Canada Waits For Christmas – December 14th

Today I spent the morning reading with young students. If only every activity were as rewarding as that!

I really like these 1905 and 1956 Christmas catalogue cover images from T. Eaton Co.

“Lies” is Stan Rogers‘ (1949-1983) compassionate and heartrending song about a prairie wife’s life – not the life for me. I knew it before, but this song confirms it.

“Sure was a bitter winter but Friday will be fine
And maybe last year’s Easter dress will serve her one more time
She’d pass for twenty-nine but for her eyes
But winter lines are telling wicked lies”

I’ve known about Allen Sapp’s (1928-2015) work for a while, but I just discovered today that he was a painter from Saskatchewan, and both lived and died a few hours away from where I live now, though he was in Saskatchewan and I’m in Alberta.

Allen Sapp was born in the winter of 1928 on the Red Pheasant Reserve in north central Saskatchewan. He was a weak and sickly child born to a mother who herself had to fight for her life and who eventually died of tuberculosis. Allen was raised and cared for by Maggie Soonias, his grandmother. The memory of this tender relationship has spawned in Sapp some of his finest and most sensitive works, bringing to his canvas a sense of affection and love rarely communicated or seen in the twentieth century art world.

from Allen sapp Gallery’s website

Thanks for taking the time to drop by in the midst of your holiday prep. Take care. – Lori 🙂