The gazebo in the creatively named Gazebo Park. Holden, Alberta.
A recently divorced mother and her ten-year-old son move from Sherwood Park to the village of Holden. She is enticed by the affordable real estate and the Holden Gallery, where she can sell her artwork. The two transplants are introduced to a wide variety of village and rural folk who become their friends – farmers, tradesmen, and seniors who live in the lodge, among others. They attend the Bruce Stampede and involve themselves in the activities around the village. With romance and a look at rural life in Alberta, the story will surely be found to be unique and interesting.
I am very pleased to announce that my story, Blazing Community Spirit, which I have worked on for the last few years, is now available on amazon.ca for $15.
The book is divided into multiple parts, and at the end are a few poems that are intended to form a folk album called Bruce Road. I am not a proficient musician, but I enjoyed writing these songs and imagining them being played together by a folk band. The first poem I wrote is titled A Cabin in St. Paul County and I will share it with you now:
When the work’s all done, I’m gonna take you away
To a special kind of place I know, down the highway
The mallard is so big it could pick you up in its bill
On through Shandro, and past the church on the hill
I’m gonna take you to my parents’ cabin at the lake
We have worked so hard, and it is time for a break
I’m gonna take you out to Saint Paul County
Where the poplars tremble and the fish always bite
Roast marshmallows on the fire and tell you a story
Laying on the beach watching the stars shine so bright
Taking out the rowboat, there are islands to explore
I am the captain and I navigate toward the shore
Muskrats swimming and geese sitting in their nests
Pulling the boat up the beach and taking off our vests
Venturing inland, discover secret raspberry patches
Behind the willows near the towering pine and birches
I’m gonna take you out to Saint Paul County
Where the poplars tremble and the fish always bite
Roast marshmallows on the fire and tell you a story
Laying on the beach watching the stars shine so bright
Waking up in the loft to the sound of songbirds
Is a special kind of thing too delicate for words
Remember my dad building a trail through the aspen grove
From the old red barn on the hill to the other cove
Remember picking my mom a bouquet of flowers from the ditch
Sweet clover, foxtail barley, purple, blue, and yellow vetch
I’m gonna take you out to Saint Paul County
Where the poplars tremble and the fish always bite
Roast marshmallows on the fire and tell you a story
Laying on the beach watching the stars shine so bright
This poem is special to me, as it documents a sentimental time in my life. When I was young I would take out a rowboat and explore the islands of Upper Mann Lake and go fishing with my friend, who lived in the subdivision. I placed a pile of rocks to serve as a dock jutting out from the shore of what was known as the Little Island, searched for fishhooks and leaders lost by fishermen, found jugs full of concrete in the water that must have been used as anchors, collected glass from broken beer bottles, and tried my best to avoid goose nests as I explored the island. The island had rows of willows, and towards the centre were larger pines and birches. There was a fallen tree that was rotting, and I would climb the red woodchips up a little hill, to the raspberry patch at the back of the island. From there I could still hear my mom ring the bell that indicated that lunch was ready to be served.
There was also a float my dad built for swimming in the bay behind the Little Island that I would row to and refer to as Port Blue, which was a reference to a level in the N64 videogame Waverace. The float was covered in fake green grass. I suppose Port Green would have been more appropriate.
On days I was feeling especially ambitious I would row to the Big Island, which actually became a peninsula when the water level went down. At one point sheep were grazing the island. The Big Island was huge and incredible to explore. Across the channel that dried up, forming the peninsula, was a real castle, where the owners pretended to be living in the medieval days.
Once, my family took a trip to another island across the lake, and when we got there it started raining, and there was lightning and thunder. We had to take shelter under some large trees.
Other references in the poem are the World’s Largest Mallard Duck in Andrew, where we would get ice cream at the cafe across the street, and Shandro, which is a locality with an old stone community hall along Highway 857, which interestingly enough is the same highway, but different stretch, that my parents travel to get groceries in Vegreville. The church on the hill is Saints Peter and Paul Russo Orthodox Church, also known as Dickie Bush. My dad built long quad trails through the forest, and I picked my mom flowers from the ditch. I have a lot of other cherished memories of Upper Mann Lake that we can get into later.
In other news, I have completed another semester at school. I enjoyed my classes and now am enjoying some time off at my parents’ place in Beaver County. We will have my dad’s family over for dinner on Christmas Day and go to Ardrossan for dinner with my mom’s family on Boxing Day. I am looking forward to opening presents and spending time with my family.
The Grey Cup was played in November, and the Montreal Alouettes upset the favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It was an exciting game, with a touchdown in the dying seconds sealing the win for the Montreal squad.
At the Winspear, I have taken in a concert of John William’s music, and Handel’s Messiah, which had a choir and featured some incredible solos. The Northern Lights Folk Club starts up again in January.
Recently, I have been enjoying the folk music of Greg Loftus, whose 2021 album Western Medicine is excellent. I like every song. I have also been listening to Suzie Ungerleider, who I discovered on YouTube. She is subdued and wonderful, and I enjoy listening to her at night when I am relaxing before bedtime.
I have been working on my second story. I hope I am improving as a storyteller. I don’t want to reveal too much about that yet.
In conclusion, I have been very excited to finally publish my stories about Holden, I have recently completed another semester of school and have been listening to music, writing, and going for walks in my neighbourhood, appreciating the mild weather we have had this winter. I biked to the farmers’ market and it was slushy on the streets.
My favourite tree by the Back Pond in Holden, Alberta.
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