August 22

Sunday, August 22, 2010

A great day yesterday. Garry filled the truck he borrowed with items to be taken to the dump. He brought stuff from Kaeli and Shy's also. A real good clean-up day.
Shy and I headed out to IKEA for a look see at what is new this year. It's been awhile since we last wandered the store. It will probably be awhile until we go again. Didn't really see anything that excited us, but then again we were just looking, not actually needing to buy anything. We did hit the bookstore though and came home with several new books to read! Once we have both read them, I'll pass them along to our bookmobile for them to add to their collection.

Garry and I were invited out to the girls for dinner last evening. We had a lovely evening and a very nice meal. We stayed for a nice long visit with them before heading home to bed.

Rain again last night, so no need to water the garden. I have some canning that needs to be done today. More bread and butter pickles waiting to be completed as well as Kaeli asked me to do her up a couple of jars of pickled garlic. I also have some zucchini and cauliflower t do up. I'm anxiously waiting to see if my tomatoes will develop enough to do anything with. With the lack of sunshine we've had this summer, I'm hoping that the tomatoes develop!

My positives:

Time with our girls.
I'm amazed at how much I've missed canning and how much I'm enjoying the opportunity to begin again.
The air is much cleaner this morning. The smoke from the fires in BC has lessened.
Some great books to read.
Looking at my shelves of canning and knowing that we have a good start on our winter food supply.
Friends and family.
Positive Blogger teammates that give me the encouragement to continue to check in.
Geff (my early morning co-worker) will be back from holidays tomorrow...yay I don't have to be at work tomorrow at 5:30 am.
Being so blessed.

Have a wonderful serenity Sunday.

Hugs,
Wanda

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JOHNTJ1 8/22/2010 12:34PM

Another Plesant Valley Sunday Glad your weekend is progressing nicley love John < BR>PS We are cleaning out closets and I am ridding myself of fat clothes Report Inappropriate Comment

NJMATTICE 8/22/2010 9:20AM

Sounds great. Enjoy your day! Love, Nancy Report Inappropriate Comment

JULZ4784 8/22/2010 9:05AM

great blog to start this beautiful Sunday! Report Inappropriate Comment

Silly Saturday....

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Sure hope the wind changes direction soon. Wow, the amount of smoke hanging over our province is incredible. Everywhere you look it's smoke hanging in the air. Our air quality is very bad. Here I am moaning about the smoke here, I can't imagine trying to breath in BC where the fires actually are!

I'm off to a spend a day with Shyra. Yay...girl time! Garry is off to help Kaeli with some stuff, and Shy and I are doing things together. Love when we both get to spend times individually with our girls.

My positives:

Girl time.
Our friends in BC are safe.
We are cleaning out more "junk" today. Garry has borrowed a truck to haul some big items from Kaeli's and is going to haul some stuff from our house too. Renovations stuff that needs to find a new home!
Lots of little tiny tomatoes on my plants...please Lord...we need some warm sunshine now!
We got our rebate today from Costco and it's enough to once again pay for this next years membership. We haven't had to pay for our renewal for several years now!
A good sleep last night, only woke up twice during the night....woo hoo!
It's the weekend and I am planning on having a great one.

Have a wonderful day, embrace each moment with a positive attitude...at the end of the day, you'll be able to say "AWESOME".

Hugs,
Wanda

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

KNAUGHT61 8/21/2010 12:36PM

Have a good "girls day" with your daughter, and thanks for the positives, I hope your tomatoes will get big and ripe. Kathleen Report Inappropriate Comment

NJMATTICE 8/21/2010 11:13AM

Have fun with Shy! Love, Nancy Report Inappropriate Comment

JOHNTJ1 8/21/2010 11:00AM

Glad everyone is safe!!! I can now just pray for everyone's health and well being Comment edited on: 8/21/2010 11:00:41 AM Report Inappropriate Comment

No deep breathes yesterday or today!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Our friends arrived safe and sound from BC Wednesday night. It sure was good to see them. They are headed to Manitoba to see family and will stop in here again the September long weekend for one night on their way back to BC.
By yesterday morning the smoke started rolling in to Alberta from BC and by midmorning breathing deep was not an option. The smoke is so thick in the air. At times there was even ash in the air. One of Rod and Hazel's daughters and her family had already been evacuated and the other daughter was on evacuation alert. It is a massive fire burning and threatening the town.
Alerts have been issued throughout Alberta about the air quality, so I can only imagine how bad the air quality is in BC.

My positives:

That our home is not threatened by fires.
Our friends safety.
Having an opportunity to visit and have some laughs.
Time to get my bread and butter pickles canned yesterday.
It's Fabulous Friday and a weekend ahead of me.
That my job requires me to work indoors...especially now with the air quality so bad.
Support and encouragement from those that care about me.
That Kaeli's asthma medication is helping her to breath okay. This smoke filled air is a challenge for anyone suffering from breathing issues.
God who watches over us.


Have a wonderful day,
Hugs,
Wanda

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

FOSKED 8/22/2010 5:29AM

I used to live in BC, going to the Cariboo for wonderful cross-country skiing holidays. It's terrible reading about the fires there, and that the smoke has even reached Regina. I'm gglad your friends are safe and can only hope that rain this weekend will held to improve the conditions for everyone. Take care! Report Inappropriate Comment

MAURIZIA 8/20/2010 1:24PM

Wanda, glad you had a good visit with friends! Nothing like it is there. Prayers for all those affected by the fires...and now by the smoke. blessings! Report Inappropriate Comment

NJMATTICE 8/20/2010 8:28AM

I'll say some more prayers. Have a fabulous Friday. I'm gonna try to get some work accomplished around the house today. I didn't try to go to the farmer's market last night because I lost my mind and bought vegetables at the store. You can't store TOO much produce if you don't know how to can it! Ah me. Things are going well in my nu-nutrition. (not a stutter, just a being CUTE). Today is day 7. I could stop now, or go for 21 days. I think I'll keep going and see how I feel as I add in some different food stuffs. I'm babbling. Have a lovely day and I hope to see you around this weekend. Love, Nancy Report Inappropriate Comment

August 19

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Our friends arrived safe and sound late last evening. I got a phone call at work to say that they would be arriving late. They had not yet been able to leave on their journey due to the fire situation. The fire was only 3km away and they were all on evacauation notice. They wanted to ensure that their children and grandchildren had a safe place to go and to make sure that what ever they wanted to keep was moved to a safe location. Prayers for our friends and last place of residence are greatly appreciated. The fire that is threatening the town is a huge one and if it jumps the river the town is gone. It is presently burning over 40,000 hectacres. We have many friends whos home are in the direct path.
BC is so dry this season and they have so many out of control fires burning.

We on the other hand have had nothing but rain! This morning, looking out the window...big time fog! There is so much dampness in the air...and the temperatures are cool.

I headed to Farmers Market last evening and managed to pick up more pickling cucumbers, peas, carrots, zucchini and onions. Seeing as our friends were going to be arriving late, I managed to get my bread and butter pickles all sliced up and ready for canning today, I got 3 quarts of dill and garlic pickles done, 3 pints of pickled carrots and a mixed pint of pickles and carrots. Yay! I figure if I do a bit each day....I'll be well prepared for this winter. I divided up my peas and put them into meal size freezer bags and now they are ready. I can't believe how much I am enjoying getting back into canning. Makes me wonder, why did I stop in the first place!

My positives:

Safe arrival of our friends.
Being able to obtain fresh produce and the ability to preserve it for later months.
Having the day off work to spend with our company.
Even though everyone else was snacking late last night...I didn't! YAY ME!
No fire worries in our area. There is a plus side to all the rain we have been having.
Life...God is so good to us.

Have a wonderfully blessed day. I'm off to spend time with our company now.

Hugs,
Wanda

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MAURIZIA 8/19/2010 10:22AM

Wanda, do you have a room for me?? All that canning sounds wonderful...yum! Prayers for those in the fire's path. With all our technological know-how, I often wonder why no one has figured out how to gather water from those of us who get so much of it and transport it to the places that need it. Perhaps because my cousin Tony is an LA firefighter, it's always on my mind with those California flames. Enjoy your friends!! Blessings! Report Inappropriate Comment

NJMATTICE 8/19/2010 9:54AM

Reading about your canning makes me want to take it up as well. I've never canned. I made freezer jam from an abundance of strawberries, but that's about it. Perhaps I'll set canning as a goal for next August. I'll make a note of that. Thanks for sharing the joy. Enjoy your company! Love, Nancy Report Inappropriate Comment

Farmer's Market day

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Farmer's Market day today. We have company arriving also for a couple of days. Thankfully, I'm able to get tomorrow off work, unfortunately, Garry isn't able to get tomorrow off. Oh well. If my company arrives early enough, I'll haul them along to Farmer's Market with me. I want to pick up some more fresh veggies for canning.
I noticed at the last market that there were fresh peas, all ready shelled and in in large bags. I want to pick up some to freeze. I like the freshness of peas that are frozen as opposed to canning them.

My positives:

Being able to take tomorrow off work to spend with company.
Seeing friends and sharing laughs.
Having the ability to can, so that my family will have produce this winter that is healthy for them.
Taking one of my breaks yesterday and walking. It was nice to have a co-worker join me. I have set a goal for myself this year of taking my breaks at work, something that I usually forget to do!
A nice fresh fruit salad for my lunch today.
Life in general. My life is so wonderfully blessed each day.

Have a great day. Take the time to appreciate each moment, you never know what nuggets of blessing each one might hold until you look for it.


Hugs,
Wanda

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

NJMATTICE 8/18/2010 10:16AM

I enjoyed envisioning the little pea people peeking out of the plastic bag at you. "Pick me! Pick me!" Enjoy the beauty of the market. I have yet to discover a nice farmer's market. I saw one advertised not too far from me on Thursday evenings. I think I'll check it out tomorrow. I must tell you that Ms. Wood makes accommodations for the vegetarian and vegan types. The cleanse just has you eliminate top vegetarian allergens for the duration. No dairy, eggs, soy, nut, nut butters and seeds. You add more beans and lentils for the cleanse and for vegans you add more starchy vegetables and legumes. It works as an elimination diet as well, so you add those foods back in slowly and carefully noting the effects. She is very accommodating. Peas are okay. They are not on my specific menu, but they are not on the "don't eat me" list. Enough food talk. Have a great day. Thanks for the support and I'll keep my eye out for you. Love, Nancy Comment edited on: 8/18/2010 10:18:34 AM Report Inappropriate Comment

MAURIZIA 8/18/2010 9:18AM

Wanda, have fun at the farmers' market and with your visitors! I LOVE fresh peas! Got lots of them earlier this season at my CSA! I even eat them raw...love the snap, crackle, pop of them!! Hope they have them today... I got sweet potato leaves at my CSA last evening...can't wait to find out how to prepare them and what the flavor is. Hugs! Report Inappropriate Comment

ROSE5328 8/18/2010 8:29AM

Enjoy your day off and the Farmer's Market. I have Friday off and am hoping to hit up our local Farmer's Market. Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_BEAR_69 8/18/2010 7:07AM

ENJOY the Farmers Market. I love going there! Make some wonderful memories with your company and have a great couple of days with them as you count your blessings. Great positives!!! Blessings and hugs, Helen Report Inappropriate Comment

POLLKAT 8/18/2010 7:02AM

Enjoy the day AND the farmers market. LOVE to go to those. Be blessed Report Inappropriate Comment

LOSER05 8/18/2010 7:01AM

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