Friday, February 7, 2020 7 Brooklin Town Crier Brooklin was once home to the "Poet of Ontario County", David Graham Burns. His first book of poetry, Random Writings - To Amuse Myself and My Friends was published by G.A. Goodfellow and Son, Whitby, in 1916. It had a wealth of material to draw from which perhaps explains why his story poems were often pages long. That first volume included a chapter entitled "Drama of Brooklin" where he referenced several old Brooklin families. Another poem, "Men of the Past and Others", mentions a few of Brooklin's prominent individuals of the day including Dr. Frank Warren. Burns wrote: "There is our old friend, Dr. Warren, so friendly and so bright, To meet him and to know him, it is good for the sight. Like the Queen of Sheba, he comes from the South, To his old early home, in the days of his youth. If you know him and trust him, you will find him alright. Whatever he does, he does with his might...." A natural entertainer with a gift for mimicry, his book created such a stir in Brooklin that he sold 200 copies upon immediate release, making it an overnight success. Lucy Maude Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables, met Burns while he was a stock judge at the Minden, Ontario, fair in 1917. She was so impressed with his writing that she ordered two copies for herself. Random Writings received national attention when Sir Robert Borden, Canada's 8th Prime Minister, order one as well. Part of Burns's popularity was due to how he used profits from the sale of his books. During World War I, between September 7 and December 13, 1916, he donated $598.95 to the local Red Cross to offer aid to the men fighting overseas, a large and generous sum in those days. The second edition of Random Writings was published in 1920. While the first volume fulfilled his objective in providing his friends with amusement, he hoped the second edition would as well. Born on August 6, 1850, Burns had a successful career farming Dorset Farm in the Township of Whitby. When he retired, he bought a house at 110 Baldwin Street in Brooklin. He died on August 12, 1922 and is buried at Groveside Cemetery in Brooklin. Both volumes are available from AbeBooks.com or you can read them online through canadiana.ca. Brooklin Heritage Society The Poet of Ontario County By Jennifer Hudgins Brooklin Audio Video's retail store at 17 Baldwin will close in the next couple of weeks, a victim of too much retail competition and inadequate "foot traffic" along the street for that type of store. Owner Mike South says he will continue his business with special orders, security systems and custom installations, with a bit of retail of major components. The current location's remaining components like speakers and such are for sale until the store actually shuts down. His phone number - 905-425- 1072 - will not change. Brooklin Audio Video To Close Retail Meet January's trivia champs (left to right) Maggie, Carol, Paul, Pat, Terry We all know that vegetables, nature's vitamins that come in a wide range of great colours, are good for us. It's important to eat "colourful" and steam or roast those veggies for side dishes, salads or Buddha bowls. I eat a whole food plant-based diet, which means I eat no animal products so I know the benefits of plant-based eating. I also know that winter can be a blah time of year. By February, many people are experiencing low energy and are reaching for comfort foods that don't have enough micronutrients in them. This creates a cycle of feeling tired and eating less nutrient-dense foods, which contributes to lower energy. The general medical consensus is that feeling cold triggers a self- preservation mode which sends the body a message to heat up fast. It's a message often played out as a craving for carbohydrate-rich foods, sugars, and starches to provide the instant "heat" boost your body craves. Veggies have benefits Eating vegetables has many benefits. They're nutrient-dense, lower in calories, and are versatile. Leafy greens are by far the healthiest. Kale, for example, is often hailed as the king of vegetables as it contains a long list of nutrients. Brightly coloured vegetables and fruits offer a variety of health benefits. Since most are antioxidants, they provide a great many vitamins and minerals. If you want to eat health and cover all your "nutritional bases," consider eating a 'rainbow', a wide variety of fruit and veggie colours. In the summer, I marinate and bbq Portobello mushrooms, red, green and yellow peppers, and asparagus and then arrange them as a side dish or toss them into pasta. In winter, I roast the same vegetables in the oven at 375o for 25 to 30 minutes and get excellent results. Tips for eating the 'rainbow': Breakfast smoothies are exceptional. You can add kale and berries to them. I also freeze bananas and pineapple chunks. Oatmeal is terrific for breakfast and I top mine with Farm Boy frozen wild blueberries and a tablespoon of Manitoba hemp, chia or pumpkin seeds. At lunch, eat your greens. Try super salads that start with a base of baby kale or spinach, then toss in roasted sweet potatoes (or other veggies), chickpeas, and some seeds. Both pumpkin and hemp seeds have complete proteins. At dinner, eat at least two different vegetables such as carrots and peas one night, then asparagus and mushrooms on another. Diversifying your veggies ensures a wide variety of nutrients. Stir fries are another great way to get vegetables in your meal. Just double the recipe and have leftovers for lunch. Fresh fruit is your anytime snack. To prevent blood sugar highs and lows, pair fruit with a handful of nuts. Sheree's Hack: Spend a little time each week chopping veggies so it's grab 'n' go when you need it. Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson Veggies are the answer