THE SNOW IS HERE!

Yesterday we finally got our first snowfall - and it hasn't stopped yet.  The temperatures are very mild so it fluctuates between snow, freezing rain, and rain - so it is heavy and very wet.

All evening yesterday I had to fight the desire to go outside and start a snowman.  Now that the wet snow is piling up, I really want to go out there and build one.  We don't often get this sticky snow, ours is usually more dry so the opportunity is here for great snowman making.

I was even considering going across the road to my neighbours who have four little boys ages 2 to 7.  The two older boys would be great help, I am sure.

Would the neighbours think me odd to be out there building a snowman?  Maybe I should go after supper when it's dark... oh the temptations!

So where did another week go, I ask myself.  Last week wasn't the best week.  I broke my toe on Thursday and threw my back out on Friday.  The weekend was spent trying to straighten out and ease the lower back pain.  I have had this so many times before, you'd think I would be used to it by now, but I don't do down time well.

I did work on my plastic canvas snowman - and no - I have not finished it yet - but I am more than half way done.

I worked on two baby dolls that I was asked to fix for a young woman with two small girls.  These dolls were the woman's dolls, and she is very sick and wants to give them to her daughters.
Both dolls needed new bodies, so I have done that, now I want to make each doll a couple of outfits so the girls can play with them.  If I have time, I would also like to make each doll a quilt.  Everything needs to be finished by December 10th, so I am sticking to this project until it is done - it is a very special pay -it- forward kind of project from one Cancer survivor( me) to a young woman who is battling a very rare form of cancer.

I finished a couple of Christmas gifts that are being mailed out to the US so these are ready to go too - so I guess I did do more than I thought.

I need to finish my Christmas decorating - so far all I have done is put snowmen out.  Every snowman I have is in the kitchen - it is the snowman zone.  I have a lot of snowmen - but they are somewhat lost in that big kitchen.

This weekend I will put our tree up and one in the family room in the basement as well.  Maybe then I will feel more like getting down to some Christmas baking.

So that's been my week in a nutshell.  Hope everyone is keeping well and warm.  I should have some pretty snow pictures for you, next post - until then - be safe everyone!

THE CLOSET OF SHAME!

Reading my title, may very well indeed fast forward your mind to a closet in your home.  I am pretty sure we all have one of these in our homes.  I can even think of a few for you.  I know a couple of people who's front hall closets would qualify, and I also know a couple of people who would not identify at all with my title.

I will set your minds at ease.  "The closet of shame" is a term that has been used by myself and many of my crafting friends over the years.  We have discussed this on our group sites, vowed to change, vowed to get rid of them, and yet, still they exist.

The closet of shame is the closet that contains a crafters unfinished projects... our UFO's!

In actual fact, I personally have never had one of these.  My UFO's are scattered all over... in drawers, on shelves - mainly because I have never been lucky enough to actually have a usable closet in my craft rooms over the years.  That would still hold true today - not a closet to be seen up in my attic work space.

But I do have plenty of UFO's!

Cross stitch pictures, quilts, afghans, small crochet projects, large crochet projects, knitting projects, dolls cut but not made, doll clothes cut by not made, card projects, repurposing projects, books started not finished, pictures taken not edited... on and on it could go.

I vowed that once I retired I would get to some of these and start knocking them off, one by one.

Yeah - right!

But I was looking for something the other day... in a real closet of shame... my closet in the spare bedroom.  This closet is the catch of all and everything close, in my house.  It has only one small door, but goes back a long way.  I have boxes still piled in there from when we moved, which are so hard to get to that they may well be there for a very long time.

I was looking for tissue paper to stuff around an angel I was taking to the antique shop to sell.  I was sure I had left a package or two close to the front by the door, but obviously they had somehow moved further back into the cavern of no return.  So I started removing things because I really needed that tissue paper.

Boxes some filled, some empty - you know you always need empty boxes - and then a whole lot of white plastic shopping bags filled with "things".

"Awe... that's where I put this!"  - I might have said this a few times!

I opened one of the bags and was surprised to find this.

I bought this kit about 25 yrs ago from Mary Maxim.  I am not into plastic canvas work really, but I did like this project.  I am distressed to say in 25 years this is as far as I have gotten on this.

Okay - so this really is The Closet of Shame, after all!

This project s staying out, and I am finishing it this week for my kitchen door!  Don't believe me?  You have no idea how stubborn I can be about these things!  It's getting done.  This time next week I will be showing you a picture of it hanging on that door in my kitchen - I swear it!

So.... What's in your Closet of Shame?

UNIQUES AND ANTIQUES

Last weekend I delivered my Victorian Crochet ornaments to the Antique shop here in town.

This local business is owned by Louise Hoskins, who has been involved in antiques and collectibles for many years.

I met Louise in the spring, when she re-opened her shop in a down town location here in town.  Because her shop was right beside the library, I would often stop in and chat with her on my way to or from the library.

We got to know each other and I discovered that Louise and I have a lot in common.  We both love vintage, antiques, collectibles. We both love the same style of decorating, and we both treasure handmade and re purposed items.

Over the past few months, Louise has relocated her shop to a building on her property and has since re-opened there.  She has a lovely little spot filled with amazing finds.  It probably is not such a great place for me to spend time in, as I want it all  - but if I can curb my enthusiasm for every neat piece I come across, I find there is something for me there besides "things" after all.

Louise is having some health concerns, so I volunteered to give her a hand in the shop when and if she feels the need.  Today I am going to go down and help her decorate the shop for Christmas... I can't wait!

She has added me as an admin on her face book page, so I have been taking some pictures and doing some promotions on her page for Christmas gift giving.

Everywhere in that shop I see something that someone I know would love.

One of the things I fell in love with some time ago was a pretty little hutched cabinet.  I had my eye on if for quite awhile before I actually had the nerve to ask her how much it was.  Wednesday I bought it and brought it home, and I love how it fits into my big country kitchen.

I added a bit of Christmas to welcome it to it's new home, and now I have the urge to do some real decorating so maybe I will do some of that this weekend.

In the meantime, I have more mug rugs to complete, and 50 angels that I want to get done to give to the residents of the nursing home in time for Christmas just from me to them.

They are simple little angels that I will starch and add a hanger to, so they can hang them from their windows or on a tree if they have one in their rooms.  And if my ornaments at the shop sell well, I may have to make more of those as well - these are busy days indeed!

I want to leave you with a darling little Christmas video that was shared to me this morning.  This will make you smile - your Ahhhh  moment for the day.

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/oq1r_M5a6uI

--

I HAVE MET THE REAL SANTA!

When I was a young child, there were no malls.  In the city I grew up in,  you did your grocery shopping at your local corner store, and everything else was either purchased at one of the Major stores in the city ( Eaton's, Hudson's Bay or Simpson Sears) or bought through their catalogues.

At Christmas time everyone went downtown to see the Christmas windows of the big stores. Before television or even in the early days of television, these windows were where children really developed their Christmas Wish Lists.

Yeah  - that's how it was done in the "Old Days"!

Santa Claus was nowhere to be found until after the Santa Claus Parade - which was never held the day after Remembrance Day.  The Santa Claus parade was in December.

When I was young, it was the Eaton's store that sponsored the Santa Claus Parade - and what a parade it was! I still can remember standing outside with my family in the cold weather, stamping my freezing feet and blowing on my hands through my hand made wool mittens ( usually two pairs doubled up on each hand)... waiting for that very last float of the parade.

You could hear Santa's Ho Ho Ho, long before you could see the float and so you strained your little body and craned your neck.  You tried to squeeze between your bigger brothers so you could see further... and then, there he was!  Santa Claus!

The very next weekend you were standing in a long line, on one of the top floors of the Eaton's store downtown, waiting to see Santa.  First you walked through Santa's village, which was a large collection of Christmas scenes, each in their own case.  Most were animated - all were awe-inspiring to a young child.  You forgot you were in line as you moved along to the main event ( Santa) because you were so entertained by the scenes coming alive in the little wooden boxes all along the route.

And then you were there...

And it was HIM!  You had seen him before -  yes it was the very same Santa you witnessed riding into town behind his eight reindeer just the week before.  You had memorized everything there was about him.  His suit, his beard, even the shape of his nose - and you knew there sitting before you on the big chair waiting for you to walk up close - was the REAL Santa.

I have a picture of myself taken on the REAL SANTA'S knee.  Here's my proof!

I must admit - I was terribly cute - wish I still had those little white boots - my walking doll would fit them perfectly!

Okay back to the story!

Then one evening in late November roughly 56 years later, you are sitting in your sun room, it's early evening, maybe a Sunday evening and you are watching a rather corny Christmas movie about a family lodge that needs to be saved in time for Christmas.  The family members in the movie are working to restore this lodge so they can have a grand re-opening at Christmas time.  If they can't get the lodge ready by Christmas, somehow all will be lost.  

Christmas at the lodge has always been the special time for the lodge family as well as regular patrons to gather and share special traditions in this place they all love.

The family have been working hard, and one evening they take some time to sit and share their memories.  They pull out a picture of two children sitting on Santa's knee - and all of a sudden the movie becomes utterly fascinating to me!

I pause the movie, start to whoop and holler, until my own family comes racing up from the basement, I am sure by now convinced I am dying or something.

I can't even speak - I am pointing to the screen with tears streaming down my face.  My son Jonathan sees it immediately, and then so does Gary - and we all sit dumbfounded  staring at the TV screen.

Do you see it?

IT'S THE REAL SANTA.  The same Santa sitting in the same chair in the same room!  The REAL SANTA!

I know this - I myself saw him arrive in town all those years ago, I sat on his knee, and here he is in a movie 56 years later -looking just as he had when I was little.

If I have a point to this story it's this...

I know that this story is something perhaps only I was lucky enough to experience - I know this because things like this happen to me more and more in my adult life... but I wish children of today could experience this feeling. 

Santa is everywhere starting November 12th.  In every mall, store, party, celebration, some hockey games, children's birthday parties...  It's too much - is there any wonder left to it at all?

Maybe I'm just getting old - but more and more, I believe the simpler life was the better life.

And I do know that somehow those two children sitting on the real Santa's knee were doing so in 1957, not 2013 .  Maybe they were in the same line waiting to see the real Santa the same day I was. 

 What are the odds of a picture from that era, taken in my home town, showing up on a movie on a television screen 56 years later, viewed by someone who was at that very location, who sat on that very same knee - 

However you look at it - it's quite the story...

LET'S NEVER FORGET!

It's Remembrance Day, the day we are supposed to stop and remember those that went to war to fight for our country and the freedoms and liberties we all enjoy every day of our lives.

We celebrate the Veterans of the Great World Wars, and my generation thinks of them first because it was our Father's and Uncles who fought in these wars, but there are new generations of Military men and women who still are out there fighting for the same freedoms we think about when we remember our fallen soldiers today... we must never forget any of them.

Just yesterday I was reminded of this day as we sat visiting an elderly aunt.  Her husband, my Uncle Scott fought in WW2.  As I sat in her living room visiting yesterday a picture of him as a young man in full uniform faced me on the wall across from me.  I glanced at it many times during that visit, and I thought about this day, and all that we have because of his efforts.  Then when we went to the table to have coffee with my aunt, there on the wall beside where I sat was yet another reminder... his medals beautifully framed and displayed proudly, for all to see.

And yes - I had forgotten about these as well.

There is a story that surfaced this week on the news about a family from our little town of McCreary!  We don't get into the news very often, but this story truly is something to be proud about.  The former home of the family in this story is a 2 minute walk from my home.  As a newcomer to this community I would have missed this great piece of local history, had it not been for this day.

Read this amazing story about one family from this little village I so proudly call home.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/cantin-family-mccreary-1.3841995

Let's Never Forget these men and women who gave so much for our country - and for us all!

LET'S NEVER FORGET!

LETS ENJOY THIS NEW WEEK!

It's Monday again, the first day of the week that might be just as interesting as last week was.

In our house, the talk continues about the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series for the first time in 108 years!  It's a big deal  -  my husband being a Chicago kid, and a Cubs fan all his life, as his Father was before him.  Gary grew up attending games at Wriggly Field with his Dad, and his Uncle, so last weeks win will be celebrated in this house for years to come, I'm sure!

And now the American Election looms - I'm sure we are all waiting for the outcome of this very painful process that has been front and center for the whole world to see for what seems like way too long!  The world watches, and waits for the outcome of this election, more than it ever has before.  I am sure whatever outcome tomorrow will bring, it will affect many of us as well as the American people who so anxiously await the results.

Here in my little bubble, things are happening as well.  We have had incredibly warm weather for this time of year, in fact Friday our little Municipality was the hot spot of Manitoba at 20.2 C.  That trend continued all weekend giving us such warm weather, that I have new lettuce growing in my garden and perennials that have been dormant for at least 6 weeks have awakened and seem to think it's time to bloom again!

I am hard at work finishing up a collection of my Victorian Christmas Ornaments that I am going to sell at the Antique shop here in town.  I will have an assortment of my ornaments, some I am making for the first time in about 20 years.  My bears always have been my best sellers, and this time I will have hockey players, cowboys, ballerina's, brides and grooms, babies, angel bears, baker bears, to name a few.

I am delighted to say that I also have 4 dolls coming in that need restoring.  It's been a few years since I last worked on a doll, and I am excited to start working on them.  My mind is doing a quick switch to spa days and pretty doll clothes - how fun will that be?

Gary and I walked the perimeter of our town and up and down some areas that I have not been to before.  I have found a new spot right on the outskirts of town where I will be taking my camera.  It's a lovely spot, where there are open fields with the Riding Mountains as a perfect backdrop.  I wish I had taken that walk earlier - before the leaves had left the trees... but now I know it's there, I will be going back again.

So here's to the new week ahead... lets make it a good one!  Be active, be inspired, be happy!  It's ours to experience, it's ours to enjoy!

LONGER MAY HE LIVE!

How did we get to Tuesday already!  I had firm plans to have a post ready for Monday morning!

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween.  It was so much fun to see all the decorations, costumes and party pictures on Face book.

Sometimes I really despise Face book - and sometimes I love it.

I love being able to stay in touch with loved ones in real time.  But the rest of it - the politics, the fighting the ignorance that sometimes appears just really bothers me.



It was my Dad's 96th birthday on Sunday.  My niece had been to see him on Saturday and took this picture and sent it to me on Face book - now there is a good thing!

I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that Dad is 96!  You know when you are young and still living at home, and your Dad is everything to you, you never think about the day when you will be 61 and your Dad will be 96.  How can you think that far ahead?  Old to you is 60!

Life is pretty wonderful to give us this opportunity to catch up with our future at the same time as connecting us by memories to our past.

Dad is holding a rug mug I made him for his birthday.  When I called him on Sunday he was so happy with the gift - BUT - did I know that really this animal was not a ELK ( I called it an elk in the letter that went with the gift)!  No, you see and elk's head is different as is his rack.  No, this is a MOOSE!

We laughed about it, - and really he should know - he's the one who hunted big game all his life!

He marvelled at the tiny stitches and wanted to know what type of sewing machine I use - to be honest, most people would not even take the time to look, I am sure.

He is sharp  - and apparently there is nothing wrong with his eyesight!

That's my Dad.  We have had our differences over the years, but now at his age, these things don't matter any more.

Every day is a gift -  at my age I am still learning this - at his age,  he already has.

Longer may he live...

THE WEEK IN REVIEW!

As weeks go, this one has been a busy one for me.

The beginning of the week I finished and mailed out another large order of mug rugs, this time destined for Alberta.

In the meantime, the local message board downtown had an add for a job in the local pharmacy/gift shop.  I really wasn't looking for a job, but there have been a few things come to mind lately that would be so much easier to think about if the pension money went a bit further, so I sent off an application, knowing full well that although I have had retail experience - having that experience 30 yrs ago or more, didn't necessarily qualify me for much these days.

Tuesday I was called in for and interview, and I think it went quite well.

I came home from the interview on Tuesday, sat down for a cup of tea, looked around my living room and thought - yeah - I can't live with this anymore - I needed to do some serious cleaning after spending most of my summer outdoors - it really needed it!

So I began two solid days of washing, scrubbing, moving furniture ( love that part - just ask anyone).

I decided to change my sun room into a dining room.  Now that we eat almost every meal at the kitchen island, or in some cases ( shamefaced) in front of the TV during the evening news... the table in the kitchen has become a catch all for everything.    The move turned out great, and it will be nice to eat special meals with family and friends in this very warm and inviting room.

 The living room is looking so much better as well.

 

In my spare time,  I convinced Gary to help me build a rather large bird feeder for our winter feathered friends.  I had no pattern, and just scrap wood from a shelf in the cold room that we demolished, so we spent one afternoon out in the garage, building.  We added shingles to the roof after I took the picture and now it is being painted, but I think for 2 extreme amateur builders we did okay.

I started starching some of my Victorian ornaments for the Antique shop, and have designed a really funky new rug mug, that I cannot show you yet, because the person who is receiving it reads my blog and I want it to be a total surprise.

And today its grocery shopping day, trip to the lumber store for a post for the feeder, and cleaning the library for noon opening.

What a great week it's been - just the way I like it - interesting and productive!

The very best part of my week however was last evening.  I spent an hour and a half on Skype with my niece Alanna and her son Thomas who are at Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver BC while Thomas undergoes treatment for Leukemia.  If ever I was grateful for our world of technology and progress it was last evening.  How fortunate we are to have such wonderful tools to be able to connect with our loved ones.

Thomas is doing well, but next week starts his most aggressive treatment schedule so far.  This next round of chemo will be continue until February and it will be intense and they will be hitting his little body hard.  But last night I saw a normal 10 yr old child.  Playing video games, running down to the central kitchen for cup cakes, and at times snuggling close to his Mom as she visited with me.  Our prayers for Thomas are being answered, but many more are needed to get him and his family through this journey safely. This will be their life for another two and a half years to come.  

 I can't express how very proud I am of both of them, and Alanna's other two children Brayden and Kaelyn as well.  They are what family is and should be all about.

Have a great weekend everyone!

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Since I seem to be on a nostalgia kick these days, how about this picture that showed up on social media recently!

Takes me back to kindergarten and my first teacher ever, Miss Raferty!

She was the kindest soul, as I remember.  

But this picture - wow - I remember we each had our own little mat rolled up in our little coat cubicles at the end of the room.  She would turn out the lights - I think I  remember music - I'd be surprised if I wasn't singing along - and would spread out all over the floor and sleep.

Mine was in the era when girls dressed this way with skirts or dresses, and so yes - lying down panties showed.  This is exactly how it was.  

Some parents nowadays would have much to say about this and no doubt the the teacher and school system would have some explaining to do.

There was nothing wrong with this practise - just like there was nothing wrong with a lot of stuff that used to be done, but somehow our world and the new generation love to find fault with almost every innocent practise from the generations before them.  Not everything was bad, and I wish some people would quit suggesting it was!

How I got on to that rant from such a peaceful picture, I don't know.  But I do know kindergarten was special to me.  I met children in that classroom, who are still my friends today,  like my dear friend John S.  He married one of my best friends so we still see each other, and seeing this picture reminds me how very special that is.

Kindergarten in my generation was the special time when young children were first introduced to the world of learning.  It was exciting for children because it was something they had not done before.  We watched TV and played with our toys and our neighbourhood friends - learning was left for school.  

I hear so many young parents today say how bored their children are in kindergarten and it makes me sad.  Today's children enter school at what would have been a grade 3 level for my generation.  Is it better?   I am not an authority, but if you ask me - I'd say no.

We were little sponges, eager to learn, eager to please our teachers and our parents.  Nothing wrong with that.

These days are just a memory for me, but hopefully not for the young children of today.  We need to slow it down, and let children be children.  I hope that when they are my age they will have the same wonderful thoughts, feelings and memories of their early years.

I love how one picture can open up so many wonderful memories!

ITS ALL IN THE TRANSLATION!

 It seems "Write me an autograph" was a very well received post.  It scored high in readers, but even better than that I had one of the largest responses by my readers ever.  

It was enjoyed, and I even got some autographs.  I am glad that this post brought back pleasant memories for my readers... love when that happens.

Last night I was checking my emails before bedtime, and there was one from my nephew Scott, suggesting I try translating my Grandmothers German entry in my Mother's autograph book in Google translate.

So this morning as soon as I got up I headed down to the computer.

I don't think it is quite right yet, but this is what I have so far.

Here is Grandma's words in German:

libe Erna ( little Erna)  that I know for certain.

In allen deine Iaten las ich den Hichsten ruten der alles. kann und hoit er mus zu allen Dingen lolbs  anderen wohl gelingen dien selben geben Ratu. Iat

dein Mutter ( your Mother) 

Google translates it so:

Little Erna

In all thy actions I let the highest rods of all.  And may he give to the the other lolbs of others well to serve their mother.

Your Mother.

I feel like I am so close to finally learning what is said in this little verse.  Perhaps there is a reader who speaks German or understands it who could shed a little light on this.  Or perhaps there is someone who can use the translator better than I.  Maybe the words I copied that were written by Grandma were a slightly different dialect and someone here may know the correct word.

My thinking is the highest "rods "of all might be the highest God of all.  I believe Grandma would have written something along this line, as she was very faithful to her God and was a strong believer.

If you want to spend some time playing with this, I would be delighted for the help.  

In fact if someone can solve this puzzle , they will receive 2 mug rugs (style of their choice) as a gift from me.

There - the challenge is out...

and remember - 

When you get married and have two twins - don't come to me for safety pins!

WRITE ME AN AUTOGRAPH !

When I moved my desk from the second floor attic to the basement a week or so ago, I had dumped the contents of my desk drawers on a pile on the floor.  They sat there for a bit, and when I was putting things back where they had previously been, I found two items that I rarely think of, in fact had completely forgotten that I still had.

When I was a child - about eight years old, My Aunt Margaret came for a visit from the States.  She came almost every year and she always brought something for everyone.  I remember her arrivals so vividly because she came by grey hound bus and we always were the ones that went to pick her up at the bus station.  In my eyes she was a movie star - she was always dressed in a dress with a matching jacket, with a hat and high heels, gloves, and a purse - when she stepped off the bus, my heart went into overdrive - because she was so elegant and beautiful.

One year she handed me this.

If you are my age or older you might remember or still have one of these little treasures in a box in your closet.  All young girls had one, and we carried them around or brought them out, especially when going visiting or when people came to visit us.  Everyone had their own special verse that they would write when asked.  Mine is filled with verses and ditties from school friends, cousins, aunts, from that time.

Here are a few of my favourites.  The first entry is usually from the person who gave you the book - so My Aunt Margaret's sentiment comes first.

a couple more that mean so much are from my parents and my Great Grandmother.

Here is one from a second cousin..

"Gather a line for every page, that she may read in her old age!"

The words of Aunt Margaret's sentiment are reading so true to me - and how fortunate am I to be able to pick this little book up and read all the lines written by so many people - many who are no longer here.

I suppose you could say that social medial is sort of a "cyber" autograph book  - but sadly it's pretty much gone after it's written.  No one is going to be able to pick it up and see what was written to them in 10 yrs, or 50 years or even 80 years!

Yes -  80 years - check this out!

My Mother's autograph book...

Her front page was from her cousin - who gave her the book  April 21, 1936!

She too had entries from her brothers and sisters, her cousins...

My Dad from their courting days... he wrote the same thing in hers as he did in mine!  And he signed it "Sunshine Joe"?   

My Grandmother - hers is in German - I so wish I knew what it said.

And here is something that really blows my mind - there is an entry from my Mother-in law.  Gary's grandparents lived beside my Aunt in Chicago in the 30's and my mother and his had met when they were children - through my Aunt in Chicago.  When they were writing in each other's autograph book as children - would they even have believed that someday their son and daughter would meet and fall in love and marry?  How special is this!

I believe this one is from her teacher...

And then the special ones from her sisters...

This is an example where the past outshines the present.  This activity should be brought back again.  Children of today will never have something like this to pick up and read in their "old age".  Does it matter you ask?

I believe it really does.  These two little books have brought both myself and my husband such pleasure reading the verses and imagining the people who wrote them these past few days.

Yes - it matters!

JUST DOWN THE GLENELLA ROAD - THE END!

So here we are, at my Uncle Alfred's farm, which now belongs to my cousin's son Aaron.  Things will no doubt change in the years to come.  I hope he keeps the barn as long as he can  - but just in case, I took some pretty great shots to be on the safe side.

The barn was my main focus this day.  It is a structure that has such meaning on any farm.  It has a life of it's own that is hard to describe, but if you ever saw a barn lit from within in the dark of night, you would understand why I say that.

So here is Grandpa's barn shot my way!

Whoever said age can't be beautiful has never seen this old barn up close and personal.

I never realized how pretty this windmill was until I pointed my camera at it.  Wonder if Grandpa put it there, or Uncle Alfred.

What do you see when you look in the window of this old barn?  I see progress!

Not the Hayloft, but the window above it.  I don't ever remember actually ever seeing a window in there though.  Will you look at that beautiful Manitoba summer sky!

My Grandfather's Threshing Machine.

 I Love this barn and I love this picture.  So many years it has stood here as a symbol of a hardworking family's heritage, commitment and future.  She may be old and weathered, but she still has some life to give to the next generation.  Long May She Stand!

Thanks for taking this day trip with me.  Hope you have enjoyed the day as much as I did.

JUST DOWN THE GLENELLA ROAD - PART 3

It struck me after I wrote yesterday's post - that a lot of very young children today would have no idea what a teeter totter is, if asked.  Progress?  I don't believe so - as a child it was one of my favourite places to be on the swing set - except of course for hanging upside down on those side cross bars of the swing set... we did that for hours!

I forgot to mention that one actually has to turn off the Glenella Road to get to Waldersee.  You turn right at the Junction of PTH 261 and PTH 260 ( the Plumas Road).  The Waldersee church is not even a mile down the Plumas Road.

The Plumas Road pretty much starts at Waldersee and travels south to HWY 16.  You pass Plumas long before you actually reach HWY 16, however.

On this day of my little "journey"  I travelled the Plumas road for a few miles, but turned off about 5 miles before I actually reached the town of Plumas.

My destination was my the farm that was my Grandparents home place, before it was passed down to my Uncle - better known to me all my life as my Uncle Alfred's farm.

If ever there is a place that calls my heart - it is and always will be, this place.

So much of my early youth, my teen years, and even my adult years has been spent right here.

I have so many cherished memories of time spent here with my family.  My cousins were the most important people in my young life, and growing up together and spending time with each other here on their home farm, formed bonds that still hold strong today.

I remember building forts in the bushes surrounding the farm yard; sitting in the barn loft playing with kittens; hunting for pigeon eggs so we could hurl them down onto the pigs backs from the loft.  Doing chores; watching baby animals being born;  plucking chickens; pulling weeds; hauling water, chop and oats; gathering eggs.  Riding bicycles, and lying in the ditches eating spits and reading romance books.

And later - learning to drive tractors, farm trucks and cars; baling hay in square bales, moving cattle, and even shooting a gun.  Going to town Saturday nights to hang out with my cousins friends, attending country dances and socials, and snowmobiling through frozen snow covered fields until three in the morning.

This is the yard that was my second home growing up. It was younger then  - but then so was I.

My Grandfather built this barn, and as barns were meant to be - it was the heart of the farm yard.  When I was a kid the doors were seldom closed in summer, and at any given time there were always animals staying in the stalls inside.  

As you can see the sun was bright this day of my journey, and the camera and I had a wonderful afternoon shooting some very special images of this very special place.

Tomorrow - those special images.....

JUST DOWN THE GLENELLA ROAD - PART 2

I completely forgot to add 2 photos to yesterday's blog post.  I meant to include 2 pictures of the interior of the church at Waldersee.  It is a beautiful little country church - inside and out - and unlike city churches is open for visitors all the time.

Here are a couple of pictures of the inside.  The front/ Altar

The back of the church.

                                                                           ...


Yesterday we started on my journey down the Glenella Road.  I almost always have my camera with me when we head down any road around home, and for sure it was with me when I went on this little journey a few weeks ago.

Here are some of my favourite images of that day spent re-connecting with my past.  Hope you enjoy!

  Sept 2016 - The Glenella Road - facing West towards the Riding Mountains.

Sept 2016 - the North Narthex window of Christ Lutheran Church (The Waldersee Church).

A word about this church - My Great Grandfather helped build this church and he and his sibling's families attended here throughout the years - even to today descendents of these families ( my family) still attend this church regularly.

Sept 2016 - the Steeple and Cross at the top of the Waldersee Church.

Sept 2016 - Resident or Visitor? - Lively Resident, I believe!

Sept 2016 - Teeter-Totter from an old swing set near cemetery.

Sept 2016 - A marker on a young child's grave.

Next stop - The Plumas Road!

JUST DOWN THE GLENELLA ROAD - PART 1

This is the Glenella Road - well actually it is PTH 261, but to folks in this neck of the woods is it known as the Glenella Rd.

It starts at HWY 5 and runs east.  I took this picture after turning east off Hwy 5 and driving over a mile or so down the gentle decline from  Hwy 5.   Behind me is the Riding Mountains...

  From the first picture on, the road flattens out and travels through farmlands rich in both grazing cattle and fields of crops of many kinds.

Glenella is a small town, about 20 minutes down that long road that seems to end nowhere.  It is a typical prairie town, just like the town I now live in.  In it, live hard working people of many origins.  It is the community close to where many of my extended family settled when they immigrated to Canada in the last century.

The day I took these pictures I wasn't going to Glenella - I was actually heading to Waldersee, where my Mother's family homesteaded.

Waldersee was not a town - but it was always a community, and to some extent still is today.


                                         At one time a one room schoolhouse held classes for the children.

A general store provided all the residents ever needed:

Except the word of God - which the Church gladly fulfilled:

Pretty much all that remains is the church.  Services are still held every Sunday, parishioners come from towns and farms all around to attend services at this church that has been part of their community for over a 100 years.

It was this Waldersee that I was coming to visit that day.  The church, and the cemetery behind it.

My Great Grandfather rests here:

As do my Maternal Grandparents:

As well as cousins, and many Beloved Aunts and Uncles.

I came to say hi,  I came to celebrate my past, my present, my heritage -  and I came to imagine my future, perhaps here in this gentle of places.

It's been quite a few years since I really spent time here - it was a good thing to do and I came away feeling connected to my past.  I am fortunate to have this place that reminds me of who I am, where I come from, the people who were a major part of my early life.  Each of them in their own way helped shape the person I became - and I am grateful for their influence in my life.

Tomorrow I will share some special images I took away we me that beautiful day!