Monday 24 July 2017

Travel close to home


This year we are not venturing far from home during the summer.  That means adventures closer so we are exploring a bit of Manitoba.  DH figures google is not a friend as once again it was asked what are the top ten things to do in Manitoba. Some suggestions are not very feasible for us, others not of great interest and others of great interest.  Today we headed out on the first of many adventures (I hope)!  The alarm sounded at 6:10 am, breakfast, lots of coffee and a stop at the gas station at 8am and we thought we were off.  While DH was in the gas bar paying I was googling driving directions and made a discovery...we were going to have to go across the border and since we were not prepared to do that we headed back home and reconsidered the day.

Walking back in the door after about 15 minutes we were greeted by enthusiastic dogs and a second look at the dreaded list!  The decision was made we would go to the Mennonite Heritage Museum in Steinbach a mere hour away.  The site was fabulous, it was like taking a step back in time as we wandered through the site, enjoyed the sunshine and local delicacies.

Our tour today took us through a pictorial history first and then we got to go out and wander the replicated village.  There were Semlin homes that provided temporary refuge for the families when they first arrived in Canada.  It was very "Little House on the Prairie" in appearance and the living space was very small.






We enjoyed a tour of the village church


As you entered the  old general store there was a price list of all the items that the local general store carried


And the shelves were still well stocked


The Blatz Carriage was an expensive item costing approximately $500.  It was not easily afforded


The printer place where local newspapers were published


The Blacksmith shop was well kitted out and owned (with approval) by  a non-Mennonite person who was given permission to operate it in the community



A re-purposed wheelbarrow, look closely and you can see the wheel under the beautiful array of flowers

Local Artisans had lovely wares for sale at the General Store, I only bought the freshly ground flour that was made right on site at the mill which was much further along and after we had stopped to enjoy a traditional lunch at the eatery.


Our meandering finally took us to the mill where fresh ground flour was being bagged

 Inside the mill the grinder was just finished for the day


Where the ground flour is stored until bagged



The view looking out over the prairies from the second deck of the mill


Looking up at the paddles of the mill


Then on for a look at the old antique cars





 Looking out from the storage for transportation this was the view of the mill, quite impressive!


This old buggy reminded us of the buggy in Murdock Mysteries

Lunch, I had dug in before remembering that I should take a picture!  Perogies filled with cheese, farmer sausage, coleslaw, homemade bread and veggie soup finished with a rhubarb dessert.  This is apparently a traditional lunch!


After eating our fill we meandered along the walk way and enjoyed this picturesque mural that stood in front of a refurbished locomotive



We meandered along to the public school (which was one room) the writing on the chalk board was not an unfamiliar sight as examples of how to form letters were are the top



Just look at the writing...I felt like it was grade three all over again!


 And I loved this poem!!



The Vegetable Garden


The Summer Kitchen


Another Mill, much smaller than the one at the end of the village


The Outdoor oven

 The bed in the "master" bedroom


The Pantry

The Kitchen

One of the many views


Thatched Roof was quite impressive


Shutters on the Mennonite Church


The church inside


This rooster was strutting his stuff!


Wagons were scattered around the grounds


The Private school offered teacher accommodations, below is the kitchen which is really a multi-purpose room for laundry and ironing etc.  This was attached directly to the school with a corridor separating the class room from the accommodations


The bedroom/Office of the teacher accommodations


The Class room, again one room boy and girls were separated  on opposite sides of the room and entered the school by separate doors


And the final piece...a piece of the Berlin Wall.

The experience of the museum was a great way to spend the day, enjoying the history, learning of the early beginnings of the settlement of the prairies and the many struggles of the early settlers.

Traditional quilting was also taking place as three local ladies worked on a quilt that dates back to the 1930's.  They had no idea where it had come from or its story as it just got dropped off without an explanation or note.

This particular quilt was called Grandmothers Flower garden


The quilters hard at work, everything on this quilt is done by hand...there are a lot of little pieces!


One of the ladies made this wall hanging, repurposing antique lace


This sampler hung on the door, another beautiful piece of work


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