Bringing Bergen Together

December 18, 2009

TheBergen News

Notes from a First Time Farmer

by Sandy Easterbrook, Kettle Crossing Farm

Science in the Sheep Pen This month's column should be full of hot toddies and Christmas cheer but, alas, it is not to be. It's about inseminating sheep. If I tried really hard, I could make a connection. Sheep in the Bethlehem stable. The birth of the Good Shepherd. But I will refrain from cheap literary tricks. So, here goes my un-Christmasy column... Artificially inseminating a cow is an easy procedure for anyone with the proper training. All you need is semen, a pistolet and a long plastic glove. But when a friend from Olds invited Bob and me to observe the AI'ing of his Est à Laine ewes, we jumped at the chance. Sheep don't take easily to man's dalliance with genetics: the sperm must be deposited directly into the uterus. This takes a highly trained team, of course, and I knew it would be my chance to meet Dr. Ileana Wenger of OC Flock Management in Bowden, whom I had read about in Sheep Canada Magazine. Before driving to Olds, Bob and I bundled up in our padded coveralls and Sorel boots, remembering a bitter cold day last March when we had observed lambing at the same farm. We were quite delighted, therefore, when we found ourselves in a toasty garage warmed by a roaring propane heater. Dr. Wenger exuded an air of calm confidence. She was accompanied by microscopist Judy Mitchell and Isabel Warrington, who adeptly positioned the sheep for the operation. The ewes were waiting in a chute just outside the door. One by one, they were brought into the garage. Est à Laines are big, blocky sheep and the pushing and pulling that went on reminded me of parents and kids at the H1N1 clinic I had attended the week before. Once inside, the ewe was injected with a mild, fast-acting anaesthetic. Seconds later, she was rolled, belly up, onto a cradle with stirrups for her feet. More memories—this time of those horrible, cold stirrups at the gynecologist's! Next, the area above the udder was shaved and sterilized. The rear of the cradle was raised so that the sheep was, literally, heels over head. Then, quick as a flash, Dr. Wenger made two punctures in the abdominal wall and inserted a pair of trocars. Into one she slid a laparoscope; into the other, a glass straw with a fine needle at the end. Once the uterine horn was located via the scope, the needle was slid into the uterus and semen injected down the straw via a syringe. A quick stapling and disinfecting of the punctures, and the operation was over. The cradle was lowered, the ewe's feet untied from the stirrups, and off she was rolled onto the floor. She was then assisted out the door, into an observation alley. Bob and I were invited by the OC Management team to have a look down both the microscope and laparoscope. The first batch of sperm was hardly motile, and although the ewes were double dosed with this semen, my friend may be disappointed in the ewes' pregnancy rate. The second batch was much livelier, resembling a huge school of minnows lashing their tails in a shallow pool. Through the laparosope, the uterine wall was pink and moist as a chewed wad of bubble gum, with the smooth horn quite obvious. Now the sheep must be kept free of stress for forty days, while any fertilized eggs fight for survival. I hope that you, too, remain free of stress during this busy holiday season. There! I managed to inject some Yuletide wishes after all.

From the Editor

by Laurie Syer December. A time of darkness, coloured lights, nose tingling smells, nostalgia. Can you still remember when Christmas was magical, mysterious, overwhelmingly, almost painfully exciting? There are so many expectations and family traditions that build up around Christmas day. People go to great lengths and brave all kinds of travel adventures and inconveniences in order to be with their families on Christmas day. People who are bereaved, lonely, or poor feel their pain more intensely at Christmas. We know that Christmas should be a time of peace. We know that it is a time to show our love for our families and friends, and also for people whom we don't know, but who need our help. We show our love by buying gifts. We sometimes get so caught up in trying to find the perfect gift that we destroy our peace. I try, periodically, to resist the headlong rush of increasingly hectic days that lead up to Christmas. I sometimes try to elicit agreements among family and friends that instead of buying each other gifts that we don't need, we will donate to each other's favourite charity. This has been only marginally successful, because the gift-buying thing is deeply ingrained and hard to resist. When I was a child my favourite past time was making gifts for my family. This was great for me but maybe not so great for my family. Now that I'm older I sometimes try to give a busy loved one the gift of time. I stole the idea from one of my sisters. She made me some home cooked, delicious meals and wrapped them up, frozen, to be thawed and enjoyed when I didn't have time or inclination to cook. That was a wonderful gift. Jamie's mother's family was large and poor but they were possessed of a lively sense of humor, a strong bond, and a gift for bad and eloquent poetry. They could wrap anything (even a peanut butter and banana sandwich) and accompany it with a witty, loving poem that would leave the recipient laughing, crying happy tears, and feeling like the most special person in the world. It really is the thought that counts. There are people in my life and in our community who are very talented givers of love and peace. They don't just use this talent at Christmas time. They exercise it all year round. They each have their own technique that is simple and natural to them. I plan to keep my eye on them. I want to find out how it is done. It is helpful that there are always wiser, kinder, more skilled people to set an example. Otherwise how would the rest of us know what to aim for? I hope that you all have a wonderful, peaceful, healthy Christmas with those you love. May we all hang on to that peace as we enter the New Year. Submissions of articles or comments can be sent via email to snail-mail to The Bergen News, Box 27, Site 2, RR2 Sundre, T0M 1X0 or call Marilyn Halvorson at 638-2245. If you would like a subscription it is $15 and can be sent to our snail-mail address. Remember, subscriptions are coming due for this year. Your subscription expiry date will be highlighted on the label. Thank you for your continued support.

jason.maitland@thebergennews.ca,

Bergen NewsThe

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The Bergen Ladies Aid by Phyllis Cormack

A meeting room in Helga Sadlowski's apartment building was the location of our November meeting.We repeated the Lord's prayer and Rose Mariak read scripture to open the meeting. Twenty ladies answered roll call, then we had our reports from various ladies. Linda Ross reported we brought in $4792.50 at our auction. A big THANK YOU goes out to the many people who support our cause by donating items, buying items, or attending. Our success is totally dependent on the generous folks in our community and surrounding area. We discussed the changes which made the sale run smoother. Betty Josephson giving item descriptions and Gerald Ingeveld spotting helped both our very able auctioneer, Ken Walker, as well as those recording the sale, and the little helpers to deliver the purchased items to their new owners. What would we do without all those eager little people who modeled, entertained, held items, and carried them into the sea of smiling faces? Each one did a superb job. Shelley Ingeveld had once again delivered goodwill. Lois Nielsen reported that the ultra sound machine has arrived at the hospital and has been used several times. Money was collected for Santas Anonymous, then matched with Ladies Aid funds. This year we gave a total of $300 to this worthwhile cause. Our quilting dates are set for January 19 and 21. That means we had better get busy and get a quilt ready to stitch. We received a request to display our finished quilts at Morton Burke's "Bergen Rocks" symposium next summer. We decided to make one quilt that we'd put a price on in hopes of selling it at the symposium. The others we would display in hopes of attracting new people to the auction next fall. Kathy Lugg invited us to her cozy home for our Christmas party Dec. 10. We were reminded about our gift exchange and several ladies volunteered to wrap boxes for the Christmas baking we deliver to seniors around our community. There are 11 people this year who will receive goodies.On scripture for January is Lois who also offered her home for our meeting. Betty, Rose and Lois are to supply lunch. We sang our theme song as well as Happy Birthday to Heather Harrington. Heather had cooked us a delicious meal which was well complemented by food supplied by Amy Feil and Marilyn Halvorson. It was great and everyone enjoyed it as well as the time of visiting.

Bergen Church Newsby Betty Josephson

Located approximately 1 1/2 miles west of the Bergen Store. Our Sunday Worship time is 11 a.m. with Sunday School for all ages beginning at 9:45 a.m. Children's church is offered during the message as well as small child care. Every second Friday is time for the Moms and Tots to meet at the Church for a time of fellowship. I think there is even food! The first Sunday evening of each month at 5 p.m. is when the 20s and 30s meet for a pot luck at the Church. Anyone in that age range is welcome to join them. There is no 55+ this month but the WMS ladies meet the second Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. On December 20th we look forward to the Christmas Concert in the morning service and then at about 2 p.m. there is the Christmas get-together at Pioneer Lodge for sledding, skating/broomball and potluck supper at 5 p.m. followed by a carol sing. Come and join us. DECEMBER 24th is the second annual Cowboy Christmas Eve Service at the Church. There will be a light supper served between 6 and 7 p.m. with the service starting at 7 p.m. Mark (Sharky) and Christine Schauer will be leading the singing of Christmas Carols and hymns, then Bryn Thiessen, our local cowboy poet and preacher, will bring a message of hope. Snacks and refreshments will follow. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas Season and enjoy all those who come into your life. May you find the true Reason for Christmas. There will be a three-on-three Pond Hockey Tournament at Camp Evergreen on January 9-10. Come and enjoy. We will be sorry to see Pam Juke leave us at the end of the year. May God continue to guide you and teach you His ways, Pam, in your new adventures. Liz and Al Cunningham will be our care-giving team in the days ahead. Please contact them if you have a need or see someone else in need. (403-638-4188) Olwyn is in the Church office on Tuesdays and Fridays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Church phone number is 403-638-4010; the fax number is 403-638-4004. The Church's email is bergenchurch@xplornet.ca

December 18, 2009

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Bergen Community Playschool"A Fun Place to Play and Learn”

Call Tannis for more information: 403-638-4549

December 18, 2009

Bergen Ladies Aid Christmas Party

Kathy Lugg gave us a warm welcome into her beautifully decorated home for our Christmas party. 20 ladies arrived each carrying a gift to exchange and goodies to eat as well as share around the community. Wendy Young had her little granddaughter, Hayden Young, with her and Joshua and Graydon Feil were present with their Mom, Amy. It's great having the little ones come. Donelda Way was our guest and we were happy to have her join us for our special event. We opened with the Christmas story read from Luke 2 read by Phyllis Cormack. We missed Ferrell Haug who usually does the reading. Joshua handed out our carol books and we proceeded to sing our hearts out with the beautiful voice of Patricia Ball leading us. We had to admit we sounded very nice. Lynn Whittle handed out gift numbers then Joshua helped her by getting the presents out from under the tree and to the rightful person. Each lady received either a homemade or boughten gift and there was a wide variety of ideas all admired. Kathy had a reading that spoke of giving gifts to each other and ended with wishing Jesus a Happy Birthday. A sampling of Christmas treats was next. Each member brought something to add to the heavily laden table of baking or savory dips and crackers. No one went home hungry. 11 boxes had been decorated and we proceeded to fill them with specially packaged baked items to be given to seniors and others in the community. Various members offered to deliver them around. As the sun began to get low in the sky we donned our outer wear, wished each other a "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" and headed home. It was a very pleasant time had by all. Just like the rest of the year, it seemed the afternoon passed far too quickly.

by Phyllis Cormack

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December 18, 2009

Good Turnout for LUB DiscussionBy Sandy Easterbrook

In an effort to increase community discussion of the Land Use Bylaw, Mountain View County held a 4 hour round table session at Didsbury on November 25th. Approximately 130 stakeholders attended. The session covered seven topic areas, allowing each participant to engage in four 30 minute discussions. The topics were as follows: Development application requirements; Development permit exemptions; Agricultural zoning and land use; Small scale agriculture (redesignation of 3 to 10 acre parcels); Livestock and domestic animal thresholds (horses and dogs); RVs, cabins and resorts; Commercial/Industrial design guidelines; and Miscellaneous issues. Each discussion group had a facilitator who posed questions prepared by the County, and a secretary who recorded comments. A dinner break was provided half way through the meeting. Points made during the discussions were then summarized by the facilitators. The most repeated recommendation was that County ensure the preservation of its agricultural land. Collector roads were a major bone of contention, as were development permit applications, which were considered too onerous and lengthy. At the same time, it was felt that water collection and disposal measures should go beyond the minimal standards, with one person expressing surprise that water sustainability was not part of the LUB. Residents in the western part of the County felt overwhelmed by recreational developments, while some people on the eastern side wanted more such activity. As far as dogs and horses were concerned, attendees felt that proper management was more important than numbers, and that their control should be left to the relevant agencies. Many comments were directed at the Land Use Bylaw itself. It was perceived to be too long, too full of jargon and too restrictive. The evening concluded with a question and answer period. It was decided to hold an additional round table session, as some would-be attendees had to be turned away. No doubt the Rural Roots controversy helped to populate the hall. Once comments are compiled from the round table sessions, a telephone survey, and written submissions, the feedback will be presented to the LUB steering committee, so adjustments to the bylaw can be considered.

Commodoreby Laurie Syer

He was beautiful and proud but never arrogant. He was respectful and dignified. He treated people and his fellow horses with respect, and he expected to be treated respectfully in return. He didn't like to be pushed and bossed. He would do anything that he was asked as long as he was asked nicely. He ignored shenanigans and power struggles in the pasture unless he was directly challenged. I watched with annoyance as my two- year-old filly approached him one day. She exuded insolence from every pore. Commodore didn't interrupt his grazing or even lift his head. But he gave her a resounding smack in the ribs with both hind feet. She certainly deserved it. He never took a kindness for granted. If I was grooming him or treating an itch or a sore foot, he would wait until I was finished and then turn his head and touch me gently with his nose. He always said “thank you”. He was calm, wise, sensible. He was patient and philosophical. He was generous and brave. He was restful to be with. He is dead. I will miss him.

Page 6 Bergen NewsThe

Novel in progress Working title: Teacher: by Marilyn Halvorson Synopsis: Having been raised by her strict aunt and uncle who do not believe in dancing, young teacher, Kate O'Rourke stays home from the Harvest Dance but, growing restless, she takes the dog for a moonlight walk.. Suddenly, a faint sound came drifting on the wind. It was eerie, haunting. I felt the skin prickle on the back of my neck. “What's that, Laddie?” I asked the grinning Collie but he seemed unconcerned, his grin undimmed as he pricked up his ears and listened. Then, the sound came a little louder and I realized what it was. Music. Violin music. I could even recognize the tune. Something that had been around ever since the Civil War. Lorena, I think it was called. It was so sad and so beautiful, and somehow so lonely on that beautiful moonlit night, that I felt tears sting my eyes. Sensing my mood, Laddie whined and licked my hand. As if the musician, too, had sensed my mood, suddenly the music stopped and seconds later began again, transformed into rip-roaring hoedown. Now I could hear a guitar and a banjo, too. And now I knew what I was hearing. It was the music from the dance up the hill in the schoolhouse. My foot began to tap to the rhythm of Turkey in the Straw. With no conscious direction from me, my feet began to move up the trail again, heading toward the sound of that music. It was like the Pied Piper was playing and I was one of the children—or perhaps one of the rats—of Hamelin. I couldn't help myself. It called and I followed. As I neared the schoolhouse I began to hear other sounds blended with the music. Harness chains jingled as tethered teams shifted among the trees. Leather creaked on the saddled horses. From inside came the hum of voices and an occasional peal of laughter. Furtively, I moved closer. If that front door had opened, I would have dived for cover like a wild animal. I shouldn't be here. Aunt Nettie would be appalled. Dances were sinful and lurking outside one listening to the music was no doubt equally sinful. So why was I creeping closer? Well, curiosity killed the cat and I had always felt a little feline myself. And that window blind at the very end was up a little ways… I ducked down and made my cautious way into position. Even with the moonlight I would be in relative darkness compared to the brightness of the gas lamps inside. The music was ripping along again with Old Dan Tucker. The poor old building was practically vibrating from the stomping of heavy boots. I wondered how much more it could stand before it simply disintegrated. But, at least everyone was too involved to be staring out that little space of window. I set the lantern down, raised my head, and peered inside—right into the face of the man with the violin! He was standing at the front of the room not six feet from the window—with his foot propped up on my chair, I noticed indignantly. But that was the least of my worries, because, at the angle he stood he was looking right at me and, darkness or no darkness, I knew he saw me. He never missed a beat with his sawing bow and flying fingers but his eyes met mine, he smiled a slow smile—and he winked at me. Totally mortified, I ducked out of his sight and, although I'm sure my face was flaming bright enough to light the night all on its own, I picked up my lantern and fled. Laddie ran at my heels, barking with glee. I was almost home before I slowed to a panting halt. What had I done? Here I was, the teacher, just about the most respected person in the community, the person expected to show dignity and leadership, caught behaving like a common peeping tom. I was ruined!

December 18, 2009

FOR RENTLarge, renovated home overlooking stream near Bergen

3 BedroomsHorse welcome

Prefer family who will do occasional farm chores403-638-1283

Page 7 Bergen NewsThe

1 2 34 56 789 1011 1213 14 1516 1718 1920EclipseCrossword.com

December 18, 2009

Down1. Last name of Bergen host of International Sculpture Symposium3. Where pioneers kept their food cool5. animals who lived in Sally and Gerry’s yard7. First name of Bergen trainer of Service Dogs8. First name of lady who evicted squirrel from cemetery biffy9. The Ocean Ranger capsized off the coast of------------------10. Representatives from the Calgary-----came here to study frogs12. Creature that Madam Tailfeather thought was a flying mouse14. The Holland family from the Bergen church have left for --------

Across2. Sally Banks sends winter reports from the--------4. Brian and Kim Allan watch the world from their -------- window6. Sandy Easterbrook makes --------- from sheep milk11. Name of the school inspector in the Novel in Progress12. Last name of Bergen girl who is Sundre Rodeo Queen13. Transportation mode hobby of Allan and Barb Wiens15. Name of First Time Farmers devilish donkey16. Subject of Jason’s antique feature17. First name of Bergen student who went on an exchange trip to Japan18. First name of country singing star who came to a Bergen benefit19. Pat Gibbs’s mode of summer travel in her poem

CROSSWORD PUZZLE FOURFaithful readers, have you been doing your homework?

Here's your quiz.

Birds, Beasts and Botany in Bergen:by

The Earthworm While digging a trench in early November, I encountered a number of small pink, fleshy balls. On closer inspection these turned out to be earthworms, spending the winter rolled up in tight little knots about 30 inches below the surface. Now, I have always been partial to earthworms, of which approximately 25 species exist in Canada. As a child I learned how beneficial they are to a garden - consuming organic litter, mixing it with soil and depositing nutrient-rich casts on the soil surface. Their burrows aerate the soil, allowing plant roots access to oxygen and facilitating rain water penetration into the earth. Even their slime coat, which is secreted by a smooth band termed a clitellum, is unusually rich in nitrogen which it passes on to the soil. Although a single worm may not contribute a great deal to the soil, at a density of up to a million worms per acre, the

impact of these small creatures is significant. I also learned at an early age the efficacy of earthworms as fish bait. The raising and exportation of earthworms is a multi-million dollar business in Canada. While most of these worms are exported to the United States for purposes of bait, there is a growing market for vermiculture worms, vermiculture being the composting of organic wastes. The process is more effectively done by Eisenia fetida (the red wiggler), a surface-dwelling earthworm, rather than the soil dwelling type. Worms are also sold as food for human consumption. Noke is a culinary term used by the Maori of New Zealand for this delicacy. In grade 10 biology we dissected an earthworm and learned that the creature is essentially a tube within a tube. A digestive tract runs the length of the worm, with a simplified circulatory system consisting of two blood vessels and five rudimentary hearts. As a teenager I was intrigued to learn that the worm is hermaphroditic, containing both male and female sexual organs. This does not excuse them from going out and finding partners, however, as they cannot self fertilize. They partner by lying side to side, with their heads pointing in opposite directions and spend up to an hour exchanging sperm (a leisurely approach that most mammals have lost!). Small cocoons are then formed by the clitella which the worms slip over their heads and deposit in the soil. After incubating for several months a small earthworm, or occasionally twins, hatch. Because of the ubiquity of earthworms in our fields and gardens, one does not always realize that they are largely an introduced species. The glaciation of the last ice age eliminated most earthworm species from this country and it was the Europeans who imported almost all the present species. As with most introduced species, there is a downside and, in Alberta, this is most

apparent in the invasion of our northern and foothills forests by the worm. When earthworms move into a forest they consume the organic leaf and needle litter. Boreal forests tend to regenerate using the leaf litter layer, and it has been shown that fewer tree seedlings and a decreased understory result when earthworms enter a forest. Part of this invasion is the result of the dispersal of earthworms from fishing trips; hence the soil and bush near wharves in northern lakes have higher counts of the worms. Whether the problems brought by these creatures outweigh their huge benefits remains to be seen. They are now part of our local ecosystem and I suspect will remain here until the next Ice Age.

Robert Griebel

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TheBergen News December 18, 2009

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TheBergen News

For the past couple of weeks our office has been roaming Arizona and Colorado. We went south to get a better view of the southern skies; however, we found something even more interesting. People think they have to tour Europe and Great Britain to see castles… wrong! Some of the most amazing “castles” in the world are right here in North America, built a thousand years ago by the native people (Anasazi culture) of the southwest.

The Cliff Palace dwelling at Mesa Verde in southwest Colorado, built about 1,000 AD, was probably home to 250-500 people. It may look surreal but it is an amazing structure considering it was built using stone age technology. And it is only one of literally thousands of such developments throughout the southwest US!

December 18, 2009

Montezuma's Castle, south of Flagstaff, was built about the same time. To access this “fortress” dwelling required, at minimum, a 100 foot ladder. An amazing and somewhat unbelievable structure!

The Tower dwelling at Mesa Verde has one of the tallest towers built during this era, at four plus stories, along with a large number of other buildings

Page 10 Bergen NewsThe

CHRISTMAS AT A SNOWED IN COW CAMPby Ron Gale

In an ol' line shack, 'way out back,I dream of Christmas chuck.

Out where there's gals and Christmas bells.But snowed in here I'm stuck.

The cold winds cry, while the drifts grow high

and the flame is blazing higher.I realize there's no supplies, as I stoke up the blazing fire.

The cattle bawl, as the cold winds crawl

and the snow keeps falling down.When the cows are fed I'll make my bed.

No way I'll get to town.

With snow as high as a horse’s eyeand drifts to twenty feet.

The guy that could tramp from here to campis the one that I'd like to meet.

Of apple pie I'll dream and cry,of grits, and hot roast turkey.

But the cows I'll feed and tend their need;eatin' beans and old cold jerky.

December 18, 2009

gravel sales * clay * top soiltrucking * containment hauling

trackhoe * road building

638-3098

Bergen

Sand & Gravel

Page 11 Bergen NewsThe

A Taste of Honeyby Fredy Schmutz

My name is Alfred (Fredy) Schmutz and I am a beekeeper living in the Bergen area. My first exposure to beekeeping was in my early childhood since my father, grandfather, and uncles kept bees in their fruit orchards in Switzerland.After coming to Canada, I worked for various large commercial beekeepers, worked in bee research, and was also working as a regional bee inspector for Alberta Agriculture. I also studied beekeeping at Olds College.The beekeeping industry faces similar problems to those confronting other agricultural industries. These include low commodity prices, rising input costs, and climate change. But many dedicated beekeepers work to preserve the industry. I bought my own first bees (200 hives) in 1983, while living in Sundre. At the present time I run about 100 hives, depending on the winter survival. Together with my family, I produce primarily clover honey but, recently, I have also started producing dandelion honey. The process of harvesting the honey begins when I remove the honey boxes from the hives and bring them to the hotroom in the honey house. Then I remove the frames from the honey boxes and uncap the frames with a scratch fork. After spinning the honey out with the honey extractor, I screen the honey and transfer it into a bottling barrel. From there the honey gets packaged into containers varying in size from just a few ounces to pails holding 30 pounds. For wintering, I place the hives in units of four and wrap them in insulation, enclosed in heavy plastic. This is usually done in late fall after the bees were fed sugar syrup and all the medications against disease and pests such as Varoa mites have been given. It does happen, off and on, that I get stung but I don't usually keep count. For the safety of the beekeeper it is important that he wears protective clothing such as bee-proof coveralls, veil, and gloves. Also, gentleness while working with the bees and the use of gentle, docile bee stock is important for an enjoyable beekeeping experience—and for staying on good terms with the neighbors!Usually there is only one queen in each hive. If the hive decides to raise another queen, then it can be that the hive is going to swarm. If that happens, about half the population leaves the hive with the old queen in search of a new home. A beekeeper can also keep two queens in one hive (separated by a screen) in order to boost the beehive's strength from spring to mid-summer.One thing to remember is that, through your local beekeeper, you can obtain honey which, as well as giving you all the other health benefits of honey, helps you to reduce allergies such as hay fever. This is because traces of pollen will remain in the honey. All our honey is unpasteurized. Therefore, the complete natural goodness of the honey is preserved. Another reason to appreciate the presence of a strong, healthy bee and other insect population is their contribution to pollinating crops such as fruit, canola, and legumes. Our business is called Cloverleaf Apiaries and we are selling our product at Farmers' Markets at Sundre, Olds, and Innisfail, as well as at many other Special Event Markets in the area. We can be contacted at (403) 638-2796 and look forward to serving your needs for fresh, local honey.

December 18, 2009

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December 18, 2009

THE BABYby Pat Gibbs

I have just been blessed with a new grandson,And he's beautiful, don't you know.

As I hold him close my mind thinks back to a baby boy born long ago,While Mark was born in a hospital room that was warm, clean and bright,

This babe was born on a bed of straw with a star as the only light.No doctor there to tie the cord and make sure nothing was amiss,

Only his mother who wrapped him in cloths and gave him that first gentle kiss.Did Joseph question the reason this child was born in this musty old stable,

When he, as a carpenter, could have made him a beautiful hand-carved cradle?I am sure we all may wonder about the changes our lives might face;

Just remember this babe and his humble beginning, was the start for God's saving grace.Have a blessed Christmas!!

Note Bergen Christmas Concert ChangeNow Dec. 19, 7:00 at the Bergen Hall

If you have any questions Contact Shelley Ingeveld at 638-2356.

Welcome WagonIf you are new to the Sundre and surrounding area, have a new baby or are getting married we have free gifts and information for you. Please call

Donna at 638-4453,

or e-mail donnamww@gmail.com.

RR#3, Site 116, Box 6 Sundre, AB T0M1X0