When I was nervous or trying to complete school assignments, I chewed pencils so fervently that my parents feared that I would develop lead poisoning (even though pencil lead is made of graphite). When my young granddaughter began chewing …( read more )

Our congregation consists of fifteen to eighteen worshippers, the majority seventy years and older. Two of our members, however, are only one and three years of age. They can be loud at times and somewhat disruptive, yet no one seems to …( read more )

The broccoli was looking wonderful as my daughter and I discussed whether to cut it then or to wait and harvest it the next afternoon when we would have time to blanche and freeze it. We decided to leave it until the next day. The next …( read more )

A friend of mine is suffering from an annoying physical ailment, which also causes much loss of sleep. This, in turn, aggravates the situation even more. The physician involved has prescribed an appropriate medication. The medication, …( read more )

Three-year-old Ade wanted pickles with her lunch. I found a new jar in the pantry and tried to open it, without success. I whacked the lid several times. No success. I gave it a few more good smacks with the handle of the knife. Still no …( read more )

The dogs were barking insanely, racing along the fence from one end to the other. Frank, my gelding, and the three goats stood in the corral looking frightened. My mind was on the grizzly that had been hanging around. As I left the …( read more )

She is like a hyperactive octopus. Her arms and hands never cease in their enthusiasm to reach and grab anything and everything in sight. We have nicknamed her Elastigirl, as her arms seem to have an amazing ability to stretch and stretch …( read more )

It was such a lovely day, so I decided to take the dogs for a run. I loaded my three-year-old granddaughter into the stroller, gathered up the dogs, and away we went. As we were walking, Ade asked several times if we could go down to the …( read more )

Recently, I had to take my year-old collie, Kayley, to Whitehorse, Yukon, for her rabies and booster vaccines. Kayley gets very anxious travelling in the truck, and the two-hour trip each way is especially difficult for her. In light of …( read more )

My dog Sophie is such a joy. When we are walking the trails with my granddaughters in the double stroller, the dogs know that there is always one path that we never take, as it is inaccessible with the carriage. It is a trail that the …( read more )

Last fall, my brother, Jim, got such a good laugh. He was outside and witnessed three of the dogs playing tag. Denver was in the lead, with Sunny and Kayley trying to catch him. As he is much larger, stronger, and faster than the two …( read more )

Not long ago, a visitor here in Atlin, British Columbia, Canada, who was suffering with Alzheimer's, became lost. He wandered away from the home of friends where he was staying. The Search and Rescue team immediately went into action. …( read more )

Now that spring has sprung and the ice has melted into the earth, the livestock have been released from the corral to roam the whole property once again. For two weeks prior to the final melting, they would all crowd around the gate every …( read more )

As I answered my ringing telephone, I heard a distressed sob as my daughter pleaded, "Can you come up to the house to help me, please?" Quickly hurrying to the main house, and running up the stairs to the second floor, I was totally …( read more )

I dwell in a tiny home, just under 400 square feet, along with eight dogs. Each one of them has its own share of flaws or shortcomings, which I encounter each and every day. Some days, they can wear on my nerves, especially if it's one of …( read more )

I try to get my little granddaughters out for a walk every day. The fresh air is good for all of us. It is also a great time to exercise my dogs. In the winter, however, it is quite difficult, as the paths are covered with snow, which is …( read more )

As I approach the corral, it is still dark, and the icy morning seeks to penetrate the warmth of my parka. My headlamp illuminating the way picks out the horses as they hover at the gate. They are waiting in expectation, as they know …( read more )

During recent extreme weather, when our temperatures dropped down to between -35 and -40 degrees Celsius, my old mare, Mama died, no longer able to withstand such temperatures. We do not know for sure how old she was, but after speaking …( read more )

As I lifted Hoss, my eleven-year-old standard wire-haired dachshund onto the bed, I noticed that he was quite bloated. Mmm, I wonder what he's been eating outside, was my first thought. Then, turning out the light, we all settled down …( read more )

When I take my horse, Frank, out for a buggy ride or a walk with my two-year-old granddaughter perched in the saddle, my goat, Marshall, has a habit. He climbs atop his jungle gym, and standing on the platform, he waits and watches for …( read more )

Once all the Christmas decorations are taken down and put away, have you ever noticed how much more space you have? We have a large home, so even with the holiday decorations, it is not cluttered. But still, I am always taken by surprise …( read more )

The time had come for the passing of the light at our Christmas Candle Lighting Carol Service. As the light passed from person to person, it finally reached my row. The gentleman beside me held his candle so that the flame caught my …( read more )

When my sister's husband became ill, she had to learn to do many things around the house which she had never done before. There were decisions to be made by her alone, which had once been jointly made. There were items to be fixed that …( read more )

Christmas is creeping up upon me again. Each year it seems to come around even more quickly than the year before, and every year, I seek to remember and pray about the best way to honour the King of kings who was born in a manger so long …( read more )

My mare, Mama, was walking very stiffly. As she is very old, with the recent drop in temperature, I simply deduced that age was catching up with her. When the problem persisted, however, I asked our farrier, Dani, to check her out. As …( read more )

As I grabbed my ringing telephone, I heard my daughter saying that Frank was in the greenhouse. Dropping the receiver, I made a dash out of the house, arrived at the greenhouse, and confirmed that Frank had indeed broken in and was …( read more )

This summer, I received an unexpected and surprising email. It was from the husband of one of the writers of the PresbyCan Daily devotionals. In Walmart, he had met my cousins, with whom he had been friends for many years, and he had …( read more )

I heard the geese fly over the other morning as they were en route to their southern home. My heart was saddened to hear them go, for it is the forewarning that summer is ending and fall has commenced. With the commencement of autumn, …( read more )

My two-year-old granddaughter is not clumsy by nature, yet she goes through periods where she is continually tripping, stumbling, and falling. This occurs because she is constantly growing, and her mind has to be forever keeping up with …( read more )

A number of years ago, my brother moved onto my property with me. When we were children, he, being two years older, helped me to learn my alphabet, and taught me how to tie my shoes and ride a two-wheeler bike. Now that we are adults, I …( read more )

A lady I once worked with was complaining that her muffins never turned out. I shared that I had a no-fail recipe and would bring it in to work for her. She was quite pleased. I did take the recipe in, and she asked me if it was …( read more )

The other day, I was doing a word puzzle and got stuck. I was looking for words that began with the letter "f". I turned my tablet sideways, as this gives me a different perspective, but still I had no success. I was just about to click …( read more )

Living where I do in the north of British Columbia, Canada, makes gardening difficult. Our growing season is not only shorter, but also our soil often lacks the necessary nutrients for healthy plants. In addition, we live two hours …( read more )