Gravenhurst Winter Carnival, Muskoka Stewardship

STEWARDSHIP OF MUSKOKA, GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL, SNOWY WEATHER

MUSKOKA AS WALDEN

LONG BEFORE THE SNOWY, BLUSTERY WEATHER, PREDICTED FOR LATER TODAY, HIT SOUTH MUSKOKA, I COULD FEEL IT IN MY JOINTS. WHEN I USED TO HEAR OLDTIMERS SAYING THINGS LIKE THIS, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY MEANT. AS A SUFFERER OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS TEMPORAL MANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION, AND A LOT OF INJURIES FROM MY YEARS AS A GOALTENDER IN HOCKEY, FROM THE AGE OF SEVEN, THE PREAMBLE DAMP AND STORMY WEATHER STARTS BEATING UP MY BODY WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE FIRST RAIN OR SNOW TO HIT THE GROUND. I DON'T HAVE ARTHRITIS AS SUCH, BUT THE TMJ DISORDER, WHICH MEANS I HAVE DAMAGED JAW HINGES, CAUSES MAJOR MUSCLE AND JOINT ISSUES LITERALLY FROM THE BALD SPOT ON MY HEAD, TO THE TIP OF MY CALLOUSED BIG TOE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE TMJ, AND QUITE A FEW OF THESE FOLKS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. IT CAN BE THE RESULT OF A LIFETIME'S STRESS, OF LITERALLY CLENCHING AND GRINDING YOUR TEETH, SUCH THAT THE SMALL, FRAGILE CONDIAL OF THE HINGE, DEVELOPS UNEVEN CHARACTERISITICS. IT WILL CLICK AND CLACK, AND IF YOU PUT A FINGER IN EACH EAR, AND MOVE THE JAW, UP AND DOWN, YOU'LL FEEL THE DEFORMITY. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A SMOOTH MOVEMENT. NOT LIKE ROLLING SOMETHING THAT SEEMS AS IF IT'S SQUARE, OR FLAT-SIDED. THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF NERVES AND BLOOD VESSELS IN THIS AREA, THAT CAN BE COMPROMISED (INJURED) BY CONTINUAL, DAY TO DAY GRINDING (EVEN DURING SLEEP), AND IT CONTRIBUTES TO A LOT OF OTHER MALADIES, SUCH AS PROLONGED MUSCLE SPASMS. MY NECK HAS BEEN STIFF SINCE I WAS TWENTY-FOUR. YOU CAN ALWAYS SNEAK UP ON ME. I PLAN ON WRITING MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE MANY SUFFERERS LIVE WITH THIS AFFLICTION, THINKING IT'S MENTAL / EMOTIONAL, WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE PHYSICAL. BUT THAT'S MATERIAL FOR A FUTURE BLOG. DON'T HESITATE TO EMAIL IF YOU'RE ALSO A TMJ'ER.

SO WHEN A STORM MOVES ACROSS OUR AREA, I'M PRETTY MUCH CONSUMED BY IT, AND I JUST EXPECT TO HAVE STIFFER THAN USUAL JOINTS, LESS TURNING CAPABILITY WITH MY NECK, AND THE KIND OF GENERAL MALAISE I USED TO FEEL AFTER A NIGHT OF HEAVY DRINKING. IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE STRESS OF THE REPORTING JOB, IN MY YOUNGER DAYS, THAT KEPT MY JAW CLENCHED CONSTANTLY…..AS IF IT WAS THE WAY I COULD AVOID SELF-IMPLOSION. WORKING AT THIS KEYBOARD ISN'T ALLL THAT HELPFUL EITHER, AS I DO CATCH MYSELF CLENCHING FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT GENERALLY, IT IS AS MUCH A STRESS RELIEVER, ESPECIALLY THIS BLOG-SITE, THAT IS MY "PAINTING" OR "LANDSCAPE" ALTERNATIVE TO POLITICAL OR NEWS OPINING. I JUST ENJOY THE CALM OF MY OFFICE, OVERLOOKING THE BEAUTIFUL BOG, AND THE CREATURE COMFORTS OF A WEE CRICKET (THAT USED TO ANNOY ME, BUT NOT ANYMORE), THREE CATS IN VARIOUS POSITIONS, AROUND AND ABOVE MY DESK, AND THE HOT CUP OF TEA THAT FEELS GOOD NOW AGAINST MY ACHING HAND. SUZANNE SAYS I HAVE BAD POSTURE, AS SHE POINTS TO THE CAT IN MY LAP, SUGGESTING OLD SMOKEY, AS WE CALL HIM, IS MUCH TOO BIG, AND HEAVY, TO HAVE ON MY LAP WHILE WORKING AT THE KEYBOARD. HE'S SO DARN WARM AND THE PURRING ALMOST PUTS ME TO SLEEP.

TONIGHT MARKS THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE EVENTS, FOR THE GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL. SONS ROBERT AND ANDREW HAVE BEEN ANXIOUS ABOUT THE OPENING CEREMONIES FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS, AFTER BEING ASKED BY THE CARNIVAL CHAIRMAN, TO PERFORM THEIR "SKOKIE" SONG TO START THE BALL ROLLING FOR THE THREE DAY COMMUNITY FETE. THEY ARE TWO OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP "PRESSURE POINT," PERFORMING THE SPECIALLY WRITTEN WINTER CARNIVAL THEME-SONG. THE OTHER TWO PERFORMERS ARE AARON BINDER AND LEAD SINGER DANI O'CONNOR. BACK UP SINGERS ON THE MUSIC VIDEO, ARE RAY PARSONS AND JON O'CONNOR. THE GROUP WROTE AND PERFORMED THE SONG, TO ACCOMPANY A VIDEO TAKEN OF THE GROUP PLAYING-AROUND IN GRAVENHURST'S BEAUTIFUL GULL LAKE PARK, AS A DONATION TO THE HARD WORKING WINTER CARNIVAL COMMITTEE. THEY DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE ASKED TO PERFORM THE SONG LIVE. SO THEY WERE DELIGHTED BY THE HONOR, BUT NERVOUS ABOUT THE WEATHER. THEN CAME THE SEVERE NERVOUSNESS, WHEN THEY HEARD ABOUT AN APPROACHING STORM-FRONT. AS THE BAND, FOR THE CARNIVAL SONG, USES ELECTRIC GUITARS AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, THE OUTDOOR VENUE AT THE LOCAL OPERA HOUSE, IS GOING TO PRESENT SOME TECHNICAL CHALLENGES. THEY'RE ACTUALLY PERFORMING THREE SONGS THIS EVENING, SO WE HAVE TO MOUNT A STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH THIS WEE STORM SYSTEM, JUST ABOUT TO PUSH ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THE SNOW IS ONE OBSTACLE TO OVERCOME. THE WINDBLOWN SNOW IS QUITE ANOTHER. YUP, IT'S A STIFF JAW AND NECK KIND OF DAY. BUT IT'S WORTH IT, TO BE PART OF THIS GREAT LITTLE THREE DAY FESTIVAL……CELEBRATING THE NATURE OF OUR REGION. WITH SOME FRESH SNOW…..WE'LL GET THAT WINTER WONDERLAND LOOK AGAIN. IT'S BEEN A PRETTY DRY WINTER SO FAR, AND THE TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN UNUSUALLY MODERATE THROUGH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

MUSKOKA IS AN AMAZING BACKDROP……HOST, AND PARTNER TO THE GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL. IT IS THE PLACE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WANT TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE EVERY YEAR. IT IS A HUGE RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, AND THE REASON WE HAVE A TOURISM BUSINESS IN THE FIRST PLACE. I ADORE OUTDOOR FETES, LIKE THE THREE DAY WINTER CARNIVAL, BECAUSE IT UTILIZES AND PUBLICIZES THE NATURE OF OUR REGION. HOPEFULLY, IT ALSO MAKES FOLKS MORE AWARE, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LOOK AFTER ITS HEALTH AND CONSERVATION. IF ANY ONE WAS TO ASK THIS OLD SCRIBE, WHAT IS THE MOST TAKEN FOR GRANTED ASPECT OF OUR LIVES HERE IN THE HINTERLAND OF ONTARIO, I WOULD SAY "THE HINTERLAND" ITSELF. WHEN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE AND THE BUREAUCRACY BANDY-ABOUT ISSUES FACING THE WELL-BEING OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY, AND ITS BROADENING DYNAMIC IN THE FUTURE, I GET SO ANNOYED AT THE WAY THE ENVIRONMENT BECOMES NOTHING MORE THAN A THEATRE STAGE WITH TEARS IN ITS CURTAINS.

I HAVE NEVER YET FOUND ANY BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS OR BUSINESS INSTALLATIONS, THAT HAVE EVER BEEN MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN AN AVERAGE DAY, HERE IN THIS POWERFUL EMBRACE OF NATURE. WE CAN NOT IMPROVE UPON WHAT IS ALREADY PERFECTION. IN THE COMING DECADES, OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE NATURE'S FATE IN THEIR HANDS…..MORESO THAN EVER BEFORE. THE STRESSES OF THE CITY ON THE HINTERLAND, HAS ALREADY MADE A HUGE IMPACT, AND GREED AND SPECULATION HAVE COST US DEARLY. DEVELOPERS WHO MAY WISH TO TRANSFORM MUSKOKA FOR PROFIT, ARE OFTEN SEEN AS SAVIORS OF OUR LESSER ECONOMY. YET IT HAS NEVER BEEN PROVEN TO ME, OVER A LIFETIME OF REPRESENTING AND PROMOTING THIS REGION, THAT VISITORS COME TO MUSKOKA JUST TO SHOP. QUITE THE OPPOSITE HOLDS TRUE. OUR TOURISM BUSINESS HAS ALWAYS BENEFITTED FROM THIS ESCAPISM, THOUGH SOME DEVELOPERS AND COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES BELIEVE BOX STORES, STRIP MALLS AND SPRAWLING SUBDIVISIONS ARE COMPELLING VISUALS, THAT KEEP VISITORS COMING BACK, YEAR AFTER YEAR. THIS DISCONNECT FROM THE TRUTH, HAS BEEN HARMFUL IN THE PAST, AS MANY COUNCILLORS THROUGHOUT OUR REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY, HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT-MEANS-PROSPERITY CONCEPT, AND WE'VE ACCEPTED URBAN SPRAWL AND BOX STORE DEVELOPMENT THAT MIRRORS THE CITY…..NOT THE MUSKOKA LAKELAND.

THERE WILL BE MANY VISITORS FROM SOUTHERN ONTARIO, WHO DRIVE TO GRAVENHURST THIS WEEKEND, TO ENJOY THE CARNIVAL ACTIVITIES. THEY WILL GET A LATE FEBRUARY TASTE OF WINTER, AND ENJOY EVENTS ON BOTH GULL LAKE, AND MUSKOKA BAY, (LAKE MUSKOKA) AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAIN STREET, OUTSIDE THE GRAND GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE. IT WILL BE A CELEBRATION OF SMALL TOWN TRADITION, A MUSKOKA WINTER, THE GREAT OUTDOORS, AND LET'S NOT FORGET COMMUNITY. WE THINK WE PLAY THE HOST-ROLE PRETTY WELL…….SEEING AS WE'VE BEEN PERFECTING IT SINCE THE 1860'S. IT HAD A ROUGH START WITHOUT A LOT OF CREATURE COMFORTS. WE'VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THEN.

BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION, THE WINTER CARNIVAL COMMITTEE, WILL TELL YOU HONESTLY, THEY'RE TRYING THE BEST THEY CAN, WITH THE MANPOWER AND THE BUDGET AVAILABLE, TO GIVE EVERYONE A GOOD TIME. THEY WANT TO CELEBRATE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE HERE IN BEAUTIFUL MUSKOKA. THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THEIR DISTRICT, AND THIS IS THEIR WAY OF SHOWING IT TO ANYONE…..FROM ANYWHERE…..THAT WE ARE MUSKOKANS, AND WE LIKE OUR PANCAKES AND MAPLE SYRUP…..AND LOG CUTTING, SKATING, HOCKEY, DONUT-EATING FROM STRINGS, AND POLAR BEAR DIPPING. HOW ABOUT YOU? PLEASE SUPPORT THESE KIND VOLUNTEERS, WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, TO REJUVENATE A WINTER CARNIVAL EVENT THAT BEGAN IN THE WINTER OF 1971. AFTER FALLING ON HARD TIMES, AND BEING CANCELLED QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO, THIS GROUP OF STALWART CITIZENS, DECIDED THAT GRAVENHURST NEEDED ITS WINTER FETE BACK IN WORKING ORDER. WHEN YOU SEE THE CARNIVAL MASCOT, SKOKE…..THE MUSKOKA OTTER, GIVE IT A PAT ON THE BACK, FOR HANGING IN THERE FOR ALL OF US. JUST NOT TO HARD THOUGH. I KNOW THE GUY INSIDE.