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Edwards' Dave Mackie-- Carving 'Frigamajigs' and more When he was 10 years old, Dave Mackie built three wooden birdhouses, each approximately 16 inches square. He sold the lot for $1.00 and thought this was "the end of hard times."' Although. there were still plenty of hard times ahead; Dave was, and still is, an excellent wood- carver. His small shed with the old overflowing with his craft. Out- side the shed is a scaled-down ver- sion of the old SS No. 27, the school which he and his father before him attended. A peek through the windows reveals rows of wooden desks and benches all carefully hand-crafted. Next to this is a replica of a barn, complete with flooring, roof that lifts up for a better look at the interior. Inside his shed, shelves and hooks along the walls hold miniature replicas of old horse- drawn hay wagons, flat beds, snow-removal wagons, seeders and tillers, as well as assorted farm implements and tools such as pliers, hammers, scissors, axes, Page § 9 'wood, preferring stand-up stove crackling is hinged doors, alittle carrier, anda rifles, -- all carved out of wood. There are various lengths of wood-carved chains; each link separate and moveable, all hewn from one solid piece of bass. _ Dave Mackie's hands are never idle. When the weather is bad or he has a quiet evening, or perhaps when he's presiding over one of his exhibits at a local fair, his hands are always carving something. He has various objects with moveable parts or simple figures carved inside a cage-like shape -- a carving within a carv- ing. When asked what these beautifully crafted puzzles were called, the answer was "Oh, just frigamajigs!" While he was always a bit of a 'whittler' even as a boy, it was a simple act of precaution that laun- ched Dave's wood-carving hobby. A a 'young lad,' he was driving one of the local roads at night and saw something on_ the pavement--a piece of broken wood with four small rubber wheels attached. Rather than throw it away, he put-it in the trunk of his car and kept it. It#was Dave Mackie with carved love spoons (Suzanne Veh Photo) ._ by Suzanne Veh to become his first wood-carving, a intricate team-drawn wagon. Dave works mostly with bass its softness, resilience, and pliability over most other light woods. One of his most cherished items is a small horse, that his father carved with a simple jack-knife 85 years ago. Although Mr. Mackie does most of his carving as a hobby, his work has not gone unnoticed. He has exhibited at various local fairs over the years and about five years ago, when he had a display at the former Navy Base in Kenmore, a representative from Ottawa's Na- tional Museum of Man saw it and asked to see more of his work. The result was that the Museum bought 26 pieces of his work for exhibit purposes. pieces they chose was his original project -- the wagon on the rub- ber wheels. His youngest son, about 10 at the time, was so upset at the thought of losing the wagon that he hid it and the Museum never did get it. It still sits -- as it should -- ona shelf in Dave Mackie's shed. Another unusual object hang- ing on the wall was two spoons Among the linked together by about eight in- ches of chain, again all carved from one piece of wood. These, were 'love spoons.' Many years ago; if a couple were'interested in each other seriously, they were put to the test of eating from the same bowl with spoons linked together. If they could get through the meal without mishaps or argument, they supposedly were able to pass the test of marriage together. Hence the old term "spooning." Aside from his carving, Dave also does some repair work; a fact that a seatless antique rocker in the corner attested to. The Mackie's are long-time residents of Edwards, having bought their farm there 18 years ago. Dave and his wife Marg have four children, two still at home and two married. This Christmas he made wooden sleigh for their first grand- daughter. He enjoys taking local cubs, scouts and Sunday school groups out for free sleigh rides. His sleigh is pulled by two of his six big Clydesdales--horses being another special interest of his. A man of many talents, Dave Mackie has also composed a number of poems over the years. Look for his poem on this page. Save Money on Your | Fuel Bills - Insulate Your Home With RAPCO Foam RAPCO Foam is warranted for the LIFE of your home RAPCO Foam is C.M.H.C. APPROVED. (Acceptance No. 8209) RAPCO Foam is one of the safest insulations you can buy; non- combustible up to 1208° Fahrenheit RAPCO Foam is chemically stable, pest proof, and water repellant RAPCO Foam fills all cavities; will not settle; seals out drafts 3 RAPCO Foam can be applied to virtually all types of homes, including i brick and _ stucco finishes, by experienced, factory trained installers. FREE ESTIMATES 2M INSULATION R.R. 3, Russell, Ontario Liston MclIlhagga R.R. 3, Russell, Ontario 445-5513 Roger Villeneuve R.R. 2, Berwick, Ont. 987-5290 A Clue You're Growing Old There are lots of modern gadgets, They're advertised and then sold. There's some designed to keep you young, And some to warm the old. I'm not referring to a blanket, All wired and lined with foam. You just plug it in, and start to grin, Then the heat is, hitting home. But where is the old home-made quilt, That used to keep out the cold; Let's face it, you guys, don't tell any lies, I guess we're all getting old. We do not figure. we're getting old, ; But those quilts have aged no doubt; The heat that they once kept in, Has finally all got out. So don't be surprised, if the cook rolls her eyes, And says, an electric blanket is a must; Says I with a grin, "I know the heats thin, But we'll get you a blanket or bust." So to the Centre we make our way, A blanket to invest. The clerk took a look at the cook and me, And she figured out the rest. She said, "we have some for young folks, And some for middle-aged too."' So we picked out one for "Old Folks,"' Says I, "I guess that will do."' So now we have ready-made heat in the bunk. I don't think there's any excuse, Unless, the Hydro wants to try us once more, And deliberately turns off the juice. Dave Mackie Edwards scotiabanks THE BANK OF NOVASCOTIA RUSSELL 445-2880 'Grow With Us' Scotia Bank