A Wedding in the Spring ...

The families gathered, and "Rev." Ms H performed the ceremony ...

Tippy (l) and Oreo (r - in the veil) seemed enchanted with each other ...

Following the ceremony the bride and groom shared

a wedding "cake" or fresh apple slices ...

and headed off to their cage for the "honeymoon."

The girls are hopeful that babies may one day result ...

L'Chaim !!! (To Life !!)

This week I've been funeral-ing and sitting with a friend who has had a diagnosis that is simply not good ...

One of the funerals was for a woman who attained the tender age of 107 ... the other two were for people who went before their time ... all of them were moments of profound reflection on life and death ...

But today I was sitting with a family having a discussion about a diagnosis of latter stage cancer in the parent ... one of the children said - "I don't know if I'm ready to deal with --- dying of cancer ..."

I quoted Monty Python, complete with the accent when I blurted out - "But they're not dead yet ..." Which brought a smile from everyone, and laughter from the patient, who said - "that's true, I'm not in the box YET !!"

We then talked about what it means to LIVE with Cancer, and how (to borrow from Patch Adams), dying is the process that comes in the last few minutes of life when the brain is starved for oxygen - everything else is LIFE and is to be lived. There were no simple or easy answers today for the family or the patient - but the midst of the tears there was laughter, smiles and an all important affirmation of the preciousness of life, and how we MUST savour and enjoy it moment by moment.

Life is such an awesome mystery - why would we waste even a second of it ????

Scenes from the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair ...

Noahkila and Ms H. checking out some chicks ...

One of the Jumpers in the MTS Cup ...

The Six Horse Hitch Heavy competition line up.

Clydes, Belgians and Percherons - awesome !!!

Intently watching the Super-Dogs.

Big Horse ... Little Horse ...

Can you see the difference between the two 8 Horse hitches??

The Budweiser Hitch at the top is VERY large ...

... the bottom hitch - NOT so large ...

Yet Another Reason for Reincarnation as a Cat ...

Need I really offer any explanation??

Wisdom from Wilde ...

We are all in the gutter,

but some of us are looking at the stars.
- Oscar Wilde

A Blog Reminder ...

Today I read an entry on Aerophant that called to mind a moment in ministry from earlier in my life ... It is noted at Aerophant that when walking in a state of confusion, one should gather beautiful stones and pebbles while walking along a beach, then fling them into the waves.

I can only concur ... but as I reflected on this delightful snippet of wisdom I recalled a time in ministry when I invited a congregation to pick up a stone as they entered the service.

During the evening service they held in their hands the smooth stones that had been gathered from a nearby river. As we moved through the worship they were invited to bring them forward and drop the stones in a basket ... as the stones fell into the basket they were accompanied with the worries and concerns of the holder ... each stone took the dark secrets of the soul of the person who had held and warmed the rock, and silently held those secrets ...

After the service concluded, we carefully carried the basket down to the river and with a prayer of release we poured the stones back into the icy green waters ... the stones took the secrets, and like the very act of baptism, the cold glacial waters carried the secrets out to sea, thereby releasing the holder of their burden ...

Stones are remarkable things ...

Cat's Eyes ...

Still want to be reincarnated as a cat ...

... but only if I can look like THIS !!

Check out the new pics ...

Click here to see the latest postings at Rolling Art.
Ms H and I have put up quite a few pics today ...
more will come - we've fallen behind.

Happy Birthday Sir Elton ...

Okay, I'll admit - I adore the guy and I love his music.

Outrageous, unique, entertaining and distinctive.

It's hard to believe Sir Elton John turns 60 today ...

So, Happy Birthday Reg - you continue to Rock !!

Learning from Life ...

As people of faith, we know that life is a journey.

In life, when we find ourselves enveloped in darkness

we must keep moving forward, one step at a time.

With each foot step, we can be certain of only two things:

We will find something firm to stand on

OR

We will learn how to fly when we step off into the unknown!
- me.

Still want to come back as a Cat ...

With a life like this,

can you blame me??

Happy Birthday Houdini !!

Ehrich Weiss

aka

Harry Houdini

March 24th 1874

to

October 31st 1926

Was he murdered??

After 80 years, Harry's back in the headlines ...

Happy Birthday Mr Houdini, wherever you are??

Huh ???

While out for a walk recently:

Ms. H: "Dad?"

Dad: "Yes."

Ms. H: "What do you call those thingies on the wall that adjusts the temperature?"

Dad: "A thermostat."

Ms. H: "Why do they call it a thermostat?"

Dad: "I don't know."

Ms. H: "What does thermostat mean?"

Dad: "I don't know."

Ms. H: "Thermostat is stupid name. It's hard to remember."

Dad: "Yes dear ..."

Ms. H: "I know a better name for a thermostat."

Dad: "What's that?"

Ms H: "A thingie on the wall that adjusts the temperature ... That would be much easier to remember than a thermo-whatever !!!"

Dad: "Okay, if you insist ..."

Another Cosmic Gift ...

Tonight we went into Winnipeg for a Funding Raising Concert put on for the Building Fund of Minnedosa United Church (there WILL be pictures tomorrow on the Minnedosa United Church Blog). On the way home M glanced to the north of the highway and said:

"Look Northern Lights ..."

We haven't seen them in a long time ... but their shimmering green presence was beautiful ... It's easy to forget how beautiful the Northern Lights can be, but when they return it is simply stunning.

If you wish upon a star???

I have seen exactly two shooting stars since we moved to Manitoba ... both were stunning with glittering tails like the image above ...

The first was a couple of years ago when the kids and I were walking home one night from the neighbours' house. I happened to look up to see an enormous plume of sparkles rocketing across the sky ... it was breathtaking ...

The second came the other night when I was talking on the phone with a friend ... we were discussing various struggles we're facing in our respective lives. As she was speaking I glanced out the window and gasped ... I saw a shooting star flying through the sky to the north of town ... sparkling, then fading and disappearing ...

At my gasp my friend said excitedly - "You saw a shooting star didn't you?"

I wanted to ask - "How did you know?" but instead I said - "Yes, I did. It was beautiful ..."

And the cosmos gave me a perfect, wondrous, and enchanted moment that simply took my breath away ...

I don't want to know 'how' she knew ... I'm just glad she did ...

Distinctly and Definitely Canadian ... Flying ...

DeHavilland Beaver

DeHavilland Otter

DeHavilland Twin Otter

DeHavilland Dash Series

7 & 8 (above) and the variants.

The long lamented

Avro Arrow

The Dame Turns Ninety !!

Happy 90th Birthday

to

Dame Vera Lynn.

We'll meet again.

The White Cliffs of Dover.

When Ou Wish Upon a Star.

A recording career that spanned 4 decades,

and the appreciation and adoration of Men in Uniform

from England to Burma and all points in between.

Her voice was for many, the soundtrack of World War Two.

Beauty for a Monday Evening ...

Spring is COMING !!!!

Today on the way to Brandon I saw a prairie dog on the side of the road ...

having coffee at Chipperfields' I saw a small flock of geese flying in over town from the west ... walking with Ms H and Beetle we saw a murder of crows (a BIG murder of crows)

in the trees by the buffalo compound ... and ducks in the river:

We went walking ... and saw DEFINITIVE signs of SPRING !!!

Only Four MORE Months Until Summer !!!!!!!

In four short months the beach will be crowded

with sun worshippers and swimmng children !!!

And the Lake will be a veritable hive of activity

with boats, kayaks, canoes, water skiiers and paddlers !!

If I can be reincarnated ...

I'd want to come back as a cat with a life like Chloe's:

Why I like The Minnedosa Valley:

Scenes for a Sunday ...

The St P's Day Tradition Continues:

Despite the grimace, Beetle and Ms H. enjoyed

the Green coloured pancakes

that have become a longstanding family tradition in our house:
I think the three helpings of pancakes was a "thumbs up" from Noahkila!!

Flat Stanley Hangs out in the Library ...

Noahkila and I went to the Library ... Flat Stanley decided to go along and hang out:

Then he had a visit with the Head Librarian Linda :
Stanley then spent some time in the Childrens' Section:

Assistant Librarian Lisa reminded Stanley of the rules in the Library:
Stanley went looking for movies while Linda and Lisa looked something up on the computer:
All in all, Stanley had a good visit to the Minnedosa and Region Public Library ...