Tuesday 29 November 2016

Foggy, foggy day trip

I had a big trip planned: Perth, to the drug store for happy pills; Carleton Place, for some amaryllis bulbs; Smiths Falls, for new boots and a jacket.

Home Depot had some bulbs. They are planted. When I was teaching elementary school I would divvy the class into groups. Each group would grow some bulbs. They would plan, pot, water, photograph and measure their growth. Much fun!

These photos are from 2005!



It was also a PD Day here! Things were pretty quiet.
There is some development near the Home Depot, apparently there is some giant hogweed.
 

Off we went... next stop Smiths Falls.

Originally named Smyth's Falls in 1784, after Thomas Smyth who died in 1831, the little village began to take shape by 1840. It was a railway hub, after the canal was no longer used for defense or transportation. Lots of families had men who worked on the railroad.

About 1880 Smith's Falls started being written as Smiths Falls without the apostrophe. (I know, I shudder.) It was on April 11, 1968, that the name Smiths Falls became official. It took an Act of the Ontario Legislature to officially remove the apostrophe. Most locals call it Smith Falls when they use it in conversation!


Smiths Falls 1910
We had lunch at the Fort Hemlock pub, we are frequent flyers! The owner was walking by as we were looking at his framed photos. He is a 7th generation Smiths Falls man. He knows his history. The pub was flooded in 1904, when the river flooded. The river originally flowed across the parking lot, where the building with the graffiti now stands.

They rebuilt the pub, including the corner stone from the original building. The mill is now a museum, and the falls have been rebuilt to harness water power.


Crews are rebuilding the bridge.


After lunch, I bought my new boots. The Smiths Falls store, a chain, had a Black Friday sale. This is becoming more usual in Canada, it follows Yanksgiving. I was spray painting outside, and they already have yellow paint on them, but they are work boots! Annie likes them. A nice felt lining and no holes like my old pair!

8 comments:

Karen said...

I don't think the freezing rain amounted to much up our Valley, but it's still pretty foggy and rain rain.
I love hearing stories about how the old towns evolve. I haven't been into downtown Smiths Falls in YEARS. (Maybe 1972?)

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Your bulbs look great! I like the patterns in the cat's fur. Pretty.

Nancy J said...

Gumboots, lined as well, very cosy.And already you have a lot of snow, have any roads been closed?

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Those boots look 'the business'! The countryside looks true winter. Brrrrrrrr... YAM xx

Anvilcloud said...

I didn't know there was giant hogweed back there, but I've seen plenty of that yellow parsnip.

We also had to get used to pronouncing it Smith Falls, without the 's' and almost as one word.

William Kendall said...

Definitely a bleak day in town. Annie's such a cutie.

Not having any kids, the only time I know there's a PD day is if I'm somewhere during the day and there are way too many kids around.

Red said...

Nothing like a road trip to find some good photos and tell a good story.

Powell River Books said...

Being a teacher was lots of fun. Now that there is so much push to get good test scores it might not be so much. - Margy