Behind the Scenes Sunday with Sabrina

🌸🌸Behind the Scenes Sunday with Sabrina🌸🌸

              First off HI , I'm Sabrina Merks, resident of Dutton and I'll be attending St. Lawrence College for musical theatre performance in the fall. You may have seen me in the Elgin County area wearing many hats, such as volunteer at The West Elgin Dramatic Society or have seen me as one of the cashiers at Dutton Foodland, or even possibly as current reining Miss Elgin County Globe. I spent my past year at Sheridan College in the performing arts program and I'm excited to be Assistant Museum Manager for the summer.

           This week has been quite busy on Tuesday we had the waterfront cyclists come through and we had 100 cyclists on site. We gave tours all that morning and it was crazy busy, we gave 23 tours of the house! So many people from all over Canada came through as well. The cyclist started in Point Pelee national park are working their way up to Toronto. They were on their way to Port Stanley that day and used our museum as a pit stop. 



            Day camp was on Wednesday and we had 4 very eager explorers with us. this week we learned all about food. We Talked about the food groups, planted seeds in our garden, played games, made all sorts of cool crafts and were able to talk about food back in the 1850's which I might is rad.  

             The rest of the week I have just been working away at the nomenclature, trying to get it done ASAP. Which is difficult because if you know me I tend to be able to focus on a task for an hour or two then need a break. Often when I need those breaks, I write blogs or go outside and water the garden or even give a tour. 

              Saturday morning was a little different as well. So I come on site minding my own business when I see another car. I don't think anything of it people use our park or facilities all the time. Its when I get out of my car im greeted by the amazing sound of bagpipes, and i think to myself .... did we have an event or .... As I walk closer I see that its Brian one of the board members playing his bag pipes. We chat and laugh, and when I go into the museum I open all the windows so I could hear him play. It was a great way to send Saturday morning.

That has been my week everyone. 
Tune in next week for another update
Thanks for reading 

Behind The Scenes Sunday: George Henry Backus Exhibit

Even though the museum is closed, Catie and I are still busy behind the scenes preparing for future events and programs.  One special event is on November 7 & 8 at the Dutton-Dunwich Community Centre called Military Heroes Past & Present.  We invite you to attend to see our exhibit and many others (more information below).  

Backus-Page House Museum has recently acquired artefacts and archival documents from the life and service of Trooper George Henry Backus, also known as Gordon Gilbert of Wallacetown.  These were donated by his foster sister, Ruth (Gilbert) Bedford and along with 2 other items in our collection received from Gord Campbell in 2007, make up the basis for our research and display.  I thought you might enjoy seeing the creative process of putting together our mini exhibit for the Military Heroes weekend.  

Military Heroes Past & Present - Honouring Veterans from all conflicts and our enlisted men and women of today.

November 7  11am - 7pm

November 8  1 - 4pm

Dutton-Dunwich Community Centre

Family Friendly and FREE!

For more information please contact Jenny Phillips at 519-762-2862

jennyphillips@golden.net

followed by a ceremonial planting of tulips Nov. 8, 2015, at about 4:15pm in front of the Fire Hall. 

Behind The Scenes Sunday - Horseless Carriage Club

If you weren't at Backus-Page House Museum on Friday, August 14, 2015 between 9-11 am then you missed seeing these beautiful horseless carriages on our front lawn!    

Approximately 60 people took a tour around Lake Erie and stopped in for museum and barn tours, plus coffee and muffins (thanks Betty Ann Bobier). 

To participate these cars have to be from 1915 or before. 

Thank you Horseless Carriage Club for visiting Backus-Page House Museum!!!

Behind The Scenes Sundays

Things Backus-Page House Museum staff said last week: "It's not giant hogweed, it's cow parsnip."

A belated Happy Canada Day and Happy Independence Day!  Sarah and I spent the afternoon on Tuesday at the Canada Day Celebrations in Dutton.  We took our new banner (shown in the photo), some gift shop items, and upcoming event flyers.  As always, the salt water taffy and maple kisses were the favourite with shoppers and History Camp for Kids was our most asked about event.  Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say Hello. 

 

 

Our 2013 financial audit is completed and I was able to submit two grant applications (Community Museum Operating Grant and Ontario Seniors Community Program) before month end.  Last year was the first time we reached the $100,000 in revenue milestone.  As a charitable organization, this comes with many changes in bookkeeping, which I won't bore you with, but does take extra time from staff.  Now that we've had the first audit, next year should be a much quicker process for us and our accountant. 

 

This has been a sad week for nature with high winds coming through last weekend and knocking down a large walnut tree just to the east of the museum and branches blocking part of the Spicer Trail.  By the time you read this post, all will be cleaned up thanks to Talbot Tree Service and volunteers Larry and Paula Graftsein and Rob and Janice Ellis.  Betty McLandress and staff spent alot of time weeding vegetable gardens.  Everything (including the weeds) are growing really well, except for the beans I planted which some birds decided looked tasty, so no Lazy Housewife Beans this year.   

 

Since our Sunday Summer Teas start today (1-4pm, $10/person includes tea and tour), the parlour was set up on Thursday to accomodate 2 tables of 4.  Tablecloths, linen napkins, flower arrangements, and cups and saucers are all ready for our visitors.  Volunteers will be donating the weekly baked goods made from 1850's recipes and I hear seed cake and apple cake might be served today.  Traditionally Mary Jane Backus would have hosted tea in the dining room of the house for her guests. 

 

Listen on St. Thomas MyFM for our summer commercials.  Leave a comment below telling us what baked goods you prefer to have with your tea and what topics you are curious about "Behind the Scenes at Backus-Page".  

 

 

Angela Bobier

Cultural Manager

 

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Behind The Scenes Sundays

Behind the Scenes Sundays with Angela Bobier, Cultural Manager

For those of you who are new readers or who don't know me, I grew up in Wallacetown and now live in West Lorne with my husband, John, and our cat Charly and dog Jack.  I joined the board of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society in 2009 and progressed from Director, to Vice President, and President.  Two years ago I became the Cultural Manager of the Backus-Page House Museum where I enjoy pair my love of history, the local community, and background with sales, team building, and business.  I am currently earning my diploma in Cultural Resource Management.  My blog posts will be more what happens in the office, with the museum collection, research and operating the society and museum.

Last year time was spent researching our parlour.  We are currently lacking in appropriate window and floor coverings, accesories and artwork.  The focus was on what types of window dressings Andrew and Mary Jane Backus might have had in the 1850's.  Not only would we need to know the colours and patterns available and popular in Tyrconnell, but what fabric did they use, and the style of curtains appropiate for the parlour.  What surprised me was that plain linen roller blinds would have been used in addition to curtains.   

Luckily, Melanie Button and I, found some sources that had pictures of actual fabric available in the 1850's.  I narrowed the choices down to 10 that would match the current furniture upholstery in our collection, printed them off, and took them with me to Len's Mills in London.  I found 5 prints and purchased a sample of each.  The final decision will be left up to, you, the visitors to the museum.

What pattern is your preference?  I'm calling this "Pocket Change for Parlour Curtains".  All 5 samples are posted in the parlour with a decorated jar paired with each.  To cast your vote, just put some pocket change into the jar of the pattern you think we should make the curtains from.  All the change will be used to purchase the fabric and have the curtains made.  The samples will be up until July 31, 2014.  Visit us at the Heritage Farm Show on September 13-14, 2014 to see the new curtains made from the winning fabric.

Let me know what kinds of things you would like to know about our museum.  This is your chance to ask a Curator and influence my future blog posts.  Have a Happy Canada Day on Tuesday.  Sarah and I will have a display, the gift shop and settler toys to play with at the Dutton Community Centre from 2:30 - 4:30pm during the July 1st celebrations. 

P.S. Today's my 38th birthday (June 29th)!!!  Please leave a comment, like this post, follow our blog, and share on all your social media accounts.