Birds of Prey

It has been ten days since we have returned from the Lake.

The first couple of days Bob spent his time getting a downstairs bedroom ready for painting.  Darryl came and painted the room  for us.  It looks good and is not blue.  We had to buy new curtains for the room and they turned out to be very ugly, but will have to do until we get new windows and then we will get shutters like Darwin and Amber have.

Lincoln and Miranda came on Friday and will be staying for a couple of weeks.

Bob took Lincoln and Miranda to the farmer's market on Saturday morning and I took them to "Despicable Me 2" in the afternoon.  On Monday morning we had a short visit from Courtney and in the afternoon we went to Heritage Day at the Exhibition ground.

Tuesday Miranda and I went to the library to see "Because of Win Dixie" and then Joan, Sheri and John and Michael and Stacey and some of their children dropped in for a short visit.

Today we did the Birds of Prey Center in Coaldale.  We saw hawks, owls, eagles, ducks, geese and probably a few other kinds of birds.

Miranda with Caspar, the Barn Owl

Lincoln Beside his Namesake, Lincoln the Bald Eagle

Echo Lake Vacation

Yesterday afternoon we returned from our annual family get together at Echo Lake.  It has been some years since everyone has attended and this year our three oldest granddaughters weren't able to make it due to jobs and Calgary Stampede Showband.

The weather was just about perfect - a bit hot for me though and a bit windy on Saturday afternoon.

Since Jeremy's cabin wouldn't hold everyone we were at three different places.  Bob and I stayed with the Mosers across the lake.

There was boating, swimming, skiing, wake boarding, wake skating, tubing, bridge jumping, shopping, entertainment, campfire and, of course, eating.

 Getting Ready for an Early Morning Boatride

 We've Jumped off the Bridge

 Utah Boys

 This Isn't a Sprint Canoe

Aunt Tara's Shredded Beef Tacos Were a Big Hit

 Aunt Jacqueline Makes Friends with Nephew

Star Wars, If You Could Hie to Kolob, Scotland the Brave

 Will the Fire Start?

 Blackies Bay in the Evening

Edward and Nathan left at noon Saturday.  That evening the sixteen remaining went out the MacKenzie River Pizza Company.

Sunday morning after church we drove home.  It was a much less stressful drive over Logan's Pass because there was less traffic and no construction waits as there had been when we came on Tuesday so it took a half hour less.  However, we did encounter falling rock.  The car ahead of us got hit but we stopped in time and waited for the rocks to stop before we continued.  In all the times I have crossed Logan's Pass, this was the first time I have seen rocks falling on the road.

Hail Wind Hail Rain Hail

At suppertime this evening it got dark out and we could hear the rumble of thunder.  The storm hit with fury.  Our garden has been pounded into the ground.  All the leaves are off from one side of our tree (and are all over our driveway). There was water running down our street and running out of the cul de sac. Apparently the wind was 130 k per hour.  We went to the New West Theatre an hour after the storm and couldn't get down South Parkside Drive because the water was too high.  There were tree branches all along the road around the lake.  A resident of Tudor Estates told Bob about  a weeping willow that was blown down in their neighbourhood..

A Cool Breeze at the Calgary Stampede

Yesterday we went to Calgary so we could see Erica in the Calgary Stampede Show Band.  Langley and Carter came with us.  We went to the Stampede grounds with Edward and his family and Jackson.  Between the time we left Edward's and the time we arrived at the grounds the temperature had dropped 4 degrees and there was a cool breeze blowing.  We walked around,  looked at the animals, the arts and crafts and ate fudge while we were waiting for the band.  The band gave a splendid show.  Later we saw a jet ski show and ate mini donuts until the fireworks.  We wrapped ourselves in blankets and quilts as no-one thought to take a jacket.

I have probably been to the Calgary Stampede several times in my lifetime, but two times stick in my mind.  The first time I ever went I was about seven years old and our family went with my Uncle Angus and family.  We stayed overnight in a hotel and I had to sleep in a chair because the room wasn't big enough for our family.  My Uncle took me down to the barns and I sat on some of the horses while Uncle Angus visited with the cowboys he knew.  Then he took me to the midway and bought me tickets to go on the rides.

In 1959 I went with my three roommates from Edmonton.

Bad News or is it Good News?

Bob received a letter today from the Leavitt Institute (the sponsors of the program for teaching Ethics and Advocacy in Ukraine).  Due to severe budget cuts to USAID budgets in Ukraine the program will not be funded for the coming school year so the program is suspended.

Bob is disappointed but I can't say I am unhappy.  After reading the info about the country last fall I lost my enthusiam for going.

Thunder, Lightning, Rain, Hail

This afternoon we have had another storm.  There was a weird rumbling we could hear for a few minutes and the sky darkened and we heard thunder, saw lightning and then the rain and hail began.  The hail has stopped but it is still raining.

There have been several storms in the last three weeks.  Three times it hailed - the first one doing serious damage to our garden.  We had hail and an inch of rain on Friday and now hail again today.  There was another storm Saturday and although we didn't get hail, Joan out in Stirling had enough hail to break windows and ruin her garden.  Here in Southern Alberta we aren't used to this weather.

That is Hail in the Flower Bed

Canada Day Week

Tara and the four youngest boys arrived around noon; Nathan and Orson came later from Regina where Orson was competing in a regatta.  Liam was disappointed that their family was the only one here.  He remembers Canada Day from before he went to Nova Scotia where the family came together to celebrate Canada Day here in Lethbridge.  The last time we were home on Canada Day, Bob and I were all alone.

Matthi was asleep early, so I stayed here with him while the others went to the fireworks.

Tuesday Nathan and family spent some time at Henderson Pool.  It was something like 38 degrees C that day.  Joan dropped in for a visit and Brenda and Carlyle Bradshaw surprised us with a short visit.

Wednesday was a beautiful day in Waterton - blue sky, some fluffy clouds, hot sun, lots of green and many flowers in bloom.

Our first stop was the parking lot at the bottom of Bear's Hump.  There were many people there that day; we had a hard time parking.  I only went part way up.

View From Where I Turned Back

Everyone else went to the top.

View from the Hump

We had lunch at Zum's, visited the shops, bought fudge  and the next stop was Cameron Falls.

Three of the boys had a great time playing in Red Rock while Matt and Nathan napped.

After a stop at the visitors center in Cardston we went back to Lethbridge - all worn out.

Nathan and Tara went back to Calgary Wednesday evening.

Joan came in again on Thursday.

Friday morning Bob took the boys to the park, but the mosquitoes were out in force so they didn't stay long.  In the evening we went to the opening ceremony for the Dragon Boat races and watched the Dragon Dance.

Saturday Bob, Keaton and Lochlan went to watch the dragon boat races. 

The boys enjoyed the park best.

Nathan and Tara came back this afternoon and picked up the boys.  We are alone once more.