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by Rachel
L. Miller
 | | Katherine
Leonard answers questions about Southampton's history during one of her walking
tours. |
"Hello,
lady with the weird stick!" a voice echoes on the quiet residential street,
coming from the window of a nearby house. Katherine
Leonard smiles, emitting the tiniest of laughs, her walking stick held fast in
her right hand, the feather attached to the top bending in the cool breeze. "Hello!"
she calls back to her young neighbor, her blue eyes sparkling like the nearby
waters of Lake Huron. When
I first saw her from a distance, with dark ringlets of hair framing her face,
her navy dress billowing around her ankles with each step and her walking stick
at her side, I was intrigued. Now here must be a good story, I thought
as we drove slowly past her. Then I saw her feet. They
were bare, her toes painted with dark blue polish, sliding along the cement as
if it were covered with the softest, cleanest pink cashmere. "Ummm,
guys, she's not wearing shoes," I said to our carload. The other two writers,
being from Toronto and Detroit, swiveled their heads to get a closer look. The
mere thought of venturing out of my metro-Detroit home sans footwear gave me the
chills. You never knew what you'd encounter on a city street, but chances are
it would be dirty, sharp, dangerous or downright gross. But, then again, as I
was reminded countless times during my three-day stay in Southampton, Ontario,
"this is small-town, old-fashioned Ontario…the way it used to be." Yes,
this is Southampton, a coastal town of 3,000 that balloons to 10,000 in the summer
months (late June-early September). It's the kind of town where waves and smiles
between residents are common, conversation about the preservation of historic
buildings is prevalent and it's a place so safe that residents don't feel the
need to lock their doors. And,
yes, it's also a place where locals know Katherine Leonard as the "lady with
the weird stick," as the Toronto-area transplant who fell in love with this
small town, gobbled up its history and now hosts walking tours for tourists.
She
weaves stories brilliantly, her soft, lilted voice perfectly suited for describing
shipwrecks (with shoals off the coat, hidden rocks and strong winds, the port
of Southampton has had more than its share) and other century-old tales. (CONTINUE...)
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