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Adeline’s War of 1812 Journal: November-December 1814

Adeline’s War of 1812 Journal © by Mollie Pearce McKibbon 2014

This is a fictional journal written by a young woman settled in Edwardsburg Township during the war of 1812.

Sunday, November 27, 1814

Dear Janetta,

I have been so occupied with my sons, that I haven’t had an opportunity to take up my quill pen until today. Elizabeth and William stopped by to join us for our Bible lesson and some hymns and stayed to share our midday meal so Vickie is keeping Charles and Andrew amused now that she can toddle around. I have received another letter from England, this time from Persephone Meldrum, Charle’s married sister. This is what she wrote:

“Dearest Sister-in-Law,

I do hope you think of me as a sister and know how gratified I am that Charles wrote to us about your marriage. I fear that you may not have felt welcomed to our family. You must understand that our father was distraught at the news of Charles’ murder and naturally upset that he was not able to deal with the necessary inquiry himself.

I pray that you have begun to recover from your natural grief. I expect your children are a great consolation. I know that my father is about to offer to educate Charles and Andrew here in England and will tell you my husband, Percival Meldrum Esquire, and myself have a very comfortable accommodation for your sons here at Meldrum Manor. Nanny Parsons is in charge of our three daughters, Leona, Lavinia and Lydia and is quite prepared to take on two more children. We will of course, employ an extra tutor for your sons and treat them as if they were ours. They will also be attended by our own physician Mr. Bell, who is much respected in the highest society.

Please, do not feel at all compelled to send your children to England, but you need to be informed of the advantages of which they will be assured. Father has even now making arrangements at Oxford College for their future studies should they have the aptitude. If not, they will be certain of a commission in the army.

I anticipate with much pleasure, meeting you and my two nephews next spring.

With fondest regards,

Persephone Houghton-Meldrum”

Persephone seems to be very considerate of my feelings and it is generous of her and her husband to accept the great imposition of my children into their home, but I cannot bear the thought of being separated from my boys. I showed Mother and Father the letter and they only remarked that it seemed a good opportunity for my sons to earn their way in society, but they have been careful not to press me to conform to the wishes of the Houghton family.

Am I being selfish keeping my children with me, when they could have a comfortable future back in England? I wonder what Robert would advise me to do. Perhaps I should ask him when next he brings his mother to visit.

Anxiously,

Adeline

Sunday, Dec. 18,1814

Janetta,

Wonderful news, just before Christmas! Bourke has been captured by White Wolf and Robert. He was trying to get back across the St. Lawrence. He has been incarcerated in the jail at the fort in Prescott. My sons and I will sleep much more safely from now on although I will need to go to Fort Welllington to identify him as my persecutor. I hope this is the last we hear of him.

Happily,

Adeline

Penguin Ornament

Here is the penguin ornament I made out of a black knit glove, some orange and white felt, stuffing and googly eyes. All he needs now is a ribbon attached to his head so he can be hung on a Christmas tree.

A Hymn for Advent

Gift of God, Sweet Mary’s Boy

Child of heaven, once foretold

By God’s prophets long ago.

Come into our hearts today;

Sit beside us while we pray.

Gift of God, Sweet Mary’s Boy,

You are peace, hope, love and joy!

*************

Old Isaiah heard your name,

Jeremiah, Micah too.

Malachi prepared the way;

Zephaniah told his day.

Gift from God, Sweet Mary’s Boy,

You are peace, hope, love and joy!

***************

Shepherd promised, Child of Light,

Come and shine our dark away,

We, like magi, seek your star,

Wand’ring sheep, we’ve gone too far.

Gift from God, Sweet Mary’s Boy,

You are peace, hope, love and joy!

*****************

Immanuel, full of grace,

Branch from Jesse, Mighty King,

Humble Servant, God’s own Son,

We worship You, O Holy One.

Gift of God, Sweet Mary’s Boy,

You are peace, hope, love and joy!

Poem for Christmas

Shines A Star

Above all shines a star

With a light so bright,

Even in the darkness

It makes day of night.

Shining in the heavens

On the earth below,

All is hushed and waiting,

Longing now to know.

**********

In a humble stable

Where cattle are found,

Everything is silent,

Not a single sound.

Not one sheep is bleating,

Nor do cattle low,

All is hushed and waiting,

Longing now to know.

***********

Upon the hills around

Heaven’s music swells;

In angelic voices

Ring out holy bells.

Sing now hallelujahs

Loving hearts can hear;

Kneel in adoration,

God will soon appear.

********

Has God come in glory,

In bright robes of gold,

With a celestial army

As was once foretold?

No, not in all beauty

With power and might,

But as a helpless baby

In the darkest night.

*********

No one had suspected,

Such a wondrous plan

Holiness perfected

In the heart of man.

Jesus, fair Jesus,

Born in humble stall,

God’s holy Word alive,

His love redeeming all.

‘Membrance Day

‘Membrance Day

Last week my Grampa put out all his medals on the dining room table. Then he got out the polish and a big cloth. He spent a long time putting the white stuff on the medals and then he wiped it with the cloth. He cleaned them a long time and when he was done he asked me to look at them very carefully to see if he missed anything. He says that my eyes are much sharper than his are, but I didn’t see any speck of dirt on them.

After he cleaned all the medals he told me what they all were for and why he got them in the war. Whenever Grampa puts on his medals he puts on his uniform. Mommy takes it to the cleaners for him, especially for ‘Membrance Day. When he puts it on he says that he thinks the cleaner people must have shrunk it, but Mommy just smiles and then she takes off the shiny buttons and sews them back in a different place.

I like it when Grampa gets dressed in his uniform. He tells me to stand at attention and then he salutes. He shows me how to march right, left, right, left. He has to practice so that he can march in a parade.

I like parades. I like the big drums and the bag pipes, though they always make me cover my ears. Mom and I dress in our warmest clothes and we stand on the sidewalk near Mr. Jensen’s bakery to watch the parade going by. I stand in front so that I can see Grampa. He looks straight ahead as he marches by but I know he sees us.

After the parade, we go to the big statue in front of the Town Hall and we stand near Grampa. A soldier plays a bugle and everyone bows their heads. Grampa’s eyes always bother him and he has to wipe them with his handkerchief. He says that the wind blows dirt into them and I guess the wind bothers a lot of those other men too.

This year my Grampa helped the Silver Cross Mother take a wreath up to the statue. I asked Mommy why the mother had a silver cross and she said that the government had given it to her because she had lost her son in a war. She told me that Daddy’s mother has a silver cross too. I don’t know why she has one though, because my Daddy isn’t lost. We know ‘xactly where he is. We go to visit a big park with lots of stones called a cem’tary and his name is on one of the stones. We take flowers there every Sunday and my mommy is sad.

I was much littler when my Daddy went to ‘Ghanistan’ so sometimes I forget his voice, but Mommy lets me listen to a CD he made for us when he was there and I ‘member. I guess that’s what ‘Membrance Day is for. I guess Grampa is ‘membering. Maybe it makes his throat hurt too.

Three Christmas Cards to Make

These cards were made on cardstock and decorated with designs cut from foam sheets, felt, foam shapes, and ribbon. The inside caption is: Have a Merry Christmas and a New Year of blessings.

Something for Xmas

Today we had our first Christmas Craft Workshop of the year in our church hall and this is one of the three crafts we made – a yarn-wrapped wreath for our local nursing home. Every year, sadly, there are people in nursing homes who do not receive cards or gifts or even visits. This year, at each crafting workshop we make extra gifts and deliver them, along with our homemade cards, to our local nursing home.

We made these wreaths by cutting out the inner circle of two foam plates, gluing the outer rims together and then wrapping the rims with colourful yarn. The leaves of the holly were cut from green felt and decorated with a bit of silver paint. The berries as you can see are small red buttons. The wreath is very light and is hung by a green chenille pipe cleaner. It is just the thing to brighten up the door or wall of a senior in a nursing home.

By the way, we didn’t waste the inner circles of the foam plates. We cut three circles (one larger, one medium and one small) from the centres and used them to construct some cheerful snowmen which we glued to a folded christmas ribbon so that they could be hung over the branch of a tree. We embellished the snowmen with felt toques sporting small pompoms, small wiggly eyes, pipe cleaner arms and bright coloured buttons. They could be added to the wreath if not used for a tree ornament. The snowmen are easily made by a young child.

Adeline’s War of 1812 Journal: November 1814

Adeline’s War of 1812 Journal: November 1814

A fictional journal of the War of 1812 as it might have been experienced by a young woman in Upper Canada near Ft.Wellington.

Saturday, November 14, 1814

Dear Janetta,

Robert and his mother visited us to bring us our mail and so that Regina could see how my two sons are progressing. Charlie and Andrew are making attempts to sit up now and are reaching out for anything within their view. They both smile and coo at us and are good natured most of the time. Charlie tends to be more adventuresome, but Andrew who is quite a mimic, seems to be watching whatever we say and trying to repeat it. They both enjoy our walks and are growing so fast they will soon need new beds. Father was thinking of constructing a trundle bed with a bit of a railing and has begun to look for some nice maple from which to construct it.

There was a rather unpleasant surprise in our mail. Charles’ father had written another letter to me personally. It acknowledged my exoneration in the death of my husband, but offered no apology. This is the rest of what he wrote:

“My son, Charles’ brother, Everett, informed me that you have two children whom you claim to be Charles’ progeny. If they are indeed his, I would naturally wish to see them and feel an obligation to provide them with a proper upbringing here in England. Please be advised that this is not an opportunity for you to make any claim of inheritance for them, or a pension for yourself. I would simply give them a home, healthy food and a good education so that they might find employment in the army or in the clergy and acquit themselves as any honourable Houghton sons would. You may think on this subject until the spring, at which time my daughter Persephone will travel to Canada to fetch them.”

Well, you might guess my reply. No one will take my sons from me. No one.

With passionate determination,

Adeline

Spooky Poems

Spooks!

Ghosts and goblins at my door,

Ravens quoting, “Never more,”

Creatures big and creatures small,

Some who’ve barely learned to crawl,

Armed with bags and pillow cases,

Grinning pumpkins, scary faces.

Somewhere from around my feet

Comes the chorus – “Trick or treat!”

On Hallowe’en Night

The cats on the fence are yowling,

Distant coyotes are howling,

Ghosties and goblins are prowling

On Hallowe’en night!

******

Bats through the trees are winging,

Bell Tower ropes are swinging,

Tots to their mothers are clinging,

On Hallowe’en night!

*********

Dry leaves across roads go skittering,

And candy wrappers are littering,

As trick or treaters go flittering,

On Hallowe’en night!

**********

Blackened tree branches are creaking,

The wind round corners is shrieking,

Teenagers go hide and seeking,

On Hallowe’en night!

************

Pumpkins alight are dimming,

Spiders their webs are spinning,

The onrush of treaters is thinning,

On Hallowe’en night!

Two Cards for Halloween

Two Halloween cards:

I had fun making some homemade cards for my next door neighbours and my grandchildren. Here are two of them.

card made with card stock, construction paper and art foam.

made with card stock, construction paper and art foam

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