Eaton's Catalogue Covers Reflect the Times

Eaton's Catalogue covers changed dramatically over its almost 100 year history.  Early catalogues seemed to focus on the Eaton's store and the country of Canada.  Later catalogues focussed on the family, and eventually, the individual.  For more information about the catalogue, visit http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2016/01/eatons-catalogue-icon-of-canadian.html.  Here is a small sampling of what Canadians used to call The Homesteader's Bible.

The original Eaton's Catalogue circa 1884 displayed the Toronto storefront courtesy http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/biography/images/eaton-chro-catalogueb.jpg.

The Eaton's Catalogue circa 1897 reminds me of my elementary school notebooks courtesy http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/toys/pics/229_231_0_1_1897cover.jpg.

Eaton's Catalogue circa 1903 boasts mail order service "from sea to sea" courtesy 

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6b/e5/bf/6be5bf5779c342919f9563373a0ece76.jpg.

The Eaton's Catalogue of 1908 reminds me of the Flintstone's episode where Fred (aka Santa) parachutes over chimneys as he delivers presents.  Photo courtesy https://www.pinterest.com/lynettehaynes/t-eaton/.

The Eaton's Catalogue circa 1918 features a patriotic image given the First World War has just ended courtesy http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/029006/f1/nlc005411-v6.jpg.

Good quality artwork featured on the 1922 Eaton's Catalogue courtesy https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/bb/eb/db/bbebdbde86cad035e1b383d81d1bbd96.jpg.

Eaton's Catalogue circa 1942 focusses on a mother and daughter courtesy https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Eaton's_Spring_and_Summer_Catalogue_1942.jpg.

Christmas 1956 courtesy http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_kevinp/2010_12_18Christmas1956.jpg.

A young hockey player could be outfitted at Eaton's circa 1948 courtesy http://www.lakecountrymuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Eatons-of-Canada-catalogue.jpg.

Christmas 1959 courtesy http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/eatons/pics/catalogue21b.jpg. 

This woman reminds me of Jacqueline Kennedy circa 1961 courtesy http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/images/f_229_1_0_235_no_35_cov_270.jpg.

Sisters waiting for Santa circa 1967 courtesy https://www.pinterest.com/pin/261208847110940603/.

Catalogue circa 1975 courtesy https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a2/a7/cd/a2a7cdbb74997638050aea97ca16a5f9.jpg.

Family Poetry

Here are ten poems about mothers, fathers, daughters and sons.

1.  The Black Lace Fan My Mother Gave Me by Eavan Boland http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/eavan_boland/poems/1197.html.

2.  Will You Tie My Shoes When I Grow Old? (author unknown) http://www.poetrysoup.com/poems/best/mother_daughter.

3.  Blessing by Christina Holmes http://www.lovepoemsandpoets.com/poems/mother_daughter.

4.  A Prayer for my Daughter by William Butler Yeats http://www.poemhunter.com/poems/daughter/page-/13765/.

5.  A Flower Given to my Daughter by James Joyce http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-flower-given-to-my-daughter/.

6.  A Father to His Son by Carl Sandburg http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/a-father-to-his-son-by-carl-sandburg.

7.  If by Emily Dickinson http://www.poetrysoup.com/famous/poems/best/son.

8.  My Father's Hats by Mark Irwin http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/my-fathers-hats.

9.  My Father was a Farmer by Robert Burns http://poetry.about.com/od/poemsbytitlem/l/blburnsmyfather.htm.

10.  Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/those-winter-sundays.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LUx-vNbLB4

Create Your Future

"Where there is no vision, the people will perish." (Proverbs 18:29)

In his book Goals, Brian Tracy highlights a study of 3300 successful leaders.  The number one quality that they all possessed was vision.  Their long term perspective led to financial and personal success.  

Tracy recommends that you envision a five-year plan.   Idealize what your business or family life will be like five years from now.  Practise "blue sky thinking":  just as the sky seems limitless, so too are your plans for the future.  Imagine anything is possible.  Write down what your job situation will look like:  your co-workers, tasks, level of responsibility, goals and status.  Estimate what your finances will look like: your salary, mortgage, bank account, investments, retirement.  Envision your family life:  spouse, children, extended family.  How will your health fare ex. appearance, weight, diet, exercise?  Will you be involved in the community ex. charity, volunteering?  Will you practise self-improvement strategies ex. go back to school, update your skills?  The author maintains that often people overestimate their yearly goals and yet underestimate their five-year plan. 

I remember back  to the Christmas of 1997:  my sister Lisa had us all do a visualization exercise at my parents' house.  She handed out pieces of paper and asked us all to write down ten goals and put them in an envelope to be examined five years hence.  My number one goal was having a child, as was Lisa's, I suspect.  At the time we had both been married for several years and yet remained childless.  Well, we didn't have to wait five years.  The following Christmas, I brought my bundle of joy to my parents' house and my mom snapped a picture of him under the Christmas tree.  Two years after the goal writing session, Lisa brought her bundle of joy to my parents' house and my nephew and son played together by the foot of the Christmas tree.  

Have a long term vision.  Write it down.  The sky's the limit!  Watch how God acts in your life.

Note:  For more information about visualization, read my post "Conceive, Believe, Achieve" at 

http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2015/01/conceive-believe-achieve.html.

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