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Personal Experience
Snowmen Galore!
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She never imagined that what started innocently as making Christmas gifts for the children, would turn out to be a collection of snowmen too numerous to count!
When Bernice Ficke moved back to Westbank, B.C. from Princeton, B.C. in 1974 she and her sisters decided to make Christmas gifts for each other. The snowmen were made for the children as crafts. Most of the snowmen in her collection came from her next oldest sister Kay, although her younger sister Josephine and youngest sister Gwen also got in the spirit and created crafts that included snowmen.
Once Bernice’s three daughters, Heather, Karen and Sharon were old enough to hold a paintbrush, they painted the dough snowmen that hung as Christmas tree ornaments. For a couple of years while they were still in elementary school, the children would make all the tree ornaments.
Cup Holders
Philosophically speaking, the transition from glove compartment trays to cup Holders is an example of how our culture has changed over the last 50 or more years. The use of Cup holders reflect how we consume beverages in our cars or trucks today, as opposed to the way we consumed food in our vehicles during the '50s and '60s in particular.
Whack, Zip, Zap! What did I cut now?
Whack, zip, zap! The ride-on lawnmower sliced through the high weeds that bordered our property and the neighbours, with the ease of a cold knife through hot butter. I was in mindless bliss, when out of the corner of my eye, I notice my wife standing in the path of destruction. She waves her arms frantically in the air, trying to get my attention, attempting to scream loud enough for me to hear her above the cacophony of engine noises, and the whirring blades of the lawnmower. Should I, I’m thinking, stop and find out what all the fuss is about, or should I continue, and pretend not to have noticed her frantic pleas for me to stop cutting. What could be wrong?
Cogs, Balance Springs and Pistons
Did you know that there are several “Swiss watch connections” with regards to automobiles? Discounting, of course, the watches most automobile dealers have, resplendent with their corporate logos emblazoned on their faces. These timepieces which are usually displayed in automotive showrooms or service centers, are sold along with the stainless steel coffee mugs, jackets, pocket- knives, golf paraphernalia, etc.
No, what I’m referring to is the finely crafted Swiss watches, meticulously created with the utmost care and attention to each minute detail. And just like their automotive counterparts, the result is a symphony of design, art, function and precision.
Finding a good wristwatch...
As a seventeen-year old teenager the last thing I wanted to do on a hot July day, was work. Especially when this dreaded labor involved breathing in copious amounts of dust, sweating profusely while exerting exhaustive brute force while throwing fifty pound hay bales around. Summers in the Okanagan valley (located in south central British Columbia, Canada) were supposed to be spent relaxing at the beach, swimming, water-skiing or just goofing around. That is what most of my friends were doing, and I was envious!
Unfortunately, I could only dream of that lifestyle. Our family owned a cattle ranch and hay was a necessity when it came to feeding the animals in the winter, and selling the excess to other farmers or neighbours who kept a horse or two. Nevertheless, as much as I despised this task, I had no choice. I was obligated to help with harvesting the crop.
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How to buy an article
Editors or Publishers wishing to purchase an article please e-mail a freelance writing agreement or contract to gficke@okanagan.net or mail to:
Gordon H. Ficke
3455 Gates Road,
Westbank, B.C.
V4T 1A2 Canada