Day 2 - Heave Ho!

Still hauling bricks to get them all transported vanload by vanload today. The sun is shining again, hotter once more to get working outdoors. Today though, as far as the bricks go, we have all developed a great system, standing shoulder to shoulder forming an assembly line. With the experience, we're getting real good at moving the bricks from pallet to van, brick by brick and row by row, until the old van's shocks cry out for mercy and become much too precariously low to the wheels. By then it's time to get the several something hundred bricks, to the lucky recipient's yard down the road with the gang jumping onboard to assist at the other end.

Lucky her! *wink*


When morning came, the sun was already quite warm, so I dressed and grabbed my supplies to get into the garden before the heat of the day.

In between loading the bricks each time the van returns, I'm still yanking weed after weed out of the front garden, overgrown perenials, dead looking junky plants, and attempting to keep from becoming overheated. Lucky me for the water hose at hand, ready to grab and hose down my hair and neck hour by hour (thus the BIG hair in the picture above - poof!).

What a huge gardener's nightmare these beds are here! Four hours of weeding.... so far, in this bed alone! The work is to be continued...after I cool off with a nice glass of ice water and a lemon slice.


Meanwhile, the painter returned after the storms passed and the sunshine greeted us today with a warm hello. He's working away, giggling at our assembly lines, totally oblivious to the heat himself, painting with his steady hand, and whistling tunes to tap to. He's such a nice man, had a tough life, but life has taken a splendid turn for him with a newborn baby in his household. He shared with us each new special moment he experiences with her each time he comes again. Very cute!

Storm of storms

WOW!

We had quite the storm brewing most of the early evening last night, then an incredible storm of storms hit with a vengeance. Intense lightning lit the skies, gusty winds downed trees, and a rain shower dripped it's precipitations heartily flooding many of the areas basements. I understand though, the storm continued to grow and built up in such abundance as it moved east, there were areas declared a state of emergency to the east and power outages galore!

I took this photo while sitting on our deck eating dinner. There we listened to thunder booming in the distance as it worked its way towards us.

Strange how storms slowly “brew” here, allowing folks to become prepared with the thunder in the distance rolling in, certainly filled with lightning and rain following it. Last night was no exception as we sat outdoors for dinner enjoying a bit of a hot breeze while the sun was slowly making its way west. Almost three hours passed with thunder in the distance, allowing time to cover the pool, get the dogs out for their nightly walk then bunk them down for the night, gather the towels and swim suits inside, pack up the chairs and other sorted furniture to protect them from whatever was on its way, and generally prepare another storm. This storm had a warning accompanying it, therefore we calmly went about our evening.

No one would ever know such a storm was coming soon

Sitting up the steel chairs helps the rain roll off them, but two blew to the ground with such a force last night, we had to check to see what the racket was.

It was still hot outside when the thunder clapped overhead closer and closer, and then the lightning began sometime around 9:30pm. As the storm gathered momentum, the lightning was incredible and we became spellbound. Not wanting to go to sleep, we sat in the darkened family room, walking back and forth to the front of the house. The storm had surrounded us with a lazar light show, flashes of lightning bolts side to side, forks hitting the ground with streaks of light, but most of all, the skies were so lit up it was hard to believe this was “just a storm”. Hubby thought it was something in a science fiction movie; maybe a satellite war above, maybe many rockets exploding, as we’d both marveled on the “surround storm” overhead.

Still the sky looked pretty as the storm was slowly covering the sunset for us and the storm continued on.

The night was spent drifting in and out of our slumber, everyone was restless and waking with the noise. Our little one scared from the thunder and torrential rains hitting her window hard enough to wake her up, so in she came to cuddle up with us for a while. But, we were drawn to the windows to watch the heavens above in the wee hours whenever we awoke. Our power went on, then off, on, then off many times, but for short periods of time only. The sump pump was working hard, humming gently as it dumped its water out the drains. Luckily we had no problems, but others weren't so fortunate.

Sizzling sun = stormy skies

So, what is there to do with the intense heat or the summer storms rolling in, and having to remain out of the sun or indoors for a youngster? The heat can be too intense for her to even get out and swim in the sunshine?

Well, ask a young gal with a new package of twist up crayons, and you have an artist blooming with summer colors, rainbows sketched from those outside our windows and notes left secretly here and there for mommy or daddy to find.

Got to love the enthusiasm and the joy of leaving a note for someone she loves in a special place. Thanks a bunch little babe…

Mom's day out

Bayfield

Okay, so mom's day out was a month ago now, better late than never I guess here. I just can't resist touring you around this neat village.

Designated under the Heritage Act, Bayfield’s Main Street is a gateway to restaurants, accommodations, shops and boutiques, art and craft galleries, all giving the visitor a feeling of yesteryear and a place apart.

History presents itself in the many buildings through its architecture and interesting plaques circulating the village.

This shipping store was originally a furniture store built in 1854!

Some time ago, I typed a blog about our travels to Grand Bend, Ipperwash, Kettle Point, and Bayfield, which we discovered are all quaint villages with waterfront footage and all the swimming one might desire.

Seemingly Ipperwash and Grand Bend were ideal locations for family outings or even camping, a place for a great dog run with a water dip, or just for couples out alone to enjoy a very lovely “date”. Ipperwash and Kettle Point are First Nations areas with a smidgen of gift shops, Grand Bend however I liken to White Rock with neat shops and many ice cream venues.

During our visit to these locations, I found myself peacefully subdued with the tranquility of the landscape, the beauty and bliss of just gazing around at the water scenery before us, or just the plain old art of “people watching”. Perhaps we shall liken these moments to “smelling the roses” in summertime, (my current theme if you haven’t already noticed) venturing out to “seize the day”, or in the case this week to “seize the good weather” and a nice drive.

Perhaps though, if you’re like me, just sitting near the water is a calming and quietly peaceful moment alone without any need to move from a comfy gazing point.

Several weeks later, I was invited by a group of local ladies to join them for a day’s outing; shopping in Bayfield. With the children, I’d come across the most interesting array of antique shops, gift boutiques, and art galleries, needing time and patience from them to browse and fully appreciate them, but it just wasn’t the type of place for the children to endure being dragged around in, therefore I skipped the thought altogether saving them from the agony of such an idea.

When the invitation arrived from the ladies, I was pleased at the thought of taking a day out to join a great group of ladies for perusing shops and lunching together at the “Inn”.

The drive had been very long I remembered, but this time I was just a passenger and could enjoy the drive, the scenery and the company in a relaxed manner.

What a great place to visit, a fun place for couples to stay a few nights too. Hmmm…..

Summertime

Ecclesiastes 3:

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

It it ever occurred to you how often we measure almost everything by time? Have you ever stopped to reflect just how often we truly do

this? Here are a few things to think about...

Dividing time in the course of just 1 day:

• The alarm goes off - time to get up
• breakfast time
• shower time
• time to read/watch the news and catch up on emails
• time to read your daily prayers and readings
• time to leave/prepare for work/school or get the house work started
• time for school, appointments or kid’s activities
• Even on the washer, dryer, video machine, computer, coffee pot & stove clock, we're assured that the time will be monitored for us. (Anyone ever lost when the power goes out and you have to reset all these items?)
• lunch time
• snack time
• play time
• exercise time
• break time
• quitting time
• dinner time
• story time
• bath time
• bedtime

Measuring time in casual conversation:

• Hang on a minute…
• Just a second…
• Just a minute...
• Give me a minute here…
• Leave me alone for a minute…
• One sec…
• By day’s end
• Later on
• Not now
• In a while…
• First thing in the morning
• Next week
• Next month
• Next year

Milestones measuring time in one’s life:

• birthdays
• tots to teens
• first steps
• first teeth
• first job
• first car
• graduations
• weddings
• anniversaries
• retirement age

Then there's measuring time by the passing of seasons and organizing/enjoying your life around that:

• Planting bulbs for spring time
• Checking the bike tires so they’re ready to use
• Cleaning up the flower beds
• Enjoying new life, new buds on trees and shrubs
• Taking a cup of hot tea outside and smelling the scent of spring
• Power washing the decks and walkways for summer time
• Throwing grass seed where its needed
• Putting winter clothing away and bringing out the warmer weather clothes
• Taking the furniture out to the patio for the summer time
• Listening to the waves on the shore
• Sitting in the sun and letting it kiss your face
• Star gazing on the trampoline late at night
• Making sure the BBQ has the propane tank all ready for cooking
• Back to school, buy school supplies
• Packing away summer clothes
• Pruning trees and shrubs because its better in the fall
• Having the chimney and the furnace system cleaned
• Checking how the winter coats and warm boots fit
• Taking out wool sweaters
• Raking the leaves falling from the trees
• Taking a trip to the pumpkin farm
• Preparing for Thanksgiving
• Taking the furniture in for the winter time
• Winterizing the family vehicle
• Watching the first snowfall
• Preparing for Christmas
• Shoveling the drive
• Ringing in the new year
• Planning summer vacations

Our plethora of time trackers:

• Calendars
• Day timers
• Computer reminders
• Dental reminder cards in the mail
• Date stamps
• Expiry dates
• School schedules

In essence, it is “TIME” that shapes our lives. Yet, the old saying folks still use to date “Lazy days of summer” makes me smile.

Moving to the east, we are on “summer time”, without deadlines as usual, soaking in the sun and water nearby, enjoying the animals and the yard as it comes together, and creating an oasis and haven of rest without schooling to occupy our entire weekdays.

Taking the time to “smell the roses” is what we are essentially yearning for in life, yet we still marvel over “where the time went” because we’re so busy trying to stay ahead of time, or at the very least – on time.

Are you taking the time to “smell the roses” this summer? If not, why not?

YOUR TIME is in your hands

To everything, there is a season….