Saturday morning was, well, eggs-ellent as a large crowd showed up at Perth’s beautiful Stewart Park for the First Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Sponsored by the Town of Perth, Perth BIA, Perth Metro and Barnaby’s Independent Grocer this event hoped to attract 200 children into a search for the over 2000 eggs that were lying around the park … well, far in excess of 500 basket-carrying youngsters showed up.

Perhaps it was the perfect weather, the allure of the Easter Bunny or just the chance to get out and start the day with a lot of good family fun but attendance went far beyond expectations … and when the bell rang to get everyone’s attention … forget it! … hundreds of children stormed the park gathering up every egg in minutes.

Thank you Shellee and Karen for pulling this all together … to the Perth Fire Department whose truck and hats were a definite hit with the children …  and a huge thank you to the Easter Bunny who sat patiently for nearly two hours giving out chocolate treats to the children who came to see him.

Happy Heritage Easter!

Have you  got your tickets for the upcoming Perth Museum Annual Fundraising Dinner on Feb.25^th, 2012 at Codes Mill?

Spread the word and please join us for a fun filled evening.  “Guess Who is Joining Us for Dinner”  is the theme and historic figures will appear throughout the evening to highlight our history.

No guests speakers this year just lots of fun entertainment with friends and family!!!

Mr. & Mrs. Town Crier are busy working out our characters, which will be a complete surprise to those who attend. Relatively unknown, these historic individuals were very important to our town’s history for nearly 40 years and you could say, “they pulled their weight” around the town. Is that enough of a hint?

Call the Perth Museum today at 613-267-1947 to reserve your tickets!

Well. for two weeks everything disappeared from the internet … email, websites … everything.

It took nearly a week but we are back. It took a major change to a new ISP and a massive rebuild of the databases, but most of the website was recovered. Unfortunately, most of the pictures and stories from 2011 will have to be manually rebuilt and the question is whether to do it or not … better probably to simply go forward.

Anyway … we’re back … thank you for your patience.

I hope the kindness you’ve given to others returns many times to you.

May hope, love, and warmth be in your heart’s possessing, and may God bring you and yours many blessings throughout the year to come.

Happy New Year!

Priorities, priorities … priorities! In order to keep up with everything everyone expects us to do every time something had to slip to the side and well … unfortunately … this blog was at the bottom of the list. Even as I sit down to write today I am aware that in 45 minutes we will be out the door once again and not back for four to five hours.

Today was not only Doors Open but Kid Fish, was not only the first annual Magical Mystical Museum Garden Tour and the Museum Tea but the 200th Anniversary Logo Launch … and in between, well we actually missed some events. This morning started before 9:00 AM and well, its after 4:00 and time to leave again.

I want to make mention of two wonderful things I saw today … first … the Full Circle Theatre is really coming along. Congratulations to all of the volunteers and to David & Janice Jacklin who are bringing that building to life.  What a thrill to stand on that stage and to resonate the walls of that new theatre.  Second, to the new owners of the Perth Manor Boutique Hotel. It was wonderful to stop and talk to Gordon & Linda Craig and to feel the warmth of this historic property once again. The grounds are always a delight to walk around and the inside decor … well … you have to see the tapestry walls to believe it.

Time is up … off to the next event … hope to write again soon.

An English Doctor is being shown around a Scottish Hospital.

At the end of his visit, he is shown into a ward with a number of patients who show no obvious signs of physical injury. He goes to examine the first man he sees, and the man proclaims:

“Fair fa’ yer sonsie face, great chieftan o’ the pudding race!

Aboon them a’ ye tak your place, painch tripe or thairm:

Weel are ye wordy o’ grace as lang’s my arm.”

The Englishman, somewhat taken a back, goes to the next patient, who immediately launches into:

“Some hae meat, and canna eat, and some wad eat that want it,

bit we hae meat and we can eat, and sae the Lord be thankit.”

And suddenly the next patient sits up and declaims:

Thou need na start awa sae hasty, wi’ bickering brattle.

“Wee slekit cow’rin tim’rpous beastie, O what a panic’s in they breatie!

I wad be faith to run and chase thee, wi’murddering prattle!”

“WELL!” said the Englishman to his Scottish colleague, “I see you saved the psychiatric ward for the last.

“Nay, nay!” the Scottish doctor corrected him, “This is the Serious Burns Unit.”

————————

To each of you who actually get the punch line: Slàinte mhòr!

and a Happy Robbie Burns Day!

Few years have been as busy and as challenging as the past. For Mr. & Mrs. Crier, well, it has also been one of the most enjoyable and for so many reasons.

There are so many stories to listen to and to tell. There are so many people eager and willing to listen to these glimpses of our past not because they reveal to us a life long past, but because the tell us so much about who we are today and the paths we are following for tomorrow.

Each day spent in the livery of the Town Crier or the Green Man is magical: the smile coming naturally even at the end of the hottest or coldest day. It is hard to explain why, until you see it in the eyes of those who you meet … an honest desire to hear the stories, to feel welcomed, to feel at home … and to share these moments together, as the advertisement says, “priceless.”

W.R. Hunt wrote “A Morning Wish” in which he said:

The sun is just rising on the morning of another day, the first day of the new year. What can I wish that this day, that this year, may bring to me?

Nothing that shall make the world of others poorer, nothing at the expense of others; but just those few things which in their coming do not stop with me but touch me rather, as they pass and gather strength:

• A few friends who understand me, and yet remain my friends.
• A work to do which has real value without which the world would feel the poorer.
• A return for such work small enough not to tax unduly anyone who pays.
• A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed.
• An understanding heart.
• A sight of the eternal hills and unresting sea, and of something beautiful the individual hand has made.
• A sense of humor and the power to laugh.
• A little leisure with nothing to do.
• A few moments of quiet, silent meditation. The sense of the presence of God.
• And the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to know them when they come.

From Mr. & Mrs. Crier (Brent & Shelley), to our family, friends, those whose paths we have crossed and those we have yet to meet, God’s richest blessings for the year to come. May each of us have “the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to know them when they come.”

Happy New Year!

Nothing started as quickly as this September. Even before the annual Perth Fair hit town there was an absolute buzz as various groups of tourists pulled into this heritage community … and not just by bus or car … many arriving by boat making there way up the Tay Canal before then end of the locking season.

Mr. & Mrs. Crier have had the privilege of meeting many of these groups, conducting walking tours or even going out for dinner with one group of visitors from the United States.  This year, with the perfect temperatures and water conditions, the trees have never been more ready for the release of fall colours, the flowers are still in bloom and the grass still a beautiful carpet of green.

Algonquin College broke ground for its new $10 million dollar Heritage Institute, the International Society of Arboriculture and Hydro One were literally swinging from the trees in John A. Stewart Park, the Rideau Valley Conservation Association and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Association dropped in to spend a day touring our community after having lunch at Code’s Mill. Tour groups from Toronto, Ottawa and the Gatineau communites … it does not seem to stop.

There is always somewhere interesting to cry at and someone new to meet in this historic town!

If you are looking for the Perth Town Crier this upcoming weekend (August 27 & 28) well, you are going to have to point your car towards Middleville because Mr. & Mrs. Town Crier will be attending Fiddling at the Fairgrounds on the Friday evening and the 100 Mile Buffet on the Saturday. We’ll be ringing the bell several times during the Fresh Air Festival festivities and especially at 7:30 PM on the Friday evening when there will be an official ceremony.

The past few years the Art of Being Green Festival has been one of the most interesting places to visit during our summer festival tours. This year (only), as they have restructured, the larger three-day festival has been replaced by a smaller, two-day event that features fiddlers on the first day and good food, music and friends on the second. As a young boy I remember travelling to Middleville for the annual Steam Show. It is wonderful to see their fair grounds returning to full use as the home of this annual gathering. The creative team behind this festival is simply one of the best and the support from the community is outstanding … there is even inexpensive Shuttle Bus transportation from Ottawa!

You can find out all about it by checking out The Ribbet Review or by visiting their website at http://artofbeinggreen.ca.

Look for us … we’ll be looking for you! Just 20 minutes north of Perth … trust us, it is well worth the drive – or take the bus!

For the first time in a few weeks the morning had a cool, crisp feeling to it. The humidity of the past few weeks was clearly broken, but also gone was the sunshine. Today looked like it would be a battle between the sun and the rain … exactly what it turned out to be.

The morning started early. Mr. & Mrs. Town Crier again greeted the regional athletes who came to Perth to take part in the Summer Special Olympic Games held at Conlon Farm. This is the sixth year that the local Knights of Columbus have sponsored this sports day, and once again eager teams, fans and parents came off the many vehicles that pulled into the recreational area. Soccer would be first on the agenda but not without greetings from the Town Crier, a welcome by Councillor Judy Brown, a prayer led by Fr. Brian McNally and a parade of the athletes who followed the piper Perth Police Constable Chris Gilbertson and the Knights around the main field.

The day continued at the North Lanark Highland Games held in Almonte. This is known as the “Friendly Games” and 2010 was the 27th anniversary of the games. It will take a seasoned attender to tell you exactly how the word “Friendly” came to proceed the word “Games” but even a first time visitor will agree with sentiment. The North Lanark Games are a wonderful combination of enjoyable competition, closeness and a welcoming banter with the audience whether it be from the heavy weights and amateur athletes, the bands, the dancers or the commentators on the PA system. The simplicity and relaxed atmosphere make this Games one of our favorites. This year celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy and the Pipe Band from the Ceremonial Guard added to the distinct presence of many of Canada’s finest military units. The replica ships, paintings and displays in the Agricultural Hall attracted the eyes of many, many visitors.

Just after the Opening Ceremonies year the rain came: several times in torrents. Fortunately for Shelley and I they moved the dancing into the Agricultural Hall and we were able to stay off the wet grounds for most of the day. As always, it is such a privilege to present the awards, trophies and ribbons to the dancers. Because of the rain and the schedule shifts we had to miss handing out the prizes to the Children’s Games but we could not be in two places at once: we will be there next year … promise!  Over 90 different dancers took part in the competitions and a “Tip of the Tricorn” has to go to the duty pipers who played so well for the competitions. Again we must thank Brian Tackaberry for coordinating our visit to this highlight event and to the local sponsors who keep this event returning each year.

Back out on the grounds to catch some of the heavyweights, listen to some more the pipe bands, a few more pictures and then point the car home … there to sleep the night away … too much fresh air … too much good food … too many wonderful memories.