Toolbox Tuesdays - Axes

Broad Axe 

     

            A most essential early American tool was the chisel-edge broad axe. The broad axe had a short bent handle protruding outward from the side of the axe head with the bevel on that same side (picture 1). The American style broad axe had a fairly large squarish head or poll compared to European axes which did not. Two hands were used and the process was called "squaring" or "hewing". The process began with the stripping of the bark and a chalkline was made with a squaring cord. Then using a felling axe* the tree would be scored to the chalkline. Finally using the broad axe the tree would be hewed to the line. 

* A felling axe has a knife edge compared to the chisel-edge of the broad axe 

*Come out to the Heritage Farm Show at the Backus-Page House Museum September 13th and 14th to see our antique broad axes and all the other farm implements feature on our Toolbox Tuesday blog posts. 

Media Monday

Happy Monday!

Well it is already August and we have a whole new display of QR codes throughout the museum. I have chosen items that are not usually on display in the museum and I have pulled them from storage for the month of August. There are 5 new artefacts that I have focused on this month and they include: an apple peeler, a cigarette dispenser, a glove box, a Log Cabin quilt, and a box of tintype photographs. These objects will be set around the museum accompanied by QR code tent cards that allow for you to scan with your SmartPhone and receive extra information regarding the object. Tour guides here at the museum have booklets explaining each object as well and therefore can answer many of the questions any of our guests will have. Below is a site map showing where the objects will be located throughout the museum during the month of August. 

Downstairs:

Upstairs:

Behind The Scenes Sunday

Last Sunday we had 9 residents from Longworth Retirement Residence plus their chaperones, Jeff and Charity here for tea and baked goods in the dining room and parlour.  Everyone had tours and for those who could not use the stairs, we showed a slideshow of the current exhibit and furnished bedrooms.  As you can see in the photos, we all had a great time. 

 

You can have tea, baked goods, and a tour for $10.00/person every Sunday 1-4pm in August.  RSVP 519-762-3072

Service Saturday- Paula Grafstein

This weeks service saturday features Paula Grafstein, from Eagle. Paula decided to get involved with the Backus-Page House museum after seeing the advertisement in the chronicle. Although Paula just started volunteering with the museum this season, she has volunteered at various places in the past. Paula has volunteered with St. John's as well as the Eagle Community Centre. Some of the events that Paula has helped out with this season include the War of 1812 event, Strawberry Social, summer teas, planting the garden and clean up day. Paula enjoys volunteering at the museum because of the people and wonderful events. Paula especially likes the farm show.

Thank-you Paula for everything you do at the museum! 

Paula Grafstein at the Strawberry Social.

Kelsey Conway

Backus-Page House Museum

Foodie Friday- Maple Upside- down Cake

Maple Upside-down Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Whipped cream topping

Instructions:

1. Pre heat oven to 400 F. Butter an 8 inch round cake pan.
2. In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat for 7 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat for 3 minutes longer, or until the batter is lemon colour. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, blend well.
3. In a small saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil. Pour the syrup in the cake pan, sprinkle in the nuts, then slowly pour the batter over the syrup and nuts, patting it into the pan with a rubber spatula.
4. Bake the cake for 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown and the syrup is bubbling up around the edges. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate.
5. Serve warm with whipped cream topping.

Kelsey Conway

Backus Page House Museum



Tourism Talk

July 31

School Aged Summer Reading Club

• Venue: Dutton Library
• Time: 1:30PM to 2:30PM

Aug 1

Tub Daze In Port Burwell
Weekend family fun! Activities include beach volleyball, swimming, boating, fishing, great food and music. Visit the Marine Museum, Lighthouse and HMCS Ojibwa sub. 

• Venue: Port Burwell East Beach
• Dates: August 1st to August 3rd

Aug 3

Backus Page House
Sunday Summer Tea. $10 for tea, baked goods and a guided tour of the museum. 

• Venue: Backus Page House Museum
• Time: 1PM to 4PM
• Cost: $10

Port Glasgow Yacht Club's Annual Fish Fry and Fireworks 

The day starts off with a family fish fry put on by West Elgin volunteer groups($15; over 600 served annually). Featuring live entertainment by Port Authority, and fireworks on the beach at dusk

• Time: 4:30PM to 10:00PM
• Venue: Port Glasgow Yacht Club and Marina, 8536 Haven's Lake Road
• Cost: $15

The Shoreline Run 9K

Run on the shore, in the water, in the clay, any way you can for 9KM. Park and register at Little Beach (9:20 to 9:40). Participants will walk down the West Pier after and start by the West Breakwater at 10AM. This workout will be hard on your core. Meet at GT's after to award the cup to the winning female and prize for the winning male.

• Host: Sport In Port and Run For Your Life
• Venue: Little Beach, Port Stanley 

Aug 4

Savour The Flavour Boot Camp: A Culinary Adventure
Connects kids with the local food community in a hands on, meaningful and fun way. It brings to ice the what, why and how about the food we eat exploring the realm of food, with all its possibilities while building real culinary skills.

• Venue: The Arts and Cookery Bank
• Address: 242 Graham Road, West Lorne
• Contact: 519-768-9986

Aug 5

Baby and Me Story Time

• Venue: Dutton Library
• Time: 10:30AM to 11:00AM

Aug 6

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Memorial Lantern-Floating
Sponsored by the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Sparta, the lantern-floating is a peaceful yet powerful way to remember all those who perished from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. This is a free event, but donations are welcome to cover the cost of the event.

• Time: Potluck 6:00PM to 7:00PM
• Venue: Pinafore Park, 95 Elm Street, St Thomas 

Catching Up With Catie!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

This past week, I have been working on getting our presenters for day camp and have been successful with most.  We are very excited to have them join us and our campers to increase our learning.  We will have Stacie Littlejohn teach rug-hooking, Marg Hulls will be leading us in a nature walk on the grounds and we will be having a presentation on the aboriginals that were present in this area before the settlers came.  Angela has gone shopping for final supplies and Kelsey and I will be going over last minute details this week to make sure everything is all ready J

We also had the pleasure this weekend of having a reunion here on the grounds in which Iris Page was present.  I was not working this past Saturday so I unfortunately missed meeting her and all of her wonderful stories, but she is supposed to be visiting us again soon and I hope to be here when that happens.  I love learning more about the house from a primary source!

This past Sunday’s tea was a busy one.  We had a group of seniors visit us from Longworth in London and they were a great bunch.  Lots of stories and memories shared with us of their childhoods and items that they recognized in the museum.  Overall, they said that they had a lovely time and made it into the bus just before it rained.  We also had a mother and daughter visit us for tea from England, which was exciting and Kelsey gave a tour last week to a 99 year old woman who climbed our stairs, up and down, better than we can!  It was a pleasure to meet someone of so many years. 

Lastly, watermelon update!  Our watermelon has grown quite a bit, thanks to the rain and sunshine that we have had recently.  We are looking forward to it growing nice and big so that we can have a delicious, juicy treat soon.