Starting to turn.......

On the spur of the moment yesterday......after I had finished all my errands, I decided to take a drive and take some pictures out at Elbow Falls and Allan Bill Pond. My digital camera is in getting cleaned so I dug out my 35 mm and got new batteries and film (seems so strange now to have to do that) and took off. The trees are just beginning to turn and in a week or so they will be in full, blazing color, the yellows and the oranges with a little bit of red here and there.

I had my coffee, book, chair, camera.......plus the beautiful scenery......not another thing was needed for a relaxing afternoon. I haven't quite figured out how to turn the pic.....sorry.....

The trees are just starting to change color. Not a cloud in the sky.

There is something about sitting beside a river that is so theraputic. It was a lovely couple of hours.

"Thank you, Lord for these refreshing moments in our lives."

Autumn.....

I think that autumn has to be one of my favorite seasons.....even though I am sad that summer has ended with the warm sun and the greens of the garden and trees, there is something about autumn that I absolutely love.......could it be the hint of crispness in the air, the trees all of a sudden, shouting "look at me, I am glorious in all my colors", the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet as I amble down the path in the Park and the cry of the geese and ducks as they prepare to fly south. I read somewhere that autumn is when Nature merely falls asleep and her dreams must be beautiful if we are to judge by her countenance. How true that is.......it is gorgeous in the fall and to take a drive out in the mountains when the trees are in full color is one of my favourite things to do. I feast my eyes on God's creation. I can't get enough. I remember at home in Tiger Hills when September came, yes, it was a new school year but it was also a time when we would work out in the garden, digging potatos, carrots, beets, you name it......we had a large garden.....mom would be busy harvesting and canning.....I can still smell the smoke from the tops of the different vegetables when we would pile it all up in a huge pile and have a bonfire out in the middle of the garden. Jim has fond memories of riding the combine or driving the truck out in the wheatfields often into the wee hours of the morning. Having his mom bring out to the field a wonderful lunch or supper......what could be better and just enjoying the smell of harvest in the air and the twinkling stars at night. There is nothing that is more humbling than being out on the prairies in the dark of night and realizing how small we are in comparison to the vastness of the universe. We so often don't take time to just be thankful for the beauty of autumn around us........

Though nature's beauty may surround us,

It is often UNSEEN by troubled eyes.

With the daily care of living,

Without thought, we pass it by

But to those who are discerning (help us, Lord to be exactly that)

Nature's beauty never cease,

And in its solitude we find

Quiet STRENGTH and sweetest PEACE.

Walking around Lake Alice......

This is one of our favorite things to do when we go down to see our kids in Fergus. Walking around Lake Alice. This was a beautiful evening in August.

Grandchildren + outside + water + sand = FUN

YAHOO!!!!! Church barbeque.......
Playing in the water.....Fairfield Marriott, Minot.......

At the outdoor pool.........Turner Valley.......

and indoor pool........Kaelen, Olson, Noah and Kenna......

At the beach......Hitchcock's Hideaway......

Writing our names......

in the

sand......

Laci's new "do"!!!!!!!!

I just thought this was the cutest........Our miss Laci in her new "do" created by Aunty Nancy at the reunion!!!!! Bet you can never guess what is in there???????

Give up.......

yup.........

a paper cup.......!!!!!!

So clever, Nanc!!!!

Swimming in Turner Valley......and others.......

Yesterday we drove out to Turner Valley to watch our grandchildren swim in the outdoor pool there. They had such fun showing us what they could do.Jumping off the sides and Jemma jumped off the diving board. They have just finished swimming lessons in August. So good for them.
Here they are just having a blast!!

And what a treat to drive into Black Diamond for some yummy ice cream.......

Some pics from the reunion....I like this one.

and this one..... little Breiden......talking to Uncle Ron......

and this one......with Kaia........

Jasper and area.....there are no words to adequately describe how beautiful it is.......

The mountains were calling us this weekend........Jim and I decided to take the Icefields Parkway highway to Jasper and explore a little bit........We hadn't been there since the girls were little and then it was just to drive through. The drive between Lake Louise and Jasper has been called the "most spectacular in the world' and indeed it is an absolutely breathtaking drive.
It was sunny when we started out early Saturday morning but as we got closer to Canmore, it poured!!! We finally drove through the shower and then the sun broke through. As you can see in this picture, the clouds are hanging low on the mountain. The rest of the drive to Jasper was beautiful.........
Jasper is not as big as Banff but a wonderful resort area with lots of little shops and places to see and a personality all it's own.........I loved it and would like to go back.........

The main street is so gorgeous with all the flowers and they were still in full bloom, hanging baskets, containers, gardens.......

These were the gardens in front of the Info Center right in the center of Jasper........

And here we are relaxing with our coffee and a book and the paper in the park right in the middle of town.......... Jasper became Canada's fifth national park on Sept. 14, 1907 so it was celebrating it's 100th birthday.........

We drove up to the closest lakes which are Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake and on the way stopped for these guys and gals on horses enjoying their trail ride........

There is a lovely resort and lodge near here called the Pyramid Lake resort and just abit further on is a little bridge that takes you to a small island on this lake.......

So we walked around the island.......it was so beautiful and peaceful.........

Here we are sitting......listening to the "silence" and occasionally a loon........ I had managed to find a motel in Hinton, AB which had a couple of rooms left so that is where we stayed. Long weekend, people going out of town, and Jasper was full.....no place to be found plus being expensive!!!! Hinton is about 45 min. east of Jasper and another interesting place. It relies on coal, oil and gas and forest industries. It has been called the "gateway to the Rockies"......

Here we are in front of "Jasper" the friendly bear......

And right beside "Jasper" is......wouldn't you know it...... a 'CAR SHOW'. They just knew Jim was coming!!!!!!!

Today we drove to Mount Robson and what did we see but a mommy black bear and two little ones. I had just said "I want to see a bear" and I got my wish. They were being "berry" aggressive preparing for the long winter.......

Ta daaaaaa.......Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, 12, 972 feet to be exact......another interesting thing is the Fraser River (yes, the one down by Vancouver) has it's beginnings near here, it is merely a trickle here but as it makes it's way down to the Pacifac, it becomes a major waterway........

I didn't want to leave but you would need many more days to explore all there is to explore around this area!!!! We will be back....

This is just one of the many waterfalls along the Parkway.......

And finally coffee at Second Cup in Banff on our way home. What a wonderful weekend exploring places we hadn't seen before in such a beautiful place.

Nature.........

Elbow Falls.............

Farming land in Saskatchewan.....................

Lake Diefenbaker.................

Flowers in the "Prairie Gardens" in Winnipeg.............

On the Red River in downtown Winnipeg............

Lake Winnipeg..........

Portage la Prairie..........

Swan River.......

Kananaskis..............

And finally.........

.....a picture of the Alvin and Florella clan and this is less than half of who could have been there and some who were there are missing in this picture. I think it is approximately 167 (Larry and Ken counted on the way back from the reunion) with the kids, grandkids and great-grandkids!!!! I remember Mom saying at the last reunion that she was at...... "Are they all ours?" as she looked amazingly out over the group!!! Yes, Mamma, you and dad didn't have much money or material things but you had a whole lot of love to share, wise counsel when we needed it, common sense to the nth degree, a work ethic that has amazed me over the years and a positive attitude and humor.....oh how we would laugh and play and get angry and cry and forgive and love and laugh again. And the one thing that held us altogether and is still holding us together is faith in our Heavenly Father and that was taught and nurtured in our home. And it is up to us to continue that teaching, praying and nurturing now as we have become parents and grandparents to all these beautiful children and young people.

Whaaaaaaaat????

Again......another picture of these two characters!!!! Ken and Eric!!!!! Need I say more?????????

And how cute is this!!!!!!

Our sweet Breiden all dressed up in his Canada shirt and Canada shoes!

How cute is this!!

Bella, Noah's puppy at the reunion.