by Elaine Thomas | Jul 10, 2023 | Old Times, Rural Life, Western Canada
When I write stories about old times, it’s important that my facts are accurate and my descriptions correct. So I’ll share a secret with you. My go-to authority on rural life in the last century is not the internet; it’s 101-year-old Ed Poffenroth. ...
by Elaine Thomas | Feb 17, 2023 | Family, Old Times, Saving Stories, Western Canada
When our pristine 160-acre property south of Calgary, Alberta, went on the auction block recently, the top bid came in below our expectations. Therefore, we won’t need to bid farewell to the farm any time soon. The memories that my siblings and I share of...
by Elaine Thomas | Jan 20, 2023 | Family, Old Times, Rural Life, Western Canada
In February 1973, the days of hauling small bales on a wooden hayrack pulled by a team of heavy horses to feed the cows were almost past. However, Millarville, Alberta, rancher Winston Parker still adhered to the old tradition with help from my brother, Art. I jumped...
by Elaine Thomas | Dec 23, 2022 | Family, Old Times, Western Canada
Christmas in Her Heart is a true family Christmas story that I share every holiday season. I hope these simple yet remarkable memories made in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies will lift your spirit and warm your heart. The aromatic promise of an epic Christmas...
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...
