Merry Christmas

Daughter Karen and me!

Great Grandson bundled up .

for the outing at the Wildlight Park.

They feed the wolves at 7:30 p.m.

Karen's tree!

Fire eating dragon ! Wildlight Park

We visited the Wildlight Show at the

Kamloops Wildlife Park.

BC Sunshine!

Karen & Andrew

Karen & Me!

Mount Baker

Leaves

Golden Leaves

Strait of Georgia

Trees and water

When you wake up on a Saturday morning and the sky is blue you take advantage of the day, here in BC those days are rare, especially in November. A perfect day to drive to Washington State and take the Chuckanut route along the ocean. The border is a half hour drive from daughters place, there was a line up at the crossing, other people had the same idea we had. Half an hour later we were in the USA. First stop Coffee and breakfast, which we enjoyed sitting in front of a warm fireplace. Then the drive along Chuckanut, the views were spectacular, San Juan Islands, Georgia Strait, Trees, Rocks, God`s creation for us to enjoy. We stopped for lunch at `The Oyster Inn` a restaurant we had visited years ago with Gord, sat at the same table, enjoyed the same view over a creek. The restaurant had changed hands twice in the last few years, however the menu much the same featuring oysters. After a two hour lunch stopped at Burlington, Target and Freddie Meyers to shop. We Canadians enjoy the variety the American Stores offer. A full day we were home at 5:30 !

November Morning!

Left at dawn to drive to Winnipeg

Dawn colors
Clouds
Here comes the sun!

Halloween

We had the warmest Halloween evening in my memory. The goblins, ghosties, werewolves and witches who called at my house didn't have to wear mitts and scarves. Sixteen children showed up in costume for 'trick or treat' -they all got treats! Chocolate Bars and fruit snacks. In the old days this was the time to pull tricks or stupid stunts. Like pushing over toilets, today we have bathrooms, move the neighbors wagon to the next farm or take the neighbors turkeys and put them in the school. That actually happened here in Hilbre!

Mini Folklarama

Every year our Municipality sponsors a "Community Pride Event" which usually takes place in July or August. This year it was the turn, for the Communities of Steep Rock, Faulkner, Grahamdale, and Hilbre to host the event. However the "Flood" put a damper into their plans, so it was postponed till October when they hoped all would be well. (The flooding is still with us) It was decided to have a mini folklarama (Winnipeg host this for two weeks in August) There the various ethnic groups put on displays of their culture, music and food. Last summer I volunteered at the Scandinavian Centre, and visited the German and Ethopian.They all had folk dancing, the scandinavians were very sedate, the Germans were livlier, and the Ethopians were wild! What did we do? People brought artifacts from their culture and served foods from many countries. We had Greek potatoes & spanakapita, Ukrainian perogoies, German sauerkraut and cabbage rolls, swedish meatballs, Norwegian lefsa, flatbread, krumkake, and rosettas., Icelanders made rulapulsa on their dark bread, pancakes, and vinetarte. Lasagna from Italy and Mexian taco salad. After dinner children took turns to break open a Mexican pinata filled with candies. It was all great fun!

Australia

The food table.

Ukraine and Denmark

Iceland

Iceland again.

Iceland

Iceland

Norway

Autumn in Hilbre!

The ivy turned red. Birds have flown south. Our gardens were bountiful! Tomatoes, tomatoes,

Have made tomato sauce, tomato salsa hot and mild, tomato puree tomato soup. There is nothing like a toasted bacon and tomato sandwich.We have given them away and still have more. Cucumbers too! made dill pickles , Beets, pickled beets. Carrots grated and froze for soup and Christmas Puddings. We make and sell them as a fund raiser for our church.

Onions drying.

Yellows and browns,

That is a stone, looks like a buffalo.

September was exceptionally warm.

Broke a number of records with temperatures in the 30's.

I have not been fond of autumn, its a foreboding of cold weather

and snow etc. but not this year it has been wonderful. Cheerio!

Some more shots of the parade! and the aftermat unharnessing the horses. Are they not

beautiful? that's all,

Rodeo Weekend in Ashern began with a pancake breakfast, followed by the parade of old tractors, horse drawn wagons, stage coaches, It was a fun day but did not take in the rodeo.

That is Glen sitting on the stage coach Cathie, Glenda and Ella got to ride inside! We have had a beautiful fall,summer weather temperature in the mid 20,s no mosquitoes!

Treaty Days Pinamotang (Fairford)_

Treaty days in Fairford, on August 21st 1871 the people signed a treaty with the Crown placing them on 'reserves' . To commemorate the 140th Anniversary, a cairn was erected and unveiled . Inscribed on the cairn are the reserves which signed that agreement

and these words

"As long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow , our treaty will be honored." "Chiefs from the five reserves attended . Below, on the left side is Adam Beach, now a well known movie actor. is latest movie, 'Cowboys and Aliens'

The chief in the headdress is the Fairford Chief.

Our Mounties! Me with the glasses!

The fellow in the brown jacket is "Joe from Winnipeg" aka Ian Ross.

He wrote and enacted a short play re 'The Signing of the Treaty'

There was one line I recall goes something like this:

"White man sit on horse and as far as he can see is his land,

Indian stand beside horse and what he can see from

under the horse is his."

The Cairn.

Speeches, Breakfasts, Gospel Tents, Dinners, Games, Politicians. Mud blogging, Fiddle music and Fireworks. and of course the treaty money all received, which is part of that agreement signed in 1871, every year a gathering of the bands is held where each Treaty Indian receives $5.00!

Steep Rock

The above pictures are from Steep Rock, on Lake Manitoba. Note the sandbags in the middle picture. In the meantime, the lake is flooding and we are having a drought! Thank goodness we have our own well, so garden and lawns are being watered. Have been picking raspberries, peas and am now making dill pickles. Daughter Cathie took on a job with Elections Manitoba, enumerating etc, which will last till after the Provincial Election in October. So I am elected to do the pickling, freezing, etc. We have been having problems with our Internet provider, it been up and down all summer. Anyway cheers to all!

Grannie Al