Author Archives: admin
Grasshoppers & Drought Part 2
1900, Chapter 26. A Prince For Elise Continued from Part 1 Pages 397-98. Late one evening a distraught Harry came in to talk to his mother, “I’m disgusted. We didn’t do enough last summer to get rid of the grasshoppers. … Continue reading
Grasshoppers & Drought Part 1
Drought and Grasshoppers 1898 – 1903 Excerpts from For Elise The summer of 2021 with its drought and grasshoppers could be lifted right out of history. My great-grandmother Elise and family were brought to Canada by Englishman, Percy Criddle, her … Continue reading
Life During Isolation
Hi All: All concerts, programs, and socializing came to a halt and that realization forced me to be realistic. I set the goal to accomplish more of my life stories. Sadly I neglected this blog, ‘vanecriddle.ca’, and my Facebook Page, … Continue reading
Pioneer Cemetery Reflections
Friday morning August 1, 2020: I visited Millford Pioneer Cemetery where many of my ancestors are buried. The air was fresh following a brief thunderstorm and the grass sparkled in the early morning sunshine. This peaceful place is where I … Continue reading
May 1, A Day to Celebrate
May 1, a Day to Celebrate. Our daughter Anna was in a coma in intensive care in Ajax hospital since January 1st due to meningitis. We flew there the end of January when she showed only faint signs of consciousness. … Continue reading
When Sickness Strikes
Our 2019 Christmas, and 2020 New Year celebrations were just about the best ever. Then as we coasted through January we received a phone call from Ontario. Our daughter was, and had been in an induced coma since New Year’s … Continue reading
New Adventure at the Gwen Fox Gallery
Bernice Phillips invited me to read at the opening of her and her colleagues’ art showing at the Gwen Fox Gallery in Selkirk. The event was exceptional; elegant space, beautiful art, and interested and interesting people. I was surprised by … Continue reading
Lowly Servant makes the Free Press front page
The ‘Lilac and Lace Luncheon’ celebrating the first Nellie McLung Day. The group from Manitou created a beautiful event to raise funds to support Nellie McClung’s homes and keep her legacy alive. Our Living History Society was invited to welcome … Continue reading
Found: baby Mabel’s resting place
A Sad Mystery Solved Elise’s precious baby conceived in Heidelberg, was born March 1867 but died at 8 months in London. Where did the grieving mother take her little one’s body to be buried? I searched many records while I … Continue reading
Weather now and on the Criddle Homestead
We in Manitoba are living through bitter winter weather. One minus 35 below zero day was compared to a record cold in 1899. I quote from that winter on page 380 in my book ‘For Elise’. “As Mr. Criddle made … Continue reading