February 6 1902 Clayton, Ontario– Photo- Courtesy Tom Edwards

Author’s Note- I wanted to call this the neck tie party but I couldn’t- If you Google neck tie party– you will see that is what they used to call a lynching party. Since none of that went on in Clayton and I have many US readers I thought it best be not to upset anyone.

February 6 1902 Clayton, Ontario– Photo- Courtesy Tom Edwards

Photo from Tom Edwards–I’m not sure but I think this is the Clayton Store when my great uncle Johnny Erskine and Aunt Essie owned it. Clayton Historian Rose Mary Sarsfield has verified it

Rose Mary Sarsfield—- who is working on a book about Clayton and runs Clayton Ontario History on Facebook— “I know about this! This is wonderful! I did an interview with Morris Turner from Union Hall back in the early 80s and he rhymed this off to me! I was just listening to the interview a couple of weeks ago.”

Again we are looking for help with identification on this group of ladies outside Guthrie United Church in Clayton. They are Mrs. Cochrane, Mrs. Penman, Mrs. Wm. Dunlop, Mrs. John McIntosh, ?, ?, Mrs. Bob Paul, Mrs. Charlie McNeil, Mrs. Rintoul. Thanks to Allan Bellamy and Stuart McIntosh for the photo.– Photo–Clayton Ontario History

Eleanor this looks like dads handwriting. Would that be Ray and Fred on the wheel?

The last week of each month my mother used to hold the neighbourhood Canasta party at the bottom of Albert Street in Cowansville, Quebec. Her friends would come en masse to our home carrying their sweet pot-luck treats in their Tupperware dressed to the nines. One Tuesday when I came home from school I stopped dead in my tracks when I spotted my mother and her canasta club having a Joan Crawford makeover day.

Sitting like glamour queens, I am sure each one of them thought they all looked like MGM starlets. There they were munching on these pineapple squares with bright red lips, short bangs and evil eyebrows. It was the scariest thing you ever saw, and I swear I didn’t sleep for days after that gut wrenching experience. Because of this childhood memory these squares will be part of who I am until I die. Read more here..

Albert Street Canasta Club Chilled Pineapple Dessert

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)