Where's "Waldo"?!

My kids used to enjoy "Where's Waldo?" type books. 

I remember a Richard Scarry book where an ant or a "lowly worm" appeared on every page - and we used to hunt for them.

Also - trying to get them comfortable in French - I bought a book called "Ou Est Pere Noel?" ("Where is Father Christmas?") with lots of Santas on every page... and we hunted for them, too.

Hunting for bees (or wasps?) on this photo of Japanese anemones reminds me of this game. I pointed the camera in the direction of bees buzzing around flowers. I MUST HAVE captured a few... But where are they?! 

Grandma Camp

Last week Jericho had a few days of "Grandma Camp."

Out came the toys!

Actually, it was Grandma AND Grandpa camp. Here they are coming back from checking out a giant blow-up gorilla... 

Grandpa led the field trip to Arnprior...

We all enjoyed the visit with the chickens at the Needham Farm.

There was also Lego fun.

Jericho showed us that he was also skilled at washing dishes by hand! All in all, a fun and busy few days!

Remembering...

Today is my parents' wedding anniversary.

The wedding ceremony took place in 1944 at a church in south Edmonton, Alberta.

The reception was at my grandparents' rural home - just south of the city.

The top picture is mom and her bridesmaids at her parents' farmhouse...

This picture shows my mother's wedding cake - which she baked and decorated. She kept the top layer on display in the china cabinet for years - until we moved to Kelowna, in fact. That would have been about 15 years later. I remember her sadness at saying goodbye to the cake, a special souvenir of her wedding day.

I really have no idea how long top layers of wedding cakes were kept - but it was a tradition to keep them on display. I don't think they were intended to be eaten. The icing never attracted mice or ants, to my recollection!

Here is part of the group who attended the wedding. My father is standing to my mother's right.

I wonder if my mother and her family prepared all the food - or if friends contributed gifts of food... 

I never thought to ask.

Wild Flowers of the Season

Driving along country roads or along the highway, I'm often struck by the beauty of wild flowers growing in nature.

Month by month the flowers change - just like my carefully planned perennials do. 

Planted by nature - wind, birds and squirrels -  they're always beautiful!

I should post regular photos of roadside (or wayside) flowers... just as I do photos of my own flowers - and the sky.

Enjoying ... Chickens!

Terry and I were planning a day of "Grandma Camp" with our grandson.

Among the activities I suggested was a visit to a pick-your-own-vegetables farm that Terry and I had visited last year.

I looked forward to picking - and eating - tomatoes fresh off the vine.

I also remembered some exotic-looking free-range chickens wandering around.

Would they still be there?!

They were! Jericho enjoyed hanging out with them.

Then he found an egg - smaller than ones we buy at the grocery store. He took it over to give to the lady in charge. 

You can have it, she said.

What can I do with it? he asked.

You can eat it, she replied.

He wasn't sure about that! He held on to it all the way home. A little crack eventually developed.

When we got home, we asked him what he wanted to do with his egg.

Tomorrow, I'll open it. If it's an egg, I'll eat it. If there's a little chicken inside, I won't.

Nice to see that he has figured out a plan!

Bees? Or Wasps?!

The Japanese anemones are in bloom... 

And the bees are out... or are they bees?!

I think of bees as yellow with black stripes ... These seem more white with black stripes!

After looking "white bees" up online, I came across a website where black and white bees are really wasps... But that was in California...

Are these wasps, too?!

There's so much variety in nature! So much to learn. So much to know...

We Love Greek Fest!

Last weekend, Terry and I went to Greek Fest - which is still on this weekend.

We've gone for years!

The food is great! It's the biggest drawing card for us! 

Not pictured is the custard pie I had for dessert. (I don't know how that happened!) I won't attempt to write its name in Greek!

Then there's the music and folk dancing!

And finally (last, but not least) is the arts court in the church basement. 

My potter friend Dina wasn't there, though her pottery and paintings were! Her daughter was there in her place and we enjoyed chatting with her.

I picked up a few of her unpriced paintings that were available for a donation. My daughter wants this green one! (Above)

I'd like to go back this weekend. Hopefully, Dina will be there.