Myrtle (Forberg) Siebert
Genre
Most Recent Book Title
Beyond the Floathouse, Lifelong Learning with friends and family
Book Description
Beyond the Floathouse, Lifelong Learning with friends and family is book 3 of the Floathouse Series. This is the continuation of Siebert's memoir, beginning after high school when she went on to university and discovered the value of further education that opened doors to varied careers beyond teaching and anything her family had anticipated for her. The author enjoys writing, motherhood, grandchildren, gardening, building, and entrepreneurship all and through to the present.
Additional Book Titles
from FJORD TO FLOATHOUSE is the first of the Floathouse Series. It is the saga of hardy pioneers who worked and lived along the remote mainland coast of British Columbia in the first half of the twentieth century.
Lured across the continent to BC by news of the Klondike gold rush, immigrant Andy Forberg settled and raised his family where the only transportation was by boat, communication was by mail, and supplies and groceries that could not be picked, fished or shot came by steamer every second week. Andy’s partners and sons were hand-loggers whose families lived in compact camp houses pulled on to log rafts tied to the rugged shoreline.
“This is not a story of logging,” explains Myrtle Siebert. “This is a story about people – the men, women and children of one family who lived this lonely lifestyle.” The book offers a rare window on a world that few readers will have been aware: tidal influences, routine chores, food preparation, sanitation, medical attention, education, relocation, losses, leisure activities and celebrations.

Beyond the Floathouse, Gunhild's Granddaughter. This is the #2 of the Floathouse Series, the author's memoir of those lonely childhood years when she lived on a floathouse, took correspondence lessons, sent and received them with mail delivered together with all supplies, by Union Steamship at Port Neville, on the remote BC Coast. Before 1955 there was no power, or telephone, and still is none, and all transportation was by boat. She needed to leave home to attend high school and board with strangers so taking responsibility for her own actions at 13 she was on her own.


Location (city/state/country)
Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Author bio
Myrtle grew up in a floathouse in Port Neville inlet on the remote BC coast. All mail and supplies arrived every two weeks, via the Union Steamships, school was by correspondence, taught by mothers, transportation was by boat. At 9 years of age she entered a one-room school at Rock Bay, and then high school in Campbell River, where she was a boarder/babysitter in different homes each year.

She credits a high school principal, a very lucky break, and a 5-year industry scholarship, for opening the way to UBC enrollment, age 16. This logger’s daughter found a career beyond the expected marriage and motherhood. Her home economics degree opened doors to a variety of careers: teacher, business owner, home builder and decorator, and now gardener, mother and grandmother.

Myrtle honed leadership skills through volunteering, begun within CFUW Nanaimo, and currently with CFUW Victoria and CFUW Saanich Peninsula. With so much gained from that one scholarship, we can understand her passion for volunteer fundraising in aid of higher education.

In 1992 she joined ITC, now POWERtalk International, and has advanced in her membership up to level 4, Accomplished Communicator. For more detail see http://www.myrtlesiebert.com
Professional Speaker Topics
Beginning your Family History Search
Starting to Write Personal Stories
Life on the Remote Northwest Coastline
Favorite Quote or Personal Motto

As a volunteer when asked to do something I reply yes, or no. But if the answer is yes I WILL do it.

  • Myrtle (Forberg) Siebert

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