Long Weekend in the Niagara Peninsula

While home is in Kitchener we certainly have many reasons that draw us to the Niagara area. We managed to take in four of those reasons this past weekend.

On Saturday before lunch we first dropped off Grandma E. to stay for the weekend with Margaret. We then zoomed over by Grandma V. in Grimsby for a short visit.

After lunch we headed out to visit Rob, Liz, Jenna, Kylie, Caleb and Owen.

We went for a hike in the Bruce trail near Beamer falls. We enjoyed big vistas and tiny vistas. At some spots you could hide behind tree trunk or the roots of a fallen tree ...

... and at other spots you could see almost the whole world!

Later in the day we all together went to the Festival of Praise where we enjoyed many musical presentations including school choirs, a flutist, a pianist, a gospel quintet, a bell choir.

And, yes, that's Rob, very ably directing a most enthusiastic Junior Choir.

Wonderful meals, an overnight at R&L and 2 Sunday services completed a lovely visit there.

We then 'switched' to Cliff and Hen and their clan, including Ruth and visiting Matt and Anne-Marie. On Monday, you guessed it: we headed off to the Bruce Trail, near Rockway Falls. Some pretty scary depths. The weather was mild and not windy so it was easy to stay out for many hours.

Cliff and I enjoyed some quiet conversation, while the ladies discovered new ways to discuss issues and possibly settle some old scores.

A quick camera face-off at a patch of moss to see if there was a visible difference between quality from our old Kodak or Hen's Fuji. Below is for you to judge...

The browns and yellows are so wonderful and peaceful. And then here and there... those splashes of brilliant green crop up in numerous places - not just left overs from fall, but vibrantly growing mosses and some ground cover plant - amazing!

We ended our afternoon at Jordan's famous Zooma Zooma cafe, drinking a hot chocolate to the relaxing sound of jazz quartet music :) .... followed by a second fine supper at Cliff and Hen's B&B.

A day we'd definitely like to repeat, Lord willing. It was a relaxing, blessed weekend!

We Moved Grandma E

There we were: Margaret, Brent, Cathy, Rudy, Brian, Craig, Tim, Mike, Kevin, at 7:45 Saturday morning, with Tim's big trailer and within a twinkle of an eye had it fully loaded with Grandma's possessions and headed from Beasley Cres. to Langs Drive.

Then by 10:30 a.m. we were already saying 'thanks' and 'goodbye' because everything was unloaded into the apartment - amazing teamwork! Thanks again guys!

The rest of the day was spent by the siblings (and in-law) to unpack and arrange everything to a point that….

 

Mom could arrive at 3:00 with Mary who had treated her for the day including a trip to Belgian Nursery and lunch out.

Weather was perfect and we could receive Mom into a nearly ready-to-live-in apartment. Included in the day was a lovely orangy sunset, something that can become part of Mom's daily privilege to observe from her west-north-west view.

Marg stayed overnight into Sunday to help Mom get settled. She was already looking forward to using some of her meal-tickets for the dining hall, and some days later maybe the heated pool.

God bless you in this new home and stage of your life Mom!

Your Fairview Mennonite Home is quite the place!

Check it out at http://www.fairviewmennonitehomes.com/fairview/

Minnesota and Fall Outing

It was high time for us to make it out to Prinsburg again. What better way than to combine a journey all the way there with our fall outing.


It was definitely fall weather, with quite a bit of rain, even more dismay for the local farmers who were wanting to get their sugar beet, and corn and beans off the fields.

But it was superb weather for enjoying a very relaxing time at home with Marlene. We got to wave hello to lots of the local folks who drove by, a fine and true local tradition.


We were able to worship at the new URC in the school library and had a great Sunday dinner with Eric and Sara's family over. But Eric and Sara's clan also were busy with sore throats which cut in on the fun somewhat.

Later we traveled down to Luverne to Bruce and Kristi and their clan. We even got a sneak preview at their new home out in the country which they'll move into in November. Even carved a couple of pumpkins. And.... we managed to hit a deer (missed the other 2 in the herd) on the way home from visting them, but only a basketball-sized ding in Marlene's car hood.

It was super relaxing and laid-back. Wonderful meals and easy-going fun, including a trip to the local thrift store, and stopping to watch the amazing line of trucks getting unloaded of their sugar beets into monstrous piles in a drop-off area.

On the way home we traveled part of the way down the east shore of the Mississippi River.

 

 

A wonderful week!

An October Visit with Mom V.

Joanne planned a visit from California. that became a great nucleus around which to make Mom's birthday gathering some weeks later, so that she could join in.

Wendy and Cheryl made it out so we had a great gathering.

And Mom was in great spirits, enjoying our company the whole time.

She now has a wonderful new place at Shalom Manor in Grimsby.

We brought various items including chocolates and clothing.

We sang, we played harmonica, performed some charades for Mom.

And afterward made our traditional visit to a local Swiss (Chicken) Chalet.

God bless you Mom!

2 Weeks at Restoule - Summer Waited for Us!

After a very cool summer we arrived at Restoule, where, after some light rain Saturday overnight, we had two glorious weeks of weather, the best of the whole summer. It was hard to believe it was the first two week of September! We met our fine Christian friends, the J's who live out there, and where we later dined on Blair's amazing fish.

Wonderful times of canoeing, hiking, canoeing, reading, canoeing, renewing friendships, canoeing, and relaxing in sunny, low and mid 20's days. Sunrises and sunsets, both visible from the park's small peninsula beach. Oh yes, and we sure enjoyed our time canoeing too.

Ah, Sundays, Corner Gospel Church, a lovely group of people whom we appreciate more each year, so that our Sundays, worshiping with them, at the chapel in the morning, and at someone's home in the evening, makes our Sundays up north highlights of themselves.

As a former school mate once remarked, about camping... "here we are again at our voluntary slum living..." Well, with the comforts of our tent trailer, now with a working fridge, a comfortable bed, couches, and bug screens, fine vehicles for both highway and water. Oh my, how much clutter we live in.

The Blogger editor insists that our vacation was backward from how I told it. So I won't try and describe the pictures since there is no rhyme or reason where they'll land up... they are now owned by Blogger, which knows better.

So, just a clump of disjointed shots, but it will give an impression of what we did, or saw.

Ah, but the solitude and peace and the beauty. Just looking around it is exceedingly baffling that not everyone who's spent some time vacationing here with even slightly open eyes would not immediately want to pursue getting to know the amazing God Who has created it all!

Our New Bike Track

Dan and Jolene's Joshua and Nathan came to visit Thursday. After supper we went to the new Bike Park at McLennan Park (Mt. Trashmore).

There are about 4 or 5 tracks, 2 with shorter bumps and 2 others with longer runs (adjacent to the toboggan slope)

While an emergency crew took away a seriously injured biker from a more advanced track (a regular event), we let the boys try the bikes out on a small circular track near the bottom of the hill. Needless to say, they had a great time.

Within a very short time both seemed to feel quite at ease as you'll see on the video, like it's just the natural thing to do. (certainly easier than working with this horrible, free Blogspot software which totally has a mind of its own as to where it decides to put text and pictures - unreal!)

Kevin's already been out here too with his mountain bike, but we have no pictures. Even I have been on another part of the track's smallest bumps with my big-wheeled hybrid - scary!

In retrospect, we hope this has not whetted appetites for a dangerous new interest ....

Some grandparents.... sigh!

(The video comes from our old Kodak camera - so apologies for the flickering quality)