David Milton McGowan

Over the years I’ve done a variety of things as it says on the bio on the back of my novels. That’s one of the requirements when one is interested in artistic endeavours such as writing novels and playing music. Doing all those things has built some marvellous memories brought back with great strength when musician, Ray Gathercole posted these pictures. I don’t have pictures of this event and Ray has graciously allowed me to post them here. The event in question took place April 16, 1970 in the (old and long gone) Charlie Lake Community Hall. A fellow musician (one of those with a well paying steady job) had just taken a better position with a petrochemical company in Grande Prairie , Alberta and was leaving our area. The local musicians, (spear-headed by Gerry Chilli I believe who is pictured) rented the hall and spent an afternoon acknowledging and honouring Butch Peterson, an exceptionally fine guitar player. Bob Slavik-steel, Ray Gethercole-guitar, Dave McGowan-rhythm...

My brother in law from down below ... no, he isn’t an Aussi from down under or that other place that came to mind, he’s from below the 49 th parallel, and a really great guy ... sent me these quotes the other day and I thought it was an excellent collection. The thing is, you see, I pay taxes for roads, schools, medical treatment and all these things are not being funded. Yes, there are many other things of course, but I believe these items are where it should start and if there is any money left over at the bottom of the list then those who work for us and keep the records (the same ones who call themselves our “leaders”. I don’t mind that either if it makes them feels good while they are doing their job.) can go ahead and pay themselves. And, of course, they do not get a better pension than those of us who actually contribute to the growth of our country. Of course, the same could be said for those “down below.” Oh, and while you are here on the net, take a look at http...

Here is another one of the short stories from my "The Yearlings" collection. I hope to have this collection published and available sometime in 2014. It includes stories from Ontario (where this one takes place) to British Columbia and a time frame from the late 1800s to the 1980s. Some of them are based on something that actually happened ... with some slight extrapolation . Other stories are more in the line of major extrapolation ; that is to say they may have been part of a bad dream. Another selection from the collection, the title story, was posted here several months ago. That's a lot of water!                                                                 By D...

  The last duel held in Ontario was in 1833. It was also the last fatal duel. The pistols used can be viewed at the local museum in Perth , Lanark County Ontario. The participants were Robert Lyon and John Wilson accompanied by their respective seconds, Henri Lelievre (probably Lel-ee-vray) and Simon Robertson respectively. The focus of the confrontation was a school teacher Elizabeth Hughes. Robert Lyon was born in Inverurie , Scotland on December 30, 1812 . Along with his family he moved to Canada in 1829. John Wilson was born February 5, 1807 in Paisley , Renfrewshire , Scotland and came to “the colonies” with his family in Perth , Upper Canada about 1823. In 1833 he was studying law under James Boulton. In early June of 1833 Lyon , also a law student, made disparaging remarks about Elizabeth Hughes. John Wilson heard these remarks and, since he had begun a relationship with the young school teacher, demanded that Lyon retract the remarks which at the i...

The work I perform to pay the monthly bills has exploded. I’m sure it will help to pay those bills at the end of the month but it does tend to interfere with working on the new novel, writing posts for the blog and doing things around here such as putting the summer tools away and bringing out the winter things. It is also interfering with the work I need to do on earlier novels and their promotion. Strategic Book Publishing will be and has me supplying information for the changing of the web sites for “Partners” and “Homesteader”. They will become a single site with access to both novels on the one page. As we add more novels they will appear on the same site. In regard to that I have four ready to go. There is my first, the prequel to “Homesteader” which is titled, “The Great Liquor War” but is no longer available; four of the same characters as those found in “Homesteader”. “Jake’s Justice” which I particularly like since it includes a story, or more preci...

I was actually looking for a quotation from the Bible which I wanted to use in one of my stories. However, during the process I found a great many sites with quotations, some of which I have heard and some that I haven't. Of course there are thousands out there, but before I moved on to the task that had actually started me on this journey I found several that where interesting, enlightening, and humorous. Oh, and yes, I did find the Bible quote, the chapter and verse. However, now I've decided not to use it in this particular yarn. Maybe in the next one. Life Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. (Mark Twain)   Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. (John F. Kennedy) Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward ...

The machines in this picture have been working hard for close to three weeks. However, on the last day of Sept., 2013 they are all fueled up and ready for the final day of harvest on this particular family holdings. There are those out there who still have as much as a week's work ahead of them. Canola, wheat, barley, and oats into the food baskets of the world.