1

Dog pulling boy on a sleigh
1915
Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Image courtesy of: Archives of Manitoba, Foote 1042

2

I had a dog that used to pull me on the sleigh. He'd go pretty fast too, the neighbours, the neighbour's daughter, she, he had a race horse, and she used to drive it to school, eh? And one night, she was coming home, and I was coming home with my dog, and I seen her coming up over the rise, and I thought, I wonder if my dog can keep ahead of her, but he couldn't. He couldn't, she was gaining on him. She never passed him, but she was gaining all the time. (laughs) but he could really run, eh, he was a race horse.

And what kind of dog was yours?

He was a cross between a collie and a police dog.

3

Olive Morgan's purse game
1930

4

At that time, we used to play, we used to put our purse on the sidewalk. And we behind the bush, we were behind the bushes, and people would be coming down and 'oh look there's a purse!'

What would you do that for?!

I don't know, just for fun.

What did you do when they tried to pick it up?

We go out there before they would.

I never heard that one before! Isn't that fun!

But it was fun. Good clean fun. No body had too much money to put on the sidewalk, I'll tell ya!

5

It's hard to get lost on the prairies
1971
Living Prairie Museum, St. James, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

6

I like the grasses because, well, the reason I like the is because, in the summer when they get really tall, well up to about here...

your waist.

Me and my brother will take some grass out of one area and put it on top of the thing, and then we'll make sure there's still, like, a door. And when ever, when ever we didn't feel like doing chores we'd usually always, usually quickly run into one of those we'd built.

Kinda like they're a fort in the grass?

Yep.

Okay. Fun.

I just like the prairies because it's, it's pretty hard to get lost.

7

City versus Country
1971
Living Prairie Museum, St. James, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

8

Well, it's real fun, you have lots, you're, you're..you can explore a lot. And you basically have, I think you, on the prairie you get more freedom than if you live in the town or in the city.

And why is that do you think?

Cause you have more space and there's...well, there's hazards that the city has that the prairie, the countryside and the prairie won't. But there's also hazards that come with it. Cause if you're by yourself and let's say, you sprain your ankle or break your bone, if you're by yourself you have no one to get help. In the city there's always someone you can ask for help.

9

First memory of seeing the prairie crocus
2005
Living Prairie Museum, St. James, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

10

When I first saw a crocus, it was about when I was four; I was just walking along with my dad. Like I saw the statue of the crocus so I was fairly…oh, dad. I'd ask my dad "Oh dad is that what a crocus looks like?" And he would say, yes. And it happened once when I was walking with my dad and I was chasing a snake and I all the sudden saw these purple flowers and I said "Dad I found a crocus!" and then I realized that they were all around me and I'm like "why haven't I noticed this before?"

11

Driving through the prairies at sunset
July, 1921

Credits:
Image courtesy of: Glenbow Archives NA-5627-14

12

It does you know, and the sunsets and the sunrises, you see, are just absolutely wondrous here. And I remember in '57, after I had had about two or three used cars, and I'd bought a brand new convertible. And I remember going home Deloraine, going up to the lake and it was haying season and I had the top down in my car, I must have taken about three times more time to get home because I just went slowly and the beautiful aroma and the sunsets, you know?

And all that dust! (laughs)

No it wasn't, it wasn't! It was just absolutely…oh no, I, I never had anything but a convertible after that…they're fun! Oh yeah I loved those!

Great.

But I just, I can remember yet, just so, you know…just…40-45 miles an hour, you know, just sailing along with the top down. And the beautiful smell of the haying and the clover. It was…it was beautiful. And then the sunset, cause this would be after work on a Friday night you know? I loved it.

13

Everybody walks on it for the air
2001
Living Prairie Museum, St. James, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

14

No, you never saw many wildflowers on the prairie.

You didn't?

No, not really, not flowers. Or even buds. It was all grass and whatever.

Do you remember how tall the grass was?

Hmm?

Do you remember how tall the grass was?

Not much different that what it is there. Cause so many people walked on it. I mean, everybody walked out there--for the air.