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Whitby Free Press, Wednescfay, MAay il, 1994, Page 7 L Project sandbox Now that Spring has cleared arrived, heck, maybe even arrived, this may be the proper time to discuss proper family summer living. First of ail, the garden: this is the time of year to stand in your backyard garden, rake clutched just so at your side, making knowing clucks. "MWy, my, I wonder why this climbing rose looks dead?' Thence starts an argument of merit. One side of the bouse would dig up the winter kiil now and be done with it. The other side would insist that nature neyer gives up, and leave the dry, sharpened thorns in place until fall frost. Just in case. At the Swan household other puzzles abound. Why, for instance, does the rhododendron have brown curly leaves ail over except for three sprigs at the bottom? Weill it happens that nature does have a variety of states. For while the climbing rose (Imperial blaze) may look completely dead, the rhododendron looks almost dead. Hope. Whole gardens are dug out of such subtle différences. S eaking of digging: this was to be the year the sanàÉ>ox would be converted. You know, from the neighborhood cat box into, oh, maybe a raised bed for cutting roses, or a home for unwed gladiolus, some- thing like that. Oh sure. So this is the year that Erin, now eigbt, discovers the sandbox. After a lifetime of negleet. Her discovery takes the form of excavation. With ber own garden tools (a birthday gift last year) she wanted to see how far down sbe could go. "Let me know wben you get Wo China," sorne dumb father told ber. She got to the three foot level (about one metre) the first afternoon. By then she was charging neighbor- hood kids a nickel each for viewing privileges. That ended when many of the guests assumed they had also bought the bole-jumping-ino-n*grh. Hole jumping also causes excavation collapse. TChe Chna project could have been set back months. The project continued. Only serious helpers were now allowed near the site. I watched from the far side of an almost-dead rhododendron. From beside the growing sand heap emerges a shovel. Full of sand. Once every minute a head emerges from the sandbox, basebaîl cap on sideways and a loose-tooth grin checking the topside world. "Found anyone who speaks Chinese yet?» What do you mean?"Y 1 almost try to explain. Heck, we've been taugbt forever that you dig deep enougb you corne out in China. Maybe that's not politically correct tbese days. '<Where would you come out if ypoudug straight througb to the other side of the world?C1 "I dunno. Who cares? I just want to find water.7 At lunch I repeat the question. After a brief explanation (from me) Erin disappears to her play ruom where the Globe lives in semi-retirement. "Russia," she says when she reappears. Project sandbox continued for two weekends. Finally, Erin got ber wisb: following one of the recent overnigbt rains, the hole held about a foot of water. Fortunately, digging by then bad passed several layers of easy-to-move sand and had struck hardpan clay. Which is not so rnuch fun. Fiing in the hole now proved Wo be mucb more fun. So the sandbox conversion must wait for another year. In the meantime, the fascination continues and the site is now a miniature Jurassic Park. And that China, Russia tbing? I later tiptoed downstairs to take a peek. Guess what? Tain't China. Tain't even Russia. Dig straight through the centre of the Earth from bere and you wiIl end up about three hundred miles south estcAusri. .nythe- ile f n cen [IMM~iJ - -m - ..........wA..z.... w COLOUR PARTY FOR V.E. DAY PARADE, MAY 89 1945 Thie parade formed up at Centennial Park, where this picture was taken, and marched to the Cenotaph for a service of thanksgiving to mark the end of World War Il in Europe. Many children were in the parade as most older men were stili in the armed forces overseas. Whltby Aamhivo photo 10 YEABS AGO from the Wednesday, May 9, 1984 edition of the WETBY FREE PRE.SS "Dennis O'Connor High Sehool is holding a reunion for former students on June 2, before it moves to Ajax. " A student mock council meeting discussed issues of 1884 as part of Ontario's bicentennial celebrations. " Van Belle Flowers has opened its store at Brock and Dundas streets. " A public meeting will be held on May 22 to discuse a development plan for Ashburn. 35 YE.ABS AGO from the Thursday, May 7, 1959 edition of the WHITBY WEEIKLY NEWS " Whitby Town council bas rejected a request by the high school board for $640,000 in debenitures to build a high school on Anderson Street. " Whitby couneil's request for a visit to Town by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their Royal Tour has been refused because of a full schedule. e Whitby's Girl Guides and Brownies will plant tulip bulbs at Fairview Lodge. " Residents of Garrard Road in Wbitby Township have formed a ratepayers' association. 125 YEARS AGO from the Thursda, May 6, 1869 edition of the WRIY CHRONICLE Seventeen horses are entered for the Inn Keepers' Purse of $300 to be competed for at the Whitby Races on Victoria Day, May 24. ,a h " Walter Couthard bas been appointed Governor of the Ontario County Jail at Whitby. " Mr. Walker of Ashburn has patented a new twîn plow which he demonstrated at the Claremont and Whitby fairs. " Alexander Wilson, Jr. bas opened the new brick Wilson House Hotel at Ashburn. n