE. THERE ARE MANY MORE CITIZENS, WHO FEEL ON THEY ARE ON THE "OUTS" WITH THEIR HOMETOWN, AND I THINK THIS, IN THE CONTEMPORARY SENSE, IS A TERRIBLE LOSS OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. IT WILL BE, HOWEVER, PRECISELY THIS WAY, IF STATUS QUO AT TOWN HALL REMAINS THE CHARACTERISTIC FORM OF GOVERNANCE; THAT ONLY FEEDS ON MUTUAL ADMIRATION, AND NOT ON THE CONSTRUCTIVE REALITIES OF DISSENT. WILL OUR LOCAL GOVERNANCE BE WILLING TO ADDRESS OPPOSITION? IS IT POSSIBLE THEY WILL WANT TO MEET THE NAYSAYERS, WITH AS MUCH ENTHUSIASM, AS THEIR KNOWN AFFECTION FOR ENDORSEMENT AND UNFALTERING ACCEPTANCE.
     WE'LL SEE!

1991 Watercolour of the main street of Gravenhurst by artist Frank Johnston

Our oldest hand written recipe book circa 1877 found in Orillia

The spring melt is still flooding in the bog. (Rob Currie photo)

FRANK JOHNSTON'S 1991 STREETSCAPE OF GRAVENHURST, A MOST UNIQUE IMPRESSION OF HIS HOMETOWN

WHAT WE ARE MISSING IN THIS TOWN, IS THE PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF THIS EXCEPTIONAL ARTIST'S WORK

     THE ARTIST AS HISTORIAN. MAYBE FRANK JOHNSTON WASN'T AN HISTORIAN BY PROFESSION, IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE, BUT HIS ART WORK WAS PROOF, HE KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF CAPTURING HERITAGE FOR POSTERITY; SCENES, AND HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE, BEFORE IT BECAME A DIMINISHED INTEREST. HIS BRUSH STROKES, FOR EXAMPLE, IF COMPARED TO MY GRANDIOSE EXPLANATIONS, WERE EFFICIENT, OF SENSIBLE PROPORTION, AND ALTOGETHER EFFECTIVE, TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS; THAT THIS WAS A NICE PLACE TO VISIT, AND A HELL OF A PLACE TO LIVE. AT LEAST THAT'S HOW I VIEW THE FRANK JOHNSTON PRINT, RE-PUBLISHED ABOVE. THE BONUS, IS THAT IT WAS PAINTED WITH AN INTIMATE, FRIENDLY GESTURE, MAKING IT CLEAR TO THE VOYEUR, THE ARTIST FOUND THIS AN AGREEABLE TOWN FROM WHICH TO WORK. IT WAS JUST ONE OF HUNDREDS OF ART PANELS HE WORKED ON, DEPICTING LOCAL AND REGIONAL LANDMARKS, AND FAMILIAR MAIN STREETS. LATER IN THIS SHORT SERIES OF BLOGS, I WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF HIS WATERCOLOUR LANDSCAPES, WHICH ARE EQUALLY FAMILIAR, AS PLACES MOST OF US CAN IDENTIFY, BUT UNIQUE IN HIS IMPRESSIONS; OF RIVERS AND WATERFALLS YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR, IF YOU WERE TO LISTEN CAREFULLY, OR FEEL THE MIST FROM THE CRASH OF THE CATARACT. 

     IT USED TO BE, THAT TO SEE AND ENJOY, THE HERITAGE WATERCOLORS PAINTED BY GRAVENHURST ARTIST, FRANK JOHNSTON, YOU JUST HAD TO OPEN THE DOOR OF THE FORMER SLOANS RESTAURANT, ON MUSKOKA ROAD. AS I'VE NOTED ABOUT A HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE, THE RESTAURANT WAS AS MUCH, AT TIMES, TO SOME OF THE PATRONS, A GALLERY FOR JOHNSTON'S ART WORK, BEING ALL GRAVENHURST AND MUSKOKA DEPICTIONS. THE FOOD WAS GREAT AND ESPECIALLY THE BLUEBERRY PIE, BUT WHAT WAS ESPECIALLY COMPELLING, WERE THOSE MASSIVE WATERCOLORS OF TRAINS AND STEAMING BOATS, OF THE NAVIGATION COMPANY; STOPPED FOR PASSENGER EXCHANGES, AT THE WHARF ON MUSKOKA BAY. THE 1990'S ERA PRINT, OF AN ORIGINAL FRANK JOHNSTON WATERCOLOR, WAS OFFERED TO ME, FOR DISPLAY, BY THE JOHNSTON FAMILY RECENTLY, AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, I'M TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE. THIS IMAGE SHOULD BE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY IN THIS TOWN. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MAJOR ART PIECES WERE SOLD OFF SOME YEARS BACK, WHEN SLOANS, AS WE KNEW IT, WAS CLOSED. WE LOST A LOT OF HERITAGE WITH THOSE PAINTINGS. AND TO A DEGREE, THE CONFIDENCE FRANK JOHNSTON HAD WITH HIS FORMER HOMETOWN. IT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY THE ARTIST, THAT TOWN HALL WOULD GET THE PAINTINGS, IF THERE WAS EVER AN END TO SLOAN'S RESTAURANT.

     IT WAS ONCE NOTED, BY GROUP OF SEVEN ARTIST, A.J. CASSON, THAT CONTEMPORARY MUSKOKA (PROBABLY IN THE 1950'S), NO LONGER HAD INTERESTING ARCHITECTURE TO PORTRAY IN HIS ART. HE HAD PAINTED HERE PREVIOUSLY, AS DID OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP OF SEVEN, PARTICULARLY IN THE GEORGIAN BAY REGION OF THE DISTRICT. FRANK JOHNSTON, (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH FRANZ JOHNSTON, OF THE GROUP OF SEVEN), FOUND THE EXACT OPPOSITE, EVEN WELL INTO THE 1990'S, AS THE DEPICTION ABOVE FULLY ILLUSTRATES. BEYOND THE FAMILIAR POST OFFICE BUILDING, AND CLOCK TOWER, YOU CAN SEE THE ADVERTISING SIGN, OF THE FORMER "ECONOMY STORE," AND I REMEMBER IT WELL. THE ORIGINAL PAINTING DATED 1991, REMINDS ME OF OUR FIRST YEARS AS NEW RESIDENTS TO TOWN, HAVING ARRIVED HERE LATE IN 1989.

    GRAVENHURST IS WHERE JOHNSTON HAD HIS STUDIO, AND PRINTING PRESS, IN A SHADED, HISTORIC, HOME ON, SITUATED QUAINTLY, NEATLY, WELL BACK FROM THE ROAD, ON QUIET, LOW TRAFFIC, HUGHSON STREET. WHILE FRANK JOHNSTON WAS A COMMERCIAL ARTIST, WHO MADE MONEY SELLING HIS PRINTS, EVEN ON GREETING CARDS, HE WOULD NEVER HAVE BOTHERED PAINTING SOMETHING HE DIDN'T FIND OF HISTORICAL MERIT, AND ARCHITECTURAL INTRIGUE. IN THE STREETSCAPE, THERE IS A SOCIAL, CULTURAL BUSINESS GOING ON, AND LITTLE DOUBT IS LEFT, THAT THIS RURAL COMMUNITY IS BUSTLING. HIS COLOURFUL IMPRESSION OF THE TOWN, IS BOTH POSITIVE, AND PROMOTIONAL; AND TO CAPTURE SUCH A LIFE FORCE WITHIN, HE HAS MADE A CLEAR STATEMENT, THAT ALTHOUGH GRAVENHURST ISN'T A LARGE COMMUNITY, IT IS A WARM, COMFORTABLE, "BEDFORD FALLS," KIND OF PLACE, (FROM THE MOVIE "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE," THAT EMBRACES ALL ITS SOCIAL-CULTURAL HERITAGE, BUT SENSIBLY IN THE CONTEMPORARY SENSE. THIS SCENE WOULD HAVE MADE A GREAT COVER FOR A BOOK ABOUT GRAVENHURST. MAYBE ONE DAY.

    I WAS CHASED OUT OF OUR MUSKOKA ROAD SHOP TODAY, BECAUSE OF A LARGE RECORDING SESSION, GOING ON IN THE MUSIC STUDIO. QUITE A TROOP OF STUDENTS WERE COMING IN, TO RECORD UPWARDS OF THREE SONGS, AND THERE WASN'T AN INCH TO SPARE. AS I TAKE UP MANY INCHES OF FLOOR SPACE, IT WAS JUST EASIER TO RETREAT BACK TO BIRCH HOLLOW, AND LET THE CREATIVE ARTS CARRY ON, UNENCUMBERED. THE ONLY THING TO DISTRACT ME NOW, ARE THE SUCCESSION OF HUNGRY BIRDS LANDING AT THE FEEDER, AND THE OCCASIONAL SQUABBLE WITH OUR RESIDENT SQUIRRELS. AS I'VE NOTED PREVIOUSLY, MY ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE IS DECLINING, AS QUICKLY AS MY ABILITY TO WRITE, WHEN THERE IS ANY HUBBUB GOING ON WHATSOEVER. TO COPE WITH THE BUSY NATURE OF THE SHOP AND MUSIC STUDIO, THESE DAYS, (WHICH I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT IN THE BUSINESS SENSE), I OFTEN INCORPORATE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE TIME; FOR EXAMPLE, A COUPLE OF MUSICIANS INVADING THE ROOM, TRYING OUT SOME OF THE STUDIO EQUIPMENT. I LIKE THIS KIND OF ACTUALITY, BUT I STILL FIND IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE DURING THE VISIT. I MAKE HANDWRITTEN NOTES INSTEAD, AND THEN TYPE THEM INTO THE BLOG WHEN SOLITUDE HAS RETURNED. TODAY, THERE WAS NO CHANCE OF WORKING AMIDST THE BUSTLE OF A LARGE, YOUTHFUL, ENTHUSIASTIC GROUP, EXCITED ABOUT PUTTING THEIR SOUNDS ONTO A CD. IT WAS NEAT BUT I FEEL DREADFULLY OUT OF PLACE IN CROWDS THESE DAYS. AT ONE TIME, IT WAS THE LIFE FORCE OF JUST SUCH A CROWD, THAT INSPIRED ME TO WRITE. NOW I FEEL OVERWHELMED, IF THERE ARE MORE THAN FOUR PEOPLE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH ME; AND SUZANNE QUIPS THAT IT'S ON ACCOUNT OF MY OLD AGE. I SHOULD PROBABLY ARGUE WITH HER, AS SHE IS ONE YEAR OLDER, BUT HONESTLY, I THINK SHE'S MORE RIGHT THAN WRONG. GADS, THE OLD NEWSPAPER OFFICE AT THE HERALD-GAZETTE, WAS ALWAYS FULL OF STAFFERS, AND OTHER ASSORTED GUESTS, AND PASSERSBY. IN FACT, WHERE I USED TO WRITE, WAS LIKE A BIG HALLWAY, TO OFFICES AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO BE DISTRACTED, ESPECIALLY WHEN PRODUCTION STAFF KEPT COMING UP TO OUR OFFICE, ON PRESS DAYS, DEMANDING WE SPEED UP OUR COPY OUT-PUT. I GUESS MORE THAN AGE, IT'S THE FACT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WRITE IN QUIET ROOM HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW, FOR A LOT OF YEARS NOW, AND HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW I COPED WITH MOB-RULE ONCE UPON A TIME.

     TO WRITE THIS BLOG, I FIRST SET OUT FRANK JOHNSTON'S PRINT, ON A SOFA ACROSS FROM ME, SO I COULD OCCASIONALLY GLANCE AT IT, AS THE STORY PROGRESSED. I HAD TO MOVE THREE TIMES, BECAUSE OF STUDENT TOURS, CIRCULATING TO EVERY PART OF THE BUILDING. AND AGAIN, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A PARAGRAPH, (WHICH SENDS ME BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD) I HAD TO RESCUE THE ART WORK, WHEN A GROUP SUDDENLY COMPROMISED THE LAST BIT OF OPEN SPACE IN THE BUILDING; AND THEN ANOTHER, AND ANOTHER. I THINK, KNOWING FRANK'S SENSE OF HUMOR (HE ONCE DID MY PORTRAIT FOR A COLUMN-HEAD, WHEN I WROTE FOR MUSKOKA TODAY), HE WOULD HAVE OFFERED A DEEP, RASPY CHUCKLE, THAT HIS ART WORK HAD BEEN AT THE CENTRE OF SUCH VIBRANT, YOUTHFUL ACTIVITY. SO NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE WHOLE BLOG, WITH HIS ART WORK CLEARLY SITUATED FOR EASY VIEWING, I FINALLY PACKED IT BACK UP, IN PROTECTIVE TISSUE, AND DECIDED TO FINISH THE REST, SITTING ON THE VERANDAH HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW; WHERE SOME KNOB HAS NOW FIRED UP AN ATOMIC-STRENGTH LEAF BLOWER, SUCH THAT I CAN NO LONG HEAR THE CHEERFUL CHIRPING OF THE BIRDS, AND A SQUIRREL COULD BE CHATTERING AT ME, FROM THE RAILING RIGHT IN FRONT, AND I'D HAVE TO READ HIS LIPS, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS....PRESUMABLY WITH THE GREEDY BIRDS HOGGING THE FEEDER SEEDS. WELL, AT LEAST THERE ARE NO DYNAMITE BLASTS THIS AFTERNOON, OF WHICH OCCUR RATHER FREELY AT JOB SITES, IN THIS AREA OF TOWN; AND THE CHAP WITH THE DIRT BIKE HAS NOW GOOSED HIS WAY TO A HIGHER STREET, SUCH THAT I BENEFIT FROM LESSER NOISE THAN A MOMENT EARLIER. YET, WHEN I LOOK AT FRANK'S MAIN STREET PROFILE, IT'S THE REMARKABLE TALENT OF THIS ARTIST, THAT I CAN HEAR THE SOUNDS OF OUR TOWN, WITHOUT THERE BEING ANY SOUND AT ALL. THIS IS WHAT I FEEL, IS THE TRUE TALENT OF THIS WELL RESPECTED CANADIAN ARTIST / PRINT MAKER, WHO USED TO CALL GRAVENHURST HIS HOME TOWN.

    HIS WORK INSPIRES SENSORY PERCEPTION, AND WE FIND OURSELVES IMAGINING ALL FORWARD PROGRESSIONS, SUCH AS THE SOUND OF CITIZEN FOOTFALLS, AND AUTOMOBILE AND TRUCK ENGINES, AIR BRAKES BEING ENGAGED ON BIG TRUCKS, AND THE OCCASIONAL BLASTING HORN, FROM CAR OR TRAIN, IN THE DAILY ACT OF "JUST PASSING BY." IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE STATIC, BUT IT'S NOT. ART, THAT IS! INSTEAD, IT'S FULL OF LIFE AND MECHANIZATION, NATURE AND HISTORY, AND NO FRAME CAN HOLD IT ALL IN!

     FRANK JOHNSTON BELIEVED IN THIS PICTURE. HE WOULDN'T HAVE SELECTED THIS VANTAGE POINT, IF HE COULDN'T CONCEIVE IT AS A PLACE OF CONSIDERABLE BUSTLE; AND PLEASANT AMALGAMATIONS, OF ALL THAT IS INHERENT TO OUR SMALL TOWN. EACH OF HIS PANELS IS AS MUCH AS STORY, AS THEY ARE VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE UPON THE SENSES. JUST BY VIEWING THE ART WORK, YOU GET A HISTORY LESSON, AND A CONTEMPORARY OVERVIEW, MERGING TOGETHER IN ONE SUBTLE MESSAGE; THAT THIS MUST BE A NICE PLACE TO LIVE. LONG BEFORE WE MOVED TO GRAVENHURST, I WAS A FAN OF FRANK JOHNSTON'S ART WORK. SUZANNE AND I USED TO BRING OUR YOUNG SONS FROM BRACEBRIDGE, AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH, TO HAVE A SATURDAY AFTERNOON LUNCH, OF CRISPY FRENCH FRIES AND HAMBURGERS ALL ROUND, IN THE COLORFUL MIDST OF THIS FRANK JOHNSTON GALLERY, AT SLOANS RESTAURANT. MAYBE HIS ART WAS MORE INFLUENTIAL, IN INSPIRING OUR MOVE SOUTH, THAN I PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT, BECAUSE SON OF A GUN, JUST LOOKING AT THIS PAINTING, I CAN HEAR THE ECHO OF THAT WELCOMING VOICE, OF HUGH CLAIRMONT, FROM SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD; POSSIBLY FROM THE FRONT ALCOVE OF SLOANS, CALLING OUT TO ME, TO COME FOR A COFFEE. WE OFTEN MET UP IN THE COZY QUARTERS OF "THE INNER SANCTUM," A SPECIAL ROOM FOR FINE DINING, WHERE HUGH FREQUENTLY HELD COURT. IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT HUGH AND FRANK WERE GOOD FRIENDS, SUCH THAT WHEN HE AND SON MARK, OPENED THE LOCAL PUBLICATION, "MUSKOKA TODAY," HE FELT NO COMPUNCTION WHATSOEVER, ASKING HIS ARTIST FRIEND TO DO SKETCHES OF EACH OF THE COLUMNISTS. MINE INCLUDED.

     WELL, AFTER A QUARTER CENTURY, LIVING IN GRAVENHURST, WE CURRIES ARE JUST AS HAPPY TO BE HERE, AS WHEN YOU COULD STILL HEAR THE LOUD BELLOW OF HUGH CLAIRMONT, AND THE GROWL OF THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, GRINDING THAT OLD PRINTING PRESS, TO REGALE US ONCE MORE, WITH AN IMAGE CAST DOWN BY HIS CAPABLE HAND; OF THE HOME REGION WE CALL, WITH REVERENCE, GOD'S COUNTRY.

     AT THIS PRECIOUS MOMENT, FEELING I HAVE DONE MY BEST TO REPRESENT THIS BEAUTIFUL ART WORK, BY MR. JOHNSTON, I'D WISH ONLY, HE COULD JOIN ME NOW FOR AN AFTER-WORK LIBATION, IN THE CELEBRATION OF THIS VIEW OF THE BOG, WHERE TWO DEER ARE NOW FEEDING; AND WHERE A PLETHORA OF GOD'S CREATURES, ARE WORKING AWAY, IN THE SLOWLY CHANGING HABITAT OF A COLDER THAN USUAL SPRING. A TINY BIRD FLITS ABOUT THROUGH THE OLD LEAVES, STILL COVERING OVER OUR GARDEN, IN SEARCH OF SEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED OVER THE EDGE OF THE FEEDER, BY THE PUSH AND SHOVE OF GRAY AND BLACK SQUIRRELS. A MOURNING DOVE CALLS OUT, AND A CROW ANSWERS. IT IS A PLEASANT SOLITUDE WITH INTERESTING INTERVENTIONS; LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHIPMUNK, THAT JUST RAN OVER MY SHOE, WITH A PEANUT, STILL IN THE SHELL, PROTRUDING AWKWARDLY FROM ITS MOUTH. SUCH AN AMBITIOUS LITTLE FELLOW.

     THANKS SO MUCH FOR VISITING THIS BLOG TODAY. MORE OF FRANK JOHNSTON'S WATERCOLORS COMING DAILY, FOR THE REST OF THIS WEEK. GLAD YOU COULD BE A PART OF THIS SMALL FRANK JOHNSTON RETROSPECTIVE.

Looking For Art In All The Right Places, Let's All Try To Get Along With New Gravenhurst Council

Our Saturday Evening (November 1st) Concert at St. James Anglican Church in Gravenhurst will feature country singer Zachary Lucky. Tickets available at Currie's Music on Muskoka Road.

GRAVENHURST MUNICIPAL ELECTION - A FEW WORDS TO START US ON OUR NEXT FOUR YEAR JAG, WITH FOLKS WE HOPE WILL PROVIDE LEADERSHIP

     I DON'T PLAN ON OFFERING READERS, RESULTS FROM TONIGHT'S MUNICIPAL ELECTION WRAP-UP. THERE ARE NUMEROUS MEDIA SITES THAT ARE BETTER TO CONSULT FOR ELECTION RESULTS, THAT ME TRYING TO POOL IT TOGETHER, AND POTENTIALLY FUMBLING THE BALL, SO TO SPEAK; POSSIBLY MAKING A TYPO AND AWARDING THE MAYORAL RACE TO THE LOSING CANDIDATE INSTEAD.
     THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN WAS DISAPPOINTING. A LOT OF FOLKS I'VE TALKED TO, IN THE PAST MONTH, HAVE ROUGHLY THE SAME OPINION. THERE WAS A VOID, A HOLLOW, A VACANCY OF ENTHUSIASM, WHERE AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDERWAY. BUT THE CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE HAVE TO LIVE WITH THEIR PERFORMANCES, AND IF THEY DIDN'T WORK HARD ENOUGH, - WELL, THAT'S SORT OF WHAT SUCKS. THEY STILL MIGHT WIN. BUT WHAT THE ELECTION WAS MISSING IN ACTUALLY "ELECTIONEERING," CAN BE MADE UP, BY ENTHUSIASM SHOWN FOR THEIR COUNCIL POSITIONS. WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT, TO SEE COUNCILLORS VISITING MAIN STREET BUSINESSES, AND ATTENDING COMMUNITY EVENTS ON THEIR DIME, INSTEAD OF OURS, AND WORKING TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, VERSUS DIVIDING IT WITH MISPLACED POLITICS. ALTHOUGH THEY DIDN'T SHOW A GREAT DEAL OF ENERGY RUNNING FOR THIS TOP JOBS IN OUR HOMETOWN, HOPEFULLY IT ISN'T WHAT WE CAN EXPECT OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. HERE'S A CHANCE NOW, TO PROVE THAT A LUKE WARM ELECTION CAMPAIGN, CAN ALSO HERALD A HELL OF A FIRST YEAR OF LEADERSHIP; WHEN CONSTITUENTS WILL LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER, WHILE TALKING ABOUT THE WORK OF LOCAL COUNCIL THUS FAR, AND NOT WINCE, OR MAKE A GAGGING SOUND. OR, INCITING ANGER, BECAUSE THERE'S BEN A LOT OF THIS FLOATING AROUND. IN MANY WAYS, THE ANGER WITH COUNCIL, HAS SHOWN UP IN THE PREVAILING ATTITUDE, "ONE IS AS GOOD AS THE OTHER." THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR REGARDING AN ELECTION IN THIS COUNTRY, WHETHER ON THE FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL, OR MUNICIPAL LEVEL. WE'RE BLOODY LUCK TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE THIS PRIVILEGE IS GUARANTEED. BUT THERE IS A PROTEST REALITY TO THE 2014 VOTE. IF YOU STUDY MUNICIPAL POLITICS LIKE I DO, YOU'LL BE REMINDED OF THIS GROWING DISCONTENT IN THE VOTES THAT WERE CAST. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF LESSONS TO BE LEARNED, BASED ON THIS YEAR'S ELECTION. BUT MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE POST-ELECTION REALITIES. THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH FOUR YEAR HAUL, AND WEAK COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TO PUT THROUGH THE RINGER, ESPECIALLY IF THE PROVINCE FINALLY DECIDES TO POUND IN A FOR SALE SIGN, TO SELL THE FORMER MUSKOKA CENTRE. THE ONGOING HOSPITAL DEBATE SHOULD BE FRONT AND CENTRE, AS WELL AS GETTING THE ACCURATE NEWS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF GRAVENHURST HIGH SCHOOL. WHAT ARE THE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS THAT PUT THE SCHOOL AT RISK OF BEING CLOSED? IT WOULD BE GREAT IF COUNCIL WAS PRO-ACTIVE ENOUGH, TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS ISSUE, BEFORE WE FIND OUT IN THE LOCAL MEDIA, THE SCHOOL MAY NOT SURVIVE THE COUNCIL TERM. THERE ARE DOZENS OF PRECARIOUS SCENARIOS THAT COULD PLAY OUT, THAT WOULD FORCE TOWN COUNCIL TO UP THEIR GAME, FROM YEARS OF STATUS QUO OPERATION.
     WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GIVE THESE NEWLY ELECTED COUNCILLORS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? WE HOPE THEY WILL REMEMBER CONSTITUENT RIGHTS, AFTER THEY TAKE THEIR OATH OF OFFICE, LATER THIS AUTUMN. I WOULD HOPE, THAT THE WHOLE ISSUE OF TRANSPARENCY, AND LACK THEREOF, WOULD BE ADDRESSED, AS WAS PROMISED IN PRE-ELECTION STATEMENTS MADE BY COUNCIL HOPEFULS. TALK IS CHEAP AS THEY SAY. QUITE A FEW CONSTITUENTS TODAY, HAVE LEARNED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TOWN HALL, BY ORGANIZING SMALL ACTION GROUPS, TO PETITION FOR THE CHANGES THEY FEEL ARE REQUIRED IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. I THINK THIS WILL WORK WELL IN THE FUTURE. COUNCIL SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON IN THEIR TOWN; NOT RELYING ON WHAT OTHERS EMPLOYED BY THE TOWN ARE TELLING THEM IS GOING ON. I'VE HAD THIS ARGUMENT WITH COUNCILLORS PREVIOUSLY, AND I'LL MAKE IT ONE MORE TIME. I CAN NOT ACCEPT ANY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE WHO ADMITS TO ME, THEY ARENT'T PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TOWN. DAM-IT, THAT'S THEIR JOB, TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MUNICIPALITY THEY REPRESENT, WHICH BY THE WAY STRETCHES EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR THE ENTIRE FOUR YEARS. IT'S NOT A PART TIME JOB. IT'S A TASK ACCEPTED UNDER THE OATH OF OFFICE, AND AT THE WILL OF THE ELECTORATE, SO WE, THE CONSTITUENTS OF THIS TOWN, EXPECT OUR CONCIL WILL BE ON DUTY WHEN WE NEED THEM; NOT JUST AT THEIR CONVENIENCE. DISASTERS DON'T OCCUR ON A SCHEDULE. TERRORISM DOESN'T ONLY OCCUR IN BIG CITIES. WE ARE, AS I NOTED PREVIOUSLY, IN NEED OF LEADERSHIP BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST TWO TERMS OF OFFICE. THIS IS THE CHALLENGE. TO BE BETTER THAN IN THE PAST, BECAUSE THIS IS A CHANGING WORLD. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT A WEEK AGO, THAT A CANADIAN ARMED FORCES SOLDIER, STANDING SENTRY, AT THE NATIONAL WAR MUSEUM, WOULD BE SHOT TO DEATH IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, AMIDST CITY TRAFFIC, BY A HOMEGROWN TERRORIST. YES, THESE ARE DIFFERENT TIMES, AND IT'S FAULTY LOGIC TO THINK THAT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS JUST A NECESSITY FOR CITY COUNCILS.
     I WISH THE NEW AND RETURNING COUNCILLORS THE BEST OF LUCK. THEY'RE GOING TO NEED IT!






LOOKING FOR ART IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES - I LIKE THIS PAINTING

LATE 1800'S, VICTORIAN ERA, FEEL-GOOD ART WORK, FOR MANTLE, PUB WALL, OR ABOVE THE VICTORIAN SIDEBOARD

     ART IN ALL ITS FORMS, FROM PAINTING TO SCULPTURES, ABSTRACT TO FOLK ART, IS HUGELY DIFFICULT FOR GENERAL DEALERS IN ANTIQUES TO RESEARCH AND EVALUATE. MOST ARE NOT TRAINED IN ART IDENTIFICATION, AND PROBABLY NEVER TOOK AN ART HISTORY COURSE IN HIGH SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY. I DIDN'T EITHER, BUT I STARTED BUYING ART THE DAY AFTER I FINISHED UNIVERSITY, IN THE SPRING OF 1977. I HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO INVEST IN THREE MODEST PIECES OF ART, I PURCHASED FROM A GALLERY IN MUSKOKA, AND WITH THE BALANCE, I TOOK A THREE DAY TRIP TO OTTAWA, AND ATE REAL WELL; AND SEEING THE SITES CAME SECOND. TWO WEEKS AGO, SUZANNE TOLD ME, AFTER BALANCING THE DAY'S ACCOUNTS AT OUR ANTIQUE SHOP, THAT TWO OF THOSE THREE INVESTMENT PAINTINGS HAD SOLD THAT AFTERNOON. THE THIRD ONE SOLD TWO YEARS AGO. AS A FLEDGLING ART INVESTOR, CONSIDERING THE TIME ELAPSED FROM 1977 TO THE PRESENT, THERE'S NO CANDY-COATING IT; I FAILED TO MAKE A DECENT PROFIT. BUT, FOR MOST OF TWENTY FIVE YEARS, YOU SEE, MY PARENTS, MERLE AND ED, HAD THESE SAME PAINTINGS HANGING IN THE LIVINGROOM OF THEIR BRACEBRIDGE APARTMENT, AND THAT MADE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE CHOICES I HAD MADE, PRETTY MUCH AS A KID IMAGINING THE POTENTIAL YET TO COME. THE THIRD PAINTING, A SMALL, DARK LANDSCAPE, DONE BY A CONTEMPORARY ARTIST, SOLD FOR EXACTLY WHAT I HAD PAID FOR IT, IN 1979, AND THE PAIR OF BRIGHT LAKELAND SCENES, HAD EARNED US A SMALL TEN PERCENT PROFIT. CERTAINLY NOT AN ART INVESTMENT TO CROW ABOUT, YET IT WAS A STARTING POINT.
     I'VE PUSHED MYSELF TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT ALL TYPES OF ART, AND HOW TO IDENTIFY PIECES FOR SALE, OUT AND AROUND, THAT WILL EARN A BETTER MARGIN OF PROFIT. WE SELL A FAIR AMOUNT OF ART EACH YEAR, AND IF I WAS LOSING MONEY, THE ACCOUNTANT, MY WIFE, WOULDN'T HAVE ANY HESITATION REMINDING ME ABOUT THE GOOD BUSINESS MOTTO, PROFESSING THE VIRTUES OF NOT OPERATING "IN THE RED." MEANING DEBT OF COURSE, OR IN HER MIND, LOSING MONEY ON A PURCHASE, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE INVESTMENT. I CAN'T REMEMBER LOSING MONEY ON ART IN THE CONTEMPORARY SENSE, CERTAINLY IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, WHEN I'VE BECOME MUCH MORE BUSINESS-LIKE, AS A RETAILER, VERSUS, AS A LONG TERM INVESTOR WITH DECADES TO SIT TIGHT. A RETAILER HAS TO GET TURN-OVER OF INVENTORY, WHICH NEGATES HANGING ONTO THE ART PIECES FOR A QUARTER CENTURY, LIKE I USED TO, IN ORDER TO GET A VALUE INCREASE. I'VE GOT ONE FOOT ON A BANANA PEEL MY FRIENDS TELL ME, BECAUSE OF ALL THE DRINKING MATES I'VE LOST IN THE PAST FEW YEARS; AND MY LOST I MEAN HAVING LEFT THIS MORTAL COIL. I NEED TO THINK SHORTER-TERM I SUPPOSE, ALTHOUGH I'M A FINE SPECIMEN AT PRESENT. I COULD GET HIT IN THE HEAT WITH A PIECE OF FALLING ART, YOU KNOW, AND WOULDN'T THAT BE A FITTING EXIT?
      IF THERE IS PROVENANCE ATTACHED, TO AN ART PIECE, WHATEVER IT REPRESENTS AS A OUTPUT OF CREATIVE ENTERPRISE, AND YOU KNOW WHO OWNED THE ART-WORK PREVIOUSLY, YOU WILL HAVE A MINOR CHANCE OF FINDING OUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, BY SIMPLY EXECUTING AN ON-LINE SEARCH. THE PAINTING ABOVE, IS ONE OF THOSE HORNS OF THE DILEMMA, AS FAR AS RESEARCH AND IDENTIFICATION GOES. THE MID TO LATE 1800'S, VICTORIAN PAINTING, (PICTURED ABOVE), PROFILING A GENTLE, SENTIMENTAL, ROMANTIC WATERSCAPE, FULL OF RECREATION, WITH FIVE ROWBOATS, THREE SAILBOATS, (TOP RIGHT) TWO WATCHERS FROM THE SHORE, FAR LEFT, AND THE INTERESTING CABINS ON THE UPPER LEFT SIDE, IS IDENTIFIED ONLY BY THE FACT THERE IS A REFERENCE TO "RELIANCE MOULDING COMPANY, TORONTO," PRINTED ONTO A LABEL PASTED TO THE FRAME. THERE IS NO SIGNATURE, NO IDENTIFYING INITIALS, A PENNED-IN LOCATION, WHERE THE ARTIST GOT THE INSPIRATION FOR THE PAINTING, OR EVEN A DATE IN WHICH IT WAS CREATED. THERE WERE TWO MINOR REPAIRS MADE, WITH CANVAS RE-ENFORCEMENT, AND PAINT-OVERS THAT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CRAFTED BY SOMEONE WITH ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE. POSSIBLY EVEN THE ARTIST, IN LATER LIFE, WHO HAD PAINTED THE SCENE. IT IS A WELL EXECUTED ART PIECE, AND DESPITE THE SHRINKAGE AND CRACKING OF THE PAINT, THE AGING OF THE COLORS IS RICH AND HISTORIC; REMINDING ME THAT IT SHOULD BE HUNG OVER A FIREPLACE IN A RUSTIC COTTAGE, SURROUNDED BY PINE AND GIVEN LOTS OF ILLUMINATION; THE LIGHT OF DAY (BUT NOT DIRECT SUN) SHOWS IT OFF BEAUTIFULLY, AND SOFT ELECTRIC LIGHT WILL DO ITS HERITAGE PATINA JUSTICE, IN THE EVENING HOURS.
     WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT MOST, IS THAT IT TELLS A STORY. IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FOR YOU, STARING UP AT IT, FROM THE COMFORT OF A FIRESIDE CHAIR, THAN WHAT I GARNER FROM THE SCENE UNFOLDING IN FRONT OF ME. THAT'S THE MAGIC OF ART. I LOVE ART GENERALLY, BUT I ESPECIALLY ENJOY ART PIECES THAT KEEP ME ENTERTAINED AND PERPETUALLY INSPIRED. WRITING AS MUCH AS I DO, EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, I COUNT ON PAINTINGS LIKE THE ONE ABOVE, TO REMIND ME OF THE TRULY BEAUTIFUL THINGS IN LIFE AND OUR PAST. DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME OF DAY I LOOK AT THE CANVAS, AND HOW I'M FEELING AT THE TIME, THE STORY CHANGES A LITTLE BIT EACH HOUR. I THINK A NOVELIST COULD WRITE A BOOK BASED ON A PAINTING LIKE THIS, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD HAVE TO BE HISTORICAL IN CONTENT.
     WE PURCHASED THE PAINTING IN THE ORILLIA AREA, AND THE INFORMATION WITH THE PAINTING, PROVIDED BY THE VENDOR, INDICATED IT WAS LIKELY A LOCAL PAINTING. I WOULD LOVE IT TO BE CANADIAN, AND MOST CERTAINLY, TO FIND OUT IT WAS A DEPICTION OF THE WATERSCAPE OF ALGONQUIN, HALIBURTON, OR EVEN MUSKOKA, WOULD BE FABULOUS. THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL HILLSIDES ON THE HORIZON, WHICH PRETTY MUCH REMOVES MUSKOKA FROM CONTENTION. THERE IS A GENTLEMAN STANDING WITH A LADY, ON THE SHORE, AT THE BOTTOM LEFT, WEARING A STRANGE HAT, THAT REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER VICTORIAN ERA PAINTING I OWN, DEPICTING THE SCENERY OF LAKE WINDERMERE, IN THE LAKE DISTRICT OF ENGLAND. I SUSPECT, THE ORIGINAL FRAME MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED AT SOME POINT, AND REFRAMED, MAKING THE PAINTING MUCH OLDER THAN THE EXTERIOR WOOD TRIM. THE STRETCHERS AND THE WEDGES USED TO FIRM-UP THE CORNERS, SEEM TO INDICATE THE PAINTING IS INDEED MANY YEARS OLDER THAN THE DECORATIVE FRAMING, BUT THEN AGAIN, I HAVE NO EVIDENCE THERE WAS A PREVIOUS FRAME. THERE ARE THUMB PRINTS LEFT BY THE ARTIST ON THE STRETCHER BOARDS HOLDING THE CANVAS, AND THIS COULD BE IMPORTANT DOWN THE ROAD, TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE PAINTER.
     WITHOUT PROVENANCE, SIGNATURE OR INITIALS, IT CAN BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY THE ARTIST OF A PIECE LIKE THIS; UNLESS YOU HAVE SUSPICIONS AND CAN FOLLOW-UP WITH REFERENCE MATERIAL, IN BOOKS AND ONLINE. MAKING COMPARISONS TO OTHER PAINTINGS, LOOKING FOR SIMILARITIES OF STYLE, COLORATIONS, AND BRUSH STROKES. IT IS ARGUABLY MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THESE DAYS, TO SEARCH ONLINE, AND WE HAVE A SUCCESS RATE OF THIRTY PECENT NOW IN INFORMATION GATHERING; MEANING, THAT OUT OF TEN PAINTINGS, WITH VERY LITTLE INFORMATION TO CONDUCT ANY RESEARCH AT ALL, WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN PINPOINTING THE PAINTER FOR THREE OF THEM. NOT A GREAT AVERAGE IF YOU'RE A BASEBALL SLUGGER, OR A HOCKEY CENTRE, BUT FOR US, WORKING WITH VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PROVENANCE, IT'S A PRETTY GOOD STAT.
     WHAT ABOUT CONSULTING AN ART EXPERT? OF COURSE. BUT THEY GENERALLY GET PAID TO CONSULT. OR THEY WILL ASK FOR FIRST REFUSAL; MEANING THEY COULD EVALUATE THE SUBJECT PIECE, BUT WILL WANT THE RIGHT TO PRESENT AN OFFER BEFORE IT IS SOLD OTHERWISE. THERE ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED ART EXPERTS OUT THERE, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, EVEN FOR SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF, BUYING ART ITEMS REGULARLY, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW TIMES EVERY YEAR, WHEN I FEEL THE NEED TO CONSULT AN AUCTION HOUSE. THE ART WORKS WE LOOK FOR, ARE WHAT WE CONSIDER "SLEEPERS," MEANING THEY ARE QUALITY PIECES, BUT UNDER-RESEARCHED, AND UNDER-APPRECIATED FOR THEIR HISTORIC VALUE. THUS, IN MOST CASES, THEY ARE PRICED LOW ENOUGH AT ANTIQUE SHOPS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR US TO MAKE THE PURCHASE, AND THEN INVEST THE SWEAT EQUITY (RESEARCH WORK), TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY THE PAINTING. FOR EXAMPLE, FINDING OUT WHERE IT WAS PAINTED, AT AROUND WHAT DATE, AND WHO MAY HAVE PREVIOUSLY OWNED THE WORK. IN MOST CASES, WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR AN ART CONSULTATION, WE CAN GET AN APPROXIMATE VALUATION, BY CHECKING OUT PREVIOUS AUCTION RECORDS ONLINE, AND IN SOME OTHER CASES, IN OLD ART AUCTION CATALOGUES. THIS OF COURSE, DEPENDS ON IF THE ARTIST RESPONSIBLE, IS ACTIVELY "TRADED," MEANING, THE ART THEY CREATE IS WORTHY OF AUCTION INCLUSION IN THE FIRST PLACE. I HAVE ONLY OWNED A FEW PAINTINGS IN MY LIFE, THAT WERE WORTHY OF SENDING TO AN AUCTION HOUSE, BUT I KNEW ENOUGH ABOUT THE EVALUATION, TO SELL THEM PRIVATELY.
     WE HAVE FOUND QUITE A FEW "SLEEPERS," OUT THERE, THAT NEVER MADE US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, BUT HAVE MADE US ACCEPTABLE PROFITS, IN ORDER TO STAY IN BUSINESS. OBVIOUSLY, IT DEPENDS ON THE ASKING PRICE, AND OF COURSE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, IF WE HAPPEN TO FIND THAT A SKETCH WE ARE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING, AT A FLEA MARKET, IS ACTUALLY A WOOD PANEL OIL, PAINTED BY CANADIAN LANDSCAPE ARTIST, TOM THOMSON. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SIGNED BY THOMSON TO BE IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF HIS ORIGINALS. THOMSON GAVE AWAY MANY SMALL SKETCHES HE DID IN ALGONQUIN, UNSIGNED, AND SOME OF THESE WERE SMALL SCALE STUDIES OF WHAT BECAME LARGER PAINTINGS, DONE OVER THE WINTER MONTHS, IN HIS LITTLE CABIN ON PROPERTY OWNED BY LAWREN HARRIS, FUTURE GROUP OF SEVEN ARTIST, IN TORONTO. SO IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE, THAT ONE OR MORE OF THE SKETCHES HE GAVE AWAY TO ADMIRERS, BACK IN HIS ALGONQUIN YEARS, EARLIER IN THE 1900'S, MIGHT GET THROWN INTO THE GENERAL MIX OF ESTATE ITEMS, OR A GENERAL ESTATE (FARM) AUCTION, WHERE REGIONAL ANTIQUE DEALERS CONGREGATE TO BUY THEIR INVENTORY. IF YOU KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT ART, AND CANADIAN ART SPECIFICALLY, YOU PAY ATTENTION TO PANELS SHOWING GROUP OF SEVEN INFLUENCE, SIGNED OR NOT. IF THE LEVEL OF COMPETENCE IS HIGH, AND YOU CAN TELL THIS, BY STUDYING THE PAINT APPLICATION, AND VISIBLE BRUSH STROKES, BALANCE AND OVERALL EXPRESSION, IT'S NOT ENTIRELY UNWISE TO MAKE A SMALL GAMBLE, BY MAKING THE PURCHASE. WITH A GOOD WORK OF ART, YOU CAN AT THE VERY LEAST, GET YOUR MONEY BACK; IF OF COURSE, IT CAN'T, BY ESTABLISHED PROVENANCE, BE HUNG OFF THE BRUSH OF A WELL KNOWN ARTIST. IT TAKES YEARS TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES INVESTMENT ART, AND WHAT WILL REMAIN IN THEIR OWN PERPETUITY, NEAT, FUN AND INTERESTING PIECES; THAT ALTHOUGH SALABLE FOR GREATLY REDUCED PRICES, IN YOUR RETAIL SHOP, OR AT AN ANTIQUE MALL BOOTH, WILL SATISFY THE INTERESTS OF HOME DECORATORS IF NO ONE ELSE.
     AS I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, THE LEARNING CURVE IS A LIFELONG ONE IN OUR BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE A GENERAL DEALER, WHO HAS TO BE GOOD IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS, IN ORDER TO KEEP THE SHOP DOORS OPEN.
     THERE ARE PAINTINGS THAT HAVE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE BEYOND BEING PRETTY; THE KIND OF THOUGHT PROVOKING PICTURES OR SCULPTURES, THAT YOU JUST LIKE LOOKING AT, FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF EYE AND MIND. CANADIAN MARITIME FOLK ARTIST, MAUD LEWIS, IS A CASE IN POINT. HER WORK IS NAIVE, COLORFUL, A LITTLE PRIMITIVE LOOKING, BUT CARRYING A BIG ART VALUE. FINDING AN ORIGINAL MAUD LEWIS ART PANEL, FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED BUCKS AT AN ANTIQUE SHOP, REQUIRES THAT YOU PERFORM WITH GLEE, A LITTLE HOP, SKIP AND JUMP, ONCE OUT THE DOOR, AND POSSIBLY A LITTLE JIG TO AN IMAGINARY FIDDLE; LIKE THE ONE MAUD UNDOUBTEDLY HEARD IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD MANY YEARS BACK. IT MIGHT NOT LOOK SEEM AT FIRST GLANCE, A GREAT WORK OF ART, BUT LIKE THE AMERICAN FOLK ARTIST, GRANDMA MOSES, THERE'S A HUGE CULTURAL RELEVANCE WITHIN EACH PAINTING, THAT RUN INTO THE HEAVY, HEAVY THOUSANDS, IF YOU WISH TO PURCHASE ONE THROUGH A PUBLIC ART AUCTION.      SEEING AS MY APPETITE FOR ART, SURPASSES WHAT MONEY I HAVE IN MY WALLET, I HAVE NEVER HAD THE OPTION OF BUYING THROUGH AUCTION HOUSES. I DON'T MIND FINDING ART BY SCROUNGING, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING IT ALL MY LIFE. I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY HUNTING ART FOR THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THIS ANTIQUE PROFESSION, AND I'VE UNCOVERED SOME WONDERFULLY HISTORIC PIECES TO ENJOY, BEFORE, THAT IS, HAVING TO SELL THEM OFF AGAIN, IN ORDER TO STAY IN BUSINESS. THE HISTORIC PIECES CAN INCLUDE BATTLE SCENES, FROM WAR-FRONTS, BATTLES BETWEEN SHIPS IN THE GREAT BATTLES ON THE SEA, THROUGH THE AGES, AND PROFILES OF RECOGNIZABLE HERITAGE SITES, SUCH AS MILITARY FORTS, CATHEDRALS, HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, PIONEER HOMESTEADS, AND UNUSUAL ARCHITECTURE PROFILED ON CANVAS OR BOARD, BY COMPETENT ARTISTS. THERE ARE OF COURSE, THOSE PAINTINGS THAT HAVE BEEN COPIED FROM THE WORK OF MASTERS, THAT ARE IN MOST CASES, WORTHLESS AS FAR AS INVESTMENT ART; BUT MIGHT MAKE YOU A FEW BUCKS IN AN ANTIQUE OR COLLECTABLE SHOP, BUT NOT MUCH MORE. IF IT LOOKS LIKE A FAMOUS PAINTING YOU'VE SEEN SOMEWHERE ELSE, BEST LEAVE IT ALONE; UNLESS YOU CAN RESEARCH IT ON-THE-SPOT, VIA THE INTERNET, BEFORE SPENDING A DIME ON ITS PURCHASE.
     CAMERA-PHONES FOR ANTIQUE AND ART COLLECTOR / DEALERS TODAY, HAVE BECOME, IN ONLY A SHORT TIME, INDISPENSABLE. WE CAN TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF SUBJECT ART WORK AND ANTIQUES, SOME WE SEND IMMEDIATELY TO OUR CLIENTS, WHO HAVE SHOWN INTEREST IN SUCH PIECES, IN THE PAST; AND GET APPROVAL TO MAKE THE PURCHASE WITHIN MINUTES. WE CAN ALSO SEND IMAGES TO OUR ART EXPERT FRIENDS, FOR SOME QUICK ADVICE ON WHETHER TO BUY THE PAINTING, OR SCULPTURE, OR JUST WALK AWAY; OR WE CAN LOOK UP THE ARTISTS NAMED ON THE PIECE(S), FOR QUICK BIOGRAPHIES, IF THEY IN FACT EXIST. WE CAN ALSO GET A PRETTY GOOD IDEA THE PRICES RANGES OF TRADED WORK, SO WITHIN MINUTES, WE KNOW HOW MUCH THE ART PIECE IS WORTH. SON ROB AND I ARE RESEARCHING, AT PRESENT, (ON HIS PHONE) AN ITALIAN ARTIST NOW, RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME INTERESTING BUT GROTESQUE POSTER CREATION, WE SPOTTED IN A REGIONAL SHOP. WE ALREADY REFUTED SOME OF THE INFORMATION NOTED BY THE VENDOR, AND WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE WORK WAS CREATED; AND YES IT WAS A PLACE OF MANY HORRORS OVER THE PAST CENTURY, DURING WORLD WAR. WE HAVEN'T FOUND THE ARTIST YET BUT WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN OUR RESEARCH. THIS IS HALF THE FUN OF CHASING ART ON THE CHEAP. MAYBE WE'LL BUY THE ART WORK, BUT THEN AGAIN, MAYBE WE'LL FIND THAT ELUSIVE TOM THOMSON INSTEAD.
     THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ART SCROUNGING, IS THAT YOU NEVER FAIL TO PERFORM THE REQUIRED DUE-DILIGENCE. DON'T SHORTCHANGE THE REQUIREMENT FOR IN-DEPTH RESEARCH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU PLAN ON SPENDING CONSIDERABLE MONEY, TO MAKE THE PURCHASE. I ONLY EXCEED A HUNDRED BUCKS PER ART PIECE, FIVE PERCENT OF THE TIME. I NEVER PURCHASE ANYTHING, INCLUDING GENERAL ANTIQUITIES, WITHOUT A GUARANTEE OF A ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PROFIT. NOT A DREAMED-ABOUT PROFIT, BUT ONE THAT IN THE PRESENT MARKET-PLACE, WHAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE FOR WHAT IS BEING OFFERED. FOR THAT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT MARK-UP, A BUYER WILL GET THE BENEFIT OF OUR RESEARCH, AND INSIGHTS, WHICH FOR SOME PIECES CAN BE EXTENSIVE.
     THERE ARE NO ACCEPTABLE SHORTCUTS IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE, IF THAT IS, YOU WANT TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL, LONG TERM, PROFITABLE BUSINESS. IF YOU JUST LIKE COLLECTING ART, AND WANT EVERY SQUARE INCH OF YOUR HOUSE, CONDO, APARTMENT, COTTAGE OR BUSINESS COVERED IN INTERESTING ART PIECES, YOU STILL HAVE TO RESEARCH THE ITEMS YOU WISH TO PURCHASE, NEW OR VINTAGE, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY POSSESS THE QUALITY, AND MARKET FAVOR, TO GUARANTEE, AT THE VERY LEAST, YOU WON'T LOSE MONEY WHEN YOU GO TO SELL THEM. IT STILL, AS A BOTTOM LINE, COMES DOWN TO LIKING WHAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR WALLS. LIVING WITH GOOD ART THAT YOU DON'T LIKE? SELL IT OFF AND BUY GOOD ART THAT YOU DO LIKE.
     SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.

Arrow Sewing Machine Made In Japan By Toyoto; A Halloween Tip, On How To Avoid Falling Into The Outhouse Hole

PICKED UP AN "ARROW" AT A SECOND HAND SHOP; BUT IT WON'T FLY LIKE ONE

1955-1960 SEWING MACHINE - NOT AN AVRO ARROW, SILLY!

     WE FIRST SAW THE ATTRACTIVE LITTLE "ARROW," ON FRIDAY NIGHT, ON A SHOPPING JAG, BUT WE HAD ALREADY OVER-SPENT OUR STORE BUDGET BY FIFTY PERCENT. WE HAVE TO STICK TO A BUDGET (ALTHOUGH IT DRIVES US NUTS) AND FOR DEALERS WHO ARE ALSO COLLECTORS, THERE ARE LOTS OF EMOTIONAL CONFLICTS DAY TO DAY. AT SOME POINT IN EVERY YEAR, IT'S NECESSARY TO SEE A PROFIT FROM THIS ANTIQUE SPECULATION ENTERPRISE. A LOT OF DEALERS KEEP ON RE-INVESTING IN THEIR BUSINESS, AND WE'RE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, OF THOSE WHO OVER-INVEST AS IF, WE'RE SURE, LIFE WILL RUN ETERNAL. FOR TWO DAYS SINCE, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONVINCE SUZANNE, (BECAUSE IT'S JUST SO MUCH FUN), ABOUT HER LEAVING A SEWING MACHINE THAT WAS PROBABLY BUILT, IN SLOW TIMES, SIDE BY SIDE THE LEGENDARY CANADIAN JET, THE AVRO ARROW. I GAVE HER A FEW PARALLELS, FROM SOME OTHER FAMILIAR CANADIAN INDUSTRIES, THAT WORKED ON OTHER MANUFACTURING PROJECTS WHEN BUSINESS FOR THEIR MAINSTAY OUTPUT SLOWED DOWN; SOMETIMES RELATED TO SEASONAL ECONOMY. ONE WAS PETERBOROUGH CANOES THAT MADE DUCK DECOYS, AND THE CHESTNUT CANOE COMPANY, WHICH MADE SNOWSHOES. I ALMOST HAD HER CONVINCED, THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED IT, WITH THE POTENTIAL A RABID COLLECTOR OF AVRO AVIATION HERITAGE ITEMS, MIGHT GO CRAZY TO GET THE FORERUNNER OF THE GREAT CANADIAN JET. WELL, SUZANNE IS PRETTY SAVY ABOUT SEWING MACHINES, AND SHE INFORMED ME, THAT ALTHOUGH THE CASE WAS MADE IN CANADA, BECAUSE IT'S STAMPED ACCORDINGLY, THE INTERESTING LOOKING MACHINE WAS ACTUALLY BUILT IN JAPAN, AS MANY WERE BACK IN THIS ERA, AS CLONES OF POPULAR MACHINES MADE BY SINGER (AND OTHER COMPANIES) IN NORTH AMERICA. SUZANNE PLAYED ALONG FOR AWHILE, AND THEN SHOWED ME SOME OF THE LISTINGS ON THE INTERNET, AND THERE WAS NO MENTION OF AVRO HAVING TAKEN A BREAK FROM AIRCRAFT BUILDING, TO MAKE NIFTY SEWING MACHINES FOR THE HOMES OF NORTH AMERICA. I SUGGEST SHE PURCHASE IT ANYWAY, ON OUR TRIP SOUTH TODAY, TO INCREASE HER COLLECTION'S DIVERSITY. THE PRICE BEING PAID FOR THESE MADE IN JAPAN, "ARROWS," (CIRCA 1955-1965)BY THE WAY, IS QUITE STARTLING; RANGING FROM A HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS TO TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY; BEING IN GOOD WORKING ORDER OF COURSE. IT WAS MODEL 77 IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE AN "ARROW" COLLECTOR. I ALSO SAID THAT SHE WAS BECOMING ADDICTED TO SEWING MACHINES, AND SOON SHE'D BE SNEAKING AROUND, AND HAVING SECRET MEETINGS WITH UNSAVOURY DEALERS, TO GET THE HOTTEST VINTAGE UNITS; THE RAREST OF THE RARE, EVENTUALLY FORCING ME TO GET HER INTO REHABILITATION. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO FOUND IT. YOU TOLD ME I HAD TO COME RIGHT THAT MINUTE TO SEE IT," SHE SAID, AND THIS WOULD BE CORRECT. WELL SON ANDREW, CONVINCED HER SHE SHOULD BUY IT TODAY, AFTER SHE ROLLED HER EYES AT ME, BECAUSE I TOLD HER IT COULD PROBABLY FLY AS WELL AS SEW. "MY MOTHER WARNED ME YOU WERE A CLOWN," SHE CHORTLED, AS ANDREW CARRIED THE "ARROW" UP TO THE SALES COUNTER. WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN OUT ON THE HUSTINGS, AND IT'S ALL IN GOOD NATURE. I TOLD HER, WHILE WALKING IN MY DUTIFUL FASHION, WAY, WAY BEHIND EVERYONE ELSE, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER BUSINESS NAME FOR THE SHOP. WHEN SHE RETIRED FROM TEACHING LAST YEAR, SHE OPENED "SUZANNE CURRIE'S COOKERY NOOKERY," BECAUSE OF HER LARGE COLLECTION OF VINTAGE COOKBOOKS. "WHAT WOULD WE CALL A BUSINESS THAT SPECIALIZES IN VINTAGE SEWING MACHINES. "SUZANNE CURRIE'S SUPER FANTASTIC EMPORIUM OF OLD, STRANGE, AND BIZARRE SEWING CONTRAPTIONS!" "LIKE I SAID BEFORE, MOTHER ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU SHOULD HAVE JOINED THE CIRCUS, WHERE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATED."
     HERE'S A NEAT SIDEBAR FOR YOU. SUZANNE JUST CAME INTO MY OFFICE, AND HAD TO ADMIT, SHEEPISHLY, THAT I MUST HAVE A SIXTH SENSE ABOUT THESE KIND OF "PROVENANCE" SUSPICIONS, BECAUSE I HAD BEEN CORRECT ABOUT ONE THING, REGARDING THE SEWING MACHINE. WHILE IT WASN'T CONNECTED IN ANY WAY TO THE COMPANY THAT CONSTRUCTED THE "AVRO ARROW," IT WAS MADE BY AN EVEN MORE PROSPEROUS COMPANY IN JAPAN. THAT'S RIGHT, SUZANNE'S NEWEST "OLD" MACHINE, FOR THE SHOP COLLECTION, WAS MADE BY "TOYOTA." NOW THERE'S AN INTERESTING PARALLEL. INSTEAD OF HAVING A LITTLE ROAR OF A JET ENGINE, WHEN ENGAGED, IN PURRS LIKE A WELL TUNED TOYOTA READY TO GO OUT ON A COUNTRYSIDE  DRIVE.
     THE ADDITIONAL FINDS TODAY WERE STRANGE AND DIVERSE WITHOUT A DOUBT. I PICKED UP AN INCREDIBLY INTERESTING VICTORIAN OIL ON CANVAS, OF AN UNIDENTIFIED WATERWAY, WITH FIVE ROWBOATS, THREE SAILBOATS, SOME SIGHTSEERS ON SHORE, PLUS CABINS, THAT WAS FRAMED IN TORONTO; BUT DESPITE BEING LABELLED BY A DEALER AS BEING A LOCAL DEPICTION, I DON'T THINK SO. IT COULD BE A CANADIAN SCENE, POSSIBLY ALGONQUIN, BECAUSE OF THE HILLSIDES IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT I'M SUSPICIOUS THAT IT MIGHT BE THE LAKE DISTRICT IN ENGLAND INSTEAD. IT IS NOW, QUITE OFFICIALLY, ONE OF THE FINEST PAINTINGS IN MY OWN COLLECTION, AND I'M JUST THRILLED; EVEN MORE THAN SUZANNE IS WITH HER TOYOTA "ARROW." I FOUND THE PAINTING IN THE ORILLIA AREA TODAY, AND I'LL DO A STUDY OF IT, WITH GRAPHICS, IN TOMORROW'S BLOG. SON ANDREW PICKED UP A VINTAGE "HOT RODS," MEAT PRODUCT'S METAL STAND, WITH SIGN, CIRCA THE 1970'S; ABOUT THE TIME I FIRST TURNED-ON TO THE SALTY, MEATY SNACKS, SOLD AT LIL & CEC'S LITTLE CORNER STORE, UP ON BRACEBRIDGE'S TORONTO STREET. I PROBABLY HAD ONE A DAY FOR THE FIRST YEAR THEY HIT THE MARKET. I LOVED THOSE THINGS. GUESS WHAT. ANDREW, A DRUMMER, WITH MANY DRUMMER FRIENDS, PLANS TO USE IT TO HOLD HIS COLLECTION OF STUDIO DRUM STICKS. WE'RE ALL A LITTLE NUTS THIS WAY. I BOUGHT A NEARLY DESTROYED MANTLE CLOCK TODAY, CIRCA 1880'S, THAT HAD ONE REDEEMING QUALITY, BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE ON IT HAS BEEN SMASHED TO SMITHEREENS. WHEN I PICKED THE LARGE WOODEN CASE UP, AND STARTED TO EXAMINE THE DAMAGE TO THE CLOCK GENERALLY, NOTING THE FACT IT HAD NO GLASS LEFT IN THE DOOR, AND EVEN PART OF THE DOOR WAS MISSING, (PLUS THE ROPE BALANCES TO THE WEIGHTS WAS MISSING), THE CLOCK STARTED TO TICK IN MY HANDS. I COULDN'T BELIEVE, THAT A CLOCK IN SUCH BAD SHAPE, WITH SO MUCH DAMAGE, COULD STILL "TICK-TOCK," AND POTENTIALLY BE OPERATIONAL IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE CLEVER IN THESE OLD CLOCKWORKS. IT WAS TWENTY BUCKS. I FIGURED THERE WAS SOMETHING WITHIN, THAT WANTED TO IMPRESS UPON ME, IT STILL HAD SOME ENDEARING QUALITIES LEFT, AND COULD STILL ENHANCE A ROOM WITH ITS HISTORIC GOOD LOOKS. SO I DECIDED TO RESCUE IT, LIKE SO MANY OTHER BROKEN AND DAMAGE PIECES, WE TRY TO GIVE AN EXTENDED SHELF LIFE, AND WILL AT THE VERY LEAST, HAVE IT DOLLED UP AS A CHRISTMAS DECORATION FOR THE SHOP; A SORT OF DICKENSIAN REMINDER, TO RING IN THE COMING OF THE THREE SPIRITS TO VISIT SUZANNE, TO LET HER KNOW IT'S NOT NICE TO CALL HER SIGNIFICANT OTHER A CLOWN.
     SON ROBERT, WHO JUST ARRIVED HOME, FROM A TOUR OF IRELAND, ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND GERMANY, HOURS BEFORE OUR TRAVELS TODAY, SLEPT MOST OF THE WAY, ON OUR ANTIQUE HUNT, BUT WHEN HE CAUGHT THE SCENT OF VINTAGE VINYL, AT AN ORILLIA RECORD SHOP, HE SPRUNG TO LIFE LIKE A MAN POSSESSED. THE LADS, AS USUAL, CAME BACK HOME WITH SOME NEAT MUSIC MEMORABILIA, INCLUDING SOME "TRAGICALLY HIP," RECORDS AND AN EARLY BAND POSTER. WE HAVE A FRIEND CLOSELY TIED TO THE GROUP, SO WE'RE ALWAYS WATCHING FOR "HIP" COLLECTABLES. IT WAS A GOOD DAY. WE JUST ARRIVED HOME, A FEW MOMENTS AGO, AND THE CATS HAVE BEEN REMINDING US, HOW CRAPPY WE ARE, AS PET OWNERS, TO HAVE BEEN LATE, ONCE AGAIN, SERVING THEM THEIR SUNDAY DINNER. THEY OWN US. THERE'S NOT QUESTION ABOUT THIS. JOIN ME TOMORROW FOR SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PAINTING I PICKED UP ON THE ANTIQUE HUNT TODAY, AND MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE AN IDEA WHERE IT WAS PAINTED, AND BY WHAT FAMOUS ARTIST. WELL, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW! I'M HOPING YOU WON'T TELL ME IT WAS PAINTED BY A GUY THAT USED TO WORK AT TOYOTA, OR AVRO INDUSTRIES. YOU KNOW, IF YOU THOUGHT THE ANTIQUE BUSINESS WAS CONSERVATIVE AND STUFFY, ENGAGED BY OLD FARTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REGULAR SINCE THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION, YOU'RE OUTDATED YOURSELF. WE'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY HIP PEOPLE (SEE, I GOT IN ANOTHER MENTION OF THE TRAGICALLY HIP), AND WE LOVE ODDBALL ACQUISITIONS. TODAY WE OUTDID OURSELVES, AND WHETHER WE ACTUALLY MAKE A MILLION AT THIS ENDLESS ADVENTURE, OR NOT, WE'VE HAD A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FUN FOR LONG AND LONG. SOMETIMES WE HAVE SO MUCH FUN, I START FEELING GUILTY THAT THIS CAN'T BE A REAL PROFESSION. PROFESSIONS ARE SERIOUS, RIGHT? REGARDLESS, WE DON'T SEE THIS AS WORK, BUT A SERIOUS CULTURAL RECREATION, THAN ON A GOOD DAY, LIKE FISHING ON GOLDEN POND, WE CAN MAKE A DECENT LIVING.
     HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME TOMORROW. YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE MY PAINTING.

NOT JUST ABOUT GHOSTS AND GOBLINS AT HALLOWE'EN

 NOTE: THIS COLUMN WAS WRITTEN IN ADVANCE FOR THE GREAT NORTH ARROW BUT SEEING AS MY BLOG FOLLOWERS DON'T GET THIS FINE PAPER, I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO RUN IT TODAY FOR YOU FOLKS. A LITTLE HALLOWEEN TREAT EARLY.

By Ted Currie

     In my fist year working as a poorly paid cub reporter, for the community press, admittedly I had a lot to learn. It was on-the-job training for sure. A lot of mistakes were made in those first few years, and a lot of people took advantage of the green reporter with the hastily compiled notebook. Who of course didn't always ask the right questions, of the most reliable people. For this I suffered for my craft.

     If I wanted to keep my job, I had to learn fast. In a small town, and sparsely populated region, it was necessary to gain acceptance by whatever means was necessary. I bought a lot of lunches and a lot of beer. Being considered an outsider, working locally until a better job offer came along, meant many trials and tribulations for a rookie writer. I got scammed a lot in those days, by the locals having some fun with the green reporter. I just had to be careful where I got my news information, and expect to be offered some less than genuine news leads, that yes, sent me on many wild goose chases, you might say.

    While my so-called new friends were killing themselves laughing at how far they made me drive, and the ridiculous questions they gave me to ask the subject, (knowing I'd stir something up) I had to figure out counter measures to protect myself and the newspaper's reputation. I didn't want to get hauled into court for misrepresenting a news story, being accused of misquoting a source, or getting the article wrong because of horseplay, by those who thought such a thing was funny. It could have been a career-ender.

     There was a situation, and a great story hanging in the balance, that I heard about, after I'd already spent nearly two years in the community. By this point, I'd sort of figured out when and from who, I would get some crazy news tip, and simply avoid contact with them. But one day, I got a story-tip, corroborated by several friends who I trusted. I was working on a Hallowe'en feature article, and was looking for some local angles to make it a nice regional piece. Over a few cold pop one night, at my little cottage on the lake, these chaps spun a most interesting and hilarious story about a lady they had both known, in the village, from their youth, and how a routine Hallowe'en prank turned into an amazing tale of revenge and counter attack. Maybe this isn't a true story. All the parties immediately involved were either deceased or not to be found. I made the lads swear it was a true story, but as I had been duped before, I did take this story as a "Hallowe'en Yarn," and not necessarily as an actual reported occurrence, recorded on the police blotter. So here goes.

     Every Hallowe'en in the village, a certain chap, with mates, tipped over an elderly lady's outhouse. They didn't like her, and this was their way of letting her know what her approval rating was, at that moment, and time of the rolling year. She didn't care much for them either, and when they rode their bikes across her lawn, she'd take-off like an olympic sprinter, chasing them with a broom. They yelled back at her to "fly away you old witch," and she may or may not have extended them a middle finger in retreat. They didn't like each other, but it was pretty much run-of-the-mill stuff anyway. Except one thing.

     Every year, the old woman expected the outhouse to be on its side, on the morning after Hallowe'en "trick or treating." Every year, she had to call the neighbors to help set it back over the hole, so it could be used again. She was only glad not to have been inside, when the raid and toppling occurred. It is said, that from sunset, through until daybreak, she used a "thunder mug," or what is more properly called a chamber pot, to relieve herself. It would have been terrible to have been in the outhouse as it was tipped over, especially if the little pranksters, brought it down on the door-side, which would trap her for the night. She wasn't going to take any chances.

     On this particular Hallowe'en she'd got this idea, to give the local rapscallions a taste of their own medicine. With the help of two burly neighbors, who didn't like the teenage lads either, the outhouse was moved about five feet back (toward the house) from where it sat over the hole. As the attacks always seemed to be from the same direction, from the back of the property forward, she assumed the boys wouldn't see the hole on their approach, and before they could put their hands on the outhouse, they'd be waist (waste) deep in a hole of excrement.

     It wasn't a moonlit night. It was a dark overcast, near-rain Hallowe'en. At about ten o'clock she heard faint rustling in the back woodlot, and sense the outhouse attack was in progress. She had the rear window open to hear the results of misadventure, that would happen any minute. The boys did exactly what they had done the year before, and for about three years before that…..stepping over the fallen rail fence, getting caught-up briefly in the old raspberry canes, and then rustling the leaves that hadn't been raked, up to the backside of the outhouse. She could hear them giggling. In fact, she was so excited, she went to the backdoor, and opened it a crack. Her intention, once they fell into the hole, was to flick on the outside lamp, so she could get a look at the results of her prank on the pranksters. She was going to enjoy this.

     She listened for their footfall, as if counting the necessary feet before they reached the pit. All of a sudden, there was the sound of dismay. "Help. We've fallen into a hole," they yelled in unison. Well, it wasn't just any hole was it? "My God, I'm covered in poop," screamed one lad. "It's in my mouth….my nose, I'm going to puke," said one. While the other, of the two that had fallen in, yelled, "I'm going to get that old lady." The only thing the property owner had forgotten, somewhat, was the reality the lads might be stuck in the hole for some time, wading in feces. Once she felt they had probably learned a lesson, she put the back light on, and went out into the yard to get a step ladder, to help the trapped teens exit the pit. What she saw in that hole made her laugh. It is said she really let them have it, while they were gagging and sputtering in the dung. When she felt they had suffered adequately, and wouldn't likely be back to topple her outhouse any time soon, she dropped them the ladder, and watched the poop-encrusted youths climb out.

     Of course, with all plans of such revenge, there is always the possibility of a counter attack, when one leasts expects it. When the two lads had successfully climbed from the hole, and got some of the muck off their heads and shoulders, they saw an opportunity open to them, in the illumination of the back yard. As if it had been part of the plan all along, both boys nodded to each other, in acceptance, and while the old lady continued to scold them, they took off like it was a hundred yard dash. And it pretty much was. She had mistakenly left the back door open. So there they went. Running right through the house, taking a few moments to visit the bedrooms as well as the living room, and stepping on her favorite chair in front of the television. By time they exited her house, it can be said, they had a total real estate tour. The woman stood in her backyard, mouth gaping open, mumbling "I never thought they would do that!" "Happy Halloween," the boys yelled back, at the woman, now approaching the back door, with a hand over her nose. The moral of the story? If you're going to get even with those who topple your outhouse, make sure the doors of your house are securely locked. Or else!

     The article was a big hit. Was it true? Let's put it this way. I never let the truth mess up a really good story. Happy Hallowe'en to you

The Great Gravenhurst Election Fizzle-Fuzzle; But We're Doing Fine In The Music and Antique Business

THE GREAT ELECTION FIZZLE-FUZZLE - IF THERE WAS A FUROR, IT WAS A SHORT ONE, AND VERY, VERY QUIET

WE EXPECTED AN EXCITING ELECTION COMING - BUT THAT WAS LAST JANUARY

     I DON'T KNOW HOW THE LOCAL MEDIA WILL PORTRAY THIS YEAR'S MUNICIPAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN, IN THE OTHER FIVE MUSKOKA MUNICIPALITIES, OF THIS DISTRICT, BUT IF THEY WERE TO SUGGEST, IN ANY WAY, THAT GRAVENHURST AS BEEN A CAULDRON OF ELECTION DEBATE, THEY WOULD INDEED BE WRITING A WORK OF LOCAL FICTION. I DROPPED A BIG GLOB OF VANILLA PUDDING ON THE FLOOR, THIS MORNING, WHEN I MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SERVING BOWL AND MY GLASS DESSERT DISH. THERE WAS MORE EXCITEMENT, WATCHING OUR CATS, LICK IT UP, THAN WHAT COULD BE DESCRIBED SIMILARLY, AS EXCITEMENT ON THE LOCAL CAMPAIGN TRAIL. EVEN STEPHEN LEACOCK COULDN'T HAVE MUSTERED MUCH TO WRITE ABOUT IN HIS FOLKISH HISTORY OF SMALL TOWN LIFE. IF THE ELECTION HAD A PULSE, THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO THE MORTICIAN TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS.
     I CAN ONLY SUGGEST, AS A CIVILIAN VOYEUR, LOOKING OUT UPON WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A LOW-CALORIE, TEPID, GENTLE, NON-CONFRONTATIONAL CAMPAIGN, THAT AS FAR AS FERVOR GOES, IT HAS HAD THE SPARK OF A WET MATCHSTICK. AND EVEN THE "GOOD-FOR-THE-CAMERA" HAND-PUMPING, AND TRADITIONAL "KISSING OF THE BABIES," BY INVIGORATED CANDIDATES, AS A STARK MINIMUM OF EXERTION, MUST HAVE BEEN INTIMATE STUFF, HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES, AND OUT OF CAMERA FOCUS. NOT ONLY DIDN'T I SEE IT, OUT ON THE HUSTINGS, WE ONLY HAD ONE CANDIDATE IN THE WARD DROP BY OUR MAIN STREET SHOP, AND ANOTHER DUMPED OFF A CAMPAIGN BROCHURE, INTO OUR MAILBOX AT HOME. I'M SORRY FOLKS, BUT THIS SUCKS. BUT THEN AGAIN, WHAT WAS THE INCENTIVE OR REQUIREMENT TO DO MUCH MORE THAN HAMMER IN A FEW SIGNS AND PASS OUT SOME REALLY WEAKLY WRITTEN BROCHURES. I DON'T BLAME ANY CANDIDATE, WHO DOES WIN, IN THIS ELECTION, FOR FEELING A LITTLE COCKY ABOUT HAVING THE RUN OF THE TOWN, FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS; BECAUSE THAT'S THE IMPRESSION WE'VE GIVEN, AS CONSTITUENTS, BY NOT DEMANDING MORE PUBLIC DEBATES. YUP, WE GET WHAT WE GET, AND NOT ONE BIT MORE.
     HERE WE HAVE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION, IN ONE OF THE FINEST TOURISM REGIONS IN ONTARIO, AND OUR CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN LARGELY OUT OF SIGHT THIS ELECTION. AS FAR AS MAIN STREETING, I GUESS THE REWARDS AREN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE, BACK IN THEM GOOD OLD DAYS, WHEN ELECTIONS WERE A BIG DEAL IN THIS TOWN. WHO'S TO BLAME? I WANT TO BLAME THE MEDIA, BUT WITH THIS BLOG, I'M ACTUALLY PART OF THE MEDIA AS WELL, AND I HATE BLAMING MYSELF. BUT YES, I COULD HAVE DONE MORE. WE HAVEN'T AS EDITORIALISTS, FORCED THESE CANDIDATES TO FACE TOUGH IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS, WHERE THERE ISN'T A LOT OF TIME TO MANUFACTURE ANSWERS. ANSWERING SUBMITTED QUESTIONS ISN'T THE WAY TO FERRET OUT THE GOOD CANDIDATES FROM THE MIX. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT "MOVING FORWARD" MEANS, OTHER THAN WHAT I DO, FROM THIS WRITING PORTAL, TO GET ONE OF SUZANNE'S FRESHLY MADE COOKIES, TWENTY FEET FROM MY CHAIR. THIS IS "MOVING FORWARD," BUT I'M JUST GETTING A COOKIE. WHEN CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION USE THIS STRANGE AND INSIGNIFICANT REFERENCE, "MOVING FORWARD," ARE THEY LOOKING FOR COOKIES AS WELL? THEY'RE RIGHT HERE, IF THEY HAD CARED TO DROP IN FOR A VISIT. I DON'T LIKE THE REFERENCE, BECAUSE IT'S RIDICULOUSLY OPEN-ENDED, AND MEANS LITTLE TO NOTHING, THAT WE CAN COME BACK-ON, AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF OFFICE, AND SAY, "YOU HAVE NOT FULFILLED YOUR ELECTION PROMISE. WE ARE NO MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN WE WERE A YEAR AGO, AND HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD ONE STEP FROM THE DAYS OF THE PAST COUNCIL!" A COUNCILLOR WHO USED THESE WORDS, "MOVING FORWARD," CAN SAY, "WELL, I DID MOVE FORWARD, BUT YOU WEREN'T WATCHING!" IT SEEMS LIKE A POSITIVE STATEMENT, BUT IT'S ONLY USED BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ANYTHING MORE SUBSTANTIVE TO ADD. NOW THAT DOES BOTHER ME. THERE IS A GREAT NEED IN THIS MUNICIPALITY FOR LEADERSHIP, AND THE LAST MISSION STATEMENT WE REQUIRE FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, ARE SILLY LITTLE STATEMENTS, AS HOLLOW AS A CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNY, ON THE FOURTH OF JULY!
     NO ONE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, FROM WHAT I HAVE WITNESSED SINCE JANUARY, REALLY WANTS THE JOB OF COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE. THERE'S NO HUNGER OUT THERE. PASSION! I'D LOVE TO HAVE WITNESSED A TRACE AMOUNT OF ENTHUSIASM, FOR NOT ONLY VOTE-GETTING, BUT FOR THE VERY REAL HONOR OF REPRESENTING THIS TOWN FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. WHAT DOES AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN, THAT CAN BE DESCRIBED AS "AN UNSETTLING SOLITUDE," MEAN FOR THE FUTURE? WHAT EXCITEMENT CAN EMANATE FROM A GROUP THAT HAS SHOWN SO LITTLE INTENSITY, AND PASSION FOR ELECTED OFFICE. YOU CAN'T GARNER ANY REAL ENTHUSIASM OR EXPENDED FERVOR, FROM A BUNCH OF ELECTION SIGNS AND VERY FEW NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS. THE MEDIA DIDN'T MAKE A LOT OF COIN ON THIS ELECTION, THAT'S FOR SURE. TO ME, AND A FEW OTHER COMMUNITY WATCHERS, THIS WAS THE ELECTION, OF CANDIDATES, WHO WOULD TAKE THE WIN IF THEY GOT IT, BUT NOT LOSE A WINK OF SLEEP, OR FEEL IN ANY WAY REJECTED, IF THEY LOST. CANDLES WITHOUT FLAMES. WE WERE HOPING FOR A BARN-BURNER, BUT WE GOT NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT LESS. BUT WE CAN'T BLAME THE CANDIDATES ENTIRELY. THE CONSTITUENTS SHOULD HAVE DEMANDED AT LEAST THREE ALL-CANDIDATES MEETINGS, WITH OPEN MICROPHONES FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR. THERE WAS ONLY ONE, AND IT WAS TIGHTLY CONTROLLED, WITHOUT AN OPEN MICROPHONE. I BOYCOTTED THIS ONE BECAUSE OF THE FACT, QUESTIONS COULDN'T BE ASKED FROM THE FLOOR.
     READING BETWEEN THE LINES OF THIS YEAR'S MUNICIPAL ELECTION, HERE IN GRAVENHURST, I SENSED THAT THE CONSTITUENTS, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, HAVE JUST DECIDED THAT THEIR STRENGTHS, AS A GROUP, WHEN NECESSARY, ARE THE TRUMP CARDS HELD IN RESERVE, IN CASE A DISAGREEMENT OVER POLICY BREAKS OUT. I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, EVEN IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, AND I SUPPOSE IT DOES HAVE ITS INTERNAL POWER, TO DISRUPT COUNCIL IF THEY GO ROGUE. IN SOME WAYS, ALTHOUGH, IT IS A REVERSE STRATEGY, IT IS A WORKABLE OPTION, BECAUSE I KNOW COUNCIL DOESN'T LIKE HAVING OPPOSITION THRUST IN THEIR CHAMBER. JUST AS WE FOUGHT TO SAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WETLAND, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER, TO KNOCK DOWN THE BIA EXPANSION PLANS THIS SPRING, IT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE, THAT A LACK OF ENTHUSIASM DURING THE ELECTION, MAY TRANSFER INTO THE TERM OF OFFICE, TO HERALD A NEW AND EXCITING MEASURE OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISM; WHERE FOLKS BAND TOGETHER, AND TAKE THEIR FIGHT ON TARGET ISSUES, RIGHT TO THE MAYOR'S DESK. JUST POSSIBLY, THERE MAY BE A SILVER LINING THIS TIME AROUND. IF PASSION IS WEAK AT THE COUNCIL TABLE, MAYBE WE CAN MAKE UP FOR IT, ON THE CONSTITUENT FRONT. WHAT IS EVIDENT, IS THAT MANY CITIZENS DIDN'T WANT TO COMMIT THEMSELVES, TO RUNNING FOR OFFICE, REQUIRING A DEDICATION OF FOUR YEARS FOR A MODEST PAY CHEQUE. THE TERM IS TOO LONG. BUT THAT'S THE PROVINCE'S PRIVILEGE TO ENACT, BUT I THINK THAT A LOT OF GOOD CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN LOST, BECAUSE OF THE LENGTHY COMMITMENT. INSTEAD, MAYBE THEY'LL SERVE ON A CITIZENS' ACTION COMMITTEE INSTEAD. BUT COUNCIL SHOULD NEVER ASSUME THAT A LOW-KEY MUNICIPAL ELECTION, MEANS A LOW-KEY TERM OF OFFICE. I WOULD SAY THE EXACT OPPOSITE WILL HOLD TRUE.
      WE'VE GOT ANOTHER DAY TO FIND OUT WHO OF THE MODEST CREW OF CANDIDATES, WILL RECEIVE A FOUR YEAR MANDATE FROM CONSTITUENTS. I'VE ALREADY MADE MY PREDICTIONS, AS TO WHO WILL WIN, AND ITS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WISHFUL THINKING. THESE ARE NOT CANDIDATES I PREFER, BECAUSE SOME HAVE MADE A TRADITION OUT OF WINNING THEIR WARDS, AND THEIR COUNCIL POSITIONS, WITH A MINIMUM OF EFFORT. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SOME NEW BLOOD AROUND THE COUNCIL TABLE, AND POSSIBLY, SOME LATENT SURGE OF ENTHUSIASM, THAT ARRIVES POST-ELECTION. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, RIGHT?
      I WANT TO MAKE ONE NOTE OF CLARIFICATION, REGARDING A CANDIDATE'S RECENT STATEMENT, ABOUT CONSTITUENTS ATTENDING COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND FEELING FREE TO RAISE CONCERNS AT, I'M ASSUMING, THE PODIUM. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NOT THAT EASY, AND NOT THAT FLUID A SITUATION. FIRST OF ALL, ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS A COUNCIL MEETING, OR COMMITTEE LEVEL MEETING, HAS TO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO ATTEND AS A DELEGATE OR DELEGATION. WHILE IN MY YEARS COVERING MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, A CONSTITUENT PRESENTATION COULD BE FAST-TRACKED DURING THE MEETING, IF SOMEONE WASN'T PREVIOUSLY PLACED ON THE AGENDA, ME THINKS IT'S A PROTOCOL ISSUE TODAY THAT YOU MUST GIVE ADVANCE NOTICE OF A FORMAL PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL. UNLESS YOU WISH TO HECKLE FROM THE SIDELINES, AND TAKE YOUR CHANCES WITH COUNCIL'S PATIENCE. GOOD LUCK ON THAT ONE. POINT IS, WHEN YOU ARE PLACED ON THE AGENA, BY INITIAL APPLICATION, YOU WILL ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME IN WHICH TO PRESENT A POINT OF VIEW. PLUS, IT CAN BE AN INTIMIDATING ENVIRONS, WHEN IN MOST CASES, THE ISSUES COULD BE RESOLVED MUCH MORE THOROUGHLY, WITH CASUAL FACE TO FACE CHATS, BEYOND THE FORMAL AGENDA. IT'S HOW A LOT OF THESE ISSUES WERE SOLVED IN THE PAST, AND PROBLEMS REMEDIED WITHOUT ANY NEED OF EXPENDING COUNCIL TIME, DURING FORMAL MEETINGS. BUT TO SUGGEST THIS IS A WELCOMING CIRCUMSTANCE, OF HAVING TO STAND IN FRONT OF COUNCIL, WITH A LIMIT OF TIME TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, IS A LITTLE ABSURD; AND THE REASON WHY MANY CITIZENS WHO ARE NOT PUBLIC SPEAKERS, AND ARE SUSPICIOUS OF THE WORTH OF STARCHED FORMALITIES, SIMPLY OPT TO LET ISSUES SLIDE, OR BAND WITH OTHER NEIGHBORS MORE WILLING TO CONFRONT ISSUES IN PUBLIC. I WOULD NEVER DESCRIBE THE FORMALITY OF MAKING A SUBMISSION TO COUNCIL, A WARM AND FUZZY ADVENTURE. QUITE THE OPPOSITE. THUS, WELCOMING EVERYONE TO COME OUT TO VISIT COUNCIL, TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS, IS AN INVITATION THAT'S INNOCENT ENOUGH IF YOU ONLY WANT TO BE A SPECTATOR. MAKING A PRESENTATION, FOLKS, MEANS THAT YOU ARE ON THE RECORD. THERE IS A NECESSITY OF BEING CAREFUL ABOUT THESE SUBMISSIONS, AND IN SOME CASES, LEGAL REPRESENTATION IS PREFERRED INSTEAD.
     THE SECOND MISREPRESENTATION I HEAR OVER AND OVER, IS THAT WHEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE HELD, IN GRAVENHURST, VERY FEW CITIZENS TURN OUT TO LISTEN TO PRESENTATION, AND RAISE CONCERNS IN THE PUBLIC FORUM. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN COUNCILLORS JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION, THAT LOCAL CITIZENS SIMPLY AREN'T INTERESTED IN THESE CURRENT AFFAIRS, EXPLAINING THE POOR TURN-OUTS, THEY NEVER LOOK AT THEMSELVES, AND ADJUST TURN-OUT NUMBERS TO THE FACT THEY HAVEN'T DONE THEIR OWN DUE-DILIGENCE, GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. THEN THEY HAVE TO FACTOR IN, THAT MANY OF THESE FOLKS, FEEL SO DISCONNECTED TO LOCAL POLITICS, AND MINIMIZED IN THE PROCESS OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE, THEY'VE JUST SURRENDERED TO THE IDEA, THEIR OBJECTIONS WILL BE IGNORED ANYWAY. PLUS, THEIR IS A LOW THRESHOLD OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, TO PUT UP WITH COUNTERPOINT, AND WHEN THE GOING GETS ROUGH, THE ANSWERS ARE LESS FORTHCOMING. IN OTHER WORDS, FAR TOO MANY CONSTITUENTS HAVE JUST GIVEN UP TRYING TO CHANGE THE OPINION OF COUNCIL, UNLESS IT HAPPENS TO BE A PARTICULARLY SERIOUS ISSUE. IT'S A CRAPPY OVERTURE ABOUT DEMOCRACY, BUT IT'S TRUE. I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE VOTER PARTICIPATION WAS THIS ELECTION. BUT I'M SURE THEY'LL BE SPIN ABOUT HOW THE MAIL-IN FORMAT IS THE BEST THINK SINCE SLICED CHEEZE AND THE INVENTION OF CHERRY TOMATOES. I'M A LITTLE MORE SKEPTICAL. I THINK THAT THE LOSS OF POLLING BOOTHS WAS A STAB IN THE HEART OF WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TRADITIONAL WAY OF VOTING. BUT THE PROVINCE GAVE THE MUNICIPALITY THE OPTION AND WELL, THEY BOUGHT THE FARM. TRADITION BE GONE!
     I WILL GIVE THIS INCOMING COUNCIL THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT FOR THE FIRST MONTH. I'VE WILL HAVE SOME TIME ON MY HANDS, IN THE NEW YEAR, SO I'LL START GNAWING AT THEM IN FEBRUARY, IF I THINK THEY'RE DOING A CRAPPY JOB. THE HALLMARK OF "CRAPPY" BY THE WAY, IS IF THEY GO UNDER VEIL AGAIN, AS I EXPECT THEY WILL, ABANDONING QUICKLY THE PROMISES OF TRANSPARENCY MADE BEFORE THE ELECTION.
     OH, THERE GOES THE SHOP DOOR AGAIN. SOMEONE JUST DID A FACE-PLANT COMING IN THE WRONG DOOR. JUST ONE TINY MISADVENTURE THIS AFTERNOON, WAS MORE EXCITING THAN THE ENTIRE ELECTION CAMPAIGN FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICE. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?
 
BEFORE THE DOOM AND GLOOM PREDICTIONS, LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT BUSINESS SUCCESS AND FAILURES

     Despite having a lot more competition in the antique portion of our mainstreet Gravenhurst business, during the past six months, the accountant tells me we've had a better year than the one before, and the one before that! When I bugged my wife, the resident secretary of finance, how our summer season had fared overall, she looked glumly out the window, back at her accounting books, back out the window, turned to me, smiled, and stated with some glee, "You're getting better at finding inventory people actually want," which refers to our ongoing argument about buying too many things we like, as collectables, without an intense focus on what our buyers might wish to purchase. Every dealer has to cope with this, and most don't do it successfully; if all you're looking at, in profit and loss, are the retail numbers. There's an investment number that's also relevant. You can tell this, when you enter their shops, and see a domination of certain antiques lining the shelves. Some will have cupboards loaded with press glass, or even Depression glass, because it's what they like to surround themselves with, day to day. It's not necessarily good business, day to day, but the end game always works out in their favor. When they sell their business, or shut down their respective shops, the collections they've built up can be sold in bulk at auction, or by other means, usually netting a pretty good return. Within about two minutes, inside a quality antique shop, you can tell the proprietor has a thing for vintage mantle clocks, painted crocks, primitive furnishings, crystal, early Canadian, or American glass, spinning wheels, and yes sewing machines. But we all trend toward what we like the most in antiques and collectables, and I have never made an apology in this regard. I am a good buyer, and a competent picker of considerable accomplishment, so I buy low to keep us in the black; maybe a lot lower in inventory cost, than you might think. But it is a compliment taken to heart, when Suzanne says my buying is more customer-friendly than in years past. This means, I'm expanding our inventory to meet more demands, of associate collectors and well, home decorators, who we are also glad to serve. It can be very "hit and miss" out there, searching for inventory, and seeing as we don't order from a wholesale catalogue, it means we have to hustle for every single piece. A curious customer, who really didn't have too much knowledge about the precision of our business, asked me a while ago, how we acquired our inventory. "One piece at a time," I answered. "But there are many thousands of pieces here. How many years did it take to amass this collection?" "It all started in the mid 1970's. And there may be pieces in the shop that date that far back, from my first shop in Bracebridge," I answered. "It's been a labour of love, let me tell you, because it has meant thousands of hours poking around in flea markets, estate sales, yard sales, second hand markets, auctions and other antique shops."
     Every retail business has it tough in this regard. We have it no better or worse than any other business owner in the retail sector, anywhere on earth. The exception, of course, is that we control the prices we pay for inventory. Meaning, we are always looking for sensible prices, if not the lowest of low. There are times, especially in Muskoka nostalgia, and resource material, that we will pay more to acquire an item or collection, because we know there will be profit based on its use for some years down the road, before we eventually sell it off in the shop. In our son's music business, this happens regularly, that certain vintage sound gear, microphones, amps, speakers and instruments, will be used for an unspecified time, and for certain projects, before being put back in the shop for sale. It's a total utilization of vintage inventory. For example, we will rent certain guitars and sound equipment out, to musicians and local venues, and then when something better comes along, and we need to raise capital, they're sold off in the shop, or online, where much of our business is done these days. We make back the original purchase price, by renting the guitars and sound equipment out, and then attain a much larger profit, selling the pieces later on. It's just an advantage of being experienced in the music business, and knowing the market for antique and otherwise vintage gear. It's huge. Just like the interest in vintage and even new vinyl, which son Robert is the main investor these days. It all requires knowledge of music, musicians and the venues where they perform. This acquired knowledge, and the willingness to learn more, by research and immersion into the music industry, means they mitigate risk; which in the antique and collectable profession, is the only way to avoid the huge gambling factor of making bad purchases. I know lots of dealers who get stuck with what we call "dogs," and it takes decades of mistakes to learn what not to buy, and where not to make these purchases.
     When we look at the success and modest failures of the business year, we still, after all these years of training, will look back at something we purchased, that didn't come through as we had hoped. As we make thousands of inventory purchases, in each area of our multi-section business, there are bound to be duds, and otherwise poor performers. The good buys outweigh the bad, and once again the accountant assures me, we have made a passing grade once again this year, on the way to a modest overall profit with a paid-in-full inventory.
     The reason it's important to come out of the gate fast, especially before a new town council is officially sworn in, later this fall season, is so that we can honestly stare down the expected negative headlines, and talking heads, who traditional like to ruminate about mainstreet economic woes, which like the swallows returning to Capastrano, has become a shoulder-season mainstay; which unfortunately generates lots of poorly researched comments from prognosticating councillors, trying to prove how clever they are, by offering us solutions that are as daft as they are! In eleven years of business in Gravenhurst, we haven't had even one astute councillor, or any of the town's economic initiative folks, offer us anything remarkable, that wasn't just a surface-harvested observation, from people who, yes, should know better. There were several occasions, for example, that we, as a music based business, with pretty fair credentials, even hosting regular Indie artist concerts, were completely overlooked when town hall decided to put an effort toward "cultural mapping," on the taxpayer's dime. We weren't included. Despite the fact, we are a small town, with a small population, the town found a way of missing us, even at the time, when both of our sons, were technical staff at the Opera House as well as for The Barge summer concert series. If at times, we seem a little irritable about being shunned by town officials, we have, as a strange sort of bonus, never been disadvantaged as a direct result. Hurt feelings. A tad! We are too busy running our shop here, to worry about being ignored; and in most cases today, it's what we prefer anyway. I'd rather have input from our customers, and if we're going to make any adjustments in inventory and service, it's going to be in the effort to please them first. No compromises to our customer base. And it now stretches well into Northern and Southern Ontario, where our musician friends live and work. Our shop brings a lot of folks to this town, who are shopping specifically for vintage music equipment, and we've got the tweets to prove it! But we recommend other places to visit, shop, eat, and enjoy of the South Muskoka experience. Our online business component really kicks in, at this time of year, when shop visitors decline because of the turn of the seasons.
     The reason for being pro-active about this, is not an exercise in bragging or mutual admiration. I let the accountant have her say, and it's what makes me smile or wells up tears in my eyes. It's to meet head-on, the expected reports of the business blahs, I'm sure are coming down the pike. The typical doom and gloom about imminent business closings and the need for more investment, and more improvements to the main street. When there are successes, to promote and be justifiably proud of, I shiver when I hear or read some statement, about town council taking credit; in our case, having something to do with the improving business profile. Well sir, we can all attest to the fact, the town has never shown the slightest interest in our business, from the day we opened the shop door to the present. In two administrations, we have only had four council representatives drop by, but for their own purposes and agendas; and sundry other self promotion jags, or to ask for our assistance on one of their projects. When there is a particularly negative article run, in the local media, about the economic hardships, especially in the main business corridor, we are always dumped in to the mix, as "retail unfortunates," mired down in our own business inefficiencies. We don't often respond to these poorly researched overviews which I deplore, but do keep up our resolve, to distance from the doomsayers as far as we can. It's worked brilliantly well for a decade, and it's our business plan for the future. Or until some future council decides, to invest a little more time, than a passing glance, and offhand comment, about the mainstreet business community they think they understand; and for example, come and see us on a goodwill mission, to find out, in person, why we're not complaining about a shortage of business, even in the traditional off-season. You'd think they'd want to know this information. Makes sense to have all the facts. But we're not going to hold our breath. If council hopefuls found it inconvenient and unnecessary, to visit us during the election campaign, why would they feel it important to visit us after the vote; when admittedly, the big fight is over. Time to relax. Get comfortable. Then make wide sweeping comments, that miss the point by a country mile.
     Our business year hasn't ended yet, but we're on track for a pleasing finish. We owe the townsfolk of Gravenhurst a big thank you, for supporting our enterprise, for all these years, and coming out to our musical events, now being held monthly at St. James Anglican Church. We couldn't afford to use the Opera House any more, because of the high rental costs and ticket surcharges. There's another quill in my paw, but I'll leave that for another day. Although our business is located on the mainstreet of Gravenhurst, our use of social media has been our ace in the hole, and we of course recommend this to any business, wishing to counter the slower retail months of the year. We've never been shy about networking with our business friends, and sharing our experiences, good and bad, to help other retailers achieve better results. We have never once, in our business history, believed that the only way to network successfully was through the area business associations. We are proudly independent in this regard. But it will not be said, we aren't team players, working on behalf of our home town; because we live here as well, and want our town to be as prosperous as possible. Isn't that more important than all else?
     Our hope for the new council, is that it finally decides to break through the barrier, and drops the shunning, of those who don't agree with it, or its policies, to learn more about the community they're governing; and ways of improving relations instead of complicating them with ridiculous barriers based on hapless politics. Yes, they do have a responsibility to make inroads in this regard, and in the past, it wasn't a high priority. It is now. Just because we're outspoken, and won't be treated disrespectfully, doesn't mean we can't or won't contribute to making Gravenhurst a great place to visit, and a fine place to live. It will take great fortitude, for councillors to break free of past burdens, that held them back from being intimate with what is going on, up and down this main street business corridor; and not just basing everything on intel provided through business associations that do not speak for all businesses.
     We're sprucing up for the Christmas season. All councillors are welcome to visit, and to see, up close and personal, what all the buzz is about. You might even meet some of our special musical guests, who visit here regularly, and, yup, shop in Gravenhurst.