Pride of History + Act Three + Not A Bad Thing
Good Morning from Warren Grove, Prince Edward Island
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your mornings.
I will start with a CBC story about Prince Edward Island Province House.
"Real craftsmanship, regardless of the skill involved, reflects real caring, and real caring reflects our attitude about ourselves, about our fellowmen, and about life." ~ Spencer W. Kimball
Listening to the masons speak of their feelings about being a part of history and someday bringing their grandchildren to view their work moved me to pull on a thread regarding Province House.
"He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist" ~ Francis of Assisi.
Many readers of this blog have visited Prince Edward Island and may or may not have had a chance to see it. The 100-million-dollar restoration began in 2015 and will not be complete until 2025.
Below is from the National Parks website.
Completed in 1847, Province House was built in neo-classical style by local architect Isaac Smith to accommodate the provincial legislature and administrative offices. It also housed the Island’s Supreme Court until 1872.
The first session of the Prince Edward Island Legislature, held in the new Colonial Building in January 1847, marked the official opening of the structure. The small Island community had designed, built and furnished a major public building comparable to those in other British colonies in North America. The Colonial Building represented the epitome of Island craftsmanship during the mid-19th century, a time of unprecedented prosperity and optimism.
Today, Province House retains its central role in Island public life, with the Assembly holding sessions here until the building is closed for conservation work in 2015.
In September 1864, Province House was the scene of the first conference on the colonial union. Delegates from the colonies of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada met in the legislative council chamber to begin discussions, which led to confederation in 1867.
If you are interested in history, read this two-minute story, The Charlottetown Conference.
"A generation which ignores history has no past — and no future."
~ Robert A. Heinlein
This morning I have been listening to the musical talents of Sophie Hutchings through her newest album, Echoes of the Valley.
It’s almost like you’re diving into the lungs of the piano.
Recorded in a rustic timber studio nestled in the crook of a dramatic valley in the Byron Hinterland: mountains and farmland to the west, rainforests and the ocean in the distant east. She’d go to bed with the window open, hummed into slumber by crickets and cicadas, then wake a few hours later to the cacophony of morning birdsong.
In the recording, you can hear every click and creak of her instrument as she plays in concert with her surroundings.
Echoes In The Valley is an exercise in simplicity and inspired by it. “I’m always hearing melodies in my head, so it’s very tempting to add layers,” says Hutchings. “I was so tempted to put another instrument on it but had to tell myself, ‘No.” As a result, the only audible accompaniment to the piano in these songs is the stroke of keys, push of the pedal, and the outdoors permeating in.
Today is the last day for my blogging for Prince Edward Island Company, and it has been a real treat and educational experience for me.
When I started the blog in 2014, I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea how to write a sentence (still learning), knew nothing about grammar, and almost nothing about technology.
On the grammar front and using commas, semi-colons and colons, I have to thank Betty (96 years young) and Althea (80 years young) for their friendly scolding, LOL, and suggestions. Their comments inspired me to get better at expressing myself through writing. Love you both.
To the hundreds of comments readers have made over the years, a big thank you goes out to you. I could hug you all. You were so kind to take the time and effort to write your thoughts, ending up as words of encouragement, so I owe you my future.
A big thank you to the folks who supported our family through the purchases made. I wanted to do something different when my interest in bottling food began in 1979. I wanted to create a bottle of preserves with the least amount of sugar possible and as much authentic fruit flavour as possible, and through trial and error, I think we did it.
To all the staff over the years who taught us and helped live our desire to create a property that would create memories for those visiting and act ourselves through our motto, Everything in Good Taste.
To Adam and Marsha, we thank you for continuing our hard work and dreams; we wish you great success, and we hope that many more generations of people will enjoy your efforts.
As to our future, time will tell what Shirley and I will do in Act Three, but in the meantime, I will try and learn the writing craft and share it through my new blog, A Bunch of Good Things. If you have signed up, thank you. And based on all your comments, the format will be changing and it will be sent on Saturday mornings, starting next week. If you have not signed up, you can do so here.
I do not want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well. - Diane Ackerman
But before I go, how one last wiggle and giggle. LET’S DANCE and offer up prayers for peace around the world.
Have a great weekend and a lovely fall season.
With love and hugs from Prince Edward Island.
Bruce + Millie
ps. Your Morning Smile
A guy goes in for a job interview with the employer.
The boss asks him, “What do you think is your worst quality?”
The man says, “I’m probably too honest.”
The boss says, “That’s not a bad thing; I think being honest is a good quality.”
The man replies, “I don’t care what you think!”
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