A Walk in the Breckenridge Woods with the Lovable Labs

When I visit my sister-in-law in Breckenridge,
one of my favorite things to do
is walk along the Burro Trail
in the snowy woods
with her two lovable labs:
Gracie and Rufus.

Along the Burro Trail

Breckenridge, Colorado, USA

On the times I go by myself,
it's a challenge to manage two labs 
with leashes wrapped around one of my hands
while shooting with the other.

Gracie (Blonde) and Rufus (Raven)

as we set out

Snowy Breckenridge on Thanksgiving Weekend

Gracie and Rufus are really good dogs ~

and Gracie waits patiently for me 

to remove Rufus's leash

at the inviting trailhead.

Trailhead

Rufus runs all over the place with pure abandonment!

Rufus

Gracie likes to know where I am,

and she will often come and wait

while I take photographs.

Gracie

Off to Explore

Which Way, Weesie?

You're Making Us Wait

for Another Photo?

Winter Wonderland

Say It Isn't So ~

Time to Go Already!

Black Rufus is so hard to capture!

Breckenridge Ski Slopes

Almost Home

We were soooo good!

How about a treat, Weesie?

You know I can't 

since I've been banned 

from giving you treats.  :(

All those soulful looks aren't going to help ~

Your mom has hidden those treats from me!

She knows how you two

have me twisted around your big paws!

  

We'll go on another walk soon,

my furry friends.

 

The Lansdowne Letters: Grounded

It’s Friday! 
Time for another trip back in time
via a letter my father wrote
during his time in Lansdowne House.

In a remote bush community
weather impacts everything.
It shapes your life.

Whiteout on Lake Attawapiskat

Painting by Don MacBeath,  Fall of 1960

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

If you lived in Lansdowne 
or other northern villages,
you knew there would be times
when you opened your home to travelers
at a moment’s notice.

If you were a pilot
forced down by weather,
you could count on northern hospitality
for you and your passengers
until it was to safe to fly again.

Historical Photo of Two Float Planes

Location Unknown

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

wikimedia

The food might be Spam and powdered potatoes,
and the bed a couch in the livingroom
or a sleeping bag on the floor,
but people generously offered what they had.

There was lots of tea and coffee,
late night conversation,
and warm companionship
while you waited out the weather.


On Thursday, September 29, 1960
my father wrote of such a night
with stranded travelers at Father Ouimet’s mission:

Hi There, Everyone:
Here we go on another edition of the “Lansdowne Letter.”  
I hope it isn’t as full of mistakes as last night’s was, 
and I hope that you are able to read what I wrote.
Please excuse all the postscripts.  
It is just that Uno was using the typewriter, 
and I kept thinking of so many things 
I wanted to say before I forgot them.

The mail may not get in and out tomorrow, 
because the weather is closed in badly tonight.  
There are two planes grounded tonight at Lansdowne; 
and, I should be able to get this edition out 
with the pilot whose name is “Chicago Bill” Kranach. 

Chicago Bill

Photo by Don MacBeath,  Fall of 1960

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

However, I may not get 
my mail till the end of the week 
or the first of next week. 

That will bother me, 
because I sure look forward 
to mail day.  

It seems that I just live 
from Friday to Friday. 

Mail sure means a lot 
in an isolated post like this.











Father Ouimet was laughing at my worrying 
about the mail being one or two days late.

  Dog Team Near Hudson Bay

Little Churchill River, Manitoba, 1908

Wikimedia

He was telling me that when he went to the bush 
the first time in 1940, 
he was at a mission on Hudson’s Bay 
and received his mail twice a year; 
once in February by dog team 
and once in the summer, about August, by steamer.  

Father Maurice Ouimet

Photo by Don MacBeath,  Fall of 1960

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

The first year his mail 
missed the dog team run, 
and he had to wait till August 
for his Christmas mail, 
including a Christmas cake 
that his mother sent him.  

The cake was in 
fine shape though, 
because she had used 
lots of fruit and wine 
when she was making the cake.










I took some pictures tonight over at the Father’s, 
showing the Father, the Brother, Uno, “Chicago Bill” 
and a Mr. Baker from Geraldton, Ontario. 

Mr. Baker

Photo by Don MacBeath,  Fall of 1960

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

This Mr. Baker
is an old time prospector 
who finally struck it rich. 

He and a partner staked 
a claim on some property 
that had been declared
worthless by geologists.
It turned out to have fantastically rich deposits of nickel and copper.  

So far, he and his partner 
have realized about $2,500,000.00 each, 
and the mine isn’t fully developed yet.  








He was telling me about it tonight.  
It was only in 1952 that he made his strike.  
Now he spends the summer running a large farm, 
(thereby fulfilling a lifelong ambition) 
and the winters travelling.  
Last winter he was in Australia, 
and the one before, he spent in New Zealand.

Brownie Hawkeye ~ Dad's Camera
wikimedia

I will be sending you 
the pictures as soon as 
they are developed.  

If you want any more pictures, 
you will have to send me 
some more flashbulbs. 

They are almost essential 
to picture taking up here in the wintertime.

Superflash
Google 

The kind to get me is 
SYLVANIA Superflash Blue Dot M-2 Flashbulbs.  
They come in boxes of twelve and cost about $1.50 a box.







Well, I have to wind this up and get to bed.  
It is quite late.
  
I spent a few hours playing cribbage 
with the Father and Mr. Baker.  
The Father skunked me, 
but I managed to beat Mr. Baker two out of three, 
though it was touch and go during the last game.

 Brother Bernier Skunks Uno at Cribbage

Photo by Don MacBeath,  Fall of 1960

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

Dad with Brother Bernier and Mr. Baker

Cribbage Wars

Photo by Don MacBeath,  Fall of 1960

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

All Rights Reserved

This concludes this week’s edition of the “Lansdowne Letter.”  
Will start the next letter tomorrow.

Bye now,
Love,
Don

P. S.  It was 15º above zero last night.  (15º F. = -9.4 Cº)

Lansdowne House 

West of James Bay

Ontario, Canada

The Attawapiskat River is traced in dark blue.

Lansdowne House is highlighted in yellow, just above the yellow sticky  note.

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue.

IWSG: That Time of Year

It's the first Wednesday in December,
and that means it's time to post for the
Insecure Writer's Support Group.

The last IWSG post of 2014 ~
Can you believe it?




Thanks to founder Alex J. Cavanaugh
and our awesome co-hosts for the month:  
Heather Gardener, T. Drecker (Kidbits), 
Eva E. Solar (Lilicasplace),
and Patsy Collins.


That time of year thou mayst in me behold! 
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.¹

Cottonwood Along Piney Creek

No, I'm not expiring!
But Shakespeare's words
have been running through my mind.

It's been cold here in Colorado
on our bare high plains
and I'm feeling as ragged 
as a December cottonwood.

It's from cooking, cleaning, baking, 
traveling, celebrating,
and looking after my sick hubby ~
who has now recovered
and left me with his pesky cold!

Icicles Hanging from the Roof
Breckenridge, Colorado 

It's that time of year 
when writing slows down for me ~
Okay, let's be honest.
Except for my blog,
it's come to a complete stop 
in the past week or so.

My Power of Ten has been working miracles,
as I tackle my holiday tasks;
but writing, not so much.

I'm refusing to get discouraged!
I know that in a few weeks,
the days will lengthen, 
the year will turn,
and I'll be back 
to writing on a schedule.

When I lived in Newfoundland
we celebrated Christmas for twelve days.
It was a time-out from everyday life
when we ate, drank, sang, danced,
and told stories and jokes.
We went from house to house
dressed as mummers 
trying to trick our friends and neighbors
to get a free drink or two.

Winter Days

Westport, White Bay, 1974

Then, after Old Christmas, 
it was back to the real world
and getting down to business.
We need more time-outs in our hectic world.

Time-outs that refresh
and allow us to tackle our goals
with renewed enthusiasm.

I'll squeeze writing in when I can,
but I'm going to enjoy 
this special time of year
with my family and friends.


Terry with Rufus
along the Burro Trail

Terry with Rufus and Gracie with Me

Breckenridge, Colorado

I'm wishing each of you
a happy time with your loved ones,
however you celebrate the holidays.

I'd love to hear how you tackle writing
and the busy holiday season.

1.  Shakespeare's Sonnet 73

Scavenger Hunt, November 2014: Las Vegas

One of the highlights of November for me

was returning to Las Vegas for a long weekend 

and having a wonderful time with great friends.

November's List

1.  N is for Night

The High Roller Wheel
from the Eiffel Tower

The Bellagio Fountains
from the Eiffel Tower

The Strip from the Eiffel Tower

 Night or Day, Vegas Plays



2.  12 p.m.

Liftoff, Leaving Las Vegas 12:00 p.m.

Till Next Time

3.  People

McCarran International Airport
Las Vegas

Two special people:

Jon and Terry.

Jon's Padres played 
better than Terry's Rockies, 
so Terry made good 
on his losing bet, 
by wearing a Padres jersey
for a week.

But he kept his Rockies

close to his heart.

Crowds of People on Frenetic Fremont Street

Downtown Las Vegas

4.   Look Back

1957 Ford Thunderbird

Sigh!  How I would love to have this car!
Only $65,000!
What fun it is to look back at classic cars!

5.  Joy Is . . .

  Dave, Jon,Terry, Louise, and Julie
with $1,000,000
at Binion's, Fremont Street, Las Vegas

Joy is spending time with great friends!



6.   Out and About

Out and About in Las Vegas
Paris Las Vegas

Bellagio Fountains, Las Vegas

7.  Paper

A  Papier-mâché Ent in the Bellagio Conservatory 

Jasmine Amigud modeled the ent
after J.R.R. Tolkien's ents in The Lord of the Rings.  
The ent is 10 feet tall and is
made of papier-mâché and organic materials.

8.  Window

 Looking Out the Conservatory Windows
at the Bellagio's Windows

9.  Hair

A Floral Horse in the Bellagio Conservatory

 

The horse hair is made of hydrangeas, yarrow, and dune grass.

10.  Funny

Container Park Praying Mantis 

Downtown Fremont Street

This fire-spouting praying mantis is really funny.
It made me think of monsters in B Movies.

11.  Something You Found

Mural, SLS Las Vegas

Chihuly White Sky Blue Persian Set
Chihuly Shop, Bellagio 

12.  Whatever You Please

Carl “Safe Sax” Ferris
Fremont Street

Whenever I am on Fremont Street at night
I listen for Carl Ferris
playing one of his saxophones.
He always gets people moving.

Dance with an Angel ~ Rod Smith

December's List:

Where you stood, Down low, A view from here, A favorite thing,
Front door, Sweet, Christmas, Decoration, Tree, Tradition,
Black & white, Whatever you want

Thanks to Jill (Greenthumb) 

and her Made with Love blog 

for setting up the scavenger hunt.