Author Archives: Linda C Butler

About Linda C Butler

I write pioneer stories from the Herb Lake Ghost Town in Manitoba. Please do not re-blog this material or re-publish without my permission.

A Cup of Tea, Heavenly Comfort

Posted on September 14, 2019 by Linda C Butler

A Cup of Tea, Heavenly Comfort By Phena Catherine Taylor When you’re weary and you’re fagged, And life scarcely seems worthwhile, When you have become discouraged, You hardly dare to smile. When things are set against you, And you’re blue … Continue reading →

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Eaton’s Catalog

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Linda C Butler

The introduction of catalog shopping allowed isolated farmers to make purchases without travelling to town, but some prairie stores did not welcome the competition. Barry Broadfoot in “The Pioneer Years 1895-1914” tells of his father’s situation when the catalog was … Continue reading →

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NIGHT ON THE WATER

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Linda C Butler

NIGHT ON THE WATER By Linda C Butler Told by Doris Jacobson (Bryenton) My dad, Ralph Bryenton, operated a boat service on Wekusko Lake, Manitoba, ferrying passengers from the village of Herb Lake to Hale’s Landing, the stopping-off place on the … Continue reading →

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Herb Lake Foragers

Posted on July 21, 2019 by Linda C Butler

Herb Lake Foragers By Linda Butler Euell Gbbons (1911-1975) a writer who encouraged his readers to harvest wild edible plants, said that foraging is harvesting where you did not sow. My first experience with foragers was when I was a … Continue reading →

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The Legacy of Mary (Sam) Vance, Knitter

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Linda C Butler

The Legacy of Mary (Sam) Vance, Knitter by Linda C Butler Traditional skills, such as knitting, connect us to past generations.  I never knew my great grandmother Mary Vance, but she was an expert knitter and I feel that when … Continue reading →

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The Urban Hobo Jungle

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Linda C Butler

The Urban Hobo Jungle by Linda C Butler Hobo jungles were places for the homeless to gather in the 1930s and they sprang up around most major railway cities.  There was little employment and men rode on freight cars without … Continue reading →

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Victory Gardens

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Linda C Butler

The hoe in the backyard is mighty good backing for the flag on the front porch.1. Victory Gardens, War Gardens, or Food Gardens for Defence were popular in WW1 and WW2 as a way to combat the food shortages of … Continue reading →

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The Travelling Preacher

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Linda C Butler

The Travelling Preacher by Linda C Butler Told by Charlie Vance In the 1930s I lived at Thicket Portage, a small community on the Hudson Bay Railway in Northern Manitoba.  At the center of town, facing the railway tracks, was … Continue reading →

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Easter Greetings

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Linda C Butler

We wish all our readers a Joyful Easter. Enjoy these quotations: Easter is not a time for groping through dusty, musty tomes or tombs to disprove spontaneous generation or even to prove life eternal.  It is a day to fan the … Continue reading →

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Reminiscing with Seniors

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Linda C Butler

REMINISCING WITH SENIORS by Linda C Butler We had dinner tonight with my mom in the seniors’ complex and sat with the other ladies at her table. I asked what they remembered about the horse and buggy days.  Mom remembered … Continue reading →

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