View Full Version : Fan Convention Update
Tracy Hautanen
05-16-2004, 10:56pm
Hello Everyone,
I know it has been some time since I last posted. I hope all is well with everyone. I just wanted to let you know that I am busy planning fun and exciting events for the August Fan Convention. Some of the events from last year remain, but I promise new things for returning fans.
I can't wait to see all of you again. Our opening event will be a little different this year, and should be interesting for all. I also hope to have a few surprises for everyone!!!! No..............Shania won't be there!!! On that note, .......you should still enjoy the events!
One thing is for sure.........you will see old friends and make new ones.
The items I am collecting for the auction should knock your socks off too!
Tracy :D
shaniarools
05-16-2004, 11:08pm
:D Thanks for the update, Tracy! :D:up:
ShaniaKoukla
05-16-2004, 11:09pm
Thanks Tracy it was nice meeting you in London :)
Hello Everyone,
No..............Shania won't be there!!! On that note, .......you should still enjoy the events!
One thing is for sure.........you will see old friends and make new ones.
The items I am collecting for the auction should knock your socks off too!
Tracy :D
Well, maybe Shania won't be there in person but her spirit is everywhere - in the Centre and its exhibits, it the people who knew her and who speak to us, in the places we visit that were an important part of her life, in the music of karaoke and/or video dances, in the joy of fellow fans.
Roger
cbspock_1701
05-17-2004, 1:04am
Totally agree with you Roger.
-Chris
GorToma
05-17-2004, 2:32am
thanks for info :D:D
Well, maybe Shania won't be there in person but her spirit is everywhere - in the Centre and its exhibits, it the people who knew her and who speak to us, in the places we visit that were an important part of her life, in the music of karaoke and/or video dances, in the joy of fellow fans.
Roger
I agree Roger
razorbac
05-17-2004, 3:09pm
thanks for the update :)
Well, maybe Shania won't be there in person but her spirit is everywhere - in the Centre and its exhibits, it the people who knew her and who speak to us, in the places we visit that were an important part of her life, in the music of karaoke and/or video dances, in the joy of fellow fans.
Roger
Roger, Thank you for helping keep the Fan convention thread UP! There and focused in the Forums. Just think how much fun it will be to have hundreds of Shania's fans all in the same place at the same time.
Party ON! :D Tom at Bob's house in Lansing MI still in Shock after my 'close encounter of the 3rd kind" on stage with Richard (see the Grand Rapids Concert thread (s) for more) BEST Shania concert EVER (Till the next one :) )
Hello Everyone,
I know it has been some time since I last posted. I hope all is well with everyone. I just wanted to let you know that I am busy planning fun and exciting events for the August Fan Convention. Some of the events from last year remain, but I promise new things for returning fans.
I can't wait to see all of you again. The items I am collecting for the auction should knock your socks off too!
Tracy :D
Well Richard, Bob and myself will just have to "Come on Over" in the next few days and say Hi Tracy and give you a hand and a Hug too. I am getting excited now, we are going to Deerhurst to see the revue there and check out Huntsville so will be with you later this week.
Roger, Thank you for helping keep the Fan convention thread UP! There and focused in the Forums. Just think how much fun it will be to have hundreds of Shania's fans all in the same place at the same time.
I should thank you Tom for your relentless promotion of the fan con. I did ask you to do just that at one time but I now realize you would have done that in any case. Your enthusiasm for the convention is boundless and, I hope, infectious.
At last year's convention I was struck by the fact that there were no forums people there at all. It was all STNAOFC or fan club people. I have seen quite a few people at the fan club board say they will go to this year's fan con but here at the forums I have contacted friends to urge them to go but in every case they have a good reason for not going (like illness in the family, lack of time and money, etc.) I just hope that someone here who is able to go will get the message that the fan con is a meaningful experience for anyone who cares about the person behind the fantasy that is Shania and a way to make wonderful friendships.
Roger
I should thank you Tom for your relentless promotion of the fan con. I did ask you to do just that at one time but I now realize you would have done that in any case. Your enthusiasm for the convention is boundless and, I hope, infectious.
At last year's convention I was struck by the fact that there were no forums people there at all. It was all STNAOFC or fan club people. I have seen quite a few people at the fan club board say they will go to this year's fan con but here at the forums I have contacted friends to urge them to go but in every case they have a good reason for not going (like illness in the family, lack of time and money, etc.) I just hope that someone here who is able to go will get the message that the fan con is a meaningful experience for anyone who cares about the person behind the fantasy that is Shania and a way to make wonderful friendships.
Roger
Yes we need the Forum GANG to check out the reality of what makes Eilleen Twain into Shania Twain, so 'come on over' August 2004 and help us kick up some dust and continue the good work. I PROMISE it will be worth your time and cash.
Mizery1
05-17-2004, 11:19pm
Roger,
I believe FinnFreak (Jussi) is going.
Roger,
I believe FinnFreak (Jussi) is going.
Yes, I know. Coming all the way from Finland is above and beyond the call of duty. I know he will find it worth it.
Roger
The Fins will meet so many more fellow Fins at the STC, it will be well worth the trip! :D
Tracy Hautanen
05-18-2004, 11:12pm
Thank you to all of you that support and promote the fan convention. I never realized that last year's convention would generate so many ambassadors of the centre.
Tom, I look forward to seeing you this week, but you better hurry because I leave on vacation on the weekend! Oh............and I'll let you see the new exhibits but you aren't allowed to tell!!
Take care and safe travels.
Tracy
resessions
05-19-2004, 10:05pm
Well I for one will be there. After all, how could it be a Shania Twain Convention without "The Shadow Dancer" doing a command performance???
Ok!!! Time for the roll call!!!! Who's going??? I am !!!!!!
Well I for one will be there. After all, how could it be a Shania Twain Convention without "The Shadow Dancer" doing a command performance???
Ok!!! Time for the roll call!!!! Who's going??? I am !!!!!!
Yup, I am registered. Gotta see that command performance!!!
And a miracle has occurred. My wife Kay said she is thinking of going too!!!
Roger
Thank you to all of you that support and promote the fan convention. I never realized that last year's convention would generate so many ambassadors of the centre.
Tom, I look forward to seeing you this week, but you better hurry because I leave on vacation on the weekend! Oh............and I'll let you see the new exhibits but you aren't allowed to tell!!
Take care and safe travels.
Tracy
Hi Tracy, Hope to CU later today (Thursday). Got to the STC late last night and got a sneak preview!!! AWESOME, but my lips are sealed as I know how much effort you have put into the new displays and also how much it will mean to the fan convention members when they see them for the first time.
GREAT NEWS GUYS.... ALL our trees are alive and well with fresh growth and a nice green tip. Many were lying flat on the ground after the weight of Snow over the winter, but Bob and I have lifted them clear of the ground and they will be just fine over the short Timmins summer.
FV (Fran) has the best looking tree IMO. My one still looks goofey and too tall.
FinnFreak
05-21-2004, 6:13am
Roger,
I believe FinnFreak (Jussi) is going.
:D:up: Yep, and Jaana, my little lady is coming too... :love:
Yes, I know. Coming all the way from Finland is above and beyond the call of duty. I know he will find it worth it.
I *KNOW* it'll be worth it - meeting fellow fans is always a blast..! in fact, we've just come back from Kraków Poland, where we went to see a Marillion (http://www.marillion.com) concert... lucky for us, we were staying at the same hotel as the band & crew: so, not only did we get to meet loads of Polish fans - we also got to chat with the whole band..! ( ...and they even remembered us from our previous rendezvous..! ) :]
...got my limited edition Marbles CD signed by the band in gold paint... and remembered to ask the guys to guess who has used the pen before them...
the "...if you're going to say Fish (ex-singer), we're NOT impressed & you can bloody well forget about the autograph..!"-comments were hilarious..! :p
...and when I proudly told them that the last person to use that pen was Shania Twain - the looks on their faces ranged from amazement to pride:
"oh! - well that's different..! - she's a remarkable woman..!"
"...you should get this pen framed... so, you didn't get an autograph from Mutt Lange..? ;) "
"wow - that's like having a pen used by Elvis - we're in great company then..!"
"...my girls are huge fans of her - can I keep this pen..? ;) " me: :shocked: - NO..!!! :funny: :]
...even hours after that, at the venue, the band members would look for us & ask if they could borrow "the Shania pen"... :]
Jaana, my wife, also did her bit of Shania promotion in Kraków - sporting a Shaniaesque outfit in & around the town (...I know those boxing shoes are going to be *very* popular in Poland... ;) ), she also caught some attention @ the concert venue & will be seen on the upcoming Marillion Live DVD... :]
The Fins will meet so many more fellow Fins at the STC, it will be well worth the trip! :D
:huh: ...two Finns travelling to the other side of the world just to see more Finns..? :shocked:
:funny: ...heh, that pretty much sums up the reason why we're coming..! :p
John - ;)
OK Guys, Bob and I were given the close up and personal treatment at the sTC by Tracy. We know what is in store for everyone at this years Fan Convention and I can tell you this will be the best one ever!
Girls, you will LOVE the opening events! Wish I could say more, but if I told you, Tracy would have to Kill me ;)
The Auction items are nothing short of AWESOME and the new displays will knock you out! This is going to be the best Convention ever....
Here's more.
Had an exquisite run through from Tracy yesterday, about the activities for the upcoming convention. If fans knew all that's known here in Timmins, I suspect even some of the milion year old ice at the south pole would be melted in the haste of fans getting to Timmins.
Today in South Porcupine, I asked Will Saari where they come up with all these terrific ideas. He had good answers for most of it, as usual, despite getting clobbered by a bad flu bug last night. He dragged himself off his sick bed to visit with Tom and me at the Central Tavern/Zoo for 5 minutes, which turned into a half hour and wore him out, I'm afraid.
2 of the 3 days we've been in Timmins have been sunny so far. One of those was warm, the other cool. In between, was a cool rainy day. But the hospitality of residents with whom we visited that day, made the place seem so sunny we could hardly quit smiling.
One of the dinner parties for Tom, I and Timmins friends set for tomorrow night, got cancelled due to the health of the hostess. Two other invitations for the same night, filled it's place. Last night, we took some of Timmins finest residents out to eat at a great restaurant, the Fish Bowl. Waiting in the wings were two other invitations, only one of which we were able to indulge in.
I told somebody here that it's so much fun for Shania fans and friendly supporters to visit here and be treated this way, that I hope I'm never here when Shania is. She'll get to be the star then, and we'll have to take second billing for a change. We're getting so indulged. Good thing we're only here a few days at a time, or we could get an addiction. I think Tom already has and is trying to move here as soon as the gov't bureaucracies allow.
Bob/RJ
Tracy Hautanen
05-21-2004, 11:22pm
Well Tom and Bob, I am looking forward to seeing both of you at the convention this year, and I know you will enjoy all of the activities...........even seeing the exhibits again.
Take Care,
Tracy
:D:up: Yep, and Jaana, my little lady is coming too... :love:
John - ;)
I'm looking forward to meeting both of you, John. :)
Roger
FinnFreak
05-22-2004, 10:44am
The feeling is mutual - it's always a thrill to meet fans who share the love in music...
The Hyde Park meeting was great (C'est La Vie (http://www.saunalahti.fi/~voas1465/videos/CestLaVieFans.mov)), as was the brief one we had in Helsinki...
...but in Timmins, having the Fan Convention over the whole weekend... well, I KNOW it's going to be *pretty darn special*...
heh, I've not yet come down from the adrenaline rush from Poland & I'm all ready for August..!!!
John - :)
Timmins is a 12 hour drive from my home in Lansing, Michigan. It's 4:30 am (as I start typing this note) and I just got home from there, driving straight through. This was part of a most interesting trip that included the Grand Rapids concert with Tom, Richard, Natasha, the Flanigan Girls, Randall Waller etc. Deerhurst was next. Then several days in Timmins.
Saw three moose and three bears in Ontario on the way home today, plus one wolf and one deer in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Got pix of some of the bears and 2 of the moose and will share after film gets developed.
The hospitality in Timmins continues to be superb. And that of Tracy the STC director is, beyond words.
Tom and I had a brief and quick walk thru the Shania Twain Centre our first afternoon there, just before closing with one of the staffers, I think her name was Shirley. The new displays for the season had been outlined and started by Tracy. But much work remained to be done. Two days later, I was amazed at how much more work had been finished by Tracy, even though she'd been gone one of those two days. Her resourcefulness, organization and good cheer are at levels rarely found in the world of work. And I've got 50 years experience from multiple perspectives. She successfully figured out how to move something mostly by herself, which Tom and I had looked at, and thought immovable/undoable without the muscles of about 4 strong men. Women who can accomplish all these kinds of things, once were considered heroines.
Some new, large, wall display boards of fan photos from Shania's Up! concert tour are going up near the "back stage" area and entrance to the theatre. When the Kidd Creek Gold Mine tour didn't pan out, and I offered to help at the STC, Tracy invited me to look through the photos sent in by fans and see if I could make an arrangement or two. Four foam boards, each about 18" by 24" with lovely pictures comprised the first. The second was a collection of hard copy photos that fans had sent to the STC, ranging from 4x6" to 8.5 x 11". These are a subset from the many photos I've seen online before, so it was like arranging a familiar puzzle. The most stunning one was from Grace Billington. Several excellent ones came from Doc Bill. I made a list of the names of the fans whose photos were used and left it with Tracy, who said this info would be included with the displays.
Meanwhile, though battling the flu, Tom donned his ETO hat and helped Tracy with the lighting for several of the new displays. He did find some time, I see, to make a few posts on various message boards etc. I would like to have done that also, but was having too much fun doing more creative things during most of my time in Timmins. Figured I could catch up on my email and message board posting after I got home. But I did stay an extra day in Timmins and now have only 2 days home to get things under control again here, before heading off to Wisconsin to tend to my mom for a week or so.
I've met many new people, including some community leaders. And have continued learning more about some of my favorite topics, such as the history, politics, economy and future of Timmins.
RJ.
Glad you had a great time RJ! Can't wait to see your pictures of your trip! How was going through customs? Last time I went to Ontario, customs searched my car to and from.
David
Thanx Bob for your Timmins report. You are a real gem. You say you are a friendly supporter rather than a fan but you give so much of yourself and your time (and more than you report) that I would say you are definitely straying into fan territory!...LOL
I am looking forward to seeing that photographic display. I tried to put Tracy in touch with fans whose photos struck me as particularly good and, yes, Bill's photos (actually taken by his wife,Debbie, I think) were striking.
I suppose that visiting Timmins now means you won't be visiting in August? If so, I will miss your company, Bob, not to mention your growing knowledge of Timmins which far exceeds mine.
Roger
I suppose that visiting Timmins now means you won't be visiting in August? If so, I will miss your company, Bob, not to mention your growing knowledge of Timmins which far exceeds mine.
Roger
Nice to see you got home safely Bob. What a great job you did with those photo's! Roger, Tracy did a number on Bob while he was at the centre. He has NO CHOICE now but to return for the 2004 Fan Convention.
You will all freak out once the details of the first and last days events are finalised. I will be looking at Property and prices tommorow.
Tom in Timmins for now
Hi Richard,
There are some overlaps between being a friendly supporter and being a fanatic. But there are also differences, which are subtle enough to not be easily noticed by all. Bob
Bob, I was just teasing you. I don't care what you call yourself as long as you call yourself my friend.
Roger
resessions
05-26-2004, 7:56pm
Thanx Bob for your Timmins report. You are a real gem. You say you are a friendly supporter rather than a fan but you give so much of yourself and your time (and more than you report) that I would say you are definitely straying into fan territory!...LOL
Roger
Roger!!!! Tom and I were ribbing Bob about that during our entire weekend together in Grand Rapids......here's a clue to prove we're correct..... did you notice that Bob posted his throat was a little hoarse after the Grand Rapids concert??!!??....But to give Bob the benefit of the doubt, being as he is a good friend, his hoarseness could have been from his supportive cheers toward Tom and me when we realized our quest to stand on stage together with Shania. Bottom line is this.....whether a fan or a friendly supporter, it doesn't really matter. I'm just glad Bob is around. :D
originally posted by Roger
...,I suppose that visiting Timmins now means you won't be visiting in August? ...,
Thank you Roger, for remembering what I actually said. Other enthusiasts are trying to spin that in a different direction. While I acknowledge and appreciate their wishes, I can't always follow everyone else's prescription for my priorities. There are very few things I'd rather do than go to this convention. But at the moment, I have to maintain discipline toward a higher long term priority. I've been going to Timmins since 1978/79 and to most of these STC events since they began in 2001. Some old timers may remember that I was the one who wrote half a book including photos, about what it was like for a couple dozen online ST friends to take a chance and meet in person for the first time, in what for many, was another country. So I don't need to be told about the unique and intensely beneficial effects of this event. Tho it's fortunate to have such a tough decision between two great opportunities, it's truly unfortunate that I might not be able to do them both this season.
Bob/RJ
Roger!!!! Tom and I were ribbing Bob about that during our entire weekend together in Grand Rapids......here's a clue to prove we're correct..... did you notice that Bob posted his throat was a little hoarse after the Grand Rapids concert??!!??....But to give Bob the benefit of the doubt, being as he is a good friend, his hoarseness could have been from his supportive cheers toward Tom and me when we realized our quest to stand on stage together with Shania. Bottom line is this.....whether a fan or a friendly supporter, it doesn't really matter. I'm just glad Bob is around. :D
Hi Richard,
This mb is acting really strange tonight. First it was inexplicably slow for a couple hours. Then when I did a quote and reply, it showed up several entries BEFORE the post I was quoting. So I deleted that and will try again.
Yeah, you guys do seem to have fun ribbing me about my prefered goals.
You forgot to mention the part about my having a stack of Shania Twain CD's here. Most have been played only once since I purchased them. A few have been played only slightly more often in the years I've had them. Fans simply don't let ST CD's grow dust like that. The music is enjoyable, but I simply have more constructive things to do, and I tend to focus on one thing at a time.
Grand Rapids was the 2nd and possibly the last ST concert I will ever see. I wanted to enjoy the great music and performance with good friends. I also wanted to see the progression in the technical and artistic performance since the Chicago outdoor concert prior to the start of the Up! tour.
From Chicago, I learned to keep my mouth shut a lot more when being exhorted by Shania, to sing/yell or make noise ever louder. I lost my voice after that concert, for the first time in my life. But it was my first concert, and I was a bit naive. This time in Grand Rapids, I did fine with the use of my voice in response to the music and exhortations from the stage.
It was the two people seated next to me that caused me to develop laryngitis this time. They were super excited about Shania's warm-up act - Emerson Drive (E.D.).
I could see a tall guy ahead of the woman next to me, so I volunteered to exchange my seat with her and or her husband when we got to the ST part of the concert and the tall guy in front of us on the floor would be standing up. I didn't really need to see things as much as regular fans do. They declined amicably enough.
During Emerson Drive, the speakers were too loud and hurt my ears for the first few songs. Also, the woman next to me had the most piercing, shrill whistle that she employed frequently, into my one good ear, causing me to grimmace. She didn't slow down despite my grimmaces. In fact, it just seemed to prompt her to say that she likes to whistle loudly a lot, in case I had noticed. After several songs, Emerson Drive finally played a couple songs that sounded familiar, and I enjoyed it somewhat. So I asked the couple next to me if that was one of E.D.'s best selling songs. It sounded like they said they didn't know. They just liked the music. E.D. was so lound that I couldn't hear half of what the people next to me were saying, and I had to yell at the top of my voice, multiple times, to make them able to hear me.
Part way thru the E.D. 1/2 hour show, Randal Waller came up to Natasha, in the darkened arena, 2 rows ahead of me, and one row behind you and Tom. I pointed him out to the couple next to me. They didn't seem to know what I was talking about, so I explained it twice.
Later, when you and Tom got up on stage, they seemed further nonplussed. I thought if they were ST fans, they'd be glad to know Tom and I were going to ST's home town of Timmins right after the G.R. concert. Later we heard about this guy's disparaging remarks about Shania's performance, about you and Tom on stage, and about Tom going to Timmins after the show. I think that was in a post on the official fan club mb. All this attempted communication with the couple next to me, mostly during the overly loud E.D. warm-up act, was what strained my voice, not anything I did during the regular ST performance.
There are some overlaps between being a friendly supporter and being a fanatic. But there are also differences, which are subtle enough to not be easily noticed by all. If you remember my background, it pertains to what I'm talking about. I have written a lot more, but I don't want to cause harm, so I've removed that. I hope that you don't regret offering me your spare ticket to the G.R. concert. I knew ST concerts are at the top of entertainment, and that I would enjoy your company and Tom's probably as much as anyone else on these two main ST mb's.
RJ/Bob
resessions
05-27-2004, 3:13pm
Bottom line is this.....whether a fan or a friendly supporter, it doesn't really matter. I'm just glad Bob is around. :D
Always great to read your posts Bob. Not sure if it's kosher to quote one's self in these post but the quote says it all. Glad to have you around as part of the whole experience Bob :D
Glad you had a great time RJ! Can't wait to see your pictures of your trip! How was going through customs? Last time I went to Ontario, customs searched my car to and from.
David
Hi David,
I think you were one of the many in the group with Steve that I met at TGI Friday's before the Grand Rapids concert. Nice to put some faces to names from the forums and also the official fan club.
Canadian customs let Tom and I in easily at Port Huron/Sarnia border crossing on May 18. When I returned at Sault Ste Marie, at 7pm on May 25, I was surprised at the short lines. And I got thru with only 5 or 6 questions & my driver license for ID.
Unfortunately, I needed to do a currency exchange. And I missed the sign for that on the Canadian side. So US customs directed me to the "Duty Free" store on the US side. Once I was in their parking lot, there was no exit except back to Canada. So I went thru Canadian customs, then back to US customs a 2nd time within 45 minutes. The lines were longer this time. And when I explained where I'd been - taking friend Tom from the ST concert in Grand Rapids, up to Timmins, she asked me where Tom is now. So old honest Bob(RJ handle here), unthinkingly pops out with "Oh he's still in Timmins for another week or so and will fly back to Scotland after that." Uh-oh. That triggered a red flag and led to a thorough search of my luggage compartment etc. Also, I thought I was doing her a favor by digging out my passport this time, instead of just the driver license. Wrong! "Have you been in Canada before?" "How long ago was the last time?" (Why isn't your passport stamped for that time?) Ugh! The more I tried to be honest, the deeper in the soup I got. This is the dynamic tension dealing with gov't referees trying to determine the few crooks from the many honest people.
Meanwhile, I noticed for Tracy Hautanen's benefit, that there are two high bridges to cross at the Sault Ste Marie border. So I crossed 6 of them this time. Tracy is afraid of heights and bridges. I'd been describing the 5-7 mile long Mackinac Bridge between the two peninsulas of Michigan she'll have to drive over during her trip to and from Nashville Fanfare in a few weeks. Each of my added (but honest) details had her cringing in increasing horror.
It will be interesting to see where this post gets inserted in this thread, given the server database being kerflooey about that parameter since last night. It should go last in sequence as of 2:22pm EST on May 27, 2004.
Bob/RJ
Some of you folks may enjoy a few pictures I took on my way to and from Timmins last week.
Here's one of my favorite pictures of this trip. The cupola/pavilion in the trees, on a sandy peninsula, reflected in the water of the lake, shrouded in mist. This is the lake below the Lodge at Deerhurst, with the lawn to the right sloping up toward it.
A short while later, Tom and I were out on that 3rd short pier checking for nicely framed pictures. And the geese by the first short pier took flight. I got a picture of them rising in the mist off the water, but still showing their splashing steps from take-off. Maybe I can scan that and bring it in here. Seems like the fog and looking toward the sun just whited out the background a lot.
But it was a very pleasing view, where for a few fleeting moments, nature's edge blended harmoniously with man made developments.
http://www.geocities.com/rjam248911/arja51604/May2004Trip/Lake2b.jpg
Okay, I decided to pull this photo in here after all. It's the lake below the Lodge at Deerhurst. There are multiple thresholds in this photo. One is the water and the sky. Another is the clear air and the fog. Another is of dark and light. Then walking and flying. There are still others but my brain can't raise them to the verbal surface at the moment. In a way, the picture is more balanced than what I saw with my own eyes. I could see the coloration of the feathers on the geese. Here, they're just outlined in shades of light an dark. I've rarely had opportunity to see wild birds walking on water like that at flight take-off, let alone to capture it on film. I wonder if that was a gift from Mimi.
Mimi is a 5 yr old native American child I met in Timmins one day. She was digging in the dirt of a flower spot between the occasional parked cars and the storefronts along Third Street when I passed by on my way to the Senator or to Timminsweb. It was too early in the season for the city to to plant flowers yet, so the ground was bare. But Mimi had found a small black stone amidst the black potting soil. And she greeted me cheerily and beckoned me closer so she could give me the stone. I returned her greeting in kind, but backed away, not wanting a useless and somewhat dirty stone.
I tried to say "No, I don't need a stone," and started to leave. She started to look a little crestfallen. But she quickly brightened and innovatively said, "But this is your prize, you've won the grand prize!"
There was something about her and the moment that changed my mind. She was very thin, perhaps not getting enough food, like Eilleen Twain at that age. But she seemed healthy and very energetic with dark hair, big eyes and spirited personality. And she was playing beside an empty car, perhaps waiting for a relative in a store, and needing something to occupy her time and to feel valued. She had a great smile and such a positive attitude despite her circumstances, that I didn't have the heart to walk away.
I stopped, softened, put my hand out and said "I won the grand prize, huh?" She absolutely beamed and bounced with delight as she gave me the stone and said "Yup, it's the grand prize." I asked her name and thanked her, and told her my first name. As I turned to walk away, she said "Good luck, Bob" with a maturity and voice so far beyond her years it was startling. It seemed to come through a time warp from someone else on the other side. I looked back and said "Good luck to you too, Mimi." with a mysterious but pleasant feeling, perhaps intuitive, that I was communicating with more than just a little girl. I still have the stone. And a lot of unusual and good things have happened to me since that moment, which I cannot explain by logic alone. Perhaps this image of the geese is a sign or symbol of something else that took steps to flight that day.
In the mid 1980's, when I was interviewing my aunt for a book, she told me stories of her rural childhood over 100 years ago, when there were still a few native Americans around who remembered their culture and roots very well.
One of them came around with Indian made goods such as baskets, carvings and colorful trinkets. She called him "Old Charlie," and as a small child with her brother, she dearly loved his visits. For he was a story teller. I still remember the way my aunt's eyes would light up as she remembered those stories. There was a magic about them, that transcended the usual boundaries of space, time and culture; and connected to the best in nature and humanity.
http://www.geocities.com/rjam248911/arja51604/May2004Trip/GeeseFlightb.jpg
On the way back from Timmins to Michigan, I saw three bears, three moose, one wolf and one deer. The bear and moose were in Canada. The wolf and deer were in the upper peninsula of Michigan.
Here's one of the bears, a black bear. It was on Hwy 101 between Timmins and Chapleau, probably about 50 miles before Chapleau. A 2nd bear was also seen nearby, but this was the better picture of the two, right beside the road.
http://www.geocities.com/rjam248911/arja51604/May2004Trip/Bear3b.jpg
Here's where I got my first clear view of moose in Ontario. There were two. The larger one skeedaddled into the bush before I could get my SUV stopped and the camera out. This one looked at me long enough for a reasonable picture. Even so I had to do some editing in photoshop to distinguish the animal from the background. She looks pretty skinny and bedraggled, from the effects of a long, harsh winter in the north country. The other in the pair looked similar. This was closer to Chapleau, maybe only 5 miles or so before the junction with Hwy 129 which goes south to Thessalon and Lake Huron.
http://www.geocities.com/rjam248911/arja51604/May2004Trip/Moose2b.jpg
With this bear, you can see the teeth and if you look closely, the eyes. If you were there with me and looked any closer, you could become breakfast.
This was on Hwy 129 about 50 miles south of Chapleau. This bear did not run away. So I turned my SUV around and came back on the other side of the road for another picture. By then, another car had come, and at one point, there was a small traffic jam of 4 vehicles and a trailer, all watching the bear. It munched a bunch of dandelion, greens and blossoms, right at the edge of the road, like they were desert. It also went and stood on that rock at upper right to watch the people in the cars as they watched the bear. Kinda spooky.
I prepared and learned how to cope with nearby grizzlies in Alaska's Denali Wilderness while I was on foot, hiking and camping for 3 days and nights. I don't think I'd want to be around on foot with this black bear. I don't know enough about it's habits or habitat.
http://www.geocities.com/rjam248911/arja51604/May2004Trip/BearTeethb.jpg
This is a bull moose that ran down the road aways in front of my SUV before diving off into the bush. He was much darker than the other two moose I saw. The original picture shows a high wall dark trees and forest on both sides of the road, with a blue sky opening only in the narrow middle above the road in the distance. I gave that perspective and framing up in order to zoom in close enough so you could see the moose' horns beginning to grow out the front of it's forhead. It's still in early velvet stage, which has a soft, thick, dark membrane of blood vessels covering the horns to nourish them with rapid growth into the distinctive and large moose antlers. I think this moose was darker and in better condition than the previous two moose, because it was farther south, warmer, and there was more grass and food.
http://www.geocities.com/rjam248911/arja51604/May2004Trip/Moose3b.jpg
I think you can tell which moose and bear have been hunted. They are more skittish and disappear quickly. While the ones with no experience on the receiving end of a target practice, tend to stay in view as long as you don't push too closely to them.
Instead of continuing the whole 230 kilometers on Hwy 129 from Chapleau to Thessalon, for the first time ever, I turned off just past half way, onto Hwy 556. It's a curvy gravel road but is a shorter route to Sault Ste Marie. I'd been cautioned years ago that this road can be very tricky when it rains. Well, I had a fairly dry day and an all wheel drive SUV with fairly high clearance. So I decided to try a new path. It was very curvy, with lots of hills and sure kept me awake. There were 3 or 4 places that were so steep and going around a blind turn that it was like driving up a muddy dirt road on a mountain. Bogged right down to a very slow speed. Most of the way the gravel road was in fairly decent shape but with some washboarding the first half of the 76 kilometers. That kept safe speed down to about 30 miles per hour. The 2nd half of the road was smoother and despite the gravel base, 40 miles per hour was possible for stretches. Mostly I saw only a few pickup trucks along this road. There were a couple places along the way with cabins on a lake.
The show at Deerhurst on the way to Timmins was interesting. I think I've developed fuller appreciation of what we saw, as time has gone by. And I've updated my impressions in the more informational thread about that at this link:
http://www.shania-twain.org/mb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14048
One of the many performers of very high talent we saw, shared a picture with Tom:
http://www.geocities.com/rjam248911/arja51604/May2004Trip/Deer4b.jpg
Bob, your pictures are wonderful and your descriptions quite lyrical - a real pleasure to read. I have seen many a moose and deer in Muskoka but, fortunately, never a bear. I confess to being terrified at the thought of coming face to face with one, especially in spring when bears are hungry or have cubs around.
I read the earlier descriptions of the Deerhurst show. I meant to say then that in my opinion it is a highly professional show - slick, fast paced, funny, highly entertaining and worth every penny. I think I may be able to convince our relatives to go there this year.
Oh, your photo of the geese on Peninsula Lake is magnificent!
Roger
When I returned at Sault Ste Marie, at 7pm on May 25, I was surprised at the short lines. And I got thru with only 5 or 6 questions & my driver license for ID.
Unfortunately, I needed to do a currency exchange. And I missed the sign for that on the Canadian side. So US customs directed me to the "Duty Free" store on the US side. Once I was in their parking lot, there was no exit except back to Canada. So I went thru Canadian customs, then back to US customs a 2nd time within 45 minutes. The lines were longer this time.
...
Uh-oh. That triggered a red flag and led to a thorough search of my luggage compartment etc. Oh dear, that must have been nice after a fairly long drive and more to go!
I sounds fairly humorous at first, when you first say there was only an exit to Canada. After that the humorous side turns one of frustration very soon. *sigh*
Meanwhile, I noticed for Tracy Hautanen's benefit, that there are two high bridges to cross at the Sault Ste Marie border.
Tracy is afraid of heights and bridges.Ouch, poor Tracy :eek:
And methinks I am also hoping I will never have to cross the border there :shocked:
kerflooey Interesting word, I haven't heard that before.
...and when I proudly told them that the last person to use that pen was Shania Twain - the looks on their faces ranged from amazement to pride:
can I keep this pen..? ;) " me: :shocked: - NO..!!! :funny: :] I know that effect, lost 2 Sharpies in my concerts because of that Shania-touch :funny: They disappeared faster that I could say I'd like to see more Shania concerts :p
Hello Bob, Tom, and Ren
I would encourage all to attend the Timmins Shania Convention this coming August 5th...People don't realize what they are missing out on when they misss out on all the Shania Twain fellowship...You get to actually see how Shania Twain lived and under what conditions she grew up in...Not only that but if you drive you can stop by Deerhurst Resort and see the stage that Shania performed from there also on the way up off of route 11 if you take that way...I know I am going to be there again this year...No doubt about it...In addition to Shania Twain center Tour...There is the Gold Mine Tour...The Tour of the City and you get to see Shania Twains old house that she grew up in Timmins...Then there is the Timmins High School in which you get to see the stage from which Shania Twain sang some of her first songs...They also do a Shania Trivia Contest from that stage and they give you a tour of the High School as well...You get to see Shania Twains old locker and some of her classrooms where she attended classes...There is also a karoake song event at the bar in Porcupine which is part of Timmins...You get to sing everything Shania there and show that you have talent as well...It is a lot of fun...Something that you would never forget and as you can tell from Tom's and Bobs photos you might see a Moose or two along the way...There is also the Forestry service tour to see...You get to see where Shania worked there and get an explanation of the work being carried out there is replanting of the trees to keep the forests filled out after they cut them down...Then you get to see also the Piza place that Shania stopped in at all the time and also the Mcdonalds that Shania Twain worked at...
Benjamin :)
Yep, I second all that Benjamin. Much of that will be done again this year but there will be new activities as well. Tracy was telling us about some of them when we saw her in London. Better not go into detail though because some of it was very tentative and subject to change.
Roger
Bob, your pictures are wonderful and your descriptions quite lyrical - a real pleasure to read. I have seen many a moose and deer in Muskoka but, fortunately, never a bear. I confess to being terrified at the thought of coming face to face with one, especially in spring when bears are hungry or have cubs around.
I read the earlier descriptions of the Deerhurst show. I meant to say then that in my opinion it is a highly professional show - slick, fast paced, funny, highly entertaining and worth every penny. I think I may be able to convince our relatives to go there this year.
Oh, your photo of the geese on Peninsula Lake is magnificent!
Roger
Roger,
It's a growing pleasure to learn about Canada with constructive input from you and your fellow Canadian residents whom I've met in person. American visitors to Canada, especially in outlying areas, really seem to enjoy the pleasant, polite and helpful demeanor.
The first time I heard the word Muskoka, I thought it was just a bad accent. Then when it kept popping up, it became a mystery in context of an undefined region, county, culture or the like. As time went by and I saw related roadsigns, advertisements, maps and other information, the cluster of attributes began to come into focus. The area around Huntsville and Deerhurst is a beautiful geographic area with hills, lakes, forests, meadows, and occasional small towns. No wonder it's become the favorite holiday area for Toronto, in the northerly direction.
There is considerable descriptive material about the show I've posted elsewhere, beyond what you can see in this thread. That info balances out more fully and objectively, the pluses, minuses and potential for the show and it's cast. I'd make it available if it were easier but I've got other tasks to get ready to head for Wisconsin in a bit over 24 hours. In general, it is a highly professional show in terms of the talent. It is better than average, but possibly not highly professional in the sense of the top shows in the largest cities, where the facilities are the best that money and connections can provide. You could say it is like a diamond in the rough. And that is consistent with what Shania was like in earlier stages of her career.
I don't remember seeing much comedy in the show, but there may have been some. I do agree that it was well worth the price of admission. After our experience, Tom and I would've probably been willing to pay double that, and still feel satisfied.
Ah! Peninsula Lake. Now I get it. I've seen it on the map, along with the other lakes in the sequence near there. But nothing to associate it with, for easy remembering til now. Too bad you weren't with Tom and me. I'd have learned so much more. And we'd have gotten lost so many fewer times.
Oh well.
I'm really glad you like my lyrical 2 pics and story related to one of them. The story is still a bit scrambled in use of language. But the experience was a gem I won't soon forget. And sharing the story, even with limited grammar, was very rewarding.
These are the kinds of things that happen to visitors to Timmins, and to the convention. We know they happened. But words to describe the reality, await to be told by someone with more time and ability.
RJ
Oh dear, that must have been nice after a fairly long drive and more to go!
I sounds fairly humorous at first, when you first say there was only an exit to Canada. After that the humorous side turns one of frustration very soon. *sigh*
Ouch, poor Tracy :eek:
And methinks I am also hoping I will never have to cross the border there :shocked:
Interesting word, I haven't heard that before.
Hi Marika,
Yes, if I had a better sense of humor, I could've made a good story out of going thru customs 3 times for a single border crossing. As it was, I was grinding my molars at my aging eyes, and at unhelpful traffic signs and incomplete directions from tired customs agents.
I think "Kerflooey" comes from the sound of electricity shorting out, which accompanies the brief arc of flame. I tend to use it as a generic term for something gone awry, when that mishap has dramatic effect, but no serious consequences, just an inconvenience to set things right again.
Roger,
The first time I heard the word Muskoka, I thought it was just a bad accent. Then when it kept popping up, it became a mystery in context of an undefined region, county, culture or the like. As time went by and I saw related roadsigns, advertisements, maps and other information, the cluster of attributes began to come into focus. The area around Huntsville and Deerhurst is a beautiful geographic area with hills, lakes, forests, meadows, and occasional small towns. No wonder it's become the favorite holiday area for Toronto, in the northerly direction.
Ah! Peninsula Lake. Now I get it. I've seen it on the map, along with the other lakes in the sequence near there. But nothing to associate it with, for easy remembering til now. Too bad you weren't with Tom and me. I'd have learned so much more. And we'd have gotten lost so many fewer times.
Oh well.
RJ
Yeah, Muskoka is a bit of a puzzle at first. Most Ontarians know where it is but the borders of this region are not defined. Yes, Huntsville and Lake of Bays are in the southern part. Algonquin Park is more or less the eastern edge. For sure Lake Muskoka is perhaps the centre of the region but I'm not sure where the northern edge is.
Peninsula Lake is the lake Deerhurst Resort in on.
Roger
The District of Muskoka, including it's subunits of Huntsville, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Muskoka Lakes, Lake of Bays, and Georgian Bay; is shown in the simplified map at this link:
http://www.visitmuskoka.com/
A half page description of it, including history is at this link:
http://www.visitmuskoka.com/history.htm
Ah, so the area is precisely defined somewhere. Now why didn't that occur to me to look it up? I have a Canadian encyclopedia just five feet from where I am sitting, plus all the resources of the internet and I am an ex librarian! LOL!!
Roger
Perhaps the "why" is in the "ex." You're retired.
Also, you should have access to much more interesting and useful info, such as road maps and perhaps topography.
Some day I'd like to see the resources of this ex-librarian. You've probably got as much stuff as I do in the info storage category, but I'll bet it's far more effectively accumulated, organized and retrievable.
RJ
Perhaps the "why" is in the "ex." You're retired.
Also, you should have access to much more interesting and useful info, such as road maps and perhaps topography.
Some day I'd like to see the resources of this ex-librarian. You've probably got as much stuff as I do in the info storage category, but I'll bet it's far more effectively accumulated, organized and retrievable.
RJ
I think it is because I don't think of Muskoka as being a strange or faraway place. I always look up info on places we haven't been before but I never think to look up places I know. As for my info resources being organized and retrievable, remember the shoemaker's children! LOL!!
Roger
Hi Marika,
Yes, if I had a better sense of humor, I could've made a good story out of going thru customs 3 times for a single border crossing. As it was, I was grinding my molars at my aging eyes, and at unhelpful traffic signs and incomplete directions from tired customs agents.
I think "Kerflooey" comes from the sound of electricity shorting out, which accompanies the brief arc of flame. I tend to use it as a generic term for something gone awry, when that mishap has dramatic effect, but no serious consequences, just an inconvenience to set things right again.Ah Bob, nothing wrong with your sense of humor :D
Very interesting, and very helpful explanation about that word. Makes perfect sense to me now.
Yes Kerflooey was the word that sprang to mind as I boarded the BUS in place of the Northlander Train to Timmins yesterday!
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