75,000 turn out for maple festival - ObserverXtra

THE OBSERVER | SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2013
noT So greaT ouTdoorSman / STeVe gaLea
I just can’t help it that women find me interesting
OPEN
COUNTRY
Just the other day, I
was at my fly-tying bench
preparing a few elk hair
caddis patterns for the
upcoming trout season,
when I turned to my partner
Jenn and asked, “Do
you think I should tie these
flies in a size 16 too?”
She regarded me with a
look that, on the surface,
appeared indifferent. The
one that any experienced
sportsman, however,
would have recognized as
the look your spouse wears
when she is overwhelm-
ingly awestruck by your
sheer outdoorsiness.
Flattered somewhat, I
asked again: “Should I tie
them in a size 16?”
She hurriedly nodded
and said, “Uh, yes, of
course.”
Immediately after that,
perhaps knowing that I
would need to utilize all
my powers of concentration
while tying a pattern
this small, she closed
her book, rose from the
couch and sprinted out of
the room. Later that day,
I found her cleaning the
crawl space.
I only mention this because
it is further evidence
that women find me irresistibly
interesting.
In fact, I believe my love
of hunting and fishing is
what attracts them to me.
Perhaps “in droves” in too
strong a phrase to use, but
I’ll let you be the judge.
For instance, the other
day at the outdoors store, I
was in the process of purchasing
a few more hooks
to tie streamer patterns
with. Unwittingly, I exuded
such a George Clooney-like
charisma that the two sales
women had to flip a coin
several times and finally
arm wrestle to determine
who had the privilege of
learning about the various
styles of hook from me.
Why the loser approached
I’ll never know.
In any case, 15 minutes
The Woolwich PeeWee AE team finished their season by winning in the final series against New Hamburg at the Tri-County Peewee AE
championships. Team: Mathew Turkalj, Noah Scurry, Riley Shantz, Bruce Martin, Ben Lenaers Cade Schaus, Devin Williams, Owen Lucier, Tim
Mayberry, Kyle Bruder, Matthew MacDonald, John Wang, Austin Whittom, Justin Uhrig, Kyle Deyell, Cal Schell, Matthew Deyell. Coaches:
Dave Freeman, Don Uhrig, Mike Ferrede, Garry Mayberry, Brent Freeman. [submitted]
later, after I fully explained
the difference between a
sproat and Carlisle hook
bend, the sales woman
muttered, “I feel truly sorry
for your wife.”
Unless I’m completely
mistaken she was alluding
to the fact that women find
outdoors lore like this overpowering
– and that my
wife would have to always
guard her man from the
advances of other women
eager to learn things like
this and where a skunk’s
scent gland is located.
This got me thinking, it
can’t be easy for Jenn.
In fact, the other day
while explaining to her the
nuances of patterning a
turkey load, she actually
broke down and yelled, “I
can’t take it anymore!”
And so I turned off the
charm for a second or two
and left the room while she
recomposed herself.
“What’s wrong?” I asked
on my return; needless to
say I was quite concerned.
“Well,” she began, “do
you really want to know
what is wrong?”
“Of course, “ I replied as
I held up the muddler minnow
streamer that I had
just tied, “I know something
is off on the proportions
but I can’t quite put
my finger on it. So look at it
and tell me what’s wrong?”
I believe that relationship
counsellors refer to
this as achieving a new
SPORTS | 15
level of intimacy. Jenn
seemed so moved by my
faith in her assessment of
classic deer hair streamer
patterns that she left the
room once again, perhaps
to gather her thoughts into
concise yet constructive
criticism.
Interestingly, while I was
looking for a wader patch
kit in the crawl space, I
bumped into her behind
the containers of old sporting
magazines.
“Catching up on your
outdoors reading?” I asked.
“Can’t we talk about
something other than fishing
and hunting?” she said.
That’s another thing I
love about her: She’s got
this crazy sense of humour.
WOOLWICh PEEWEE AE vICTORIOUS AT fINALS TWIN CENTRE ATOMS TAKE qUIgLEY TROPhY
The Novice Local League #2 team at the Pool B finals in Kitchener. Back row: Ken Martin (coach), Craig Martin (manager), Susan Stewart
(trainer), Keith Stewart (coach), Wayne Zettel (coach). Third row: Alison Martin, Braelyn MacPherson, Jane Hinsperger, Kieran Stewart,
Payton Karn, Faith Katsube, Lauren Gerth. Second row: Karli Gingrich, Makenna McLaughlin, Kaitlyn Hyatt, Tia Zettel, Eadyn Meier. Front:
Gwyneth Martin. Absent: Jennifer MacPherson (trainer). [submitted]
The Twin Centre Stars Atom AE team ended their successful season by earning the Len Quigley trophy as OMHA Atom AE finalists. Back row:
asst. coach Dan Koebel, trainer Darcy Erb, head coach Dave Zyta, asst. coach Sheldon Gilchrist. Third row: Sam Donsig, Ben Belcourt, Lukas
Hergott, Sam Erb, Caleb Wellman, Eric Poirier. Second row: Zach Lipczynski, Jack Koebel, Kodie Gerber, Alex Erb, Linden Jantzi, Evie Adam.
Front row: John Buddiger, Hayden Martin, Tyler Zyta, Noah Gilchrist, Hunter Pinnau. [submitted]
WOOLWICh NOvICE LL2 TEAM A POOL b fINALS ST TERESA CURLERS MAKE IT TO PROvINCIAL SEMIS
St. Teresa of Avila school in Elmira at the 2013 Timbits Elementary School Provincial Curling championship last week in Gananoque. Sixtyfour
teams from all over Ontario were in the tournament, and the St. Teresa team won their first two games to make it to the top 16 in the
province before being eliminated in a division semi-final. Pictured are Thomas Kraemer, Veronica Bernard, Natalie Bean, Kyle Henry, Fiona
Bernard (horizontal). [submitted]