The Wood Pile

I am a bit of a card shark. I think it runs in the family. Although it has been awhile since I’ve played a good game of 500’s, 120’s, Rummoli, Queens, Flinch, Rook or others. However, the photo of this wood pile in Grandois/St. Julien’s brought me back to some younger days of playing cards with my mother…

Often when she played a three, she referred to it as the “wood pile”. It has since stuck with me and sometimes I will say it as well. I wonder the origin of  this colloquial or vernacular language? It is likely passed on from generation to generation.

Playing cards with Aunt Gertie, she would refer to each suit in a unique way: Spades as “shovels”, Clubs as “bakeapples”, Hearts as “the bleeding hearts” and Diamonds as “the Big Brook crew” (Big Brook is a re-settled community on the Great Northern Peninsula, in which the residents family name was “Diamond”). I’ll never forget the games of cards we played. They were always full of energy and laughter.

We have a wonderful, vibrant and unique language on the Great Northern Peninsula. Our local culture remains strong.

As many households pack in wood in preparation for winter, after reading this post the next time you play a three in a game of cards, maybe you too will think of the “wood pile”.

Live Rural NL –