Canadian, eh?

Well ... I looked at a bunch more Trillium/Boler (molded fibre glass) trailers ... then emailed Norm a bunch more. I made him an offer on the trailer/tomato that would leave me with the cash to fix 'er up right ... and he took it. VERY cool.

Hey ... here is Norm's website ... axis gear.ca . He can do farm tee-shirts and caps. I am hoping to get him to do some for Willow Garden before the Thanksgiving show. He also seems like a pretty OK guy ... about to have a son born this weekend ... :-). Seems like a very nice man. Ask for a quote. What have yah got to lose!

Kate, the mother of my yet to be born second grand child came with me. She is pictured above when we stopped at a service centre for lunch ... and when we discovered that the door didn't latch right and had been flapping all during our drive. And I thought all those folks were just as excited about the new Boler as I was as they waved, pointed and gestured (politely!) at me ... hehehe. We had a fun day ... and as is always the case ... we turned something that might have been boring and simple ... into an adventure.

Notice Kate's tummy. Not QUITE as big as mine yet ... but growing ... :_)))We had some fun once we got my new toy home. Here is Kate peering through the 'bug strips' that hang on the door.And here she is ... with the sun sinking ... and my neighbour's flag in the background. The Boler was a Canadian invention ... and was made here, in Barrie, Ontario, Canada ... until 1990 ... when the factory closed.

I thought the trailer ... and the flag ... and my gate to the yard ... just looked right ... and very Canadian, eh?

My New Tomato ... ;-)

Well ... it isn't quite the tomato that I was hoping to be telling you all about. It is a beauty though. My sister grew it from a seedling that she bought from a Menonite vendor at her local Farmers' Market. There WERE several just like it ... but just one now ... hehehe

The other 'tomato' ... the Boler trailer ... just wasn't worth the dollars ... to me any way. It was musty, and my son, who would use it as a spare room when he came to visit could NEVER sleep in it. I'd have to power wash and steam clean the interior and replace ALL of the cushions ... and even then there would be no guarantee that he could sleep in it. And at the price, that would have made for too many additional expenses.

So ... I came home and deposited the bank draft back into my own account. I'll keep looking for something that will work. There is no rush.

I really hope the folks who own this trailer sell it. They seem like such nice people and ... they are expecting a baby boy sometime this week ... :-)

One year ago ... :-(

This post is cut and pasted from August 27th, 2006. One year doesn't seem to have diminished the feeling of loss much. Hopefully ... each year will get easier for all of Bill's friends and family ... but especially for his friend Stephen.

Bill Eatmon

Yesterday, my friend Bill Eatmon passed away. He was surrounded by the love of his family, and passed on peacefully.

Bill was friend and partner at Sheltering Pines to my dear friend Stephen Rouse.

The loss of Bill will leave a gaping hole in many lives. He was much loved and will be sadly missed.

My Version of 'The Kennedy Compound'

Well ... the Kennedys have a compound ... and I decided that the Stearmans needed one as well. So ... I started a real estate search to see what I could afford. These pictures are it ... the soon to be 'Stearman Compound' ... the one that I can AFFORD! ... ;-)
So far, everything looks geat. It is a Boler trailer ... and they have become 'collectable' ... at least that is what everyone who has one for sale told me. It is also just 13' long and weighs barely 900 pounds when fully loaded.
Apparently, it sleeps four ... but I'm thinking maybe a couple with a baby would have to be the max! And everyone would have to REALLY like each other ... hehehe
Inside this closet ... there can even be a 'porta-potti' ... and a real private one at that ... hehehe
It has an almost new three way fridge ... and the stove burners work well. It carries about 60 litres of water for the sink.
I am thinking it might get painted a different colour. Right now, it just looks too much like a tomato. My daughter suggested aubergine ... so it would look like an egg plant. Mind you ... the more I look at it ... the more I am liking the red. Any suggestions?
I am being ever so slightly premature though as I still need to look at it for real. BUT ... from what I have seen ... the price is right ... and it is in better shape than most that I have looked at.

Soooo ... on Monday ... I am off to look at it ... and hopefully bring it home.

Hmmmm ... I wonder how many sheep could fit in this trailer ... hehehe

The Gang's All Here!

On Friday, August 3rd, I brought the last of my Hexham (Bluefaced) Leicesters home to Willow Garden. Again, they are from Brenda Lelli, at Beechtree Farms. I believe that I now have genetics from all of the imported sires except for one ... and I am working on him ... ;-). I also left two natural coloured rams from Brenda at Paris, Ontario ... to be shipped to Alberta.

Above and below we have Hetherington (in front below), Platinum (behind below), and Kale.
This is Platinum in front ... and Hetherington behind.
They are considerably bigger than my Shetlands, but seem very easy to handle. I compare the personalities/character/traits of my Shetlands and my Hexhams ... as being like my Border Collie and my Newfoundland Dog ... with the Shetlands having the energy of the BC ... and the Hexhams being the gentle calm giants like my Newfie.
I LOVE this shot of Brae and MacLaine ... from behind! Sure makes me think of the age old expression that I have heard all of my life ... "Nice *ss!" ... hehehe

One Hot and Sunny Afternoon

Well ... it is a hot one out there ... but absolutely beautiful! I couldn't resist taking some pictures of my Hexham (Bluefaced) Leicesters. They looked so cool (literally) under the cedars by the rail fence.
Hazel has such an elegant look about her ... even if she does try to be coy with the camera, at times ... :-)
MacLaine is always willing to explore and try new things.
MacLaine and Calder would make such great students in a classroom. They are such good listeners ... hehehe
The shy ones in the flock ... Kale and Brae ... will get photographed next time I am out there with my camera ... ;-)