Summer may not officially be upon us, but the past two weekends certainly have us feeling like it is here – well unless you are a kid stuck in school for the next three weeks.
Sliding back to the Victoria Day weekend, the weather may not have been perfect, but I had a great time at a buddy’s 50th birthday bash in his backyard.
John cranked the half-century mark earlier in May, but smartly scheduled his party for the long weekend.
He’s good friends with Mike Uher of the local music duo Toast & Jam, and the group performed in his backyard, pumping out tune after tune that was right in my music wheelhouse.
The Eagles, Genesis, David Wilcox and Barney Bentall & The Legendary Hearts were a few of the awesome surprises the guys delivered.
Toast & Jam played at Relay For Life in Chatham, which I chaired for two years, but I was always too busy while they were up performing for me to listen to fully appreciate their talent.
That changed at Johnny’s.
Talk about stepping back in time. All house parties when I was younger ended up in the kitchen. Where were we after the sun set? In the kitchen.
Good times.
This past weekend delivered lots of yard work, and a small thing called Retrofest. Yes, I am being a wee bit sarcastic.
Retrofest rocked! It’s always a great atmosphere. Hundreds of vintage and unique automobiles, and thousands of people congregate downtown on the final Saturday of May.
The event turned a sweet 16 this year, and aside from a brief downpour, it was a beautiful, well-attended event. Mobile works of art, maintained and restored with love, were parked all along King Street in downtown Chatham.
Thousands of folks flocked to the core to take in the sights and sounds. Vintage 1950s and ’60s rock ’n’ roll played over the speakers. “Elvis” performed in front of the Tasty Lunch.
I urge all councillors who voted against funding the tourism centre at RM Classic Cars, and as a result killing the company’s Classic Car Exhibit, to take a good look at some of the photos in our paper this week. You’ll see the draw that classic cars have for this municipality. People do indeed come from many miles away to check out vintage autos.
I talked to one man, Rick, who told me his daughter’s university friends came down to visit because they’d heard about the event. We’re talking about a group of young women interested in a classic car extravaganza – not your stereotypical gear heads.
They were part of a crowd of people of all ages who enjoyed Retrofest.
Thumbs up to the Historic Downtown Chatham BIA and the members of the Kent Historic Auto Club for such a great event. Every club member I encountered showcasing their vehicles was a great ambassador to Chatham-Kent, speaking passionately about the rides they had restored, and enjoying sharing tales with passersby and fellow car enthusiasts.
All in all, it was a great vibe downtown on Saturday.
And when I wasn’t downtown, I was cutting grass, pulling pesky weeds, or scorching the darned things to death.
This spring was a weed utopia. I have weeds I’ve never seen before. Yank, pull and torch.
I have a weed torch. It looks like a cane with a nozzle at the base and a screw-in adapter at the end of the handle where the propane tank attaches. The idea is to heat the protective coating on leaves so the plants can’t hold moisture or photosynthesize. They can’t feed, so they die.
Some weeds, such as dandelions, are pretty darned hardy, so they can take repeated scorchings before they actually die off. Others are one-and-done types.
In the spring, I try to use the torch on our walkways in the backyard weekly, so after a couple of passes, most of the annoying weeds are toast. I hit them on the long weekend, and again on Saturday. Next weekend, I’m hoping all that will remain is a quick burning of the dead vegetation, and I can move onto the interlock driveway.
That’s typically easier to control, as the hot sun bakes the weeds pretty dry and if you hit them at the right time, two passes will kill and burn them off.
Yes, I keep water and the hose handy while I burn. No, I don’t burn into the gardens where we have mulch.
It’s a task that is slow, but rewarding, as you can see the progress in your work.
Mary and I weeded the front garden and one side garden recently as well. It’s amazing how much better things look when the unwanted green is hauled out of the way.
Still more to go, but progress is being made.
I spent hours in the backyard on Saturday afternoon after I returned from Retrofest, when some folks were hiding inside because of the heat. Then again, our backyard is heavily shaded and there was a sweet breeze rolling through the leaves and across the grass. Naturally, a little classic rock played on the stereo during all this, and I kept hydrated. I’ve discovered the large Arizona beverage cans. In fact, they’re often – gasp – taking the place of beer for me when I’m alone in the backyard. Rather than reaching for a brew, I find myself grabbing an Arnold Palmer.
Maybe I’m getting old. No plaid pants yet, however.
