Sweet Homes, Sweet Women

Yesterday I saw online that Heather Bishop was going to be on CTV's 'Manitoba Moments' this morning, so I immediately went to the living room and DVR'd it so I could watch it tonight after work. Heather Bishop is a folk singer-songwriter, visual artist, author, carpenter and social activist. She's won tons of awards including Juno's and was awarded the Order of Canada in 2005, she's released 14 albums, including children's as well as folk and she basically built her own house.

Heather Bishop was also a good friend of my Aunt Elena who passed away in 2003. I've been to Heather's amazing house, but my memory of it is a little fuzzy as it was probably 10 years ago. I was hoping that there would be shots of the whole property, and that I could catch a glimpse of Elena's old house but the interview was just indoors. Click here to see the video of Heathers amazing house, here to see her beautiful paintings, and here to listen to some of her music.

One of my biggest regrets is that I didn't get to know Elena better. When we would take family trips to their property in the middle of nowhere I was a 15 year old (and probably pretty surly) teenager that just wanted to be back in Brandon hanging out with my friends. And thinking back now I'm sure being around this family that she didn't see very often with one bored teenager and one hyperactive "tween" she was probably a little stressed out. I think I was a different person at that time and didn't respect, the way I would now, their amazing home, the things Elena made with her hands, and lifestyle that was so different from the way I was brought up.

If Elena was still alive I know we would get along amazingly. We share the same sense of humor, love of photography, music, cigarettes and sarcasm. I think that's all you need, right?

My favorite Vandale picture and Elena's 24th birthday