My 'Olympic Plaza' photo selected for the iphone's Schmap

A female perspective on mental health - thestar.com

A female perspective on mental health - thestar.com

Echo, a government agency focusing on women's health, in partnership with the Ontario Women's Health Network are helping to provide the government with a female perspective for a 10-year mental health strategy unveiled by former provincial health minister David Caplan. They are helping to convey the message that mental illness is often triggered by violence or sexual assaults.

Feeling Good about our Elgin Community

Bayham-Elgin Business Expo—October 24, 2009
John E. Montgomery

Having a booth at the Bayham-Elgin Business Expo made me feel closer to the rest of the community. This was the first time that a business expo has been held in Bayham, Elgin County East. My booth was right beside the booth for Sunshine Restaurant, Straffordville which did the catering for the show. I enjoyed meeting other business owners and government staff and leaders. Matt Schafer kindly visited and had his photo taken with me at my booth. I met Margaret Voth of the Norfolk Community Help Centre, Doug Mantle, Shelly McCallum and Lucien from Elgin Business Machines. I enjoyed many of the discussions I had with people who attended the show about my practice. Doug Lester did a great job of ushering us through the day’s activities and the many ticket draws that were held. Doug’s booming voice would catch our attention to get us through the many phases of the show. Children came to my exhibit because my wife told me to bring something for the kids. Their parent's attention was focused on those who attended the show and so the children came over to ask for drawings to colour and candy. It was great seeing again people such as Ron Allensen from Monarch Landing, Bev Wager of Seedy Saturday fame and Joe Stephenson of the Otter Valley Naturalists. l am sorry that I did not have the time like Lynn Acre to talk to each and every business owner. The whole atmosphere I think made us feel like winners.

View Sean's photos here

Finding a Good Marriage Counsellor

Three reasons why

Find out More about Aylmer, Bayham and Elgin County

Discover Elgin County and Bayham backyard.

Brave those scary Monsters Londoners

Brave those scary Monsters Londoners

Not many Londoners turn their vehicles immediately south when they go on day trips or holidays, or seek out tourist destinations. Like the horse hitched to the old milk wagon their cars just naturally go north. On occasion a few brave souls might head directly south to Port Stanley, eat their dinners while peering at the boats gliding past two halves of the lift bridge tilted like hands in prayer to lake navigation history. But then Londoners head quickly back to familiar landmarks. Some are finding that Sparta, which is a little east of there is quite interesting too. Sparta has ‘Winter Wheat’ and other stores where you can get hand-made wall ornaments for your gardens and patios. It also has the winery Quai Du Vin. If you travelled a little east of there you’d also find fruit wineries. Then there’s the Green Frog Tea Room, a place unto itself, where local musicians gather to play their down-home music on Sunday afternoons. Taking the John Wise line east you’d eventually come to Florence Estate Winery in Norfolk County where they are restoring the Carolinian forest.

To actually go and explore Elgin County seems to some Londoners like crazy talk even though it’s no farther away than Stratford. Ancient cartographers used to put strange creatures half human and half animal around the edge of their maps where they thought the world came to an end. Aylmer, Ontario has their version of these creatures too planted like statues in the park. It also has Bella Boutique where my daughter from Hamilton bought white Hollywood sun glasses. Stratford has a store where they make the finest chocolate in Ontario, but Sparta, St. Thomas and Tillsonburg have their chocolate stores too. Some people not only do wine tours, they also go for a chocolate run to Elgin. Then there are the theatres like the Festival Theatre in Port Stanley and The Old Town Hall Theatre in Aylmer. Port Burwell has interesting restaurants that some bikers would like to keep secret. Visit the fish market where you can buy perch, go swimming and do some excellent songbird and vulture watching. If you’re ecologically minded don’t’ just stop at the Wind Farm Orientation Centre, go and ask Mat Redsell for a tour of his own mini-windmill. Elgin is getting more attractive every year. So brave those scary monsters you explorers, you’ll only find them in our parks. Come discover a brave new world just south of the 401, and test the limits of your maps.

John E. Montgomery

"Old Growth"

Sycamore Tree --Carolinian "Old Growth" in Kettle Creek Conservation Area
This tree hung on longer than the farm did.

Did you ever think you would call yourself a 'blogger'?

Nancy asked me, Did you ever think you would call yourself a 'blogger'? What could she possibly mean?