Village Squire, 1974-06, Page 1540-50 per cent "so you have to buy more
Canadian goods".
But there are problems there too. There are
_ a few really good craftsmen in the country
and everyone wants their goods, she
. explains, which means they just can't keep up
with the demand. In some cases, it means
waiting up to a year after an order is
submitted before it can be filled. But, she
says, she is content to wait to. get these
top-quality goods.
Though the main business goes on down in
the auditorium, one gets the feeling that
Shirley's real pride and joy is the tea-room.
There she serves scones and little loaves of
home-made bread. Those little loaves have a
story all their own.
When they finally decided on what they
wanted to do with the church, Shirley
explains, she knew that she wanted the small
loaves of bread in her tea-room. So, she
started to investigate to see where she could
buy the small loaf pans. It was no simple task.
Weeks went by with no leads until finally,
they learned of a company in the United
States that manufactured the pans, and then,
within days, they had the pans.
It was typical of the way everything came
together slowly for the Country Spire. Long
periods of planning, followed by long periods
of searching for just the right thing, and
suddenly, everything fell together.
Of course it isn't perfect yet, not in
Shirley's mind at least. She would like to see
the Spire grow, but she just doesn't know how
or in what direction yet. "I can see something
is going to happen" she says.
Lest anyone think it all sounds like a fairy
tale with a happy ever after ending it should
be re-interated that into every life a little rain
must fall ....and we do mean rain.
It's one of those typical early May days as
the interview goes on. The rain is slashing
against the big stained glass windows of the
old church. Suddenly Shirley is scampering
toward one of the windows, cloth in hand to
sop up water that has run in around the
windows. The caulking on the huge windows
leaves something to be desired after a half
century she explains. Ross tells of re -caulking
one window, a job that took several days. Now
they are planning to put storm windows on
the outside of the big stained glass windows,
a project that will take some time.
"You should have seen it the day of the
tornado," Shirley says, referring to the
tornado that went through parts of southern
Huron and Perth counties last month.
It would take more than a little rain,
however, to dampen the enthusiams of the
Smiths toward their Country Spire.
Visitors look at Canadian crafts in the Country Spire
The playhouse, filled with goodies for children sits behind a display of hand -made quilts.
VILLAGE SQUIRE/MAY°•1974;'13