Family life through the seasons | Brubacher House Museum

While Brubacher House is only open for drop-in tours from May-October, life in and around the museum continues throughout the year for the hosts. The seasons change and many family and friend gatherings occur.

Spring

Scenes of spring.

Oran Enns with the forget-me-nots in bloom, May 2021. - Laura and Joshua Enns (2017-present)

Oran Enns walking under the crab apple blossoms, May 2021. Laura and Joshua Enns (2017-present)

A huge ice storm, Columbia Lake, March 2016. - Jacquie and Karl Reimer (2013-2017)

Daffodils and baby swallows, spring 1983. - Dorothy Bean and Ida Habermehl (1982-1986)

Daffodils in the garden, 1983. - Dorothy Bean and Ida Habermehl (1982-1986)

Red tulips grow outside of Brubacher House

Tulips, 1996. - Arlyn and Judith Friesen Epp (1994-2000)

White apple blossoms outside brubacher house

Apple blossoms, May 2004. Chris Steingart and Jillian Burkhardt (2004-2006)

Close up of pink, bleeding heart flowers with north campusin the background.

Bleeding hearts with North Campus buildings in the background, June 2007. Bethany and Brandon Leis (2006-2009)

A large apple tree in bloom, with the silo in the background

Silo, spring 1995. - Arlyn and Judith Friesen Epp (1994-2000)

Trees in bloom, colombia lake in the background

To the lake, spring 1995. - Arlyn and Judith Friesen Epp (1994-2000)

“We had several Easter egg hunts with our young niece and family members during our years there. One time, on a tour, a guest pulled a chocolate egg out from a dish in the pantry in October... oops, guess we missed an egg!” Jacquie and Karl Reimer (2013-2017)

Summer

Bethany holds a young baby in Brubacher House

Bethany and Brandon hosted a large family gathering to celebrate the birth of their niece, August 2006. - Bethany and Brandon Leis (2006-2009)

Foxglove flowers - Colin and Jennie Wiebe (2000-2004)

Red, pink, and large yellow flowers outside the stone walls

Flowerbeds, 1995. - Arlyn and Judith Friesen Epp (1994-2000)

The view of a well kept lawn, with a small stone flower bed in a circle, and the side of a wooden shed and fence

The Gimbels’ flowers: geraniums and impatiens, 1993. - Howard and Carol Gimbel (1991-1994)

A purple and white hot air balloon takes off from a field. a few people are gathered around it.

Hot air balloon landing on the soccer field in front of Brubacher House, summer 2001. - Colin and Jennie Wiebe (2000-2004)

tall flower beds beside the stone wall of Brubacher House

Hollyhocks, 1985.- Dorothy Bean and Ida Habermehl (1982-1986)

“We ordered a load of compost from the University to spread on the flowerbeds. Arlyn & Judith came for a visit that summer and were shocked at how big all the flowers were. At the same time we doubled the size of the garden, and added some heritage vegetables and flowers.”

“One memorable summer evening there was a sudden loud roaring sound coming from outside, along with a lot of suddenly excited voices. We ran to the windows just in time to watch two hot air balloons come gliding low across Columbia Lake, skim the treetops, and touch down in the soccer fields which, moments before, had been filled with players. The roaring we heard was the burner in the balloons. The winds had shifted unexpectedly and the operators were stuck over the city looking for a place big enough to put down. It was fascinating watching the process of landing, deflating the giant balloons, seeing the passengers exiting the baskets, and the operators packing everything into the (comparatively) small trailers.”

Colin and Jennie Wiebe (2000-2004)

Fall

Autumn painted windows, 1995 - Arlyn and Judith Friesen Epp (1994-2000)

Leis pumpkin carving, 2006. - Bethany and Brandon Leis (2006-2009)

A view of a stone silo, and an tree with orange leaves in fall.

Brubacher House silo, fall 2005. - Chris Steingart and Jillian Burkhardt (2004-2006)

A small child in a plaid jacket sits in a pile of orange leaves outside

Oran Enns plays in the Autumn leaves by Columbia Lake, October 2020. - Laura and Joshua Enns (2017-present)

Jacquie shows off her chef costume, wearing a white shirt stuffed with pillows, a fake mustache and chef hat.

"Our first Halloween at BHouse, I thought maybe people would stop by in the evening for candy, so I dressed up as a Chef (the front door of BHouse opens into a kitchen, after all).” - Jacquie and Karl Reimer (2013-2017)

Pine and maple trees during fall, the silo sits on the horizon.

A simple shot of fall colours. - Jacquie and Karl Reimer (2013-2017)

Karl gets a cone ready on Colombia Lake in fall.

A vintage photo of a view colombia lake with trees in fall colours

View of Columbia Lake, 1982. - Dorothy Bean and Ida Habermehl (1982-1986)

"In late October 2016, Karl and I used our canoe on Columbia Lake one last time. We canoed to the little island on the lake and planted a small tree, knowing we’d be moving out of BHouse over the winter." - Jacquie and Karl Reimer (2013-2017)

Winter

Howard stands beside a Buick in the snow, 1992

Howard Gimbel with his new Buick outside the Brubacher House, winter 1992. - Howard and Carol Gimbel (1991-1994)

Snowy walk down to the lake, 2005. - Chris Steingart and Jillian Burkhardt (2004-2006)

Josh holds his hands in the air on a snowy day outside Brubacher House, with cross country skis

Joshua and Laura Enns cross-country skiing at Columbia Lake, March 2019. - Laura and Joshua Enns (2017-present)

Joshua and Laura Enns cross-country skiing at Columbia Lake, March 2019. - Laura and Joshua Enns (2017-present)

two silhoettes of jacquie and Karl in the now

“A nighttime walk on a particularly snowy evening, I brought my camera to take a photo of BHouse in evening snowy glow - and we snapped this shadow selfie of us too, lit by the streetlight on the driveway.” Winter 2015. - Jacquie and Karl Reimer (2013-2017)

Tobogganing, January 2000. - Arlyn and Judith Friesen Epp (1994-2000)

Nancy Maitland with her dog, February 1981. - Nancy and Ted Maitland (1977-1982)

Building snowmen, winter 2001. - Colin and Jennie Wiebe (2000-2004)

a dramatic photo of Colin in a tobbogan, mid air, above two people lying in the snow.

Tobogganing on the hill near Brubacher House, winter 2001. - Colin and Jennie Wiebe (2000-2004)

Winter quiet, December 1996. - Arlyn and Judith Friesen Epp (1994-2000)