A Baker's Dozen

Today few appreciate what life was like on a Canadian homestead. Although the West was a harsh environment, settlers flocked there at the dawn of the last century. Among the scrub brush and hills of the northern prairie they strove to recreate themselves from nothing other than the land and hard work. Despite the difficult path, they experienced a richness of life in nature and family. These pioneers had resilience, the toughness of mind and spirit that built the heartland of Canada.A unique voice from that time can be heard in the tales of A Baker's Dozen, fact-based historical accounts of a time gone by, when there were no cars, no televisions, and no telephones.The ninth of thirteen children, Pearl Murray recounts events that occurred during her early years growing up on the farm. Through sparse but telling descriptions, in an unassuming tone, she shares these salient memories in a voice that is evocative of the prairie landscape itself.