Sorry I missed last week but was kinda busy and missed out.
Bluegrass
The Grassy Plains country and bluegrass festival is behind us but those wonderful memories of it all will be with us for a long time.
I know it always leaves me with an empty place in my heart especially leaving so many great friends behind.
There is always something special about blue grass folk who enjoy country music and singing. This music goes back for so many years.
The sound system was as usual professional you could not find any better no matter where you went. A good sound system is so very important as it makes the whole show what it is, hats off to you sir, you could never do better and we thank you for it.
There have been so many improvements to the hall especially the addition of a new building on the hall. This makes it so convenient for the performers to tune up and change clothes etc., also a much easier entrance to the stage. It鈥檚 all laid out so well, we all were very impressed with it all.
The parking is another thing I must remark on, it鈥檚 laid out with so much room for all types of holiday equipment. It鈥檚 so tidy and clean and so much room for the big trailers and there were lots of them parked there. Also good close parking for the handicapped which is a plus.
Then there are the folks who gave their time and energy into making it all happen. And what a good job they did. This is no easy task, but it went over so well.
This has no doubt been planned for weeks in advance. What was so special was the wonderful selection of music and singing, for want of a better word professional. What a variety it all was.
My niece Renay and her singers and musicians the 鈥楯une Bugs鈥� sang our song 鈥楾he Cowboy鈥� this song is very special for the both of us. It comes from our hearts, the haunting melody always makes me want to cry.
With all the good reports I鈥檓 sure next year the festival will be as good or even better if this is at all possible.
Nerve stone
As I was going through some old family stuff a few days ago I came across a polished stone the size of a large chicken egg.
It鈥檚 called a nerve stone and the note on it says it came from China. It seems it was used to calm a persons nerves. They would hold it in their hand and keep turning it. It鈥檚 a beautiful polished stone and very heavy.
I am wondering if anyone has heard of a nerve stone before? I am very interested to find any history about them or is it just a fairy tale. There is no doubt there must be a person who knows.
Nice visitors
It always makes our summer a little brighter to have the David Scott family from the lower mainland spending their holidays in their summer home here at the landing.
The Scott family have spent their summer here for many many years. As a guess I would say close to 40.
Hay making
Most all the ranchers are in the middle of haying and some are finished.
Talking to one rancher and he says the hay crop is not as good as they had expected. Most all have some last years hay left over which will help see them through.
Big boats & campers
Still lots of big campers and boats going through. Some of the trailers are almost like a moving home away from home.
Talking to an American chap one day and he was pulling a huge one. They invited me in for a visit. It was beautiful they even had a bar. As we were visiting I said a home away from home and he told me it was.
They just move with the seasons. He said they sold our home because of the vandalism and bought this unit and it鈥檚 the best thing they ever did.
They were from California. This is not for me as I like to put down roots and stay put, it鈥檚 maybe nice to move around I guess if it鈥檚 what you like.
Lightening
Of late we are getting our share of lightening storms. This is really very unusual for us.
On the prairie we used to have these storms very often. There were three kinds of lightening; sheet, chain and fork and the fork was the dangerous one.
It would hit barns, elevators, homes and kill stock. It was very scary to have a storm like that.
This is little story that I remember as I was growing up on the prairie now so long ago. We had a new neighbour move in and farm close by.
Their name was Upton鈥檚 and they were really nice folks. Not farmers but were giving it a try.
There was a warning that was given and it was do not stand by an open door when there is a fork lightening storm.
It seemed Ted Upton had not heard that warning. There was a bad lightening storm and Ted was standing inside their screen door.
There was a bolt of lightening hit the open door and Ted was thrown right across the room and hit the back wall.
He was hurt but not serious. But the queer thing about it all was that whenever there was a lightening storm he would get so sick and sometimes pass out. This went on for as long as I can remember.
We left for B.C. soon after. All the tall buildings had what was called lightening rods on the roofs. We had three on our barn. They were to protect the high buildings from lightening strikes.
Little poem
No person has ever added up the value of a smile, we know how much a dollars worth and how much is a mile. We know the distance to the sun and the size and weight of earth, but no one call tell us how much a smile is worth .... so keep smiling.
Take care, slow down and enjoy and always remember God loves you and so do I.
