Tourism Thursdays

Whats Happening This Weekend?

HIGH TEA & HISTORICAL FASHION SHOW

Enjoy a special high tea while you watch a historical fashion show featuring men's, women's, and children's clothing from the 1700's to the later 1900's. Tickets  $30.

Website: villageofsparta.com

Phone: (519) 775-2292

Email: tcg@execulink.com

Date: 

Saturday, July 14, 2018 - 14:00 to 16:00

Location: 

Sparta Church Museum

6073 Quaker Road

Village of Sparta, ON N0L 2H0

ANNUAL DUTTON STREET DANCE

This annual event is held to raise money for the local sporting groups and the recreation department. 

Website: duttondunwich.on.ca

Phone: (519) 762-2204

Date: 

Saturday, July 14, 2018 - 21:00 to Sunday, July 15, 2018 - 01:00

Location: 

Co-Trac Ford Dealership

204 Main Street

ST ANNUAL EDISON MYSTERY CRUISE

Vendors open by 10 am, music & 50/50 lottery throughout the day, Cars to arrive by 4 pm with BBQ from 4 - 8 pm. Car Rally participants & attendees are encouraged to follow Vienna Line to Community Centre.

Proceeds support THE EDISON, VIENNA & AREA MUSEUM, o/b Bayham Historical Society. Info at Facebook, Twitter or contact: bayhamhistoricalsociety@hotmail.com or 519-773-8798.

Date: 

Saturday, July 21, 2018 - 10:00 to 20:00

Location: 

Lions Community Centre & Edison Field

Vienna, ON

Foodie Friday: Irish Tea Cake

This recipe was requested by some of our visitors who have had Tea and A Tour recently so I thought I'd post it.  I found it on Let's Dish Recipes website which you can visit.  

Serves 8

Irish Tea Cake

10Prep Time

30Cook Time

40Total Time

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Fresh berries and whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch round pan.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the batter alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate.
6. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar. If desired, top slices with fresh berries and/or whipped cream.

Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from All Recipes

May 21-22 The Road to Culloden - Scotland Forever Event

Photo credit: Bard Judith 2015

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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