Happy New Year South Muskoka - Thanks To One And All

A Beautiful Sunset over the Barkway United Church

 

A beautiful blanket of newly fallen snow, a crisp winter’s evening and the lovely setting of the Barkway United Church.

Winter in Muskoka at it’s best.  Fred Schulz Photo

1935 Portrait of German Gentlemen, member of the family of Richard Wagner.

An Autumn Scene by Bracebridge's Barber/ Artist William Anderson

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2014 FULL OF SURPRISES - FULL OF PROMISE

THIS STAY-CATION HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL RESPITE

      WHAT'S A NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION WITHOUT A LITTLE HISTORY? A TOAST? GOOD WISHES FOR A PROSPEROUS FUTURE? FOR HISTORIANS AND ANTIQUE DEALERS, IT'S TRUE...., WE CAN GET A TAD MAUDLIN, WHEN WE START TOASTING ALL THE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN INSPIRING US THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR. I WANT TO EXTEND SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR FRIEND, AND WELL KNOWN MUSKOKA PHOTOGRAPHER, FRED SCHULZ, FOR JOINING THIS BLOG FOR THE PAST NUMBER OF MONTHS....SHOWING US ALL, SOME OF THE HIDDEN GEMS OF LANDSCAPE, ITS MYSTERIOUS NOOKS AND CRANNIES, AND THE NATURAL AND HISTORIC TREASURES OF OUR REGION. HE HAS TAKEN US INSIDE REGIONAL CHURCHES, AND HALLS, TO CAPTURE EVENTS TAKING PLACE, PLACING EMPHASIS ON THE SOCIAL / CULTURAL HERITAGE OF OUR DISTRICT. IF YOU EVER NEED THE SERVICES OF A FINE PHOTOGRAPHER, WITH A HUGE PORTFOLIO OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN WEDDING, PORTRAIT AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY, WE WOULD HEARTILY RECOMMEND YOU CALL MR. SCHULZ. WE WOULD BE GLAD TO FORWARD ANY EMAILS TO FRED.
      
      AT MIDNIGHT, ON THIS SNOWY WINTER'S EVE, I WILL TOAST MY WIFE, MY FAMILY, ANCESTORS, OUR CLOSE FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES, YOU FINE FOLKS WHO VISIT WITH ME DAILY, AND OF COURSE THIS HOME TOWN; AS WELL AS MY OLD HOME TOWN OF BRACEBRIDGE, AND THIS BEAUTIFUL MUSKOKA THAT HAS BEEN MY HOME SINCE THE MID 1960'S. SUZANNE AND I WILL OFFER A SPECIAL TOAST TO DR. WILLIAM DAWSON LESUEUR, WHO NAMED OUR HOME COMMUNITIES, HERE IN SOUTH MUSKOKA. WE WILL MAKE MENTION OF WASHINGTON IRVING, IN REGARD TO THE NAMING OF BRACEBRIDGE, AND WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, AS RELATES TO THE NAME "GRAVENHURST," WE HAVE WORN SO PROUDLY THROUGH THE CENTURIES. SUZANNE WAS MY RESEARCH ASSISTANT, DURING ALL THE YEARS OF SLEUTHING, WHICH CULMINATED WITH OUR OWN VERY MODEST CELEBRATION, OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY, OF THE NAMING OF GRAVENHURST, A YEAR AGO; WHEN WE RAN A MULTI-PART SERIES BEGINNING IN EARLY AUGUST.....TO COINCIDE WITH THE DATE LESUEUR, OFFICIALLY REGISTERED THE NAME OF THE NEW POST OFFICE - CALLING IT "GRAVENHURST". IT WASN'T RECOGNIZED WIDELY, DURING THIS ANNIVERSARY, BUT SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN ARCHIVED BY READERS AROUND THE WORLD......AND WE THINK THAT'S PRETTY NEAT.
    
     "THERE ARE CERTAIN HALF-DREAMING MOODS OF MIND, IN WHICH WE NATURALLY STEAL AWAY FROM NOISE AND GLARE, AND SEEK SOME QUIET HAUNT, WHERE WE MAY INDULGE OUR REVERIES, AND BUILD OUR AIR CASTLES UNDISTURBED."
     WASHINGTON IRVING MUST HAVE WROTE THE QUOTATION ABOVE, PRIOR TO THE YEAR 1819, AND HIS RETREAT AT THIS TIME, WAS LONDON'S WESTMINSTER ABBEY. AN AMAZING HISTORIC SITE, I CONCUR, HAVING BEEN THERE IN THE 1970'S. THE ABBEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INSPIRING LOCATION FOR A CALMING SOJOURN; THE VOYEUR, IRVING, WANDERING SILENTLY AMONGST THE TOMBS OF NOTABLE CITIZENS. BUT OF COURSE, IRVING'S FAVORITE RESPITE, WAS HIS HOME AT SUNNYSIDE, IN NEW YORK, IN THE SAME DELICIOUSLY HAUNTED ENVIRONS, OF THE HISTORIC HUDSON RIVER VALLEY, THAT HE WROTE ABOUT FREQUENTLY.
     "IRVING DIED ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 28TH, 1859, AND ALL THAT WAS MORTAL OF HIM WAS BURIED ON THE 1ST OF DECEMBER, AT TARRYTOWN. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WINTER DAY, CLEAR AND SUNNY, RADIANT WITH THE STILL LINGERING INDIAN SUMMER, WHICH SHED A SOFT AND MELANCHOLY LIGHT OVER THE SOLEMN SCENE. 'IT WAS ONE OF HIS OWN DAYS,' SAID THE MOURNERS, AS THEY RODE FROM SUNNYSIDE TO CHRIST CHURCH, WHERE THE FUNERAL SERVICES WERE HELD, AND THENCE TO THE CEMETERY, ABOUT A MILE DISTANT, ON THE SIDE OF A HILL, WITH A VIEW OF THE HUDSON ON ONE SIDE, AND ON THE OTHER, OF THE VALLEY OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - CLASSIC GROUND WHICH THE GENIUS OF IRVING HAS MADE IMMORTAL."
     IN JUST UNDER FIVE YEARS, FOLLOWING HIS DEATH, (AUGUST 1864), CANADIAN POSTAL AUTHORITY, WILLIAM DAWSON LESUEUR, BORROWED THE NAME "BRACEBRIDGE," FROM  THE TITLE OF IRVING'S BOOK, "BRACEBRIDGE HALL," AS A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO THE EXCEPTIONAL CAREER OF THIS LEGENDARY AMERICAN AUTHOR.....AND SPECIAL PROVENANCE, FOR THE HAMLET, BUILT ON THE ROCKY SHORE ABOVE A CATARACT, ON THE MUSKOKA RIVER; WHICH WOULD BECOME KNOWN THEREAFTER AS BRACEBRIDGE FALLS.
     TWO YEARS BEFORE THIS, LESUEUR HAD DONE ROUGHLY THE SAME, FOR THE HAMLET OF MCCABE'S LANDING, AWARDING THEM THE NAME "GRAVENHURST," AFTER THE BOOK BY BRITISH POET PHILOSOPHER, WILLIAM HENRY SMITH. IT WAS ALSO INTENDED TO BE A MEMORIAL TO A WRITER, LESUEUR BELIEVED HAD BEEN EXCEPTIONAL, THROUGHOUT HIS BODY OF WORK, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH HIS BOOK, "GRAVENHURST, OR THOUGHTS ON GOOD AND EVIL." IT WAS INTENDED TO BE BOTH A TRIBUTE TO THE WRITER, AND A LITERARY PROVENANCE TO THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST. IN BOTH TOWNS, IT JUST WASN'T SEEN THAT WAY UNFORTUNATELY. EVEN TODAY, IT'S GROSSLY MISUNDERSTOOD BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. I'D LOVE TO CHANGE THAT OPINION, BUT IT WILL TAKE QUITE A FEW MORE YEARS TO DO SO.

I'M SURROUNDED BY HISTORY - BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS

     I DON'T HAVE FREQUENT ACCESS TO THE HISTORIC PLEASURES, AND INSPIRATIONS, OF SUCH PLACES AS WESTMINSTER ABBEY. I DON'T SENSE THE SEASIDE AIR, THAT WILLIAM HENRY SMITH WOULD HAVE ENJOYED, THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW OF HIS SMALL COTTAGE, LOOKING OUT OVER THE EXPANSE OF BEACH AND WATER; AND WITHOUT QUESTION, I HAVE A MUCH LESSER VIEW THAN WAS AFFORDED WASHINGTON IRVING, FROM HIS HOME AT SUNNYSIDE. AS I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT, MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, I FIND THIS NO DISADVANTAGE WHATSOEVER. I GET ALL THE PLEASURE AND INSPIRATION I NEED, TOURING ABOUT THIS ENCHANTING HINTERLAND OF SOUTH MUSKOKA.....ITS TOWNS AND HAMLETS, ARE ALL INTERESTING LOCALES TO EXPLORE AND ENJOY. I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A TWENTY HOUR FLIGHT, OR A CROSS COUNTRY RAIL ADVENTURE, OR EXTENSIVE MOTOR TRIP, TO GET AWAY FOR SOME REST AND RELAXATION. POSSIBLY I'M NOT A VERY EXCITING FELLOW, AND MY PARTNER, SUZANNE, EQUALLY DULL, WHEN IT COMES TO WORLD TRAVEL. BUT EACH OF US RISES CHEERFULLY IN THE MORNING, AMONGST OUR HISTORIC RELICS, FROM BED TO BUREAU, OUR ANTIQUITIES PASSED DOWN FROM FAMILY MEMBERS, AMIDST THE SHELVES OF OLD AND DEAR BOOKS, AND THEN WE GREET OUR HOUSEHOLD PETS WITH ENTHUSIASM AND DELIGHT....AS THEY DO US, EXPECTING TO BE FED. EACH OF US LOOKS OUT UPON THE COUNTRYSIDE FROM OUR FRONT WINDOWS, DOWN ONTO THE HOLLOW OF "THE BOG," AND LIKEWISE, WE FEEL WHOLESOMELY INSPIRED BY WHAT WE SEE TODAY.....OF SNOW UPON THE BRANCHES OF VENERABLE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE MUCH LONGER THAN US. AND WE DO FEEL FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS CORNER OF PARADISE AT OUR BECK AND CALL. IT BENEFITS US CONSTANTLY, BECAUSE IT IS THE WAY BOTH OF US GREW UP IN THIS DISTRI CT. MY RETREAT WAS THE SHADY INTERIOR OF "BAMFORD'S WOODS," "THE GROVE," AND "BASS ROCK," IN BRACEBRIDGE, IN MY EARLIER YEARS. FOR SUZANNE, IT WAS THE SHORELINE WOODLANDS OF WINDERMERE, ABOVE THE SPARKLING WATERS OF LAKE ROSSEAU, THAT TEMPTED HER TO EXPLORE. NOW IT IS MOST DEFINITELY "THE BOG," THAT HOLDS THE ALLURE FOR US.....AND THE GOOD GRACES OF OUR HISTORIC HOMETOWN....THAT KEEPS US HERE.
    
     IT'S UNFAIR OF COURSE, TO ASSUME MANY PEOPLE THESE DAYS, WILL BE INTERESTED IN THE WORK OF IRVING AND SMITH, OR EVEN THE ESSAYS WRITTEN BY DR. LESUEUR; MUCH AS WE ARE, SIMPLY BY THE DAILY IMMERSION IN THESE BOOKS OF OURS. WE LOVE BOOKS. I WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE COMPANY OF BOOKS; IT'S WHERE I WANTED TO BE AT UNIVERSITY....IN THE YORK LIBRARY; AND IT'S WHAT I GENERATED TOWARD AS A BOOK COLLECTOR AND DEALER SEEMINGLY A LIFETIME AGO. THERE IS SO MUCH IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO BE GARNERED FROM OLD BOOKS, AND IN THE VERY ACT OF READING THEM AS PUBLISHED.....WITH LIGHT SHINING FROM ABOVE. I'M NOT LIKELY TO EVER READ FROM A ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AT LEAST THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF A BOOK. THE EXCEPTION OF COURSE, IS WHEN I CAN'T SECURE A COPY OF A BOOK I NEED, AND WILL THEN RELY ON GOOGLE BOOKS TO HELP ME OUT.
     THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE, IS THAT WHILE I STILL FIND SOLACE IN THE WORDS OF THE GREAT BARDS, IT IS A LOT TO EXPECT, THAT OUR CITIZENRY WILL FIND THE SAME HOLDS TRUE. I AM IN AWE OF THESE TWO WRITERS, WHO HAVE PLAYED THEIR ROLE IN OUR HERITAGE. I WISH TO SHARE WHAT I BELIEVE IS REMARKABLE ABOUT IRVING AND SMITH, BUT I'M ROUTINELY SET IN MY PLACE, BECAUSE VERY FEW SHARE MY ENTHUSIASM. IT IS A DIFFERENT TIME. THERE ARE MANY MORE CONCERNS TO DEAL WITH, IN THE BID FOR PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE RESPECTIVE TOWN ADMINISTRATORS, TO GRASP, HOW BENEFICIAL ATTACHMENTS CAN BE MADE, TO WRITERS REMOVED BY CENTURIES OF HISTORY, FROM WHAT CONTEMPORARY TIMES DEMAND. THERE MAY BE A DAY, OR OCCASION IN THE FUTURE, WHEN SOME SCHOLAR MIGHT DECIDE TO PUSH FORWARD, AND MAKE MORE OF THESE ATTACHMENTS THAN I CAN MUSTER AT PRESENT. I THINK THERE ARE SOME RICH REWARDS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT UP TO THIS MOMENT IN THE CHRONICLE, IT HAS ALL BEEN AN EFFORT FOR HISTORIC RECORD, AND ARCHIVES DEVELOPMENT, OF WHICH I AM PARTICULARLY SATISFIED. IF THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE A "SMITH DAY," OR A "SLEEPY HOLLOW FESTIVAL," TO CELEBRATE IRVING'S AUTHORDOM, THEN SUFFICE, THAT YOU FOLKS AT LEAST, KNOW ABOUT IT, AND SOME RESEARCHERS ARE BENEFITTING FROM IT IN THE PRESENT TENSE. WHILE I THINK IT WOULD BE NEAT TO CELEBRATE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH WORLD LITERATURE, TRUTH IS, EVEN THE LOCAL LIBRARIES AND HERITAGE GROUPS, HAVE NO DESIRE TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITIES. THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE WE CAN OFFER, ON OUR OWN, IS TO OFFER OURSELVES AS YOUR SERVANTS IN THIS REGARD.....FOR EXAMPLE, BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH THE INTERESTED PATRONS OF OUR SHOP, WHO DO APPRECIATE THE PROVENANCE, AND ITS UNIQUENESS IN CANADA. SO WHILE I HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK IN THE PAST, I NOW HAVE THE VALIDATION OF KNOWING, THE INFORMATION AND STORY IS BEING USED ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD.....BY EXPATRIATES OF OUR TOWN, AND THOSE WHO ENJOY THE WORK OF SMITH AND IRVING.
     TODAY'S TEXT WAS PREPARED IN THE STUDIO OF OUR ANTIQUE SHOP, AND MUSIC STUDIO, HERE IN THE FORMER MUSKOKA THEATRE BUILDING, ON MUSKOKA ROAD, OPPOSITE THE OPERA HOUSE. WE'VE HAD LOTS OF OUR FRIENDS DROPPING IN TO WISH US A HAPPY NEW YEARS, AND OF COURSE, WE'VE BEEN DELIGHTED TO HAVE THEM VISIT. BOTH ANDREW AND ROBERT HAVE BEEN RECEIVING TEXT-MESSAGES WITH NEW YEAR'S GREETINGS ALL MORNING, AND EVEN A FEW TO EXTEND TO MOM AND POP IN THE BACK. SUZANNE SOLD EIGHT PAIRS OF HER HAND-KNIT SOCKS YESTERDAY, SO SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT SUPPLY FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY. I THINK SHE ALREADY KNIT A PAIR THIS MORNING BEFORE LUNCH. HER WOOLENS ARE NOW KNOWN ON TWITTER AS "MAMA CURRIE'S" KNIT-WARE; AND THERE HAVE EVEN BEEN PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED RECENTLY, OF CUSTOMERS WEARING HER TOQUES AND MITTS. I HAVEN'T SOLD ONE OF MY BOOKS IN MONTHS. I'D BE JEALOUS IF I WASN'T OF THE OPINION, THAT HER CRAFT WORK IS BETTER THAN MY WRITING. I'M WORKING FOR THE EVASIVE PULITZER, AND SHE'S PAYING THE BILLS. SHE TELLS OUR FRIENDS, "THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU MARRY A WRITER." I RESPOND, "I'M BEING SUPPORTED BY A HOME CRAFTER. I'M GOOD WITH THAT!"
     I BELIEVE THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST IS IN FOR AN EXCITING, ADVENTURE-FILLED YEAR. AS CONSERVATIVE AS I CAN BE THESE DAYS, TEMPERING MY FORECASTS WITH PESSIMISM, I STILL BELIEVE 2014 WILL PRODUCE A LOT OF FUTURE TRACK FOR US TO RIDE. I THINK INVESTORS ARE GOING TO SENSE THAT THE TIME IS RIGHT, TO TAKE HOLD OF THIS CHARMING LITTLE SOUTH MUSKOKA TOWN, AND REVITALIZE THE OLD INTO THE NEW AGAIN. MY OLDTIME REPORTING SENSES ARE TINGLING. WE FEEL IT IN OUR SHOP FOR SURE. WE ARE GETTING THAT GREATLY DESIRED YEAR-ROUND TOURISM, AND MOST OF IT IS COMING FROM OUR INTENSIVE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA INSTEAD OF NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING. THESE DAY-TRAVELLERS, ARE SPENDING THEIR MONEY LOCALLY, AND DINING AT LOCATIONS WE MOST FREQUENTLY RECOMMEND. WE'RE A LITTLE BIT PROUD OF OURSELVES, BECAUSE WE'VE DEFIED SO MANY OF THE DOOM AND GLOOM PREDICTIONS FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I HOPE THEY'LL EVENTUALLY COME AROUND, AND JOIN US FOR THIS NEW BURST OF ECONOMIC ENERGY.....FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE FINDING THE GRAVENHURST EXPERIENCE RATHER REWARDING.....IN MANY WAYS. YOU MAY SEE THESE REFERENCES SHARED ON TWITTER, AND YES, IT MAY EVEN REPORT ON "CURRIE'S MUSIC." HEY, THIS IS CALLED "BLOWING YOUR OWN HORN," RIGHT? THE EXCEPTION HERE, IS THAT ALL LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN TAP INTO THE SAME MARKETING STRATEGY.....BUT FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TRY SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WHAT HAVE THEY GOT TO LOSE? THERE'S A MISTAKEN PERCEPTION, THAT ALL YOU CAN DO IS "BUY" WHEN YOU SHOP ON-LINE. THE REALITY IS, THE PREAMBLE TO SHOPPING IS RESEARCH, AND THIS IS LEADING TO DISCOVERY; AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THESE ON-LINE FOLKS ARE STANDING IN THE SHOP THAT THEY SAW FIRST IN CYBERSPACE. THEN HEAP ON THE BENEFITS OF NETWORKING (SHARING ON FACEBOOK), AND ALL THE CONNECTIONS MADE THERE-AFTER. FRANKLY WE'RE SHOCKED BY HOW IT IS ALL COMING TOGETHER IN THIS FASHION......VIA THE INTERNET. WE SHALL NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ECONOMY IN 2014. TODAY IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT "WALK-INS."

     ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE ACCEPT OUR BEST REGARDS FOR A HAPPY NEW YEARS. FROM ALL OF US AT BIRCH HOLLOW, AND ANDREW CURRIE'S MUSIC AND COLLECTABLES.
     NOTE: THE PORTRAIT OF THE GENTLEMAN WAS PAINTED IN GERMANY, CIRCA 1935, SIGNED ON MASONITE, AND IS SAID TO BE RELATED TO THE FAMILY OF COMPOSER, RICHARD WAGNER. THIS WAS ACQUIRED FROM A LOCAL ESTATE.
     THE LANDSCAPE ABOVE, WAS PAINTED BY BRACEBRIDGE'S FAMOUS BARBER / ARTIST, BILL ANDERSON, AND IS ONE OF THREE OWNED BY THE BIRCH HOLLOW COLLECTION, AVAILABLE FOR CLOSER INSPECTION IN OUR GRAVENHURST SHOP.