Fall Yard Blog

The above photos are fall views of our yard. Mom and I think there are some beautiful colors in the yard this year. Notice especially the Amur Maple next to the waterfall hill. What a beautiful red. We like it so much we went out yesterday and bought another one. They are both Amur Maple bushes. We want an Amur Maple tree for the front yard, and we have begun the search.

Well if you can imagine this as one page, then this is the article from the Westwind Weekly. Unfortunately it was almost 14 MB and I couldn't download it onto the blog without chopping the page in half. But as you can read they made it sound way better than it probably is. We were awarded a plaque and $25.00 from the Town of Raymond and a $25.00 gift certificate from the Raymond Pharmacy. Not bad for a couple of "Do it as you go" gardeners who most likely had no clue what they were doing or what the end result would be most of the time.

Now for all the goldfish fans out there. We bought a large clear plastic tub yesterday and talked to the fish guy at our favorite pet store, and we are now seriously prepared to try and save the goldfish this year. If we can do this, they just keep getting bigger each year. Now we're safe from all the animal rights activists.

Famous Yards.

Well, as you can see by the sign, it's official. We are the "Yard of the Week". Pictures will be in the Westwind Weekly this week. We usually get it on Fridays in the mail. Guess now we're famous. They put up the sign so people can find the yard of the week when they go looking for it. But I highly doubt that anyone will drive out here just to see a yard. The women who came and took the pictures a couple of weeks ago are coming tomorrow to give us a plaque or something. We'll put it in a prominent place of course. Unfortunately with the wet and cold weather we've had for the last three weeks or so since the wedding, the lawns are long and unkempt, and the yard really doesn't look stellar. Oh well!!!

We got the phone call today and OUR PILLOWS ARE IN LETHBRIDGE!!!! We'll probably try to go get them tomorrow. They'd better be the right ones this time. Actually the lady who helped Mom pick them out from a different company the last time we were in Bowdens is the person who left the message on the answering machine. So that fact alone makes it more promising that they are actually the right pillows.

Of course with the new pillows here, nothing will be looking right, so Mom will be even more motivated to want to start painting walls and replacing drapes. All the carpets in the house are being cleaned this Friday. So it has begun!!!

Just to let everyone know, I have been re-elected as a Trustee for another three year term. Of course it was by acclamation, But surely that means that everyone thinks I'm doing a great job. (That or no one cares). But I would hate to think that people are that apathetic about something so important. Lance Miller from Magrath got in by acclamation also, but all the other Trustees are being challenged, so there will be elections in Stirling, Raymond, Cardston and the Tri-Towns out west.

I'm looking forward to this new term as it will have many challenges and changes as Alberta Education is trying to redesign and revitalize the education process in Alberta. Stay tuned. I'm also in the middle of setting up and starting a Trustee Blog that will be accessible to all the Westwind constituents to see if I can get a dialogue going with the parents and students or whom ever in Westwinds. We got technology and we should be using it. There are a few Trustees in other divisions especially in the bigger cities who have done this, and I have followed a few of them. It's just another way to engage the public.

It looks like the weather is going to be really nice for a few days. Thank you for all the notes, blogs, phone calls and etc for Mom for her Birthday, she loved and appreciated them all.

Well that's all for now.

Thought I should write a few words today, after all it is a special day. We can't believe we've been together for 35 years. Lots and lots of wonderful memories. Can't ever remember being single. Can't believe how fast the years have gone by. Mostly can't believe our children are all grown up, and are doing so well with their own lives. Grandpa Wilde said to me just a few weeks ago when we were getting ready for the wedding; "You and Bev have such a beautiful family and all doing so well and staying so strong, and no ones gone astray yet." I laughed at the time, but I've thought about what he said many times since. I think Welling was a great place to raise a family. And I hope it will be a place the grandchildren will want to come back to often and that they will think of it as a great place to visit and to enjoy.

When the Westwinds Paper people were here yesterday taking pictures and asking questions, one question they asked was "Do your grandchildren like to come and play in this yard?". I thought about how empty our beautiful yard looked without children running around in it. I hope I'm not to overly protective of the yard when the kids are playing here, I realize I need to chill out sometimes when they're playing near the stream and pond. After all things can be fixed and put back together.

But they did ask an interesting question; "Who's the force behind all this, and who's idea was it?" We thought about this and decided that it's been a very joint venture. Something we both have enjoyed doing over the years. I highly recommend that all my children and their spouses find something that they enjoy doing together, and then immerse yourselves in it and see how much growth, enjoyment and pleasure you can deride from it. It really does help you grow together.

Well today was cold, overcast and rainy at times. Quite a bit different from September 13, 1975, when it was very warm and sunny and really a perfect summer day. I talked about this with a fellow at Ag Steel today, and he told me that he was celebrating his 54th wedding anniversary on the twenty something this month, (he remembered but I've forgotten the exact date he said), and he said it was a beautiful warm sunny day for them too. So... so much for global warming.

We went out to dinner at the Firestone restaurant to celebrate tonight and got home at about 8:00 or so and Mal said " Ooh, you stayed out late tonight". Happy 35th To us.

Haven't heard much from anyone since the Reunion. Madisson and Clayton phoned to let us know they had all arrived safely in Port Moody and we were grateful to them for calling us. We were a little concerned about the power steering pump on the Grand Caravan and had prayed it would not give them any troubles during the trip home. I think everyone in the family was very excited and happy to have had the Port Moody Coopers come and spend such a wonderful if short few days with us. We wish them all every success and happiness as they go back to their wonderful life experience out west. How about a post on the CoopSoup blog eh???

Thank you to all for coming to the reunion and having such a great time. I've thought a lot about how wonderful a time we had. Who knew that feeding ducks could be such a fabulous highlight at a family reunion? Aren't we glad that Chad insisted that we go to the Birds of Prey?

And aren't we happy at how fabulous a day it turned out to be for Mal and Cody's wedding. It was so threatening in the morning. Thanks to all of you for helping to make their day so wonderful.

I've had several people in the family comment that I don't post enough blogs on Warm Chinooks, but I don't always have pictures or anything that interesting to say. But maybe blogs can be more about just keeping everyone informed and involved. That's just a rambling thought. I've thought for a week that I should post something about the wedding and reunion, but didn't really know what to write. Anyway thanks once more for coming and making the week so much fun.

We're back to normal almost. Yard work (which we have seemed to put off a little more since the reunion) has recommenced. There are still lots of flowers blooming and the roses have all put out a bunch of new buds. If the frost will just hold off for a while yet, our gardens should look nice for another month or so. And we have started the newest project, fixing up the rickety old play house. About time eh? Mom envisions slides, fireman poles etc. (We're starting with a new coat of paint and a new lower level floor. Oh and a new ladder onto said floor and steps up to the upper floor). Better stop before we rebuild the whole thing.