Evening Sun Stroll

The evening light, in that hour or so before sunset, has been just perfect for pictures!  Here is a little tour through our yard on a lovely Sunday evening.  

The shadows are lengthening -

the potted flowers are flourishing - 

the saskatoon bushes are in full bloom - 

the bleeding heart is just coming on - 

the apple blossoms are fully open - 

the Mayday tree is huge -

- covered with flowers -

that you can smell all across the yard -

and the sky is big and beautiful!!

This one of the big Alberta sky is for Melinda!  And, yes - that's Bob underneath the truck!  Checking or fixing some little detail is always on his agenda.  

Thank you for walking through the yard with me tonight!

Something New

I found this little tool at Staples the other day and I'm quite looking forward to using it on some projects this week.

But for now there are onions to plant, the last row of potatoes to dig into the ground, a yellow (yes, yellow!) lawn to cut and a university convocation banquet to attend.  It's a warm and sunny spring weekend with all its busy-ness and goodness.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thoughts on Growing Things

(My Mother's Day rose)

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
-   Emma Goldman

(one pot of herbs on the patio)

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.  ~Hanna Rion

(the seeding bed - radishes, spinach, lettuce and beets poking through)

In order to live off a garden, you practically have to live in it.  ~Frank McKinney Hubbard

Thanksliving

This week I am grateful for these things:

1.  Blooming things - in our yard the saskatoon bushes, mayday trees and cranberry bushes have beautiful flowers on them.

2.  Grandchildren - I am so looking forward to cuddling Samuel in 3 weeks!  Meanwhile the other 3 thrill me to bits.

3.  Being able to leave school at 3:30 p.m. with nothing but an empty lunch container in my bag.

4.  Grilled veggies served with saskatoon vinegar.

5.  Spring rain showers and the rainbow that reminds me of God's promises.

6.  An aircard for the computer that makes it so easy to get internet access.

7.  Reliable vehicles.

8.  A trip to the fabric store - I love that place!

9.  Peace and quiet - in the house and in my spirit.

10.  I know I've said this before but Ann at A Holy Experience continues to inspire and challenge me.  This week she has suggestions for daily journal writing entries.  I am so going to do this - would you like to join in?  Just let me know and we can encourage one another.  

The view from our balcony in Canmore.  The inn's hot tub is behind the circular wall in the bottom LH corner and the balcony is the main one off the common area.

Ten on Tuesday - Glimpses of a Wedding

Our niece Jennifer was married yesterday so here is a peek at our day.

1.  Bride's bouquet

2. Walking down the aisle with her dad, my brother

3.  Bride and groom

4.  The Newfoundland connection - Jen & Will with 2 of his brothers

5.  Part of my family

6.  Jen with her sister and her Mom

7.  Supper was 10 different appetizer courses - everything from these cold asparagus-ham rolls to tiny planks of baked salmon with carmelized onions and tiny potatoes.  It was an awesome feast!!

8.  Wedding cake - each guest was given one of the miniature cake boxes, all of them made by Jen's mom.  She made 4000 little white flowers to put on the cakes!   What a beautiful labour of love!

9.  Wedding car - decorated by Jen's brother :))

10.  A group photo of all the guests with Jen and Will.  Esther was the only one missing because she was taking the photo.  

It was a lovely celebration in Canmore with the mountains as a backdrop and we pray that God will guide Jen and Will on their married journey.

Simple Woman #43

For Today . . . May 25, 2009

Outside my window . . . bright, beautiful sunshine, Three Sisters Peak in the Rocky Mountains, a slight breeze moving through the spruce trees - it's the morning of our niece's wedding and we are in beautiful Canmore, AB!

I am  thankful . . . that we are able to enjoy God's creation in all its majesty in the mountains.

I am praying . . . that Jen and Will's marriage will be filled with God's presence and that His plan for their lives will be honoured.

I am thinking . . . that a balcony off our bedroom (just like the Inn has) would be a wonderful thing on bright, sunny mornings.

From the kitchen . . . I'm not cooking today :))  but breakfast was Toasted Peach Pound Cake, Watermelon Fruit Salad, Scrambled Eggs, Sausage with Tomatoes and Green Peppers, and Toasted Pitas.  

I am wearing . . . jeans, striped yellow tshirt and sandals and later this afternoon I'll put on a black skirt and white top.

I am reading . . . "Zorro" by Allende (translated from Spanish)

I am hoping . . . to get some beautiful wedding pictures today.

I am hearing . . . "This is The Day" a beautiful song for this special day.

I am creating . . . an autumn layout of Meadow playing in the leaves.

Around the house and yard  . . . a few more potatoes to plant, some started seeds to transfer to the garden, the lawn to mow and maybe even some housework!

One of my favourite things . . . planting flowers in my pots - I love how they look and the beautiful scents all summer long.  

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . a wedding today, visit with Helayna and Silas on the way home, 3 days of subbing, a university convocation banquet and our church's 75th anniversary celebration next Sunday.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you . . the table set for breakfast this morning.  Doesn't it look gorgeous?  And yes, breakfast was delicious!!!

Be sure to visit The Simple Woman to read more daybooks!

Thoughts of Gramma

As I planted these  yesterday, I was reminded of my mom's mom, Gramma H, who loved all flowers but especially pansies.   As a child, she showed me their cheery faces and reminded me that people always have something to smile about too.  She was an important person in my childhood - how I wish she could see her family today with all the great-grandchildren!

Growing Things

I just came in from doing lots of things outside in the gorgeous weather today.  Rototilled the garden - 

planted some potatoes, including Russian Bananas that Jerry found -

and got these guys into my clay pots.  

There are a few more things to do yet this weekend.  Thank goodness for long hours of daylight - the sun set at 9:38 p.m. tonight!  

Why I Love Fridays

Heather's post "I Love Fridays" got me thinking about one of my favourite days of the week and so today's post is inspired by her.  

Fridays are the local Farmer's Market days in our community and there are 3 of them within a half hour's drive!  Today I bought beef and cheese smokies, tiny eggplants, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, date cookies, saskatoon vinegar, saskatoon syrup and whole wheat bread.    I have grand plans for some delicious meals this week!

Fridays are a great day to be at schools.  There's always something special going on and it was Track Meet today.  I was at the three-legged race (there are always 2 or 3 fun events) and had two great helpers from the grade 8 class.   It was a PERFECT day to be outside - I even had to put sunscreen on!

Fridays are often hot lunch days at school!  It was hot dogs and popsicles provided by the parents association - perfect for track meet day.  I love not having to pack a lunch sometimes.  

And Fridays are great because it means the routine (such as mine is not these days!) is changed up for a couple of days.  Time to kick back, be outdoors, do special things, hang out with family and friends and rejuvenate!  Enjoy your weekend!!

Creating

I'm still having fun in my studio!  This week I:

- did another layout about the market in Katowice, featuring the mushrooms and eggs.  In real life, the RH side doesn't have any glare on it.  When the sun finally comes out here, I don't know what to do with it!

- wrote the beginning of the story about our trip to California last summer, using one of my favourite pictures of the whole trip!

- used photos taken at different times as part of a challenge from somewhere (sorry it's been on my mind for so long that I've forgotten where I originally saw it).  While searching through my now-organized patterned paper, I found this old piece of Basic Grey and the words fit perfectly for this family!  I guess that's why I saved it for so long :))

Ten on Tuesday

1.  I used my last package of rhubarb to make a fruit crisp on the weekend.  Now if only it would get warm so the plants could get growing again!

2.  These little guys have taken up residence in the branches of the saskatoon bush outside my kitchen window.  They are so cute to watch!

3.  I am so proud of Heather for doing a half marathon run on Sunday!  Keeping up to two little ones and still taking time to train required a lot of dedication.  This race was Jonathan's Christmas gift to her so he pitched in with watching the kids so she could do the training.  I love that he knows her passions and supports her in doing them.  

4.  We saw Meadow twice on the weekend and continue to marvel at her playing!  At various times she was the mother, the daughter, the husband and the teacher while the rest of us took on supporting roles.  Her imagination and imitation of what she sees around her is unlimited.

5.  I guess my basil plant was sacrificed to the frost king on Sunday night.  I had it in the garage but obviously it got too cold in there.    I wonder how many bedding plants were lost in beds around the lake.  Traditionally the long weekend is the time when most people around here do their outdoor planting.

6.  Reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver is really making me think about local food, eating in season and the economy of food production.  I highly recommend this book for everyone who depends on food to live.  I guess that's everyone!

7.  On that same note, I think I'm going to follow the recipe in the book and try making mozzarella cheese, if I can find some rennet.  That may take some searching but it sounds like the results are well worth it.  

8.  I successfully baked hamburger buns yesterday.  

9.  Apparently the package of carrot seeds that I bought should seed nearly a 100 ft. row - that's a lot of carrots!!

10.  I saw this awesome layout on the Studio Calico blog and I'm going to scraplift it.  I love the way April put those scallops along the bottom of the photo.   There's lots more great inspiration over at that site :))

Simple Woman #42

For Today . . . May 18, 2009

Outside my window . . . snow!!!!  And -4 degrees Celsius until noon!   It does not look like the May long weekend at all.  I am so glad that I'm not camping in a tent somewhere today.  I'm sure there are many campers digging out and trying to pack up to head home.   So much for setting out plants and finishing the garden planting :(

I am so, so thankful . . . that Samuel arrived safely and that Mel and Tyler are back home, healing and adjusting to being a family of 3.

I am praying . . . that our grandchildren will grow up to know and love Jesus

I am thinking . . . that this snow will bring some much needed moisture to the land

From the kitchen . . . Honey Wheat Hamburger Buns, Applesauce Bran Muffins, Broccoli Soup, leftover Twice Crocked Stuffed Potatoes and Chocolate Cake - it's too messy to be outside so I'm cocooning in the kitchen!

I am wearing . . . black track pants, blue University of Alberta tshirt, crocs - and fleece jacket again!

I am reading . . . "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by J.K. Rowling, the fourth book in the series

I am hoping . . . to get the rest of the potatoes in the ground this week.

I am hearing . . . "I Will Remember You" by Amy Grant

I am creating . . . a LO of Meadow from fall, 2007 and more from our time in Katowice, Poland 

Around the house and yard  . . . lawn to mow when the snow ever disappears, recycling to take to the bottle depot, and some sewing projects to think about.

One of my favourite things . . . Sunday meals with our children - brunch with Heather, Jonathan and Kara (J's cousin) after Heather's half marathon run yesterday and supper with Meadow, Naomi and Jerry after Bob and Jerry picked up the rest of their treasures from the auction site.  

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . 2.5 days of subbing including a track meet, a play date with Meadow, visit to the library and planning for a crockpot cooking class that I'm teaching in early June. 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you . . . snow on the apple tree - good thing the buds haven't opened yet but the forecast for the next 3 days is more snow and cold nights.  I hope the fruit trees can hold their buds inside for a bit longer.  

Be sure to visit The Simple Woman to read more daybooks.  

Long Weekend 'Fun'

Twice a year, one of the local auction companies hosts a consignment sale so that was yesterday's fun.  We met Na, Jerry and Meadow at it shortly after ten yesterday morning - and the guys finally got home at midnight last night!!  There was stuff galore with 4 auctioneers selling at different points along the rows and rows of boats, trailers, trucks, garden tractors, quads, sheds, doors, tools, windows, shop materials, farm machinery, antiques - it was mind-boggling!  

Jerry and Bob brought home 2 pick up loads of "treasures"!  Naomi and I bought beef on a bun, perogies and pie :))  

And this little one had fun trying out the tractors, quads and horse sleighs!

Just a few more - -

of sweet little Samuel!  Thanks to Melinda and Tyler for sharing pictures so quickly :))

He's wearing a little sleeper that has the names of baseball teams on it - you can actually read New York Giants on it!!  Tyler is a huge sports fan so this really comes as no surprise!

I love how his little mouth is open - he knows this position already!  And yes, I do think Mom looks a little tired :)

Thanks, M & T, for helping us to share in these joyous days!

Creating

On my desk is a stack of pictures that have been gathering dust for quite a while.  They are a collection taken out of frames or my purse and it was time they got on to layouts.  

This first set is from the day Silas came home from the hospital, way back in September.  The paper is from a very old set of PDQ, used for the very first time!

 

And these are ones that came out of my photo travel mug.  I thought it was a memory worth capturing :))

I am on quite a creative roll here - and lovin' every minute of it!  Thanks for looking!

And I forgot to credit Linda, Mel's NS mom and our good friend, for sharing the great photos of Samuel yesterday.  Thank you so, so much!!   I hope she'll share more soon :))

Introducing -

Samuel Steele Green, weighing 8 lbs. 6 ozs.,  who arrived safely early this morning!!!  All 3 of them are resting now and we are anxiously waiting to see a picture of our new grandson.

  ETA - pictures have arrived!!

  Praise and thanks to our God who wondrously creates new life and places us in families.   We pray that Samuel will be healthy, grow to be a child of God and that our daughter and son-in-law will be blessed in their parenting.