A Room Of My Own

Walking into Greenley’s, you will first be greeted by that quintessential smell of books and the contemplative quiet associated with bookstores. You meet the local authors’ book table, followed by a warm welcome from the staff, which simply makes you feel happy to browse. On this day, I am led into the sanctuary of the bookstore – the back office. This is where it all happens, books are ordered, received and shelved waiting to be displayed. This space feels rather sacred and unchanged. The Greenley’s are there, most at home. I first met them back in 1984 when they hired me, and other eager Nicholson students, to do inventory of the books in the store after hours. And here we sit, almost 30 years later, reflecting. It all began with William (Bill) and Ruth Greenley. Bill was born in Toronto; Ruth was born and raised just outside of Stirling. The two met while at Queen’s University - Bill was studying to be an accountant, while Ruth was intent on becoming a teacher. “That’s...

Laurie Near is a Canadian artist and teacher who is currently making an impressive impact on the local art scene. Carol Feeney, Executive Director at the Quinte Arts Council comments "Laurie is a brilliant artist who has won many awards including the Juror’s Choice Award at Quinte Arts Council’s Expressions visual art exhibit at the John M. Parrott Gallery as the jurors believed that her piece was the best in show.  When I have Laurie’s art in our gallery and gift shop, people are literally drawn off the street when they see her vibrant, unique work.  She is a very talented woman and great teacher with an exceptionally bright future in her field." Laurie has held a life long interest in the visual arts and has early recollections of painting as a child, remembering “the eggy smell of the tempera, the rustling of that flowered plastic smock” and her feelings that it very serious play at that time. “I’ve never been afraid of a blank page or empty canvas.” Over the...

A Walk Through the “City of the Bay” with Susanna Moodie by Janet Jarrell Community Archives of Belleville and Hastings County On a city walking tour, it is a pleasure to discover the rich history that lies quietly in our midst waiting for us to rediscover it, to remember. One such historic figure is Susanna Moodie, an English born literary notable that made Belleville her home and resting place. Moodie has connections in both the Hamilton/Peterborough area and again right here in Hastings County. She was born in 1803 in Suffolk, England into a literary family, and was a published author by the time she was nineteen years old. In those early days, well on her way to becoming a professional writer, Susanna met Lieutenant John Wedderburn Dunbar Moodie in 1830 and a year later they were married. Neither had the backing of an inheritance that would provide for them in the manner to which they hoped to live in England. As a retired veteran, John was entitled ...

By Maury Flunder and Janet Jarrell See you at the movies!   The Quinte Film Alternative started in September 1995 with a small ad in the Community Press, inviting any interested persons to a meeting at the Quinte Arts Council office to discuss the formation of a film group in Belleville. About a dozen people were at that meeting, and most of them stayed on to serve as the first QFA board of directors. Cam Haynes was there, along with his brother Blair. They had started the Northern Film Circuit a few years earlier, forming a relationship with the Toronto International Film Festival to supply films, which met with great success. They were proposing a Southern Film Circuit for this part of the province. Belleville became one of the original Film Circuit groups by October. The Film Circuit continues to serve as a lending library working with TIFF and distributors to supply films to the QFA and now 193 community groups like the QFA across Canada. The first memorable debate w...

Rich in History. High in Achievement. Belleville is home to Sir James Whitney School, one of North America’s oldest schools for the Deaf, opening its doors on October 20, 1870. This past October, SJW held a celebration to commemorate its 140 th anniversary. One of my all time favourite grade school memories was touring this amazing school with my grade six class from St. Michael’s Academy almost 30 years ago. Recently, I was privileged to visit it once more. “The school was founded through the persistent efforts of John Barrett McGann, an Irish immigrant and educator,” says Gary Wheeler, a representative with the Ministry of Education. McGann was a pioneer of deaf education. The school is named after the former premier of Ontario, James Whitney, who was known for his advances in education.  Crossing onto the grounds and up the long circular drive, you can feel the rich history this school and the vast grounds hold. This history includes a self-sustaining community that at...

Allyson Tufts and Andy Forgie entertain. Luke Hendry/The Intelligencer/QMI Agency As I began to explore hospice care with a neighbour of mine, memories of my own experiences began to flood in; sponging the mouth of my great aunt, reading her favourite poetry to her, and the gentle touch of the nurse when it was time. I also clearly remembered the time when I was present as my father was facing his end of life. As I recounted my experiences, me the interviewer doing all of the talking, I paused and realized that I was really being listened to. Across from me was Bonnie Delaney, Executive Director for Hospice Quinte and a true face of compassion. She said, “The patients I have been involved with have taught me so much about grief.” The Belleville area had the first freestanding residential hospice centre in Ontario. Hospice Quinte has grown to over 125 volunteers participating in an excellent home care program. Bonnie is well aware of the exhaustion with home care, both physi...

COUNTY & QUINTE LIVING SUMMER 2011 By Janet Craig and Janet Jarrell Corkscrews Prince Edward County is Ontario’s newest wine region in Canada’s fast growing wine and viticulture industry. As the interest in everything to do with wine branches out, the connoisseur in us all strives to keep up. When a friend listed the new and different kinds of corkscrews now on the market, it was a priceless lesson for all eager wine aficionados. I don’t know of anyone that has just one single corkscrew in their home, most have a favourite that they reach for when it’s time to open the bottle. If you’re away from home and desperate, log on to Utube, you’ll learn how to get the cork out with the heel of a dress shoe, if you’re in the woods, use a tree trunk. It really does work. Corkscrews can range from the very simple to the very unique and intricate. Basically, the majority of corkscrews can be classified in two separate categories: leverage, where the corkscrew has a lever used to...