A Special Birthday

Every birthday is special, but it seems extra special for this father and daughter that lived far apart for many years to be able to enjoy a special lunch and spend an afternoon together, not just on her birthday, but throughout the year.  Martin is very proud of Kathryn's independence and diligence in her life and work.  Her job in Heidi's Bakery is going well, and she recently got her union card.  Her godmother Peetra joined us for the birthday celebration in Petrolia as well.

Human Easel

Gooch retrospective, continued. . .  After propping up Linda's lovely "Wisteria Cottage, Lompoc" in various locations around my still dew fresh garden this morning, I finally found the prop I needed.  His name is Martin.  Thanks, love!  I'll remember that next time.
      This beautiful giclee print is a reminder to me of all the delightful friends and places we experienced during our ten years in this special town.  Thank you, Linda, for capturing this incredible garden by the side of the tracks.  The occupant, Barbara Freer, was a regular at our tearoom as well as a friend from La Purisima Conception Church.  My mother and step-dad Johney gave me the frame for my 60th birthday during our sojourn in Oklahoma.

Two Views

Two views of our garden.  One from July, 2011 and one from July, 2012.  One from the church parking lot, one from the patio.  We enjoyed it then and we enjoy it now.  But now we've done a little digging and planting.  That's what gardens are for.

Beach Day

It's been very hot lately, so we decided to put on our swimsuits, pack a picnic lunch, our folding chairs, and drive over to Lake Huron.  We took the scenic route along the St. Clair River and enjoyed looking at the pretty beach cottages, boats, and docks.  We found a nice spot to settle in for a couple of hours in Canatera Park in Sarnia.  We enjoyed watching the young families, older people with dogs, and the many sailboats off shore.  We had to do the "subway fold" while reading our newspapers because of the brisk breeze.  Young Poplar trees are migrating onto the beach from the nearby woods and provide a bit of a wind break and some shade.  Last time we were at Huron, it was a calm day.  The waves and currents were too strong for us to navigate on this day, but the big kids and young adults seemed okay with it.

Family From Afar

Huge sigh of relief!  I worry about the stupidest things sometimes.  My dear brother & his wife Maria from Oklahoma and Maria's niece Julie & husband Orama from Puerto Rico were coming for a visit.  Great news, indeed!!  So why did I worry about the fact that our little retirement cottage only has one bathroom!  Well, guess what!  No problemo!  We had a great time together every minute of their visit.  So I won't worry about that issue again.  I think we are all a bit spoiled when we know our ancestors would have thought indoor plumbing was a luxury.

     It was great to see my bro and Maria and to show them a bit of our new life in Canada.  It was great to get to know Julie & Orama better.  They are all welcome back here any time!

Granddaughters

Aren't they beautiful!  Claire, age 6, and Emily, age (almost) 4, were looking like little angels with their golden curls and baskets of yellow rose petals for a  wedding in California.  We can't wait to see them when they fly out, with their mommy & daddy, for a visit in August!

Canada Day

This is our first Canada Day in our little home.  We were in Canada at this time last year, but were still quite dazed from the big move.  One year later, we feel very at home here in Canada, and gratefully so.  Thanks be to God for all our family here, and for all our new friends and neighbours.

     We got the idea to put out our American flag and Dutch flag along with our Canadian flag from the neighbours across the street.  The wife of one couple was born in Germany, so she and her husband hung a German flag and a Canadian flag on their porch.  Next door to them, the husband is British and his wife Canadian, so they hung a Union Jack and the Maple Leaf.  Martin was born in Holland, me in the U.S.A, and now this is our home.  It's nice to share our heritage with one another and also appreciate what we have in common as citizens of the world.