House tour pleasant lead in to village holiday celebrations

The newly constructed home of Gay and Spencer Reynolds located at 43 Colina Street in Bayfield is one of five homes featured on the Homes for the Holiday Tour to be held on Nov. 6-7.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MELODY FALCONER-POUNDER

Homes for the Holiday, a tour of homes decorated in anticipation of the festive season, to be held on Nov. 6-7, is sure to be a pleasant lead in to the Village of Bayfield’s Christmas celebrations one weekend later.

The doors of five beautiful Bayfield homes will be opened to the public on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Area florists, designers, merchants and those with a penchant for holiday décor will enhance the houses; providing visitors with ideas they can incorporate in their own homes.

People will see first hand how the participating professionals are adopting the current trends in holiday décor.

According to experienced designer, Helen Varkamp of Bayfield’s Huron, Hearth and Home, “The current trend seems to be revitalization of old fashioned and vintage decorations.

“If your style is more contemporary, go for airy clear glass, baubles and crystals, which give clean lines yet create a romantic atmosphere. The popular color this year is definitely gold, which is a wonderful base color that can be easily combined with any colors in your furniture or decorations.”

Varkamp went on to say that homeowners can of course opt to totally ignore what the trends are and have fun with their own unique, creative trends.

She did caution however, that, “whatever your trend, always remember ‘less is more’ when decorating, which applies to Christmas decor as well.”

The featured houses on the Homes for the Holiday tour range from a Grande Dame constructed in 1868 to a modern lakeside beauty that recently won a prestigious award for its design.

Varkamp’s creativity will be showcased in a home in an adult lifestyle development, which will provide an opportunity for people to see just how much fun decorating can be even after they downsize from their family home.

“Even though Christmas is all about memories and traditions, you also have to make space for your own current lifestyle. Every few years you need to go through your Christmas decorations and ask yourself ‘Do I love this? Do I need this? Do I want this?’ If the answer is 'no' then it is time to let the item go and enjoy shopping for something new,” said Varkamp.

Varkamp has suggestions too for those individuals that find it hard to part with their past and where space is not the issue.

“You can put your traditional items in one room and your contemporary items in another, but you will have a lot more fun with an eclectic decor, which combines various characteristics of at least two different styles to create a look that's truly unique,” she said. “If done well, an eclectic design produces an atmosphere that's unpredictable and fun; just make sure your color schemes don't clash and that your decorations are balanced and in proper scale.”

With close to a dozen professionals, hailing from Bayfield, Grand Bend, Hensall, Seaforth, Exeter and Varna, sharing their expertise in the homes there is sure to be an abundance of decorating ideas to suit a variety of tastes.

Tickets are on sale for $15 each and will include a light lunch served at the Bayfield Village Inn. Tickets are available now by calling the Bayfield Village Inn, 519 565-2443. Elsewhere in Bayfield they are available at Brandon Hardware and the Nip N’ Tuck. Tickets can also be found in Clinton at Curves, in Grand Bend at The Garden Gate and in Goderich at Ernie King Music.

This is the third home tour since 2006 organized by the Optimist Club of Bayfield. The club now in its 26th year supports local youth related projects, such as the village’s skateboard park. With the mandate, Friends of Youth, they also enjoy supporting such organizations as the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Western Ontario.

local woman's win no joke

Dorothy Griffith, of Bayfield (centre), was a winner at the Area 71 Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest held in London on Oct. 16. The other people who took home hardware that evening were: Jim Foster, Joan Forder, Mark Phipps and Carmelita Tang. (Submitted photo)

Dorothy Griffith, of Bayfield, loves being a member of the local Toastmasters Club and that’s no joke.

Griffith, a member of Clinton Communicators Toastmasters, took home the trophy from the Area 71 Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest held Oct. 16 in London, ON. With this win, she goes on to compete next at the Division Contest in Sarnia on Oct. 29.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit public speaking club, designed to improve public speaking and leadership skills in a non-threatening environment. Clinton Communicators Toastmasters Club meets every Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Clinton Public School library and is open to all in the community who would like to attend.

Bayfield artists create on slate

St. George's Slate Art Gala will be held on the evening of Oct. 29 and many artists have contributed to the project including from l-r: Bayfield's Anne Laviolette, who has contributed five pieces of work; Corinne Simser-Wagg, and Ed Hoekstra, also of Bayfield. The three are shown here with Judy Cieslar, gala coordinator (second from left). (Submitted photo)

Bayfield artists, Anne Laviolette, Paula Letheren and Ed Hoekstra are among 71 artists who have contributed to St. George’s Slate Art Gala to be held in Goderich on Oct. 29.

According to organizers, an amazing collection of 125 pieces of art has been created from the request made by the Goderich Co-Op Gallery and Elizabeth’s Art Gallery to make creative use of the circa 1880s slate tile removed from the roof and spire of St. George’s Anglican Church in Goderich.

The proceeds of the evening will support St. George’s roof restoration project as well as the outreach program at the Goderich Co-Op Gallery and the Kids Booster Club supported by Elizabeth’s Art Gallery.

The gala will be held at the galleries, 54 The Square in Goderich, starting at 7:30 p.m. Ticket holders will enjoy an evening filled with musical entertainment and refreshments in addition they will also take home a one-of-a-kind piece of art. For more information and tickets visit the galleries or call Judy Cieslar at 519 524-9900.

Congregation of United Church readies for holiday season

It’s the time of year when local choirs dust off their Christmas carol books to prepare for the festive season.

The choir at St. Andrew’s United Church is now holding practices for their Christmas Carol Service on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. All in the community are invited to join the choir, no matter their denomination.

The congregation of St. Andrew’s will host their annual Harvest Dinner at the Bayfield Community Centre starting at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 6. On the menu will be sweet pickled ham and turkey with home made pies for dessert.

Tickets are available now for $14, adults; and $6 for children, aged six to 12 years. Please phone Kathleen Siertsema at 519 565-2479 or Janet Webster at 565-2353.

Looking ahead, the St. Andrew’s United Church Women will hold their annual Christmas Holly Bazaar on the Christmas in Bayfield Weekend.

The event will be held at St. Andrew’s on Nov. 12 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Organizers report that there will be a wonderful selection of items available made and donated by the talented members of the Bayfield Sunshine Coast Quilters Guild. Items include dolls, pillows, table runners, scarves, quilts, and bags – certainly something for all on your shopping list. There will also be a bake table and a craft table plus a lunch booth.

On Oct. 20, St. Andrew’s UCW held an excellent "Thanks Giving" Thankoffering Service. Johanna Steegstra was the guest speaker. She talked about her trips to Haiti and during lunch she showed a video of her experiences. The evening also featured special music by Leslie Bella and Rosemary Crosthwaite. Guests were present from the Brucefield, Kippen, Varna, Goshen and Bayfield churches.

The next UCW meeting will be held on Nov. 3. It will be their annual "Healthy Baby Healthy Children" meeting. Those who attend are asked to bring to this meeting a baby garment, baby food, or any other infant necessity.

Agricultural Society taking orders for wreaths

The Bayfield Agricultural Society is gearing up for its annual fundraiser, the making and selling of wreaths for the Christmas season. And there are a variety of ways that people can help make this fundraiser a success, from ordering wreaths to donating greens.

The wreaths and tails (swags) are hand made of donated greens from the area and are perfect to decorate for Christmas and all winter long. To place an order for home or business please contact Emma VanderWouden at 519 482-3020 or evanderwouden@tcc.on.ca.

Anyone who has greens, cedar, pine or juniper that you could donate should also call the number above. The gentlemen members of the agricultural society generally collect greenery and help is always welcome with that chore too.

People are also invited to come to TE-EM Farm and help make the wreaths, just let VanderWouden know you’d like to help. Those who volunteer should bring their own clippers and dress in layers with comfortable shoes for standing. They should also remember that the lunches are potluck and that crock pots work well. To take part in the lunch please also bring your own silverware and dishes.
TE-EM Farm will supply coffee and tea.

“We always have a good time, lots of food in the form or pot-luck lunches and it has been known to be warm enough in the greenhouses to wear shorts!” she said.

On Nov. 3 and 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., volunteers are needed to clip, bundle and make the wreaths for the orders for Main Street. Another work party will be held on Nov. 9-11 (same times) to make more wreaths to sell during the Christmas in Bayfield weekend.

Help is needed right now to make bows for the wreaths, VanderWouden has the ribbon available again just give her a call. Also Doreen McKenzie is busy making grapevine wreaths and could use some assistance, she can be reached at 519 482-3336 if you can help her.

Once the wreaths are made it is time to sell them and the society needs some volunteers to do so on Nov. 12 and 13 in front of St. Andrew’s United Church.

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bafht

It is the time of year to start thinking about staying healthy during the winter months and with that in mind the Bluewater Area Family Health Team (BAFHT) will hold a Community Flu Clinic on Nov. 3rd at Trinity Anglican Church Parish Hall from 4-6 p.m. Those who take part should wear short sleeves and bring their health card.

Orphan patients in the Municipality of Bluewater will be pleased to know that Dr. Lori Teeple is now accepting new patients. Roster forms may be obtained by dropping into the Zurich Medical Centre, weekdays during office hours.

Remembrance Day Services

The Village of Bayfield will celebrate Remembrance Day on Nov. 7 starting at 10:45 a.m. at the cenotaph in Clan Gregor Square.

Bayfield’s services are held on the Sunday prior to Nov. 11, when musicians and clergy can avail themselves to the smaller centres.

The outdoor portion of the ceremony will begin with a parade of veterans, legion representatives, and local members of Guiding and Scouting marching from Trinity Anglican Church to the cenotaph.

The indoor portion of the service will be held at Trinity starting at 9:30 a.m.

Anglican Church

Operation Christmas Child is a tradition at Trinity Anglican Church and the latest campaign has commenced.

Participants are asked to take a box and fill it with gifts and necessities for either a boy or girl in one of three age categories: 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14. Instructions are provided as to what will and won’t be accepted in the box; a well-balanced selection of such items as, school supplies, hygiene items, small gifts and toys are acceptable. A donation of $7 per box is also appreciated as this helps with shipping costs.

Filled boxes should be returned to Trinity on or before Nov. 14 as they will be blessed at the church service that morning. The congregation hopes to fill 100 shoeboxes as part of this Samaritan’s Purse project.

Horticultural Society

Elizabeth Sangster, assistant district director of the Ontario Horticultural Association District 8, will be the guest speaker at the Nov. 15 meeting of the Bayfield and Area Horticultural Society.

She will share how to create an Underwater Flower Arrangement for Christmas.

This meeting that will be held at the Bayfield Lions’ Community Building will also be the society’s annual general meeting. The evening shall commence at 7:30 p.m.

Concert Series

The fall line up of top tier entertainment has been established for the autumn months in the ongoing Bayfield Concert Series. The concerts feature big town Canadian singers going small town and highlights opening acts of local Huron County talent.

The concert schedule is as follows: Oct. 30, Oh Susanna; Nov. 13, Danny Michel; and Dec. 10, Good Lovelies.

Ticket prices range from $25 to $35. Tickets are available at the Black Dog Pub and Bistro, Ernie King (Goderich) and at www.ticketscene.ca

The concerts are being presented by Meades Bros. Productions and The Little Inn of Bayfield. Overnight packages are now available at The Little Inn; to learn more please call 1-800-565-1832.

Health Series

Here’s to Health!” is an opportunity for area seniors to learn how to maximize their health with self-management tips on how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and organizers are pleased to report that the sessions are proving to be quite popular with attendance ranging from 25 to 40 people each week. These educational sessions are offered for free on Mondays until Nov. 22.

The sessions will be held at the Bayfield Community Centre. There is no need to register to attend.

The session topics are as follows: Healthy Ways to Prevent a Stroke, Nov.1; Exercise for Healthy Bones, Nov. 8; Pharmacy Services, Nov. 15 and Healthy Lifestyles to Protect Your Bones, Nov. 22.

The fifth session, Healthy Ways to Prevent a Stroke, to be held on Nov. 1 will run from 10:15 a.m. to noon. It will feature Grace Benedict, Community Stroke Rehab Nurse. Those who attend will learn what a stroke is and the signs and symptoms that someone is having a stroke. She will also offer tips on how to reduce the risk of having a stroke.

Following the presentation displays will be set up on the following topics: smoking cessation and healthy eating, provided by the Huron County Health Unit; exercise opportunities in the community, Town and Country Support Services; free blood pressure checks, CHAP; free blood glucose testing and healthy snacks.

FILM SOCIETY

The Bayfield Film Society has moved their Fall Series to Wednesday nights. The next cinematic experience will be held on Nov. 10. The title of the film to be presented is The Secret in Their Eyes.

The films are shown at the Bayfield Town Hall. The final film in the Fall Series will be Me & Orsen Wells, Dec. 8.

This is an opportunity to see Toronto Film Festival Films without having to leave the village. All films will begin at 7:30 p.m.

For more information and for tickets call Jane Rowat at 519 565-5838 or e-mail wjrowat@tcc.on.ca .

Fitness Fun

Opportunities to stay fit, and have fun while doing it, abound for fall 2010.

Pole Walking is a popular part of many fitness regimes. There is currently a Pole Walking session on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Thursdays at 1 p.m. The group departs from 6 Main Street. The session incorporates an hour of walking with an ending cool down stretch. And pole walking is not just a women’s exercise; new sessions are being introduced for men on Mondays and Fridays starting at 8:30 a.m.

Anyone new to Pole Walking can contact Pat Lewington at 519 565-2202 for more information.

Dancefit and Toning classes continue on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. The Sit and Get Fit Classes take place on Mondays and Wednesdays at
10:15 a.m. A new class entitled, Let’s Stretch, and hosted by April, from Bayfield Chiropractic will be held on Fridays at 10 a.m. All of these classes are held at the Bayfield Community Centre.

Badminton will resume at Huron Centennial School in Brucefield starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Books and brunch

The Village Bookshop is providing area residents with ample reading material this fall with authors coming to town to share their work.

People are invited to break bread with Judy Fong Bates, author of The Year of Finding Memory, at The Black Dog Pub and Bistro on the evening of Nov. 20. The evening will begin at 6 p.m. and tickets are $35 per person, including dinner.

The Books and Brunch series will return on Dec. 5 with Alison Pick, author of Far to Go as the guest speaker. The event will be held at The Little Inn of Bayfield starting at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person.

Tickets for these two readings are available now from The Village Bookshop.

GETTING A LIFT