Five's a Party

It went through my town today, so we went out to cheer it on :) Waiting for the torch, which seemed like it took FOREVER! There it is :) and there it goes! It was pretty neat to see it, as the last Olympics in Canada were 20 years ago, and I wasn't really old enough to pay it any mind, and who knows when the next olympics will be held in Canada!

 My husband came home the other night with a bit of a grin on his face. He gave me a big speach about how he knew I wanted this item, and how he had SUCH a hard time finding it, as it was sold out all over, but he kept looking until he found it :)  Then he handed me this: (well, not this exact one. This picture is from eBay) He was completely right! I really DID want this gift! I'd actually bought it for other people on my list, but didn't get one for me. It's on the tree right now, reminding me of my wonderful husband when I see it, and it makes me smile!

My neighbour has lovebirds, and they had babies :) The Momma lovebird was feeding one way more than the other, so she took them out and is handfeeding them. I occasionally get to join in on the fun!  here's a progress collage of them

It came with a blast... literally!  It's been howling for two days now, with a tremendous dump of snow. If this is what a good old fashioned blizzard is like, I kinda like it. I don't like the fact that G has to drive 45 mins to work in it, but I love the wild weather! I love the fact that my children are growing up in an area where it actually SNOWS, not like where we used to live and got a small skiff that promptly melted. I would bundle up the boys, take them outside and find the biggest drift I could so I could get some winter pictures. I sure don't have to do that here! The lake effect snowstorms from lake Huron give us plenty plenty. Ryan was out shovelling yesterday morning and this is what came down overnight. The porch was cleared off last night. You can see the swing is barely above the snowline :)

Liam sometimes likes to have his hair dyed with a wash- out dye. Here's the process last night!

We got some snow yesterday which actually stayed :)

 First new addition is a kitten! His name is Pepper, and he belongs to Liam :) He's 14 weeks old now, and pumpkin gets along quite well with him. He's a jumper/ climber, though, so we will have to nip that talent early! the second addition ia a new neice or nephew! Yep, my sister Cindy is expecting #4 sometime in July :) She has a boy and two girls, so it would be nice if she has a boy, but a girl would be fabulous too :D

If you look at the back right-hand side of a Canadian $10 bill, you will see an old veteran standing at attention near the Ottawa war memorial. His name is Robert Metcalfe and he died in 2008 at the age of 90. That he managed to live to that age is rather remarkable, given what happened in the Second World War. Born in England , he was one of the 400,000 members of the British Expeditionary Force sent to the mainland where they found themselves facing the new German warfare technique - the Blitzkrieg. He was treating a wounded comrade when he was hit in the legs by shrapnel. En route to hospital, his ambulance came under fire from a German tank, which then miraculously ceased fire. Evacuated from Dunkirk on HMS Grenade, two of the sister ships with them were sunk. Recovered, he was sent to allied campaigns in North Africa and Italy . En route his ship was chased by the German battleship Bismarck . In North Africa he served under General Montgomery against the Desert Fox, Ro...

             Thank you.

It's snowing. I am not ready for this~ I am still waiting for summer!!!!

Just got this e-mail from a friend. I don't know who wrote it, but if you know, leave a comment so I can credit it! Great Answers In France , at a fairly large conference, Prime Minister Steven Harper was asked by a French cabinet minister if Canadian involvement in Afghanistan was just an example of "empire building". Mr Harper answered by saying, 'Over the years, Canada has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.' You could have heard a pin drop. A Canadian Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the Canadian, US, English, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French Admir...

It's very, very untypically cold for mid October. It's 1 degree Celcius (34 F) right now, with a heavy frost. Last year on this day, it was 19C. (15C the year before)The weather network is calling for flurries later. I could honestly cry. After a cold, rainy summer, a non existant fall, I think we are in for a long, snowy, cold winter :( I know I have been whining about the weather alot, but I just am SO COLD!!!!

When did it happen? That chubby, short, giggling fellow has stretched into a tall, solid, smart 12 1/2 year old somewhere along the line! I have noticed such a difference in him the past few months, as if he is starting to shed his "little boy" skin and step into his "manly" skin. He has built a go-kart. It runs. fast. He has repaired a run down chicken coop, so nary a breeze will reach those lucky chickens. Did I mention that he plans to buy chickens? I can say Yes, and feel confident that HE will care for them after the three week glow has worn off. Yep, I must be gettin old, starting to sigh about the "remember whens" LOL He's making supper right now. Battered chicken, from scratch,(heehee) rice and corn!

The sun has been lazy about getting out of bed lately. A month ago, she bounded up bright and early, eager to share her light and warmth with the buzzing earth, drawing plants, trees, crops up to see her smiling face each day. (when it wasn't pouring rain LOL) Now, though, she's tired of the north and is heading south for the winter. This morning, though, because the sun is later in rising, I had the privilege of witnessing a spectacular sunrise!

Yes, the air is cool. No, it's downright chilly! 4C this morning. The leaves are starting to look glorious in their fall clothes. I think they'll peak in about a week or two. It was such a rainy,cold summer that seems to have turned into a rainy, cold fall. I hope this isn't a foretaste of what the winter will be like! I do miss the sun dreadfully and I hope we get a few good weeks of warm sun before that cloud blanket comes to cover southern Ontario until April. I do love a white blanket of snow, though :) just not the accompanying cold. I feel like I need to turn the furnace on, but I am just not ready yet! I am still waiting for SUMMER!!

I don't know many. One I do know, though, is a hot lemon for a sore throat. Not a lemon that you heat up (heehee) but a drink made of lemon juice, honey and hot water. I don't have measurements, just add the lemon and honey to your taste. There are the obvious ones, gargling salt water, cloves for sore teeth, using hot water bottles, sleeping. I am *trying* to learn other natural ways of dealing with minor things that don't require a doctor or pharmaceuticals. If you have any, leave me a comment!

This was in an e-mail I recieved. I do not know the author of this story, but if you know, please yell so I can give credit :) Woman and a Fork There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the Pastor's reply. "This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what ...

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This woman had a very unique, really sweet idea for her wedding!

I don't have any livestock, as it's not allowed on the property where I live, but my neighbour's muscovys had a batch of ducklings! They are just a day old in this picture, and already so alert and fast!

yes, it's fall! The giant maples beside my house are slowly falling asleep, the life flowing down to the roots to awaken again in spring. The results, of course, is a magnificent display of reds, oranges, yellows and browns.It's a mixed feeling to see the foliage this way. Awe, that the Creator, although he has this whole vast world to care for took the time on one tiny leaf, on each tiny leaf on one tree, on vast numbers of trees in all the world so we'd have this glorious display each autumn. sadness, too, that soon our days of sneakers and t shirts will be over and we'll be back to mittens, scarves, touques and snowboots. I was walking the dog the other day, and noticed that the apples on the wild trees are falling, plunking down in a shower when the wind blows. The late summer flowers are turning to seed, the Queen anne's lace, the black eyed susans,the snapdragons.

It's that time of year again, Back to school!

Lately so many people have passed away that I knew, loved, or have touched my life in some way. This post is dedicated to them. Robert Fraser Robert Watson Ruth Woodside Audrey Chapman Susan Miller Evelyn Cottrill All safe at home.

In case you didn't notice, I am a country girl. I don't enjoy cities, even to go on vacation. A trip to the zoo or museum gives me a rash just thinking about the traffic, pollution, and crowds! no, sir, give me a remote campground any day, and I'll be ever so happy. Especially if that campground has a rec hall to play in when it rains! We stayed at the pine tree campground in Tiverton, and thoroughly enjoyed it. the weather didn't co-operate much, but we did have the most beautiful, spectacular sunset I think I've ever witnessed in my life. Here are a few pictures of our four days away: Mmmmm bubbling stew, cooked on an open fire. nothing like it! when was the last time anyone saw this in a city?

Here's the "summer baby" of mine! Also, a picture of me IN my garden, so you have a concept of how tall those sunflowers and tomato plants are! (I'm 5'8 ish)

We like to fish. We haven't gone much this year, but we went out to Goderich the other day, and we had such a good time! We came home tired and sunburned but very happy after a day outdoors. Here are the collages of the boys' final counts for a day of fishing!

We had a toasty marshmallow roasty lovely campfire evening!

There's this weed in my garden, and it grows prolifically. I didn't know what it was, so I attempted to find out. I asked a neighbour, and he said "Oh, that's clover! Yep, it's clover. give it a bit of shade, and away it goes!" Well, I knew it wasn't clover, so I just said, "Oh, is it?" politely, and said no more. I tried describing it to a friend, and she said "well, it sounds like pennywort, but it isn't in a damp spot you say? I am not sure then" I searched and searched online, and there is quite a lack of weed identifying websites!I eventually found out what the elusive weed name was~ Common Mallow.

Boys and big swords, what can I say? I got a book signed by Diana Gabaldon, my favorite non- christian author Bridies (very disappointing after the delicious homemade ones we are used to and Haggis pis. That's not cheese on it, it's turnips. trying out some Scottish drinks~ Irn Brew and Lilt Kyle my fierce Highland Warrior