As of December 13, 2018

From the Owl:

Having a bath circa 1942 in house where I was born, eight (8) miles NE of Canora, near the former Phoneix country school

There has been so much excitement around the Verigins that we have a difficult time keeping everything in perspective. We have another grandchild wedding to attend in August 2019 and we are preparing to receive another two (2) great grand children to add to the three (3) healthy great grandsons. What a treat…we spoil them rotten and their parents can take them home to discipline them. All our grand children have significant others except our youngest Macy and she is not admitting to anything.

Marilyn and I still have difficult saying “NO” and still get involved which only means that we cannot retire from good purposes. We find that the second and third generations are leading the way and we hobble along and try to keep up.

The Baunya is operational at Whatshan Lake Retreat. It was my last “Dirty Hands Project” but very enjoyable as the younger generations impressed us with their commitment to volunteer.

Here we are having a “beer break”. The People Counter from the Expo ’86 Egyptian Pavilion is tracking all Users. You need to come to Whatshan Lake Retreat and see it for yourselves.

We are patiently waiting for Water Rights to approve our Bulk Water Licence so that we can complete our zoning application. Our pure water sales are intended to facilitate needed programs that are in the planning stages.

From the Pussycat:

Pussycat standing on bank behind her current house (circa 2012) at 145-4200 Grandview Drive, Castlegar, B.C.

On December 23, we will be celebrating 57 years of wedded bliss (???)

 

Wedding for Pussycat, Marilyn and Owl, Elmer at the Marigold in Saskatoon, December 23, 1961 with beloved sister Mary and brother-in-law John Khadekin in background

. Over these years we made 64 trips to see our beloved families and friends in Saskatchewan. As we leave the mountains, we look at each other, knowing that the skies will open up and we will pass through Alberta (blue??) and then travel down the country roads take us back ‘home’.

 

Dinner at the Blue Diamond, in Saskatoon, July 2018 with former Saskatoon Doukhobor Youth. Left to right: Dorthy and Mitch Ozeroff, Elmer, Betty Kabatoff, Ruth and John Sirota, Olive Epp, Marilyn, Donna Hunchak and Edna Wright.

Neither of us could choose as to which home we like best. We love them both, the people we know and have known are all responsible for making us the people we are today.

 Last Supper Doukhobor Cultural Association (DCA) November 2018

Our hearts are overflowing with the feelings and ideas we have exchanged with each and every person we have been in contact with. Not always has there been mutual understanding of topics at hand but there has been an understanding that each opinion must be heard and respected.

These are lessons that must be passed on to future generations to attain the elusive ‘World of PEACE’ we so desperately seek.

Enjoy the remaining days of 2018 and the beginning of the New Year.

Till we meet again!

Elmer and Marilyn

PRAYER CIRCLE FOR JONATHAN KALMAKOFF

AT BRILLIANT CULTURAL CENTER

1500 HOURS, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2018

Standard Doukhobor Greetings directed to Listeners, by Ensemble at BCC, led by Michael Kanigan (responses will take place on receiving end and not audible)

Elmer Verigin begins:

“:……..We welcome our friend, Jonathan Kalamakoff, to our Prayer Circle here at Brilliant Cultural Center in the Kootenays.

I also wish to welcome members of Jonathan’s family:

• Daughters Katherine (Katya), Emily (Milya) and son Jake (Yasha) at home with Jonathan
• Father Larry Kalmakoff and partner Oney Pollock in Canora
• Sisters Janna Kalmakoff in Squamish and Carrie Kalmakoff in Calgary

These participants before you, consist of the Kootenay Mens Choir, those who travelled to Veregin in 2017, as well as others who have just completed a Moleniya at the Brilliant Cultural Center earlier today.

Medical Professionals already know the power of Prayer in the healing process. Scientists are now convinced that there is a particle in every atom that directs its activity. Cell Biologists have also recognized that each of our cells actually communicate with Quantum Physics and therefore agree that there is a God. So it appears that all Religions and Science are finally together on the existence of God.

There never was any doubt amongst Doukhobors as to existence and powers of God and so they say:

Где есть Любовь, есть Бог (Where there is Love, there is God)

We have an abundance of Love in this room today.

I now will ask the assembled group to hold hands in what we will call a “ flat circle”

Jonathan, you may want to the same with whoever is with you in Regina, with your TV set and our ensemble completing your Prayer Circle.

Those in other parts can duplicate.

We are essentially enabling our collective spiritual strength, today, to be transmitted to you, Jonathan, on your continuing journey to receive a compatible kidney and a successful operation to a complete recovery. We ask God in Jesus’s Name, to assist you.

Individual members will recite six (6) psalms and followed by our ensemble singing a psalm, Lord’s Prayer Ochi Nosh and a hymn, My God is a Mountain Мой Бог Скала

You may close your eyes and permit the transmission of our vibrations and love to your entire self so that we are joined together in body and spirit.

I will now return to my place so that the circle will not be broken and we will begin………….”

• (Three (3) men followed by three (3) women will recite individual psalms
• The choir knows who the last Reciter is followed by
• The Lord’s Prayer is started by the appointed member and sung by the choir followed by reciting in unison
• The appointed person then starts Мой Бог Скала)

Elmer then steps out and:

“…………We have provided you with our spiritual message so that it may add to your positive mind and resolve to complete your personal journey successfully.With the love and support of your family, this challenge will be overcome…………

“…………..мы просим Бога о вашем хорошем здоровье (We request that God provides you with good health)

Пока мы встретимся снова (We will see you soon) ……………..”

Presented via bcc uscc You Tube at 1450 hours, Sunday, December 09. 2018

Updated by Elmer Verigin 0825 hours PST, Saturday, December 11, 2018

On Mon, Dec 10, 2018 at 11:36 PM Elmer Verigin <emverigin@shaw.ca> wrote:

Jonathan

We were all very much wrapped up in this spiritual effort

On behalf of all of us, The best to you!

Elmer

Sent from my iPhone On Dec 10, 2018, at 7:37 PM, Jonathan Kalmakoff <jon.kalmakoff@gmail.com> wrote:

Elmer,

A deep bow and my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who cared enough and took the time to participate in the wonderful prayer circle yesterday, and you in particular, for all the time and energy that undoubtedly went into organizing this. As my children and I watched and prayed along, here in Regina, we could feel your presence among us, despite the vast distance. My daughters were very moved by this show of community support, and I myself feel truly spiritually refreshed.  Thank you for sharing the Doukhobor message of love, peace and hope, and for including us in the broader Canada-wide Doukhobor community!!!

Please feel free to share this with the other choir members, if you so choose.

Sincerely,

Jon

 

Stories that have taken place with my friends keep drifting through my head from time to time and so I will recount this funny one that Walter Demoskoff told me.

Walter was a Logger that took him away from his family. He would leave Sunday night to return the Friday afternoon.

This particular Friday in midsummer was very hot. Walter liked cold beer and so he arrived home and took his beer down the basement to relax. He had no air conditioning and decided to strip right down to cool off.

His children ran into the house, screaming “a bear, a bear is in our yard, Dad something!”

So Walter ran up the stairs and grabbed an axe that was just in the porch. As he said after, “I had no idea what to expect and my immediate reaction was that I should have something to protect myself.”

“Where is the bear?” he called out to his children.

“Out by the Baunya” they pointed in that direction.

He admitted that it may have been a fool thing to do but at the time I was thinking of my family’s safety and off he went to the Baunya.

” I was coming around one end of the Baunya and the bear was coming from the other end and we were both were surprised to meet. I hollered while raising my axe as I was going to retreat. The bear obviously never saw a naked man with an axe before and we both retreated to opposite ends,” Walter recalled.

” I recovered slightly and decide to go to house not realizing that the bear was going the same direction as my dog Jeb started barking and scared the bear up a tree. I decided that the cold beer was waiting for me and cautioned the children to stay back and let the bear escape and went back to my beer.”

“Jeb thought that it was his responsibility to guard the yard and sat on his haunches to bark at bear. This carried on into the night making sleep an impossibility. Jeb barked until he went hoarse and I thought that would be the end of it.”

“Bill Voykin’s dog came from next door to continue the vigil and barking”

“At early dawn, I sleepily took my chainsaw from the back of my pickup and decide to fall the tree so the bear could get away. I neglected to do my normal looksee and sure enough, the tree fell on another and became a ‘leaner'”

“So I proceeded to fall the other tree and both fell downhill away from my house. The trees were about 60 feet high and so as the bear crawled out from the branches, he looked back at me and I swear he waved with his front paw as if to thank me and say goodbye.”

“I automatically waved back and watched him walk away.”

And so this is a story about my friend Walter and a bear.

Walter and his good wife Ann are both deceased now.

The incident happened about 1975.

Written by Elmer Verigin December 03, 2018