BIG SHIFT

A new season has begun up here at the orchard.

It started in August when I seriously considered inviting a family to come and move in with me for the year since the kids have all moved to the Coast.

We set the date for the end of October since the extra bedroom wall hadn't been built in the games room and Ron was trying to find the time to do it.

Plus I wanted to enjoy one last peaceful quiet month with Anita before she took off to Iqaluit.

Meanwhile, I had discovered that my dear friend Lorabeth was in town and since I needed someone to look after the pups while I was in Langley I asked her if she could come and sleep here for a few nights while I was away. 

HOWEVER.

She happened to be here in a large trailer and she said she and her fiancé would happy to come and park in the back yard and look after the dogs.

With their friends and ANOTHER huge trailer.

I arrived home from my trip to find a virtual trailer park right next to my patio!

( I later convinced them to move a little further back so that I could have the lake view back...and they were most obliging!)

It has been an absolute delight to have Lorabeth back in my life along with her fabulous, kindhearted fiancé.

I love her to bits and am so grateful to see how the Lord has been leading her in the years since she moved to Alberta.

They are two peas in a pod and here's a picture of them getting ready to go out dancing together.

A passion they both share, among many others.

It does my heart a lot of good to see them together and to see the restoration that God has brought into Lorabeth's life.

Absolutely amazing.

She's here in the valley to connect with her sons, daughter in law and grandsons.

She and Norm have also been a tremendous help to me around the house and yard.

They've been washing windows, cleaning out my flower beds, trimming my bushes, detailing my car, helping with the reno downstairs, fixing my lawnmower and just being all around amazing friends.

I remember the days (years, actually) when Lorabeth was struggling and I would go and pick her up every week and we would drive up here to the orchard to pray for our marriages and kids.

Although everything seemed to fall apart for her, quite dramatically and sadly in those two respects, in the ensuing years she has found her peace in God and has become so much more whole.

Now she is able to minister and love on her kids from a place of health and hope.

Such a beautiful story in the works here.

Answered prayers indeed.

Just different than what we had been expecting.

So the games room has gotten smaller, the pool table has moved out and we now have a third bedroom downstairs.

I'll have to go and get an updated picture because when Ron does something, he does it very nicely.

It's kind of turned into the Taj Ma Wall...

Anyways, the lovely family moved in at the very end of October.

There have been boxes and busyness but it's all good.

Jennifer & Derek are wonderful as are their kids.

Super easy to get along with and very eager to keep the house in good order and share their lives with me.

They moved in just in time to deal with the big snowfall.

At first Brison was excited about the white stuff.

Being a missionary kid who was born in the Philippines, he hadn't experienced much of this kind of weather before.

However, the novelty wore off rather quickly and he was wishing for nice weather again so he could resume his skateboarding and scootering.

Ongoing October Ambience

Ahhhh, the colours!!!!

What a tapestry

What LOVE provides such beauty

for His Beloved..

So I drink it in with unending gratefulness.

My eyes ever more open to the provision,

the nurture,

the artistry,

the healing virtue of nature.

The healing virtue of my pups!!

Such therapy, so much joy.

The skies ceaselessly declaring His worth and beauty far better than words...

This picture above was taken on one of my morning drives to school.

Of course I had to pull over to capture this one beautiful moment where the sun's early rays highlighted the cherry trees before they give up their final glory.

And yes, I'm back at school, teaching again.

The kids are such a delight.

Thankfully I have fewer than last year so I've cut my time down to three mornings a week.  Life has felt much busier this year so I'm happy to have more time to do other stuff.

Like keeping tabs on mom and dad - trying to look after their increasing needs as their bodies get weaker and their independence wanes.

Such a privilege to be there for them.

Here's Mom talking to Patrice who happened to call when I was there.

So precious to see her reach out to her grandparents on the phone while she is living out of town.

Had a final gals dinner before Anita took off for the Great White North.

We finished off our time with some worship which is always so grounding.

She will be missed by the pups and I.

Around the house Moose is endlessly a very great model.

Here he is eyeing up Mr. Bluebird who very carelessly moves into harms way.

There was blood on the floor and on his feather's not long ago...

Apparently his attention span is incredibly short because here he is again, strutting his stuff just inches away from Moose's eager jaws.

Some strange weather floated through town and hid us in a cloud...

The Great White Moose emerging from the mist.

Dear sweet Ladybug doesn't get into nearly as many pictures but she is still our little Diva.

My portal to glory. 

I lay in bed looking out of my golden window and pray simple prayers to a very great and loving Father.

Ohhhh October

This month.

I think it is the most beautiful of all.

I drive around in awe and wonder, worship and gratitude welling up from deep within.

I am so glad that I have God - THE  awesome Creator and Artist to worship in response to what I am seeing.

The colours are rich and deep, a kaleidoscope of glory. 

Interesting how winter, often signifying death, is preceded by such exquisite splendour.

 I try not to think too much about the dark, cold season that is just around the corner as I enjoy the panorama of changing hues.

It makes any trip into town a gorgeous adventure, especially when I end up in a cozy cafe with a sweet friend.

Notice my attempt at health - matcha made delicious with some chai. 

After a lovely visit I jumped into my car and look who drove by making my day even brighter!  

Elsie had taken mom to her eye appointment which was on the same street so I got a sweet little peek into their day. 

My dear friend who is a missionary in Turkey is home supporting her sister who is sick so I got to have a little prayer visit with her in the car as we sat looking out at the lake. 

Love and loveliness inside and outside my little red chariot.

Joanna and her new husband Connor came up for a visit and to collect some apples.

So fun to see her moving through her life seasons and to be a part of that journey.

The changing leaves provide a perfect backdrop for photo ops of all sorts!

And the restless October skies have made the season even more exquisite.

Breathtaking beauty.

Light and shadows and everything in between.

How can I be so blessed to live here and to have eyes to take in this glory?!

The earth and sky shouts praises to God! 

Can hardly believe that this is simply a shadow of what is to come...

And there is always this cute guy making cameo appearances in photos.

I can't help it.

Those big brown eyes and that gentle nature.

Elsie and her little Pupcake also provide many perfect photo opportunities.

Here she wearing her new mandolin on her back -  it was a very late 60th birthday gift. 

Excited to make music with her on it.

These pictures were taken on an October outing up to Knox Mountain.

Mom loved watching the clouds blow across the sky revealing the beautiful blue sky.

It was such a lovely day to be out driving and the lake was such a stunning blue.

I know that I put an awful lot of photos into this one post, but it's just hard to know which ones to pick as they make my heart so happy.

Somehow color and light is so nurturing so I will keep snapping photos and making space for them here so I can look back at my beautiful world when the days are feeling darker.

Had to move my succulents inside as the weather was getting pretty cold by the end of October.

They make my back entry look so cheerful as I bid farewell to my summer garden and get ready for a new cozier season inside. 

Sigh.

Bright Brilliant and Beautiful

The clouds and rain vanished by Sunday morning so we had a spectacular sunny day to head over to A Rocha where Patrice is now living and working.

I am so filled with gratitude that my precious girl has found a place to live out her values while surrounded by amazing community.

These are the signs that welcome you onto the property in South Surrey.

A little haven of loveliness.

Patrice gave Dawn a  personalized tour of the land.

It's not only incredibly beautiful, but it's a place that is actually taking environmental issues and the stewardship of our land seriously and making a difference.

Every single day.

There are some glorious splashes of color from a flower bed right next to the garden.

There are gardens and a farm are where interns come to learn and work, there is a wood fire bakery they recently built, there is the barn which is useful for "farmy" things as well as for hosting big gatherings and there are the living spaces.

They are presently in the process of raising funds to refurbish the big, old, beautiful barn.

And here is the "coach house" where Patrice is presently living.  

She is sharing a room in this cool old building that houses staff as well as interns.

Not perfect for someone who loves a lot of "alone" time but do-able!

I've never been up there, but Dawn kindly took the picture for me.

There is an interesting story about some rich fellow who built this place for his wife in the early 1900's, but the details are sketchy in my mind so I won't try to give the full history here.

After touring the farm we went to Crescent Beach for a walk in the crisp fall air.

So refreshing to be near the ocean; hearing the gulls and smelling the salty air.

Such a treat for me to see Patrice's corner of the world and the places that she now frequents.

She is right at home here and I am so very, very happy for her.

As much as I miss her, I would far rather see her living out her destiny than just keeping me company in Kelowna!

So much life and activity.

Lots of people were out enjoying the sunny Sunday afternoon.

These guys were fishing and catching some crabs.

We then headed down to the pier in Whiterock where we had arranged to meet Daniel and Nicole.

I was SO EXCITED to be with all of my kids in their new world!

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to check out their new home in downtown Vancouver, but we'll do that another time.

 

These three treasures of my heart.

All grown up and moved away, but doing well.

I am trusting them into God's capable hands.

Plus, now I have three really great excuses to get to the coast more often and to enjoy times and sights like this!

So easy to point the camera in virtually ANY direction and get a gorgeous shot.
The cloud formations were amazing. 

Whiterock was so pretty and we got to enjoy an incredible sunset.

Once again, the heavens declaring the glory of God.

It just never gets old.

The island off in the distance was shrouded in misty clouds.

AND, as an over the top bonus, we got a really nice family picture, which always makes my heart very happy.

For supper we went to a place Patrice likes called "The Wooden Spoon" which served up one of the best burgers I have ever tasted.

During the meal we were invited to play a game of Bingo which was kind of loud and kind of fun.

Especially when Patrice won one of the rounds and we got to enjoy a free dessert. 

Daniel also won the black out along with someone else so they had to play rock - paper - scissors to choose the final winner.

Sadly, it wasn't Daniel.

I would have loved to have tasted another of their rather stellar desserts.

I figure they should have just chosen the tallest contestant to be the winner, but it was not to be.

We had to content ourselves with one dessert.