Around the yard - spring 2012

We haven't posted a blog in far too long!!  Today I'll post a few as a quick update of life lately...

First, goings on around the 32141 Sandpiper Place property!!

A new toy for Remi

Remi bought a router.  The plan is to make picture frames.  Lots of them!

New Garden!

Ok, this was hard work! I was expecting to quickly dig up and plant this in an afternoon but was I ever wrong!  Two days later and with some hubby help it was finally planted!

Right now this garden is in full bloom (except the geraniums - they never do much for me!) and the rose bush is covered in lovely pink flowers!

Spring has sprung!

This spring has been very kind to us!  The weather has been stunning and at times, quite hot!  We've been able to get out and enjoy the garden much earlier this year than last.

From our cherry trees...

 

 

 The trees are covered in fruit right now.  As long as the weather continues to cooperate, we should have quite the cherry crop this year!

The following are pictures from the deck.  I picked wild flowers from around the garden for vases for a BBQ we had on the May long weekend and they looked quite pretty in the setting sun.  This was one of the nice, warm evenings that we were able to have dinner outside!

 

 

More photos from the garden to come!  I've planted out most of our veggies/fruit and if this rain ever stops, I'll get out and take some pictures of the little plants so that I can post several blogs on how they grow up over the summer.

Happy spring, everyone!
S

Beach walk

The weather appears to be getting nicer!! *knock on wood*  In that spirit, Remi and I headed out for a late afternoon walk along the Fraser River.

Maggie was rearing to go!  You'd think we never took her anywhere cool.  She ran around like a 2-year old!  Loving every minute of it ;)

 

 The beach was really pretty.  We've found a new picnic spot (as long as the tide is out).

 

 Below is typical Maggie: barking at us because we aren't doing her bidding (i.e. throwing the stick every 3 seconds).

 She pooped out eventually and laid down to chew her stick.  Which she later carried along the beach like she owned the place ;)

 

 This is a field just above the river.  The sky was amazing yesterday!

The nice weather is supposed to continue throughout the long weekend (although it's cloudy out right now).  We're planning to garden today, snowshoe tomorrow and garden on Monday.  I can't wait!

S

Snowshoeing Windy Joe (Feb 4)

Last weekend we were able to meet Raj in the middle - he came from Penticton and us from Mission - at Manning Park.  This time we chose to summit Windy Joe under sunny skies!

It was chilly so it didn't take Maggie very long to get some sweet beard icicles going.

I'm sure our parents will be very  happy to know that we've finally invested in a GPS unit.  We don't really know how to use it yet, but this hike was a good trial run for setting way-points and tracking our progress.  It will be much more useful when we finally get the maps for it!

The summit was lovely!  There's a fire look-out up there, so there's a little shack.  We actually ran into a guy who was staying up there for a few nights!  As Remi wants to try winter camping with a friend of ours, this would be a good place to try it out.  If the igloo is a failure, at least they'll have the shack to sleep in.

And as usual, the descent is much more fun than the climb ;)

Until next time...

S&R

Mom and Dad West visit!

 Mom and Dad arrived in BC on a (you guessed it) rainy day!  They actually flew in on Remi's birthday :)

Our first stop, Stanley Park!  Then over to Lynn Canyon to check out the suspension bridge.

After those quick stops in the city, it was off to Mission!!  A quick house tour led into Christmas, part II.  Rosie was very interested in this part ;)

On the following day we headed out to just below the hydro-electric dam at Hayward Lake for some eagle viewing.  Each year gazillions of eagles feast on migrating salmon.  We were very fortunate to have a brazen juvenile eagle who wouldn't let us interrupt his lunch.  We were able to snap some great photos.

 

 Watch your step!

 

We kept active with daily walks.  The weather actually cooperated for the whole week!  This was on the Matsqui Trail along the Fraser River.

We did find the time to relax a lot too!!

And to misbehave!  (wouldn't let my dog rest her head on the kitchen table!)

I also put Mom to work in the garden - yes, gardening in January!  She was unfortunate enough to get a blister as well!  The last time Ann and Alain visited, weeding our front lawn resulted in a blister for Ann.  Lesson: if you visit Remi and Sarah, bring gardening gloves!

I also took Mom and Dad out to Hayward Lake.  This is where Remi, Maggie and I cool off in the summer.  Also a nice spot for a walk on a sunny winter day!

Pitt Lake visit from later in the week.  We did a lot of walking!

 Mom insists on taking photos of park signs - I decided to take a picture of her WITH a park sign instead ;)

 

 

 This is one of the few pictures where Maggie doesn't look completely retarded - she insists on barking constantly whenever we stop!!  A few action shots were caught, but this is a much nicer family photo ;)

 

 

 I just love the next photo!  It was starting to cloud over as we were leaving.  Snow was in the forecast!

On our last day we visited the Aviation Museum at the Langley Airport.  It snowed the previous day as was promised!

 

 

 

I should mention that in addition to sight-seeing, Dad helped Remi install a fan in our bathroom and hooked us up with a satellite dish so now we have TV!  We also indulged in fantastic food and lots of beer ;)

We were able to get Mom, Dad and Rosie (who was an angel on her first flying adventure) safely to the airport on Sunday morning despite a snow storm and the city of Richmond being completely ineffective at snow removal on the highway. (I only thought we were going to die once or twice on the drive...)  

We look forward to your next visit!!  Visit soon :)

S&R