Berry Picking Turned Nature Walk

 This sent me running breathless to the house for the camera.  We had just finished picking some black berries (otherwise known as blackcaps in my childhood) when we bumped into this beauty.  We quickly filled a cup with berries for cranky Brie so I could run back to the house without her screaming.

 Mia trying to help Brie through her crying...She loves the berries but does not enjoy being put down on the scratchy, sunny pathway to our creek.

Pictures taken by the girls:

 Photo by Mia of butterfly

Photos by Ksena of Mia playing in the creek

 Photos by Esmé

Update: We think the butterly is actually a moth...

The Home Building has Started!

 Removing tree roots to clear the area.

 Moving a tree-we sure hope it lives!

 Watching all the action

 Tobogganing in the summertime! :O)

 The forms laid out and ready for the concrete truck to come pour

 Missing out on the concrete truck but sleeping beautifully!

I can hardly believe it's all begun!  So excited and thankful-and just a tad nervous about all the help Dan is going to need from me.  I may be a framer's daughter but I don't 'get' this kind of work-I'd rather serve coffee than follow instructions about holding a tape measure to make sure the stakes are in the right spot!  It will be a learning experience and a fun challenge.  Although, to my credit Dan was laughing at me and said 'I thought you were a framer's daughter!' when I couldn't follow his instructions and it turns out I gave him some good advice about not changing the angle of the garage.  I even used the word 'trusses'!  I was worried that changing the angle would affect the trusses and well, not to brag or anything, but I was right! ;O)lol

Come Walk with Me

I went for a walk tonight.  It's funny where your mind can travel as you step.  I picked berries at the side of the road, which made my mind go back to childhood berry picking with my Bep and the way Mia has picked up on this-she is a aggressive I tell you.  Bep would be proud!  I tasted the sweet rich flavour of black berries and the fresh tangy flavour of raspberries.  There is a mulberry tree I've been keeping my eye on for a bit-the berries are barely hinting at changing color from green to deep purple yet. 

I walk to the green bridge down our road and usually cross the bridge before I turn around.  Tonight I didn't feel like crossing the bridge. I told myself that 'the bridge is where its at' but a raccoon was guarding the way so I relented of my pep talk and happily turned around before the bridge.  I hope no one ever catches me crossing the bridge because you kind of have to bring your knees up high (like a horse trotting-great mental picture for you!) or your feet will catch the metal pattern of the bridge.  So if you don't catch me trotting you'll find me tripping.  ;O)

On the way home the sun is usually going down which turns my thoughts towards God and His GLORY.  It's a new picture in the sky every time and my heart just overflows with praise to the one who paints it.  Tonight the color was bright and more yellow than it usually is.  I could hardly look at it, it was so bright.  As I kept walking, it mellowed out.  The color became softer like the flesh of an unripe mango that you'd hoped you could eat but discovered was not quite ready.

I meandered down the hill that takes me closer to home and could hear a motor running.  It was Dan cutting the grass.  'He's a good man', I thought-always taking care of his family.

The sky was changing again by the time I made it home.  The lowering light of the sun was making the clouds glow pink and bright white against the softening bright blue background of sky.  It reminded me of a Robo Popsicle-I don't know why everything was reminding me of food-I really was not hungry.

Hope you enjoyed the walk!

Heading Out

These pics are from the end of May when we were still in the routine of school activities.  Brie had noticed that whenever we headed out for KENA, gymnastics, or sewing that the girls went to the cupboard to gather their snacks/drinks.  One day she marched to the cupboard and grabbed her own and proudly walked out to the van with her possessions.  She was so satisfied it made me laugh.