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.