May Days weekend

I just love Holiday weekends, don't you?

This could take far too long to write & read, so I'll just note the highlights.

Gardening:

I spent some time in the garden, weeding, planting, dividing, moving, admiring.

I do the flower beds, while Dave grows our vegetable garden which is off to a great start.

All we need is some more sunny (warm) days.

Entertaining:

We had some friends over for a Bar-b-que, chicken & steaks, with corn on the cob ( 5 for $2.00 at Save On),

salad, apple pie, rhubarb crisp, and ice cream.

Note: You may not know this about me, but I'm not comfortable in the kitchen, so I don't spend more time in there than I need to. That's why I'd like to point-out that I picked the rhubarb from our garden, and Googled a recipe to make a rhubarb crisp, I know it's not rocket science, but it was so delicious with Vanilla ice cream. We rarely have desert.

May Days:

We made the scenic drive to Kaslo on Sunday. They have an annual May days celebration over the long weekend with logging events, which had a healthy crowd, so we walked up the beach, checked out the Craft vendors, antique cars, and some shops. We had a short visit with an elderly friend, but the intermittent rain, and our geriatric dog- home alone, prompted us to head home early.

Family time & paint day:

I set up my paints and stuff on the picnic table on the patio, including our old ipod, set Low so I can listen to MY music (Roy Orbison, Chris de Burgh, Elton John, etc.) I was trying to decide if I should start something new, or work on some paintings that are in progress. It was so bright & hot in the sun, I just knew the paint will dry really quick so I decided my painting should be done quick too. In one day…Today!

My son came outside to see what I was doing. He soon joined me… squinting at the light reflecting from his bright, white canvas.

My tulips are blooming right now, what a perfect inspiration for a cheery painting.

We ended up moving the picnic table into some shade so we could both stop squinting. He also switched My oldies music to his new Progressive flavour. We spent an enjoyable afternoon talking and painting together, something we should do more often.

Groceries :

Yah, we gotta eat too. Tuesday I went to town & did the weekly grocery shop. I'll enjoy not having to do it after work tomorrow.

UPDATE: June 25/11

I'm donating my tulip painting to the Circle of Habondia Lending Society, as they are having an Art Auction Fundraiser, this Thursday June 30th- in Nelson, BC. and Michelle Mungall will be the auctioneer, Come if you can!

1st Beach day- water

One of the things I love about rural living, is the little unexpected surprises.

The rain stops, the sun steps out from the clouds, and suddenly it's a beautiful day... drop everything, pack some snacks, drinks, camera, blanket & head for the beach. Sometimes there's other folks there and sometimes not.

Come home to get a shower, and then again, maybe not.

Today (May 11, 2011) was a sunny and warm spring day, so Dave & I took Taz (our grandpuppy) to Queens' bay, for our 1st beach day, of the season.

Dave tried to catch fish, while I played with pebbles & Taz, on the beach. I took some silly videos of Taz rolling in the sand, and some huge ravens that argued above us in the trees. Swallows, and Canada geese flew by, a couple of noisy osprey drifted by, while an amorous woodpecker, hammered on a tree nearby. We were lucky to have the beach to ourselves for a couple of hours.

By the time I thought about using sunscreen, we were ready to go home. Needless to say, I now have a sunburn, but at least I'm not greasy from the sunscreen….

We know it's spring time in the mountains, when our creek fed water gets a bit cloudy.

Normally, when we lose water pressure from our taps, we check our water filters to see if they need changing. That's also a warning (this time of year,) of the spring run-off and a good time to fill up a couple of jugs of drinking water, in case it gets cloudy and silty, off & on for a week or two.

Well, later this evening we lost water pressure, and checked the filters…Surprise! Instead of clear water, and the filters looking plugged with sandy bits, It looks like someone poured weak coffee into the filters… with cream… eewwww!

That would explain the brown, silty water coming out of the kitchen tap. Thank goodness the hot water was ok, I was able to fill the dog's water bowl before the hot water coming out of the tap, started to turn brown as well.

I'm hoping it clears up by morning, but I do have to work tomorrow, which means I will need a shower and to wash my hair. Since I was so lucky with the deodorant/antiperspirant situation, I looked up "How to wash your hair with out water".

Thank goodness for technology & Google. Once again, it's baking soda to the rescue! I'm glad I bought an extra-large size box, so I have a plan for my hair in the morning… as for the shower? Well, I can go to work early & give myself a "sponge bath" if I must.

May 15- Update...

Our water is usable, but not drinkable. We've had to get drinking water from our friends, and the Forestry brought us a couple of big jugs and a lot of bottles of drinking water. Turns out there was a slide that messed up our creek. (wondering if it's logging related???) Anyhow, we can shower again :)