My son - who currently lives with us - likes to take an evening walk. I sometimes go with him.
We notice different things:
While I stop to take pictures of flowers in bloom, he notices that the moon is already out.
We both stop to photograph it - and the clouds.
A peaceful way to end our day.
I recently came across an interesting souvenir that my parents had brought back from their first trip together to Europe: a piece of the Berlin Wall.
When Germans in East Berlin were allowed to cross freely into West Berlin, in November, 1989, my parents were excited to visit Germany, which had been divided into two countries - East and West Germany - after World War 2.
My father's half-sister, Emma, lived in East Germany. He hadn't seen her since he left Poland in 1929, when he was 19 years old. She had been a young child at the time.
I don't know how or when she moved from Poland to Germany. Was she married at the time? I don't know. But family members had been in contact with her by mail. So off my parents went.
One of the souvenirs they brought back with them was a packaged piece of the Berlin Wall.
Included in the box is a certificate of authenticity and a map showing where in the wall the piece of concrete was taken from.
Is it legit? (It was packaged, not in Germany, but in the USA!)
I have no idea - but my father loved the idea that he owned a concrete piece of the wall which, for over 40 years, had been a symbol of oppression - but which now was proof of the endless possibilities of freedom and peace.
My daughter recently sent me an article on Canada's oldest woman - 110 years old.
She became Canada's oldest when a 110-year-old man passed away.
Her children said that she was thrifty - of the "waste not, want not" generation (much like my parents).
And she urged her children to love everyone.
I love that precept! A loving, accepting attitude is sure to create a lightness of heart. That surely helps one live to a ripe old age!
Phlox are the brightest flowers blooming in our yard these days.
I originally bought four potted plants in four colours - and eventually divided them.
Now they add a dash of colour here and there in the yard.
My first yellow bearded lily is beginning to bloom, too. It was a gift from one of Terry's co-workers when we drove out into the country to buy plants at her husband's plant nursery.
In the early years, there was only one flower - but I see lots of buds this year. Glad it's doing well in our crowded garden!
I often have a number of books around that I'm not so much reading - as "nibbling" on.
Here's one: The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days.
I heard about the author, Kate Bowler, from my daughter - who listens to her podcasts.
She's about my daughter's age - but a life- changing cancer diagnosis a few years ago made her reflect more on life.
A thought that made me pause and ponder is found in the introduction: "We have days that shimmer... We know how fleeting these moments can be. Some days are filled with fireworks, yes, but most are not..." So true.
After the flood, the basement cleanup preoccupied us. No shimmer there...
I'm thankful that the water is gone and the walls are drying out. But we have a long way to go before we get our living space back.
So I look out the window to brighten my days. The flowers in my garden - and the beautiful sky bring me joy. I'm so thankful for them!
A few days ago, Terry and I headed to the Miller's Oven Tea House in Manotick for a traditional Christmas dinner - in July!
I really have no idea how this tradition started - but it's a fun reminder (in the middle of summer)...
... that our wonderful warm weather won't last forever.
All too soon, winter will return. Christmas is only five months away!
In the meantime, enjoying a traditional Christmas meal is such a treat!
I had promised to buy him a gift for passing into grade 2, and he chose a nerf gun...
I was conflicted: I don't like to see kids with guns - even toy ones with sponge bullets. And then there's the potential danger of projectiles hitting the eyes...
I probably should have refused, but I didn't.
Okay, I finally said . But if you shoot at anyone's face, or hit anyone in the eye, the gun will be confiscated. I'll take it away until you're 21.
Why 21? He asked.
Because you'll be an adult, I replied.
I won't be living here, he said. I'm leaving when I'm 19.
Where will you be living? I asked.
He paused, then replied: In Spain.
(Hmmm. Spain? Is that because Spain just won the world cup?! Everything affects everything... I wonder how many little boys are now talking about a place called Spain?!)
I took a photograph of that same garden today.
The hedge is much taller - and the two-storey building next door hides behind it now.
Time changes everything - even gardens!
My father took home movies when my brother and I were young. We watched them regularly in the early years - but for a long time now the reels have sat in a box, untouched.
My brother (the child on the left) had them transferred to digital format and recently sent me a version I could watch on a smartphone or computer.
We've come a long way!
A few days ago, I watched one of the old reels.
I sat transfixed, remembering our first visit to Kelowna in 1957.
My grandmother (above) - probably stepping out of the kitchen. Is that a clothesline full of white sheets top left?!
It looks so peaceful!
My uncle Bob - age 16 or 17 - putting the smallest cousin on a horse.
I understand now why my parents fell in love with the area - and why, two years later, our family moved there.
Watching it all really took me back!
Today is my mother's birthday.
A while back, I came scross these photos from 2010, taken on her 91st birthday.
My three kids were there - together with my daughter-in-law, Natalie.
A group of us had lunch with her at her retirement residence.
My brother and his wife had brought along, from Texas, my sister-in-law's niece and her new husband.
My brother always liked to bring friends with him. He enjoyed showing off Canada!
Fun times! Great memories!
Today is our younger son's birthday!!
Where have the years gone?!!
I look forward to celebrating with him and his family later today... We always have a fun time!
In the midst of the chaos of our summer - chaos that started with the July 1 flooding of our basement and the subsequent weeks of cleanup"...
I find solace in nature:
...the flowers I see around me...
... and especially the amazing sky!
My home may look and feel different indoors.
But outdoors, nothing has changed!
I've long been curious to try a "croque monsieur" or a "croque madam" sandwich - traditional French sandwiches made by dipping ham and cheese sandwiches in a mixture of egg and milk, then frying them, as one would fry French toast.
I was under the impression that the "croque monsieur" had ham and cheese between the slices of bread but "croque madam" only had cheese...
So I made what I thought was a "croque madam" - because I had no ham.
But I was wrong! Turns out that both croque monsieur" and "croque madam" have ham and cheese in them. But "croque madam" has a fried egg - sunny side up - on top!
I need to try that!
But I did use the leftover egg and milk mixture for a small serving of scrambled eggs - which I drizzled with homemade strawberry jam...
A delicious dessert!
Last week Ivy went to "beach" volleyball camp in the mornings...
No beach! But they played barefoot in sand!
(I remember playing volleyball in the school gym in high school. I wonder if the rules are the same...)
It was fun to watch her skills develop.
After camp, there were various options - including shopping!!)
One day I drove her to a friend's house. Another day we went to a mall.
Yet another day, we met up with her father. His car was in the garage - so we ended up going to pick up her brother at his soccer camp as well.
We all had a good time!
Fun to hang out with my granddaughter... And for me, a well-needed break from the post-flood chaos at home!
Once the wet carpeting was removed from our basement, we had to work on drying the floor and walls.
Several carpenters cut out the bottom 2 feet of all the drywall...
Before doing that, all shelving has to be pushed into the centre of the room.
Then fans and industrial-sized dehumidifiers are brought in to dry everything - floor, wooden framing under the drywall - everything!
As it dries, the wood is sprayed several times with an anti-fungal solution.
After everything is dry, the next step is to rebuild. In the meantime, boxes of books and things retrieved from the basement fill every vacant corner of the upper two floors of the house!!
