HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Rural Voice, 1980-01, Page 10Farm wives in winter
Editor's Note: Back in October Rural
Voice carried a request for answers to the
question "What can farm wives do to make
their spare time productive in the long
winter months in this part of the cduntry?"
In this story we're sharing some of the
answers we got. But not by any means all
of them. Some of the most interesting
responses came in letters including one
from a reader who gets together with
friends to quilt for the Red Cross and
another from a lady who suggests a Targe
variety of crafts to make the snow bound
Refinishing furniture
When we called Sharon Durand, RR2
Zurich to find out what she does in the
winter time, she was actually engaged in
one of her cold weather
pastimes --refinishing old wood.
She was cleaning off the doors for the
upstairs bathroom, the room they are
remodelling this year. She says "doors are
easy to do."
Sharon has been stripping and
refinishing pieces of furniture for many
years.
"Very satisfying working with old
w.nod," she said, "Just follow the direction
on the can."
Sharon tackled a piano one winter and
has done numerous dressers and other
furniture pieces.
Sharon is expecting another child in
April, so that might slow her up, but then
she has another hobby that is equally
satisfying"she and her sister-in-law and
sometimes other friends make up a couple
of quilts.
"Usually,"Sharon said "we do two each
winter."
You get the impression from Sharon
that she is always busy and active and
enjoying every minute of it.
Early ill the 70's women in the Belmore area formed the
Mari -Bel Singers, under the direction of Marie Douglas, and
have since entertained many audiences.
Concentrating on a number which they performed for the Bruce
County Beef Producers banquet are (clockwise) Eileen Johann. _
i.orraine Renwick, Mary Renwick, Helene Haskins, Evelyn
Dettman and Ethel McMichael. Anyone who enjoys singing can
join the group and can call Marian Eadie (357-1839) for more
Information.
PG. 8 THE RURAL VOICE/JANUARY 1980
days of winter more interesting.
We'll have a story about these
suggestions and others in the next issue of
Rural Voice. So if reading about what other
farm wives do in the winter gets you
thinking, drop us a line about your own
sol .utions to the winter doldrums.
Volunteer
work, hobbies
Mrs. Mary Procter of R.R.5, Brussels
has a number of activities to keep her from
being bored in the winter.
She works as a volunteer at the cancer
clinic of the Wingham and District Hospital
one or two days a month, is on the board of
the Huron County Family and Children's
Services, and attends meetings once a
month and she is also active with the
Hospital Auxiliary in Wingham.
Mrs. Procter said the whole cancer clinic
in Wingham is staffed by volunteers. Mrs.
Procter is a nurse and helps the patients
get undressed and stays with them when
the doctor is checking them over. The clinic
in Wingham is strictly a check-up clinic,
she said.
"I'm interested in community affairs. I
just often wonder how these things work
and you really don't know until you get
involved in them," she said.
Mrs. Procter is a past president of the
Hospital Auxiliary and is currently on the
gift committee for which she does buying
for the hospital gift case, makes the odd
flower arrangement and sells things in the
case.
"I find that very interesting. I didn't
think I would, but you never know till you
try," she said.
Mrs. Margaret Siertsema of R.R.3, Blyth
finds liquid embroidery as enjoyable
pass -time and one that she manages to
squeeze in between running out to do
chores on the 300 acre farm where the
Siertsemas milk around 35 cows.
Mrs. Siertsema started into liquid
embroidery about 20 years ago, but it's
only the last three years or so that she's
been able to do it on a more regular basis.
Now she and a group of other women get
instruction from a woman who comes to
their homes and teaches them as a group.
"I enjoy it if I can just get the knack of it
all," Mrs. Siertsema said.
She explained that liquid embroidery