Summer 2014, You've Been Good To Me

My summer treasure- five vintage metal lawn chairs.

Summer solstice party.

Gellato from the grocery store in St Pierre.

Graduating sweet Jane from high school. I can't quite believe that there are only two school supply lists for this fall.

Volunteering on the grad decor committee with this bunch of creative and fun loving folks.

Having both my girls home to enjoy it with.

Which is when a normal family might pose for Christmas card pics.

Seeing my garden come back to life. That never gets old.

Attending the epic dance party of the-- well, of Forever.

Thanks for retiring, Hank. Could you maybe do that again next year? That was the most fun I've had in forever.

Watching Brian disassemble the deck that I've hated for eleven years now.

Thrifting for treasures.

Patio drinks and long city walks with friends.

Breakfast at the Forks

And dinner on the patio at Carlo's and Murphy's with one of my best besties.

Taking Sam to the races.

Gimli Beach.

Pickerel and lemon potatoes with greek salad.

Strawberry picking with mom. She's only 88.

Camping with my sisters.

It might have been fun.

And hot, glorious and relaxing.

Sprucing up the house.

Checking in on the folks, and cutting their grass real stealthy like so that they won't have a chance to tell me not to.

Shopping for treasure with my girls.

Celebrating my sister's new job at The Forks.

The Medieval Festival at Cook's Creek. Wow. Just wow.

These belly dancers brought tears to my eyes. They were incredibly powerful and beautiful.

Real jousting.

Fantastic costuming.

Watching Brian in his boy band at the Altona Sunflower festival.

Free swimming for Sam, who had the pool to himself for the first hour.

 

Free rollkuchen and watermelon and a petting zoo.

And a very lonely lady trying to sell products from Passion Party. Everyone avoided her tent like it was on fire, but I suspect her phone was ringing off the hook after they all went home.

Hanging out with my kitty.

Bunny sitting for Arianna, and chilling with Jane's.

A very special visit from a friend from Capernwray, circa 1986.

We giggled.

Shared with the dog, fireside.

Took in Grand Beach.

And the Mennonite Heritage Museum.

With their fifty shades of grey

And the borscht and bread.

(I'd really like a "schlope bank")

Brian spoiled us rotten and chubby.

Sweet Chilliwack Rose, you make me happy. Do come again.

I'll even share my favourite hair stylist with you again.

Steinbach parade with my mama.

Remembering all dad's years operating the steam engine.

August long at my bro's cabin.

Unbelievably, we managed to get dad there for a day. There are a great many stairs down to the cabin and dad seems to have worn out his legs. But he's still stubborn, and that helps a lot.

Street party at Higgins and Main. Truly a summer highlight for me.

It's giving me stuff to think about for a long time.

Taking dirt roads, because you have no reason not to.

Stopping to listen to the sounds the ditches make in August.

Hosting the in-laws for supper and laughing at grandma H take us all down with her shrewd hotel buying ways.

Bringing in the harvest. (Why do Manitobans lock their cars and houses in August? Because. Zucchini season.)

Then- gathering up the school supplies.

Welcoming the littles back in.

(Thank goodness that Sam is around to help)

And last, but certainly not least- celebrating one entire year of going to the gym.

 

I'm sitting here, looking out my window at all the green, and bits of red where a tomato begs to be picked. There's a sunflower about to bust out, and my scarlet runner bean plant still boasts burst of flower. The grass is lush, the Ash is swaying in the breeze. I play this little game with myself sometimes in winter- I look out the window and try to imagine a green world. It always seems entirely impossible. And now in green world, I"m looking out and trying to imagine white. I don't want to, its not fun.

In not a very long time, the calendar is going to flip to 2015.

This year I'm hoping to concentrate on my parents, who are suddenly old.

The littles who come to my house to be loved and wiped and cared for and cuddled.

My boys, who will be my last two local students.

My heart, which looks around for God everywhere, and sees inspiring things.

My body, which I will continue to take to what has become one of my favourite places, and I'm not even making that up.

This year I will try again to live an intentional life, and even wait expectantly to see how that might look.

Summer- you've been so good to me.

 

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