It has rained all night and now our front yard is a quagmire. It was drying up so well too. It’s good for the hay fields and the pastures, with a bit of heat things will really grow.
Family visit
It was the close of a special weekend for me and our family as our cousins spent four days visiting us from Nova Scotia. Marny Newlands, Sally Lamb and her husband John. It’s been many years since we have had such a wonderful visit.
They left this morning at 5:30 a.m. by car to catch the plane in Prince George to go back home. My house is pretty lonely again. Just me and the little dog Mandy. I only wish Jo could have been here to enjoy the visit and down in my heart I think she was. There were lots of old photos and lots of old stories all bringing back the old days.
Spring fundraiser
The Tweedsmuir Fiddlers hosted a spring coffee house at the Grassy Plains Hall on Apr. 28. It was to raise funds for the junior fiddlers. It was a great evening with so much entertainment with good music and lots of visiting.
Admission was by donation and everyone was very generous. There was also a violin raffled. The cousins and I went out and enjoyed the fiddle music very much. There is a young group of fiddlers coming along and they were very good. It’s good to see the interest in music they are showing.
Busy bees
On Sunday there was a work bee at the Francois Lake Hall to demolish the old club house. It’s been an eyesore for many years. It’s gone now and the grounds are so tidy and attractive. The old club house must be over 40 years old at a wild guess. It was built to hold meeting in as it was much easier to warm up as there was a big old wood heater inside.
When there were picnics on the hall grounds the building was used as a kitchen as there were doors that opened along the sides to serve food.
The old building did serve its purpose at one time. After the cleanup there was the most delicious potluck to celebrate the occasion.
We live in a very caring and energetic district where everyone pulls together to make things happen. Our hall has been finished up and redecorated so it’s really something to be proud of and we are.
It’s a pleasure to have such a modern and up to date building in our district. Now with the grounds cleaned up it also adds to the outside appearance of the hall.
Back in the early pioneer days community halls were the centre of the community. Every district had its own hall. They were used for funerals, weddings, meetings, dances and also church services were held there, and some halls were used for schools. Francois Lake was no exception.
Real pioneers
I have at hand a book written in memory of Johanna Colberg Henkel. Johanna was the grandmother to the Keefe family as she was known as grandma Henkel.
She and her husband Jacob (Jake) Henkel were real pioneers of the Francois Lake area and had the welfare of the district at heart.
In this book she mentioned the building of our present hall. Johanna was a very clever woman and she was more or less the one who spearheaded the building of the present hall.
Sam Long donated three acres of land, the hall on the West of the lot, the school on the East of the lot and the church on the South west of the parcel.
The lumber was sawn by Frank Mathias whose mill was at Nicholson’s bay. The fir flooring was purchased with money from the farmers institute. The hall was opened to the public with a dance in March 1926.
Most all the work was volunteer but workers were hired to put in the windows and doors. Upon the finishing of the hall the school building was started. That summer Johanna resigned as secretary treasurer. There have been many changes to the hall but the original building is the same. Strong and sturdy as ever and will be our community hall for many more years.
The hall is now starting its 86 year of serving our community. This book I have quoted the history of the hall from is a history book unto itself, it’s call Francois Lake Pioneers and it’s written about the lives of Johanna and Jake. I am very proud to be a part of this family.
Washout
Due to a washout on Hwy. 16 16 at Topley all the heavy truck traffic was rerouted over the Francois Lake ferry to the Southside and from there to go out by Nadina and then cut to meet up again onto Hwy. 35. This made a long run for the truckers. A number of trucks stayed over in Burns Lake until the highway was opened again for heavy trucks.
Spring has sprung
I do believe that our long awaited spring has come. The fields are greening up and most all of our birds are back. It’s a start of new life. Most all the ranchers are finished calving and it’s nice to drive by and see the little guys playing around.
Deer
Yesterday evening there was a bunch of about 30 deer in the hay fields just past the hall corner. A warning to the traffic on that part of the highway as the deer are going back and forth between the hay fields. The last years fawns are the ones to watch for as they hide the ditches and then jump out to cross the highway.
A little story
A woman told her friend about her plans to visit Yellowstone National Park. “Don’t forget old faithful,” her friend said. “Oh, I won’t,” the lady replied, “He’s going with me.”
A little story
You know when you’re getting old when the gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting you bifocals and you find your back goes out more than you do.
Take care, slow down and enjoy the spring, it’s over soon so enjoy it while you can. I have seen 89 of them and each one gets better. Remember God loves you and so do I.