Saturday, July 1, 2017

June ~ come and gone


Let me share a few random photos from the past month...
as well as some of our comings and goings.



I just have to include one photo of my favorite June blooms.
I cut the last of the peonies on June 9th and brought them indoors to enjoy.
Two weeks later, I took this photo.
Since when do peonies last that long?


There was a birthday party over at the farm...
for Chester!
He is a big one-year old.
Emme and Spencer made him a doggie cake...
bought him a party hat...
and marked the occasion in style.
Chester looked pretty blasé about the whole thing.


Sunshine, grey clouds...
and white-faced beef cattle.
It made for a nice photo one night as I was going for a walk down our road.


A BBQ with good friends on a lovely June evening...
the perfect way to finish off our year together as a 'small group'.


Micah played soccer this spring.
I had to smile as I watched him in goal.
He obviously wasn't letting the pressure get to him!


We took in the 'Ryder Lake Ramble' earlier this month...
a chance to visit some beautiful farms and gardens in the upland community of Ryder Lake.


How's that for a view...
with Cultus Lake in the distance.
This was our favorite place
...that of a good friend who has lived in Ryder Lake for many years.


Lupines...


...and irises gone wild!
It was lovely.


By mid-June the spring cropping was done on the farm...
and we were able to get away for a few days.
We decided to go somewhere we had not been before...
and landed up at a provincial park near Merritt.

We hiked every day...
relaxed, read books...
and enjoyed the peace and quiet.


We spotted this yellow-bellied marmot scampering over a rock shortly after we arrived.


He disappeared over the top and a chipmunk scooted up to take his place.


Who knew chipmunks liked red licorice Twizzlers?
While I was cleaning up our dinner dishes...
he helped himself to the Twizzlers which were in a bag on the table.
There were three left...
and he made off with them all.
I caught him as the last one was disappearing.



This osprey kept his eye on us from above.


Apparently there are lovely beaches at Nicola Lake...
but they were beneath the 'high water' during our stay.



The park is surrounded by ranch-land...
looking quite lovely in June.



The boss was strutting his stuff!

We were just a few hours from home...
but it seemed a world away.


When we see that peak in the distance...
we know we are soon home.


We returned home just in time to take in Ranen and Micah's year-end violin recital.
They both did a fine job!


There's a 'new to them' ATV on the farm...
and the grands rode across the field to show us.
Love their back seat driver!


Though Emme and Spencer are still two years away from graduation...
we had the honour of being 'surrogate grandparents' at Rosalyn's grad.
Rosalyn has lived next door since she was wee,
grown up with our granddaughters,
and milked cows on the farm for the past few years.
She no longer has grandparents...
and invited us to her grad banquet in their place.
How special!
It wasn't many years ago that Rosalyn and my grands 
operated a candy store in the neighbourhood every summer.
Grandpa spent all his spare change there!
Where have the years gone?
Rosalyn is leaving on a trip of a lifetime to Europe next week.
In fall she will continue her studies at our local university...
and milk cows when it suits her schedule! 
She will do well in life.


June was also the month of track meets.

Both Maggie and Ranen were representing their respective schools at the district track meet on the same day.

Both ran their hearts out in the heat!

Maggie took first place in the 1500 meter for nine year-olds.
Whoaa! That is a long race.
She runs like the wind.


Last Saturday we watched her play soccer with her team in Bellingham.
...at a beautiful soccer park with Mt. Baker keeping watch.
She gave it her all on a day when all-time temperature records were broken.


On the eve of Canada's 150th birthday celebration...
we took in an outdoor concert in Abbotsford featuring amazing local talent.
Youth orchestra,  drumming band, skipping club, children's choir...
and last but not least...
Ranen was on stage with the Sionnaine Irish dance academy.
It was a wonderful evening to sit outside, 
catch up with friends and family...
and eat B.C. cherries.


Happy Canada Day from our home to yours...
on this the 150th year since confederation!

14 comments:

  1. Oh-oh, I could be first. 😳

    So much to comment on specifically so I'll give it a generic comment...you are still living in God's country...amazing photos of amazing views. In the end, it's the grands I look forward to most seeing. They are such an active, attractive, accomplished group of cousins. Their parents and grandparents have every right to be proud.

    Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦

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  2. How lovely your 'adopted grandaughter' looked, and what a privilege to be with her at an important occasion.
    So many lovely things in your post, but especially the field of wild Iris.

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  3. Oh, how I drank in every word and every photo! I so look forward to your monthly postings and I fear I may have missed one so I will go and check after I comment.
    I do so hope you know what special people you are! You lift our hearts and spirits with your every post. Thank you for this!

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  4. Your June was full and blessed! I love to see how your grandchildren have grown and the accomplishments they have achieved! You must be so proud of them all. The last photo is picture perfect - Happy Canada Day!

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  5. So much beauty you have enjoyed and captured. Loved seeing all these events that happened in June and the beautiful landscapes. I love that adopted granddaughter story. That is one huge dog!

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  6. My peonies lasted unusually long indoors too - i loved it!

    We are heading back to Monck for our second year in a row and are so looking forward to the scenery there again. I do believe that bird is actually an osprey - we had one nearby for quite some time last year so we had to do some research! They are amazing!

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    Replies
    1. Enjoy your stay in Monck Park this summer. It really is a lovely spot! Thanks for identifying the osprey for me. :)

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  7. You have such beautiful pictures and memories here! I love Chester's BD celebrated by your ever smiling twins, the soccer goalie, the views, the chipmunk getting away with your licorice, the runners, the violinists and dancer! Such a full life!

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  8. Your June was filled with all those end of the school year events. I enjoyed seeing your grandkids in action...and having fun. How very special for you and Elmer to be invited to the graduation. Congratulations to this lovely young lady. We must try camping at Monck Park...so close to our favourite place.

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  9. Ok... that Chester! What a fun dog! I may or may not have mentioned that I'd like a Chester too. Your month was as usual very beautiful and filled with family and friends because who wouldn't want to be part of your life? I have a twizzler lover here that is holding his bag a little tighter.

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  10. Wow. Your June was jam-packed with activity. You have such an eye for capturing the beauty of God's handiwork, Judy. I always enjoy your photos. How special for your neighbor to invite you to participate in her graduation as "grandparents". We had a similar experience this Spring so I know what a great experience that was for you. Your header photo is just gorgeous! Hope you're enjoying a fantastic July, looking forward to your update at month's end.

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  11. You have some amazing shots, Judy .. I love love love the photo of the cattle.. I would love to have that framed on my wall... A full and happy month of June beautifully captured.

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  12. What a wonderful June you had, Judy! I'm sorry I'm late in visiting as I began the month of July with a very bad cold--almost pneumonia. I'm feeling much better now and back to babysitting grandchildren and preparing for a trip to Italy to visit my husband's extended family. I enjoyed all your photos and stories and Rosalyn's special request that you be her grandparent's for a special occasion was very touching. Your grands are all getting so big and so accomplished. I know how happy they make you. Have a wonderful July!

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  13. What joy it brings me to visit you here! To step into your world for a few minutes in the middle of a somewhat ordinary week. The scenery, the family events, the sporting events, the picture of you, your husband, and dear Rosalyn, and the cattle in the field...just so beautiful! You always have had a way of drawing those who visit you here, right into the midst of your world. Thank you! Hope you are enjoying July in BC!

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson