First Snow

We've gone from brilliant fall color to elegantly silhouetted bare branches. Gradually dropping temperatures and cloudy skies have signaled eminent snowfall. And then it began. Our first snow of the season. I ran outside with the camera. Falling snow is difficult to capture with still shots, but here it is. Look real close and you'll see snow settling on the back of our truck. Maybe if you squint real hard you can see the flakes falling from the sky. At least in you imagination. It always takes my breath away. Martin says, "Wait til February. See if you still feel the magic."

I ran across something while reading the book of Daniel in the Bible the other day. The three guys that had been thrown into the fiery furnace, together sang, glorifying and blessing God (read all of Chapter 3 for the whole story!). In verse 70 they sang, "Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever." Somehow, that describes how the falling snow makes me feel.

More Thougts on Falling Leaves

I don't have a photo to go with these thoughts. But picture this in your mind. When trees are in full leaf throughout the summer months, they give us shade from the heat of the sun; we are cooled and sheltered. But the leaves restrict our view, as well, during this period of time.

When the seasons transition and the leaves begin to drop, the angle of the earth to the sun changes as well, and we don't need the same canopy of leaves to shade us. At the same time our vistas are expanded. Without the leafy canopy that brings our shade, yet restricts our view, we can see greater distances.

That's part of what I love about Fall & Winter. The colors become more intense and brilliant, and then they soften and become more restful, and my perspective on my surroundings is expanded. When the trees are stripped of all their leafy finery, I see things I've never noticed before.

Such are the seasons of life, as well. "There is an appointed time for everything. . ." Ecc. 3:1

The Big Picture

The photo of the handsome family was taken in 1943, in their back yard, in Boekel, Holland. Pictured are Gust & Nellie Vandenbroek and their three children, baby Martin, and his sisters, Joanne and Willie. Holland was occupied by Nazi forces at the time and possession of cameras was forbidden. Gust managed to keep one hidden, or we would not have this charming family portrait today. My husband's father was part of the Dutch resistance during those terrible times. He and his friends rescued and sheltered many Allied pilots that were shot down by Hitler's forces. Nellie helped feed them, and the presence of the children gave everyone hope for the future. The photo of the handsome American soldier is my father Sgt. Howard H. Anderson. He participated in several secret missions behind enemy lines with the Army Air Corps. He never talked about this with me until the year he died. Our dads never met, yet we have this connection of them fighting for the same cause. We remember ALL those today who sacrificed their safety for our lives.

More Senior Surfing

For a second time, we came upon a picnic table standing in a lake. Who does this? What is the fascination with dragging a picnic table off the beach into the water? I took these pics
at the Pinery on Lake Huron a few weeks ago on a nice afternoon. It seemed like a good follow up to the earlier snaps we took on the shore of Lake Erie. Mart and I tried to drag the table back to shore, but it was too heavy. Then three other people came along and helped.

More Fall Colors

I just love the fall colors! I thank God for His beautiful creation, in all the seasons of life. As you can see from the photo, there are a lot of leaves on the ground now; we see them falling continually. Soon the trees will be bare, and the tones will be very subdued. Our little home on Elizabeth Street is not pictured because we have nary a tree on our lot. Unlike our home on Timber Ave. in Bethany, OK where we had a total of 20 oak trees surrounding us. That was a lot of leaves to rake! Some of you can relate.

Back yard entertainment

This fellow is in Bethany

In Chatham

Some of the best things in life are free. Like squirrels in the park or the back yard. The reddish-brown squirrel is an Okie. We had a family of them in our back yard in Bethany that entertained us each morning as we ate breakfast. Most Canadian squirrels are black. We enjoy the ones pictured when standing at our kitchen sink. Our neighbor keeps her "bird" feeders well stocked, a real squirrel magnet. We had a squirrel-proof bird feeder that, once conquered by our furry friends, was a favorite gathering spot for them. They are difficult to photograph, though, due to their shyness and my lack of skill.

You know you're in Canada. . .

There are differences in living in the U.S. and Canada. Here are a few: The milk is packaged differently, coming in a large plastic bag that holds 3 smaller bags. The small bags fit in a holder that is reusable. One must cut a small opening in a corner of the bag to pour. All packaging is printed with English on one side and French on the reverse side. Quaker Oats is a brand here, but is a separate Canadian company and the packaging is in bags, not the familiar can. Salt comes in a rectangular box with a metal spout on the side rather than a drum with a spout on top. Our citrus fruit is imported from South Africa; no California or Florida oranges or lemons here. A Canadian store that I really like is The Bulk Barn. It is full of neat rows of bins containing many types of flours, grains, nuts, teas, etc. I do enjoy experiencing some different ways of shopping.