She’s seen it all;  the Great Depression, wholesome families, go-go boots,  sky-rocking interest rates. She’s been evacuated by a chlorine gas leak from a train derailment in Mississauga.

She’s traveled the world, even going to Russia, by herself!! She’s packed up her home, kids and life every time my Dad was transferred with Massey Ferguson… so many times in fact, I’m not even sure where my sister and I grew up, because it was everywhere… and it was great! Mom always made it great. She did the best she could do with what she had. She always liked the new place we were living at best. Never looking back at the friends she had to leave. She still has most of those friends in her life today. Miles don’t matter. Making an effort does.

Mom makes the effort in everything she does.Everyone who meets my Mom eventually drags me to one side and says something like; “Are you ever lucky to have such a great Mom!” or “I wish I had a Mom like that” or “She’s so adorable! I think she’s terrific, I want to take her home!”
I think she’s terrific too.

You’ve set a very high bar for people who know you. If I can be a fraction of the wife, mother and friend you have shown us, and continue to show us, I’ll be one very blessed person.
There are no words Mom, to express how I feel about you, except to say things like, you’ve made a difference in my life, and so many others and you’ve loved us all unconditionally.
You’re smile brightens my day.

I was always in a rush! If I mixed a can of something with a box of something, we were living high on the hog that night. If one of the kids said they were coming for a visit I went into panic mode. What would I make? I had no go to recipe that actually tasted good, that I could make with any level of success or confidence. I limped along like that for 15 years!

I think it was October 2017 I bought a Pioneer Woman cook book. One of her recipes showed her making it in cast iron. I went right back to Walmart and bought a 12″ cast iron frying pan, then a 10″, then to Canadian Tire for a Logostina grill pan, on to Bed, Bath and Beyond for a 6″ and so on!

I haven’t stopped buying Cast Iron, but I’ve stopped buying it in stores and now, mom and I head out on weekend to our favourite thrift stores and antique stores to find Vintage Cast Iron!! Finding a great piece, a gem to me, has become my passion. I strip it to bare metal, clean it up, re-season it, display it and cook in it.

What fun and a lasting treasure to hand down and keep in our family.

Update: September 9th 2018 I’m making her Boeuf a la Bourguignonne today, I found this quote I will now cook by!!

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”
― Julia Child

Her quest for knowledge and personal growth has kept her a life-long student and attracted her to work in the human services field.

Throughout her career, Shannyn has been responsible for developing, managing, facilitating and coordinating programs within the non-profit sector. She has managed projects such as events organizing, managing fundraising campaigns, and hosting trade shows. Shannyn also appeared as co-host on a local Shaw TV program.

Shannyn has contributed countless hours to local volunteer work and, in 2014, received a certificate of recognition as a 2014 Star of Alberta from Alberta Culture and Tourism.

Family time is spent cooking and enjoying the food we create together. We are an active family who garden to know where our food comes from and are often seen collecting eggs from the chickens that roam our property.