September 30, 2016

How is it the end of September already? It feels like it was May just 3 seconds ago. On the upside, this time of year means great weather for all the cool activities going on in and around town these days.

The Old Mill Heritage Centre is hosting a walking tour of historic downtown Kagawong, led by Jacquie Gordon, this afternoon. Meet at the Old Mill for 2pm, and wear your walking shoes! The tour is free, but donations can be made to the museum.

The Elemental Festival starts today! Tonight through Sunday, there will be concerts, workshops, guided walks and visiting artists in Kagawong. It’ll be a great weekend to be out and about in the village. Check out www.4elementslivingarts.org for a full schedule of events and artists.

Got creative inspiration? Submit your ideas for permanent outdoor sculptures that will be part of the Billings Art and Heritage Trail to 4elements by October 24th. Check out the Kagawong Facebook page for more details or contact 4elements (www.4elementslivingarts.org) to get your submission package.

Kagawongians are hitting the road to raise money for cancer research. Mary Buie and the Burns Wharf players as well as one half of Team Fergmeijer are lacing up to run in the CIBC Run for the Cure event at the beginning of October! If you are interested in donating to this very worthy cause, please visit https://goo.gl/Xl2xw9 or pop by www.Facebook.com/Kagawong1 to click on the live link.

Happy birthday to honourary Kagawongian Kathryn Buie who will be turning 29 on Sunday. Here’s hoping soon-to-be baby Buie lets her sleep in!

The library’s next movie night is tomorrow - Saturday, Oct. 1st. Bring out the kids for Ice Age: Collision Course starting at 7pm. Check the Kagawong Facebook page to see info on all upcoming movies.

The #4eFestivalHaiku contest deadline has passed, but we couldn’t resist publishing one more haiku that came into us this past week, especially with Thanksgiving coming up:

Hey! Team Fergmeijer!

Kagawong Gobble Brigade

Is out in full force!

(submitted by MBB and TCO)

Team Fergmeijer was down at the river watching the salmon swimming upstream the other day, and saw one wearing a tie. How very sofishticated! Have a great week!

September 23, 2016

It’s Friday! A whole 57 hours until Monday. There really is only one valid synonym for Friday: Boomshakalaka!

Zumba is up and running every Thursday at the Park Centre! Bring your sneakers and get your groove on starting at 7pm.

The Old Mill Heritage Centre is hosting a walking tour of historic downtown Kagawong, led by Jacquie Gordon, on September 30. Meet at the Old Mill for 2pm, and wear your walking shoes! The tour is free, but donations can be made to the museum.

Speaking of walking shoes and dancing shoes, Team Fergmeijer is lacing up to run in the CIBC Run for the Cure event at the beginning of October, and is hoping to raise $1500! If you are interested in donating to this very worthy cause, please visit https://goo.gl/Xl2xw9 or pop by www.Facebook.com/Kagawong1 to click on the live link.

Happy birthday to Barb E, who turns 29 on Sunday!

The library’s next movie night is Saturday, Oct. 1st. Check the Kagawong Facebook page to see info on all upcoming movies.

Got creative inspiration? Submit your ideas for permanent outdoor sculptures that will be part of the Billings Art and Heritage Trail to 4elements by October 24th. Check out the Kagawong Facebook page for more details or contact 4elements (www.4elementslivingarts.org) to get your submission package.

4elements is also looking for submissions for their haiku contest! Tweet out your original haiku on the theme of “walking” to @4eLivingArts, with the hashtag #4eFestivalHaiku. Don’t forget: a haiku is a poem with 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 pattern. Here is an example:

Hey! Team Fergmeijer!

Love your column - so witty!

But why so much snark?

(submitted by Laurie from Evansville)

Yet another part of the Elemental Festival coming up Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 is a series of concerts, featuring Kagawong’s very own Jamie Ward and friends! Jamie performs on Oct. 1 with a number of familiar faces to back him up. See the full page ad in The Expositor for more details.

We’re now officially past the autumnal equinox, and just like Humpty Dumpty, Team Fergmeijer hopes you have a great fall! There is so much to enjoy this time of year. Team Fergmeijer loves all the colourful fall leaves that have started to appear, especially when they are being raked by someone else. Have a great week!

September 16, 2016

It’s starting to feel like autumn! Say what you will about the shorter days, but with less humidity lately, it is now safe to open a bag of chips without having them go soggy within the first ten minutes. You can also have a shower in the morning without having to take another shower 20 minutes later. Autumn - not just pretty leaves!

Happy Birthday to Keith M who celebrated in style on the weekend!

The Kagawong Canine Social Club celebrated 5 years as Manitoulin’s only off-leash dog park. The park was hopping with party hats, goodie bags, and good friends. Here’s to another 5 years of play in the park. Thanks to Carol Corneau and the fabulous Recreation committee for organizing the event.

If back-to-school has got you down (or perhaps you are a parent celebrating the occasion), come on out to the library’s movie night tomorrow. X-Men: Apocalypse is playing at 7pm. Admission is free!

Got creative inspiration? Submit your ideas for permanent outdoor sculptures that will be part of the Billings Art and Heritage Trail to 4elements by October 24th. Check out the Kagawong Facebook page for more details or contact 4elements (www.4elementslivingarts.org) to get your submission package. Team Fergmeijer started working on our scale model this week; so far we’ve lost one eyebrow, scared the dogs next door, and managed to glue our fingers together. Twice. Not bad considering our regular track record.

4elements is also looking for submissions for their haiku contest! Tweet out your original haiku on the theme of “walking” to @4eLivingArts, with the hashtag #4eFestivalHaiku. Don’t forget: a haiku is a poem with 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 pattern. Here is an example:

Hey! Team Fergmeijer!

Why do you always have to

include my quotes, yo?

(submitted by Jamie Ward)

Yet another part of the Elemental Festival coming up Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 is a series of concerts, featuring Kagawong’s very own Jamie Ward and friends! Jamie performs on Oct. 1 with a number of familiar faces to back him up. See the full page ad in The Expositor for more details.

Zumba starts up again this coming Thursday (Sept. 22) at the Park Centre! Bring your sneakers and get your groove on starting at 7pm, and running most Thursdays until December.

We might still see a last gasp of summer weather, but Team Fergmeijer is really looking forward to fall. There are many things we love about this time of year:  pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, cherry pie, lemon meringue pie turkey pot pie...

September 9, 2016

That colossal sound you heard last Wednesday morning? That was the collective wail of young people, teachers, and bus drivers across the Island as early morning alarm clocks went off, leaving summer vacation behind and starting up the back to school routine.

A reminder to drivers that as school has officially started, we need to be especially watchful for children getting on and off the bus. Remember, if a bus stops so should you, no matter which direction you are travelling in.

Take the sting out of going back to school; take in a pre-DVD release movie at the library every second Saturday this fall and winter! Pop by the library Facebook page to find out upcoming titles.

This isn’t just a big week for human children, it’s a big one for fur babies as well. Bring your dogs out tomorrow from 12noon-2pm to celebrate 5 official years as Manitoulin’s only off-leash dog park. You and your pup can come, sit, stay and play at Bark in the Park while you visit with other dog owners, play games, and take home a goodie bag! Check out www.Facebook.com/Kagawong1 for more information.

Can’t make it on Saturday? Come out for Sunday’s meeting of the Kagawong Canine Social Club. Every Sunday at 1pm local people and pups meet up to chat, play and socialize.

The township and 4elements Living Arts have issued a call for proposals for permanent outdoor sculptures that will be part of the Billings Art and Heritage Trail. The theme is ‘Learning from the past; creating a shared future” and will include seven permanent sculptures. Initial proposals are due in to 4elements by October 24th; works will be selected by jury. Check out the Kagawong Facebook page for more details or contact 4elements (www.4elementslivingarts.org) to get your submission package.

A very happy birthday to Kim B, who turns 29 on Monday! We hope you have a lovely day.

As we all head back to school, Team Fergmeijer decided to outsource our words of wisdom this week. Here is what some of the local children offered for advice:

Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time. - Kyoyo, 9.

Tell your wife she’s pretty even if she looks like a truck. - Ricky, 10.

Never trust a dog to watch your food. - Patrick, 10

If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse. - Naomi, 15

When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone. - Alyesha, 13.

September 2, 2016

Welcome to another long weekend - sadly, the last of the summer. It’s an exciting time of year for both students and teachers, though. Be on the lookout for school buses as everyone settles back into routine.

Come, sit, stay and play at Bark in the Park, celebrating the dog park’s 5th birthday next Saturday (Sept. 10th). Visit with other dog owners, play games, and take home a goodie bag! Check out www.Facebook.com/Kagawong1 for more information.

The heartiest of happy birthdays goes out to Linda F who has joined Kagawong’s 29 club. A rather large crowd of well-wishers descended on Main Street Cafe on Saturday morning to help her celebrate, and set a new record for number of breakfast sandwiches ordered before 10am. Local sous-chef Jamie Ward, who happens to be also celebrating his 29th birthday this coming week, commented, “Age is just a number, yo.” If you see Susan S. while you are out and about today, be sure to wish her a happy birthday, too. Three guesses how old she will be turning. That’s right - 29!  What a vibrant community of young whipper-snappers we have!

After a summer of ice cream cones, poutine, birthday cake, and slushies, get ready to dust off your boogie shoes - Zumba starts up again September 22 (and most Thursdays thereafter) at 7pm at the Park Centre. Everyone is welcome, and no experience (or coordination) is required - much to Team Fergmeijer’s relief.

Close out the summer with a movie at the library! Tomorrow’s movie will be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles starting on the big screen at 7pm. Check out http://www.facebook.com/kaglibrary for more details.

The library would like to thank Emily for all her hard work this summer. Her last day is today, and we wish her the best of luck as she heads back to school. Without Emily, the library will be returning to their usual Fall and Winter hours (Tuesday & Thursday 4-7pm; Saturday 10am-1pm) starting tomorrow.

As summer winds down, Team Fergmeijer has been contemplating life, the universe and everything, pondering the really important questions and making some significant realizations. Here are some ‘Deep Thoughts” by Team Fergmeijer:

If the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body, then are only left-handed people in their right mind?

If two people on opposite sides of the world each drop a piece of bread, for that one moment does the Earth becomes a sandwich?

Before you criticize someone you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them you are a mile away and have their shoes.

(It’s probably a good thing summer is ending and we’ll have a bit less time on our hands.)