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...a glimpse into life on Vancouver Island, needle felting, photography, food, gardening, etcetera...etcetera
"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Song for Friday...still in our thoughts

 The Titanic leaving Belfast, Northern Ireland
where she was built.

On Sunday it will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
On the east coast of Canada in Halifax, this is near to the cities heart.
Many helped in the rescue and recovery during the aftermath
and many are buried in the local cemetery.
82 Canadians died on this early morning in history.
Many immigrants on their way to start a new life also perished.
Who knows what impact any of those 1,500 who perished would have had on our world?
So today, a tribute to this majestic ship and all her passengers and crew.
Reportedly this was the last song the Orchestra played on board.
Have a great weekend all.

All under one sky...

Last Sunday, my friend farmlady wrote about a rainbow
that popped up over her part of the world...
...and then on Monday morning it was at my house...
I liked to think that the same rainbow made the trip north
over night and paid me an early morning visit.
It was the best thing about Monday...
It kind of went downhill from there but thats another story.
I had read something yesterday which made me think of this rainbow.
A woman told the story of when she was a girl and her dad took her outside
one night to look at the moon, big, bright and full.
He told her that no matter how far apart they would be in their lives,
all she had to do was to look at that moon and know that somewhere, he was
looking at the very same moon.
She said it made her feel that the world was not so big and she was not always alone.
I like the analogy that we are all under the same sky.
It's a big one but not so big that you don't feel somewhere, someone
is cradled under that same big roof of this world.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Remembering someone I never knew...


.

Today, Easter Monday marks the 95th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. This young Private would have been my fathers great Uncle and, as the clipping says, paid the ultimate sacrifice for Canada and it's allies.

Vimy Ridge was a high ground escarpment held by the Germans in WW1 and British as well as French troops failed to take this strategic piece of land.
On April 9th - 12th, 1917 , Canada sent in all four of it's divisions
of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and has become a symbol
of Canadian acheivment and sacrifice.
In the end, 3,600 Canadians lost their lives but did gain control of the Ridge, making
this a pivotal milestone in the Great War.
A 250 acre plot of the battleground is
 memorialized in France for the price these lads paid for freedom.
Next March, my middle niece Rachel is making a trip to England
and France with the school band and part of their itinerary will
be a stop at Vimy Ridge.
She has told me that she would like to find Private Quilty's grave
and to say thank you to him.
Tonight I will toast him as well.

From the Renfrew Mercury for 11 May 1917

Newspaper Clipping (2)

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Spring revisited...

The spring is in full swing.
The dawn chorous of birds plays outside my window
and the greening of the trees has begun.
Wishing everyone beautiful new beginnings on this Easter Sunday.