It may not look like much but John and Corrie loved this small house on the farm near Mayerthorpe

(click to enlarge and see Corrie planting flowers at far left)

Mom often said these were her "Golden Years" - the "best 10 years of our marriage."

Mayerthorpe is a quiet rural town of 1000 people.

Little has changed in town since 1961 when John and Corrie bought 160 acres 10 km north of town.

John loved to plant trees; he planted a lot of them!

Some near the house...

Many more as wind-breaks and for privacy in front...

Both John and Corrie loved walking "the path" to the rear 100 acres together

They also loved to "garden" - if 6 acres of potatoes by hand could still be called a "garden"!

(I think the woman holding a bag of seed potatoes is a guest from Holland)

They loved to host guests from Holland...

There was always lots of work...

...and they loved it!

Equipment to work with...

Firewood to gather for cold winters...

Fence to paint..

...and time to rest.

Sometimes Dad even convinced Mom to do something she didn't feel comfortable with - a boat ride with long-time friend Harm Haak (who Murray and Jack had worked for in their teens as framers)

Yes, it was the place they loved...