happy leap day!

It is Wednesday...

...and a special one at that!

Run and skip.

Jump a little.

Leap a lot!

This day comes but once in four years.
It's February 29th.
Enjoy!

what's new....

Did you know there is an apple out there called a 'grapple'?

I wouldn't have known either...

but hubby came along to the grocery store with me recently.

While I shop the list...

he snoops.

He found grapples...

...grape flavoured apples 

...and thought we needed to try them.

Let's just say I prefer the apples straight off the trees of the Okanagan Valley.

The ones that have not been messed with.

Don't get me wrong...

I love grapes.

But not mixed with apples.

I bought a new Wilton Heart Tasty-fill Pan recently...

with intentions of baking a 'heart-filled' cake for Valentine's Day.

It never happened then...

...but I tried it out for our guests last week.

Chocolate cake...

with a chocolate mousse heart...

and whipped chocolate frosting.

If you ever need to bake a hearty cake...

you know where to find a pan!

Also new in my kitchen...

...is the amaryllis that has been teasing us for the past month.

It was worth the wait.

Have a terrific Tuesday...

walking in the sunshine....

'singing a little sunshine song...'

After a very grey week...

Sunday's sunshine was more than welcome!

My nephew and his wife from Manitoba...

along with their sweet baby...

spent last week with us.

We tried to describe our mountain peaks to Robyn...

but she really didn't believe there were any!

All week the mountains were hidden behind the clouds.

Yesterday we called together all the rest of the clan...

and had a potluck at my sister's place.

She happens to live up on the mountain.

Once we are all good and 'fed up'...

some of us opted for an afternoon walk.

Three dogs...and two babies joined the parade.

Oh...Robyn now believes that there are mountains in our neighbourhood.

But she still doesn't think we really know what cold is!

Brrrr.  

It's cold today.

mississippi bound...

We are planning a road trip...one that will take us along the Gulf Coast from Houston, Texas through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and down to the Florida Keys. 

In just over a week's time...we will be walking the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.  We will also be re-visiting some places along the Mississippi coast where hubby spent a few months time more than four decades ago.  I'm sure it will not look anything like what he remembers.

In August of 1969 one of the most violent and destructive hurricanes to ever hit North America devastated the Mississippi gulf coast.  Meet Hurricane Camille!  The Mississippi gulf coast was declared a major disaster area...and many organizations immediately rushed in to help with the relief effort.  A plea went out in our area for anyone who might be willing to join a team of volunteers through Mennonite Disaster Service.  Hubby signed on!  He quit his job...and traveled south with a group of guys he had never met before to go and lend a helping hand to those whose lives had been turned upside down by the hurricane. 

This is how things looked in Gulfport, Mississippi when he arrived there.  There was not much shopping happening in this shopping centre anymore!

Several large ocean liners were firmly grounded far from the water where they once rode the waves.  There was no way to return these ships 'whence they came'...and so they were to be demolished!

The Wade Klein...a large shrimp boat was stolen the night before Hurricane Camille.  The thieves never really got away.  Their punishment was to ride out the hurricane and find themselves high and dry...jammed between a battered oak tree and a damaged beachfront home in Biloxi, MS. 

Hubby spent long days on a construction crew while on volunteer duty.  The work was organized by the Red Cross...and mostly involved repairing the homes of the working poor in the area. 

This lady was extremely grateful for those who came to help.  The team spent a week returning her home to it's original location and repairing the roof.  Home sweet home!

As for the fancy digs where the volunteers stayed while they were working...

...they were provided by the Red Cross.  A large school was converted into dormitories for the workers...with meals served in the school cafeteria.  Every day began at 5:30AM...in order to get to the job site by 7AM.  It was definitely not an assignment 'just for the fun of it!'  It was all about being the 'hands and feet' of Jesus to those who faced disaster.

In 1969 John Bell Williams, who was the governor of Mississippi said... 'The Coast is going to be rebuilt.  It is going to be one of the finest recreation areas in this country'.  Elmer has always wanted to go back...and see it as it is today.  Soon we will be on our way! 


Planning is half the fun, I know.  And at this point...we welcome your input.  If you have any suggestions of interesting places to visit en route...or fabulous places to eat...let's hear about them. As for lodging...school dormitories are not an option! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

when my sister and I are old...

My sister gifted me with this lovely apron for my 50th birthday.

For these past 10 years I have kept it safely stored in my cedar chest.

Recently I pulled it out...

and admired her handi-work...

and laughed at the poem.

And wore the apron...

just for fun.

I think the time has come, sister.

I wear purple from time to time.
 Never a red hat though!
 

And today I am having a big slice of cake...

in your honour.

It's your birthday.

Have a great day, Bev!

And my friend Lovella is celebrating a birthday today too.

Wishing you a wonderful birthday...
 

 ...and hoping you don't have to bake your own cake today!

Happy Day...
one and all.

not too shabby...

When we were first married...

and settled into our little home out in the country...

we had wonderful neighbours.

We were newly wed...

they had a growing family at the time.

The man of the house often came to our place for coffee in the evenings...

and all sorts of problems got solved around our kitchen table.

Eventually, we moved on...

they stayed put.

But we kept in touch with them from time to time.

Time marches on.

Their son called us around Christmas time and invited us to a milestone anniversary celebration for his parents. 

He wondered if we knew they had moved.

No we didn't.

He gave us the address of their new residence...

and we joined them there for their party.

Lovely place.

I could quite like living here!

I'm just saying...

if I have to go to assisted living one day...

I've got my eye on this place.

It's out in the country...

with a view of my favorite mountain peak.

I wish the two of them many more happy times together...

in their new home.

beak to peak...

We need not travel far to see the bald eagle in its natural habitat.

They happen to love coastal British Columbia...

and it seems many have taken a liking to our neighbourhood.

My challenge is always to find an eagle posing in front of my favorite mountain peak.

When I saw this one down the road on Friday...
I couldn't resist a photo stop!

A handsome fella...
wouldn't you say?

This one gave me the stink eye!

His friend came in for a landing on the branch next door...

...and then checked me out as well.

These two spend a lot of time hanging out on our farmyard.

My grands try to warn their kitties to stay out of sight!

For good reason...

I'm sure.

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31NIV

What a great verse.

Put your hope in God...

and soar like the eagle.

sweet treats from grandpa...

He came to the grocery store with me...

as he does on a very rare occasion.

He threw some gum onto the check-out counter...

and explained that he needed to re-stock his supply of treats for the grands.

His trademark treat...

Juicy Fruit gum.

The girl at the check-out smiled...

as she re-counted that her grandpa always had Scotch mints for her when she was a wee thing.

So did mine!

We don't see Scotch mints so much these days.

And that got me thinking.

Do all grandpa's have a favorite sweet to share with their grands?

My Grandpa John Baerg always had Scotch mints in his pocket to share with us.

My other Grandpa John Baerg (yes, I had two)...

carried lifesavers around to dole out to us.

Let's hear about the grandpa treats in your life.

* * * * *

Let me explain about the two grandfathers with the same name.  My maternal grandfather passed away before I was born...and my grandmother married a man with the same name as my paternal grandfather.  It got a little confusing at times!

today is recycling day...

On Thursday we put our recycling at the road.  

A city truck comes by and picks it up sometime in the morning.  

There is mandatory garbage and recycling pick-up in our community and we are billed accordingly...

though we are exempt from the garbage portion since we have a bin on the farm. 

All cardboard, plastics, glass and tin cans are recycled...

and placed at the roadside in a blue bin or a blue bag.

I think recycling is a great idea.

And I love to see folks picking up bottles and cans along the road.

They help themselves and they clean up the environment.

I'm not so sure how I feel about people helping themselves to the recyclables I place at the road!

I glanced out the window a few weeks ago...

and saw someone going through our recycling bag.

He removed some items and placed them in his own bag.

I did a quick mental inventory of what might have been in my bag.

Somehow it didn't feel right.

What do you think?

Is everything at the curb free for the taking?

This I know...there was nothing of value in my blue bag.

I guess he has a good thing going on Thursdays...

cycling and re-cycling at the same time!

Why not?

candlelight dinner...

Many of you ate by candlelight last night. 

By choice!

We ate with the lights on...

since we had a few grandgirlies join us for the evening.

But that was OK...

since we just had a lovely candlelight dinner over the weekend.

I'm sure it wasn't planned that way...

but when the lights go out...

the candles are lit.

It seems we have had power outages almost weekly this past winter...

some lasting many hours.
On Saturday afternoon it happened again.
We were invited to our friends' for dinner...
and so I wasn't too concerned about not being able to cook.
When we pulled into their driveway...
and there was not a light to be seen...
we began to wonder what would be on the menu.

No worries!

They have a gas stove...
and many candles...
and we had a lovely evening by candlelight.
We finished up with dessert and coffee around the fire.

And just before we left for home...

the lights came on.

I'm thinking a gas stove is a good thing in a power outage.

But even better...

are friends with a gas stove!

It was a good evening...

by candlelight.

happy hearts day!

I started something on Valentine's Day years ago...

when there were just two little grandgirlies.  

They would come to grammy's for a Valentine's tea. 

We would set the wee table...

and use the wee china tea set that I have had since I was a child. 

Soon there were more...

and they all wanted to come.

This year we had our wee tea a day early...

because on Tuesdays there is 'jump rope' practice.

They came for three o'clock.

Some came a little early...

since there were finger jello hearts to cut out.

One was a little tired...

and slept through the party.

Again.

Yes...there really is a baby Lucy!

The table from the past is now too small.

So we found one that was a wee bit bigger.

And Pinterest offered up lots of fun ideas for Valentine's Day.

I borrowed them freely.

Fill empty matchboxes with candy...

wrap with 'hearty' paper...

tie on a name tag.

Other pinterest-inspired ideas...

~pillsbury cookie ice-cream sandwiches

~popcorn drizzled with melted white chocolate and a handful of V-day M&M's tossed in

~pink lemonade served in bottles...with a straw

Finger lickin' good...

jello hearts.

The wee tea service for four was not enough for my crowd...

so the big girls got grown up china this year.

And they tried real tea as well...

at least Emme did!

And when they were all tea-partied out...

they sneaked out the door and frolicked in the fields.

Though the sun was shining...

and it was plenty warm for February...

jackets would have been recommended!

Things were winding down...

when Baby Lucy decided to join the party.

See...

there really is a Baby Lucy!

Happy hearts day to you and yours today!