Deseronto Love

I spent several hours this afternoon in Deseronto. Now Deseronto and I haven't always been on the best of terms. Last February, leaving the truly lovely O'Connor Tea Room, I had an unpleasant snow day contretemps with a speeding SUV, which left my little travelling companion Missy FIT a write-off. Fortunately, nothing even close happened to my two human companions, who continue to be wonderful friends.

Nevertheless, I love Deseronto. More so in the fall. When it's 17 degrees and the maple trees persist in holding onto their leaves, setting the whole town aglow. I walked most of the town. Talked to two lovely men who loved their town, and knew their history. Listened for resonance as I searched for the town's industrial past. There's lots more to come about Deseronto, once I have spent more time on the town's outstanding Archives website, and visited with their energetic and creative archivist Amanda Hill in person.

love

But for now. A little find from my lovely afternoon in this often under-rated village. Incidentally, if you have not read Frances Itani's novels based in Deseronto, you are missing out on some great local stories. Frances Itani's Deafening brings into sharp focus the lives of students at Belleville's School for the Deaf prior to 1920. Her recent novel Tell is based in Deseronto (and the trenches of WWI, both real, and persisting after the return home of the Dominion's young soldiers.) All stories based in real people living real lives in the village.

For now, a lovely piece of garden art in front of one of the village's houses sums up how I feel about my day, and about Deseronto.