Hardin, MT

Today is a bit warmer than yesterday, partly cloudy, no rain or snow, we figured we would not be able to travel until Monday but looks like we can leave tomorrow as the nasty weather is moving a little faster south than predicted.

Our campsite in Grandview Campground in Hardin. All sites have a little shed for the people that are staying long term. This is a nice campground, in town, clean, well kept and managed by three ladies they do have a laundry, showers and games room, the games room is only open in the summer, very good stop.

Cannot see the mountains today due to cloud but they are visible on a clear day.

While hanging out I thought I would look up some information on the town of Hardin, if you care to read here is a link. http://www.travelmt.com/mt-cities-Hardin.html
Basically a small town of around 3000, surrounded by ranches, farms and sits on the banks of the Bighorn River. In the distance are the Bighorn and Pryor Mountains which are actually on the Crow Indian Reservation that is right on the edge of town. The town celebrates Custer’s Last Stand and the battle that took place June, 1876 in this area with a huge celebration and re-enactment. You can read more here: http://www.custerslaststand.org/
For the past six years, the Re-enactment has been listed in the top 100 events in the nation in Destinations magazine, so obviously the town does a fabulous job, too bad we can’t be here in June to enjoy it! Well if all goes well, we will off to Casper, WY tomorrow.

In Lewistown, MT

The trip so far has been pretty good, stopped at Whispering Spruce Campground in Balzac the first night, not a campground we like nor would I recommend it to anyone but it is open all year, easy on and off the highway so suits our purpose. We were unable to connect with our granddaughter, Jennifer other than via a phone call, she had previous plans for the evening, but hopefully we can meet on the way home. I talked to our friend Floss and she was suffering from a nasty cold, so again maybe a visit will happen on our way home.

Our second night was spent at Under 8 Flags campground in Milk River, they are doing some major renovations there, and hopeful all will be ready by spring. This campground is a major stopover for Snowbirds every spring and fall due to it’s proximity to the border.
We got off to late start due to Woody helping a fellow camper with a hitch problem he had with the tow behind car, with some assistance from the guys that were working on the construction project this issue was solved, gotta love it when you meet people so willing to lend a hand. We crossed the border with no problem, just took a long time because they were so busy. There was a SW west blowing which killed our fuel economy and this trip was longer than the previous days, I was very tense wondering if we would make our destination before we ran out of fuel although Woody kept assuring me that we would be okay and he did have a jerry can in the back of the truck in case we needed it. The highway we take to Lewistown is quite desolate, no cell coverage most of the way and we ran into construction. Well needless to say we made it but later than we have ever arrived at the campsite; set up in the dark is not the best even though the fifth does have lights to accommodate such happenings. We were both happy to be set up and settled in the fifth that evening. The campground has Wi-Fi but very poor speed and it keeps dropping so almost useless but it is a decent campground and on our route. Next morning we decided we needed to do some laundry and replenish the larder. We do not carry much fresh food when crossing the border, you cannot take fresh fruit at all and the list always changes when it comes to eggs, cheese, veggies etc., so we find it easier to load up after crossing. Meat other than any lamb product is okay, we found out on a previous trip that even dog food with lamb is not allowed and always keep the container of any dog food in case the guards want confirmation of contents.




We have a nice view of the mountains while walking the dogs at Mountain Acres Campground in Lewistown. As you can see the weather is beautiful and we feel very blessed as we walk the dogs.



We got off to a good start as check out time at Mountain Acres Campground is 10:30 am, no exceptions made, we made good time, weather was nice, partly cloudy, little wind, so were set up early at Grandview Campground in Hardin and able to enjoy the nice weather the day we arrived it was 54F (12c). Excellent Wi-Fi here and cable TV, even with the Outdoor Channel so Woody was very happy that he could watch hunting shows and I could watch a few game shows! We checked the weather and not a good report, temps dropping, snow and rain predicted here as well as down the road so we decided we would stay put for at least a couple of days. Good decision, next morning was raining which turned to snow later in the day, cool, foggy and wet until today around noon. The sun is shinning now and it is about 41F (5c) as I write this. The weather moved south towards Casper, WY and all the way down our route to Santa Fe, NM so we think we may be able to leave tomorrow and just stay behind the nasty stuff, once we get to Las Cruces, NM the weather is warm, no worries of snow usually. We are very thankful that we have a safe journey thus far and pray for a continued safe journey to AZ. Will see what tomorrow brings!

Fall is here

The summer has flown by so quickly I cannot believe it is now the end of September.  We have had a wonderful summer visiting with friends, family and looking after the park. Woody kept very busy, doing a couple of renos for friends along with park duties. Over the summer and fall I have captured some photos of wild flowers that bloom in the fields and along the trails and also caught a great picture of a moth hanging out on the tree right in front of our little deck.   

Above you can see how well he blends in with this colouring and below he is clinging to the tree, he stayed there until the dogs bothered him. . 

The bush area was alive with many flowers, Saskatoon bushes, wild Raspberries, Currents and Bunchberry plants.  There were also tons of wild Strawberries which did not produce well this year at all.  Cookie and Muffin loved the Raspberries and would eat the berries as we walked the path.  When they had cleaned up berries off the low branches they would stand on their hind legs to get the berries from the higher branches, they looked so cute but I was not able to capture any pictures.

Bunchberries in bloom, they cover the ground in areas of the bush.

Later in summer, each plant has at least 3 berries in the center that last until the snow flies.  

Tiger Lilies bloom throughout July along trails and in the bush. 

These little Asters bloomed in abundance throughout the summer.

Part of the field of Asters, they don’t look like much but were actually very pretty, I just did not capture the beauty.

I took this a few days ago this Aster was still surviving in the bush. 

I liked the variety of colours and shapes all intermingling.  

I love the way the sun is shinning on these plants.

 

These plants have bright pink blossoms and bloom most of the summer, when they go to seed they produce the fluffy white seed pods with very pretty curled tendrils wrapping around the stem, very pretty and interesting, I just did not take a close up picture of the tendrils but will next year!

There are coyotes galore every year here which serenaded us many evenings and this year for the first time we had a couple of bears hanging out in the bush. Woody and other hikers saw lots of bear scat along the trails, Woody spotted one Black bear and we had reports of a Cinnamon coloured black bear as well.   We posted Caution signs so all users of the park would be aware of the bears presence.  I always stuck to the one trail that did not have any bear scat present or walked the field when walking the dogs, I had no desire to see the bears, not that there was much chance of that, the dogs and I make too much noise!

New Look

We had new carpet installed in the living area and the garage which is now a combo office, storage area and Woody's work area.

After saying goodby to Will and Sean we got busy and moved all the furniture, cupboards and other stuff out of the fifth wheel. We were just about finished when Norm arrived at 10:00 am and lucky for us it was a nice day as everything had to be outside during the installation. Woody opend the large drop door at the back of the fifth, propped it up so we could move my desk, chairs, cupboards, and othe stuff onto the door. The other items had to sit on the ground, wished I would have taken some pictures but we were so busy, did not think of it. Anyway the carpet was installed, good quality berber with industrial underlay so should last awhile. We had to hurry and move all the stuff back in as it had started to sprimkle, lucky for us it was just a shower and not a downpour. It took several days to get everything back in place again, as we have to secure all items so they do not bounce around while travelling. Here are a couple of pics of the new look!

The new carpet is extended to the cupboards which creates the look and feel of a larger living space.

We also got rid of the dinette bench, we had tossed one out while in AZ and bought the two chairs and now decided we like the extra space, so did not reinstall the bench and will stick with just 2 chairs. We will pick up some small folding chairs for extra seating for company though.

The carpet is so nice in what was the garage, this space is warmer and feels more like part of our home now.

My desk on the right and Woody's bench on the left, sorry couldn't get a better pic of his area due to small area.

I really do like my space now, better organized and feels so much warmer and brighter.

Thought we would be finished with renovations when we sold the house but I guess we are addicted eh! LOL

Sure worth it though, better use of space and suits our needs much better!

My dear husband has more plans to improve our living space but that will wait until next year or maybe happen while we are in AZ this winter!

Huck and Sean Visit

Huck (Will) and Whip (Sean) stopped by at the Rolling Castle Saturday afternoon, they were on their way to Yellowknife, NWT and from there they will fly north to hunt Musk ox. We had a great visit, ate, shared some Adult beverages, and left around 8:00 am Sunday for the remainder of the drive to Yellowknife (about 15 hours). We were so happy to see Huck again and meet Whip, great guys both of them!!! They are interesting, pleasant and fun to visit with, time flew by so fast, we were so busy enjoying our time with them that we only managed to snap a couple of pictures. They do plan on stopping again on their way home and we are looking forward to seeing them again. If you ever get a chance to meet either one, do not pass up the opportunity, you will not be disappointed. They are first class people!





Huck (Will), Woody and Whip (Sean)

Patsy's 65th Birthday

I had a wonderful 65th birthday! During the day a friend (Carolyn) I used to work with dropped in, we visited for a couple of hours, Myrna, my friend since we were 9 years old called, we yakked on the phone for over an hour, she has always been my soul mate. Woody was gone all day working on an ongoing reno for a friend. When he returned home he said he was so sorry he had not had time to get a card or anything, and then he totally surprised me with a delivery of a dozen red and white roses and card delivered to our home and then a gathering of about 20 friends and family! I was totally surprised as we had discussed my birthday previously, I had said a get to together with Tracy, Michelle and families on Monday would be just great, not to worry about anything on Friday!





The gorgeous bouquet from my beloved husband!














Friends, Stan and Deb, with guess who in the middle eh!




Friends, Harvey, Karen, and Linda








I am so blessed to have received many cards, which I have displayed in our home, lotto tickets (didn't win any money but had fun dreaming), wine (saving for another special day) and these beautiful flowers from friends.






A group in the campground were having a sing song in the shelter next door and a couple graciously came over and sung Happy Birthday to me. Standing to the left is friend Carolyn!

Allen, our old friend and former neighbor, Janice and Dale.

Granddaughter Caitlin, Brooklyn, sitting on Tracy's knee and Michelle.

Dale is the friend Woody is doing the Reno for. He is a great guy!

This was so much fun!

Ron, Frank, Pat and Jill!

Christine, her Mom Karen and our grandson Christopher!

Son-in-law Keith, Tracy, daughter Brooklyn, and me ole Grandma!

Back of Frank's head, Jose, husband Norm, Myrna and husband Ron. Jose, Norm, Myrna, Ron and Frank are members of Onoway Fish and Game Assoc. Norm and Jose manage Imrie Park along with help from other members.

Granddaughter Lindsey in the foreground,

Dave, Norm, Jose, Myrna and just caught Ron on the right.

Jill with her back to us, Dave, and Jill;s husband Scott. Scott is one of Woody's hunting buddies and I totally enjoy both he and Jill, great people. Scott is part owner of the Wild TV channel, the only Canadian hunting channel.

It had rained all day, was very cool but the sun blessed us during the evening so we were able to enjoy the outdoors for awhile then retreated to the kitchen where we had a warm fire in the woodstove! The evening went by so fast and thanks to all our friends and family I shall remember this day forever, I do belieive it was one of my best birthday's ever!

Thanks to my husband for organizing it, and our friends and family for helping us celebrate!

Fire Pit

One of our faithful campers here in the park donated a fire pit for our site, the fire pit is very unique and cannot be purchased in any store. The cone comes from a coal mine, is stainless steel and is perforated throughout making it ideal for a fire pit. Rick and Wendy camp here all the time and have also donated Solar Lights for each site in the park as well as money for other small projects at the park. Rick delivered the fire pit on Friday night and we were planning on having a “fire pit planting party” on Sunday but the weather did not cooperate so after Woody completed his park duties we decided to “plant the fire pit” this evening. We invited Wendy for the sod turning (Rick was working). As you can see in the picture below Wendy just couldn’t sit and watch.

Sure is nice to have the tractor to use!

Wendy and I supervising!

Not quite finished, need some washed rock to finish our masterpiece. The outside ring was also donated to us by Rick and Wendy. Thanks guys we will enjoy the firepit for years to come!

We have not initiated the fire pit yet but soon!

Lunch at Wabamun Lake

I met our 2 girls, Tracy, Michelle, their girls and Oreo for lunch at Wabamun Lake Provincial Park and spent the afternoon enjoying time with the girls. The park has three day use areas; they are beautiful and very large with access to the lake. Being a weekday I was surprised how many people were there making use of the area we choose. I treasure time with just “us girls”, the grandchildren are a delight and it gives us all a time to relax, take in the scenery and engage ourselves in “girl talk”.
The day use area is on Moonlight Bay and small part of the lake. The Park offers many activities, from walking, bird watching, swimming, boating etc. For more information click on the links below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabamun_Lake_Provincial_Park

http://www.travelwestvisual.com/TravelAlberta/Home/Pages/Heartland/DryVaAr/WabLa/ProP/ProP.htm

Tracy's girls, Brookln and Lindsey relaxing.

Brooklyn and Caitlin (Michelle's daughter).

Above and to the right, the day use area.

The day use area had 2 different playgrounds, the grandchildren had great fun playing on them.

A squirrel that played on the tree right by our table, drove Oreo nuts, she so wanted to chase it!

Tracy, Caitlin and Michelle.

Lindsey taking a break in the shade. It was a very nice warm day!

Hunting Resource Friends

Our gathering of HR friends was great; the weather could have been a little more cooperative though. Friday Vicky (HR handle doog3) and her husband (Rob) arrived first, travelling from the British Columbia coast area, then Andrew (HR handle) Elkhunter with his wonderful dog (Rascal) from Leduc, Alberta and last but not least Fred (HR handle Redgreen) from Medicine Hat, Alberta.
We spent the weekend relaxing renewing friendships with Andrew and Fred and meeting Vicky and hubby in person for the first time. After chatting in the HR Chat room it is so cool to meet face to face, share stories, tease one another, and become closer friends overall. Friday evening was cool but we did barbeque some of the delicious deer sausage Fred brought, shared some brews and stories,

Fred presented everyone with a very nice wall plaque, thanks Fred that was very thoughtful! Each plaque had a different animal, we choose the Bear.

We gathered around the fire pit after dinner, thankfully Rob and Vicky had bellows to help get the fire going as the wood was wet. We retired just before the huge rain storm began.
It rained pretty much all night but no one allowed the damp grey morning to spoil the day. Andrew and Fred had gotten up early and bought a few dozen donuts to go with morning coffee before Patsy (HR handle QueenNorth) was even out of bed! When the Queen finally got her butt out of bed and after walking the dogs, we set up the big BBQ in the shelter and transported food, dishes, etc., to the shelter and enjoyed a huge brunch of blueberry pancakes with real Maple Syrup, scrambled eggs and bacon prepared and cooked by our appointed chef Woody! Wow that was super bacon supplied by Andrew and Vicky. Woody almost burnt his beard when the BBQ had a grease flare up and no one caught it on film! We had food left over which we shared with a family staying at the park in a tent and Patsy loaned a couple of jackets to a couple of their children as their clothes had gotten wet the night before in their tent. Oh how we do not miss those days of tenting in the rain! We sat about visiting for awhile then Rob and Vicky went on a drive around the country side.
When they arrived back the weather was looking better, there was some talk of going fishing (it never happened though), somehow visiting just seemed more important. Rob and Vicky had bought more food and some special items for each one of us, thank you guys that was very special. We missed another good picture of Fred toasting a marshmallow on a toothpick with his lighter, dang we didn’t see him roasting it and popped it in his mouth just too quickly! It was roasted to perfection.
Our dinner Saturday evening consisted of tender savoury, super size 4H steaks from Andrew, huge tasty venison burgers from Vicky, corn on the cob from Fred, potato salad and chilli from Woody and Patsy, deserts by Vicky and us. We all had our cameras ready but no flare up fire tonight.

The sun was finally shinning as we sat around the fire pit enjoying the camaraderie of friends, warmth of the fire and admired the big yellow ball in the sky! Woody and Andrew got involved playing catch with a young fellow and his Grandma; Andrew lasted longer than Woody LOL. Rob and Vicky presented us with the bellows that we used again this evening, they had not used it in years but we were so happy they gifted it to us. We will make good use of it and thanks so much Rob and Vicky.

Sunday’s brunch of hash browns, sausage and scrambled eggs was again prepared by Chef Woody; Patsy was on KP duty for the weekend which worked well. Needless to say we had lots of left over food; everyone took home some deer sausage and some of the food they brought. The weekend passed very quickly and a unanimous decision was made to do it again next year and hopefully add a couple more days on to the weekend.

Don't you just love the look that Rascal is giving Andrew, "I love you aren't you going to share?"

Woody, Fred, Rob and Vicky, Friday evening enjoying some BBQed sasauge that Fred brought.,

Woody cooking Saturday brunch!

Fred, Andrew, Patsy, Vicky and Rob. You can tell it is a little cool we all have jackets on!

Saturday dinner, mushrooms, steak, venison burgers, corn on the cob and there was also, potato salad, chili and deserts. Sure glad we had the big BBQ

We invited Lloyd, one of the campers as we had so much food, for Saturday dinner. He and Fred spent some time visitng.

Hanging out in the shelter, Patsy, Fred and Vicky.

Woody caught Fred off guard and gave him his signature greeting!

Woody, Fred, Vicky, Andrew and Rascal, you can just see Cookie by Vicky's feet. Vicky arrived with dog treats for all the fur friends.

Rob and Andrew Saturday evening.

Until next year guys, thanks for coming and making it such a special time!

Family Get-Together at Imrie Park

This weekend was very special most of our family gathered for a weekend of visiting, playing, eating and relaxing. The weather was a little cool with some rain but it did not dampen anyone's spirit. Deb arrived Thursday afternoon from Kelowna, BC, then Myrna &Gordon, Tracy, Keith and family, Michelle, Chris and family Jen and Alex, Dani, on Friday, Lori and son Cody, Brenda and Garry on Saturday to round out our group. There were a few missing but this is the first time we have gathered almost everyone so it was an awesome happening.
Friday evening after settling in, we enjoyed the time catching up on news, sitting around the fire, eating and relaxing. Saturday everyone did their own thing for brunch, we visited, Gordon, Garry and Cody set up the Bean Bag Toss game during the afternoon and later Woody joined in and played a game with some of the kids. Bean Bag Toss is a fun game, not easy to score but a game young and old can play and easy to set up and store. We gathered for a huge dinner, everyone contributing their favorite dishes (nothing better than potluck) using the shelter to cook and gather in as the weather was a little unsettled. Later we gathered around the general fire pit sharing stories of our lives since last we met.



Hanging out roasting wieners and marshmallows.

















Jennifer, Alex and Danielle made a grand entrance with water guns ablazing, what a hoot and so like them! Note Alex is driving, steering wheel on the right side!

They got a few of the gang wet!

Alex, Jennifer's boyfriend, goofing around!

Myrna and Gordor, Mryna is my best friend, we have known each other since we were 9 years old! She is and always has been my sister.

A feast, nothing like sharing food with friends and family.

Lori and Michelle sharing some stories!

Keith, Tracy and Gordon in the forefront, Garry in the background.

Gordon and grandson Cody playing Bean Bag Toss.

Chris and Keith relaxing in the sun.

Danielle on kitchen duty!

Jennifer, yeah she is really chopping wood, good at it also!

The cousins, Tracy, Lori, Michelle, Brenda and Deb, these pretty much grew up together but it has a been a long time since they all together. Lori is being her goofy self.

Had to post this picture with Deb's dog, Zoey, after all she is an important part of the family eh!

The grandchilren, Cody, Myrna and Gordon's grandson, Lindsey, Jennifer, Brooklyn, Danielle and Caitlin!

Garry and Brenda, Jen in the background, sitting around the general fire pit.

Caught in the act!

Our grandson Christopher graduated June 30th and this dog is a gift from Jennifer, Brooklyn checking it out. It was a neat gift, everyone could sign the dog and/or write anything they wished!

Topher is Christopher's nickname!




It was a marvellous weekend, the time passed so quickly as it always does when friends and family gather. We plan on doing it again next year! Thanks to all for coming and helping to create such fantastic memories!

Stay safe, healthy and happy until we meet again!

Tribute to our Dad

Today would have been my Dad's 93rd birthday, he passed away June, 2005 and I will remember and honour him here today.

Dad and Mom's 50th Anniversary,

Dad and Mom with daughter's and husbands,

Dieter, Patsy, Judith and Klaus (Woody)

Below daughters and grandchildren in 1998.



Dad's 82nd Birhday, Daughter Judith, grandchilren and great grandchildren.

82nd Birthday with Judith and me!

Easter 2004. This is a great picture of Dad, showing the twinkle in his eye and his wonderful smile.






Dad loved animals.

Christmas 04.

The tribute to our Dad that I gave at his funeral.

Our Dad, what can I say! Son, Son-in-law, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-grandfather, businessman and community worker, he had many roles in his life and handled them all with commitment, grace and much love. He was a very fair man, usually kind, gentle, steadfast and caring man. He earned respect and gave respect to most people he ever met in his long life. He cared for his wife, family and community with quiet strength and dedication. If I knew anything about this man that was our Dad, I knew I could always count on him to be there, follow through on commitments. I learned young in life that if Dad said yes or no to a question there was no convincing him with pleading, whining, or cajoling. I didn’t always agree with his responses but I grew to respect his decisions and it was so comforting to know that I could always count on him to be steadfast in his decisions.
Dad was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba June 7, 1916 and moved with his parents to Calgary, Alberta when he was a year old. He grew up in Calgary with his younger brother, Robert (Uncle Bob) as we knew him then eventually moved into the Edmonton area and out to Barrhead with his parents during the 1930’s. The depression was hard on his family as it was on everyone then. He took a part-time job on a farm to help out, this was a turning point in his life as it turned out that is where he met my Mom. He often talked about those days saying that is where he and Mom started working as a team and fell in love and they worked as a team from that day forward. They were only sixteen years old but he was hooked for life. He told us that Mom would come and stay at her Aunt Elsie’s on weekends, he would walk up the street to call on her with much trepidation because he found Aunt Elsie was in his words “a formidable figure of a women” and he was a little afraid Aunt Elsie would not let him in the door”. Obviously things went okay. Dad
They married August 7th, 1940 and continued their love affair for nearly 55 years. Dad served in the Air Force during the war and while in the forces he and Mom were blessed with the birth of two daughters, Judith and me. Returning when the war was over to purchase some farmland next to my Grandparents (Munstermans) next to the Pembina River in the Rossington area. He and Mom worked together on the farm for many years. Most winters Dad had to work out to support the farm, he suffered through floods and hail storms, those first few years were very tough. Dad finally decided he needed a full time job to support the family and farm so took a job in Barrhead as an Electrician (a trade he learned in the Services) at Don’s Electric and farmed on weekends and some weeknights to keep the farm going. My parents moved to Barrhead when I started Grade 1. Dad attended SAIT earning his Certificate of Refrigeration Mechanic and Radio Technician in 1954. Dad kept farming the land for a few years with some help from a good friend Jock Slaughter. I have many good memories of riding in the truck to the farm with him and Mom and of course I spent most of my time with my grandparents playing with cousins that would show up on the weekends while Dad and Mom did the work. I also have memories of having to work in the garden, pick berries, and pick debris off the fields after the land was flooded. Man did I hate those jobs! After a few years Dad decided that he and Mom couldn’t do both so he rented the farmland to a neighbor who in time purchased the farm.

Dad and Mom purchased Don’s Electric in 1955, they had worked together at Don’s Electric since 1950, renamed the business Betts’ Radio & T.V. later changing the name to AB Betts Refrigeration & T.V. Ltd. They worked together in that business until retirement in 1978. During the years Dad earned an Engineers Degree in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, a Certificate in Appliance Service and upgraded his Radio Technician Certificate. He and Mom built a new house in 1956 where he resided until Sept, 2001 (Mom passed away in 1995) when he decided that it was time to move into Hillcrest Lodge. This would allow more time for playing pool, golfing and bowling activities that he enjoyed. Dad belonged and worked for many community clubs, the Kinsmen Club, The Legion, The Chamber of Commerce just to name a few. He and Mom were also active in the United Church for a number of years. Dad always believed that you did not just join clubs you also committed yourself so always did his share of the work. He also supported the community as a whole with donations of time and money. He could be counted on to set up the sound system for the Hockey Games in the old arena and also the sound system for November 11th services for many years. Dad was always ready to help out his neighbor, friends or community in any way that he could. He led a very busy life!

I have so many good memories of my Dad it was hard to just pick out a few to share with you today. I leaned so much from my Dad, there is hardly a day that goes by that I do not find myself thinking you know I am lucky that Dad taught me this.

Dad, March 27, 2005, we love and miss you Dad but have many happy memories of our time shared together.

Patsy, Klaus (Woody) and family.

Onoway Heritage Days

Woody got up early this morning to head into Onoway and pick up a truck to haul the garbage to the dump for the park. When he arrived (around 7:00 am), the free pancake breakfast was in full swing and he ended up volunteering to help, scrambling eggs and mixing pancake batter. Onoway Fish and Game do the free breakfast as part of Heritage Days in Onoway an annual celebration. Last year they served around 300 breakfasts, pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausages. This year they ended up serving over 500 breakfasts. Woody had to go the store and buy more eggs as they were running out. A very large turn out considering the town has a population of just over 800 (2008 Stats). The breakfast is scheduled 7:00 am to 10:00 am and at 10:30, they closed the door. I has stayed home with our dogs, did some cleaning, never ending battle with wet dirty dogs coming in and out several times a day and while I was doing that, Dave came over to pay for his campsite and offered to take Oreo to play in the field, he even brought his Frisbee for Oreo to play with, of course Oreo said yes I will play with you!
Woody called at 10:50 am to say he was coming to pick me up so we could attend the parade, which started at 11:00 am. I had given up, thinking he was just not going make it back to pick me up, luckily I had just taken the dogs out, so I quickly got ready and was just putting on my shoes when Woody arrived. The parade was awesome for such a small town and lots of fun, very happy we went. Onoway Heritage Days goes on for 3 days, with many scheduled activities and events, including a slow pitch tournament, Mid Way, Band Concert, Street Market, Beer Gardens, Petting Zoo and other activities. This year they had a Special Salute to the Military, which we thought, was very appropriate. We ran into Michelle, Chris and Caitlin just as we were leaving the parking lot so stopped and had a very nice short visit with them. Michelle and Caitlin were supposed to be in the parade (The Onoway Elementary School float) but Caitlin was not feeling well enough for that. We headed back to the park, took the dogs out for a walk when we returned company arrived, so we sat outside for awhile until it got chilly and the rain clouds came, company left, we headed inside, had something to eat, I worked on the computer and Woody made a trip to the dump before he arrived back home Dave and Tina (campers here) came over for a visit, we all visited until dinner. During the evening, we watched TV.
If you are interested in learning more about Onoway, follow the link, Onoway is 4.3 miles (7 km) from Imrie Park.
http://www.albertafirst.com/profiles/statspack/20572.html

June 4 & 5th

Today is another cool cloudy day, no rain though; Woody mowed grass Thursday and accomplished more of the weed eating as well as other chores. I spent time working on the blog, cleaning out my email box and cleaning up our little home. I had planned to pick Caitlin up from school to visit with us as her Mom had a Staff Meeting to attend, after that, she would pick up Caitlin. Turned out that Caitlin was sick (poor girl) both Mom and Caitlin were stuck at home. During the evening we watched TV, I had enough of the computer, Woody chatted with some friends on HR for a time then settled in to watch TV with me.

June 5th turned out to be not a nice day at all weather wise, rainy and cold, it is 5:00 pm and the temperature is 41F 5C and of course damp. The rain we need as Alberta is almost in a drought condition so it is not all bad, just wish it would not get so cool when it rains. Okay enough whining about the weather eh!The group that had booked the campground cancelled and I did not expect any campers to show up at all this weekend with the rain and cool weather, (2 had booked yesterday) but a Motorhome just pulled in, now they must be true blue Albertans, weather be darned we will go anyway! Woody has just returned from town also, thought he would accomplish some errands as there is not much else he can do in this weather. A couple of more hardy campers turned up at the park after dinner, Dave and Tina and a young fellow who just wanted to spend the night. Spent the evening watching TV, and managed to walk the dogs between the rain showers.

New Deck

Last evening Woody built us a little deck by our front door, the ground is uneven with lots of sand and tree stumps so the deck is much better than the RV mat we had laid down, easier to keep clean and now no one is stumbling over the tree stumps, including us!
Today was a beautiful day, sunny and warm, Woody mowed grass at the park, lots of grass to mow and very slow going as the big field is very rough and he mowed some of the trails then built some new steps for the Wildlife Viewing shelter and installed them. We had visitors during the afternoon (Vic and Hazel) from Onoway Fish and Game. After dinner, the Onoway Fish and Game Youth Group came to the park to roast some wieners and do some projects. While the Youth Group were having their meeting and working on their projects the adults of the group visited with us, a very nice evening. It is great to see a group of young adults taking responsibility and completing projects with little adult supervision!

Quiet Day at Imrie Park

Wow the time is passing so fast, cannot believe it. It is a gorgeous day today, warm (68F 19C), sunny with a little breeze. Woody is at the gun range, mowing some grass and hanging up some new signage (his volunteer job). I am taking advantage of the time updating my blog, although I am debating with myself, maybe I should be outside enjoying the sunshine, suppose to cool off again tomorrow!

The park is empty, I have caught up on my paper work for us and the park and I feel that I am finally settling into life here. I really did not think it would be such an adjustment to come back home and settle in. Don’t get me wrong, I love being in the park and being close to family and friends, but little things like the cool weather, mosquitoes and the cost of laundry, groceries, etc., take some getting used too. It is funny when you live in the same province all of your life and just travel for a few weeks at a time it is no big deal but when you live somewhere else for 7 months and return it is really interesting how quickly one forgets the everyday little things in life. My reaction to the mosquito’s was “oh yeah forgot what a pain these beastly biting bugs can be”! That is not a big thing in the big picture of life it just amazed me that I was so totally surprised by seeing them, even though that while reorganizing some cupboards I had pulled out the bug spray and set it where it would be handy to grab when needed a couple of weeks ago. Ah well I shall go outside and enjoy the sunshine for awhile.
While outside I captured some pictures of our little dogs, the first pictures since Cookie (10 months old) got a major haircut and the first pictures of our new Lhasa Apso, Muffin who will 4 months old on June 8th.



Hard to see Muffin's face with her colouring, but she is cute. Our daughter Michelle commented on her colouring which is shades of brown, that women pay hundreds of dollars to dye their hair the shades of Muffin's natural coat. I hope to get better pictures that will show her beautiful brindle colouring.





Cookie and Muffin are becoming pals which is what we wanted to happen before Oreo goes to live with Caitlin.

Whatever one dog finds the other one wants, just like kids.

I think Muffin will be the leader, she is already stealing things from Cookie and as you can see wants to be first!

Basically Oreo, Cookie and Muffin get along very well and both little dogs try and keep up to Oreo!

Woody came home from the Gun Range, had a short break, some V8 juice and then headed to Timber Mart to .pick up lumber to rebuild the stairs at the Watchable Wild Life Shelter at the edge of Devil's Lake. The stairs are rotting away, not real safe anymore. The shelter is very nice really with benches and very large, one can watch ducks, etc. anytime of the day and see Deer and Moose if there early morning or late evening. He will also pick up some lumber to build us a small deck by the front door of our fifth wheel which will be easier to keep clean than our carpet. Onoway Fish and Game are treating us so well!

Now I am going to head outside and enjoy the sunshine with the dogs!

Busy day

An absolutely beautiful day today the predicted high is 79F 26c with some cloud and little wind, it is positively the warmest day since arriving home.
We had a group leaving this morning and another group arriving for the weekend. The park is very busy and that is good. The truck has a flat tire so Woody changed the tire and made a trip into Stony Plain to get it fixed, not a real good start to the day but better here than on the road. While in town Woody picked up some supplies for the park. I walked the dogs, did a little cleaning and spent time chatting with guests as they came to pay for their camping. Group we had during the week was awesome (a Good Sam group), they said they would be back next year as they love the park and thanked us for looking after them so well.
Well it did not reach the predicted high but at least it was nice 73F, sure cooled off this evening though 53F around 8:00 pm with humidty feels chilly, not just to us but some friends dropped over this evening and they complained how chilly it was! Hopeful the weather will warm up!

Getting back

Yikes it is nasty, rain mixed with snow and wind cold for us poor warm weather creatures, temps -2C and it is now 3:00 pm, will have at least 4 degrees of frost tonight! Woody had a Dentist appointment today and did some shopping and catching with friends in the area, while I have spent most of the day getting all the information/schedules for the park in order and doing some work on the blog. Many bookings already throughout the summer, many weekends are completely booked. The grass is greening up and the trees are starting to bud, all this week is not predicted to be very nice with some sun, clouds and showers, rain or snow depending on the temperatures! Tonight Woody attended the Onoway Fish and Game Association meeting and I continued working on the blog, man I am so far behind and blogging takes a lot of time, especially when I post pictures.

A Wonderful day

Sunday the family visited along with a couple of friends, the weather was great, we spent the afternoon catching up on news, sharing some stories and information from Arizona and being Mother’s Day I received very nice cards and gifts from the girls. Caitlin, our granddaughter shared the news that she was saving her money to buy a dog. She has wanted a dog for a long time and teased us while we were in AZ that she had some exciting news to share with us but would not tell us until we arrived home. I was very impressed that she stuck to her word and waited so long to tell us. Michelle and Chris had decided that the time would be right for Caitlin to have a dog. We had talked about offering Oreo to Caitlin when we got home as Oreo needs to run and play everyday and she just was not getting enough exercise with walking on a leash 4 or 5 times a day. Many RV parks have a fenced area for dogs to play off leash but they are not large enough for Oreo to run the way she loves to run. Woody talked privately to Chris and Michelle then made the offer to Caitlin. Caitlin was so excited; her eyes got big and gave us the biggest grin she could. She and Oreo have always had a special relationship and if anyone would care and love Oreo, she would be the one. Oreo also has always loved Chris so now they had a decision to make and told us they would talk it over as a family and if the answer were yes, they would not be able to take her until the first week of July. That was agreeable to us so now we will wait for the final decision. The day passed very quickly and we so enjoyed seeing our family and friends. I just cannot believe we did not take any pictures, guess we were caught up in the excitement and too busy just enjoying the moment!

Arrived home

Left Calgary today, arrived at Imrie Park around 2:00 pm, the weather was nice when we arrived and were greeted shortly after arriving by friends (Dave and Tina) who were staying at the park for the weekend and some members from Onoway Fish and Game. We parked and were finished setting up when a rain shower decided to visit us! Dave and Tina played, watered and walked the dogs while we were setting up! Thank you guys. Between rain showers, we attempted to set up our internet dish but had company coming and going all afternoon. All well there is always another day.

Casper, WY

Travelled to Casper, WY today staying at Ft. Casper Campground, along side the Platte River. Ft. Casper Campground is an old campground with narrow sites, not easy access and we damaged the truck box getting parked. We had to turn tight and found out the bottom of the fifth wheel hitch scratched the top of the truck box, oh well it is fixable, just another one of those learning experiences. The weather was nice when we arrived but the next day was cool with some rain. There was a group in tents, appeared to be maybe Boy Scouts or a church group, felt sorry for them trying to cook over the fire and accomplish other tasks in the cool wet weather, I remember the days of tenting, not as much fun in the inclement weather! Woody drove into Casper to do some shopping and fuel up the truck. We planned to do some sightseeing around Casper but the weather was not co-operative, there are hiking trails on Casper Mountain and historic sites to see, oh well maybe another trip could not even see Casper Mountain and we were very close to it. In between rain showers, we walked the dogs and mostly watched TV. The museum, which is in Ft. Casper, was not open, guess it is a little early for tourists here. This a pretty area, with the River and mountains close, vegetation is turning green and much prettier that when we travelled through this are in the fall. We have not taken many pictures along the way as the weather has not been favourable, from Pueblo to here, but at least we have not had to set up or take down in rain. We have seen lots of snow in the ditches, in the valleys and on the hills and mountains left over from the 2-5’ dump they had a couple of weeks ago. We are sure happy we decided to extend our stay in AZ The dogs are doing great, handling travelling like the troopers they are, happy to be “home” whenever and wherever we park and very excited to explore the area with all the new scents that surround them.