Three times a year, our Pine Ridge Hiking Club leaders are asked for a list of hikes that they would be willing to lead in the next quarter. That request came on the weekend. I've only been leading hikes for a couple of years, and am starting to find my groove. What gives me great joy is introducing my hiking friends to my Northumberland County friends and seeing some beautiful countryside at the same time.
Barb & Al live in the rolling hills north of Grafton on an "ancestral farm". Their home has belonged to their family for generations. And, looking down from their farmhouse is her sister's home, also one that's been in the family for generations. When does that ever happen? I am hoping that our hikers will feel the depth of connection between these owners and the land that we will walk on next April.
Speaking of walking on the land. Do you see the turkeys?
A laneway through the fields connects the two ancestral homes.
Barb will be joining us in April. Today, she regaled us with stories of her childhood. Stories like climbing this tree with a book to read in peace.
You can't stay on lanes forever. Vernonville Road. Leads to Vernonville, our destination.
It's corn harvest time.
Wild grapes are looking a little peaked at this time of year.
If this church is not a hidden gem, I don't know what is. Many of Barb's ancestors and relatives are buried in the graveyard surrounding the church. In April, Barb will join us with the big iron churchkey in hand.
Ontario used to be dotted with one room schoolhouses. Many have been torn down since they were amalgamated 50 years ago. Vernonville's schoolhouse defies that notion. It has been the site of community concerts and gatherings since lockdowns ended. It is now called the Vernonville Community centre and can be rented. Earlier this year, we enjoyed an intimate concert there.
I love it when friends draw my attention to beauty. Like how the light comes through these grasses along the roadside. Even grasses are beautiful at the end of their lives.
Any time I've driven by this barn, I have thought, "Oh, an abandoned barn."
Little did I know that that abandoned barn has its own secret gem.
I am not a car expert. Maybe someone reading this will enlighten me about this car.
We made our way along the corn field and...
..... back to the house and the perfect pumpkin on the porch of an ancestral home.
I am hoping that our hikers will enjoy what they see when they enter Al's shop.
Ted was enjoying himself as he searched for dust. Just one speck! All I need is one speck.
Anyone?
One speck?
crafts·man /ˈkraf(t)smən/ noun a person who is skilled in a particular craft.
❄︎
art·ist /ˈärdəst/ noun a person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby.
❄︎
Some folks are craftsmen, some are artists. And, then there are those rare craftsmen/artists who have been given an extra touch of magic.
Not only do they create with precision and beauty.....
.... they have the gift of seeing. Seeing something in their raw materials that no one else sees. Like when Al sawed this piece of wood, opened up the book-matched sections and saw the aurora borealis.
Anyone else just would see grain in wood. Al's eyes saw mountains and valleys and the aurora borealis. And, the craftsman and artist inside him worked together so we could see what he saw.
Someone will have a treasure when they receive this box. Maybe it will be passed down through generations.
❄︎
“The world is full of magic things,
patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
W.B. Yeats
Commentaires