Almonte Topics Back in 1893 June 6th

Members of the Almonte Cricket Club in front of the current lawn bowling clubhouse. Date, members and occasion unknown. The Millstone

‘The Almonte cricketers played their scheduled game at Arnprior with the club of that town on Saturday. Our club won easily, the score being 108 for Almonte, and 49 for Arnprior.

Mr. Robert Barnett is paying a visit to his old home and friends in this neighborhood. He is now a prosperous builder in Duluth. Rumor says he will be accompanied on his return by one of Ramsay’s fairest daughters.

Another old Almontor, dame rumour says, will shortly come from Kansas, and another from the far Northwest, on the same errand.

 

 

Washburn’s circus, which exhibited here lately, was a poor affair, but the sharpers connected with it found the usual number of fools around town ready to part with their money.

Mrs. Coates and her daughter Birdie returned home a few days ago from California, after a sojourn of two years in the Golden State.

 

 

Miss Minnie McDonald, who has for some time been engaged in *mission work in British Columbia, returned last week in very feeble health.  In California for some months, the climate did not agree with her, and so she was obliged to return home.

 

The new train arrangements on the C.P.R. are not as good as the people would like to see, However, one redeeming feature is that it brings us the “Citizen” at a very early hour in the day.

Mr. Edward Leyden left here for Sherbrooke.where he has secured a good position in the large woollen mill.

 

 

• Mission work-The earliest reserves in Canada appear to have been established on seigneurial holdings by Catholic missionary orders and private persons

 

A sports venue in Almonte
1900 Almonte- Community Memories

Almonte Cricket Club
Cricket was very popular and evidence of the Almonte Cricket Club dates to 1862. The Express, predecessor of the Gazette, our local newspaper, reported numerous cricket related details:

May 9th 1862 Express
Almonte Cricket Club rolling and sodding of the pitch with play to be held twice a week, invitation to new members opening game of the season to be May 17, 1862. Also an advertisement for a meeting of the Almonte Cricket Club.
The cricket grounds were at that time located at the rear of the B&O Railway Depot (Brockville and Ottawa Line)

Friday May 30th 1862 Express
“The Queen’s Birthday – Saturday last was generally observed in this village as a public holiday… About 10 o’clock a.m., the Cricket Club turned out for a practice on the cricket ground where they remained until noon. At 2 o’clock pm they returned, but having no other club to play against them, not even the “All England Eleven”. Sides were chosen and a match was played between themselves, creating a good deal of excitement and amusement among the large number of spectators on the ground.”

Friday May 28th, 1870 Almonte Gazette
“The 24th – Queen’s Birthday – A greater crowd went to Arnprior where a great deal was to see. A procession of firearms, games, footraces and free whiskey made the morning interesting. While the afternoon was filled by lacrosse, cricket and the “TERRIBLES”. Altogether the celebration in Arnprior was very creditable to the managers.

 

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun and theSherbrooke Record and and Screamin’ Mamas (USACome 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. Tales of Almonte and Arnprior Then and Now.

Social Note Shenanigans from the Almonte Gazette June 1899

Downtown Almonte 1891 — Thumb Biters Skaters and Widows

It Raineth Every Day in Lanark County–Social Notes–July 30, 1897

The Funniest Anti-Dog Letter to the Editor–Almonte Gazette

Tips From the Almonte Gazette “Travel Section” 1874

Mad as Hell– Become a Superhero for Carleton Place

 

Once upon a time I was the Poster Queen and flyered my derriere off to promote the Ottawa music scene and local events. Do people even look at flyers anymore, or did they convert to social media sites? So how do you promote something–like our town?

Most flyers don’t work now because they are off target with their thinking, and just blanketing flyers all over the place is going to provide frustrating results.  Once you see that event poster/flyer once it’s done. People get most of their information online now – all you have to do is bump into everyone looking at their phone to prove that point. Sad, but very true.

Of course social media is like playing pool–everybody thinks they can do it. But the more you play, the more you realize the difference between a good player and a poor one. Most times posts that directly promote products or sales come from businesses that are new to Facebook. They try to use it the same way that they use traditional marketing like flyers and print ads and fail, leaving them thinking that Facebook and social media don’t work.

So why am I rambling here?

This morning as most of you know, I was angry Carleton Place got on the short list again.

Today it was:

10 Super Cute Small Towns In Ontario You Need To Road Trip To This Summer

A few months ago it was:

Almonte Featured on Shopify — Of Course I am Jealous

Am I happy for Almonte and Perth? Of course I am because I love spending time in those particular towns. If I was Merrickville though, I might be a tad annoyed for being left off the list too. What about Smiths Falls?

So what works? What can help us become noticed? First of all we need to tidy up a bit and stop being so slow in doing things. We need to invest in our waterfront, and most importantly believe in what we have.

Let’s be blunt- I am off the deep end in what I do–crazy even.  I don’t get paid to do this and I sure have better things to do.  But somehow over a year ago I made a personal commitment to do something after I saw empty storefronts on the Main Street and heard the complaints daily. Maybe I do need a 12 step program – but it’s too late now. You are stuck with me.

No one can do anything alone, and Lisa Strangway from the Carleton Place Social Scene, Becky Whelan from the Carleton Place Restaurant Review, Lanark County News and Events and Sarah Cavanagh from Discover Carleton Place sure help me get the message across by letting me post on their pages.

You see, that’s the ticket- we have to do this together. The Carleton Place Farmers Market has joined hands now with the Downtown Carleton Place BIA and that means we are cross promoting each other and that is huge! Just lately new friends from  all over the world are retweeting my tweets about Carleton Place, and I would like to thank Screamin Mamas from Florida and @Ontario411_ for being such dedicated retweeters for our town. Without hashtaggging them or begging they take the initiative and promote our town.

So what can you do? Somewhere, a quote that’s been rehashed between Terry Pratchett Lewis Carroll and Elsie Gardiner from Carleton Place hit me one day when I was reading something at the Museum.

If you do not know where you come from, then you don’t know where you are, and if you don’t know where you are, then you don’t know where you’re going.

It makes sense to me- even if it doesn’t to you. I know I live in the town of Carleton Place and I know promoting and being proud of my town is where I am going. How do we finally get our town noticed? Begin by sharing one thing about your town a day. That’s all– and let’s put this place on the map!

 

Thanks  Ontario 411– you’ve been swell:)

 

Ontario411

@Ontario411_

Tweeting interesting content relating to Ontario. Happy to RT any event in Ontario, just DM us or use the#Ontario411 hashtag. Giving everyone the Ontario 411.

Words — What Do Your Words Mean?

One day I got an email from a beloved friend, and after I read it I agreed to write something for her:

Hi Linda,

This video came my way this morning and the message made me think of
you. YOU do this–see through the eyes of others–better than anyone
else I know.
Maybe you can put it in a blog?

Mary

It was barely eight in the morning when I began to watch the video, and by 8:05 I was in tears. Mary was right that it was right up my alley, but how could I do it justice?  Are words enough?

An author or writer is defined as “the person who originates or gives existence to anything” and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created.

Word : A sound or a combination of sounds, or its representation in writing or printing, that symbolizes and communicates a meaning and may consist of a single morpheme or of a combination of morphemes.

“The person who originates or gives existence to anything.”

I like that meaning, and it feels like literary comfort food to me. Poor grammar, bad spelling, or what have you, we always give them existence no matter what the end of the result might be. Some words are ridiculous, but sometimes they make your day. Some words are bizarre, or eclectic, and they might give you the shivers– but they all have meaning.

Some words make you laugh, and wonder what kind of person created them. What mood were they in? Who were they?Words of love can be written on rocks, paper, or even stepped upon everyday.

Some words make you very emotional, like the words “I Love Steph” were words written by my youngest son eight years before he married his wife on a rock 25 miles from my home on the road to Packenham, Ontario.  I had no idea they were there,and the words made me cry and fill with emotion when I encountered them by accident.

But what do I write for Mary?   Will my words be enough to express how I felt after watching that video?

Dear Mary,

After watching that video I wish everyone could understand that we may all look and think differently, but our hearts beat the same. Each one of us has had painful days and been comforted by family and even strangers – so why is it so hard to reach out and be kind? We all need to stop, take a moment, and be thankful for each and every second we live, and not take things for granted. How we personally respond can actually make a difference in someones life– how powerful is that? Stop assuming tomorrow will be there– as every single day is a gift.  Choose your words wisely! Remember that every single person matters.

Thank you for sending me the video,

Love you Mary!

Linda

Is There Anything Else to Apologize For? – Bubblews

Is There Anything Else to Apologize For? – Bubblews.

Mansion Party — House Party — Animal House — If You Tweet it They Will Come. – Zoomer

 

Mansion Party — House Party — Animal House — If You Tweet it They Will Come. – Zoomer.

Roar — Teddy Bear Lost — Teddy Bear Found – Zoomer

 

Roar — Teddy Bear Lost — Teddy Bear Found – Zoomer.

Rob Ford — Should He Stay or Should He Go? – Zoomer

 

Rob Ford — Should He Stay or Should He Go? – Zoomer.

I am Annoying, Cloying, Overdone and Basically Piss People Off – Zoomer

 

I am Annoying, Cloying, Overdone and Basically Piss People Off – Zoomer.

The Harry Potter Boy – Zoomer

 

The Harry Potter Boy – Zoomer.

Losing Sabine in My Other Facebook Inbox – Zoomers

 

Losing Sabine in My Other Facebook Inbox – Zoomers.

 

 

There is no question the last two weeks have been busy but on Saturday night the bottom fell out of my Facebook bucket. A reporter for the local EMC paper had requested to add a friend to the list of event participants and days later when asked, I could not find her Facebook PM.