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Being that I have a bit of time this morning before our wheels start turning on our road again, I thought I would show my dear friends here on NOTH that I CAN write a short blog... sometimes! I thought I would post two photos that were taken from my favorite spot on the 'warm side of the glass'! Today we have clear blue skies and bright sunshine.
Please take note of the dates on this photo...!  ... and this one 
No... we don't have snow all year... No... we don't mind the snow... it's November! No... this doesn't feel like 'global warming' No... we have no plans to move, unless the HandiBus needs to pick us up! Yes... this is the green valley that I keep talking about! 
Tags: Snow Photos Alberta
This may be a crazy idea but I decided to have a ‘Throwback Thursday’, also known as a TBT! My ‘throwback’ is what I remember of the first home that I lived in. Here is my story! My parents lived in a converted granary (a building that normally was used to store grain) on my grandparent’s farm when I was born. Understandably, I don’t remember it, but I do have photos of my parents standing at the doorway and holding me. There was no electricity, no running water… no nothing except protection from the weather. However, my Dad worked very hard as a farm hand and was able to buy a small farm when I was about two years old. We were quite isolated and that was fine until it was time for me to go to school. After life in the granary, my mom thought our new home was a palace. It even had an ‘upstairs’. We still didn’t have any electricity or running water, and there was an outdoor toilet, and a potty under each bed. We didn’t have a telephone, and our nearest neighbor was over a mile away. The main room had a wood/coal burning stove, with an oven, a warmer above the cook top, and an attached basin that always had hot water for washing dishes and having baths. My uncle made a round kitchen table that had extension boards to enlarge the table when we had guests, and Dad made benches to sit on until they could afford to buy chairs. There were two small rooms accessible from the main room… one had the hand pump to the water well, and the other had a few cupboards for dishes and a counter that was Mom’s work bench. She also had a trap door in the floor to the dirt cellar to keep food cold and edible. The living room was small and rarely used, except in the summer because there was no heat in the living room or in my parent’s adjoining bedroom. I had my own room ‘upstairs’ and the only heat I had was through a steel grate in the hallway, that was directly above the kitchen stove. There was a hanging gas lamp over the kitchen table and coal oil lamps that could be moved from room to room. I don’t remember if I ever had light in my room; I may have gone to bed before it was dark! My mom did her laundry in the garage for two reasons. It wasn’t so far for her to carry the water from the well, and the wringer washing machine was run by a gasoline motor that emitted exhaust. She often used a glass wash board to scrub out the stubborn stains before adding them to the washing machine. All the laundry was hung on a clothesline, fastened with wooden clothespins, to dry in the sun. In the winter, she still put the clothes on the line for a spell, because it was important to have clothes smell fresh even though they later, when frozen stiff, would be brought in the house to dry by the kitchen stove. The next day, everything was ironed on a wooden ironing board that my Dad made, and using a steel iron with a wooden handle that was heated on the stove. My dad had a few milk cows, four work horses for field work, and Brownie, his favorite retired saddle horse that he used when he was single and a cattle driver in the Cypress Hills. Brownie was a one-man horse, allowing only my Dad in the saddle. When I was five years old, Dad was able to purchase a John Deere tractor, which made farming much easier for him. I was seven years old when I started grade one, and Brownie let my dad take me to school on his back. All that changed the winter of 1947 with the extraordinary amount of snow. Even the work horses had trouble getting through the deep snow and I missed a lot of school. When the passenger train got stuck in the snow, and the piles of snow left on the highway by the snowplow was higher than the Greyhound bus, it was time to move to the city. My Dad had enough… and in the city he learned to be an excellent carpenter and I was able to walk to school. It was my Mom who missed the farm! What can you remember about your first home? I would love to hear about it.
Tags: Childhood Farm City Memories
My weekend was wonderful … the weather was ‘ify’ and I was happy to stay home. The housework was done, I don’t have a garden, and I’m feeling quite well. I’ve missed so much of what has been happening with my friends here on The Hill, so I spent much of the day, sending private messages to those who are on my list of friends. I discovered that a number of my long-term friends have not been on The Hill for almost a year. I do know that one of them had been very ill, and I’m wondering how she is or if she survived her physical challenges. All of this activity has got me thinking about the cyber friendships that we make here, even though we probably will never meet them in person. How do we decide who we would enjoy meeting and getting to know, and do we accept every invitation to join someone else’s group of friends? I registered on NOTH only weeks after it was launched, and have enjoyed many wonderful friendships. I’ve also made some errors along the way. Having been a staff helper for much of that time, I learned a lot about how this social network is managed, with the goal of it being a safe and fun experience for those who have joined. But I also have the responsibility to be informed about who and what I share with others. I read their profile page to find out their interests, their hobbies, and anything else they have posted when they registered. If I read something that may be of interest to me, I send a private message and ask questions. If I am invited to join a group of friends, and the profile is available only to their friends, I decline the invitation. Why would I open up to someone that I have no information from them? How would I respond to a neighbor who moved next door or down the street from me? Would they automatically become my friend without first learning something about them? Several days ago, I had a conversation with someone who told me that it didn’t matter if someone was telling the truth or posting some lies on their profile. I was also challenged because I had the nerve to ask some questions, like what is your first name. I’m wondering what attracted members to The Hill in the first place? Was it recommended to them, was it to interact with other “seniors”, learn new computer skills, or was it to promote their own experiences. This is an international network and I have learned so many things from people who live in locations that I will never have the opportunity to visit. I hope I haven’t stepped on too many toes with this blog. I’ve been absent from The Hill for a time, not always by choice but by circumstances. I enjoyed my “interactions” with friends today, receiving wonderful responses to my messages. I had to relearn several things that I used to know how to do on my profile page but forgot. “Use it or lose it” still applies! I wandered around The Hill and read many profile pages, catching up on the seasonal decorations and new interests, and enjoying many photographs. It is with my appreciation that I thank TC and EB, the originators and owners of NOTH, and applaud Staff Member Diane, aka ‘Altara’ for her helpful tenacity and knowledge in an attempt to keep this pleasant network running smoothly.
Tags: Friends Honesty Personalities
I should stop trying to explain why I’ve been off The Hill for a spell! Who cares, anyway! I spent last evening just browsing around The Hill and dropping a few ‘Hi… how are you?” messages. Blogs have always been my favorite spot to browse and I did have some catching up to do. I read several blogs by Allen… I hadn’t met him before. His subjects are diverse and I concluded that he (as I do) likes to use words and photos in his communications. I will drop by when I can to catch up on any new ones, from Allen and from anyone else who takes the time to contribute their story. I’ve had too much to say in the past… even though I did thoroughly enjoyed the A-Z Challenge several times. But be warned, I have not disappeared for good… at least not yet!!!! If you take the time to drop by my page, you may discover that my page does not contain a single ghost, witch or goblin... but lots of pumpkins! That’s not because of neglect on my part, but I just don’t DO Halloween! I’m much more into Autumn and Thanksgiving than spooky stuff! If I could pick where I like to live in the Autumn months of the year, it would be in the Maritimes. The colors are spectacular! We have a few colors, but mostly yellow and brown! No reds! When we first moved to the rural area, there were lots of kids and our community had our own Halloween Party… children and parents together. Often a request for a song from the children or a recitation of something that they learned in school or Sunday School was fulfilled before a brown paper bag that contained things like peanuts in the shell, ribbon candy, homemade popcorn balls, and at least one mandarine orange was given to each child. Those kids are now adults with their own families and our community has changed. For the last several years, I would purchased treats that I could pass out to any children who came down our driveway, making sure that my purchase was also my hubby and my favorite treat, on the chance that we would have leftovers. No visitors… so we had a good supply! This year may be different. Developement restrictions have changed and we have a number of new families in our area. We have met them at the summer community Bar-B-Que, so I’m prepared. By the way, our neighbors are stuck with us until we need to use the Handi-Bus! Our valley in the Foothills is still our favorite place to be. And… drop by my spot on The Hill, and say hello! I respond when I can via private message. Mona (aka yourchoice)
Tags: Autumn Halloween Thanksgiving
I haven’t written a blog for some time, and I’ve been “off The Hill” for longer periods of time. It’s all about life, and what happens when we least expect it. We are doing well… in the midst of our major/minor physical “overhaul”! But rather than giving a detailed medical report, I thought I would share some activities in our backyard. Early in July, I was enjoying some sunshine from my valley-side window when I witnessed a brief visit from a young bobcat. I haven’t seen one up close in years, and to be on the safe side of the glass was a bonus. He stopped briefly by my window but darted when I made a move to reach my camera. No picture to show you! I’m often entertained by a variety of birds who take turns at the ‘Bird Cafe’. Yellow finches, tiny wrens, a couple of bluejays who return year after year, and the barking of a red squirrel who thinks he’s a bird and is a manager of the Bird Cafe. The most unusual visitor stayed for a very short time, but it was the beginning of some neighborhood drama. A black bear cub stopped by, just long enough to get my attention and a sniff at my ‘silk flowers’ before scampering off (to join up with Mama Bear, I’m sure!). No picture to show anyone… just my word! Two days later, our Bird Cafe ‘disappeared! The steel pole was gone, the feeder was gone! We thought the deer had knocked it down, because I have chased them away several times. Our son was able to find the feeder down the hill, and Ed installed the pole and feeder again, bracing it with stronger clamps and bolts. All was well for a week. Several days of rain and then the birds were back. Then it happened again… the pole was gone, and the feeders were gone. This time, we asked our grandson to have a look down the hill, and there was the feeder in a sad state of disrepair. We then decided that it was likely Mama Bear, who would be much stronger, that decided to help herself. Our neighbors down the road sent an email that evening, to tell us that an adult black bear was on her driveway. That is not the news we like to hear, especially when there are young children playing in the yard. As for our Bird Cafe, it has been closed indefinitely. We will have to provide our own entertainment… and we will miss the birds!
I have posted some of our summer backyard photos on my page, and you are invited to drop by any time.
Tags: Visitors Wildlife Birds
We’ve just gone around another of life’s bend in the road. I’ve been a bit scarce on The Hill, but I haven’t really left. Time and energy has been a factor! I’ve been a fan and advocate of NOTH since it first started, and got most of my computer education through the newsletters from TC and EB for many years. I’m not ready to quit yet. It seems that we are at the point in life where we need a general “overhaul”, resulting in becoming on a first name basis with many in the Medical Community. Both hubby and I have been blessed with healthy and active lives for many years (except for the occasional broken bone), and this year we have had a number of “wake-up” calls! I do admit that we’ve had several “Why?” moments; why did this happen, why is there such a long wait for medical intervention, why now when we had plans. All it takes is the next visit to a Clinic or hospital ward to see someone who is in far worse condition than we are. Even more challenging is to stay calm and think rationally, pay attention to suggestions and advice from those who have more education and experience than we have. Even more important, if our life commitment is to have faith and trust in the God who created us, and know that He loves all that He has created, we need to “put boots” to our faith, and learn to be thankful and content in our every-day experiences. It’s easier to talk about it than it is to live it. Talk is cheap! Lately, I’ve had a lot of time to consider and reconsider my goals, while travelling to the city on my own in our van, waiting at the hospital and clinics, and during sleepless nights. Some items on my list are: be thankful for large and small events, smile at whomever you have eye contact, be encouraging in my conversations, don’t complain, and do my best in whatever I attempt even if would have been better in times past, Learn to be content! I’m writing this while sitting in my favorite chair by the window that gives me a view of our green valley. I am enjoying my computer that makes it possible to connect with friends and family all over the world with chats, text messages, and emails. I can read on my computer while I wait for my first cataract surgery scheduled in three weeks, and hoping to return to reading from a real book. Many in our country and other areas in the world don’t have that opportunity or the resources to have treatment for far worse conditions. I am thankful for the crowd of friends who have sent emails, text messages, written letters that have arrived with a postal stamp attached, and phone calls. I’m thankful for our hovering family who, in spite of their busy lives, have been close. I am thankful and happy to have my hubby home again, after unexpectedly spending three weeks in the hospital,
I am learning to be content.
Tags: Friends Thankfulness Life Experience
It’s time for me to show up for a bit longer than a few minutes, just stopping long enough to check for messages. I have been “under the radar” for a bit, and tomorrow will be one week from the day I had my surgery. I’ve had a lot of rest (multi-napping has been my routine), still have a very sore throat, my bruises would suggest that someone was trying to hang me, but I’m doing very well now, without the assistance of Tylenol. Two days in the hospital gave me an opportunity to have a look around (I worked in that hospital the year it opened, 53 years ago), meet wonderful and helpful staff, and marvel at the modern equipment, routine, and procedures that are now the norm. I don’t think any staff member has a pen or pencil; they all have computer carts. They don’t make beds, there are no more backrubs, but they still serve jello for breakfast. Those of us who were nurses in bygone days can say, “It sure isn’t like it used to be!”
It was a 13-month wait for surgery, and I’m glad it’s now behind me. I can think of better things to do with my time.
Tags: Health Friends Nurses
I’ve been a bit absent again, but we’ve made it through a wonderful family Christmas, in spite of a few health challenges and “enjoying” a rare brown Christmas. What’s with us these days? If we have snow, there's a lot of whining about the cold days, the slippery roads, and the bulky coats we have to wear. When the weather is warm, and the snow melts, we are disappointed because the Christmas season doesn’t look like our Christmas cards… and it’s just not right! The real problem is that we have no control of the weather; that’s up to our Creator. He does what is part of His great plan. In spite of what we think we would enjoy, the weather becomes a minor annoyance at best, when we start to get together with family and friends. Personally, we were overwhelmed by word that our daughter and family, who live in western Washington, were coming to spend almost a week with us. Because of our own situation, travel this past year was curtailed, and we haven’t seen the family for a bit over a year. Grandkids grow up so fast and our “American Princesses” are now teenagers. The family were expected to arrive around midnight of Christmas Day, but because of the delayed flight, no taxis available at the airport in the middle of the night, and waiting over an hour for our son to drive from his home to the airport, they arrived at our home just after 4 a.m. We heard them arrive but went back to sleep before being tempted to get up to greet them. We would do a better job after all of us had a good sleep. Christmas dinner was on Boxing Day, but it didn’t matter. We were all together. There was a lot of snow in the mountains so our grandkids had a day of skiing and snowboarding, while some of our adults visited the town of Banff that was ‘teeming’ with local and international visitors. Our daughter’s favorite store in Banff was the Candy Store, still a must place to stock up on unusual sweets from all over the world. A lunch that included buffalo burgers and Greek food was enjoyed by some of us, and a tea break at the famous Banff Springs Hotel was the culmination of a wonderful day. To cap off the week, several of our American family were able to attend the National Hockey League game. They are huge Calgary Flames fans and follow the team on TV in Washington. It was a wonderful family time, and Nana and Papa were very happy and very tired.
Our belief that Christmas is always about the celebration of the gift of God’s Son, the giving and receiving of gifts are not always wrapped in fancy paper and ribbons, and traditions are not nearly as important as family and friends. Roast turkey and stuffing, Brussel sprouts (even though many don’t enjoy them), and mincemeat pie for dessert may have been ‘must’ items included in Christmas dinner in our younger days, along with pull crackers and funny hats were not missed. A simple meal with our entire family was the greatest gift.
Tags: Christmas Family Traditions
Being an only child living on a farm was an education in itself. I was deeply loved and well cared for by my parents, but I was lonely. There were times when I was called a ‘spoiled princess’ that never sounded like a compliment to me, or a ‘spoiled brat’, depending on the circumstances. I longed to have a brother or sister to play with. Our closest neighbors were two miles away, and their four boys were all older than me. My dad was a fun guy and took the time to be with me whenever possible. He had been a cattle driver in the Cypress Hills before he married my Mom, and dreamt of some day having his own ranch, but it never happened. His one treasure from his days as a cattle driver was his beloved horse. ‘Brownie’ was a one-man horse, but occasionally Dad would take me for rides on Brownie. We lived on a mixed farm, and Dad’s work was seeding and harvesting fields of grain, milking cows, and tending to the work horses. My mother raised chickens, some geese, and a few turkeys. She enjoyed a large garden, and preserved fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, and made homemade sausage to enjoy in the winter months. She too worked hard so that our family could be as self-sufficient as possible.  I did have some playmates. ‘Spot’ was my dog and constant companion. He would even let me ride him around the yard until Dad told me that I should learn to ride a pony because I was getting too big to ride Spot. I also loved to play in the chicken coupe. Some of the chickens became so tame that when I entered their area, they would flap their wings and nestle down so that I could pick them up. I loved to carry one around the yard. This is a picture of me with my chicken, taken in 1945.
Our post office was at Grainger, Alberta, a small hamlet several miles from home. There were three grain elevators, a railroad station, two houses, and Mike’s, a General Store and Post Office, with one manual gas pump, and Mike’s living quarters. I knew that when we stopped there, Mike would have a candy sucker for me as a treat. I didn’t start school until 1947, when I was seven years old. Berkley, a one-room school for nine grades, was about six miles from home. In warm weather, we traveled by wagon, and in the winter by sleigh or stone boat, pulled by Dad’s team of workhorses. Often times, the neighbor’s boys traveled with us, especially when the winter weather was severe. There were some days when we couldn’t get to school because there was so much snow. Even the horses couldn’t get through the deep snow. Dad tried to keep the road clear so that at least we could get to church on Sundays, but it was very hard because he had to shovel the snow by hand. It was a combination of these circumstances that helped my parents decide to move to the city the next year. A neighbor agreed to work our farm on a lease basis, and my dad learned to be a carpenter. Life took on a whole new look… new home, new school, new church, new job …and lots of friends! This “only” child was very happy!
Tags: Pets Family Friends
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