The South Marysburgh Mirror A DAY IN EARLY WINTER By Bill Brearley he sun is bright today, like a great floodlight trying to sear the frozen surface of the land into life. The frost resists, but the chickadees enjoy the respite as they feed on seeds left outside the solarium. There's no breeze in the icy air outside the house, while within we two swelter with the sunlight and a wood fire that has decided to earn its keep. The flowers in the solarium have been fooled into thinking that it's spring. Watermelon red geraniums compete with orange marigolds rescued from October's frosts. Salmon pink, fuchsia and pale pink flowers are in full bloom on the Christmas cactus even though Christmas is several weeks away. The tenerife plant is throwing rose pink flowers in memory perhaps, of its home in the Azores. Earlier to-day the township excavated a ditch for new culvert outside our neighbour's new house. The machine operator handled the equipment rather like a dentist extracting an impacted tooth. The canal was cut in the frozen ground with precision. By the time the culvert was laid the rest of the working world were enjoying the "coffee break". Deciding to check out on the work, I ventured out noting that the drainage system that I had installed on the front of the property was still working to drain water away from the foundation. The water, in this case, was from a semi frozen barrel near the house that was dumped in order to prevent its splitting with freezing. Walking into the centre of the village I noticed that the sun stabbed at the ice crystals at the edge of the creek marking each facet with diamond like reflections. Just as small children enjoy breaking lose a piece of ice, so I tapped it with my foot. A small ice boat was launched in the current toward the Milford Pond and onward toward the Atlantic. All was quiet, even the usually noisy dogs seemed to be held by the sun's rays on this winter day. The road traffic moved slowly for a change, to and from the village, as if the sun was drawing its powers from their motors. The cold of the air and the warmth of the sun convinced me that I needed a chocolate bar, so a visit to Hicks' Store was in order. The morning meeting of "The Boys" at the store was long past, so there would be no news or so I thought. However, 1 did learn that deer hunting up in Renfrew County was very lean. Ah well Bambi does occasionally win. Certainly in September, my wife and | were amazed at the number and closeness (one too close) of the deer we saw in the "County." On the way home I noticed one forlorn young bull trying to amuse himself with the last vegetation of the year. Soon the snow and ice will eliminate even that. At home I noticed, with my wife's help that we have a blue jay to add to the flock of chickadees. While the birds competed for the seeds in the feeder we had lunch over the wood stove. SPECIAL NOTICE : The McKibbon Emporium will be open all winter from 10 to 5 daily {unless otherwise posted) as home for the newly named business: | "MEMORIES IN MILFORD " . SI ( FORMERLY ROSS REFINISHING/ RIVERVIEW ANTIQUES) Proprietor Don Ross & family invite you to stop in to see the changes. We've set aside the Ice Cream until Spring, and switched over to hot food to take the bite out of Winter. Try a mug of hot Little Bluff apple cider while you sit by the woodstove, and take home a jug if you wish. We serve coffee, teas and hot chocolate too. A bowl of soup, or chili, sandwiches and home- baking round out the menu, There are plenty of Antiques & Collectables throughout the whole shop, shelves full of Ann Maclellan's pottery, sculptures & paintings by W. A. Conly and a comer full of books from * Travellers' Tales * and The Historical Society. Also available are stained- glass, blown- glass, crafts, birdfeeders, greeting cards, Christmas decorations, local maple syrup and much more. All of the supplies, hardware and services provided by Ross Refinishing remain as before, just with a new name. Gift certificates may be purchased at any time, and Visa and Mastercard will now be accepted, or personal cheques. The phone # at The Emporium is 476-4916 or 476-2844 at home. Looking forward to seeing you at " MEMORIES IN MILFORD. MERRY CHRIS TMAS er BEST WISHES FORA HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 1996! DON. ROSS