Back in April 1944, news came that the Canadian Women’s Army Corps basic training centre near Vermilion was going to be turned into a Nazi Officers’ Prisoner of War Camp. The training centre was due to close on May 15, and it was believed it would be the perfect location for the prison camp. The Vermilion Centre was owned by the Alberta Government and was previously the Agriculture School before it became the training centre in 1941. The centre was Canada’s first basic traini

Shrimp Benedict is a twist on the weekend breakfast favourite, Eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce is always the highlight. It consists of a toasted English muffin covered with cooked shrimp. A poached egg goes on top of the ham and then the masterpiece... the hollandaise sauce that tops it all off. The modern hollandaise is one of the five mother sauces in French cuisine. Like any famous dish there are many variations. My recipe has evolved and developed over time. In my

In the 1970’s, a friend of our family was moving. She stopped at our farm enroute to her destination with all her possessions packed into a station wagon. Tucked in the very back, was a large goose named Charlie. She sadly had to part with him because her new place was in town and apparently came with a strict no-geese-in-the-backyard policy. One of my brothers was absolutely thrilled and instantly they became friends. Charlie loved to chatter as if he had urgent farm busines

Broccoli and cheese sauce is always a hit. You can substitute the broccoli for cauliflower. It is a great side dish and comfort food that pairs well with meatloaf, homemade burgers, pork chops, ham and oven roasted barbeque chicken pieces. Broccoli is a nutrient powerhouse, with a 1/2 cup providing your daily need for vitamins C and K as well as significant amounts of Vitamin A and at least 18 other vitamins and minerals. The benefits of broccoli include: antioxidant abiliti

I have always been captivated by two and three storey houses with a veranda and even as a youngster, dreamt of living in one. There was something enchanting about the stairs that went up to another level, and the world looked different from the panoramic view of the second storey. The ranch house that was originally on our home quarter was one such a house. I was very young but there were special areas of the house that stayed in my memory; the long stairway to the second flo