Oh Canada!

We are back and we had a very nice time in Canada.  The trip up was somewhat eventful.  We started by going up through north Idaho.  When we got to the border we were all ready with our passports and driver's licenses and Winston's birth certificate.  The Mountie there then proceeded to grill me on why Thomas Moore wasn't present.  I told him that Tom was at home because he had to work.  The Mountie told me that in order to take a child out of the country I was supposed to have a note giving me permission from the other parent.  I told him that I didn't know that.  I thought 'Great, we've come this far - now we'll have to go back.'  He was nice enough to let it slide, but said "Next time bring a note".  "Okay!"  And off we went into Canada.

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Later, Mom took over driving to give Grandpa a break.  We were all admiring the massive windmills along the highway,  and Mom got pulled over by another Mountie for going 100 km in a 70 km.  (oops!)  Then Grandpa didn't have the current registration, and couldn't find his current insurance card right away.  It was quite comical.  That Mountie was nice, though, and let us go with a warning.  So we drove the speed limit as all the other 'BC' and 'ALBERTA' drivers ZOOMED past us.  We got into Carmen's house that evening.

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Carmen is my Grandma Larson's Cousin, Barbara's Son.  He inherited a farm from an uncle and he holds the Nowlin reunion there every couple of years.  The Nowlin family is our family's Irish roots.  Grandma Larson's Mom was Katie Jane Nowlin (Most of you family members probably know this).  So Mom invited me to go along with them this year to the Nowlin reunion, and to see Carmen's place.  Carmen has an old farmhouse, much like ours, and an old barn.  His house is bigger than ours, and his farm is larger.  I've been hearing about his place for years, and it was very neat to have the opportunity to go see it.

Carmen's House

The inside of his house has all the original woodwork molding, and some of the original mullioned windows.  It's really quite a beautiful home.  It has five bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs.  He was gracious enough to let us stay in one of the rooms.  It has the bay windows on both sides of the house, a front porch and a back enclosed porch.  It was built in the early 1900's.  The original cabin that the early family lived in before the house was built is still standing on the farm, too. 

Just a peek inside - Carmen's Living Room/Parlor

On the second day we were there Grandpa Larson and Carmen's Sister, Emma, and his Cousin, Ellen, took us out to the 'Bone Yard'.  It's where they put all the old machinery and equipment and scrap metal - or old junk. 

Mom, Grandpa, Winston, Ellen & Emma heading for the 'Bone Yard'

We found all kinds of interesting things out there.  Old trucks, wooden water wagons, old cookstoves, a clawfoot bath tub, an old windmill, old plows, etc... It was really neat - like an old treasure hunt!

Grandpa Larson at the Bone Yard

After we were done there, we walked down to the fossil beds where Emma helped Winston find old fossils of sea shells.  We were told that there were also arrow heads found there sometimes, and buffalo skulls, because it used to be a buffalo jump where the Indians ran the buffalo off the cliff in the old days. 

Winston holding up a fossil find

 We didn't find any buffalo remains or arrow heads, but we did find shell fossils and some neat rocks.  And Winston found some deer antlers!

Winston, pretending to be a dog in the canola field behind Carmen's Farm

Later that day Carmen took us to see the Hutterite Colony.  Carmen teaches school there and the Hutterites help him with various things he needs help with around his farm.  They invited us to come and see where and how they live.  It was very interesting.  They are very similar to the Amish.  We couldn't take any pictures, so I don't have any to post.  They don't believe in having their pictures taken - they consider it to be like a graven image.  They live in a very communal setting.  Every family has their own 'apartment' space, but they all eat together in a large building.  Children in one room, adults in another.  Women on one side, men on the other.  They grow their own food - produce their own milk, eggs, meat, etc.  Everything was spotlessly clean.  Their homes were very sparse - no pictures or decorations, just wooden seats and tables, no kitchens in their homes.  It was very different.  One of the funny things was that I had Winston with me, and it must have been different to bring a child from the 'outside world' into the colony because the Hutterite children seemed very curious about him.  They were following us around and watching him, alot.  He kept looking around at them, too, because they were dressed in long sleeves and pants, with hats on their heads (scarves & bonnets for the girls).  Winston also kept telling the lady who was giving us the tour that they needed to build a hospital.  I don't know what she thought of our little Winston the engineer/builder/architect/genius.  One of our highlights was that we were there on the day they baked their bread, so we got to sample some fresh baked rolls - YUM!  It was really good.  And the oven room was still warm.  They have a HUGE Oven!  It was really neat to see how they provide and sustain for their community.

Carmen's Little Red Caboose Gazebo

Later that evening many of the Nowlin relatives started showing up.  Winston was not shy in the slightest and showed off his vivid imagination by telling them all kinds of stories and going right up to check out all of the motor homes and camp trailers.  They will be talking about Winston at many of the Nowlin reunions for years to come.

Winston in front of Carmen's Barn

We left Sunday Morning to head home, going down through Glacier National Park.  We didn't have any trouble getting back into the USA.  Didn't need any permission to bring the child home.  The Officer barely even glanced at the birth certificate.  I'll post some pictures from Glacier Park later.