Growing up and Growing older on Random Island
The well worn leather traces creak as Bax’s old mare pulls the double slide in the long run. Ralph and Si sitting on an old bren full of hay for a seat, Bax up front giving the reins a flick now and then, though its not really necessary, the horse knows the path and routine […]
The house is on the side of a hill, a path climbing up to the well house. Rope clothesline hung between two huge old fir, propped up in the middle by a board sawed at the mill. “Ralphie! Si! You young devils! Get off that path with them slides, your gonna turn it all to […]
“Old Christmas Day.” thinks Ralph, “Years back we would be listening to see if the animals would talk, like the old timers said. Now I’m the old timer. Where does the time go?” He can’t move as fast as he once could, time and toil have made the joints and muscles slower than they were. […]
I visited home this past summer, and while our old house has changed with new occupants over the years, many things remained the same. One being Uncle Hay’s property. It was like stepping back in time for me, and on this Father’s day, I am maudlin thinking about those old times and how close him […]
If you’re familiar with Apsey Brook, you know that Roy Smith operated a sawmill business for many years. What you may not know is that Uncle Luther, Dad and Uncle Hay used to operate one too. It was mostly for personal use, but I do remember trucks coming occasionally and buying some lumber. You’d be […]
In our ever lasting search for a water supply that would last the summer, dad tried many things. In the summer of 1983, the year Keith had his accident, he and I dug a pipeline 660 feet through the woods, in the heat of summer, to a small brook that we somehow managed to get […]
When we were young, we could make a ball field, or hockey arena, pretty much anywhere. Across the road from Eric’s house there was a field, with some large rocks arranged in a rough diamond. Though pretty small, we’d often play ball there, especially when we only had a few people as the small size […]
This post is probably for me more than anyone, but feel free to read, or skip…. I don’t remember the exact date anymore, but sometime around the 26th of this month, it will be 22 years since I got in the old Corsica with Keith and came to Halifax for a 9 month course. […]
I’ve written a little about Aunt Ethel and Uncle Will before, but something I did know, but had forgotten was that Uncle Will wrote quite a bit of poetry. I know I’ve seen this before, but had completely forgotten it, or where. Thanks to Eric Cooper for the picture. Enjoy and reminisce a bit. Peter […]
By Barbara Smith Barbara wrote the following for a heritage site I was trying to get going. Unfortunately wasn’t getting interest, so I shuttered it. The post is still useful and insightful though! Back in the “really” old days, when dad (Hay Smith) was school age, the school in Aspen Brook had a full time teacher, but […]
Shortest Phone Conversation
School Memories
MMmm those Wedgies!