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the HERALD- Wednesday January 1992 if Arts and Ideas Page SB Fond memories of winter sleigh rides remembered Ideas and The Arts by John Sommer fljfl By JOHNSOIY1MFR Herald Special When I was a child no other season amazed me as much as winter I remember the delicious cold feeling of the melting snowflakes that drifted down from enormous distances in the sky and touched my upturned face I remember the stillness of the farm how the abundant snowdrifts muffled all sounds I remember gliding swiftly over smooth white roads in a horsedrawn sleigh I remember the high pitched music of the lit tie bells that were fastened to the harness of the horses announc ing with their sound to the world that an otherwise soundless sleigh was approaching How clever the Idea of a sleigh was It amuses me now when a few in ches of snow becomes a major obstacle to the motorist The in of the sleigh was once considered as important as the invention of the wheel Today we insist on the use of the wheel all year round we are not as smart as we think Sleighs were 50 popular that people arranged sleighing par ties The most impressive sleighing party I remember took place when I was five years old My parents had established with two other nearby farm families a close neighborly relationship Our three families did many things together After New Year in they decided on the ultimate sleighing party They would all go with their children and servants in as many sleighs as they could muster to a faroff country inn famous for its hospitality have a good meal and hot wine dance after dinner as long as they felt like and return home eventually in the dark Halfway between our farms near a crippied old oak that had stood by this junction for hun of years was the meeting place I will never forget the sight of the nine sleighs with their spirited horses and filled with men women and children of all ages amidst a white sunny land scape My family had with three sleighs A big black one for fiver persons an even larger one with sides woven like a basket hat seated six and a small nar row sleigh pulled by one horse on ly that could seat two Our nearest neighbors had come with four sleighs ling almosl people and the third family arrived with two sleighs and aboul eight persons in the Forty grown and children exchanged loud greetings from sleigh to sleigh the warm horses steamed in cold winter air whips cracked and a lot of ferently tuned bells created a delightful noise Eventually the three households merged the many sleighs formed a splendid long row and he whole cavalcade sped down the tree lined avenue with snow being blown in all directions towards the agreed upon destination This was the most wonderful event in my life up to that time I was sitting between my parents the black sleigh op posite us sat my brother with the son of our headman Behind us on a special seat sat the head man with the re in one of his gloved hands and a long braided whip in the other We were all bundled up in thick wmtercoats and furlmed hats blankets and footmuffs In the latter hot waterbottles had been deposited for additional warmth After some time we entered a forest We drove through a of huge fir trees their strong branches loaded with snow When we emerged from the forest a valley with a village spread below us Beyond the village was another forest and at the end of that one was the inn an old castle like edifice with stables and barns We got there much too soon for everybody s taste The blankets and furs and hot waterbottles were taken into the inn The older boys helped stable the horses A vast stove was go ing full blast in the inn and a large table had been set and was waiting for us The adults had hot wine with their meal and we children had hot milk sweetened with honey Later the grown ups danced to music played on the inn s and the small Foundation promotes artistic excellence There is a newly established Foundation which provides a que opportunity for private citizens to participate directly in the development of creative ex in the arts The Ontario Arts Council OAC has established the dation as another step toward its goal of fostering excellence and making the arts available to peo ple across the province Individual donors can now en funds awards and fellowships to enable talented ar to fulfill their potential By sharing OAC s expertise the foundation can make the most of every dollar in par the Foundation guarantees that award winners will be chosen by experts their own artisitic fields CANADIAN POWER AND SAIL SQUADRONS To learn about safe boating enroll in the Georgetown Power Sail Squadrons Boating Courses at Georgetown District High School on Jan Classes start Tuesday Jan 14 at 7 15 9 30 m For further information call 873 3104 877 7454 We Heed You Elmar Englert Graeme Thompson it children fell asleep in the big leather chairs of the lobby When I awoke we were on our way home It was a very clear night with an astonishing amount of stars in the sky The flickering candles in lanterns belonging to each sleigh hardly managed to thro shadows onto the so brilliant shone the stars The par ly did not keep together as they had done on the way out Some sleighs went fast and others took their lime We came through the same village as hours before but the night made he houses and barns look different and far from in Behind some windows burned lights and the occasional dog barked at our passage The night was luminous and a bit scary and I was glad to sit so close to my mother We Joined our hands under the furs At one point the narrow twoseater sleigh passed us quickly and the young couple in it waved to us That is the last I remember I did not wake up until the next morning ALL INSTOCK WINTER BOOTS SNOWMOBILE WEAR UP TO f OFF All Items Subject To Presale All Sales Final id