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Monday, February 2, 2015

Groundhog Day

February 2 is traditionally known as groundhog day. The day when this large rodent ventures forth from the snow covered frozen ground and gives us a clue as to how much longer the winter will last. depending on if it sees it's shadow or not.
We don't have groundhogs here in Sask. and if we did they would be hibernating beneath the deep frozen ground knowing there will be nothing for them on the surface but cold and snow for the next month or two.
In family history it is also the birthday of great Uncle Alf Goff. Born in Chetnole, Dorset in 1870. He got out of Dorset in his 20s and sailed for Australia where he worked on a sheep farm for a few years before returning to England . Not for long though as he and his younger brother Tom then sailed for Canada and spent some time working on the railroad and threshing crews eventually returning to England. They must have liked Canada though for they returned to take up a homestead in 1903 in the land that would soon become Saskatchewan. Alf farmed full time until he died at the age of 72 in January of 1942.
Alf with cousin Jack who lived and farmed next door . 

Alf in Australia in the 1890s.

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