Barbara Burkard – Page 42 – Organizing Threads

June 10, 2014June 15, 2014

Recycling for a cause

Every morning (except when the temperature is lower than -12C) I walk my little dog, Billie. We typically walk 2-3 kilometers around our neighbourhood.

For a couple of years now I have been picking up aluminum cans and alcohol bottles while out walking. This behavior started because a friend of mine collects recyclable materials, sells them every fall and uses the proceeds to fund a Thanksgiving turkey roast for family and friends. Disgusted by the amount of trash I see as I walk, inspired by Tracy’s generousity, I decided to pick up the returnables and give them to her.

This morning, as I walked, I saw and empty plastic bag, appropriately, a Beer Store bag. I picked it up. Not fifty feet down the street I saw a beer can, then, within the next fifty feet, three more beer cans and a pop can. *sigh* I wish people wouldn’t do this. I wish there were no cans or bottles for me to pick up. Above are the cans (several bottles under the cans) I’ve picked up over the last couple weeks. The Beer Store wants the beer cans un-crushed. The pop cans I step on to conserve space. The tabs I remove — Tracy gives those to an organization that uses them to fund wheelchairs.

Here’s a picture from Tracy’s 2004 Turkey Roast: Tracy is on the left. She is now raising the turkeys herself to about 40lb each and roasts four birds for this event.

June 4, 2014June 4, 2014

Wordless Wednesday

May 21, 2014

Wordless Wednesday: Morning Songs

May 13, 2014May 13, 2014

Pass it on

I remember the year that my mother made clothes for my dolls as a Christmas present. We didn’t get a lot for Christmas; as small children we each got something, but even that stopped by the time we reached our teens.

But one Christmas, when I was four or five I knew my Mom, after we kids were in bed, was still up sewing. I don’t know if I knew it then, though I did later, my Mom did not like to sew, she sewed because she had to! So Christmas morning I awoke to a wardrobe for my doll — I don’t remember how many pieces, but I know along with the usual dresses there was a little coat — that impressed me!

As I have four older brothers and two younger I felt obliged to keep up with the boys and didn’t spend a lot of time playing with dolls, though Mom tried hard to encourage me. My brothers also had a doll each, but they were more inclined to other kinds of play; though they would sometimes play “house” with me.

Barb with dolls and dog — Barb and friends

I enjoyed sewing much more than my Mom ever did. When my kids were little “Cabbage Patch Kids” were all the rage. I started making soft sculpture dolls for sale. For her 5th birthday I made Trina a large doll she named “Randy.” Not only does she still have that doll, but Mina loves to play with it.

Trina's 5th birthday -- with Randy, her new doll. — Trina’s 5th birthday — with Randy, her new doll.

Trina loved sewing even more than I. She not only sews, but designs and drafts patterns to sell as well. Although she made a doll for her new daughter, she also worked with Mina to make her own doll (after reading the book “Fanny”) when she was only four years old.

So where will Mina take this tradition?

May 11, 2014

Memories of my Mother

We moved to a farm in North Easthope when I was in Grade 2. Papa drove us the 2 miles to school in the morning, but we walked home in the afternoon. All the farm kids walked, so we started off in a big group that lost members as we went along. By the time we got to the crossroads only the Gingerich kids were left — my brothers and me. They weren’t interested in waiting for a dawdling sister so by the time I turned the corner they were already out of sight.

The farm buildings on the corner were close to the road. There was often a large, loud German Shepherd tied to the corner of the barn that barked ferociously at passers-by. I was very afraid of that dog. I was afraid to even walk past it, though it could not come out onto the road. Feeling frightened I crossed the ditch, climbed the fence to put a barrier between me and that animal. But as I landed on the other side of the fence I startled a snake! It slithered off, but now I was crying in earnest, unable to move. I had no idea how to get home for there were terrors everywhere!

And then I saw my Mother walking down the road. She told me much later that she’d been ironing that day when she had the feeling she should walk down the road to meet her children. When the boys came on without me she just kept going. We are both so grateful for that prodding of the Spirit.