Wednesday 9 February 2011

I'm a Lumberjack and I'm Okay

Historically, Canada was a nation of hewers of wood and drawers of water. In the early days of Confederation, lumberjacks were a dime a dozen. Every forest was jam-packed full of them. But today, due to mechanization of the lumber industry, lumberjacks are a pretty rare commodity indeed.

There are other threats to their existence too. If you are lucky enough to spot a real lumberjack, he'll be skittish and will disappear immediately, leaving only a powerful whiff of woodsmoke and stale sweat. Men wearing the big plaid shirts of the forest are an endangered species and they know it.

Some brave Canadian men and women are trying to revive our proud lumberjack tradition by going to special forestry camps on the weekends. At such camps, these Lumberjack Re-enactors wear loud plaid shirts, don specially knitted "beard balaclavas" and saw logs by hand, all while glowering in a manly way and not using deodorant.

Won't you help them in their cause? For only $50 a month, you too can sponsor a Lumberjack Re-enactor! In return for your ongoing sponsorship, you will receive a photo of your personal lumberjack and periodic letters from him/her written on birchbark. All cheques, money orders and bank drafts can be sent care of this blog and will be used for the sole purpose of keeping Our Canadian History Strong and Free. I promise.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oy vay. Anytime someone spends a little too much time in the woods, one can only expect fashion faux paus.

Suzie said...

LOL I'm ONLY going to send in my donation if we get to see photos of you in one of these ever-so-stylish balaclavas, while engaging in each of the competitive events at a logging festival.

I'll bet you are a whiz at log rolling!!

laughingwolf said...

lol... where's my 20% :P

Willym said...

Funny last time I saw a big bearded guy in a large plaid shirt was at a bar in Toronto! Not a tree in sight but plenty of wood.

Dreaming of Jeanie said...

I will send a donation if it comes with one of those nifty knitted beards!!! I'd be out shoveling my driveway with it, feeling all manly and stuff. ;)

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

OKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK... They are fighting.

First I thought they were aiming those axes at each other.

Then I thought, NO, they are both swinging at the tree, in rhythm.

Nope! They ARE swinging at each other. Yikes!!!! ,-)

Hugs and ♥'s...
'Cause Valentine Day is coming!

Jeanne said...

Oh My! What a cause for an endangered species. Wonder if the donations are tax-deductible?

BugginWord said...

I drink all night, too! And I can get some pretty impressive facial hair going when I really focus. I think I'm a lumberjack trapped in a city slicker's body. Save me.

But wait until its warmer, k?

Sarah Sullivan said...

Gigle Snort...blowing coffee out my nose...whaahahahahahah!! I am going to have that song in my head allllllll day...LOL! I have seen these on Etsy..so freaking funny. I guess..we must be lumberjacks down here in Idaho too..cause there is a whole lot of us wearing plaid ..will have to look into the fake mustache..giggle!
Hugs to you hon, Sarah

Mother Moon said...

I have to agree.. show a picture of you in one of those stylish hats and maybe I will consider being a part of this so needy a cause.....

A little more of the lumberjack song might be a bit more fitting....

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

Teddy says Thanks for the Birthday Greetings...happy to see you today.....

kary and teddy
xxx

Wendy said...

I can't help but think of those loggers from the show "Twin Peaks" and the devastation of the logging that happened. UNLESS these neo-loggers are green and environmentally friendly and are re-foresting, than I might and I say "might" be interested in sponsoring one.

jaz@octoberfarm said...

the touques are too funny, eh?

yellowdoggranny said...

I'll never be able to get the lumberjack song out of my head now.

Mz.Elle said...

Ooooh my,I need a beard balaclava!
Way too cute/funny/Canadian.
I must have a thing for lumberjacks as I have a huge thing for plaid:)Love,love,love plaid!

My Grama's Soul said...

Tee heeee......too cute!

Jo

Makropoulos said...

Are YOU one of those lumberjack re-enacters? If so, I'll send some cash.

But while we're on the subject of Canada: your national anthem is one of my favorites! It popped into my head the minute I saw the word "Canada"!

mxtodis123 said...

I kind of like those hats. Would come in quite handy in this brutally cold weather. Throw one in and I'll think about it.
Mary

Chris 'Frog Queen' Davis said...

That made my evening!! You just make me smile every time I visit. And I did see that LOLcat.....almost put it on my blog...I should have known it would find a good home.

Cheers!