Hokum Coco
This is an article done by the Times and Transcript on yours truly.
Ron MacKinnon divides his time between the boards and the birds.
This Monton native retired from CN in 1996 after a railroad career that included coach cleaner, brakeman, yard foreman, conductor, and finally, yard master.
Following retirement he was in the "apartment business for awhile."
About 11 years ago he got into acting introduced to local theater by a friend, he agreed to help out with a script reading and was offered the part. Most years see him on stage withe Lutes Mountain Heritage Players, and he enjoys that experience.
He also enjoys raising homing pigeons, a hobby he's been involved in for many years - returning with renewed enthusiasm to the pastime once his granddaughter, Kamecha, became interested.
"My pigeons are Belgium, bloodline and they're rock doves. That's what their formal name would be, but everybody calls them pigeons - and pigeons are not native to North America. Anything you see is a feral that got away on someone"
MacKinnon does white dove (pigeon) releases at weddings, funerals, Remembrance Day ceremonies, the Sussex Balloon festival, and more, and the (banded) birds quickly fly back to his Lutes Mountain home. He says nobody really understands why the pigeons return with such accuracy, although MacKinnon's theory is that they become "magnetized to home."They also have to be trained.
"You've got to get them young: stresses MacKinnon, änd then you have to have a loft for them outside, with access... There is a trapping mechanism, so I can let them out and they can free fly, then they come in and trap and then they can't get back out...Right now my birds are out flying around."
Also called carrier or messenger pigeons, these birds were used to great advantage on the front line of both world wars. MacKinnon's grandfather Arnie MacKinnon , fought in the First World War and his father Murray MacKinnon was a member of the Second world War's special forces the Devil's Bragade, and both saw pigeons used in this way. In fact, There is a Victoria Cross equivalent for animals, the Dicken Medal, that has been bestowed upon pigeons 32 times for outstanding wartime service.
MacKinnon now has nine pigeons, down from last year's 40 because " over the the winter, raccoons got in and brought me down to four."
Other hobbies include playing the guitar and singing, vegetable gardening, hunting and fishing.
MacKinnon and his wife Petrechia (half of the locally famous musical Gaynor twins) have three grown children Darren, Shannon, and Tammy and two granddaughters (make it three now on came along without my permission just recently I might add.)
Endearingly unique and enjoying every minute of it. MacKinnon once went barefoot for an entire year, during which time he observed that "salt really hurts your feet in the winter."
When it comes to observations about life, he has three favourites "Grandmothers and grandfathers should never retire they should live to inspire; Love is a verb, not a noun;"and "we do not live in a perfect world - live for something or you are dying for nothing."
Ron MacKinnon divides his time between the boards and the birds.
This Monton native retired from CN in 1996 after a railroad career that included coach cleaner, brakeman, yard foreman, conductor, and finally, yard master.
Following retirement he was in the "apartment business for awhile."
About 11 years ago he got into acting introduced to local theater by a friend, he agreed to help out with a script reading and was offered the part. Most years see him on stage withe Lutes Mountain Heritage Players, and he enjoys that experience.
He also enjoys raising homing pigeons, a hobby he's been involved in for many years - returning with renewed enthusiasm to the pastime once his granddaughter, Kamecha, became interested.
"My pigeons are Belgium, bloodline and they're rock doves. That's what their formal name would be, but everybody calls them pigeons - and pigeons are not native to North America. Anything you see is a feral that got away on someone"
MacKinnon does white dove (pigeon) releases at weddings, funerals, Remembrance Day ceremonies, the Sussex Balloon festival, and more, and the (banded) birds quickly fly back to his Lutes Mountain home. He says nobody really understands why the pigeons return with such accuracy, although MacKinnon's theory is that they become "magnetized to home."They also have to be trained.
"You've got to get them young: stresses MacKinnon, änd then you have to have a loft for them outside, with access... There is a trapping mechanism, so I can let them out and they can free fly, then they come in and trap and then they can't get back out...Right now my birds are out flying around."
Also called carrier or messenger pigeons, these birds were used to great advantage on the front line of both world wars. MacKinnon's grandfather Arnie MacKinnon , fought in the First World War and his father Murray MacKinnon was a member of the Second world War's special forces the Devil's Bragade, and both saw pigeons used in this way. In fact, There is a Victoria Cross equivalent for animals, the Dicken Medal, that has been bestowed upon pigeons 32 times for outstanding wartime service.
MacKinnon now has nine pigeons, down from last year's 40 because " over the the winter, raccoons got in and brought me down to four."
Other hobbies include playing the guitar and singing, vegetable gardening, hunting and fishing.
MacKinnon and his wife Petrechia (half of the locally famous musical Gaynor twins) have three grown children Darren, Shannon, and Tammy and two granddaughters (make it three now on came along without my permission just recently I might add.)
Endearingly unique and enjoying every minute of it. MacKinnon once went barefoot for an entire year, during which time he observed that "salt really hurts your feet in the winter."
When it comes to observations about life, he has three favourites "Grandmothers and grandfathers should never retire they should live to inspire; Love is a verb, not a noun;"and "we do not live in a perfect world - live for something or you are dying for nothing."
- Location
- New Brunswick,Canada
- Why do you want to join our community?
- Share my experiences and hopefully gain some knowledge.
- Occupation
- Canadian National Railway (Yard Master) Retired
Signature
Hope this helps.
If you are "NOT" living for "SOMETHING"; You are dying for "NOTHING".
If you are "NOT" living for "SOMETHING"; You are dying for "NOTHING".
Following
Trophies
-
10
Anniversary: 9 Year
Happy 9 year anniversary!! -
10
Anniversary: 8 Year
8 years with us!?! Who would have thought it possible? -
10
Anniversary: 7 Year
Lucky #7 years! Congrats! -
20
Reactions Received: 3,000
-
20
Reactions Given: 3,000
-
1
1st Page Rated
-
20
Messages: 4,000
CONGRATS ON 4,000 messages! You're a VIP in our community! -
10
Anniversary: 6 Year
6 years with us? We love having you here! -
20
Reactions Received: 2,000
-
20
Reactions Given: 2,000
-
20
Reactions Given: 1,000
-
20
Reactions Received: 1,000
WOW, people are LOVING what you're doing... keep it up! -
10
Anniversary: 5 Year
WOW 5 years!?!? SUPER CONGRATS! -
20
Reactions Received: 500
Content you have posted has attracted 500 positive reactions. -
3
Has An Avatar
You have an avatar! -
5
Introduce Yourself
You've introduced yourself in our New Member Introduction section here. -
20
Messages: 3,000
CONGRATS ON 3,000 messages! You're a VIP in our community! -
20
Messages: 2,000
2,000 messages? You're amazing! -
20
Messages: 1,000
1,000 messages? Impressive! -
10
Reactions Given: 250
-
10
Threads Started: 100
-
10
Reactions Given: 500
-
10
Reactions Received: 50
Obviously you're pretty likable!! -
10
Reactions Given: 100
We're so glad you like your member's stuff! Keep it up! -
10
Reactions Received: 250
Your content has been positively reacted to 250 times. -
10
Reactions Received: 100
Content you have posted has attracted 100 positive reactions. -
10
Messages: 500
You've posted 500 messages! -
10
Reactions Received: 25
Your messages have been positively reacted to 25 times. -
10
Messages: 250
250 posts and you're on your way to 500! -
10
Reactions Given: 50
-
10
Anniversary: 4 Year
4 years older and wiser too? Congrats on 4 years with us! -
10
Anniversary: 3 Year
WOOT! Happy 3 year anniversary! -
10
Anniversary: 2 Year
Time flies when you're having fun! Happy 2 year anniversary! -
10
Anniversary: 1 Year
Wow, it's been a year already!?! CONGRATS!! -
10
Reactions Received: 10
Your messages have been positively reacted to 10 times! -
10
Messages: 100
You've posted 100 messages. I hope this took you more than a day! -
10
Started 10 Threads
You've started 10 discussion threads -
7
Messages: 50
50 messages posted. You must like it here! -
5
Reactions Given: 10
-
5
Messages: 10
10 messages posted. You're getting use to things around here! -
3
Anniversary: 1 Month
You have been a member of BYC for one month, we hope you've been enjoying it here! -
2
Reactions Given: 1st
You reacted to something posted by another member! -
2
Anniversary: 1 Week
Congrats on your first week as a member of our community! -
2
Reactions Received: 1st
Somebody out there reacted to one of your messages. Keep posting like that for more! -
1
Messages: 1st
Post a message somewhere on the site to receive this. -
1
Started 1st Thread
You created a thread in our community, good job!