Prairie Wool

and Saskatchewan writer, performer, and teacher, asking him what steps her daughter Helen should take to become an author. Remarkably, he replied, albeit briefly.

“Tell her to write something every day,” he scrawled at the top of the page. At the time, it had seemed a poor response for a girl hungry to learn the inside secrets to success, but it was, in fact, excellent advice. Writing ‘something’ every day, even when you don’t feel like it, the cat has thrown up in your shoe, the baby is crying, or your brain feels dry as dust, causes you to improve, whether you like it or not.

However, although I wrote little bits of stories in-between having children and being a wife, mother, and truck driver (an odd combination, I’ll admit), I’d given up on my dream of being an author. Then, miraculously, one shining day, I was given an opportunity by the former editor of my local newspaper, Mike D’Amour, to write a column called Prairie Wool. I’ll always be grateful.

COUNTY OF MINBURN NO.

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tion would not claim my sorry hide just yet. I was given a chance to be what I might have been.

George Eliot, you were right!

*Canned applause*

That was almost eight years ago. Although it isn’t always easy to come up with a fresh new column each week, it’s meant a lot to hopefully send a smile your way through my humorous anecdotes. It also opened the door to a whole new world.

I first published three books of the best of my Prairie Wool tales. Then, wrote four books in an epic fantasy series called Runestaff Chronicles. They have been likened, by readers, to The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. High praise indeed. Although I do not claim to place myself in their illustrious company, I’m proud of my books.

Most recently, I’ve written my first romance. One Golden Summer was released this past weekend and is doing well. While the story begins here, on the prairies, the reader soon escapes to sundrenched Provence, France, where dreams sometimes do come true. My next novel will take place in the Cinque Terre, along Italy’s rugged coastline, since my love of travel

Oil/Calcium Dust Control Program on Roads in Front of Farmland Sites

For Sale By Tender

The County of Minburn is offering for sale the following items:

2006 GMC Sierra SL ¾ ton 4x4

Dust control applications will now be accepted until May 15, 2022 (deadline) as per County Policy OP 9001-01, Dust Control with Calcium and Oil on Roads in Front of Yard Sites

2007 GMC Sierra SL 1 ton 4x4

2013 GMC Sierra 3500 4x4

If you have any questions, please call the Operations Office at (780)632-2082, Ext. 3

Items are located at the County of Minburn Operations Office in Vegreville. Viewing by appointment only. Please contact Clay Cartier, Shop Foreman, at 780-632-2082 extension 3 for more information or to arrange a viewing.

Applications are available at the County of Minburn Website: www.minburncounty.ab.ca

Bidders wishing to submit a price must do so on a Tender Submission Form. This form along with additional pictures of the units as well as bidding instructions are available at the County of Minburn Operations Office in Vegreville or under the Services/Tender& Job Opportunities section of the County website: www.minburncounty.ab.ca

Tender submissions will be accepted up to 2:00 pm on March 31, 2023

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Phone: 780-853-6305

Fax: 780-853-5426

Email: vermilionvoice@gmail.com

Your only local independent newspaper. Proudly serving Vermilion and area since 2004.

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Publisher: Susan Chikie

Editor: Lorna Hamilton

Photographer / Reporter: Lorna Hamilton, Angela Mouly

Graphic Design: Braxton Hoare

Sales: Susan Chikie, Lorna Hamilton of the Gove nment of Canada has finally found release.

So, to sum up this article of blatant selfpromotion, I hope you might be interested enough to give some, or all, of my books a read. They can be found at Dawn’s Interiors, Coles Bookstore, on Amazon or on my website helentoews.com.

But most of all, remember, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

As for me, I’m an author.

In a heavy bottomed pan, melt the butter, add the onion, broccoli, celery and sauté, add the carrot and continue to sauté. When thoroughly heated, but not yet browning, add the flour and stir, cooking and stirring for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock, and stir, cooking and stirring as it thickens. Then add the second and third cup in the same way, one at a time, cooking and stirring, allowing the soup to thicken before the next cup of broth is added. Add the salt to taste as the amount will vary based on the amount of salt in the chicken broth. Add the pepper and the cream. Bring the soup to a boil and then stir in the parmesan cheese. Serve in soup bowls and garnish with grated cheddar cheese. Makes about 4 servings. for

Cash only $15.00 or on Amazon

Craig Baird Columnist

Before there was Vermilion, there was Bowtell. This small community, named for Harry Bowtell, existed only briefly before people moved to the new Vermilion townsite as the railroad was built through.

So, here is a look at what was going on in Bowtell in 1904.

First, Harry Bowtell himself was working as the government land guide for the Vermilion area, and there were many times he made trips to Edmonton in order to do business and guide new settlers out to the