"You Just Gotta Believe!"

"Santa "Bob" of the Crossfield Fire dept. "

Please note, I have changed the Heading photograph so as to
highlight "Santa Bob" of the local fire dept.
He loves being Santa and is rarely out of his suit all December.

On Christmas Eve Maura, Bob and the boys picked me up in Crossfield and we headed out on Limit Ave to the overpass to get to their place.

Well, wouldn't you just know it, we saw Santa beside a Fire truck a street up from my place.
Of course we made a detour so we could see him.
We got to the Fire truck and Santa came over to Bobs Truck Shaughn got out and Santa spoke to him!
Needless to say this was the moment of truth to Shaughn.
But the story doesn't end there!
We all got back in our truck (Marshall slept through the whole thing)
back to Limit avenue and the way home, until we passed the next street!
And there he was in a matter of seconds there was Santa again and the fire truck making sure that all the little boys and girls would go to bed before he started his official rounds.
"How could he do it so fast?" asked Shaughn. " He was on that other street just a moment ago!"
"It is Santa, and he is Magic" answered Shaughns Mother.
The next street we passed and there was Santa AGAIN!
By this time Shaughn was beside himself and by this time a complete believer in Santas magical powers!

The town of Crossfield has a Fire Department with three trucks, and this group of dedicated men (all volunteers), take the trucks and drive up and down every street in town saying goodnight to all the children, letting them know that the secret to a good visit is being in bed and asleep at the right time.

How wonderful these men are, and how wonderful for all the children in our town!
For the Volunteer Fire-fighters of the town of Crossfield, Alberta I have this to say....
May you all be blessed with safety and good health this coming year.

Please know that your kindness to our children meant so very much to this six year old boy.
In this day and age, Magical powers that are actually seen are the greatest gift of all.
Shaughn will never forget The Christmas Eve that he actually saw Santas' Magical powers, that he could be in three places at the same time.
You just Gotta believe!
I hope that Santa was good to everyone this year.
I hope that the most meaningful thing about your Christmas was seeing
A child in awe of the power of the season of love.
~~Kathleen

"We are what we make our world!"

"Winter Dance"
Acrylics on sealed Mdf Board

I wish for you Peace, Happiness and Warmth
In the coming year.
Be well and enjoy life.
Smile at a stranger, Smell the air.
Laugh and Dance.
Hug a child, and tell someone just how complete your life is with them in it.
Grow a flower, bake cookies.
Look up Compassion in the dictionary.
Learn to live it!
But most of all
Be Thankful.
We can have a good life if we allow ourselves to .
The world around us cares.
One person at a time.
Slowly we can add our input to a positive world.
Collectively it works so much better.
~~Kathleen

The Best Little Restaurant in the county!

"Side Street"
Crossfield, Alberta
Canada
Acrylics on Canvas
12" X 24"

Often we are pleasantly surprised when we go into a restaurant!
It might be the decor, or the setting, and often can be the food!
Yep, even in this day and age, we do have places such as this one that serve wonderfully home-cooked meals.
Shepherds Pie, Chicken Stew, Roast Chicken with all the trimmings.
Topped off with a spectacular home made dessert such as Apple, Raisin, Cherry Pie.
Maybe a Home-made cream Puff slathered in real whipped cream,
and or a home-made Danish, cookies and date squares!

Everything in this little Jewel is Home Made!
They don't even have a deep fryer!
So, no French fries, and or fried foods.
Just old-fashioned made from scratch meals.

The decor is homey and pleasant.
The staff is wonderful and the coffee is always fresh!
The place is always packed with the regular coffee drinkers in the morning to
the working men in from the fields and or Job site outside.
Huge servings of hot nutritious food.
Every one eats everything up and the plates are left bare.

Patsy, (the owner) will be getting this painting for Christmas from her staff.
I painted it just for them.
And for her, a woman that has a right to be proud when she says.
"I own my Own Restaurant"
~~Kathleen

It is just a matter of how you see it!

"Parked for the Winter"
It has been bitterly cold here for the last while.
While we rarely have to put up with this type of weather for long periods
(Chinooks come in and warm us up frequently)
We are not big on leaving the comfort of our homes when it is -30C.
I took this photo of Marshalls favorite truck yesterday!
It looked so cold and lonely.
Soon it will be pushed and dragged around the yard again.
But for now it sits waiting for the
warmer weather and my Littlest grandson play with it!

Shaughns Gingerbread house
Shaughn and I decorated his annual gingerbread house last night.
It was a surprise for his parents to see when they got home.
He loves doing things like this, and takes the decorating very seriously.
Note the candies on the snowman closest to the Left side of the house.
Maybe more is better?
I love this time of the year, and creating with my older Grandson.
What better cheer can one wish for?
Hope you all are enjoying the days before Santa comes.
~~Kathleen

22,000 Acts of Love in 45 minutes!

Last night the "Calgary Hitmen" (Minor hockey league) had their annual
"Teddy Bear Toss!"
The game plan is .... all is good at the hockey Game untill the first goal is scored!
Then the Teddy Bears fly!
And fly and fly!

Last night 22,000 Teddys landed on the ice for children in Albertas Hospitals
and, because of this, no child is left without a new Teddy for Christmas!
It is Magical and wonderful to see all those Teddys flying through the air!
Enjoy the pictures that my daughter took st this event!
One photo is my grandson Shaughn (On the left) and his friend Jake (Right) smiling with glee at the whole event.
Have you ever seen 22,000 Teddy Bears in one place?
(Looks like a whole lot of people won at this Hockey Game)
~~Kathleen