THINGS ARE WINDING DOWN WITH THE WEE ONES AFTER A DELIGHTFUL THREE WEEK VISIT .

TRYING TO WAVE MY FLAG OF BRAVERY IN THE FACE OF THIS PANDEMIC . BUT I FEEL RIPPED APART INSIDE…. SIMULTANEOUSLY.

I SAW THIS LITTLE STORY TODAY AND I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE IT AS WELL…..

AHHHH, SUMMER DAYS.  SUMMER DAZE.  A TIME FOR SIMPLE DREAMS AND IMAGINATION PLAY. 

AFTER OUR FAMILY LEFT TO STAY WITH THE INLAWS FOR A COUPLE DAYS WE DECIDED TO DO A COUPLE OF ERRANDS . THIS DIDN’T COMPLETELY PAN OUT BUT WE COULD TELL A BIG STORM WAS COMING IN . DID WE HURRY HOME?  NOPE.  WE DECIDED TO BECOME ‘STORM CHASERS’ AND FOLLOW THE CLOUDS TO SEE IF WE COULD GET SOME COOL SHOTS.

SOMEHOW, AMIDST ALL THE BUSYNESS OF THESE DAYS SURROUNDED BY LITTLE ONES I HAVE FOUND TIME TO WRITE TWO NEW SONGS. 

“PAPA” SET UP A FUN MURAL PAINTING STATION IN THE GARAGE TODAY FOR OUR 3 AND 5 YEAR OLD GRANDSONS! 

TERRY AND I ARE STILL TRYING TO GO ON WEEKLY ROAD TRIPS TO ENJOY THE SUMMER …USUALLY LISTENING TO AN AUDIO BOOK (WE ARE CURRENTLY LISTENING TO ‘AMERICAN DIRT’) AND THEN HAVE A PICNIC. 

YESTERDAY I WROTE ANOTHER NEW SONG….( MY 9TH ONE SINCE ‘COVID’!)

IT IS ABOUT HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE BEAUTY AROUND ME AS I GO FOR MY WALKS AROUND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.

TODAY I READ THIS POSTING BY MY COUSIN, DANIEL….

‘THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE’ YOU’VE HEARD IT SAID. BUT HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT YOU HAD TO CLIMB OVER A ROCKY TERRAIN TO TRY AND GET THERE? 

The Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, Lutheran pastor and author offered this reflection recently.

WE HAD A COUPLE  OF MY FAVOURITE AND MOST RECOGNIZED READINGS TODAY AT MASS : THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED AND THE PARABLE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BEING COMPARED TO THE MAN WHO SOWED GOOD SEED IN HIS FIELD ONLY TO BE THWARTED BY THE ENEMY WHO SOWED WEEDS ALL THROUGH THE WHEAT.

I LOVE ALBERTA IN THE SUMMER…. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CANOLA FIELDS ARE IN THEIR BEST FINERY. THIS SIMPLE FLOWER PROVIDES THE OIL THAT HELPS US COOK DELICIOUS MEALS FOR OUR FAMILY.

THERE ARE LITTLE ONES IN MY HOUSE AGAIN . AND I LOVE IT.

I’VE BEEN GOING THROUGH A PERIOD OF ‘MORE THAN NORMAL’ PAIN IN MY BODY. IT MIGHT HAVE STARTED IN EARNEST WHEN I TRIPPED AND FELL ON OUR HARD, WOODEN KITCHEN FLOOR. BUT EITHER WAY IT IS CONTINUING AND I AM DOING ALL OF MY USUAL THINGS TO TRY AND HANDLE IT : READING ABOUT IT, STRETCHING, EXERCISING, MEDICATIONS AS NEEDED, ETC.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER ME MENTIONING THAT I HAVE THESE AMAZING BEST FRIENDS THAT I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING SINCE HIGH SCHOOL.

I HAVE WALKED AROUND MY NEIGHBOURHOOD SO MANY TIMES THAT I AM KIND OF TIRED OF THE SAME VIEWS…HA HA.

TERRY AND I HAVE VISITED ELK ISLAND PARK MANY TIMES SINCE MOVING TO EDMONTON. IT TAKES ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR TO DRIVE THERE AND WE REALLY ENJOY THE JOURNEY. 

ALL THIS RAIN HAS HELPED SPROUT UP SOME WEE UMBRELLAS IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD.