The Magnificent Seven

That's Joanne on the left, looking on with approval at her younger siblings. I second that. What a neat bunch. The annual family Christmas party was at Willie & Tony's this year. There were 40 of us. Eleven kids, 2 teens, lots of young adults, and many elders. Every one gets along and appreciates one another. What more could one ask. We feel so blessed to be here (even though it looks like it will not be a white Christmas)!

Morning Splendor

The last day of November, gazing out the window at first light, I gasped at the beauty outdoors. Everything was blanketed in soft whiteness. We bundled up in warm clothes and walked the short distance to morning Mass. I had tucked my camera in my pocket along with my Rosary, wanting to capture the beautiful sight, knowing it would be gone in a few hours. This lovely snow was only a preview of more to come.

Sparse Beauty

This a follow up on my Fall Colors series of blogs. Not as flamboyant as the glowing leaves that adorned them the past few weeks, the tall trees emote beauty of another sort: dignity and strength. The sharp shadows they cast remind me of the far-reaching influence the senior members in our midst have over the world through their quiet prayers. Lives that may appear dull and lifeless may have very deep spiritual roots and a very warm and loving interior life. I think of my mother Phyllis and my grandmother Marjorie whose prayers sustained us throughout their waning years. My own snowy head reminds me how deep my roots have grown and how my prayerful influence must be exercised, providing strength for the next generation.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day in Canada is November 11, the same as Veteran's Day in the U.S. But I've noticed the red poppies, symbol of the day, still being worn by folks in our community. Maybe it's a good idea to think of them, the ones that gave their lives for our freedoms, more than one day a year. For many of the families, these heroes are always near in thought. One such young man is Roy E. Carter. Roy was a 23 year old RCAF navigator on a Halifax bomber that was shot down by the German's over Holland in 1944. Roy evaded capture but three other crew were imprisoned in POW camps. He ended up in the home of the Vandenbroeks a few days later. That is Roy in the photo above with my sisters-in-law Willie and Joanne, ages 3 & 4. The three other young men are Martein, Fritz, & Harrie VanLankvelt, the girls uncles. Roy had a 7-yr. old brother at home named Fred. It was this same Fred and his wife Margaret that came to our home yesterday. It was the young Fred who carried the telegram out to the field on their farm to his dad. The telegram bore the sad news that Roy was missing in action. Fred, the youngest of the Carter's 6 children, has followed and documented the saga of Roy's last days in Holland for many years. He has been to Holland twice, visited the scene where Roy was shot by gestapo henchmen several days after leaving the Vandenbroek home, and has spoken with eye witnesses of the sad event. There are many, many lives and stories that have surfaced through his inquiries. He and Margaret have made many friends along the way. We now are among those friends. Our link came about earlier this year when this old photo was found in the attic of the Vandenbroek's former home in Boekel, Holland. The current home owners were working on restorations in the old house when the photo was found. They took it to the local museum, it was posted on an online war memorial site, and was spotted by Fred Carter who then made contact with a cousin in Boekel, . Martin and his sisters were contacted by the cousin and we all saw this photo for the first time. Martin's dad had tried to contact the Carter family in the early 50's, but nothing came of that search at that time. All these years later, at last, we got to hear the rest of the story. We photographed Willie & Joanne with Roy's brother Fred 67 years after the original photo was taken. Martin was not in that old photo, he was probably hanging on dad's leg while the picture was taken, or in the house with mom. Peetra hadn't made her arrival in the world at that date. What a day it was, yesterday. Truly a Day of Remembrance for this family.
Pictured, left, is Fred Carter, Joanne, Willie, & Martin holding Roy's rucksack and his war medals. The right photo is of Fred, Martin, Peetra, Willie's husband Tony, and Willie looking at photos, memorabilia, and documents
from Fred's carefully gathered collection. Gus Vandenbroek had collected his own photos, letters, and souvenirs of the era in an album which we shared with Fred. Included was a poem written for the Vandenbroek family in Roy's own hand.

First Snow

We've gone from brilliant fall color to elegantly silhouetted bare branches. Gradually dropping temperatures and cloudy skies have signaled eminent snowfall. And then it began. Our first snow of the season. I ran outside with the camera. Falling snow is difficult to capture with still shots, but here it is. Look real close and you'll see snow settling on the back of our truck. Maybe if you squint real hard you can see the flakes falling from the sky. At least in you imagination. It always takes my breath away. Martin says, "Wait til February. See if you still feel the magic."

I ran across something while reading the book of Daniel in the Bible the other day. The three guys that had been thrown into the fiery furnace, together sang, glorifying and blessing God (read all of Chapter 3 for the whole story!). In verse 70 they sang, "Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever." Somehow, that describes how the falling snow makes me feel.

More Thougts on Falling Leaves

I don't have a photo to go with these thoughts. But picture this in your mind. When trees are in full leaf throughout the summer months, they give us shade from the heat of the sun; we are cooled and sheltered. But the leaves restrict our view, as well, during this period of time.

When the seasons transition and the leaves begin to drop, the angle of the earth to the sun changes as well, and we don't need the same canopy of leaves to shade us. At the same time our vistas are expanded. Without the leafy canopy that brings our shade, yet restricts our view, we can see greater distances.

That's part of what I love about Fall & Winter. The colors become more intense and brilliant, and then they soften and become more restful, and my perspective on my surroundings is expanded. When the trees are stripped of all their leafy finery, I see things I've never noticed before.

Such are the seasons of life, as well. "There is an appointed time for everything. . ." Ecc. 3:1

The Big Picture

The photo of the handsome family was taken in 1943, in their back yard, in Boekel, Holland. Pictured are Gust & Nellie Vandenbroek and their three children, baby Martin, and his sisters, Joanne and Willie. Holland was occupied by Nazi forces at the time and possession of cameras was forbidden. Gust managed to keep one hidden, or we would not have this charming family portrait today. My husband's father was part of the Dutch resistance during those terrible times. He and his friends rescued and sheltered many Allied pilots that were shot down by Hitler's forces. Nellie helped feed them, and the presence of the children gave everyone hope for the future. The photo of the handsome American soldier is my father Sgt. Howard H. Anderson. He participated in several secret missions behind enemy lines with the Army Air Corps. He never talked about this with me until the year he died. Our dads never met, yet we have this connection of them fighting for the same cause. We remember ALL those today who sacrificed their safety for our lives.

More Senior Surfing

For a second time, we came upon a picnic table standing in a lake. Who does this? What is the fascination with dragging a picnic table off the beach into the water? I took these pics
at the Pinery on Lake Huron a few weeks ago on a nice afternoon. It seemed like a good follow up to the earlier snaps we took on the shore of Lake Erie. Mart and I tried to drag the table back to shore, but it was too heavy. Then three other people came along and helped.

More Fall Colors

I just love the fall colors! I thank God for His beautiful creation, in all the seasons of life. As you can see from the photo, there are a lot of leaves on the ground now; we see them falling continually. Soon the trees will be bare, and the tones will be very subdued. Our little home on Elizabeth Street is not pictured because we have nary a tree on our lot. Unlike our home on Timber Ave. in Bethany, OK where we had a total of 20 oak trees surrounding us. That was a lot of leaves to rake! Some of you can relate.

Back yard entertainment

This fellow is in Bethany

In Chatham

Some of the best things in life are free. Like squirrels in the park or the back yard. The reddish-brown squirrel is an Okie. We had a family of them in our back yard in Bethany that entertained us each morning as we ate breakfast. Most Canadian squirrels are black. We enjoy the ones pictured when standing at our kitchen sink. Our neighbor keeps her "bird" feeders well stocked, a real squirrel magnet. We had a squirrel-proof bird feeder that, once conquered by our furry friends, was a favorite gathering spot for them. They are difficult to photograph, though, due to their shyness and my lack of skill.

You know you're in Canada. . .

There are differences in living in the U.S. and Canada. Here are a few: The milk is packaged differently, coming in a large plastic bag that holds 3 smaller bags. The small bags fit in a holder that is reusable. One must cut a small opening in a corner of the bag to pour. All packaging is printed with English on one side and French on the reverse side. Quaker Oats is a brand here, but is a separate Canadian company and the packaging is in bags, not the familiar can. Salt comes in a rectangular box with a metal spout on the side rather than a drum with a spout on top. Our citrus fruit is imported from South Africa; no California or Florida oranges or lemons here. A Canadian store that I really like is The Bulk Barn. It is full of neat rows of bins containing many types of flours, grains, nuts, teas, etc. I do enjoy experiencing some different ways of shopping.

Halloween

We are stocked up on sweets for the trick-or-treaters, our pumpkins were carved with care, and we look forward to seeing all the creative costuming that the neighborhood kids have come up with. As we were out photographing Fall colors the other afternoon, we couldn't resist snapping this neat old house with a Bates Hotel sign in one of the upper windows. O-o-o-o-o, it sent chills up my spine.

Fall Colors

Haiku for Fall

God made the colors,

Colors emote deep feelings;

Elation for Fall.

This is for Charlene from Oklahoma, who asked for some photos of our Fall colors in Ontario. I've taken way too many photos to print! These were taken one street over from us. We are surrounded with Autumn beauty!

. . . and MORE Apples!

One month later, we headed back to Chatham Orchards for a go at the later ripening varities: Empire apples, Mutsus, and Golden Delicious. Crisp, sweet, it absolulety doesn't get any better than fresh picked. Peetra found a great recipe online for Butternut- Apple soup. We're still enjoying eating fresh slices of this tasty fruit, but will soon turn some of them into chunky apple sauce to enjoy during the coming winter. I like Martha Stewart's recipe: 3 lbs. apples, peeled & sliced, 1 cup of water, 1/4 c. sugar, simmered til tender. Martha adds a cinnimon stick to this, but we like ours sans.

Fall Colors and the Theatre

We drove through the most glorious fall colors I can ever remember seeing for two hours until we arrived in the lovely town of Stratford, Ontario. We had tickets to see The Misanthrope by Moleire. It was live theatre at it's best. Strolling the Shakespearian gardens that surround the theatre was a treat, even if it was cool and cloudy with a bit of rain. We enjoyed hot turkey soup in the cafe on site. That's a Ginko tree so golden and bright that Mart is near. I'm in front of the Festival Theatre.

Canadian Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is the second Monday in Oct. We celebrated the day with Martin's daughter Kathryn in our home. Martin drove to Petrolia to pick her up that morning. We enjoyed her company the whole day. She really likes having her dad nearer now. We roasted a turkey using a recipe from the pioneerwoman.com. Also, her baked butternut squash and apple recipe that we love. Potatoes, gravy (with roasted vegetables incorporated), dressing, and asparagus. The grand finale was homemade apple pie (with apples we picked last month with Peetra). If you look over Martin's shoulder into the kitchen, you'll see some of the remains of the feast. We taught Kathryn to play Mexican Train, a favorite of ours. Before we drove her home, we packed up some nice leftovers for her to share with Jake who had to work that day. We all have much to thank God for at this time.

and more sewing

This is the third remake of this fabric. It started out in the sun porch in California, along a wall of windows. My sis, Peggie, helped design those. Then part of it became the drapes in the upstairs guest room in Oklahoma, where they remain. What was left was just enough for my little writing room window in Canada. I like to use inexpensive flat sheets to line curtains. So, another fulfilling hand-stitching job. I consider this one of the joys of my sixth decade. Busy hands are happy hands.

More Sewing

Like I said, I like to sew while I watch TV in the evening. By hand. I gave my sewing machine away when we downsized. I didn't think I'd need it. But I've always enjoyed hand work, and I find it keeps me awake long enough to enjoy a program or movie. I tend to think that when I sink into my easy chair, it's nap time. So, one stitch at a time, I've managed to finish some very satisfying projects. The hamper liner even has french seams (I learned to do that in 7th grade sewing class many years ago). The curtains in our bedroom are fully lined. "I can't believe you did that all by hand!" my sister-in-law Willie said. I can hardly believe it myself. But, I was there.

Necessity. . .

. . .is the mother of invention. I needed a foot stool. I have several storage totes. One of the totes is filled with fabric. I have extra pillows in the closet. And I like to sew while I watch TV or DVD's in the evening. I'd tell you how I did it, but it depends on the size of the fabric remnants you're using.

Big Boy Legos

I wish I would have snapped a pic of this project when it first came out of the box! Lots of pieces neatly lay all over the floor. Mart was almost finished with the project when I took this photo. He is assembling a drawer here. We are really enjoying having a basement. Mart has a very nice room that he can use for a workshop, warm and dry in the winter, and cool in the summer.

Good idea!

There is a lovely french door between our dining room and kitchen. I couldn't think what it was there for. Until today. Cooking onions and cabbage for soup--maybe not a nice fragrance to have wafting through the house. Viola! I pulled the sweet little french door closed and no foul odors could escape into the rest of the house. Bless you again, Mrs. Kelly. (Since she lived here for sixty years, we give her credit for all the details that we like in our home.)

Books, Books, Books

We did some more exploring in Chatham the other day and discovered a used bookstore called Book Brothers. We didn't think to ask the guys if their name was Book. (I do have inlaws whose name is Book, and one of them is actually a retired librarian.) Anyway, what a find. Rooms full of books, well organized, and very nice ambiance. Mart & I both found books that we'd been looking for. I recently read a biography on P.G. (Pelham Grenville, nick-named Plum) Wodehouse that I picked up at the Chatham Library booksale. We've been fans of his since watching the old Jeeves & Wooster series a few years ago. We still pop off with some of the phrases we picked up while watching Bertie Wooster's misadventures. I'd never read any of the Wodehouse's books though. We found a couple old paperbacks at Book Brothers, and learned there are collectors in the area that usually snap up anything that comes in. It made my finds seem that much more special!

Apples, Apples, Apples

Well, here we are, enjoying the fruit of our labour. Fresh apples to munch on, apples to bake in pies, apple bread, and (not shown) apple sauce. We invited Peetra over for apple pie and cheddar cheese and tea. She brought along some apple cake she'd made. So it was an apple party. I can feel Fall in the air.

The Bonnet

Here she is, Miss Claire in her prairie bonnet from Nanna. (See "History Lesson" for more background.)

Claire likes to pretend she is Laura Ingles from Little House on the Prairie. Claire's little sister Emily has a bonnet from Nanna too, but she was not available for comment. Claire likes to pretend that Emily is Laura's younger sister Carrie. I'm not sure what Emily thinks about this (again, she was not available for comment). Poppa and Nanna think just about everything Claire and Emily do is charming!

Urban Hiking

Expanding our horizons in the neighborhood, we decided to walk to the Chatham-Kent Library, on the corner of Queen & Cross (I love all the English names!). We figured it to be about a mile each way, and we were pretty close because it only took 20 minutes to get there. We base our distances on the walks we used to take in the Eldon Lyon Park in Bethany, Oklahoma. We walked the posted 1.5 mile trail weekly for the 3 years we lived there. As you can tell, we are pretty low key about our fitness routine; our philosophy is that any movement is better than no movement. One must cross the Thames River on the way to the library, a murky river just as it's namesake in England. On the way home we discovered a small park behind the bridge. Across the river, behind Martin, is Tecumseh Park and the Chatham Armoury, as well as a play area for children. Claire & Emily would like that.

Apple Picking with Peetra

Peetra, one of Martin's five fabulous sisters, had a great idea on Sunday afternoon. "Let's go apple picking." She didn't have to twist our arms. We all gathered our tote bags and headed over to St. Clair Road and the Chatham Orchards. Only 40 cents a pound, MacIntosh, Elstar (from Holland) and Jonagold. So good, sweet, and juicy! It's one thing to give thanks at the dinner table, but when you get to see how our food grows, in nature, it seems miraculous.

At Home

I thought some of our friends and family might like to see us at home. We are not always off gallivanting, after all. Not a few of our outings have been searches for appliances or furnishings for our little cottage, so I'll tell you about a few things. The lovely velvet wing back that Martin is enjoying we spotted at the local Goodwill! A deal at $49. Our lovely linen slip-cover sofa is IKEA, purchased in Toronto and assembled at home by Martin. We are big IKEA fans, and have purchased other items that I'll share another time. The coffee table, vintage 1940? was a $5.00 yard sale find and is in mint condition--even the embossed leather top. The smiling lady in the other photo is taking her husbands favorite dessert out of the oven, rice pudding. He was smiling too. I've always liked white cupboards and especially little glass doors. The perfect place for my teapots. That's another reason to smile. I like the little shelf too, and the wallpaper. The former owner, Mrs. Kelley, aged 93, kept this little kitchen spic & span. Another reason to smile. And she lined all the shelves with paper lace. What a gal!

History Lesson

The bi-centennial of the War of 1812 is coming up next year which raises the question, what exactly was that all about. So we went to our local library and checked out a DVD documentary about that period in history. I learned it was a war between the U.S. and Canada and England over boundaries. One of the good things that came out of it was that the three countries decided never to go to war against each other again. And we have been allies ever since. I took the picture of Martin in a beautiful grove of trees along the Thames River where we stopped to look at a monument for Tecumseh, an Indian that figured prominently on the Canadian side. We decided to drive further that day and happened upon a battle reenactment of the battle where Tecumseh was killed. I couldn't resist getting my pic with one of the soldiers. There were dozens of men, women, and children in period costumes doing what they did back two hundred years ago: spinning wool, cooking over open fires in big iron pots, etc. I bought some prairie style bonnets for my granddaughters who are very into Little House on the Prairie.

Check

Something that's been on my "Bucket List" for a long time has been horseback riding. So Martin made arrangements for this to happen on my birthday this week. So now I can check that off the list, one slightly bruised bum later. It was quite jarring on my 63-yr.old back as well. Who knew. I probably put it off a few decades too long! Later that day we took time to explore Heritage Gardens & Petting Zoo on McNaughton, just east of Prince Albert Line. WOW! Acres and acres to delight any gardener as well as colorful ducks, geese, pheasants, and the cutest twin goats. I fed the goats some dry corn and look at them smile. We went out for a pannekoeken lunch, dessert at the Dutch Market, and then one of Martin's specialties, Shrimp Scampi for dinner at home. Thanks to all my sisters-in-law in Canada and my Tuesday sisters in Oklahoma for the good wishes. I love you all!

Photo Ops

Wind-swept beach; nary a footprint in the sand, and just the wind and waves for music! How do you like this senior surfer? Apparently September is a good beach month for some people.