March ~ spring has sprung

March is the month of expectation. 

~Emily Dickinson.

Though March came in like a lion...

we had plenty of 'lamb-like' days as well.

This was how the month began.

We said good-bye to Emme who will be spending the next six months working in Berlin. 

She is loving her time there so far.

When I asked if her on-line German course was proving to be helpful...

she replied that it wasn't necessary, since everyone spoke English.

I'm sure it will be the experience of a lifetime for her!

In other news...

the work on the Trans-Mountain pipeline in our neighbourhood has finally begun.

Sort of.

They have placed a lot of stakes and dug many holes.

The traffic control crew shows up for work every morning...

whether or not there is any other action.

  

Ranen 'played for gold' on her violin at the Chilliwack Music Festival.

She makes it look easy!

We took a quick trip through the mountain passes to visit family in Kelowna.

It's a lovely city...

...whatever the season!

The Canadian Juno Awards are a big deal...'though we never really pay much attention.

But this year we did!

My nephew won the Juno for Electronic Album of the Year.

We were all excited for him and some of his cousins flew to Edmonton to celebrate with him.

My Uncle Jake and Aunt Maggie celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary this month.

We had lunch with them one day...

followed by coffee and dessert at their home.

'There is always room at their table and in their hearts.'

So true!

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: 

when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.
~ Charles Dickens

I am thankful for those marvelous days of March...

the ones that made me forget winter and look ahead to the new season to come.

Happy spring!

February ~ short and sweet

And that's a wrap.

As this month comes to an end...

...we are wrapped in snow.

We had over 14 inches on Sunday...

much of which disappeared yesterday.  

Then we had snow again today.

Since I was gone at the beginning of the month...

and because February is missing a few days...

the end came rather quickly.

We managed to pack a lot in!

The Bouquet Farm held a Galentine's workshop...

and 'my girls' joined me there.

After a fun evening of playing with flowers...

we each went home with our arrangement.

On Valentine's Day...

I went for a hike with Marg.

Mostly we hiked.

I also did a little sliding.

And I came home to flowers on the table.

He knows I prefer flowers to chocolate.

Last week we had a 'girlfriends' outing across the line.

Crossing the border to the USA seems a bit of a novelty now...

after a few years of mostly staying at home.

We shopped Hobby Lobby...

and had lunch at The Olive Garden.

We celebrated...

birthdays and friendship.

 ‘The better part of one's life consists of his friendships’.  

~Abraham Lincoln

And then there were all the basketball games that we hadn't planned on.

Maggie played basketball for the first time this year...

joining the grade nine team at her school.

They could only muster up a team of six,

but what they lacked in height and numbers...

they made up for in enthusiasm and speed.

We had watched several of their games...

and they did amazingly well but never qualified for the provincial championships.

But wait...they did!

They got in on as a wildcard entry...

at the bottom of the pack in the standings.

We dove to Port Moody to cheer them on...

as they defeated one good team after another.

Who could have ever expected them to make it to the final game?

'They played with heart, class and determination', said their coach...

of his feisty team that came in second in the BC grade 9 provincial basketball final.

Never lose that determination...

or that smile, Maggie!

And then it was on to the ice rink in Aldergrove...

...where Ryder was playing on a Fraser Valley scholarship team in a tournament. 

He scored the first goal...

...and he had a little 'time out' as well.

Ryder is a gentleman on and off the ice...

so this was an unusual occurrence for him.

It was his last game of the season...

so we were thankful we could be in the stands.

On Saturday night we switched gears from basketball to music..

taking in the winter concert of the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra. 

It was an excellent performance...

with Ranen putting down her violin for doing a little Irish dance for us.

(phone photography from a distance in low lighting leaves much to be desired!)

And that brings us to the end of the month.

It may not be Easter yet...

but did I mention that I was at Hobby Lobby last week?

Easter is coming. :)

It's not too early to prepare our hearts and our homes.

Especially our hearts!

The Mayan Riviera

The Mayan Riviera...

where it is always warm.

We ended last month and began February at an all-inclusive resort south of Playa Del Carmen.

Sunshine, sand and sea.

The Grand Palladium Colonial.

It was a lovely resort...

...with beautiful pools

...and Spanish colonial architecture.

No need to leave the resort to spot reptiles, exotic birds and animals'. 

Iguanas.

Everywhere.

Coati...

roaming in packs.

Flamingos.

Even monkeys and alligators.

And exotic blooms.

There was a lovely Spanish church on site...

...the site of morning mass or afternoon weddings.

A rotunda.

We only left the resort once during our time there...

and that was for an excursion to Rio Secreto.

What is it?

A network of underground rivers and caverns.

This 'secret river' was discovered not too long ago (2004)

by a farmer who chased an iguana into a hole in the ground.

That hole led to the discovery of an interconnected cave system with an underground river...

the longest flooded cave in the region.

It has been open to the public since 2008.

We were given wet suits, water shoes, helmets, life vests and headlights for our underground tour.

We waded or floated through underground rivers for about 90 minutes...

about ten of us with a guide.

It was an incredible experience!

We were spoiled and well-fed during our stay.

The Mayan people are a friendly lot.

Of course we enjoyed the Mexican cuisine.

We had fresh salsa and guacamole for lunch every day...

because we could!

And then we went to the Mexican restaurant one evening.

Our long-time friends and travel mates...Dave and Janet...were there with us.

We realized that it was exactly fifty years since we had first travelled together.

In 1973 we went on a missions trip to Haiti and Guadeloupe...

and then spent a week in Florida together afterwards.

It was the beginning of a lifetime of shared travel adventures...

near and far.

We reminisced on our shared experiences and were thankful!

One night we ate at the Poseidon...

a seafood restaurant on the beach.

A lovely spot.

Although it was always warm...

we had a few storms roll through while we were there.

When it rains...

it pours!

We went for a swim in the Caribbean as the storm rolled in.

Every morning the men and we equipment were hard at work cleaning the seaweed off of the beach.

They do a good job. 

Maharachi band...

the music of Mexico.

Love was in the air...

...maybe because of all the weddings that were happening at the resort.

...or maybe because it is 'love month'.

We borrowed their props. 

Thankful for a wonderful time in the sun...

on the Riviera Maya!

I have no sunset pictures, since we were on the eastern coast of Mexico...

so let me close this post with a sunrise photo.

I hopped out of bed early one morning and went to the beach to watch the sun rise.

I wasn't the only one there.

It was a beautiful start to the day!

Wishing you all a wonderful day...

filled with love and all thing that bring you joy...

on this February 14th!