Today my news is posted here.
Our beautiful new picnic table made with love by Ryan's dad, Frank.
My first tulip in bloom!
Dear Non-Menno friends,Here is a website (make sure to pronounce the "w" in website like a "v") that will answer all your questions about who these crazy Mennonites are, and why they always talk about food (or maybe the website doesn't cover the Mennonite obsession with fatty foods). Please click on the link at the top of the page that reads "Who are the Mennonites". There are links along the right side of the page that will give you the Menno low-down.
This past week I accomplished another item off my "True Mennonite" list. To date, I have accomplished making buns from scratch, making cottage cheese perogies from scratch, perfecting my schmonte phat (cream gravy) recipe, and making amazing ginger snaps. A few things I have yet to stroke off the list are to make plume mousse (plum pudding), learn to knit/crochet, learn to quilt, make my dad's favourite Easter fruit/rice salad, make perishke (farmer sausage buns). Anyway, this week's accomplishment was homemade chicken noodle soup. It turned out great, and I threw in my grandma's homemade noodles to top it off!
I hung my first laundry on the line to dry this weekend - such a great feeling! I feel like a true Menno when I'm out there on my laundry stand hanging out the clothes to dry.
My daffodils are in full bloom now - they are such happy flowers - they make me smile.
A beautiful sun-shiny day!
Country Graphics still life.
The beautiful J-Lo has tagged me to do a 10 Simple Pleasures list. I think I can handle that... but I don't know if I can keep it to ten!
Heather's 10 Simple Pleasures
1. Hearing my hubby say "I love you".
2. Saturday mornings, with two cats and my hubby all cuddled in bed.
3. A new Dean Koontz book and a cup of tea (with milk and sugar).
4. Kraft Dinner and chicken fingers for supper.
5. Talking to my sister-in-law Ang on the phone.
6. Going to Morris for coffee.
7. Bubble baths in candlelight.
8. Taping The Amazing Race, and being able to fastforward the commercials.
9. Hanging my laundry outside to dry.
10. Seeing chick-a-dees at my bird feeder.
Cont'd...
11. My niece's laugh.
12. My nephew's scream!
13. Freshly shaved legs on clean sheets.
14. Barefeet!
15. A new CD to listen to while driving to the city.
I am going to tag Ang, A.Run, Lesa, and Erin for their 10 Simple Pleasures list. So, TAG - you're it!
Heather's 10 Simple Pleasures
1. Hearing my hubby say "I love you".
2. Saturday mornings, with two cats and my hubby all cuddled in bed.
3. A new Dean Koontz book and a cup of tea (with milk and sugar).
4. Kraft Dinner and chicken fingers for supper.
5. Talking to my sister-in-law Ang on the phone.
6. Going to Morris for coffee.
7. Bubble baths in candlelight.
8. Taping The Amazing Race, and being able to fastforward the commercials.
9. Hanging my laundry outside to dry.
10. Seeing chick-a-dees at my bird feeder.
Cont'd...
11. My niece's laugh.
12. My nephew's scream!
13. Freshly shaved legs on clean sheets.
14. Barefeet!
15. A new CD to listen to while driving to the city.
I am going to tag Ang, A.Run, Lesa, and Erin for their 10 Simple Pleasures list. So, TAG - you're it!
Do you ever get a shopping craving? Sometimes (to my husband's dismay) I just get a strong urge to have something NEW. It doesn't really matter what it is, although clothes are always great. Sometimes just a new toothbrush helps to curb the craving. Today is one of those days for me. I would just love to hop in my car, cruise to the city and hit the mall - and of course, with a never-ending credit line on the credit card. I wonder what it is about having something new that makes me crave it so? Am I that materialistic? Do I base my self-worth on the clothes I'm wearing? Why do I feel like I need to own something new? I'd like to hear your ideas on this one.
Where is the cat?
Welcome back! Did you have a good long weekend? What did you do to celebrate Easter?
On Good Friday Ryan and I went to the morning Communion service at our church, and my parents and my brother joined us. After church, we went into Winnipeg and had a buffet lunch at Aalto's with my dad's side of the family.
On Saturday we spent much of the day at home, just relaxing - and Ryan began preparing to leave for a business trip this week. We decided spur-of-the-moment to go into the city in the evening, and did some shopping, had dinner at McDick's and saw "The Inside Man".
Sunday morning we went to Springs Church with Ryan's parents, and had lunch at Perkins. We met up with my parents, and then headed to my aunt and uncle's home in St. Andrews for an Easter potluck dinner (I made Orzo fruit salad). So that was Easter weekend in a nutshell.
My hubby left me early this morning on a business trip for a couple of days. Yikes - home alone! I actually already miss him, as he is usually on MSN about now - saying good morning to me. But, he has to go for the good of his new company, so I will cheer him on, and hope he makes some sales.
On Good Friday Ryan and I went to the morning Communion service at our church, and my parents and my brother joined us. After church, we went into Winnipeg and had a buffet lunch at Aalto's with my dad's side of the family.
On Saturday we spent much of the day at home, just relaxing - and Ryan began preparing to leave for a business trip this week. We decided spur-of-the-moment to go into the city in the evening, and did some shopping, had dinner at McDick's and saw "The Inside Man".
Sunday morning we went to Springs Church with Ryan's parents, and had lunch at Perkins. We met up with my parents, and then headed to my aunt and uncle's home in St. Andrews for an Easter potluck dinner (I made Orzo fruit salad). So that was Easter weekend in a nutshell.
My hubby left me early this morning on a business trip for a couple of days. Yikes - home alone! I actually already miss him, as he is usually on MSN about now - saying good morning to me. But, he has to go for the good of his new company, so I will cheer him on, and hope he makes some sales.
Listen to the song below here.
HOW DEEP THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR US
HOW VAST BEYOND ALL MEASURE
THAT HE SHOULD GIVE HIS ONLY SON
TO MAKE A WRETCH HIS TREASURE
HOW GREAT THE PAIN OF SEARING LOSS
THE FATHER TURNS HIS FACE AWAY
AS WOUNDS WHICH MAR THE CHOSEN ONE
BRING ANY SONS TO GLORY
BEHOLD THE MAN UPON A CROSS
MY SIN UPON HIS SHOULDERS
ASHAMED I HEAR MY MOCKING VOICE
CALL OUT AMONG THE SCOFFERS
IT WAS MY SIN THAT HELD HIM THERE
UNTIL IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED
HIS DYING BREATH HAS BROUGHT ME LIFE
I KNOW THAT IT IS FINISHED
I WILL NOT BOAST IN ANYTHING
NO GIFTS, NO POWER, NO WISDOM
BUT I WILL BOAST IN JESUS CHRIST
HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
WHY SHOULD I GAIN FROM HIS REWARD
I CANNOT GIVE AN ANSWER
BUT THIS I KNOW WITH ALL MY HEART
HIS WOUNDS HAVE PAID MY RANSOM
Have a blessed Easter every one!
You asked for it, Manitoban spring thaw photos. So, here are the rabbit terds a-plenty littering the back yard.
Da back of our house.
Da back yard. Just beyond those tall evergreens is the house where my new neighbours Trevor & Rebekah will be moving!
It amazes me how quickly life emerges after the deep sleep of winter.
Tree lichen.
Feathers fill the porch after one of DJ's hunting sessions.
A lovely bouquet of tulips for Easter. (From the store).
Another weekend come and gone, and again, no photos to show for it. I guess I haven't taken many pics lately, because things around the house and yard are in that ugly, early Spring stage. There are thundershowers predicted for tomorrow, which I'm totally excited about! I love the first thundershower - and it cleans everything up so beautifully. I may take more pics after that - especially once the daffodils and tulips start to bloom. We were really blessed today with our weather - a lovely +18, with a predicted high of +20. My brother came biking to town in shorts, but he is a little braver than most. The wind still carries the cool air from the thawing ground.
There are definately some areas nearby that are experiencing flooding right now. I went on a scenic drive with my parents and brother on Sunday, and South of here towards the U.S. border. Some roads and highways are closed. One of the North bound lanes on the 75 was blocked off near St. Jean, with water lapping over the sides of the shoulder. Crazy! The water may go up as much as another 3 feet. The main highway out of Winnipeg is closed, with local access only. Thankfully here in town our floodway is doing it's job, and we have little to worry about, even with the river through our property.
On our drive we stopped in at an old antique shop in Emerson. There are lots of treasures there, with the classic Depression glass, to the hundreds of troll key chains. I did find a beautiful old rocking chair, in great shape. I seriously considered bringing it home, but Ryan felt that it may not be "structurally sound" enough for him to make use of. So, we'll wait on buying a rocking chair - and find one that works for him. The only other items of interest were some ancient looking toys, and a lovely chest of drawers - but the drawers hardly opened due to water damamge. I forgot my camera on this particular trip - hence the lack of photos.
The cats have been loving the warmer weather, and DJ has been experiencing the joy of all the birds having returned from the South. She has made it her daily routine to bring a live bird into our porch, chase it around a while and then devour it - leaving behind a fury of feathers for our clean-up enjoyment. Have you ever tried sweeping up feathers? A virtually impossible task. Very frustrating. But she is so proud of herself - and she feels she is slowly ridding the world of pesky chirping one bird at a time. On Friday we saw her half way up a tree after a woodpecker. Good luck DJ.
For the most part our yard upstood another winter fairly well. This year was milder, so the deer left our cedars alone. There is a lot of rabbit poo around though, but a good thundershower will help to take care of that. Ryan spent a good part of Saturday afternoon out in the sun, cleaning out the garage, collecting garbage out of the trees and sweeping off the driveway. What an improvement! It looks so nice! I can't wait to get out there into the dirt and start planting. I am hoping to plant a tree for Baby Plett this summer, and get my mom (Mrs. Green Thumb) to help me with a landscape plan for around the perimeter of the house. I thought I could do it alone, but I lack her vision for plants and perennials. And my green thumb must have fallen off in the womb.
There are definately some areas nearby that are experiencing flooding right now. I went on a scenic drive with my parents and brother on Sunday, and South of here towards the U.S. border. Some roads and highways are closed. One of the North bound lanes on the 75 was blocked off near St. Jean, with water lapping over the sides of the shoulder. Crazy! The water may go up as much as another 3 feet. The main highway out of Winnipeg is closed, with local access only. Thankfully here in town our floodway is doing it's job, and we have little to worry about, even with the river through our property.
On our drive we stopped in at an old antique shop in Emerson. There are lots of treasures there, with the classic Depression glass, to the hundreds of troll key chains. I did find a beautiful old rocking chair, in great shape. I seriously considered bringing it home, but Ryan felt that it may not be "structurally sound" enough for him to make use of. So, we'll wait on buying a rocking chair - and find one that works for him. The only other items of interest were some ancient looking toys, and a lovely chest of drawers - but the drawers hardly opened due to water damamge. I forgot my camera on this particular trip - hence the lack of photos.
The cats have been loving the warmer weather, and DJ has been experiencing the joy of all the birds having returned from the South. She has made it her daily routine to bring a live bird into our porch, chase it around a while and then devour it - leaving behind a fury of feathers for our clean-up enjoyment. Have you ever tried sweeping up feathers? A virtually impossible task. Very frustrating. But she is so proud of herself - and she feels she is slowly ridding the world of pesky chirping one bird at a time. On Friday we saw her half way up a tree after a woodpecker. Good luck DJ.
For the most part our yard upstood another winter fairly well. This year was milder, so the deer left our cedars alone. There is a lot of rabbit poo around though, but a good thundershower will help to take care of that. Ryan spent a good part of Saturday afternoon out in the sun, cleaning out the garage, collecting garbage out of the trees and sweeping off the driveway. What an improvement! It looks so nice! I can't wait to get out there into the dirt and start planting. I am hoping to plant a tree for Baby Plett this summer, and get my mom (Mrs. Green Thumb) to help me with a landscape plan for around the perimeter of the house. I thought I could do it alone, but I lack her vision for plants and perennials. And my green thumb must have fallen off in the womb.
Woohoo! We hit a scorching 13C (55F) today! We are apparently supposed to expect 1996 flood levels this year, but I don't really think we need to worry. Our new floodway system should keep us high and dry.
This weekend Ryan and I had the privilege to see Deep Sea 3D at the IMAX Theatre. I was completely amazed! It far, far exceeded my expectations. I have never been to a 3D movie, but I have seen a 3D Viewmaster (with cardboard glasses with a red lens and a blue lens). I assumed that we would get a similar pair of glasses, and that only certain parts of the film would "come out" at us. Not the case whatsoever! We all got a pair of high-tech sunglasses, and every aspect and detail of the film was 3D! At one point it felt like jellyfish were swimming up my nose. It was incredible. If you can get to am IMAX theatre, it is definately worth the $8. Go see it!
My daffodils and tulips are well on their way! Yay for Spring!
