Fall 2015

     I took these photos the other morning at day break.  The homestead looks good following another summer.  

     Then I went out the road and took a photo of our little Holy Trinity Alma Anglican Church at daybreak.  The church was consecrated on Oct. 20, 1890 - 125 years ago next week!

     We've hosted two birthday partys at the homestead in the past few weeks - that for our mother Verna on September 16th - her 75th birthday; and for our father Wilbert who turned 85 years old on October 5th!

     The birthday cakes were made by Diane - Mom got an extra birthday carrot cake made by her 96-year-old mother, Empress.

     We had a great garden this summer - we were overflowing with yellow and green beans, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, carrots, beats, kale, lettuce and pumpkins!

Mid Summer 2015

     The homestead is looking good these days, sorry that we don't have visitors staying this summer due to our well water problems.
     We have a great vegetable garden, Mom and Dad are enjoying vegetables already - I spent the morning pulling weeds!!

November 1st

     Today is my brother Robert's 52nd birthday - he's 11 months and 24 days younger than me - so for the next three weeks we're the same age.  I'm the oldest, of seven, Robert was next then, Randy, Kerras, Diane, Kenny and Darlene.  We moved in to the homestead just after Christmas 1962 when Uncle David became ill and died on January 28, 1963.
     Below is a photo of Robert, me and Randy taken at the homestead in the summer of 1965 - we're standing between the house and the barn and outbuildings.  We used the building behind on the left as a woodhouse.  When the homestead was greatly renovated in 1921 Uncle David and Aunt Bessie moved in this old building - we could see where the stove pipe went through the ridge of the building - Dad tore down the building in 1987 when they expanded the barn.

     When the 1864 homestead was renovated in 1921 the side kitchen wing was added along with the large verandah - the main house had the stairs reversed and a double-parlour along the whole south side of the house was created - behind the stairs hall was a new small dining room.

     Below is a photo of me with Aunt Bessie on the homestead verandah - the photo was taken in 1962.  In 1972 the verandah was removed as it was old and rotten - the house was  renovated again by my parents to accommodate our family of nine.

     Aunt Bessie sold the homestead to my parents following Uncle David's death in 1963 - she moved to nearby Alberton and passed away in a Summerside nursing home in 1972.

Sunflowers soon to bloom!

     The sunflowers will soon be in bloom - despite the dry summer the sunflowers have shot up.  We planted a row of corn behind the sunflowers to give them stability.

     The homestead is looking good - we're pleased to have moved the gazebo up closer to the house back in the spring!

Here's photos of last years sunflowers.

Winter at the Homestead

     I took the following photos at the Homestead on Dec. 27th.  It's been snowing nearly every day the past two weeks - it's either snow storming or light flurries all day.  It's been like living in a snow globe!!

     I went out to the main highway in Alma to Holy Trinity Alma Anglican Church and took the following photos - a winter wonderland for sure!!!
     The church is used seasonally now.  Construction started on the church in 1888 and was officially opened in October 1890.