Before we know it school will be back into full swing. When we lived on the prairie school went back the same time as threshing would be starting. When we got older we would miss the first school days as we had to help with the harvest. Threshing was a fun time and as kids it was always special to us. I wonder how many old boys of my age remember those years. long gone but left memories that I have.
Wasps
Everyone seems to have one or two wasps nest in their yards or old buildings. They can be dangerous too. My brother in-law John Keefe had a nasty experience a week or so ago. He was watering his flowers and he opened the base of his one flower and there was a big wasp’s nest. He was bitten badly. His arms and hands were swollen up as well as his face as he had a job to talk, to get his breath.
This happened many years ago. Scary at the time but turned out ok in the end. There were lots of wasp nests and these were more dangerous as they were in the ground and you could step in one and not know it was there until too late and this was the year.
It was about this time of year and lots of wasp nests. It was early evening and about 10 or 12 of our family members and some friends were having an evening ride on horseback behind the landing north of the old family farm. There were some lovely trails. Anyway we were strung out single file. The trail was narrow so we were head to tail. Horses going good when I heard one of the riders was in trouble. It was my niece, she was a good rider on a good horse, what could go wrong.
I heard this voice calling for me. So I went back and she was in trouble big time as her horse had stopped in a huge wasp nest and the wasp’s were just boiling out of the ground all around her horse and would not move so I told her to kick her feet free and I ran to her and took her off the hose to a safe place and believe it or not we didn’t get a bite but the poor pony sure did.
Our brother in-law was on his first and last ride, he told me and he took off for home on foot. My horse ran away as I had jumped off in a hurry. We caught her and the horse left the wasp nest by himself. Last week my niece and I had a lovely visit and this little story also brought back to our memories that ride.
Church in the park
This is late and I am sorry but it’s too important to miss and that’s the ‘Church in the park’ on Aug. 10. An inter-church worship gathering with lunch to follow. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday. The music and the singing and the speakers were all wonderful and for me not soon forgotten.
Hats off to the folks that put it all together you did a great job. To meet old friends was just great. Old friends are so precious to me you cannot buy them, they are just there.
An other plus for the day was the weather it was the most beautiful day you could imagine. But we do need rain, things are a bit too dry. In fact it’s dangerous as we can tell by the number of bad fires.
I have just heard from my prairie friends and they are having hail storms. Some of them are doing so much damage, windows broken and some crops destroyed.
This is a little story I am going to pass on, it’s interesting if nothing else. As we were leaving the church in the park a couple of men met us for a little visit. The one gentlemen asked me if I remembered him. I did and I didn’t but after a few minutes I did. He introduced me as Hugh Neave to his friend and started telling his friend a little story and this is what he said.
He had come to get work in Burns Lake and he picked up $600 in cash from the bank. It was in an envelope for safe keeping so he put it in his pocket and went to catch his ride and when he got to his ride his envelope and his money were gone. This was all he had. He walked the roadside and the ditches and no envelope. He noticed a man (which was me) watching him and I said “Have you lost something” and so he told me his story.
“Maybe this is it” and out of my coat I handed him the envelope and the money. He went on to say This was Hugh Neave from Francois Lake, this was a prayer answered.”
He went on to say, “What an honest man. I have known him for so long and I will never forget him and what a surprise to bump into him today.”
Although our visit was very short it was nice to meet up with him once again and have him retell this story.
I told me that I followed him for a long time to make sure this was hid money I had just picked up.
Our family is having such a wonderful summer with our Irish family with us. It’s like old times once again having our whole family together. They will be going back home again in just too soon but has been a wonderful visit. Kathy and her three daughters Karmen, Jordyn and Robyn. Our Francois Lake family and friends have also enjoyed their visit as it was special for us all. One thing the family really enjoyed was the swimming. The lake has been so warm. Not often this happens in Francois Lake.
I notice the smoke coming in tonight the fires seem to be closer all the time and it’s not a pleasant sight. The fires are on our side of the lake now. What the fires leave behind are disastrous like the birds and the little animals who are unable to get away. We do need rain and lets hope it’s not too long in coming. Although it’s many years ago I can still remember the big dry and on the prairie as a kid growing up and it was nice to make our new home in B.C. It was the best thing our family ever did and I kid you not.
It’s not good news to hear a few moments ago the big fire west of us is burning out of control, let’s hope not for long.
A little note I found in a card this morning
It’s not near as important how many years a fella has lived as how many folks have been right glad he has.
Always remember God loves you and so do I.