Leola Caya grew up in a remote locality in rural Quebec in the 1940s  and 1950s, a world reminiscent of the 19th century. She became a teacher of French as a second language and pushed the boundaries to pioneer French immersion classes in Lachute in the mid 1960s and eventually in other schools. She married Roger Meagher, and in 1980, moved their young family to St-Lazare where they pioneered a small farm on a piece of abandoned land. That setting provided a rich learning experience for their children as together,
they learned many skills, as well as the value of shared work. Leola was often invited to speak at workshops and conferences where she sometimes shared anecdotes of her childhood. Eventually, she
decided to write this volume of colourful stories to share experiences from pioneer life. Today, the Meaghers live in L’Orignal, Ontario, where they enjoy gardening, reading, skiing and traveling.
Recently, Leola has added painting to her busy schedule. As she says, “Painting with a brush is quite similar to painting with words."