As winter Approaches

The weather alerts have been issued in both the US/Canada, winter is on it way, to prepare for lots of snow, soon Santa will be on his way!

Letters to Santa Banned in the USA

Letters to Santa no more from the USA

I was shock an amazed when I read the headline in one of Canada's newspapers, that the USPS has canceled it letters to Santa program it began in 1954. in case one has not seen or heard of the movie miracle on 34th street, how letters to Santa proved that there was.

North pole Alaska even has its own special arrangements that towns folk help Santa and misses Claus answer the mail from children all over the world, now are out of work.

I too have helped Santa and Mrs Claus many a time and know them well that I am one of Mrs. Claus's assistants and stand-in. To hear and read the newspapers that the USPS which handles over 10 million letters a year would end this highly successful good will gesture after identifying a person from a photo of the multitude of helpers as a possible sex offender. Which how many postal workers been charged with criminal activity involving the mail, yet that does not stop the mail, bills, or junk mail from coming.

The USPS are shooting themselves in the foot, as well as creating bad will at a time as much hope is needed worldwide

Howling Hootinnany at Black Creek Pioneer Village

The kids have had a blast the last two weekends decorating their own pumpkins, trick or treating early seeing the Victorian Fire Eater, and one of the ways the men folk amused themselves after the harvest with the apple slingshot, or pumpkin bowling.
The squirrels and raccoons would race out of the bushes and scoop up all the apples that missed their target. The weather even cooperated and held off the rain until after closing.

The parents favorite was the fresh made bread, and pumpkins bread made today

Victorian Autumn

has been a very busy summer, and now its fall. most of the crops are in canning and drying done for winter, the trees are changing colors some of the most spectacular yellows, oranges and reds. The kids and hubby have enjoyed their home made apple slingshot, and once in a while I see them bowling with pumpkins from my kitchen window.

while taking time to smell the roses...

when one has to deal with the big city, some things are missed out on, today had a opportunity to see a baby beaver engage me in peek a boo, from a building at a history museum, when I was not having tourist snapping my picture or wanting a photo with a "Real Victorian Housewife"

The Kachina Maker

This is a 8x12 Watercolour of a Hopi Indian Painting a Kachina Doll.
Kachina's are representation of certain spirits to the Hopi People.
The Hopi Indians are typically found in Arizona.

This is currently available unframed for 400.00USD

Victorian Modern Day Story Teller

A Modern Victorian type Story Teller

Prairie Home Companion – Garrison Keeler


Tonight had the good fortune to watch a PBS American Masters from a station in the US that can Broad cast across the Border. Garrison Keeler was getting some of the recognition he deserves. He alone brought back a form of Old Time Radio live broadcast that faded out when television became available to the masses back from the grave in the 1970's during one of the most controversial times in Americas history.


One could easily compare him to a modern Mark Twain with his tales centered round a fictionary town in remote Minnesota called Lake Wobegon. The stories and events that take place in this small town are done in a manner that one can easily relate to. Most towns have had someone who was the great story teller, that in the evening when the sun would go down would gather near the hearth or by the wood stove and be amused and educated long before there was electricity radio, moving pictures or television and computers that are so common place today.


During the Victorian times we could encounter something similar at one of the many theatres in towns like Toronto, or Montreal. Those of us who did not live near such cites could gather at a neighbors on a visit and after the evening meal could be entertained with stories and tales from a elder. Some could spin a good yarn better than others. The good ones could pull your leg and have you believing their story. This was a big deal when one is young, and open to adventure from far a way places, that its easy for one's imagination to travel to these foreign lands, meet new and different people from different cultures and towns than your own.


I was fortunate to have had a mother who was our story teller learning from her uncle that on those cold winter nights or snow days would amuse us with many of the similar stories told by Garrision Keeler, and his prairie home companion show. One time on a visit back home from college found my mother glued to the radio listening to one of his show broadcasted from my college a few hundred of miles away, she was a regular fan never missing a show every Saturday evening, then telling me all about in the next morning at 5am when it was quiet at her place and I was just going to bed to catch two or three hours of sleep before classes, and work into 4am the next day.


I have had the fortune to see his show once and the movie, and before I got married was a avid listener depending on the part of the US I was if the Public Radio carried the show. With the internet today and streaming broadcast that can even be down loaded it is surprising that Garrision has not made this available especially to those of us living on the otherside of border which the Canadian Broasters do not subscribe to his show to share with Canadians, who could easily relate to the many characters of lake Wobegon.

For anyone wanting to know where to find Garrison Keeler and his Prairie Home Companion there web address is: prairiehome companion at public radio.org

Garrision if you read this or hear about this posting please share your prairie home with those of us who live in the Great White North. I am glad that you are receiving the respect that you and your staff have worked hard to earn. In the 21st century so many do not know about story telling, simple life, old time radio broadcasted live, or how to use their imagination as those of us who have experienced the theatre of the mind.


The Victorian Housewife
Tags: victorian, storytelling, prairiehome, garrisionkeeler

Happy Canada Day & 4th of July

Take away my Selfish Feminist ways that I come to accept, love and cherish having to wear a dress for the rest of my life, for today I will be proud to be a Female._

http://blog.360.yahoo.com Applying the Victorian lifestyle in modern times

Happy Pride ,Canada Day and July 4th

Like to wish my fellow Canadians a Happy Canada Day as they celebrate its countries Birthday and to our Neighbor across the Border a Happy 4th of July to you as well.

As most know Yahoo 360 is closing soon, to most of our regrets, am researching other blogs service to continue the posting, that are easily can be accessed to the public, in the next week will post the new location.

Thank your for all your patronage.

Its been a weird time weather wise a day or two sun followed by three of rain thunder, knock on wood have not got any colds from this, been hard on the arthritis.

Work has prevented much activity other than my weekend volunteering at historical museums which as a costumed Victorian Lady I pass on history of North America and its relevancy to Upper Canada and its people. I know with the amount of people taking my picture will only be time before I can be seen on google, along with my fellow Interperters.

I have also purchased some dresses from Recollections, in Hawk MI for when I am doing other public shows and painting in public. I just looked at the corsets they just introduced, and have bought very similiar looking products and found then only good for one wearing, or decoration was disappointed. A good quality one today has spiral steel boning and runs over 200.00 dollars. and lasts for many years and alot of physical activity as a good corset should.
Will be posting the new dresses soon after they arrive.

Still finishing up many paintings, have 5 watercolours done which have posted on Living History Art Studios at Yahoo 360.

Am still waiting to hear from the Dr's as to how permanent the leg injury is from all the domestic violence and assaults recieved in the US, takes a couple years to see specialists in Canada, hoping not much scar tissue, and as with my Back and Face can be repaired with little scarring. But I still live with daily Nightmares, which have been told might not ever go away.
Domestic Violence no matter what form it takes leaves some form of scarring, and so little help is provided to the victims, nor does jail or anger management courses for the violator totally solve the problem, nor any restituition in place for all the damages for the victim.

Last week a friend talked me into attending one of Canada's Biggests Parties next to Canada Day, which she and her friends would be around me to help me feel safe in a crowd knowing how bad my trauma was from then US and my spouse, the event turned out to be a Pride event held by the GLBT community, that most of the city as well as visitors from all over the world attend, I could not stay for their parade but read there was over 2 Million in attendence. I only saw two disturbances one from a drunk man who wanted to bring his own bottle into the street, which the police do not allow, and the other was 20 Right-Wing Chrisian protestors trying to stop the crowd of thousands from attending the event. One did not have to be a Homosexual to attend, but were a invited guest of the community invited to there street fair, which great efforts by that community was done to make the event safe for all ages and walks of society.
One does not need to agree with them or their lifestyle, they are just another part of the countries coultural divisitry that makes up the country.

From the Business stand point the one week event brought in 100 Million dollars to the community. Each Booth paid 10,000 dollars for there presence. I know americans are scoffing and demostrating their disapproval for this part of society, and historically have gone to great lengths to exterminate and remove them, but they are loosing out of mega dollars which during a recession could American Business is filled with the same stories of others soo a good opportunity to make money whether they agreed or not with the people involved.


The Firworks that normally take for Canada Day where I lived have been cancelled due to the Garbage Strike by City workers, which the city is using the parks as temporary dump sites, which I would not take my family too, and the weatherman is forcasting more rain and lightening tonight the fireworks would not be very visable. I will see some fellow individuals become citizens at the living history Museum I volunteer at.

Have a fun holiday and stay tuned for our new location coming soon