"Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size."

~ Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941) A Room of One's Own [1929]

March 8 is International Women's Day.  Theme for 2016 is Pledge for Parity.

 

 

[Photo:  Vintage hand-fan advertising for G. W. Robinson Co. Ltd. Department Store lbw]

 

 

 

 

Laura Secord

Laura Secord House Queenston



Historians of the War of 1812 have recorded various accounts of Laura Secord's walk from Queenston to Beaver Dams. 

Ruth McKenzie, author of Laura Secord, the legend and the lady*, writes,  "Laura Secord had found her niche in Canadian history as the agent of victory at Beaver Dams.  It was a distinctive niche because it was held by a woman, and in the next two decades women played a large part in bringing the name of Laura Secord into prominence as a great Canadian heroine."

*McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1971.  Maracle Press.

 

Today visitors can sit in the adjacent tea room and enjoy the historic surroundings.  North-west corner of Queen and Partition streets, Queenston, Ontario.

Lundy's Lane Niagara Falls

Photos:  lbw Click on photos for larger image.

Laura Secord's Young Friend

Carla Ann Kuchard has created a charming little tale of a young Native girl's chance meeting with Laura Secord.  While picking strawberries, eleven year old Lucy is surprised to discover a stranger resting under a tree.  As Lucy approaches her, the lady invites her to sit and talk.  The two become instant friends.  Laura has been traveling by foot since daybreak and gratefully accepts the girl's offer of strawberries and a drink of water.

As the new friends part ~ as Laura has an important message that must be delivered before dusk ~ they exchange gifts.  Lucy gives Laura her "good-luck" doll, beautifully dressed, wearing bead-worked moccasins.  Laura gives her young friend a dainty handkerchief.

After Laura disappears into the forest, Lucy unfolds the handkerchief.  To her delight it is edged in embroidery.  In all four corners tiny red stitches ~ strawberries! 

[Available at The Neat Little Bookshop, all proceeds go to the Thorold and Beaverdams Historical Society.]

Note:  Be sure to read "the other Maria's" comment on Lucy's Special Day.

Josie Penny Author

Josie Penny

The Neat Little Bookshop

Today, Thursday, May 16, 1:00 p.m.

Josie Penny

author of So Few on Earth

Refreshments, tea & coffee

Informal ~ Everyone Welcome

(Photo:  Josie Penny at Selkirk Heritage Day, 2012. lbw)

A Prayer for Mothers

Marjorie Flagg Holmes wrote ~

A Prayer For Cross Mothers

Oh God, I was so cross to the children today!  Forgive me.  I was discouraged and tired ~ and I took it out on them.  Forgive my bad temper, my impatience, and most of all, my yelling.  I am so ashamed as I think of it.

I want to kneel down by each of their beds, wake them up and ask them to forgive me.  But I can't.

They wouldn't understand.  I must go on living with the memory of this awful day; my unjust tirades.

Hours later, I can still see the fear in their eyes as they scurried around, trying to appease me ~ thinking my anger and maniacal raving was their fault.
Oh God, the pathetic helplessness of children!  Their innocence before the awful monster ~ the enraged adult.

And how forgiving they are, hugging me so fervently at bedtime, kissing me goodnight.

All I can do is straighten a cover, touch a small head burrowed in a pillow and hope with all my heart that they will forgive me.

Lord, in failing these little ones whom you have put in my keeping, I am failing you.  Please let your infinite patience and goodness replenish me for tomorrow.

MFH (1886 - 1976)  American English & Latin teacher, civic activist.

(A Dear Friend, Janice Wingrove, gave the above to me after we shared a soul-searching discussion on the difficulties of stay-at-home Moms.  My friend died of cancer and I have only recently been in touch with her beautiful adult children, Cheryl, Lorna and Justin.  Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  I hope that Marjorie Holmes' writing means as much to someone out there as it did to my friend and to myself. lbw)

International Women's Day ~

International Women's Day ~

Today is International Women's Day and until one of the special women in my life sent a kind note to me, I had not thought of it.

The following, a quote from a notable lady, Maria Shriver,* for special women everywhere:

"A deep change for me was realizing I'd have to take the time to know what I feel, in order to know who I am and who I want to be. . .
"The change doesn't have to be huge, but it may have to be deep.

"You may believe you're not allowed to think of yourself as separate from your job, your family, and all the other legacies you inhabit.

"But what I've come to understand is that we are first and foremost human beings in our own right.  We're entitled to our own lives, our own dreams and goals, our own legacies.
"I've finally learned after all these years that I don't need to define myself with a certain job or a certain name or a certain role in order to tell myself who I am.  I've learned that all my roles are simply a part of me ` but they're not all of me.
"Now that I'm not so obsessed about whether I measure up to other people's expectations, I've found a new gentleness and kindness in myself, for myself and for others.
"What matters most to me now is what I expect of myself.  What matters most to me now is that I know myself ~ what my heart feels, what my inner voice is telling me."

~ Just Who Will You Be?  *Maria Shriver, Hyperion, 2008.  Journalist, author, former First Lady of California.