March 25, 2026

Last week’s stormy weather had Team Fergmeijer craving some comfort food. We wanted to try a new soup recipe, but it called for 5 potatoes cubed. We’ll be honest, 125 potatoes seemed a bit excessive, so we went with mac n cheese instead. (Come on, admit it… that was a ladle bit funny.) 

It’s that time of year again, when perfectly reasonable adults stop mid-conversation, stare into the distance, and say ‘…crane?’ That’s right, it’s time for the unofficial-totally silly-but-extremely-serious Sandhill Crane spotting competition! We’re not saying you should ignore your responsibilities to look for cranes… but we’re not not saying that. Report the date and time of your sightings (and soundings) to fergmeijer@gmail.com. First sighting/sounding earns full bragging rights as well as a level of local fame that goes straight to your head.

Thank you to everyone who helped out their neighbours last week during the storm. It was so heartwarming to hear of folks going out of their way to check in on and help others in the township. Thanks for making Billings such a great community to be a part of!

 

Don’t forget that Billings Senior Active Living hosts indoor walking in the sunny upstairs of the Park Centre each Tuesday at 2pm. Mondays at 9am is Yoga with Sam and Fridays at 9am you can join fitness classes with Kelly Ranta. Get fit and active at your own pace! 

Also offered by SAL are Euchre for fun nights. The last session was cancelled due to weather, so be sure to mark the next two on your calendar: Wednesday, March 25th (tonight!) and April 22nd at the Park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos are all welcome. Contact Mary Milligan at 705 348-2285 for more information.

Tap into happiness this Saturday at the first annual Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival. The event starts with a pancake breakfast. Browse the maple-forward vendors inside, and explore the interactive mock sugar bush, “Through the Ages,” where you can learn how to place a spile and sample fresh maple candy. Take a turn around the skating rink, and take a break for a pork on a bun lunch. The festival wraps up with a maple-forward, multi-course dining experience prepared by local chefs. Seating begins at 5:30 PM, advance tickets are required. Not to get sappy, but the menu has maple-leiveing in love at first bite. All profits from the event will go to Little Current Hospital Auxiliary in support of Manitoulin Health Centre. Visit manitoulinculinarytourism.ca/maple-syrup-festival for more information and to purchase tickets. 

Happy birthday to Tahnee P, Micki B who are celebrating their 29th birthdays this week. Do you find yourself struggling to read the instructions on your anti-aging face cream? Do you get unreasonably excited about things like outdoor cushions? Do phone calls after 9pm upset you? Don’t think of it as getting old, think of it as outliving the warranty.

Still not totally dug out from last week’s dump of snow? No rush! It’s just more time to knit and crochet mini projects for the library’s Fiber Arts Fundraiser. Their website (bit.ly/fiberfundraiser) has dozens of small, silly projects for all ability levels that can be whipped up in just a couple hours. Donate your adorable finished products to the library and they will use them to raise money at their summer market table. 

Do you have any photos or newspaper clippings about the Billings Fire Department? Some dedicated locals are looking for any and all references they can find about the history of the department and those who have served on it. Contact Team Fergmeijer if you have anything you would be willing to share. 

May your diet Cokes be crisp and your hoodie strings be even, and may you never stir your coffee with the cat food spoon. This is our sincere wish for you all. Have a great week!

March 18, 2026

Even though Team O’Fergmeijer puts the ‘sham’ in shamrock, we love to go cloverboard for St. Patrick’s day. We could tone it down, but we figure, if it ain’t brogue, don’t fix it. Yesterday we planned to wear our shamrock ties, but decided to go with a rain bow instead. It’s just a darn Seamus that this year St. Patrick’s day didn’t quite fall on Expositor publication day, but as they say: keep calm and leprechaun. We may have hit the pint of no return with these puns. 

In consulting the Team O’Fergmeijer archives (teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com), it is clear that despite the snow on the ground, we are quickly approaching the traditional time of first sightings/soundings of Sandhill O’Cranes. Which of course, means that you need to keep a sharp eye (and ear!) out for our friendly neighbourhood dinosaurs. The annual Sandhill Crane Spotting Contest awards bragging rights upon the first person seeing or hearing a crane in the township. Willa O’Wilson and Peter O’Gordon are repeat winners and tough competition, so be sure to send your sightings or soundings to fergmeijer@gmail.com and don’t forget to include date and time of the spotting for your chance to win! 

Don’t forget that Billings Senior Active Living hosts indoor walking in the sunny upstairs of the Park O’Centre each Tuesday at 2pm. Mondays at 9am is Yoga with Sam and Fridays at 9am you can join fitness classes with Kelly O’Ranta. Get fit and active at your own pace! 

Also offered by SAL are Euchre for fun nights. The last session was cancelled due to weather, so be sure to mark the next two on your calendar: Wednesday, March 25th and April 22nd at the Park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos (and presumably solo rookies!) are all welcome. Contact Mary O’Milligan at 705 348-2285 for more information.

Is winter making you feel all tapped out? This month brings warmer weather, longer days… what could po-syrup-bly maple March even better? Well we’ve got a sweet surprise for you! The first annual Manitoulin Mape O’Syrup Festival is coming to the Kagawong Park Centre on Saturday, March 28th! Sticky it on your calendar and be sure to come out for a sap-tacular day of vendors, activities and maple treats. 

Happy 29th birthday to Sharon O’Jackson and getting closer to 29th birthday to Brett O’Varey. Remember, getting old is like farming; you spend all day fixing stuff that didn’t break yesterday.

The deadline for applying for summer jobs with the township is swiftly approaching! There are two positions at the marina, two with public works, one with the museum, and one with the library. Applications, including a cover letter and a resumé, will be accepted until noon this Friday (March 20th). Check out the township website at https://www.billingstwp.ca/townhall/careers/ for more information and eligibility.

Has the recent crummy weather got you stuck inside? Why not put that time to cozy use by doing some knitting or cr-O’Shay? The library’s Fiber Arts Fundraiser’s website (bit.ly/fiberfundraiser) has dozens of small, silly projects for all ability levels that can be whipped up in just a couple hours. Donate your adorable finished products to the library and they will use them to raise money at their summer market table. 

Do you have any photos or newspaper clippings about the O’Billings Fire Department? Some dedicated locals are looking for any and all references they can find about the history of the department and those who have served on it. Contact Team O’Fergmeijer if you have anything you would be willing to share. 

The ice rink under the O’Pickledome is closed due to the mild weather lately. It might be the end of the skating season. Check out the Kagawong Outdoor Recreation Facility Facebook page for updates.

Note to self for this time next year: if you want to hire a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s day, just put him on a ladder. Have a great week!

March 11, 2026

We have always believed that the annual ‘spring forward’ changing of the clocks on Sunday morning should be followed by a national holiday on Monday. We try not to think of it as losing an hour of sleep, but more that it is us being an hour closer to breakfast. And not to be too judgmental, but maybe, if the daylight was more careful, it wouldn’t have to be saved all the time. 

Get over your winter blahs with the help of a bowl of delicious chili! Saturday, March 14th, the Anglican Church is having a Chili Fest Luncheon with homemade chili, biscuits, drinks and dessert, all for $18. You can stay and visit or get it to go. This cash-only event is a fantastic fundraiser for the church. 

Team Fergmeijer was blown away by one last poem submission that came in at the end of our Short Poems for a Short Month event. So we just had to contribute one more!

A writer from the island of Barrie

Rose to our challenge from Febr’ary.

In the nick of time,

She composed a sweet rhyme!

Who knew her talents were so varied!

It might seem a little early in the year but now is a good time to polish your binoculars and get your hearing aids tuned up, because soon enough it will be crane-spotting season! The first sightings/soundings reported to fergmeijer@gmail.com (make sure to include date and time) wins bragging rights for the whole year! 

Don’t forget that Billings Senior Active Living hosts indoor walking in the sunny upstairs of the Park Centre each Tuesday at 2pm. Mondays at 9am is Yoga with Sam and Fridays at 9am you can join Fitness with Kelly classes. Get fit and active at your own pace! 

Also offered by SAL are Euchre for fun nights. The next one is Wednesday, March 25th at the Park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos (and presumably solo rookies!) are all welcome. Can’t make that game? You’ll have another chance Wednesday April 22nd.  

Is winter making you feel all tapped out? This month brings warmer weather, longer days… what could pos-sap-bly maple March even better? Well we’ve got a sweet surprise for you! The first annual Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival is coming to the Kagawong Park Centre on Saturday, March 28th! Sticky it on your calendar and be sure to come out for a sap-tacular day of vendors, activities and maple treats. 

Happy birthday to Paula VF, Kim N, Mike M, and Arthur H who have either recently celebrated, or will soon be celebrating their 29th birthday! Getting older has definite perks. Like being able to stop lying about your age, and start lying around your house. 

The deadline for applying for summer jobs with the township is swiftly approaching! There are two positions at the marina, two with public works, one with the museum, and one with the library. Applications, including a cover letter and a resumé, will be accepted until Friday, March 20th at noon. Check out the township website at https://www.billingstwp.ca/townhall/careers/ for more information and eligibility.

Daylight Savings Time: making Team Fergmeijer fashionably late since 1978. Have a great week!

March 4, 2026

Euchre is a lot like falling in love. In the early days, it’s all Hearts and Diamonds, but after a while, there are times you find yourself wishing for a Club and a Spade. We are so excited that euchre has started up in Kagawong again! It’s been a long time since regular games were held here and we are pleased to see that time has not dulled some of those card sharks who come out to play.  If you are interested in playing, or joining the volunteers who put it on, reach out to seniors@billingstwp.ca. 

Get over your winter blahs with the help of a bowl of delicious chili! Saturday, March 14th, the Anglican Church is having a Chili Fest Luncheon with homemade chili, biscuits, drinks and dessert, all for $18. You can stay and visit or get it to go. This cash-only event is a fantastic fundraiser for the church. 

Don’t forget that Billings Senior Active Living hosts indoor walking in the sunny upstairs of the Park Centre each Tuesday at 2pm. Mondays at 9am is Yoga with Sam and Fridays at 9am you can join Fitness with Kelly classes. Get fit and active at your own pace! 

Also offered by SAL are Euchre for fun nights. The next one is Wednesday, March 11th at the Park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos (and presumably solo rookies!) are all welcome. While you are at it, might as well mark March 25 and April 22 as Euchre nights on your calendar as well. 

Many happy returns to Maddy M, Steve S, and Arthur H, all of whom have turned 29 recently. Now that you have gotten a bit older, we expect things will really start to click for you. Things like your knees, your back, your neck…

How do we know spring is right around the corner? The township is hiring for summer student positions! There are two positions at the marina, two with public works, one with the museum, and one with the library. Applications, including a cover letter and a resumé, will be accepted until Friday, March 20th at noon. Check out the township website at https://www.billingstwp.ca/townhall/careers/ for more information and eligibility.

Did you hear about the priest who got carpal tunnel syndrome from playing too many old-timey card games? He received the euchre-wrist. Have a great week!

February 25, 2026

We take our health and the health of our readers very seriously. We want to encourage everyone to be on the lookout for lumps and bumps that are new, perhaps painful, or have changed appearance recently. Make sure you get them checked out by an actual medical professional (don’t rely on Dr. Google). It’s front of mind this week because one half of Team Fergmeijer recently went to the doctor with a suspicious looking mole to have it checked out. Luckily, it was nothing to be concerned about; the doctor told her they all look like that and that she should have left him in the garden. 

The next Chatter Matters café is tomorrow - February 26th at 10:30am at the Park Centre. Contact Mary at 705 348-2285 for more information on this free event as part of the Seniors Active Living program!

It’s the final week of Short Poetry for a Short Month! Thank you to everyone who had thoughts and opinions on our short poems over the last few weeks. Our last SPSM poem is a suggestion from a long-time reader, first time contributor who thought the poet really matched the Team Fergmeijer vibe. 

‘You Took the Last Bus Home’ by Brian Bilston 

you took 

the last bus home

don’t know how

you got it through the door

you’re always doing amazing stuff

like the time

you caught the train

The next Euchre for fun night is tonight (Wednesday February 25th) at the Park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos (and presumably solo rookies!) are all welcome. While you are at it, might as well mark March 11, 25, and April 22 as Euchre nights on your calendar as well. 

The township is hiring for summer student positions, which means that the warmer weather is just around the corner! There are two positions at the marina, two with public works, one with the museum, and one with the library. Applications including a cover letter and a resumé will be accepted until Friday, March 20 at noon. Check out the township website at https://www.billingstwp.ca/townhall/careers/ for more information and eligibility.

The library’s Fiber Arts Fundraiser is calling all knitters and crocheters. Looking for something a little different? Visit their website (bit.ly/fiberfundraiser) and pick one of dozens of small, silly projects, and donate them to the library to be sold at the summer market on Wednesdays. This is a crafty way to support the library and most projects only take a few hours to complete!

Always try to use ‘defenestrate’ in casual conversation, whenever a window of opportunity presents itself. Have a great week!

February 18, 2026

Valentine’s Day is all about the love, and this time of year, Team Fergmeijer likes to put aside our customary cynicism, pop on our rose-coloured glasses, and remind ourselves of all the wonderful things around us. The skunk that lives under our porch is so stinkin’ cute! The neighbour’s cat is pawsitively adorable, and we’ve never seen a porcupine looking quite so sharp as the one sleeping in the tree in our backyard. Stung by a bee? A hint you will soon find your honey. And while the dog could be your best fur-end, the horse will definitely be your mane squeeze. 

Thank you to all the organizers and volunteers who worked so hard to put on the annual Winterfest event here in town last weekend. It is wonderful to see so many locals, as well as those from the wider Island community out to have fun and socialize. 

The next Chatter Matters cafés are February 23rd and 26th at 10:30am at the Park Centre. Contact Mary at 705 348-2285 for more information on this free event as part of the Seniors Active Living program!

It’s week three of Short Poetry for a Short Month! Create and submit your short form piece of poetry on any topic that won’t make the Expositor editors question why they let us do this (any more than they already do), and we will print it in the column! Any short form is welcome: haiku, limerick, rhyming couplet, monostich, etc. Email your submissions to fergmeijer@gmail.com. Just one week left!

Combining some of our favourite things, Team Fergmeijer celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a serving of puncakes, and we wrote a flipping fantastic poem to mark the occasion:

Are you getting snow-weary 

This cold February?

It doesn’t really matter,

There’s plenty of fresh batter.

Hit the short stacks

Of sweet warm flapjacks,

And mop up that syrup - 

Pancakes help you cheerup!

The next Euchre for fun night is Wednesday February 25th at the park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos (and presumably solo rookies!) are all welcome. While you are at it, might as well mark March 11, 25, and April 22 as Euchre nights on your calendar as well. 

Happy birthday to Suedy H and Ruth F who are both celebrating their 29th birthdays. After all these years, you’ve still got it! (Somewhere. Probably in a drawer). 

The Seniors Active Living program is also hosting a mobility yoga and meditation mini-retreat for all those aged 55+. The mini-retreat will be Saturday, February 28 from 1-4pm at the Park Centre, and will feature mobility yoga, refreshments, and a meditation. Participants are asked to bring a yoga mat, water bottle, blanket and pillow. Cost is $20. Contact SLM5@outlook.com or 705 348-2285 to register!

Need an excuse to break out the knitting needles or crochet hook? Billings Library’s Fiber Arts Fundraiser is here for you! Visit their website (bit.ly/fiberfundraiser) and pick one of dozens of small, quick and cute projects, and donate them to the library to be sold at the summer market on Wednesdays.

Don’t worry if you didn’t have a valentine’s on Valentine’s Day. You probably didn’t have a groundhog on groundhog day, either. Have a great week!

February 11, 2026

Short poetry for a Short Month continues! Create and submit your short form piece of poetry on any topic that won’t make the Expositor editors blush, and we will print it in the column! Any short form is welcome: haiku, limerick, rhyming couplet, monostich (we had to look that one up), etc. Email your submissions to fergmeijer@gmail.com. Here’s an example of a monostich: 

Kagawong Winterfest glows where bonfires crackle, maple taffy steams on snow, sleds fly, and the whole community gathers to turn cold into joy. 

Winterfest is just around the corner! Organized by the Parks, Recreation and Wellness Committee, February 16th is sure to be a happenin’ day in Kagawong. Details still to come, though we’ve heard rumours of maple taffy and a bonfire (though really, you had us at taffy). More details coming soon!

Looks like we aren’t the only ones who feel February is for poetry. Bittersweet Tea Co is holding a Tea and Poetry evening on February 19th from 6-8pm. Contact the shop directly for more information. Does that make us trendsetters? We prefer the term vibe-makers!

Thank you to everyone who brought a burst of warmth to the Park Centre last weekend for the annual winter market! 

Don’t fear the skunk! The next Euchre for fun night is Wednesday February 25th at the park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos (and presumably solo rookies!) are all welcome. While you are at it, might as well mark March 11, 25, and April 22 as Euchre nights on your calendar as well. 

The Seniors Active Living program is also hosting a mobility yoga and meditation mini-retreat for all those aged 55+. The mini-retreat will be Saturday, February 28 from 1-4pm at the Park Centre, and will feature mobility yoga, refreshments, and a meditation. Participants are asked to bring a yoga mat, water bottle, blanket and pillow. Cost is $20. Contact SLM5@outlook.com or 705 348-2285 to register!

Lace up those boots! And then take them off when you get to the Park Centre… and then lace up those shoes! Join the Seniors Active Living program for indoor walking, Tuesday afternoons from 2:00-3:30pm at the Kagawong Park Centre. Call Mary for information: 705 348-2285.

And if you’d rather glide than walk, be sure to take advantage of the Kagawong outdoor rink. With a roof to protect you from the elements, and lights so you can skate into the evening, there’s really no excuse! Huge thank you to the volunteers that maintain the ice for everyone to enjoy.

If you need a reason to carve out time to knit or crochet in your busy day, Billings Library’s Fiber Arts Fundraiser is a great excuse! Visit their website (bit.ly/fiberfundraiser) and pick one of dozens of small, quick and cute projects, donate them to the library sometime between now and August to be sold at the Wednesday markets. Nothing says perfect winter weekend like settling in by the fire (or tv, no judgement) with your knitting or crocheting. Who is going to give you a hard time about it when it’s for such a great cause?

Going with the short poems theme, here’s our happy birthday wishes in haiku form!

Twenty-nine again—

Neil, Heather, Chris insist

candles lie, not cake

The sap might not be flowing quite yet, but maple syrup season is just around the corner! To celebrate, the first (hopefully annual) Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival is coming to Kagawong on March 28th. It sounds like it will be a pretty sweet day, with activities, vendors, and of course, food. Vendor applications are now open for those selling maple-inspired products. Visit https://manitoulinculinarytourism.ca/maple-syrup-festival-main-page for more information, to register for special events, or to apply to be a vendor.

We bought a second hand time machine at a thrift shop next Sunday. They don’t make them like they’re going to anymore. Have a great week!