The Last Chapter ~ 2024

Once again we have reached the end of the year....and it's time to close the book on 2024. 

The snow covers the peaks and the white swans are back in our neighbourhood. Let me go back and highlight a few of the happenings of the past months.

In July we took a day-trip to Cyprus Mountain...so close to home and yet it was our first time there.

The following week we rode B.C. Ferries to Mayne Island for the day. We explored the island on our bikes...visited the Japanese Gardens, had lunch overlooking Bennett Bay, read books in the park next to the lighthouse and were home by dark. 

We enjoyed a few days of camping at Edgewater Campsite in Fort Langley. Friends joined us there...we rode bike ride, enjoyed some fantastic meals together and celebrated our 53rd wedding anniversary. 

My Uncle Jake celebrated his 90th birthday in August. It was a good opportunity for a sister get-together.

We used to have a family party at the end of June to celebrate the completion of the school year for all the grands. As they get older it is more difficult to find a day that works for everyone.  This year, our end of school get-together was on August 11th...a pool party at Kris and Lina's.

We celebrated Kris's birthday on our patio a few days later.  Ranen serenaded him and he had birthday pie! It was also our farewell to Ranen since she was off to violin camp the next week before leaving for university in California. 

And then we were off with the motorhome to visit a few of B.C.'s provincial parks. We spent a few days at Monck Park near Merritt and before moving to Bear Creek Park near Kelowna.

We visited Fintry Park nearby and also went for a long bike bike along Mission Creek in Kelowna.

Our last stop was Shuswap Lake, where we have been many times in the past.  It was sad to see the destruction caused by wild fires in the Scotch Creek area.

The Botanica Sunflower Festival...a September treat.

September 11th ~ Elmer's 75th birthday. We celebrated the occasion at Rowena's in Harrison Mills, where we had dinner with the kids and spent the night in a lovely cabin on the water. 

Also in September...Maggie turned sweet sixteen! She was quite thrilled to get her L and is apparently a very good driver these days.

Thanksgiving 2024. Not everyone was there in time for the family photo before dinner...

but here are those who were. On the left is Leo (from Mexico but lives and works on the farm)...

who got the evening off work to join us for turkey dinner. We were still all sitting at the table when Jeremy got an urgent phone call that the cows were out.

And so, we all went to help round up the cattle. It was a most memorable Thanksgiving get-together!

The following week we headed south with the motorhome. We stopped here and there and visited family along the way, before reaching the Palm Springs area.

We spent one week in Sky Valley and another week at Worldmark in Indio...where we had family join us.

 

Then we were in Mesa for several days...visiting with our friends and exploring the area.

On our way home, we stopped at Biola University in La Mirada to see Ranen. She is studying music and playing in their symphony orchestra. We were able to take in her first concert of the year.

It was time to head home. It seemed that we now had lake-front property since there had been record-breaking rains while we were away.

Our son-in-law Tim completed six months of chemotherapy in November and had his last radiation session just before Christmas.  It was not what he had planned for 2024, but he handled it all so well, continuing to work throughout his treatments. We hope he is done dealing with 'the Big C'! 

We enjoyed the delights of the Christmas season...the many concerts and get-togethers and the lights! Our downtown area is beautiful at Christmas! 

I'm a little late in wishing you all a wonderful Christmas (and no cards were sent out this year due to the Canadian postal strike)...

...but as the sun sets on 2024, let me wish you many blessings in the year that lies ahead. We don't

know lies ahead but we know we can count on God, come what may! 

Grand Events and Memorable Moments

It's been very quiet here on my blog for the past six months, but behind the scenes a lot has happened.  Life goes on and time seems to be slipping through my fingers.   

While I'm sorting through photos from the recent past, let me share just a few of the happenings of 2024 over here. For the record!

We had two grands graduating from high school this year. From two different high schools...two nights in a row.  

Ryder graduated from Sardis Secondary and will be attending Trinity Western University in fall.

Well done, Ryder!

Cousin Maggie came to celebrate with him too.

Ranen graduated from G.W. Graham Secondary.

What could be more fitting...

than a grad photo of Ranen with a violin?

After playing violin through all her school years...

she will be attending Biola University in California with a music scholarship.

The violin will be travelling with her.

In July she took competed in the North American Irish Dance Championships in Grapevine, Texas. 

She did well. It was a good finale to her many years of  Irish dance.

We took the two of them out for dinner one night...

and gave them our blessing as they go on from here.

How quickly these school years have flown by!

We watched Maggie compete in several track meets

...including the BC High School meet in Nanaimo.

She brought home two gold medals.

As the school year ended...

 she was honoured to receive many awards including the junior 'Grizzly of the Year' trophy for academic excellence and the Athlete of the Year trophy.

We are always among her cheerleaders!

The younger grands are all busy this summer...

with summer jobs and summer sports.

Early this year, Tim (our son-in-law) was diagnosed with cancer. Since that time he had surgery, has battled infection, and completed his first round of chemo. He is about to start round two. He continues to forge on, refusing to miss work and determined that he will beat this thing. He may have lost his hair, but he has not lost his sense of humour. We are thankful for the support and prayers of many, not only for him but for Heidi and the girls as well..

Early July found us on a cruise of Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

We met up with my family (sisters, brother and spouses plus a family friend) in Barcelona and spent a few days there before the cruise. 

We visited Sagrada Familia, Park Guell,
 and everything else Gaudi. We strolled the famous fresh food market, 

sampled the local cuisine and toured the city on the hop-on/hop-off bus.

Cadiz, Spain. An ancient city built by the Phoenicians some 3500 years ago. It was from here that Christopher Columbus set sail for the Americas. We toured the city…saw Roman ruins, beautiful beaches, toured the cathedral and ate in the town square. 

Sintra, Portugal...with all its UNESCO heritage buildings. The Sintra National Palace served as the royal residence of Portugal for some 400 years.

Cobblestone streets, Portuguese tile, delicious pastries, narrow alleyways, beautiful blooms and white sand beaches. 

We spent two days in Lisbon with a tour  guide who knew the history of this ancient city, and showed us around. Tiles in abundance, parks, canopied avenues, sidewalk cafes, and Portuguese pavement. 

We were in good company with tourists from around the world. Tourism accounts for 20% of Portugal’s economy. 

Belem Tower, Lisbon...still stands proudly on the waterfront after some 500 years. 

Porto, Portugal. 

 

Known for port wine, many bridges, cork, colourful tiles and thousands of motorcycles every Sunday.

We took a river boat cruise on the Douro River, ate, shopped and left with good memories. 

Tangier, Morocco.

We had a most excellent tour guide take us on a walking tour of Tangier…

through back alleys and food markets where tourists aren’t usually seen. 

Then we drove along the coast where the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean meet...

and where the King of Saudi Arabia has a sprawling complex along the beach. 

Being on the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier has been a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe since Phoenician times. 

The five siblings on the Baerg Cruise 2024...Bill, Judy, Kathy, Dot and Mary Ellen.

There were six of us when we last cruised together five years ago.

We missed Bev!

Closer to home...

we found some other adventures.

In June we took our bikes along to the island when we went to cheer Maggie on at her track meet. 

We spent a day cycling around Victoria...

The next day we rode the Cowichan Trail...part of the Trans Canada Trail system. 

We cycled from Shawnigan Lake to Holt Creek and back, over three historic trestles. 

The Kinsol Trestle is one of the tallest timber rail structures of its kind in the world. It was built by local farmers and loggers and completed in 1920. 

A few weeks ago, we caught a ferry with our bikes one morning and explored Mayne Island, somewhere we had never been. 

We visited the Japanese Gardens, had lunch overlooking Bennett Bay, read books in the park next to the lighthouse. We took the last ferry back to the mainland and were home before dark. 

And all for free.  There are some perks for being a senior! 

We ended the month of July with a few days of camping at Edgewater Campground in Fort Langley.

 Friends joined us there and we celebrated our 53rd anniversary on the banks of the Fraser River.  

It was on the banks of that very river that we were engaged all those years ago.

And that is my semi-annual re-cap of a few of the happenings on My Front Porch!

I am thankful for the blessings of 2024...

and look forward to tomorrow.