Well just when I said my goodbyes I am back.
It seems like such a long time since I wrote up my article for our paper and as I look back it has been a long time. They used to say time waits for no man, it's right I guess.
Winter
Winter is half over or just about and so far it's been very easy. Most all our lakes have frozen over. We had all expected Francois to stay open but no it's gone too. With such warm weather it's hard to tell how safe the ice will be.
I will pass the word on be careful if you are going to use the lake. I went through years ago and I sure will remember it and big time.
Back now many years ago we used to pray that Francois would freeze over and for many years it did. The lake became a highway of ice for the Southside. No ferry to catch, just go. It's been a number of years since there has been good ice suitable to hold up any vehicle. The ferry runs regardless of the lake freezing or not.
Driving the ice can be dangerous and to prove it there are numbers of vehicles on the bottom of Francois Lake.
One accident come to mind that happened in the late 30s. It should have been worse but not much. Billy Bickle, a rancher from Grassy Plains, was crossing the ice with four head of horses pulling a load of timothy seed to the plant at Francois Lake hall. This was a foolish act on his part. The horses, the load of seed and Billy all went through. He was still on the load and went with it. Him, four horses, the sleigh and a load of seed. This was the talk of the district for many years. I think we all felt more sorry for the loss of four lovely big horses than we did for the sleigh load of timothy seed.
I have at hand a number of vehicles and their owners so maybe just for interest sake I will write it in. Maybe next week.
So far this winter, it has been the talk of the town. So far it has been just great. We will wonder what February will dish up. It can be a rough month so we will just wait. Nobody is going to stick out their neck in any kind of a weather forecast. As the saying goes only fools and newcomers forecast the weather. So far this winter has been Godsend to the stockman. Sure saves the feed.
Welcome back
It's sure good news to hear Johny Vanzanten is back home again after his terrible accident he had on New Years. He spent some time in the Prince George Hospital having his leg attended to then back to the Burns Lake hospital for a short time and now John is back home at the lake again. I have found out there is no place like home and John has found that out too.
Nasty fall
Our grandson Edward Neave, who is now working in Penticton, also suffered a very painful accident through a nasty fall. He has been off work for about a month and is hoping to go back to work at the mine the first of the month.
It's Friday afternoon and the water is running off the roof, just like spring has sprung. Makes a person wonder what’s next. Snow is sliding off the metal roofs making lots of work for the home owners.
No shovelling
As being a resident of Tweedsmuir House, this has been the first winter in my lifetime that I have not had to shovel snow but you know I sure miss it. I guess that job will have to be left to the younger generation.
Jimmy Tourond and his wife Leah have taken up residence in the Heritage Manor. They had like myself, left their home at Noralee, and my home I had to leave at Francois Lake. It’s a tough pill to swallow but health wise it was a move that had to be made. The Tweedsmuir House has been good to me with loving care and also very comfortable surroundings. Every day I have some body drop in for a visit and maybe have a cup of tea or coffee, helps pass the time. I have always been a very active person and to have to slow down has been a hard pill to swallow and having company drop in helps pass the time for me.
Elk
It's very interesting to have the elk moving into our area. They have been here for some time but now they are visiting the local ranchers. It's not what they eat it's the damage they do to the hay bales so nothing else will eat the hay.
On Christmas day evening Laurie Neave and Marie Hunter stopped at Peebles turn off and watched a huge bull elk standing beside the road. It was huge and a had huge rack besides. A number of folks have also seen him. I understand elk can be a nuisance more so than the moose. Some folks think the elk will run off the moose. The deer are also moving in close to homes a the landing. The wolves may be scaring them down as wolves have been seen close to the landing.
Animals, like humans migrate to different locations so maybe the moose will move along.
The first moose was seen in the Lakes District in 1923 and it was in the Tatalrose area. The moose were here to stay and they proved to be a Godsend to the settlers as the meat was good and they became very plentiful through the years. Many tables would have been empty if it were not for moose meat. It was on our diet for many years.
A little story for you
A couple were having a golden wedding anniversary party and the husband was asked the secret of so many married years.
It dates back to our honeymoon said the husband. "We spent it visiting the Grand Canyon, we rented a couple of mules to explore the bottom of the canyon. All went well until my wife's mule stumbled." "That's once" she said. It stumbled again and she said "That's twice." The mule stumbled again, "That's three times" so she pulled out her revolver and shot it. I started to protest her treatment of the mule, she turned around and said to me in a quite voice "That's once."
Always remember God loves you a great deal and so do I.