Thursday, 6 October 2016

6.10.1864

Morning fine. Went to Mr. Jameson's about the horse. Got an order from Mr. Richards for 20 dollars for horse work. Left town at noon. Walked down the trail. Hugh Boyd came over in the evening. (photo: socks knitted by Mrs. Hugh Boyd for Major Matthews and a medal to Hugh Boyd- CVA)

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

5. 10.1864

Morning showery. Went up to town at noon with the horse. Stopped all night with Hugh Boyd. Mr. McVeen advanced 400$ at 2 p. cent. (photo: the house Hugh Boyd was born in- Killyleagh, Ireland- CVA)

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

4.10.1864

Morning wet. Went up the hill to saw some cedar for shakes. Samuel went over to Uncle's to milk the cows. Evening wet.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866) 

3.10.1864

Morning frosty. Went over to Uncle's for a wheel barrow to wheel the cedar blocks to the medow. Halled them home in the evening. Samuel over at Uncle's.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

2.10.1864

Fine weather. Tom, the Indian, came up for turnips. Went over to Richmond. Samuel came home in the evening.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

1.10.1864

Weather fine. Samuel went up to town with the butter. Did not come home. Stopped at Mr. Jameson's. (What did you get up to with the butter money, Samuel?)

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

Friday, 30 September 2016


30.09.1864

Morning cloudy. Clearing off brush to widen the road. Halled up the cedar poles for the shed in the evening with C. Ryan's oxen.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

29.09.1864

Morning cloudy. Went to the hill to cut shakes for the shed. Frosty in the evening.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

Wednesday, 28 September 2016


28.09.1864

Morning fine. Went up to town on the horse to get him shod and see Mr. Armstrong. Went out to the camp. Called to see Mr. Jameson, bought a pair of boots. Heavy rain.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

Tuesday, 27 September 2016


27.09.1864

Morning fine. Getting out posts and rafters for a shed. Samuel and I packed them out in the evening. Evening frosty.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

26.09.1864

Weather fine. Building a hous for the pig, bought two from Uncle at 2 1/2 dollars each. Putting a fence around the hay stack.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)  (photo: CVA 1897)

Sunday, 25 September 2016


25.09.1864

Morning showery. Did not go to church. Went over to Uncle's. Went out with the horse to look after the cattle. Evening fine. 

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

Saturday, 24 September 2016


24.09.1864

Morning wet. Samuel went up to town with butter. Went up with Martin in the boat. Chopping firewood.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

23.09.1864

Morning cloudy. Samuel over at Uncle's milking the cows. Sawing a cedar for shakes. Samuel over in the meeting.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

Thursday, 22 September 2016



22.09.1864

Morning cloudy. Uncle went up town with the scow for the cows. Samuel went over to milk for him. Sawing cedar for shakes. G.B. down from Cariboo.

(Diary: Fitzgerald McCleery, Vancouver 1862-1866)

Sunday, 29 May 2016


29.05.16

Tilted the worship panels stand obliquely within reach of 49th and Main Sts.

Sunday, 14 February 2016



14.02.16

Things to Do around Vancouver, an Imaginary City

(after Gary Snyder)

Watch another one come down
Wait for the big one to bring it all down
Tread with irony and an eye to harvesting patterns
Feed a man lying on a bench before tossing crumbs to pigeons
Float down the Fraser smelling salmon spawn

Track piles: sulphur,
coal, red fife, chipped
old growth, demolished
homes, rubble, dog shit

Lie naked at night, listening to storms pound rooftops
Flirt in a crosswalk in passing as the light turns to amber
Seeking residue of the radicalized 70's
Un-real estate your conversation while living apart together
Bike to Finn Slough and picnic amid
      stilted shacks and blackberry thorns
Count food counters on Commercial Drive or eat
      pho along the King's Highway, now Little Saigon

Waiting in line at the same grocer for thirty years
Renaming a street after a forgotten lover
Drink pints, call it pinting
Invent a game, name it flinch

Seek a new edge beyond the seawall or tree-line
Sit on a bench and count strangers
Chase crows flocking to Willingdon
Trace the ridgeline separating lost streams
Stare into holes
Shades of grey
Names for rain
Counted layers