Victoria’s Read

In Callander Ontario, locals will have a new place to check out. It is called Theresa Solomon’s Art Gallery - located at 980 Main Street, North Unit B5. 705-752-0019

I am a local artist born and raised in Nipissing Junction. It was a bit of magic that happened to me. Have you ever just simply asked for something and it got it , well this is what happened to me.

It was my last year’s wish list that came true. Now, I will fill out this dream the best way I can.

Callander is where I went to church and bought lovely cut out dolls at Mrs. Legro’s Store, plus ice cream…mm. That was a Sunday treat for me!

Life’s journey took me from being a mother of two plus grandkids, Then in my forty’s , I was off to college. I graduated with honors from the Social service program. I then worked part time in a Women’s Shelter, part time as a Education Assistant, part time for Social Services and cleaned houses to make ends meet.

It was in Stratford, when I first started to paint. My husband bought me a beginner’s paint set. There was a huge influence from my sister to keep at it. Thank goodness I did since I would never have known the fun in painting. So, thank you Ken and Diane for your encouragement.

I can paint from memory, like in the painting “Sleigh Ride”. I also paint from pictures which the painting “ Little Rascal” was created. This was painted while visiting my mother in law in England.

I can still recall the smile on her face as she watched this little creature develop. To me painting has brought joy in so many ways.

This month, I will be featuring Martine Rondeau.  A young local artist, who is so excited to show her work. On, February 7th, we are having Martine come in to meet the public. Please drop by and enjoy the evening with us.

Water Colour Lessons are now available in the evening - Tues, Wed and Thurs evening. Please drop in or phone 752-0019. A few seats are left.

-Many years ago, a woman would drop her handkerchief in front of the man she liked. If he picked it up for her an introduction could be made. Lace has always been part of women’s handkerchiefs and it has from that time been linked to romance.

-The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The color red stands for strong romantic feelings making the red rose the flower of love.

-In the Middle Ages young men and women drew the names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would wear this name pinned on their sleeves for one week. This was known as “to wear your heart on your sleeve.

A woman goes into a very well-known and large automotive repair shop chain after her 1996 Grand Am suddenly becomes exceedingly noisy. 

She is told that the cars entire exhaust system would need to be replaced. “How much will that cost?” she asks the man. He picks up his pen and begins to mumble words under his breath as he figures out an estimate. After what feels like an eternity, he raises his head and answers. “That will be about $1,138.96.” 

“My car isn’t even worth that!” she says in total despair. The man shows no remorse and continues with other business. The woman leaves the establishment confused and weary.

The woman has a handicap and her car is her one sense of independence. Without it, she will be confined to her home since she lives in a remote area of town off the bus route.  She is faced with a no-win situation of paying the price or purchasing another vehicle. Either way, she will have to go into debt because her small pension will not allow it.

After a night of fitful sleep, she wakes to the same dilemma and begins to ponder. She starts to think that although she felt that a large automotive chain would be less likely to take advantage of a woman than a small time garage, maybe she should rethink her ideas and get another opinion.

As her anger builds, she remembers that a friend of hers had gone to a small garage located fairly close to her home. “I’ll give it a chance.” She decides. “What do I have to lose?”

The family-ran business is nothing special but it is clean and they are very friendly. Apprehensively, she sits in the meager waiting area and waits for his response. Shortly, Freddy enters. He takes the time to explain a few things to her about her vehicle. He makes her feel totally at ease about the whole ordeal and speaks with her as an equal. “We can cut out the bad spot and replace it for about $130.00. How does that sound?” Freddy asks. She is lost for words and finely answers. “I would be very pleased and elated.”

She gets her car fixed the same day, meets Freddy’s partner/ wife and becomes a new customer.

Filled with contempt over the discrimative service at the larger automotive shop, she goes back to express her displeasure. Their response to her plight was “Thank you for coming in. Have a nice day!”

Victoria writes……
Shame on you!!

 Banana Blueberry Quick Bread

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 5/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, dredge blueberries in 2 tbls flour. Gently stir blueberries together with oats, nuts, 1 1/2 cups flour, soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream shortening. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in mashed banana.
Add blueberry mixture to creamed mixture and stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack

Cream Cheese Banana Bread 

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tbls brown sugar
2 tsps ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Cream the butter or margarine and cream cheese together. Gradually add the white sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and soda; mix until batter is just moist. In a small bowl, mix together chopped pecans, 2 tbls brown sugar and cinnamon. Divide 1/2 batter into two greased and floured 8×4 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle pecan mixture over batter in pans and top with remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Mona Louise Parsons
17 Feb 1901- 28 Nov 1976

I had steeled myself for this moment. I knew that all eyes were on me, expecting me to burst out in tears. I determined not to humble myself before any of them. As I left the courtroom, I put my heels together and bowed to the judge, the prosecutor, and my German counsel, who were standing together in a group. ‘Guten morgen, meine herren,’ I said.”     Mona Parson’s memories after hearing of her death sentence.

Mona Parsons was the only Canadian woman to be imprisoned by the German army. She didn’t need a uniform to fight for her rights.

Mona Louise Parsons was born in 1901 in Middleton, Nova Scotia. She was raised in Wolfville. She was the daughter of a businessman.

She enrolled in the Acadia Ladies’ Seminary. Parsons moved to New York City in 1929 to pursue an acting career. She worked at Ziegfield Follies, working as an actress and a chorus girl.

After many years of being a chorus girl, Mona took nursing training, and went to work in a doctor’s office on Park Avenue. Soon, she met Dutch millionaire Willem Leonhardt and they were married in 1937.

The couple moved to Holland and lived a life of freedom until the Nazis invaded in 1940. They joined a resistance unit that rescued Allied airmen but their involvement was short. A Nazi informer betrayed them to the Gestapo in 1941.

They were arrested. In 1945 Parsons was moved to Vechta Prison. There, she met Baroness Wendelien van Boetzelaer, whom she planned to escape when an opportunity came. They escaped during an Allied bombing.
The two women made their way by posing as German sisters. Parsons received a commendation for her effort from British Air Marshal Lord Tedder and US president Dwight D. Eisenhower. Even though she hadn’t Parsons and Leonhardt were reunited after the war, but he died in 1956.

Parsons returned to Nova Scotia in 1957, where she met with a childhood friend, Harry Foster. In June, 1959, Mona Parson and Harry Foster wed.

www.femalerolesinwwii.com

Heart disease is the primary cause of death in women over the age of 55. Women are ten times more likely to die from heart disease than from any other disease. Even if a woman does not die from a heart attack, her activities and mobility may be limited.  

Diabetes increases the risk of a heart attack even more in women than it does in men. Some tests and treatments for heart attacks may not be as effective in women as in men. The symptoms of a heart attack in women are somewhat unusual compared to those in men. Sometimes women with heart disease are not taken seriously and do not receive the appropriate tests and treatment. Too often, heart attacks go unnoticed in women. A woman, her family or her doctor may believe that other insignificant health problems are responsible for her symptoms or that the symptoms will go away on their own. They may also believe that these are the side effects of a drug. Because of this, women do not always get the healthcare necessary to prevent complications or death from a heart attack.

Older women are at a clear disadvantage compared to men. After menopause, they become more vulnerable, particularly if they smoke and have high cholesterol levels. 

Until recently, heart disease was considered a man’s disease and research focused primarily on men. Researchers thought that women had the same symptoms as men. However, studies now show that the symptoms of heart attack in women are very different from those in men and appear at different ages. Also, the warning signs and the effects of a heart attack are often different. While heart attacks are relatively easy to identify in men (strong pain in the chest and left arm), in women, the symptoms are fairly vague, such as: -tightening and ill-defined pain in the chest that may extend into the neck, jaws and shoulders; -heartburn; -nausea and/or vomiting; -difficulty breathing; -shortness of breath; -general feeling of weakness; -paleness or pallor; -anxiety; -sweating. Symptoms may appear and then disappear spontaneously. One woman who is having a heart attack may have a few of these symptoms; another may have all of them at the same time. 

It is never too early to build a strong and healthy heart.

www.cwhn.ca

More than a century ago, Clara Maass, a lovely young woman became a martyr to the cause of finding a cure for yellow fever.

1. Clara Maass was born:

-New York City
-East Orange, New Jersey
-London, England
-Berlin, Germany

2. Clara Maass trained as a nurse in which of these hospitals?

-Newark German Hospital
-Bellevue Hospital, New York
-St. Vincent’s Medical Center, New York
-Newark General Women and Children

3. How is yellow fever transmitted to humans?

-Mosquito bite
-Contaminated food
-Tse Tse Fly
-Fomites (carriers)

4. Clara Maass volunteered to be bitten by mosquitos for yellow fever research.

-True or False

5. She has been honored since her death in what way?

-A place in the Nursing Hall of Fame
-All of these
-Commemorative postage stamps
-A hospital was named for her

ANSWERS

1. Clara Maass was born Clara Louise Maass, June 28, 1876 in East Orange, New Jersey, the eldest of ten children born to  German immigrants.

2. When Clara was 17, she entered the Christina Trefz Training school at Newark German Hospital, only the 4th such nursing school at the time in New Jersey. She graduated in 1895 after two years of arduous training and classes in German. At age 21, she was named head nurse and supplemented her income with private duty nursing.

3. The culprit is the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. This is not a mosquito indigenous to all regions.

4. She was bitten by “loaded” mosquitoes a number of times between Mar and Aug of 1901 and died on Aug 24 of that year at the age of 25. Her death created shock waves that ended human experimentation. She was the only woman in the experiment. Her mother received $100.

5. She has been honored by both Cuba and the United Stated with postage stamps. The original German Hospital in Newark is now the Clara Maass Medical Center, the first hospital to be named for a nurse. She was inducted into the ANA nursing Hall of Fame in 1976.

www.funtrivia.com

Play Time

Whatsit puzzle

Soduko

Baking Word Search

Beater                 Bowl
Butter                 Cup
Dish                     Dough
Eggs                    Flour
Fork                    Heat
Honey                Knife
Margarine        Measure
Milk                    Mixer
Oven                  Pans
Salt                     Spatula
Spices               Spoon
Stove                Sugar
Water               Yeast

Answers

Soduko Solution

Baking Word Search Solution

Wosit Solution

 Stand up and be counted

I Value Your Friendship Day is Feb 13th

Stop The Violence Against Women Day is Feb 14th

World Marriage Day is the Second Sunday in February

First Barbie dolls are sold in stores, February 12, 1959

Nylon stockings were patented Feb 16th 1937

Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded on Feb 8th 1587

February 6 is Girls and Women in Sports Day

Not For Profit Announcement

You are invited to donate your soaps, shampoos,
and hygiene items, which will be collected and
bagged for donation to our area women’s shelters
February 2nd - 6th
Booth will be set up in the hallway outside the library
at The Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario