FLOOD EMERGENCY CONTINUES FOR BRACEBRIDGE AND HUNTSVILLE
HOW MUCH HISTORY IS GOING TO BE MADE IN ONE FLOOD SCENARIO?
I HAVE PUBLISHED A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FLOODING SITUATION, OCCURRING AT PRESENT, IN THE TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE, ON MY "MUSKOKA AS WALDEN," BLOGSITE, COURTESY MY PHOTOGRAPHER COLLEAGUE, FRED SCHULZ OF GRAVENHURST. THE SITUATION, OF COURSE, IS CRITICAL, AND MANY TOWN ROADS IN THE LOW LYING AREAS, NEAR THE BRANCHES OF THE MUSKOKA RIVER, HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO TRAFFIC, ISOLATING MANY RESIDENTS WHO HAVE DECIDED TO STAY WITH THEIR HOMES……INSTEAD OF EVACUATING. IT HAS BEEN STATED BY AUTHORITIES, THAT THE PEAK OF THE FLOODING COULD OCCUR SOMETIME ON MONDAY, YET AT THE SAME TIME, THERE HAS BEEN THE ADVISORY, IN HUNTSVILLE, THAT A PEAK HAS YET TO ARRIVE IN TOWN. THIS MAY PUSH A PEAK IN BRACEBRIDGE MUCH LATER THAN FIRST ANTICIPATED, BECAUSE THIS WATER DRAINS SOUTH, EVENTUALLY ENDING UP RUNNING OUT OF LAKE MUSKOKA, AT THE BALA CATARACT.
THE TRULY BAD NEWS, IS THAT A RAIN EVENT IS HEADED OUR WAY FOR WEDNESDAY, WHICH COULD FURTHER COMPLICATE THE FLOOD SITUATION. IT IS MOST DEFINITELY AN HISTORIC EVENT THAT NECESSITATES THE HISTORIAN TO GO BACK QUITE SOME TIME, TO FIND A PARALLEL EVENT. CERTAINLY IN MODERN HISTORY, THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE MILESTONE, SUCH THAT EVEN WELL BEFORE THE PEAK ARRIVES, HIGH WATER HAS ALREADY SURPASSED MARKS ATTAINED BY FLOODING OF THE PAST FIFTY YEARS. WE HOPE ALL THOSE IN THE AFFECTED AREA WILL HEED GOOD ADVICE, AND LEAVE THEIR HOMES FOR THE SECURITY OF THE BRACEBRIDGE RECREATION CENTRE, UNTIL THE EMERGENCY SUBSIDES. IT'S TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT SOME FOLKS WILL HATE THE IDEA OF LEAVING HOME, UNDER THESE KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT THE INHERENT DANGERS OF HIGH WATER, AND SUBSEQUENT LAND AND ROAD EROSION, COULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC, LIFE THREATENING IMPACTS…..THAT AT PRESENT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE ACCURATELY PREDICTED, BUT JUST ALLUDED TO FOR SAFETY PREPARATIONS. THE THREAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH, TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT TO DRAW ON, IN SOUTH MUSKOKA, AS FLOOD PRECAUTION PRECEDENTS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS THE MOST SERIOUS PART OF THE CURRENT PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOW INTERCONNECTING, TOWARD A MUCH LARGER CALAMITY THAT SEEMS INEVITABLE.
MANY THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WERE CAUGHT BY SURPRISE, LATE THIS WEEK, BY HOW FAST THE WATER ROSE, AND SPILLED OVER ITS BANKS…..FOOLING EVEN THE LONG TIME RESIDENTS OF THE RIVER BANK ZONES, WHO ARE USUALLY WELL AHEAD OF FLOODING CONDITIONS; MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR THE SECURITY OF THEIR PROPERTY. THE FAST MELT, LATER THAN USUAL, AND HEAVY RAINFALL THIS WEEK, WERE THE MAIN FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUBSTANTIALLY DANGEROUS INCREASE OF WATERFLOW, COMING FROM AS FAR NORTH AND EAST AS ALGONQUIN PARK. IT'S A HUGE WATERSHED, EXISTING THE RIVERS INTO THE CONFLUENCE AT BRACEBRIDGE, AND THEN, AT THE FALLS IN THE COMMUNITY OF BALA. THERE IS NO QUICK DRAINAGE OF EXCESS WATER, AND THE OVERFLOWING AT PRESENT, IS THE RESULT OF TOO FEW OUTLETS, AND WAY TOO MUCH VOLUME OF RUN-OFF……AND THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF FLOOD PLAIN, LAYING VULNERABLE TO THIS KIND OF WEATHER AND NATURAL SPRING TIME EVENT. WE HOPE FOR THE BEST, AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH THOSE IN THIS CRISIS SITUATION. PLEASE BE CAREFUL, IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN ONE OF THESE FLOODING EVENTS. WHILE IT'S NOT MANDATORY TO EVACUATE IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE MUNICIPALITY, THE RISK TO LIFE SHOULD BE ASSESSED CONSTANTLY. GET OUT WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS BREACHED. IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, EVACUATIONS WILL BECOME MANDATORY, IF WORSE COMES TO WORSE.
ON THE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTABLE TRAIL
ALWAYS LOOK IN BOOKS FOR THAT LITTLE EXTRA
I just wanted to share a little "hunt and gather" discovery today, made during a little travel-time adventure, down the road just "a smidgeon more than a tad." When I talk with budding collectors, still a little green, in the industry they have taken an interest, the first lesson I offer them, is the sage advice that was passed on to me, when I was starting out……"Never resign yourself to the hearsay of others, that the treasure is all gone." You just have to keep plugging along, as they say, and find the internal fortitude to carry on the antique hustle. And yes, it does pay off. I think it was Punch Imlach, of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who lived by the motto, "The price of success is hard work," or something like this. Well I think it was Punch who said it, and if he did, it was at a time when the Leafs were Stanley Cup contenders and winners. It doesn't really matter who said it. The point is, it is a workable strategy, that pays dividends. I've employed this ethic for as long as I've been in the antique profession. I quit looking for stuff when there is nothing left to dig through, excavate, pull out of attics, or haul out of either the water or the embrace of mother earth.
The point is, finding antique and collectable treasures isn't easy, but it's definitely a reward for expending the effort…… to pursue, hunt down, what is rumored, to be in short supply. Nonsense. It's plentiful out there, like the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain." There are gumdrops everywhere, if you are truly interested in finding them. The problem for many antique hunters I know, of the younger generation especially, is that they give up way too soon, and sooth their weary mind and body by stating with confidence…."There's just nothing out there." Well sir, you all know what this means to a scrounger like me? There's more left for me to find. Consider today's little gem, which I consider a nine out of ten……a ten actually being a signed painting, by well known Canadian artist, Charles Comfort. I will get this one day.
In a favorite antique shop, we haunt in the southern climes, I was on my way out of the shop, contented with our find of yet another, mint condition Singer "feather-weight" sewing machine, that Suzanne uses for specialized craft and quilting projects, and for an outstanding price. These units can sell for upwards of three hundred and fifty dollars. In fact, we saw one, not too long ago, at a local charity shop for this amount. These are working machines, so we aren't as concerned about profit margins, as these will both be earning their keep, as Suzanne develops new projects for using her collection of vintage fabrics. She collects old fabric from sales all around the region, to be used for quilt repair and other restoration jobs. For you information, the Singer we purchased today was obtained for about one hundred and sixty bucks. There is no problem getting a fifty percent profit on this outstanding, well built machine.
As I passed the book shelf, one more time, before heading out the shop door, (I always check twice, as an obsessive quality and quantity), I spotted a biography, in the Canadian artist series, Number 2, on "Charles Comfort," one of my favorite national artists. This particular 1976 hardcover release (with dustjacket), was published by Gage, of Canada, and was prepared by Margaret Gray, Margaret Rand and Lois Steen. I have a parallel book on A.J. Casson, (two in fact), signed by the artist. The note included in this book on Charles Comfort will explain the Casson book. The inside cover page, was inscribed as follows: "Autographed expressly for Phil Ambrose with kindest regards, Charles Fraser Comfort." While this is a nice inscription with provenance, it was the sheet of paper included with the book, that makes this text far more significant. I'm afraid this was missed by the book seller. It's what we look for, out on the hunt. The "sleepers."The note reads as follows:
"Your order for the A.J. Casson Book will be filled as soon as possible. About the middle of February Dr. Casson fell and broke his right wrist. Hopefully he will be able to sign the books in another month of so." It is signed "C.A.G. Matthews" and dated March Ist, 1977. The significance of this note, outside of the fact it reveals an injury sustained by Casson, one of the Group of Seven artists (who replaced Frank "Franz" Johnson), is that it is a letter from the head of one of Canada's best known commercial printers, especially as relates to art……"Sampson and Matthews, of Canada," widely respected by the art community throughout many decades of the 1900's. This is a substantial find, and for an original eighteen dollar investment, will have a market value of about $150, with this provenance included. The book is in excellent condition. Two great finds, in an associate's antique shop. Add to this, a great buy on a 1950's standing ashtray, with an elaborate glass base, and brass carrying handle, plus a half dozen important cookbooks for our ever-growing collection, and I would say it was a really good day out on the hustings. And we enjoyed our usual date with New York Fries on Highway II, which has become somewhat of a tradition in the past twelve years, of hunting and gathering in that general direction.
The antique business is always full of exceptions, and amazing adventures. You have to put in the work to pull in the benefits. There are lots of benefits. You know I wouldn't lie about this.
Thanks so much for joining me today. It's always nice to have you along for the ride. Lots more antique adventures to come. I've saved up some of my best stories for the coming months.
In tomorrow's blog, I'd like to offer a more in-depth and revealing biography, about the wild (if not crazy) challenge we have entered into, to create a unique and high quality cook book reference collection, which as a business will be known as "Suzanne Currie's Cookery Nookery," because we like strange names…..to match our own eccentricities. This will be the most significant challenge we have ever faced in the antique trade, and we've got two months to prepare for its July Ist opening, in our present shop in uptown Gravenhurst. It will coincide with Suzanne's retirement from teaching at the end of June. I'm legendary for challenging our family with enormous, virtually impossible projects, but this one is the king…..and with any kingdom making, there are lots of precarious moats to fall into, for both the collector and investor. We are having a good time hunting for old and rare cookbooks, and of course, handwritten recipes, of which we have a large inventory at present…..certainly good enough to start our reference collection (and sales) with……as a base to build upon. We have already had folks offering us vintage cookbook collections for free, in memory of their kin, knowing it will be used and shared by foodies in general, in the coming years. Now this is exciting….and one adventure after another. Every day presents a new challenge and a new discovery. It's never been a better time for us, to be in the middle of this dynamic, historic, storied profession…..than now. And we're enjoying every minute. We hope you will share this with us…..because that's what will make it the best it can be. See you again soon.
To get more on the flooding situation in the Town of Bracebridge, please click onto my Muskoka as Walden blogsite :
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