THOUGHT OF THE DAY

LEARNING SOMETHING NEW IN CANADA

WHO KNEW?

I ate at the "CANTHOOKS RESTAURANT" for several days when I was in Canada recently leading a priest retreat.
I recognized that tool on the sign immediately, but I learned something new. 




Do you see that letter "h" in the word "canthooks?" It is shaped like a "canthook." In Canada, a "canthook" is an instrument used to roll logs.
It has a long wooden handle with a swinging metal hook at the bottom.

I recognized this tool from my childhood days. My grandfather, father and brother have all had experience as loggers. I was too young to use one when I was a child playing around the sawmill, but not too young to fetch one when asked by my granddad, father or an older worker.

The problem is that we called them "canehooks." It was probably a slur of the word "canthooks."
Accoring to the local priests, a "cant" is a log that has had the slabs cut off of two sides. When it needs to be turned to cut the other two slabs off to make a square, a "canthook" is required to turn the log. A "canthook" is also  used for rolling logs onto a truck or simply to roll them into another location.

I also heard about another tool related to a "canthook," called a "peavey." 
A canthook (A) is used for rolling. A peavey (B), with a sharp tip,  is used for prying and rolling. 



WHO KNEW?









Historical photos in our hotel of Canadian loggers with their canthooks and peavies in Calabogie, Ontario

DIOCESE OF PEMBROKE PRIEST RETREAT, ONTARIO, CANADA

PEMBROKE IS A SMALL RURAL DIOCESE





A FEW MORE OF THE WONDERFUL PRIESTS
See Past Posts For More

Left to right: Fr. Michael Smith, Fr. Jim Beanish, Fr. Pat Blake, Fr. Moses Nwosu, Fr. Ambrose Pick. 



Doing my thing each day as presider and preacher.



Fr. Joseph Legree



THERE WERE  ALSO SOME BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS



A view toward Lake Calabogie from the top of the ski slopes behind the hotel.

The maple leaf is on the Canadian flag.  The maple trees were quite beautiful on a sunny day.
This one caught my eye.

The pond behind the hotel with a little island out in the middle.

More maple leaves as the sun was going down. 

A sign that the end of one season was coming - drying hydrangeas outside the hotel.

A sign that another season was approaching - snow making machines ready for the ski slopes above them. 

DIOCESE OF PEMBROKE PRIEST RETREAT, ONTARIO, CANADA

OFF TO A ROARING START AT BEAUTIFUL CALABOGIE PEAKS
ONTARIO, CANADA

Calabogie Peaks Hotel

Gathering around one of the many fire places in the hotel.
Left to right: Fr. Mitch Beachery, Fr. John Lacey, Fr. Jim Beanish and Fr. Real Ouellette

Doing my thing in Calabogie for the priests of the Diocese of Pembroke.

Another shot of Conference One

One the the lunch tables.

Another lunch table.

On the left is Father Cyril Okebanama of Nigeria.

To his left, in the beard is Father Peter Do, the newly ordained. 

On his left is Father Rick Starks.

On his left is Father John Burchart        .

On the far right is Father Chislain Ndonji OFM of Congo. 

DIOCESE OF PEMBROKE PRIEST RETREAT, ONTARIO, CANADA

Today I am on my way to the capitol of Canada, Ottawa, to lead my 18th Canadian priest convocation, this time in the 
Diocese of Pembroke which is a little west of Ottawa, northeast of Toronto and due west of Montreal. 



DIOCESE OF PEMBROKE PRIEST RETREAT
October 23-27, 2016
Rev. J. Ronald Knott, Director





Bishop Michael Mulhall, Bishop of Pembroke, Ontario 

Ontario, Canada




This is the Calabogie Lodge. We stayed at the Calabogie Hotel at the other end of the lake.
See future posts.