Book excerpt: Growing up on a hard-working farm in the fifties, Julie and her siblings know the power of sticking together. Through accidents, near-escapes, bullying, and occasional racism, they rely on each other, delighting in the landscape and fierce seasons of northeastern Saskatchewan. From adventures in the dugout with the “stone boat” to gruesome injuries in the timber yard, births, miscarriages, and first dates, Secrets, Surprises, and Love is a testament to the scope of childhood ingenuity and a family life guided by love and faith. A personal memoir of the author’s life from birth until young adulthood, Secrets, Surprises, and Love is also a vivid and detailed historical document of a time very different from our own.