When the Red Hatters sat down for an outdoor luncheon on the covered porch at Sugar and Spice Bakeshop & Café in Schomberg, they stopped traffic.
Their red and purple regalia drew the eye. And there was the novelty during these COVID times of a group getting together for a purely social outing.
Passers-by snapped photos of the ladies as they enjoyed home-made soup and quiche at their outdoor tables, while wearing colour co-ordinated face masks.
In fact, the sight was so pleasing that a “mysterious but kind man” paid for the ladies’ desserts, noted Red Hatter Lynda Usher. “What a treat…. So very kind!”
The Red Hat group, with members from Bond Head, Bradford and surrounding areas, is a little out of the ordinary. Rather than a ‘Queen’, it is headed up by a ‘Royal Court’ – consisting of Usher, Connie Mackenzie-Morgan and Bonnie MacTaggart – who provide leadership, and in normal times, encourage members to come out for a monthly outing and activity.
The pandemic led to cancellations over the past few months, but with the province now in Stage 3 of its reopening, the decision was made to make the trip to Schomberg, to celebrate the group's 10th Anniversary.
In addition to lunch, the ladies welcomed special guest Linda Williams, florist working at Sobeys in Bradford. Williams demonstrated how to make an autumn floral arrangement, using huge sunflowers, decorative leaves and tiny pumpkins – and led the Red Hatters in a floral mini-workshop.
Before sitting down at Sugar and Spice, the ladies also paid a visit to the Olde Mill Art Gallery & Shoppe, just up the street, where they were welcomed by former Bradford West Gwillimbury resident George Burt.
Burt, a master wood-turner, explained the history of the gallery, housed in a building that dates back to 1843.
“It was actually a feed mill,” Burt said. “If you look out the back, you’ll see the little creek that ran the mill.”
Over the years, it has had many uses, housing a farm co-op, an antique shop, and the popular restaurant, Sheena’s Kitchen.
Two years ago, the feed mill portion of the building was sitting vacant. That's when 10 artists got together, at Christmas time, and decided to rent the space.
“We were going to do a pop-up store over the Christmas period,” Burt said, but “one thing led to another….”, and the Olde Mill Art Gallery & Shoppe has now become a fixture in Schomberg, open Thursdays to Sundays, from noon to 6 p.m. Participating artists take turns manning the gallery, and welcoming visitors.
Although the gallery started with 10 artists, the number is currently down to six, Burt said. “It’s an interesting place. Artists change – it’s not static,” he noted. “Most of the artists live in the area and are quite renowned.”
In addition to Burt, whose turned wood bowls and cedar rail vases have been featured in galleries and museums across Canada, the gallery currently features works by wood-worker Dan Glassco, quilter and jewellery-designer Karen Hunter, and painters Mary Morganelli, Catherine DeMontmorency, and Patricia Earl.
Across the hall from the gallery, Burt shared another passion. “My retirement goal is to open up a used book store,” he told the ladies.
Partnering with an antique dealer, he has set up a display of approximately 3,000 of his collection of more than 15,000 books – including Canadiana, biographies, cook books, gardening books, and late 19th century novels – at the Olde Mill.
“The oldest book I have is from 1751,” said Burt, who also offers free appraisals for book-owners who wonder about the value of the volumes on their own shelves.
The Red Hatters browsed, and when they left, each received a free souvenir: Burt made miniature turned-wood vases for each visitor, from the wood of either Sumac or Manitoba Maple.
Manitoba maple “is a big weed. It’s a messy tree,” Burt noted, but it has one unique characteristic. As the wood ages, it develops a natural pink or bright red coloration - the perfect touch for the Red Hat Society.
The Olde Mill Art Gallery & Shoppe is located at 357 Main St. in Schomberg; for information see Olde Mill Art Gallery on Facebook.com. Sugar and Spice Bakeshop & Café is located at 307 Main St.; click here for details.
