After finding out that the old grey mare still remembered all the tricks of a professional cutting horse career, I was better prepared for further riding experiences. I was soon riding her several times a week. Maybe it would be more accurate to say she allowed me to ride her several times a week. I … Read more
One thing about growing up on a mixed farm in Manitoba, you’re never very far from animals of one kind or another. I have some very fond memories of such connections and some not quite so fond. I do know they created a lot of work and being the oldest of three kids I was … Read more
Growing up on the farm sometimes seemed to be a boring existence. Farm chores took precedence over everything. Animals needed daily attention since we depended on them for part of our income. The garden took a lot of attention since we depended on it for most of our food. However, as is often the case, … Read more
I’m continuing today with another story from my school days. Marilyn’s story yesterday reminded me of another episode that took place at the Silver Stream school in Manitoba, probably in about 1958 or 1959. All of the students at that school lived on farms in the area. I walked the mile and a half each … Read more
During the 1950s, Charlie’s Barbershop was in the heart of Great Village. It was a two-story building, with the shop on the ground floor and an apartment above it. Charlie’s shop was a single room with large windows facing the road. A red and white striped pole spun outside the door, the universal symbol for … Read more
The Field Trip Our teacher at Silver Stream school, Miss Enns, must have been fairly young at the time. Probably in her early twenties, fresh out of teachers college. I have no idea if it was her first posting but I do remember she was well respected and I might even say loved, at least … Read more
What is the first thing you think of when you see or hear the word “sponge”? The most common association is a dish sponge, specifically the yellow ones used for washing, cleaning up spills, or absorbing liquid. Some might say it’s a common metaphor—a “mind like a sponge,” representing someone who quickly absorbs information. Other … Read more
Some of you will remember back in the sixties, Art Linkletter had a television show called Kids Say the Darndest things. I wish to expand that to Kids Do the Darndest Things, and I as a four-year-old child, was no exception. In fact, some of my actions were unpredictable, even to me. I found them … Read more
The Rolling Classroom: Manitoba’s Iconic Tree Planting Cars To understand why this story is so dear to my heart, you will need to know about my relationship with entertainment. For the first few years of my life, entertainment was self-made. We had a radio that ran on big old dry cell batteries that were quite … Read more
Mother was admitted to hospital on a Tuesday in June 1960, and a couple of days later, she had surgery. However, she had complications, and her stay would be indefinite. After getting off work, Father would drive over to the hospital, spending time with Mother until visiting hours were over. She was in what they … Read more
Even though that first Christmas concert was a bit of a disappointment due to my laughter induced stage fright, the ones that followed were much more enjoyable. That first one had been held in the classroom of our one room school with parents and neighbors crammed in like sardines, enough to intimidate any budding thespian. … Read more
I have some fond memories of Silver Stream School. One of my favorites was Christmas concert time. It would start about a month before the concert, each student who had a part in the play would be given some lines to memorize . One year in particular, probably grade three, I was slated to play … Read more
Silver Stream was where my memory kicks in again, and probably some of my most memorable school days were spent there. By this time we had moved to a lovely farm only a mile and a half from the school known as the Jack Stewart place, and most days I walked it both ways. Silver … Read more
Monique was a little 6-year-old French girl who was a bundle of energy and endless curiosity. Her dad was in the military and travelled back and forth to Camp Debert every day. That fall, the family of three had moved into what was known as Ed and Earns old house. The brothers had lived there … Read more
Outdoor lessons came to an end as autumn approached. A brand new baby sister arrived on the second of September. Surprised the heck out of my brother and me. We didn’t even know one had been ordered. And then in November we pulled up stakes and moved to a farm in Manitoba. And we thought … Read more
Many people wrongly believe that babies do not notice or remember traumatic events. According to Mother, I never forgot this frightful experience. Mr. Barkley was in his early 70s and had been a farmer all his life—a lifetime of hard work and dedication. Life for him, his 68-year-old wife, and their two sons, both in … Read more
The Springhill Coal Mine Disaster in Nova Scotia was a catastrophic explosion in the No. 4 Colliery on November 1st, 1956. It started when runaway coal cars struck a high-voltage power line, igniting coal dust and causing widespread devastation, the explosion killed 39 miners and trapped many more. Massive rescue efforts saved many lives, including … Read more
We often look at our lives through the lens of the everyday—the chores, the shifts, the quiet moments on the porch. We tend to think that because we weren’t world leaders or famous explorers, our stories are just “ordinary.” But if there is one thing I have learned in my 70-plus years, it is this: … Read more
My mother and Muriel Henwood had been best friends since their early school days. Their friendship continued throughout the war years, and even after they were both married. Muriel’s husband, Henry Brine, was a miner who worked underground in the Springhill coal mines. During the summer months, Muriel and Henry often visited us on the … Read more
What a winter we had back in 1960. So much snow fell in December and January that it made the road behind the barn leading down to the lower field great for tobogganing on. The snow began once again at the beginning of February. One Saturday morning, the weather started with light snow combined with … Read more
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