Being close to an electric generating station, everyone had electric appliances. This was at a time when ice boxes were still common in the towns and cities (1930's and 40's). We had fresh milk and eggs; my dad had a cow and chickens, as did other families. The milk was unpastuerized and I don't ever recall candling eggs. That's the way it was. Every household also had a vegetable garden. One garden I recall was on a small reclaimed swamp area where the rich black soil grew huge carrots. Some of us mischievious kids tasted those sweet carrots occasionally late at night. Yes - confession time. The homes were heated by woodburning furnaces. Wood was cut (no chain saws) a year ahead of time and horse and sleigh transported from the bush during the winter for the following winter heating season.
A trip to the variety store was a 3.2km trip up river, armed with a nickel or six cents to buy a chocolate bar at Kelley's Post Office/Store. The shoes came off as soon as school was out in June and we went barefoot all summer. This was more from choice rather than for economy, but I think our parents appreciated not having to buy shoes for a couple of months.

We made our own fun and entertainment holding dances in the school, and having frequent Euchre Parties. William "Bill" Potter, the colony handy man, played the fiddle and yours truly accompanied on piano or guitar. I can still hear Boyd Balkwell "calling" for the square dances. We put on Christmas pagents, and had family picnics along the Severn River. We would hike through wilderness to nearby lakes in Muskoka District, north of the river. We even had Sunday school and church services, both held in the school house. Cecil Garry, the lockmaster for many years, preached lay services. Pretty amazing when I think about it now. I recall some one saying at the time that he had read through the St James Bible several times. He was a wise and kind gentleman.

I'm sure there are those who left the Swift with no desire to ever return, wanting to forget the experience. They moved away to follow careers, to raise families or to follow personal interests, some never to be heard from again. However for others, a connection to "The Swift" exists.