Sheila's Shenanigans: Short & Tall Tales of Life in Alberta

02/03/2025

In last nights meanderings all I found that was different in the bush was a pregnant tree. I always thought they propagated by seed 🤔

01/03/2025

Well he/she is hard to see but the bunny’s are still white.

28/02/2025

This is the 12th and final video to upload from Charlie Passmore’s homr movies. You can watch all 12 on this YouTube channel or at https://ingon.ca/passmoremovies where l am slowly documenting the contents.

https://youtu.be/0OARqSn5LCM?si=qQ0d9_9h7bCBVn23

If you’d like to contribute to my efforts in preserving history i accept email money transfers at [email protected] - as an example its taken me approximately 80 hours to maje these vidros available.

For details as they develop go to https://ingon.ca/passmoremovies

22/02/2025

8/12 Charlie Passmore Home Movies Uploaded.
There are some cool things for locals to see. Im working at getting the times and events filled out.

https://www.ingon.ca/passmoremovies

21/02/2025

From another page I manage. I’m working on them.

18/02/2025

I finally decided how to approach this . And it’s starting to look good!!

Sheila and her husband are both creatives who love nature and history. As a result they create or acquire an blend of art, furniture, and collectables.

15/02/2025

Our Pilated woodpecker in a feeding frenzy. You can see his breath every so often.

15/02/2025

Last summer I took a trip to the Calgary area to retrieve these home movies. There are 12 and this is the first to be uploaded.

I am adding them to this web page as i get them loaded.

https://www.ingon.ca/passmoremovies

Charlie Passmore was a long-time resident of Smith, AB who worked for the railway. There are 12 reels of his home movies. Unfortunately, there is no sound.

If you recognize any person or place on this video please let us know so we can document it for others. Email [email protected]

The label on this reel reads:
Banff - Ellen - Wahlstrom - Wedding - [Wells] - Farm

Thank you to Pyramid Mechanical Ltd in Slave Lake, Dave & Susan Auch, Calvin & Christine Alexander, Robert Reason Sr. and Maxine Laughy for sponsoring my trip to Calgary and bringing these treasures home.

Charlie Passmore was a long-time resident of Smith, AB who worked for the railway. There are 12 reels of his home movies. Unfortunately, there is no sound. ...

22/12/2024

Been a bit quiet here as I work on app data and promotion plus books. Anyways happy holidays from my yard to yours …

07/12/2024

For those of you watching the bear grease weather station this is different. More clear on top.

29/11/2024

This is a little trick I use. I am a bit of a food hoarder and don't like to waste so when I have extra condiments, I date them. No questions when its cupboard cleaning time as to how old things might be.

27/11/2024

I had a request from a previous post regarding Grouard that mentioned the soldiers who returned home. There was no specific list so I compiled one. At the bottom there is a transcribed article mentioning an event for the soldiers which says there were 34 of them. The images have not been transcribed but are about a Patrick Cunningham and the awards he received - and why.

The list in alphabetical order:
-- F. Amarr - had arrived in Halifax on the Adriatic on March 9th. Edmonton Journal, March 10, 1919 page 8
-- Anderson, W.M. listed as wounded: Calgary Herald Page 6, Oct 29, 1918
-- Jimmy Andrews - enlisted in the 194th a Edmonton - recently returned - The Edmonton Bulletin, Jan. 13, 1919, page 3
-- W.J. Andrews, listed as wounded Edmonton Bulletin, Sept. 11, 1918 page 12
-- J. Andrew left St. John (not sure about this.) Ed, Bull Dec 4, 1918 page 3
-- R. St. Arnault, Grouard. Reported as wounded Calgary Canadian Sept 21 1918 page 15
-- D.A. Capeo, Round Prairie, Grouard - Wounded . Calgary Canadian Sept 14 1918 page 17
-- Harry Critchley - enlisted in the 194th a Edmonton - recently returned - The Edmonton Bulletin, Jan. 13, 1919, page 3
-- Pte. P. Cunningham, Grouard - due in Calgary about April 26th. Disembarked from the SS Grampian - Calgary Alberta, Page 8, April 23, 1919 - Also P. Cunningham listed as wounded - Calgary Canadian Aug 20 1918 page 1
-- F. Forster, Grouard, Due to arrive in Calgary - Calgary Albertan page 5, March 1919
-- A.G. Gordon, High Prairie, Due to arrive in Calgary - Calgary Albertan page 5, March 1919
-- George Harvey, Jr. a member of the original 49th - recently returned. The Edmonton Bulletin, Jan. 13, 1919, page 3
-- J. Inglee, Wounded - Calgary Albertan, Aug 28 1918 page 2
-- McDermott, H. - left Quebec - due to arrive in Edmonton - Ed. Bull. Dec. 3 1918, pge 1
-- Hugh McDermott - recently returned - The Edmonton Bulletin, Jan. 13, 1919, page 3
-- Pte. W. Noskey, Part of the “Terrible Tenth’ Enroute for Calgary - Calgary Herald April 1919, Page 31
-- V. Noskey, Killed in Action - Calgary Herald, Aug 30 1918 page 11
-- H.H. Reynolds - enlisted in the 194th a Edmonton - recently returned - The Edmonton Bulletin, Jan. 13, 1919, page 3
-- Pte. R. Starnaeold, Grouard - Arrived by the steamer Celtic. Due in Calgary - Calgary Herald, Page 7 May 17, 1919
-- P. Wabishkan - wounded. Calgary Herald, Oct 18 1918 page 13
. . . . . . . .
Grouard turned out ‘en masse’ to welcome home her boys who have returned from ‘over there’ at a reception extended to the returned soldiers which was held at the Citizen’s hall Tuesday evening. Over 500 people were present to do them honor, an honor which they rightly deserved. In the absence of Mayor Maurice, the address of ‘welcome’ was delivered by the secretary of the board of trade, G.H. Trahan, who was followed by the Rev. Father Falher. Replies were given by Lieut. Novion, D.S. Hayden, Pat Cunningham, and H.H. Reynolds.

Thirty-four enlistments was Grouard’s quota for the cause of liberty. Although we welcome the return of all, we must not forget that we owe a debt of lasting gratitude to those who have paid the supreme sacrifice. Among the returned soldiers are two modest heroes, an old forty-niner, Pat Cunningham with the distinguished conduct medal, military medal and bar, and Adolph Bole-Trelier who fought with the 4th Zouaves, French infantry, securing the legion of honor, military medal with three bars and two special citations in the army orders.

Luncheon was served, after which dancing was enjoyed until dawn. The committee in charge of the affair comprised H.B. Hunter, chairman, D.E. Guy, A.J. Bergeron, Dr. J.A. Gauthier and Donat Papuette.
(From the Edmonton Journal, page 9 May 20 1919)

26/11/2024

For past and present residents in and around Grouard, this is interesting as it lists the names of the businesses there in April 1919 plus some other historical details from the Edmonton Bulletin April 28, 1919 Page 3.

GROUARD NEWS
Hugh Hunter of Grouard, is in the city on a short visit. Mr Hunter says that Salt River prairie, a few miles north of the town of Grouard, is attracting a considerable number of settlers this spring. The name does not indicate that salt is present in the soil. A small stream, who's several branches water the partly open, rolling country in Township 77, in Ranges 13 and 14, west of the 5th meridian, reaches the waters of Lesser Slave Lake by passing through the flat ground close to the lake shore, which shows alkali - so-called salt - on the surface. This has caused the name of Salt River to be given to the stream, and Salt River Prairie to the park district on it several branches in the township mentioned.
Township 77, range 14 is surveyed, but 77-13 is not. The fact of its not being surveyed prevents settlement that would otherwise take place. The trail to Whitefish and Trout Lakes crosses these townships. The soil is black and deep and the grass luxuriant. The wooded growth is chiefly willow and poplar. There are many good opportunities for stock raising on a moderate scale. Enilda station is the railroad point and the trail passes through Grouard. The distance of the prairie from the railway is 18 to 25 miles by Trail. Two settlers from Saskatchewan have located at the crossing of Heart River by the Peace River Trail about 22 miles west of town. they have 500 head of cattle.

GROUARD TAKES EXCEPTION
Grouard Town takes exception to the claim that Grande Prairie is the most northerly Incorporated town in the province. Grand Prairie is in Township 71 and Grouard in Township 75. Grouard was incorporated a number of years ago, during the happy days of the boom – and has been suffering for it since. But the town has no bonded indebtedness, in which it is better off than most towns of that era. Business is improving and prospects are good. Every house in the town is occupied. The business enterprises include five general stores; Hudson's Bay company, Revillon Freres, V. Maurice & Co., J.O. Giroux and Mr. Morneau. H. Lacroix sells groceries and provisions. A drug store is kept by Dr. Gauthier. There are two fruit and candy stores. There is a branch of the Bank of Hochelages. Two hotels, kept by J.L. Lavasseur and George Morin; two restaurants, two barber shops, two auto garages, and two livery feed and sale stables. Several gas boats for fishing and pleasure purposes are being built by Lieut. Novion, a Belgian who served with the British army.

MUCH HAY SHIPPED SOUTH
The hay cut last summer in the great marshes southwest of Grouard has nearly all been shipped south. The haul from the hay marsh to the railway at Enilda is about 11 miles.
Seeding is well under way in the district, and there is no snow on the ground.
Ice is clear from the shores of the lake, but it is still in the centre of it. The main ice does not generally leave the lake until May.

FISHING AUGUST 1st
The fishing season commences on August 1st, but may be postponed until the 15th on account of the large stocks of fish in storage at the consuming market.

Last winter's fishing was disastrous for the men engaged. The Jones Fish Company and Mr Bentley shipped fish from Whitefish Lake, and the Western Canada Fish & Produce Company, and Morin & Giroux from Trout Lake.

Some seven or eight cars were shipped. The eastern fish market broke about the middle of the fishing season, making it impossible to realize on the output. The companies engaged practically lost all they put in.

The slump in price and failure of demand was particularly hard on the companies working from Trout Lake. These lakes are about 75 miles north-east of Whitefish, and Whitefish is about 50 miles from Enilda station. The total haul from Trout or Peerless Lakes was therefore about 125 mi. The freight charge was from 2 cents to three and a half cents a pound. Last winter was the first time an attempt was made to fish the Peerless Lakes commercially. Seventy-five miles of sleigh road had to be cut from Whitefish. The road cutting was in progress when the flu struck the gangs at work. A number of men died and the work was disorganized for a time. However, it was pushed on, and at last fishing and shipping began. The catch was good and the fish excellent, including large lake trout, whitefish and pickerel. Just as things got going nicely the bottom dropped out of the market and fish could not be sold in Chicago for what the companies had paid the fishermen at the lake. The operations of last winter were certainly a bad blow to the fishing industry of the north.

Many of the Grouard soldiers have returned. Most of them have applied for loans under the Soldiers’ Settlement Act.

22/11/2024

Here’s the latest of my bear grease weather station. It was clear on the top yesterday - perhaps snow?