Fleeting Fall Beauty

The richness of the setting sun was casting it's warmth on some little mushrooms I found hiding in the trunk of the apple tree.

The beauty of this season and the fullness of the colours is unsurpassed.

I'm glad it's still warm enough to be getting mom and Dad outside.  

In fact, it was so lovely that I got Dad suntanning!

I figured the Vitamin D couldn't hurt and it's good to breath in that beautiful fall air while napping.

The flowers in the hospice garden continue to delight me.

I'm so grateful that we've been able to make use of this beautiful space for the past number of weeks.

Life is so much slower in many ways when you are aged or looking after the aged.

There is time to stop and smell the flowers...

and to take a multitude of pictures.

Trying to capture the fleeting beauty of a garden.

I had time to go and sit at the lakeside - this is one of my frequent haunts.

The hospice is centrally located so it's easy for me to run errands and to get Mom back and forth from Tante Hilda's when necessary.

The staff have been complaining that mom is confused and wandering so I haven't been able to leave her with Dad unless I stay as well.

I've been watching the season change as I make my treks into town.

When my Virginia Creeper turns red it is a sure sign that we are moving into colder weather.

The two little cutie pies keeping each other company.

Here is mom holding a pretty card that Becci had sent her.

Loving thoughts from family near and far.

Genetics and Legacy

Marc and Tiffany chose this stellar spot to make their wedding vows to one another and I had to race  up many hills to get there on time.

But the long drive was worth it!

Thankfully I didn't miss anything and I was able to watch the wedding as the sun set with all of these dear friends.

It was a very unique wedding, as Marc is never one to err on the side of convention, and a good time was had by all!

It was a cold evening as it had recently rained so I didn't stay too long.

Also, the steep hills and mud kept me from moving around too much, but at least I was part of the cloud of witnesses!

I made someone run down to get a picture of my friend Asher who was the DJ for the dance party.

Asher knows his music and has all sorts of fancy equipment so I was so proud of him for doing an amazing job.

Look at that smile!

Since it was a Gagnon wedding not only Daniel was in town (and in the wedding party) but Patrice came up as well.

Thank goodness for weddings and funerals to keep us all connected as life gets busier and families get bigger and more spread out.

Patrice is so very loving to her Opa.

It warms my heart to see how she cares for him and how deeply she loves him.

This picture pretty much says it all!

I'm so glad Patrice was there the evening that I leaned over Opa to say goodbye and told him "God is with you!" so she could hear him reply emphatically... "God is with US!"

It makes this all so much easier somehow.

Opa with his youngest granddaughter.

Genetics and Legacy and best of all... Love.

Life With Family & Friends

It's funny how I keep thinking that once life "settles down" that things will be more "normal".

But we are just in another season of "normal" -  that of caring for aging parents with a most beautiful and supportive family. 

Vic and Marcia have been frequent fliers in these parts over the past few years as things have gotten more intense with mom and dad.

So we will just "carpe diem" and make the most of whatever season we happen to be passing through.

Along with the additional "family" that God has surrounded me with... Jenn & Derek, Anita and Ollie...

Grateful for a table that has leaves so it can expand and how the Lord is teaching me to keep the door open and to share.

I'm not always so good at that but I'm praying for more grace.

Sometimes I get afraid that it's "too many" and I won't have "enough", but  that's not the expansive generous nature of my Father.

On a fine September evening Jenn & I took a ride down the front road together.

She had picked up some candy cigarettes from the corner store since I was going to be taking my Harley for a spin and it just seemed fitting.

Sometimes we just need to be a little bit silly!

The cigarettes were delicious, a blast from our past. 

Glad for this fun friendship that has grown over the past year of doing life together.

It is the season of deep blue fall skies and apples hanging thick and ripe on the trees.

The birds are doing well together and are an endless source of entertainment and friendly sounds.

Anita is faithfully taking Ladybug for long walks down the greenway so their relationship is also growing tighter.

When Anita shows up I begin to fade into the background, but that's fine with me.

We can share the love!

Anniversary's and Eggs...

I can't thank God enough for allowing me to live up here - out in the country but still close enough to make it into town to see Dad in 10-15 minutes.

I am nourished by the beauty.

The seasons are spectacular.

The skies, ever changing, creating the backdrop for the seasonal banquet of beauty.

SERIOUSLY...going up and down the hill I get to feast my eyes on all of this and a whole lot more.

Our book club is still meeting about once a month and we actually had Sue's son Sam join us to share some of his recent adventures in Africa with us.

He is a stellar videographer and is into making all sorts of cool movies.

However, the thing I really like about Sam is how he allows his adventures to break his heart a little bit.  Enough to invest himself in the lives of those he meets.

For instance, he met a woman who is a boxer in Kenya, I believe.

She has taken in about 20 orphans into her home and is trying to earn enough money to send them all to school so that they can better their lives.  Sam decided to invest in her vision for these kids and invited us along.

So that was our first "book club" that included a man and it was a valuable evening.

Daniel had a little break and was able to come to Kelowna to be part of his friend Marc's wedding preparations and bachelor party.

He took time to hang with his dear Opa, which was a beautiful thing. 

Oh how Dad loves his one and only grandson! It's always so special to see how he lights up with Daniel.

Thankfully Daniel also took the time to get his and my winter tires put on.  I'm so very grateful for this son of mine.

He's begun the last year of his Master's program and is still working hard.

Thankfully he's getting closer to the finish line!

I know this is a little random but I had to take a picture of a really fun service I attended.

They call it "cowboy church" and if you zoom in you can see the cowboy hats on the musicians.

It was a great evening with lots of old familiar worship songs and a very good message.

Anita and I joined our friend Ev Hromek when she invited us out. 

It's refreshing to get a glimpse into other parts of the body of Christ here in town.

May Jesus continue to revive us and make us ONE!

And since I'm on the cowboy theme I'll add this picture that I took from my kitchen window recently.

Every once in awhile we get people riding their horses across our property and it always makes me happy.

I think I'm going to do quite a bit of horse riding in heaven! 

Meanwhile, I'm still making my daily visits to Dad at hospice.

There is a large screen TV up in the corner of his room and I found a beautiful program that shows scripture verses while playing worship music.

Sometimes I'll read the verses out loud to Dad and Mom if she is there. 

It's often a heavenly atmosphere in the room and I. know Jesus is very near.

I feel so privileged to be able to minister to Dad with simple little tasks like bringing him hot coffee and snacks that are available.

For instance!!! 

I can't remember what the special occasion was but they gave me one of these treats to share with Dad.

Since I've taken so many pictures of everyone else with Dad I tried to get a couple of him and I together, but apparently he wasn't feeling too perky.

It's not always clear what is going on in his mind as he moves in and out of "the zone".

He's very thankful and very loving though.

Precious moments and hours...

At the farm Derek & Jenn are getting LOTS of eggs from the resident chickens! It's been a dream of mine to have hens and eggs so I'm enjoying see that part of the farm developing.

On a rather hot September day they had an anniversary celebration of the hospice so there was music and a bbq outside.

I was kept busy getting the hamburgers, watermelon and desserts for mom and Dad.

I LOVE this picture of the two of them looking so bright and happy.