Odds and Ends

Rain is falling this morning and it is much needed. The ground is so dry and crops are suffering. People are being cautious with their wells, and a neighbour is hauling water. Usually it is September before we really worry about the water level. The brown patches in the lawn outnumber the green patches. I am amazed how hardy the wild flowers are, still growing and blooming.

I have a wild flower/perennial garden this year. I didn't get out and do the necessary weeding this past spring, for a few reasons, and so my garden is made up of weeds wildflowers, and the perennials. It looks very scruffy, but the butterflies and the hummingbirds seem to enjoy it. I have Brown eyed Susans growing, and I haven't had them for years. I must have been pulling them thinking they were weeds.

Here are a few pictures that I have recently. Greatgrandkitties and the garden after the rain.

Sully and Piper - one of their favourite sleeping spots

Brown eyed Susans

Raindrops on the Magnolia leaf

Weeds Wildflowers

Sky and clouds after the rain

My grandkitty from Ironwood, Franklin

More Memories

I took so many pictures while I was away, and thought I would share a few more.

The girls (Heather, Rae, me, Dawn &Lindsay

Not sure whether the tide was heading out or coming in

Eva brought her kayaks. Colton helping Eva 

get them down the bank

Dawn's first time in a kayak. She loved it.

Eva is giving Dawn pointers

Heather and I watched this crab scuttle along

Our birthday cake.....yummy

Heather brought beautiful flowers with her

A view from the deck

Colton & Rae - Titanic shot

Lindsay and Dawn relaxing

One of the many Hermit crabs

Eva and Heather planning something....

I just wanted to share a few more moments of my

wonderful time away.

A Little Respite Joy

Usually the days run into one another so that sometimes I am not even sure what day of the week it is. Coping and caring for the Captain is difficult at the best of times, and so my dear daughter Heather made a way possible for me to get away for a few days, and spend some quality time with her.  A good friend took Bob to the camp so that I would be able to go.It turned into a wonderful four days with Heather, Dawn, Rae, Colton, Lindsay, and a dear friend Eva.
Four days of not having to watch the clock, or cook, or handle a crisis of some sort, or any of the other mundane things that my weeks are usually full of.

Four days of sun, sand and sea.
Four days of rest, peace, laughter and fun.
Two days celebration of 2 birthdays, Dawn's and mine.
Two days of family fun, laughter, wading in the salt water, enjoying just being me for a change.
I didn't have to do anything, go anywhere, solve anything.
I could just be.
Just be.

The cottage was just lovely. Lots of room for sleeping our crowd.

This shows the tide in....

...and the tide out

There were lots of little hermit crabs in the pools

when the tide went out.

This greeted me when I opened the bedroom door.

a view from the steps leading to the beach

It poured Saturday night, and we were blessed with a rainbow

Beautiful sky and water

It was a very special time and

I loved every minute.

I took about 200 pictures

It was wonderful.

Thank you my dear Heather.

Reflections

In Canada we celebrate our birthday on July 1st calling it Canada Day. It is a time for parties and music and reflection. It is also Memorial Day in the province of Newfoundland. In the first World War, Newfoundland was not a part of Canada. The regiment of the Dominion of Newfoundland faced the German machine guns at Beaumont-Hamel in France, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The regiment was almost decimated. Today marks the 100 year anniversary of that battle. In France there is a Memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives that day.

    

Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial
Veterans Affairs Canada Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Caribou statue, Newfoundland Regiment Memorial, Beaumont-Hamel
For the Newfoundland Regiment on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme and World War I Newfoundland forces members whose graves are unknown.
Unveiled	7 June 1925
Location	50°04′25″N 02°38′53″E  near Beaumont-Hamel, France
Designed by	Rudolph Cochius (landscape) Basil Gotto (memorial)
Total commemorated	814
To the Glory of God and in perpetual remembrance of those officers and men of the Newfoundland Forces who gave their lives by Land and Sea in the Great War and who have no known graves.

     I think today about how thankful I am that I am Canadian. With so much that is unsettling going on in the world, I am glad I live in in this country. I am glad that I live in Nova Scotia too. Canada certainly has it problems, as all countries do, but yesterday the President of Mexico, the President of the United States and our Prime Minister stood together as leaders of 3 countries, who in friendship and respect, met and peacefully discussed their mutual interests and concerns. How unique in this time of upheaval, hatred, bitterness and alienation.