The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1972-10-12, Page 54
Some discussion before bedtime
Hurry up, so we can start eating
It's a refreshing walk
Batten Around with the. editor P400 5 Time-Advocate, October 12, 1972
An old-fashioned Thanksgivin
Out in the hush
•
•
Headed "north" for
Thanksgiving this year to enjoy
the Calvacade of Color which the
entrepreneurs have managed to
turn into one more excuse for
people to flood their vacation
lands.
The colors were, indeed,
something to behold. There were
greens, yellows, reds, blues,
violets, indigos, oranges and
every mutation of those colors of
the rainbow,
And that was just the cars! You
should have seen the trees,
They were a little more sparce
at times than vehicles, but the
area of the Muskoka is something
to behold in fall, and while the
colors may not be any better than
here, they confront you at every
glance and for mile upon mile.
They are reflected in the
streams and rivers, •aking on
even different shades it:. the dark,
blue waters of the northern
streams.
However, our main aim in
travelling north was not to take in
nature's most spectacular show,
but rather to spend "an old
fashioned" Thanksgiving out in
the bush,
It was difficult to know what to
expect, We were guests at the
Dunroven Hunt Camp and our
host was a member of that band,
Jack Fuller.
His wife, Lossy had spent last
• Thanksgiving at the camp and,
despite the tales she related of
the hardships that had to be
endured, the Battens and Fullers
headed out once again, along with
Mrs. Bea Tate (Aunt Bea) of
Hamilton.
We're still not certain where
Dunroven is located, but that
doesn't matter too much, because
there probably won't be too many
readers interested in a visit any
way.
If you took a point somewhere
between Halibur ton -,and
Bracebridge on Muskoka Road 1
you would be on your way, and•
it's the first right hand turn after
the fifth "soft spot" in the road
past. Clear Lake.
Unless you're driving a four-
wheel drive machine you may
have to walk from the fourth
"soft spot" because they're real
dandies. You close your eyes and
hope that when you open them
you have not swayed over the
side and down into the ravine
below, Hope the councillors up
that way 'get to the Good Roads
Convention soon.
Actually, Dunroven is in the
midst of a comparatively well-
settled spot for this area, There
are five buildings, the best of
which is a horse stable.
The camp itself is contained in
three buildings, Two of them 'are
combined by a breezeway (you
want to believe there are
breezes) and the third is located
about 30 feet away. It's a one-
holer, ,
One of the main buildings
contains the bunk house with
accommodation for 18 persons
and a bar with an ac-
commodation for 36 people, Yes,
they appear to have visitors on
those deer hunting expeditions.
The other building contains the
kitchen and dining room. There's
one huge table, an antique wood
stove, a large gas griddle and
oven, a water heater and many of
the other "necessities."
Unfortunately, the camp isn't
ready for the season yet as we
had to do withdlit a few minor
conveniences — like hydro and
water and gas, etc. etc. Seems
the hunters lug in a large
generator to keep the camp
humming and Lossy insisted we
had to do without the con-
veniences.
+ + +
Hunters are, apparently, not
what could he considered can-
didates for any good
housekeeping awards. We'll not
go into details for fear of
reprisals from Jack or another of
the local members of the camp,
Dal ton Finkbeiner.
After the dead mice were swept
up (and the evidence of numerous
other ones) our first hike into the
bush was planned, with Aunt Bea
being the only smart one in the
group. She volunteered to stay
home and tend the fires.
Funny thing about that bush.
Didn't appear to matter which
way you were going, it was all
uphill. If that wasn't bad enough
for a tenderfoot, it bordered a
swamp, and the water was high.
To trip on a fallen branch or
stumble over some debris was
not only embarrassing, but ex-
tremely damp.
With seven kids in tow (about
40 feet ahead most of the time)
our :trip. became exciting when a
duck rose from the forest floor at
the edge of the swamp and
fluttered down on the trail
ahead.
While Jack stalked the bird,
everyone waited breathlessly,
with 14 little eyes and ears taking
in the "hunt." The bird quickly
rose and a shot rang out and Jack
probably pulled off the greatest
pressure shot of his career. The
duck fell and off we raced to the
camp with our trophy.
Jeff Fuller and the Batten boys
were dispatched to pluck the bird
and returned with what appeared
to be an over-sized sparrow.
Certainly there wasn't enough for
even a lick each, so Aunt Bea laid
claim to it and it will soon grace
her dinner table.
As a matter of interest, the bird
had a grand total of 10 large
acorns in him, and they were all
whole. The boys have a wing and
a couple of feet as souvenirs and
some poor teacher at EPS will
soon be seeing them on display
for "show and tell,"
venient place for those who felt
they couldn't face the 30-foot
walk in the cool of the night and
as the lantern flickered its last,
calm settled over the bunkhouse,
broken only by the flickering of
the flames from the old stove.
+ + +
Sunday morning wake-up call
was sounded by the first of the
weak-kidneyed and the cabin was
soon a bustle • of activity while
Jack and the writer braved the
cold to get the cook-house fire
going and the bacon and eggs
readied.
A treasure hunt was organized
and off we went looking for
leaves, toadstools, fungus, acorns
and a few other things we never
knew existed and still didn't until
the other teams arrived back. We
lost, but didn't get soaked as
others had when they ventured
too far away from the cabin and
got caught in the rain.
The leaves and weeds were
deftly turned into an attractive
table centre and all eyes focused
on the old cook stove where a 23-
pound turkey was cooking. At
the appointed time, he was un-
covered and was probably the
best looking (and tasting) bird
we've enjoyed for some time.
Hach at the table had to cite
orient the things for which he was
thankful. while the editor had a
poem prepared for the occasion.
After the ceremonies (with wine
yet. if you please) a large portion
of 'Tom" disappeared.
The party moved next door to
the bunk house and members
packed it in early as the brisk air
and huge platters of food quickly
took their toll,
The lights flickered out shortly
after 8;30 p.m., after everyone
had taken the 30-foot walk.
It was cool in the bush and the
seat on the one-holer was less
than comfortable and it probably
is the explanation why so many of
pioneers ended up with
pneumonia especially if they
happened to get a case of
diarrhea. It was just above
freezing Sunday night, and we
shuddered to think of making the
trip if the temperatures dropped
to in or 15 below.
We arose refreshed Monday
morning (slept the clock around)
and after another hearty break-
fast. started the long trip home
with hundreds of other motorists.
+ + +
All in all, it was a most en-
'joyable trip and a memorable
way to spend Thanksgiving. We
may think our ancestors liad little
for which to he thankful in
comparison to our present mode
of life, but we found that with
good friends, good food and warm
shelter, they really had all the
necessities of life.
While our hurry and scurry has
provided us with much more in
the way of comforts and material
wealth, it is doubtful if we can
really say we were better off than
they with their more relaxed way
of life.
It was a rather unusual coin-
cidence that Cathy and Gail spent
much of their time one evening
putting together a jig-saw puzzle
under the flickering light of the
lantern.
The puzzle was a map of
Canada and certainly this is a
nation that was put together by
people using such methods of
illumination.
Our lights are brighter! But are
we?
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* Safety Rest prevents accidental
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* Uses clean tap water
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After a long day on the trail
The old cook stove did a great job
Looked a bit better on the inside
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•
+ + +
The wood stove was blasting
out a raging fire when we
returned and it wasn't long
before supper was devoured and
our two youngest hit the pit,
Others followed shortly after and
everyone was bedded down
before the announcement was
made the clock had sped all the
way around to 9;30 p.m,
The "pot" was put in a con-
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* 10 position adjustable shelves
" Butter keeper and full
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Aunt Bea singes the duck
ft
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The bush was all uphill