Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-11-28, Page 34J �6f Page t8--Crossroads—Nov. 28, 1984 Shirley Whittington The fowlingofalake (honk if you lo ve geese) The subject today is geese. Annually several hundred Canada Geese take up temporary residence on the shores of a little lake within our town limits. The lake is so appealing it has been described as the jewel in our municipal navel. Because of the hyperactive alimentary tracts of our visiting geese, the navel now has an awful of -um -lint in it. When the enormous deep - chested birds'first flew into town several years ago, they were a big hit. The resident gulls nearly died of envy. More than one female was seen flexing her wings and saying, "I must, I must, I must develop my bust." We townsfolk took the big honkers to our hearts. We fed them, and felt noble and Assisi -like. Quivering with patriotism we shepherded overseas visitors down to the lake to see the magnificent Branta Canadensis. A de- lightful pic,ture of three geese standing at lake's edge, won a Chamber of Commerce photography 'contest and is now .featured in our town's promotional brochure. Gradually we discovered that Canada geese are quick and efficient grain re- 'cyclers. They eat, and then they drop their gooseberries all over the grassy lawns and beaches, .a procedure which has caused us tore -name the birds Branta Canadensis Polyfeces. Summer rains wash the gooseberries down into the lake, and this results in a high fecal coliform count. For two years in a row, we've had to close out beach to 'swimmers because the water is too dirty to swim in. Since this town counts tourism as one of its primary industries, you can under- stand that we are now looking at our geese with less than friendly eyes. That flock has grown fast- er than crabgrass in the suburbs. Where there was once a dozen there are now hundreds. They love the calm reedy waters of the lake. They find foraging in the grass rewarding. And I'm sure they cry "Alas, my poor brother" every time they hear a hunter's gun go off in the marsh a few miles away. Our little lake has become the Miami Beach of goose- dom. By the time you read this column Goosey Gander and Goosey Lucy and the whole honking herd will have flapped away to warmer southern climes for the rest of the winter. Our lake will slowly regenerate. But next spring, the geese will be back with their sunglasses and air mattresses, and dozens of newcomers who have heard about this goosey paradise from their friends. By August our beach will be closed again. We have a few months to find a solution to the prob- lem. We have considered shooting them, a procedure which would require a temporary lifting of gun restrictions within the town limits. But establishing a one day goose hunt didn't sit well with most of us. It seems un- sporting to blast the day- lights out of a bunch of vaca- tioning geese who have been living in what amounts to a bird sanctuary. Come in and discover our great MATERNITY FASHIONS We'll be proud to show you what we have to offer; from sophisticated to casual, from divine to glamorous, plus excellent and expert advice. Mrit ,J5 MATERNITY BOUTIQUE Westmount Place, Waterloo 746-1822 Mon. -Sat. 930 a.m.-6 p.m., Thurs. & Fri. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. 120 Cumberland St., Toronto 922-0636 Mon. -Sat. 9:30 a.m.-6 p,m., Thurs. till 8 p.m. FREE A YEAR'S SUPPLY OF SALT (10 BAGS) FREE INSTALLATION (NORMAL) FREE SERVICE FOR A YEAR You will receive all this from your Culligan Man when you purchase a Culligan Mark Series Water Conditioner before Jan. 15/1985 Call today before offer ends. "HEYCULLIGAN MAN!" INFORMATION HOTLINE 1-800-265-5528 Members of the local Hunters and Anglers Association agree that a goose hunt is not sportsman- like so that leaves us still with about 300 more geese than we need for local color. Should we import predators? Anything big enough to capture one of those big birds with the lethal wings would alsp be a threat to swimmers and pic- nickers. To set a pair of cheetahs among the geese would in the long run be counter-productive, if it's tourism we're after. Please be assured that I am not starting any feather- brained Save -The -Geese campaign. I want them out of there — most of them, at any rate. Those long -necked beggars are multiplying so fast we'll soon have to put them on the voter's list. We have about six months to figure out some way of arranging a climate of co- existence. I'm appealing to all of you who read this column. Some of you in other communities must have had a similar problem. How did you solve it? Cheetahs? Shooters? Mass export? I'll be waiting to hear from yoti. We need to know what to do. Honk if you love geese. f...41•^'c r,1 OM :fsess•••See.see•ml.t ip. • 4 M • 4 • �, o ce • 0.1x0 ciL•: loR:. By Margaret Arbuckle "Fatal Vision", the latest in the never-ending offering of TV mini-series, has something ,not too many of the rest -have: a good story. The program only was four hours in length and aired last Sunday and Monday evenings on CTV, giving viewers the luxury of not having to tie up the whole week in front of the tube. "Fatal vision" is based upon the true story of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, an ex - Green Beret who currently is spending three consecutive life sentences in a Texas prison for the 1970 murder off his pregnant wife Colette and their two small daughters. MacDonald was a free man for almost 10 years after the murders, but was retried in 1979 and found guilty according to the evidence presented. In "Fatal Vision", as in reality, it is MacDonald's father-in-law, Freddy Kassab, who gradually comes to the realization his son-in-law's story of four ' drug -crazed hippies mur- dering his family, while only inflicting superficial wounds upon MacDonald, simply does not hold water. Ovgr the next several years it is Kassab and his wife Mildred who press for a retrial of the son-in-law they once had so staunchly supported. The Kassabs are por- trayed by veteran actors S BILL BRA1VIAH'' ONTARIO GLOBAL TELEVISION'S As ROVING REPORTER People in Sudbury chuckle when they see Rusty Blakey riding to work on his bicycle. He doesn't like driving, wear or even riding in one if he can avoid it. A rather small, thin, elderly man, he pedal's along to his office looking very much like a mild-mannered clerk, or perhaps a book- keeper: The irony of this is that Rusty is' on his way to Ramsay Airways. He's their top bush pilot! Not only that, he's thought to be the most experienced bush pilot in the world! He's logged over 33,000 hours in the 46 years he's been flying planes into the northern wilderness. He doesn't fit the image of those early swashbuckling, adventurous men who flew into rugged bush country, putting down their small planes into small spaces. But he's one of the pioneers in the business, and he knows Northern Ontario like the back of his hand. He began his career in 1937 with Austin Airways as a general .helper: The next year he became a pilot, and has been ferrying feight and passengers to Indian reserves, mining settle- ments, and isolated outposts ever since. To the sick, lost, or injur• ed in a cruel country that shows no pity, Rusty's mercy missions have often made the difference between life and death. But he's modest and unassuming. He plays down his exloits and at- tributes the fact that he's never had a serious -accident to "common sense, but mostly luck." • Rusty took my wife Jenny and myself for a short trip over the Sudbury area. I asked him about the my- stique surrounding the rough-and-ready daring of bush pilots of fiction. He dis- missed the idea as the pro- duct of overly active im- Arthntis is ci serious health problem in Ontario. Please give it. more than a thought and help arthritis research continue to pay off. The Arthritis Society Ontario Division 920 Yonge Street Suite 420 Toronto,' Onta rio M4W.3J7 Karl Malden and Eva Marie Saint with sensitivity and a drive for justice. However the real laurels go to newcomer Gary Cole for his stunning and eerie per- formance in the role of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald. In a recent interview m People magazine, Cole said he did not know anything about the MacDonald case until he picked up a copy of Joe McInnis' 1983 bestseller aginations. "We had sone characters, all right," he said with a grin. "But all of them were dedicated pilots." As we landed on Lake Ramsay after our run to wit the famous airman, J y said, "If I'd been holding a full cup of coffee, I wouldn't have spilled a drop." Rusty's age is a well -kept • • secret, but friends say he must be in his mid -seventies. And in a few more years, he'll hit the half -century mark as a bush pilot! Fatal Vision. Accprding to the article, Cole admitted to being "haunted" by the subject, but obviously put any qualms behind him because he portrays MacDonald without judgment and with the intensity of the man who claims his innocence to this day. In fact MacDonald's lawyers petitioned NBC not to air "Fatal Vision" at this time since they feel it will interfere with his latest request for a retrial. It has been reported that MacDonald had hoped Robert Redford would portray him onscreen, but he. should not be disappointed because there already is talk of an 'almost -assured Emmy win for Cole. English walnuts aren't English. They're Persian. II T;O;Y IJITLETS MILL ENDS (1-5 yds.) Borg Pile 30° lb. Dress Prints 199 yd. Flannelette 199 yd. Many other sizes LEN'S MILL STORES- 130 Moore St. WATERLOO 45 Cross. St. GUELPH We'll reward you with.. . s5 000 MORE For your clean, full size 1981 Pickup - any make. During. TRUCK TRADING DAYS! NEW! 1984 C1500 GMC PICKUP 5.0 litre V8, auto overdrive, tilt steering, power steering step bumper, Canadian Conquest pkg., int. wipers, rally wheels, aux, springs, radio, clock, P235/75R/15 steel belted tires & much much more. with comparable trade-in Carroll Open Every Night till 9:00 p.m. Pontictc Buick Ltd. 1000 WALLACE AVENUE NORTH, LISTOWEL TEL. 291-3791 NEW DIRECTIONS skills for women who are ready to move forward If you want to prepare for employment or employment-related education - and explore all your options - New Directions at Cones- toga College will help you bridge the gap between where you are now and where you would like to be. Through New Directions you identify the direction you wish to go, develop a plan of action and get started on a personalized path to meet your individual needs. Skills areas include: • SELF -ENHANCEMENT • VOCATIONAL PLANNING • EFFECTIVE STUDYING •• JOB SEARCH • COMMUNICATIONS • MATH AND SCIENCE AND MANY MORE. At the end of your first eight weeks, you may choose to seek employment, to enter a job -training program or apprenticeship, or to further your job-related education. In most instances, special government-sponsored programs will cover your tuition. For complete details 00 Neo, Directions, contdct one of the following: PERTH COUNTY Judy Trudgeon, (519) 271-5700, Ext. 7 • WATERLOO REGION Lynne Proctor, (519) 653-25.11, Ext. 279 WELLINGTON COUNTY Deborah Weickert, (519) 824-9390, Ext. 136 • r GO for essential skills that open avenues to employment and education. GO for New Directions at Conestoga College. 4 . 4 '