Summertime treat!

The kids had company this week, and AC had a cold, so we hadn't been over to visit the munchkins since last Friday. We stopped in late yesterday afternoon to say hello and get a hug or two. As soon as Smudge saw us she went and grabbed her shoes. Chattering a mile a minute about the car, she lead us to the door and wanted her shoes on. There was nothing for it but to take her for a drive. We didn't mind at all seeing as we thought it was the perfect afternoon for an ice cream treat. We bundled her into the car and headed for the local ice cream parlor.

I don't think these pics need any words at all. Enjoy!

Temptation

Early one morning last week Buppa went out to putter in the backyard and Smudge wanted to keep him company, so out she went. She scampered off into the, "knee-high" on her, grass, and thought it rather grand. She headed straight for the back flower garden, but soon discovered...
the new garden, with lots of fresh black dirt, that Buppa had arranged a few days earlier. She just stood looking at it for a while, but the temptation was too great...
and soon she had to get her little hands right into the dirt.
Ooh, what fun.
She discovered that she could not only put her hands into the dirt, but she could squish it between her fingers and...
move the dirt from one place to another, and move a lot of it she did! The rascal!
When it was time to come in we had to hose her down, and then I brought out a dish of warm soapy water for her to wash her hands and feet in. She thought her "ornage" needed a scub too. In spite of the soak, she still took a lot of dirt home with her under her finger nails.

Received a smattering of it

Well, I was hoping for some sunshine, and we did receive a smattering of it, and a hot smattering at that. The sunny window stayed open long enough for us to take in Bloomfest this past weekend at a local garden centre. The acres of gardens were a riot of colourful blooms. Some very large blooms...

and other small delicate ones combined to make a feast for the eyes.
When the clouds did part and allowed the sunshine through, the temperatures soared and it got uncomfortably hot walking around the acres of sunshine filled gardens. I soon retreated to the shade garden and enjoy a quiet moment there before setting off for home.
Hope you enjoyed a sunshine filled hour or two this past weekend, with lots of shady rest spots tucked in here and there to keep you cool and comfortable along the way.

Hoping for some sunshine

Groan. We had a few patches of blue appear in the sky yesterday, but before we could blink an eye, dark clouds rolled in and rain poured down. Soggy, soggy, soggy world outside my door right now. Hope the sun shines today so I can get out for a bike ride. Pllllleeeeease!!!!!

Another Busy day with the Grands

As you can see, we go on lots of walks when Smudge is at our house for a visit. She enjoys them and so do we. They have an added benefit for us though, they tire her out so she is content to sit quietly when we get back home. Sometimes!

Here she is walking with the latest fad for her - holding tightly to an apple and an orange. Go figure! She can say apple clearly, but she pronounces orange as "ornage". She holds on to them while riding in the car, being pushed around a store in a cart, or while walking down the street.
She lets go of them from time to time so she can inspect the sidewalk,
or run to greet new friends,


or pat a dog,
But soon takes hold of them again to continue on her walk.

Music, Mom and Memories

AC and I enjoyed a most delightful evening last night. Not only did we attend a wonderful Natalie McMaster concert in the park without a drop of rain falling on us, (an absolute miracle these days) we met blog friends of AC's for the first time, but felt like we had known them for years. Don't you just love it when that happens?

When I read some of Lorna's blogs earlier that afternoon, I thought she just might be a kindred spirit, but I knew for sure she was as soon as I met her. She was warm, friendly and easy to talk to. Yep, a kindred spirit indeed. We visited with her and her husband Dave over a glass of wine and munchies in their condo, then walked to the park for the open air concert. During the evening a ring that Lorna was wearing kept catching my eye. She was sitting across the room from me, so I couldn't see the detail on the ring, but the shape was amazing.

When we got to the park later that evening and Lorna sat down right beside me, I got a closer look at the ring and noticed that it was my mother's silverware pattern. I couldn't believe my eyes. I touched the ring and told Lorna it was mom's pattern, and without a moment's hesitation Lorna turned to me and said " Well you must have it then", and proceeded to take it off her finger and give it to me right then and there. I was speechless.

I slipped the ring on and not only did it fit perfectly, it felt like it had always been there. Amazing! I love wearing things that have meaning and memories attached to them, and this ring now encircles heartwarming memories of both the past and present. As I sat there last night listening to the music under the stars I thought of mom and how she would have loved this concert, and then I was filled with awe over the new friends we had met, and this very generous gesture of giving me this beautiful ring.
Thanks Lorna, I love it.

Let's get together again real soon.

Busy Day with the Grands

Daddy was under the weather this week so we had Smudge here for four sleepovers in a row! Puff, pant, gasp, run! I must admit that I am a tad tired from keeping a constant watch on the wee one, even if she was a joy to have around. She is VERY busy and VERY fast. She moves from one thing to another without blinking an eye and it takes me two or three blinks before I can catch up to her. Puff, pant, gasp, run even faster!!!

It didn't take her long to find my new bodhran, so I dug up the old one for her to play with. She loved it and kept a pretty good beat with it too. She used it for many other things though - a race course for the coach from the castle, a seat, a stepping stool, a table, and a hat!
After she got tired of the drum, we headed outside and she helped Buppa with the gardening.

Cute little Petunia isn't she?
She made new friends with the children next door and had a grand time playing ball with them.

Sophie the cat came around to say hello while we were outside, so Smudge had to stop and greet her,
Then it was time to say hello to Morgan, the dog who lives across the street.
Yes, it was a busy day, but a fun one. I have to go take a nap now!

Girls on Wheels

AC is off the bike for the next little while, so Sha and I will be riding buddies f0r now.
We start off on a city street...

but we are soon on the trail and...


enjoy this beautiful scenery...
along this most delightful path. No cars and no hills = perfect riding.
Now, if we could just get this rain to stop, we might get out on the wheels again soon.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow...

These pics don't need any explanation. Just enjoy them.




Smudge is in her glory in the flowers at Amma and Buppa's house.

New Tricks

Jboy is starting to take solid food now and he quite likes it.
Amma tried her hand at feeding him for the first time..
and I think we got more inside than out, but I am not sure.
After breakfast he showed us another new trick - he can roll from front to back and back to front again. Such a smart boy he is!
Smudge learned a new trick at the playground too. This trick gives her a whole new outlook on life!