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The community hall 

One of the most difficult things about leaving home 10 years ago was the loss of our community. We moved to three very different places with three very different cultures (Quebec, New England, and Southern Virginia). We learned a lot, made some friends and did our best to settle in, but nowhere was home like it is here. 

My family is lucky enough to be a part of a very special community. Being from an old ranching family, most of the people in our area are either related or have been neighbors for 150 years. This makes for some strong bonds, some strife, and some fun parties. 

We have an old community hall which is not far from my house. My grandparents generation built the hall and brought the community together there. Actually, I learned today that the same people who put the wood on the old house I’m living in did the inside of the hall. 

There are old pictures of parties at the hall. My grandpa playing the fiddle, and various other relatives playing instruments while people danced. As a kid, I remember going to dances there. Well, to be clear us kids got to go to the pre dance dance because later on it got a little wild (as an adult later on I went to these dances and I agree with that assessment).   We would dance around, do the Butterfly, giggle with friends and cousins, and sit on the phone two seater outhouse and talk about how cool it was (they have indoor plumbing now thank goodness). 

At Christmas time, families would gather there for the annual Christmas concert. We would preform whatever talents we had, and at the end of the evening Santa would arrive and give us all presents. We used to call Santa on one of those old fashioned phones attached to a wall to see how much longer he was going to be. Some of my favorite Christmas memories are of those parties. 

Every year there’s a Stampede breakfast and the community comes together to visit and eat. It’s a great way to catch up on what everyone’s up to and it’s one of those events that you know all the old aunts and uncles are going to be at. 

It is a true community and I appreciate it now even more than I did before we left. Being a part of this tribe has always grounded me and made me feel at home and safe. 

My happiness moment today was going to a bridal shower at the hall. The bride has also been gone from the community for quite a few years. Yet everyone showed up to support her and celebrate with her. We sat around and looked at presents, visited, drank tea, and ate all those yummy treats that only show up at hall parties. This happiness moment made me shine from the inside out. I am so blessed to be part of this community, and I now to get to bring the kids up here in this safety net of love. 

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Just another day in paradise. 

We have been away from home long enough that I don’t believe I will ever take for granted how wonderful it is to be back here. Every once in a while though something happens that serves as a good reminder as to the blessings we have. 

This afternoon I headed to the Petro Canada to get batteries for our raft pump so we could go to the creek. Because it’s Friday and a long weekend, the line up to the gas station was all the way back out to the highway. So many people heading to the mountains for the weekend. Fortunate and blessed people in their own way. But all I needed to do was grab some batteries, go home, and head down the hill and we were instantly on vacation. 

  
I love this spot. We have swam and skated this creek with Dad all our lives. I’ve spent hundreds of hours riding Pirate through the fields in younger days. It’s a very healing place. A difficult place sometimes this year, but even so a healihg place. A place I’ve needed to be. 

The kids started out on their rafts and were looking around for someone to pull them upstream and flip them. Dad’s thing to do with the kids. In the amazing way children  have of being in the present moment, they figured out a way to take turns flipping each other off. Not the same as it was – a new normal. Since that is what life is about right now it was a good lesson. Learning to love and live in the new normal. 

Dad loved this place so much I know he is looking down on us and happy that we are moving on, finding happiness, living life. Missing him terribly, but living in this new normal. 

It was Dottie’s first time seeing me on the raft. At first it caused her concern, then she decided she had better join me to keep me safe. 

   My loving dog actually climbed right up, stood on me and then shook her stinky, wet dot hair all over soaking me in the process. I love her. 
A happiness moment that lasted all afternoon. Lazy days at the creek. Deep gratitude for this day. We live in abundance. 

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Dog days of summer

Happiness moment today was hanging out at the creek with kids and cousins and dogs. It was hot and sunny and beautiful. We are so blessed we have the most beautiful place on earth to enjoy. 

   
In case you were wondering what the happiest dog in the world looks like, this is it. Dottie went to the creek for the first time ever today. She thought it was possibly the most awesome thing she has ever done. 

 
This place makes my soul shine. I am thankful every second that we are here and able to enjoy it. 

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Branding 

Every year out at the ranch  they have community brandings. As a kid I remember looking forward to them for many reasons – the baking and getting the afternoon off of school ranking high among them. Now I look forward to it as a way to spend some time visiting with  family in the community. As the years have gone by, I am no longer as excited to get right on there and wrestle the calves – in fact today I took a great deal of time selecting my outfit  which included completely unpractical sandals so that I would be able to remain on the outside. 

Jacob and Jenna however were right in there. The last time we were at a branding was when I was pregnant with Jenna and Jacob was almost 3. I was commenting to someone that it was Jacob’s first time and as soon as the words were out of my mouth men were called into give them a hand and explain how things were done. 

  

They got it. 

  

Help was always close by, but they did their job. 

  

Jenna’s job was to mark the calves after they’d had their shots. 

 

It’s a pretty special family experience and a part of their heritage. I was so thankful there were all these patient adults who stepped in showed them how to do things. Including the adult who called out the other adults trying to be lazy saying: don’t you be taking any more of those smaller calves. You need to save those for the kids. Come on!! Be fair man. And then a few good natured hand gestures after that. 

My happiness moment today was being back in the fold of the family, watching the kids learning the same way I had as a child. I stood with my childhood branding partner (my cousin) and we relived our memories of being in the corral trying desperately to grab a hold of a calf (and how rarely they left the small ones for the kids in those days). We had some good chuckles remembering out adventures. 

I missed having my Dad standing beside me taking pictures – I had to actually remember to take some myself. But, I think he would have been happy that we were out there with friends and family having a fun and normal day. 

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