Birder's Paradise
On our way to Bruce County we made a long overdue stop in to see one of my favourite former professors, Fred and his wife Lois. Fred and Lois live at Presqu'ile Provincial Park year round, in a lovely cottage-style house. They have lived here since Fred's retirement from Trent University in 2000/2001 (if my memory serves me correctly). Fred loves birds and is incredibly knowledgeable and Presqu'ile seems like a birder's paradise! With my phobia of birds I was a bit worried about the visit but there was only one swooping instance while we visited on the deck and I think Fred had the bird identified before I even had the chance to tense up!
Fred was one of my favourite profs at Trent. At the end of my first year I decided to major in Geography. When I was picking my courses for my second year, I heard about a highly recommended third year Geography of Canada course that would only be offered for one more year since the professor was retiring. My friend Beth and I decided it would be wise to try to get into this course even though we would only be entering our 2nd year. Approval for the course, for all students I think, involved meeting with the professor and getting his approval/blessing to take the course. My memories of this meeting are a bit fuzzy but I think Fred and I agreed to meet in the sunny Senior Common Room of Sadleir House and I remember Fred asking me where I lived when I grew up and wanting the near exact address (i.e. Lot & Concession #) as well as phone number etc. which he then recorded on a small cue card. A few years later I realized why this specific information was important, when Fred was in the area, presumable with his address card index in hand, he called my parent's house to see if I was there and if he could stop in. Sadly I wasn't there because I would have loved to show Fred around our farms, two of my favourite pieces of land in Ontario (and maybe the world). It would have been especially significant because it was in one of Fred's tutorials where I remember him challenging me on a discussion of the economic viability of agriculture in Canada. I was arguing to save the family farm at any cost and, playing the devil's advocate, Fred told me that my argument was based on sentimentality not economics. I argued with a lot of passion in that tutorial; in that moment I was taken aback at Fred's labelling my point of view. Looking back now, I guess that pretty much sums me up.
Fred's class was one of the best I took at Trent. Like most other classes offered in the Geography Department, the tutorials were led by the professor themselves. There was a lot of work in Fred's course, something I wasn't entirely prepared for in just my second year, but Fred's expectations were firm and were set high. I did some of my best work in that class and some of my worst. I was always motivated though.
In the first semester we were taken on a virtual whirl-wind tour of Canada, learning as much as we could about the vast geography of the entire country learning about many of the issues and features that helped to shape development and settlement along the way. We took an amazing field trip to northern Ontario and Quebec where I had a once in a lifetime experience canoeing across a northern Ontario lake to board a floating float plane. I gained a greater appreciation for the geology and physiography of southern Ontario (one of the most prized maps in my collection is Chapman and Putnam's Physiography of Southern Ontario - it helped me to understand the landscapes I love so much) and came to see the world through different eyes.
In our second semester we each took on a land-use issue which we were to research and present to our classmates in the form of a public hearing. Many of us had a great time role-playing and making up characters on the spot to participate in these hearings. We played out some serious and hilarious issues with sometimes very stereotypical characters. (I clearly remember one of Beth's mesh-back hat wearing characters from Na-Pan-ee - she came to class complete with costume props!) Having worked for a sort stint in municipal government I have realized just how important public hearings and consultations are - Fred was wise to use this method as a forum to teach us about the ways in which geography often plays out in the real world.
Fred taught me so much about Canada which has fueled my hunger to see this country and learn more about it over the past 12 years. He also taught me a lot about what a good teacher is and I know I took many lessons from him to the teaching assistant positions I held at UVic. These lessons have helped me to earn the oft-held title of the 'hardest marker' in the TA group (according to my students anyway); something I was always quietly proud of.
Thank you Fred, it was great to see both you and Lois. We'll be back soon!
Brandy & Bruce
Fred's 'Birds of Interest' white board hung on the side of his garage. Other residents and birders list sightings - this list included May 16 to the morning of July 10th, just before we arrived. The carved wood sign on the right reads "The Birdhouse".
The view from Presqu'ile Point, across lake Ontario to Prince Edward County from Fred & Lois' house.
Fred was one of my favourite profs at Trent. At the end of my first year I decided to major in Geography. When I was picking my courses for my second year, I heard about a highly recommended third year Geography of Canada course that would only be offered for one more year since the professor was retiring. My friend Beth and I decided it would be wise to try to get into this course even though we would only be entering our 2nd year. Approval for the course, for all students I think, involved meeting with the professor and getting his approval/blessing to take the course. My memories of this meeting are a bit fuzzy but I think Fred and I agreed to meet in the sunny Senior Common Room of Sadleir House and I remember Fred asking me where I lived when I grew up and wanting the near exact address (i.e. Lot & Concession #) as well as phone number etc. which he then recorded on a small cue card. A few years later I realized why this specific information was important, when Fred was in the area, presumable with his address card index in hand, he called my parent's house to see if I was there and if he could stop in. Sadly I wasn't there because I would have loved to show Fred around our farms, two of my favourite pieces of land in Ontario (and maybe the world). It would have been especially significant because it was in one of Fred's tutorials where I remember him challenging me on a discussion of the economic viability of agriculture in Canada. I was arguing to save the family farm at any cost and, playing the devil's advocate, Fred told me that my argument was based on sentimentality not economics. I argued with a lot of passion in that tutorial; in that moment I was taken aback at Fred's labelling my point of view. Looking back now, I guess that pretty much sums me up.
Fred's class was one of the best I took at Trent. Like most other classes offered in the Geography Department, the tutorials were led by the professor themselves. There was a lot of work in Fred's course, something I wasn't entirely prepared for in just my second year, but Fred's expectations were firm and were set high. I did some of my best work in that class and some of my worst. I was always motivated though.
In the first semester we were taken on a virtual whirl-wind tour of Canada, learning as much as we could about the vast geography of the entire country learning about many of the issues and features that helped to shape development and settlement along the way. We took an amazing field trip to northern Ontario and Quebec where I had a once in a lifetime experience canoeing across a northern Ontario lake to board a floating float plane. I gained a greater appreciation for the geology and physiography of southern Ontario (one of the most prized maps in my collection is Chapman and Putnam's Physiography of Southern Ontario - it helped me to understand the landscapes I love so much) and came to see the world through different eyes.
In our second semester we each took on a land-use issue which we were to research and present to our classmates in the form of a public hearing. Many of us had a great time role-playing and making up characters on the spot to participate in these hearings. We played out some serious and hilarious issues with sometimes very stereotypical characters. (I clearly remember one of Beth's mesh-back hat wearing characters from Na-Pan-ee - she came to class complete with costume props!) Having worked for a sort stint in municipal government I have realized just how important public hearings and consultations are - Fred was wise to use this method as a forum to teach us about the ways in which geography often plays out in the real world.
Fred taught me so much about Canada which has fueled my hunger to see this country and learn more about it over the past 12 years. He also taught me a lot about what a good teacher is and I know I took many lessons from him to the teaching assistant positions I held at UVic. These lessons have helped me to earn the oft-held title of the 'hardest marker' in the TA group (according to my students anyway); something I was always quietly proud of.
Thank you Fred, it was great to see both you and Lois. We'll be back soon!
Brandy & Bruce
Fred & I with some maps (of course) in the foreground. Notice the serious telescope over Fred's left shoulder. It was pointed in the direction of Trenton - we could see a few helicopters on exercise near the base.
posted by Brandy at 1:18 p.m.
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