by Elaine Thomas | Sep 16, 2022 | Old Times, Rural Texas, Saving Stories
An old Victorian-style house at 259 North Main in La Grange, Texas, is holding its breath. Since it was built in 1908, two prominent families have called this impressive residence home. In decidedly different eras, the Kruschels and Rombergs have shaped the civic and...
by Elaine Thomas | Sep 2, 2022 | Old Times, Rural Life, Saving Stories, Western Canada
Charlie Brunt, who attended Ballyhamage, a one-room school south of Calgary, in the late 1930s and 1940s, didn’t mean to get into mischief. Sometimes, though, he couldn’t resist. That’s what happened the day Charlie, pictured above, observed how much the tail of the...
by Elaine Thomas | Aug 19, 2022 | Family, Old Times, Rural Life, Saving Stories, Western Canada
Over a pot of tea many years ago, Mom shared memories of Ballyhamage, the one-room school she attended from 1920 to 1925. The little white frame building had no electricity, indoor plumbing, telephone, water well or running water. Built on top of a ridge of hills with...
by Elaine Thomas | Aug 5, 2022 | Family, Old Times, Saving Stories, Western Canada
A faded cover. A ragged spine. Well-thumbed pages. These are not flaws, but evidence of this vintage Blue Ribbon Cook Book’s untold tales. I treasure this little volume dedicated to the ‘women of Canada’ more than a century ago. The engraved image of the Blue Ribbon...
by Elaine Thomas | Jun 3, 2022 | Old Times, Rural Life, Saving Stories, Western Canada
Years ago, a legendary athlete gave me the first place engraved sterling silver swimming trophy she’d won in the 1918 ladies Canadian PNA Championship 500-yard race. Here’s the tale behind my treasured keepsake. A Legend is Born Audrey (Mikie) Griffin Kieran was six...
by Elaine Thomas | Apr 15, 2022 | Family, Rural Life, Saving Stories
Easter blessings abound through expressions of our faith, practicing family rituals and revisiting fun recollections. It’s also a good time to make new memories. Let’s revisit three special Easter stories that friends have shared. No Store-Bought Baskets...