Hello Country Magazine - December 2022 Edition

Robert Iantorno

www.robertiantorno.ca (Mind Over Motor)

Jason Todoroff www.jtlawyer.ca (Family Matters)

Kevin Arthur Land

www.speakingvolumesbooks.ca (Arts & Culture)

Jeff Wilson www.jeffwilsonartist.yolasite.com (Illustration)

Jonathan Nhan www.curateandupgrade.ca (Wellness)

Tyson

www.hurontractor.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This year seems to have flown by. I’d like to thank our talented team of Editorial Contributors and our loyal Advertisers for all their support over the past 12 months.

I was inspired by the recent election campaign in Grey Highlands, in which I was a candidate, to challenge myself to be more environmentally conscious with my business. As a result, I’ve decided to kill fewer trees, focus more on digital publishing, and shift toward an all-retail distribution model; thus being able to reach more readers with fewer copies printed. I’ve listed locations where you can pick up the magazine on page 9. It’s my hope that we’ll be able to encourage more readers to support local with this shift and still provide authentic, community-based content.

Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays!

Roger Tumminieri

Publisher, Hello Country Magazine

hellocountrymagazine@gmail.com www.hellocountry.ca (416) 788-0716

GREY-BRUCE DUFFERIN SIMCOE

Mee-WOW said the happy cat that got one of these in her stocking for Christmas :)

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FLESHERTON CALLING KEVIN LAND

It occurs to me that I have been writing this column for two years now and there is one artist in the community I have never discussed. Myself.

Although I have flirted with many forms of writing over the course of my life, it was an unexpected foray into playwriting which led to a near thirty-year career in writing for the theatre. I was doing a Master’s in English Literature at the University of Victoria when the Theatre Department announced that it was holding a one-act playwriting competition. The winning play would be produced by the Theatre Department. Having many unremarkable short stories, uninspired poetry, and an unfinished novel behind me, I figured I was eminently qualified to craft a play which could go unproduced on a university campus.

Back then I was a great admirer of Harold Pinter, and still am, so I wrote a play called “Ties”, which involved strange goings-on between a man and a woman during an autumnal equinox. A few weeks after I submitted it, there was a note in my box from the chair of the department. I thought “This is it” and surmised that a trip to off-Broadway might be in my future. The next day I was seated in front of the department chair who informed me that my play was not selected, that there was a reading committee of three, and the other two had chosen another entry. “Ties” however, was his pick and he encouraged me to do something with it.

Not long after, I was walking along Government Street with a friend telling him the story of my theatrical debut’s near-miss. It was then that we passed by a sandwich board in front ofa a small marquee which read “Edna Brown’s Little Dinner Theatre”. After much cajoling and arm-twisting from my friend, I agreed to go in and ask about what producing a play in this venue might entail.

I was met by a woman in her eighties vacuuming the carpet in front of a cash register on a desk which I later learned served as the box office. I had a good glimpse into the other room where there was a tiny stage which might be suitable for any play that had a cast of two or less, provided the actors were on the small size. “Any chance I

could speak to the owner?” I asked. “A very good chance. You’re talking to her.” “I am wondering what might be involved to perform a play in your theatre.”

Rather than answer me, she approached the desk, pulled out a large black book, and opening it, asked,”When do you want to do it?” Not sure, I chose a date six weeks away.

I approached my faculty advisor, Norma Rowen, who had been active in community theatre, and asked her if she might be interested in the role. She read the script and said she would. I asked her if she knew an actor who could do the other role. She gave me the name, John Lattimer, and he read the script and agreed to perform the role. We spent a month rehearsing the play, with me muddling my way through a process I barely understood.

There was only one performance, attended by some fifty-odd patrons who were served a mediocre meal and watched two skilled actors earnestly performing their roles. Despite the distraction of kitchen noise and inexperienced help who couldn’t remain quiet during a performance, the evening was full of magic for me. I got to experience for the first time an audience as it responded to my words. As apprenticeships go, it was more than passable. Above all, I got the theatre bug.

Some other time, I’ll continue the story. It involves a late-night bottle of wine with Edna Brown and the cast of my second play, “Privacy” and how the banter between her and a friend led me to write a play that would bring me home to Ontario and a production for television.

By: Kevin Land

“1988 Alfa Romeo Milano - Madness, Beauty, Love and Discipline”

A short time ago, I drove this one owner, 1988 Alfa Romeo Milano, fell in love and chose not to buy it.

That, dear friends, is discipline. I think about this car every day, but I need to take care of my family and my other responsibilities at this time, and I must be prudent in my decision making.

Of course, there’s nothing prudent at all regarding the Milano itself. That’s the beauty of the thing -it simply dances in the Obscene. The design goes where the viewer isn’t comfortable going. This “Bella Brutta” was designed by the great Ermanno Cressoni, and is considered the last of the real Alfa Romeos. Called the “75” in Europe, it was designed to honour the firm’s 75th anniversary. He called the brutalist styling “La Linea”. So matter of fact. It’s the automotive equivalent of ladies wearing big hair and big shoulder pads on houndstooth blazers with brass buttons. La Linea doesn’t care that you think it’s ugly. Many do. Get over yourself and get out of my way. Beauty doesn’t have to be beautiful, no?

For years, the public has derided this car for being ugly, needlessly complicated, unreliable, weird. Well the public has no idea what they’re on about -let them howl. This car has so many of the ingredients and personality of the finest Italian exotics at a fraction of the cost. It’s an undervalued under appreciated treasure.

The mechanicals are exquisite. I worship this thing because I’ve been around and I know what I’m talking about. The all-aluminum 2.5L 12V V6 is known as “The Busso” after its creator, and it makes the most enthralling snarling noises as it revs. The thing is alive. The power is linear, and it pulls no problem from a rolling stop in 2nd. The shifts are long, but you’ll never miss a gear if you’re confident in what you’re doing. The gearbox is at the rear, straddled by inboard disc brakes, and bearing the torsion of a weird and delightfully tactile suspension. The handling, steering, balance, FEELING is just divine.

This particular Milano was owned and cherished by an Italian gentleman in Mississauga from new. He passed away in August. It only has 108,000km and was his pride and joy. Just being with the car, I could feel this man’s personality. I could hear that the engine needs a valve adjustment (no big deal, I’ve worked on these engines), and there are a few little things that could be addressed, but it’s so honest. A real gem.

It could be my pride and joy, but it’s not. Not now, anyways. Time for my head to reign in my heart. This Milano is proof of the beautiful madness that lives on the other side of my better judgement.

By: Robert Iantorno

Dear Community Business,

We are writing on behalf of the Nutrition Program at Macphail Memorial Elementary School. We run a universally accessible food program every day. We are looking for businesses in our community to partner alongside us; to help us provide our children with a snack consisting of 3 food groups every morning during the school year. All food we serve meets the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services Guidelines and follows Safe Food Handling practices. Our wonderful team serves 580 students every day, stigma free regardless of need and it is absolutely free to ALL students! The majority of our volunteer-run program is funded by grants and fundraising. Our current costs are approximately $4000 a month.

In order to continue this successful program, we need your help! If you recognize the importance of ALL of our students having the nourishment they need to succeed at school, please consider making a financial or in-kind donation to our program. Our Ask - would your business be willing to partner with us to help feed the students at Macphail? There are a few different ways to support the program:

• Monetary Donations. Any value of $25.00 or more receives a tax receipt. This money will go directly to purchasing our daily groceries. Cheques can be payable to: Bluewater District School Board and dropped off at the school’s office or mailed.

+ In the cheque memo: please write Macphail Nutrition Program + Donations can also be made online. See the following page for details.

• Gift Cards/ Gift Baskets/ Items or Services. We are having a raffle/silent auction at the school’s holiday concert in December. We could use any of the above options to fundraise at this event. If this is the route that you can contribute we ask that donations be made by November 18th. Please email us at mac.nutritionprogram@ gmail.com to arrange pick up.

• Volunteer. We are always looking for volunteers to help prep, serve and clean. If this interests you, please email us! We see the value of providing nutritious

food to ALL students to optimize their learning potential. When surveyed, new partner schools indicate an increase in student readiness to learn, an overall improvement in school performance and a reduction in at-risk behaviour.

Thank you for your generous support! Please reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely, Crystal Tyler, Jen Veens, Carolyn Gott and the Nutrition Program Team

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668-2063

FAMILY MATTERS DUTCH CHRISTMAS

Every family has their own Christmas traditions. A recent addition for me is Dutch Christmas. My mother-in-law came to Canada from Holland at a young age with her parents and her two sisters. They were part of the post WWII wave of European immigration to Canada.

To see the similarities and the differences between Dutch Christmas and the Christmas traditions that I grew up with has been a lot of fun. Both have Santa Claus (although the Dutch call him Sint-Nicolass). While candy canes and Turtles are traditional sweet gifts here, oranges and a chocolate letter (the first letter of your name) are traditional Dutch gifts. In addition to the Dutch Christmas carols, Dutch Christmas is comprised of a large assortment of yummy treats. These range from Pepernoten (small, spiced cookies with a hint of licorice flavour), Speculaas (similar to our gingerbread cookies), and Marzipan. Dutch Christmas, also called Sinterklaas, or the feast of Sint-Nicolaas is held on December 6th. While it is new to me, my children have not known a Christmas without it. For me, one of the things I love about our country is

the idea that our sense of nationality is big enough to embrace other traditions. It is not like my children are being asked to choose between being Canadian and celebrating their Dutch heritage, instead they get to embrace both.

Dank U Sinterklassje!

JASON TODOROFF