Remembrance Day Nov 14

Our little church marked Remembrance Day on Sunday. St. Helen's has served the native and the white community since 1842. Men and women from both communities , served their country in the two world wars. Yesterday they were remembered twenty six of us, gathered to stand in silence, place a wreath on the cairn, recite "In Flanders Field" a prayer was said and then we went inside. Two plaques list the men and women from our area who served in those wars. Their names were read. Familiar names, their descendants are here. One elderly man reminds us his late father's name is on the plaque from the first world war. The veteran who recited the poem is 85 years old, there aren't many of them left We remember two from our community who paid the sacrifice, one was a young 20 year old who wanted adventure and joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers, it took him to Hong Kong ! A road is named in his memory.
The other man was 27 years old died on D Day! I went to school with his sister and brother and remember their grief. "They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old" And so we gathered to remember them!

November 13

Sunrise in my back yard! We have had a beautiful warm fall. It has been pleasant to be outdoors with only a light jacket. Many a year we have had snow before this. Tuesday Cath and I went to Winnipeg stayed over till Wednesday had dinner with friends and then did some shopping. We usually just go for the day, it was nice to have two days, it was a pleasant break.

We arrived home before the rain started and the next day we had rain . Watched the Remembrance Day Service from Ottawa, it is always so impressive. There was a servic e at the local legion. Tomorrow, we will have a service at our church. The two minute silence will be observed, Singing of O Canada, and God Save the Queen, names on the two plaques will be read. I remember a local boy who was killed on D Day and how sad it was for the family. When will have peace?

A herd of elk, they are raised here for market. Snow Geese, with hay bales in background

Part of the scene on our Sunday Drive.

Tis November!

A friend of my son in law is building this

1600 sq ft cottage! This is Steep Rock Cottage Development, gone are the rustic summer cottages of yesteryear, now people are constructing retirement homes. They were sheating the house in preparation for the snows of winter Can you see the lake , the picture below is the view facing the lake.

The weather here has been changeable We experienced a weather bomb back in October-three days of rain and high winds. It played havoc with Lake Winnipeg, the strong north winds caused erosion and flooding along the south shores. Six to eight foot waves crashing onto houses along the shore taking away dikes, sand dunes, boardwalks My yard was a lake, my house an island , and my sidewalk became a causeway! I had watered and fertilized my spruce trees in preparation for winter, which you are supposed to do, if I had known we were to get all that rain, oh well! Since than the weather has been summer like, here it is November sixth and a forecast of 11 deg today.

Cattle roundup!

No horses, only big trucks . The cattle were moved from their summer pasture to the home ranch. The mothers are separated from their calves. and you should have heard the bawling, but by the end of the day all were united. In the meantime they were processed through the contraption on the left, shots given, dehorned, ear tagged and counted and then let go!

Migration

Autumn in Hilbre, Snow and Canada Geese stop for feeding on their way south. This year our leaves turned color quickly, and strong winds blew them away. We have had a very warm fall, with summer temps. Shorts weather, barbecues and even wading at the beach. After the terrible rainy summer this was a treat!

Time for much needed yard work, I did attempt digging but oh this old back said forget it! My aches and pains came back. Had the same problem last spring when I was doing some much needed refinishing of my kitchen cupboards and an old kitchen table. So now hired a young native fellow from Fairford. My yard is beginning to look like a park and I am happy!
Grannie Al

This is brother Ted with the 20 lb Spring Salmon he helped reel in. I was sent home with

a small cooler of sockeye salmon! which we barbecued in alum. foil, with butter and olive oil, lemon juice and white wine, dill, salt and pepper and served with new potatoes, and cucumber, delicious! I now have to fill that cooler with pickerel (walleye) fillets and bring on my next trip west, which could be at Christmas.