Wordless Wednesday

Man vs. Nature

The mountains looked so pristine with their caps of white on this cold, sunny day and as we proceeded along the walk this sub-station jumped right in front of it! Quite a paradox of beauty vs. industry, man vs. nature!  In the grand scheme of things I need to see beauty and nature while at the same time, I know I'm glad too to have the power sub-station so I can warm myself up, turn on the lights and boot up my computer.

Hope your day turns out to be a win-win, Happy Tuesday!

Thwarted

These wannabe shrubs and trees caught my eye several times, but recently their quest was thwarted!

Here's hoping that your quest will go ahead as planned!

Happy Monday.

A Day of Rest

It only seems fitting to post this picture today on Sunday a day of rest. 

We happened upon this group of gardeners taking a well-deserved lunch break.  They had replanted the hedge behind them, in fact had removed the former hedge as it was completely overtaking the sidewalk.  They also ground down all of the stumps then prepared the soil for the new hedges.   Can you spot the huge pile of woodchips behind them.  It was a big job, it looks amazing and now the hedge won't attack me when I walk by.

I sure hope on this day of rest, you actually get to sit down and get some.  As for me the Academy Awards are in my future, so lots of sitting coming up for me!  Wish you the same.

Happy Sunday!

Layette Items

Each year around this time the call goes out for donations for Layette items for Canadian Lutheran World Relief.  This year is no exception.

I asked our daughter Amy if she would be willing to part with some of the items that her beauties, Colby and Annie have outgrown.  Look at what she donated!

All  of these onesies and sleepers are going to be put to very good use.  Thank you Amy!

Happy Saturday!

11 Today

I woke up this morning remembering back 11 years ago when our first Granddaughter, Claire was born.  Somehow, as if through the magic of television, she's slipped into the double digits and is turning 11 today!

What a darling girl she is.  She's so full of love, energy, enthusiasm, tenderness and fun.  She thinks she might want to be a baker when she grows up which I love the idea of, because my dad was a baker too.  Only time will tell, and it is still a far piece away, thank Heavens.  In the meantime, her Papa and I will enjoy each stage and day in her quest for womanhood.

 

 She was so tiny she fit into my sister's miniature dolly buggy!

 Our Star!

She loves her cousins, in this case, Colby, and her cousins love her!

Taken on Shrove Tuesday-fun and fanciful!

Reach for the Stars Sweet One, they're waiting for you!

Wishing you a most glorious day Claire. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELEVEN YEAR OLD!

Lucky Neighbour

I love summertime for many reasons, but this one is right up there with eating the ripe blueberries picked from our bushes--hanging clothes up on a clothesline.  Nothing beats the freshness of the crispy towels after they've been hung out to dry on the line.

Ever since we moved from our townhouse  back in the 70s, we've always had a clothesline.  The best kind are the ones attached high up on a pole or in a tree, with a pulley.  Pinning the item up, and pushing the line along.  Remember the gizmos that hold the two lines together when it gets heavy?  I still have mine, just in case, and the nifty bags that are hold all your clothespegs? I guess you could say that I'm just an olde school kind of girl.

Today we were out walking and I saw just the kind I love, only this one kicked it up a notch.  You see, the metal pole was in one yard, and it had two pulleys on it, with one extending into the neighbouring yard for both to use.  Wow, lucky neighbour is all I can say!

Isn't that cool?

As for us, I have that three sided affair planted into the ground, in a concrete base.  Not the same, but it gets the job done, and the towels still feel as crispy.  I dream that one of these days I too may have a pulley type, but until then . . .

Mr. Pluffalump just hangin' out!

I don't know about you, but with the impending threat of a light snowfall in our immediate future, I cannot wait for Summer to roll around once again!

Wishing you a Happy Thursday.

Wordless Wednesday

Shrove Tuesday!

In honour of Shrove Tuesday, I will be stuffing my body with at least 2 pancakes and living dangerously, a slice of ham.  Can't wait!  As a child, we celebrated Shrove Tuesday with Pancakes for supper.  Always a lovely treat. 

I got to wondering, what "Shrove" meant, and I found a link.   I knew of course, being the good Lutheran that I am, that Shrove Tuesday always preceeded Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten period.   If you scroll down the page at the link below,d you'll find out the meaning of Shrove and lots of other interesting facts!

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/shrove.html

So in honour of the day I present to you, the following.

What says Pancake Day any better than the fixins and beads to toss?

Getting ready to stuff this pinata to the brim for Mardi Gras fun for the Sunday School children's enjoyment and sugar high!

Here's hoping you get your fill of all the day has to offer, in a good way of course.

Happy Tuesday.

Dude, Are you Sure you Don't Want Help?

We just stepped out our door and here were two young neighbour boys delivering the local newpaper. 

 With that, one young man pulls out a huge stack of papers. . .

 While the other young man kept saying, it's too many. . .

Oh man, after about 10 steps they were already slipping . . .

He kept repeating, even after his friend repeatedly asked him, "Dude, are you sure you Don't Want Help?"; "no, I'm okay!"

I think he must have made it because there was no evidence of a paper spill anywhere along that walkway or street over!  Ah, the confidence of youth.  Amazing.

Sure hope you had yourself an amazing day.

Happy Monday!

Beads and Rocks and Bears, Oh My!

Today after church My Beloved and I took 5 of the 6-Pack to a Rock and Gem Show in Maple Ridge.  Sadly Caroline was under the weather so she didn't come along. There was so much to see, and touch, oh yes, lots and lots of touching and putting back.  The variety and shapes and colours of the gems were amazing. Robin's egg blue, silvery discs, black magnetic rocks, quartz crystals, so cool. Each one more intriging and beautiful than the last.   

The kids each got a glass bead made to their colour specifications.  Each a little work of art unto itself.  Here are some pictures of our adventure today. 

 The Bears!

The kids loved the smoothness of these carved bears.

The glass "beads" made by the two volunteers shown below.  (These aren't really beads as they don't have a hole in the middle but they most definitely are made of glass!)  The children's did have one and when they had cooled down, you you could take it to the craft table and string it.

These two sure have the skills to pay the bills.  I loved all of the beautiful glass rods in a spectacular array of colour.

Watching intently as someone's bead was being made. 

It was a terrific afternoon, and a fun thing to do with kids, young and old!  If this piques your interest, check out more, at the following link:

http://www.mrlclub.com/gemshow.html

I wonder what intrigued you today?

Happy Sunday.

9 Years

Today I remember my Dad.  It has been 9 long years since he died and today it feels as raw and sad and empty as it was that fateful morning as I sat vigil at his bedside in the hospital in 2003. 

My Dad and his brothers and sister and Mom.  My Dad is the sweet young lad in the dark sweater, back left!  The amazing thing is that when we all visited Winnipeg together, that house was still there.

 This is my all time favourite of Dad and I at Stanley Park.

This was a common and recurring theme at my parent's home on the Fraser Highway.  Packing in as many of their Grandchildren as they had, for a sleepover.  This was pre-Amy and Bryan.  Our nephew Bobby was living back in Orillia or he would have been there too!  Just look at the happiness on my Dad's face.

One of the last pictures of my dad out in his garden.  He had a green thumb and could grow those Lillies like no one's business!  His garden always looked so beautiful.

Our family was well and truly blessed and even though I knew that it wouldn't always remain the same, I miss him terribly.  He was our "crazy glue", the one that though his gentle ways, held our family together.  I thank God in heaven above for giving us this beautiful man.

An Early Spring is in da house!

Our thermometer has risen to 10 degrees Celsius today and it feels like Spring could really be on its' way.  We are bracing ourselves for a big wind later on this afternoon and lots and lots of rain so it was a delightful to go out for our walk today. 

I've been keeping my eye on a garden.  Each and every Spring the snowdrops in this lady's yard put on quite a show. Today I took a picture.

 (Pictures never do justice I'm afraid.)

The buds opened just today.

 Then there's our snowdrops by the front door.

The crocuses broke out today too!

Even if this is a false sense of Spring's arrival, I'll take it and enjoy it when it's offered up.  The days are getting longer, the gophers are making their mounds, it's all good.  Wishing you a good day too! 

Happy Friday!

Seeing Red, Final Day

It is simply amazing how many red objects one finds when trodding along on walks or spies on a counter or in a cupboard. 

Even yesterday I saw something, which I've now forgotten, and thought, that'd be good, but no wait, it's over.   I can't seem to help myself.  So in an effort to put an end to it, here are some that just didn't make the cut!

Very blurry, sorry.  It turns out that  my lens was wide open and bleached everything away.  Didn't like finding this "rifle"? casing in the parking lot at the movie house!

This red pen shall not be writing any Valentine's

For my VFD S-I-L!

There was a lot of gravel in this front yard puncutated with red pots of every size.

Spied the objects above, and below in my closet.

A shiny wreath of pink and red and mauve hearts.

A very fancy tool My Beloved uses to tighten up, or lock up without overturning, something on his Bicycle.

This too is for S-I-L!

 Is the bucket half full or half empty?

 Our Granddaughter Abby's little red chairs!

 Is your disc outta wack?  A chiropractor's sign along 88th.

The remains of a Remembrance Day Poppy.

Here's hoping that the next sign of red in your life and mine, will be tulips, or an awesome shade of nailpolish, or ... ?

Happy Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday

Seeing Red - It's Valentine's Day!

However you celebrate, if it means a quiet night in, a lovely dinner out, a visit to Fort Langley, a latte at Lunch, a smile from a baby, a hug from your child, playing with your Grandchild, a movie with a friend, a bag of cinnamon hearts or devouring a huge big chocolate bar and curling up with a new magazine or a book; I wish you a Happy Day Valentine!

   Waiting to be devoured.

Happy Tuesday!

Seeing Red, Day 12

Several weeks ago our second oldest Granddaughter Carly, sent this pin home with her Papa, for me.  I've been wearing it ever since on my black walking hoodie. 

Even before I received it, I had Carly's heart!  She is such a sweet and very fun loving little girl!  Thanks honey.

I hope you find love in all the right places!

Happy Monday.

Seeing Red, Day 11

In honour of today being Sunday, are you ready for this one? 

Here goes:  This spoon is looking for a Sundae!

Sure hope your day dishes out heaps of good things!

Happy Sunday you all!

Seeing Red, Day 10

Walking up a long steep hill, at just about the half way point of our walk between home and grabbing a cup of coffee, we happened upon this "probably" empty cup.  If you look at the round circle, it looks sort of like a smiling face.  Not sure in my case if it was mocking me, or encouraging me -- Go on, go get your own!  And that folks, is just what we did.

Whether you are sipping your cuppa, or your Java, or . . . hope it is pleasant!

Happy Saturday!