The fourth annual Swallow Tail Tea took place April 20 at the Covert Hall in North Head, Grand Manan Island. The Inn at Whale Cove Cottages organized the food and staffed the tea.
Inn at Whale Cove Cottage owner, Laura Buckley, and her staff organized the food and worked the tea. Many volunteers are needed to run one of these events and their efforts are greatly appreciated.
The food, as usual was its normal high standard, wonderful, with a full buffet of sandwiches and sweets. The weather was probably to our advantage with rain and wind in the morning which prevented many outdoor activities. Over 70 people attended ranging in age from not quite two to 99. As usual, takeout was also available.
Part of the Buffet Table with Swallow Tail artwork and photographs
Long view of the Buffet Table in the Covert Hall with sweets and sandwiches.
Part of the Buffet Table with Swallow Tail artwork and photographs
Many thanks to everyone who advertised the event, set up the hall, donated food, worked the tea, and helped with the cleanup. Sandra Ingersoll won the dinner for two at Inn at Whale Cove Cottages, an annual draw that is part of the cost of the tea. We also sold our first raffle tickets on "Fog Bound" the beautiful Tidal Threads quilt that is nearing completion. These will be available all summer and through the fall. The draw will be at the Christmas Market.
The money raised will go directly to the restoration of the Swallow Tail lighthouse, the scale of which will vary this year depending on the success or failure of grants to fund the project. We are hopeful that we will be able to get the majority of the work done.
Many repairs are necessary in the lighthouse including repairing plaster from water damage. Water is leaking in the tower from the lantern.
Photograph of the Swallow Tail lighthouse from 1932. The plan is to return two windows above the door of the tower as well as a third window on the other side. The lower window can not be returned because of the fog equipment now located there.
Tidal Threads, a local quilting group, has volunteered to donate a quilt to Swallowtail Keepers Society. Each year they select a group or issue and design a quilt that can be raffled as part of a fund-raiser. Their only requirement is that the cost of the material is covered. These unique quilts are works of art and this year's quilt is no exception. If you have been fortunate to see past quilts, you will be aware of the quality of the work and the attention to detail.
The quilt is taking shape and a few photos are included here to give you a sneak preview of the work in progress. Tickets for purchase will be available soon and will be on sale until November. The draw will take place at the Christmas Farmers Market. We hope to raise a significant amount of money to add to the restoration fund, the focus of which will be the lighthouse, although many other small projects with the other buildings are always in the works.
Nancy Estle designed the quilt and is seen here working on it.
Close-up of the centre squares of the quilt based on the Jacob's Ladder design.
Edie Mullen, Nancy Estle, Dawn Locke and Mary Brown discussing finishing details on the corner lighthouse squares.
The quilt is temporarily pinned to show the corner detail of lighthouse, rays from the light, sailboat and whale squares and border detail.
Edie Mullen, Martha Eaton and Nancy Estle pinning the quilt to see what the overall design will eventually look like.
What the finished quilt will eventually look like. Pieces are pinned at this point. The quilt will be hand quilted once everything is stitched together.
We were fortunate to have three musicians (Nora Suggs, Rebecca Brown and Mary Ogletree ) from the Satori Chamber Music ensemble (http://satori-chambermusic.org) in Pennsylvania, perform August 11 at Covert Hall. These musicians play violin, flute, mandolin, tin whistle and shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute, in a wide range of musical genre, from Irish jigs to Baroque to Japanese traditional folk music.
Satori Trio: Nora Suggs, Rebecca Brown, Mary Ogletree
The very talented young man, Alexandre Banks, also participated, playing fiddle and step dancing.
Alexandre Banks playing his fiddle
Paul Lauzon (http://www.singingbooks.ca) made a surprise addition, a prelude to his solo concert the next night. He has written a number of songs about Grand Manan and its residents and entertained the audience with a couple of these. He is an Associate Professor of Music Therapy at Acadia University in Nova Scotia.
Paul Lauzon playing guitar and singing one of his Grand Manan ballads
It was an enjoyable evening and raised some additional funds to help us with the restoration of the Swallow Tail property.
We are always interested in highlighting musicians in these August concerts and we are indebted to their kindness for performing without pay.
We had yet another wonderful fund raiser for the Swallow Tail light station on July 7, 2012 at the Grand Manan Curling Club.
The list of volunteers and in-kind donations is lengthy to have such a wonderful success, including the three lobster fishermen who donated the lobster (Deane Griffin, Glenn Foster and anonymous), Laura Buckley and her crew from the Inn at Whale Cove Cottages for arranging, preparing and serving the food, Ce Bowdoin (tea biscuits), Swallowtail Lightkeeper Society volunteers for setting up, serving, working the door, and cleaning up (Ken Ingersoll, Sue Stymest, Theresa Noel, John Pattison, Linda L'Aventure, Pam Charters, Alexis Phillips, Sue McCulley, Lloyd MacFarland), musicians (Before the Mast, Dinah Romig, John McDonald, Alexandre Banks), Rick Doucet (serving), Atlantic Save Easy (rolls), Walter Wilson (salad), Strawberries, cream and other miscellaneous (Marathon Inn, Pettes Cove Arts, Peter and Marilyn Cronk, North Head Bakery McLaughlin Inn, Holly and Kirk Cheney, Deb Tremblay, Island Art workshops), , Adventure High (door prize). We want to thank the Grand Manan Curling Club for the facility (hall rental and cash bar). The Grand Manan Museum also provided their projector, on short notice, for the continuous slide show of the progress made at the light station since 2008. None of this could have happened without the support of the community and visitors who joined us for this fun evening. Thanks so much.
Great crowd enjoying the lobster rolls and the music
Inn at Whale Cove Cottage crew (Megan, Janna, Annie, Emmy) and Alexis Phillips preparing lobster rolls
Honourable Rick Doucet, MLA, helping serve
Before the Mast preforming one of the many songs during the evening. Rolling Down is the title song from their new CD (http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/)
The day began with a spattering of rain but it didn't damper spirits of those attending the Royal Wedding Tea. Approximately 65 came to the tea bedecked in their finery. Laura Buckley and her crew outdid themselves as usual with enough sweets and sandwiches to feed three times the people.
Portions of the Royal Wedding were played throughout the tea on a wide screen TV and while we had countesses, duchess and ladies, not many counts, dukes or lords made an appearance but those that did certainly enjoyed themselves.
The hats came in all shapes, sizes and colours and while flowers dominated, butterflies, fish, dories and resplendent fabrics made appearances. But it didn't stop with hats, fancy dresses, shoes and gloves also finished the look.
Take away packages were available and several containers of cupcakes were taken to the Grand Manan Nursing Home after the tea.
Anticipating the Royal Tea. Tables and television set up.
Laura Buckley coordinating the layout of the buffet with
Jana, Emmy, Megan and Harley
Whale Cove Cottage crew: Laura, Megan, Jana, Emmy and Harley
Buffet layout.
Some of the people attending the tea in Covert Hall.
Hats came in all shapes, sizes and colours -
Dawn, Janie, Elaine and Ginny.
Laura, Hallie and Bessie
Mary and Sandra
Evelyn, Kaye and James
Megan, Sidney, Taylor, Annie, Harley, Haven
Emmy
During the tea with the Royal Wedding playing in the background
Laura
Cleaning up after the tea.
Everyone went away feeling they had a wonderful afternoon and we were able to raise some money to continue the restoration work at Swallowtail. Many thanks to Laura Buckley, Emmy, Jana and Megan Greenlaw, Harley Bass, Diane Jaillet, Fredonna Dean, Marilyn Cronk and Bryant Eaton for serving and/or cleanup; Ken Ingersoll, Lloyd MacFarland and Bryant Eaton for setting up the tables; Clare Toyer, Cecelia Bowden, Marilyn Cronk, Diane Jaillet, Pam Cronk and Pam Charters for additional cooking.
Old postcard of Pettes Cove with Swallowtail in the background
The media hype is abounding about the British royal wedding on April 29th and to help celebrate the wedding and raise some money for the Swallowtail restorations we are having a Royal Wedding Tea on April 30 at the Covert Hall in North Head, Grand Manan from 2-4 pm.
Anyone wearing a fancy hat will be entered into a draw for dinner for two at the Inn at Whale Cove Cottages. The tea is $10 and you can request a tax receipt for $5.
Come out to this fun event and support our efforts at Swallowtail.
What a great success! Our chocolate tea was impressive from the old fashioned hot chocolate to an incredible assortment of chocolate desserts. The aroma of chocolate greeted everyone who came through the door. The approximately 55 people attending all went away smiling. We also offered $5 and $10 take-away plates of which many were destined for the largely absent male participants.
The eclectic range of the donated items in the jumble table also sold well and we have some remaining for a future event. We also had Swallowtail matted photos donated from a local photographer for future fund-raising.
There are so many people to thank from the North Head Baptist Church for donating their hall and providing some entertainment and decorations, to everyone who made desserts and sandwiches, to those donating items for the jumble table, to those organizing and working the tea, and several people who volunteered to bus tables and do dishes after they finished their plates, and of course, to everyone who came out and enjoyed the afternoon. The money raised will be put toward the 150th celebrations this summer of the first lighting of Swallowtail or Swallow's Tail as it was originally called.
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we are looking forward to a fun event on the weekend, a Chocolate Delight Tea that we organized as a fund-raiser for the 150th anniversary celebrations this summer of the first lighting of Swallowtail light.
There will be a fabulous chocolate buffet table from which everyone can choose their favourites, plus tea, coffee and, of course, hot chocolate. Inn at Whale Cove Cottages (www.WhaleCoveCottages.ca) is providing a door prize of dinner for two. We will also have a small jumble table of new and used items.
This is a prelude to a much bigger event next winter that will also have a chocolate theme, music, auction and generally fun.
Another successful evening of great food and entertainment was had by all, July 18 at the Covert Hall in North Head. The event was sold out and some lobster rolls went out as take-out. The salad greens were donated by Sysco and the rolls were donated by the Save Easy. The lobsters were donated by a local fisherman and turned into divine lobster rolls by Laura Buckley, Inn at Whale Cove Cottages. Desserts were donated by thirteen people and included everything from cheesecake to rhubarb squares to Black Forest cake.
Entertainment included guitar, violin/fiddle, cello, keyboard and vocals. Dinah Romig played and emceed the musical portion to great rounds of applause.
We greatly appreciate the fantastic support and with the money raised, look forward to working on the boat house beside the keepers house this fall. The southern end is in desperate need of repair.
Despite showers and fog, hamburgers and hotdogs were cooked in the Rotary Club canteen on Sunday, July 12 next to the Save Easy grovery store to raise funds for the ongoing restoration and historic preservation of the Swallowtail light station. Although we originally only planned to cook for three hours, there was a steady stream of people and we remained open until 5 PM when the store closed.
We had originally hoped to have the canteen set up at Swallowtail and have everyone visit the light house but with the environmental soil cleanup around the light house, it was decided to just move everything down to a more central location. Perhaps later in the summer we might be able to have an event to the light itself.
April 19-20. Earth Day work weekend at Swallowtail. April 26-27 weather alternative.
May 24. Before the Mast Benefit Concert. Covert Hall. 7 pm.
July 1. Welcome Centre opens for the summer.
July 5. Lobster roll dinner and music (Fund-raiser). Grand Manan Curling Club. 6-9 pm. Reservations recommended.
July 7. Flag raising at Swallowtail to commemorate the 154th Anniversary. 2 pm weather dependent. Lighthouse Open House.
August 7. “A Tale of Two Lighthouses: The Saved & The Lost” (Swallowtail & Fish Fluke Point). Talk at the Grand Manan Museum. 7:30 pm. Laurie Murison and MJ Edwards.
August 15, 16, 17. International Lighthouse/Lightship weekend. Amateur radio operators set up at lighthouses and light ships around the world and attempt to communicate with each other via Ham Radio. Come join Sterling, Rick and Art at Swallowtail.
Laurie Murison is the chair of the Swallowtail Keepers Society, a community dedicated to the safeguarding and preservation of Grand Manan's historic light stations.
