Tid Bits

It is high time for a new post. I am feeling a little like spring today as it is lovely out.

These orchids are native to Manitoba along with many others. We were quite surprised about how many native orchids can be found in our Provence. We didn't see any of the others at the orchid show that we know of. The grower of these said that they are quite hard to grow in pots and force to bloom for the right time of the show.

Another person who was promoting the MB search for orchids had a big chart of pictures of the various types that can be found in MB. Hikes are sponsored by this group to go looking for the orchids - you need to be a member.

I thought on such a nice day I should clean my oven - for some reason the self-clean program doesn't want to work so I just cleaned up the worst part with a wet cloth and scrubbed the racks. Forget the "self-clean" - blah!

Not much is growing in my garden yet as it has been far too cool so far. No daffodils or tulips or apple blossoms yet.

Van "Eating" Culinary School

April 10 - Baking 101 - Instructor P. V.E. - student B. V. E. - Recipes of the day - Chocolate Chip Cookies - Fudge




The photographer arrived after the lesson was under way so missed the steps of mixing the dough.




























Tasting the fudge.

More of the 50th. celebration pitures. This is the best one of Bob & Marilyn that I have.





This is Janet & Steve's home- very large on a very large lot. They need it with their 8 kids and number nine on the way.




My brother Jim chatting with one of Doris' daughter-in-laws.










B. & M.'s daughters Valerie and Janet visiting their aunt Bernedette ( in the green)

The 50 Year Celebrastion

Robert & Marilyn R. celebrated their 50th. wedding anniversary on April 5, 2008 in the home of one of their daughters in Overland Park, KS. Robert (Bob to most of us) is my cousin on my Mother's side of the family. ( My memories of the day they were married are mostly associated with the fact that it was a very windy day and night and the home where my family stayed rattled considerably from the constant onslaught of the wind.) This day of their 50th. celebration was a lovely spring day and the home was rattling mostly from the many visitors and grandchildren.


















Myrna & Jean have a visit with cousin Ernie.





The grandkids helping themselves to the eats.










B. & M.'s daughter Wendy with a friend (in red) and B. & M.'s niece by marriage, Trudy.








Daughter Karen taking pictures of the occasion.









My brother, John with cousins Vicky & Diane.














Four of B. & M.'s granddaughters.

More pictures on the next post.

More of our visit to Lincoln

We spent Friday April 4 with Pat and John. After supper Matt & Sarah brought all their kids over to see their Grandpa. we got some pictures of the three oldest boys, the youngest girl, and the new baby boy. Somehow we missed the girl that fits in just ahead of the one pictured.

John's brother and sister-in-law were also visiting during the day.

Southward Bound

This is the first installment of our trip to the U.S. - April 3 to 11, 2008

The trip was uneventful and the weather was very nice on that early spring day. These pictures were taken at an information/rest stop at Sioux City, Iowa. It was about five in the afternoon so the old ship -information place was closed. We walked around on the deck of this old boat this along the side of the Missouri River.

We arrived in Lincoln, NE about 8:15 pm. about 12 hours after we left home.

Packing Party

On Tuesday evening, April 1, ten of the folks from our chapel got together in our basement to pack parcels to send to Zambia.

Helmut had to finish hemming a few receiving blankets in order to complete a few more baby kits.


Here are several views of the sisters packing the boxes.

















































When the boxes are full they are carried by the men or boys to the workshop where the men seal, address and weigh them.









Then they are carried to the bedroom and stacked.








Later David tallied up all the weight. We had 43 boxes with a total weight of over 1800 pounds.







Then we all went upstairs and had a good snack furnished by four of the sisters.

After the snack, Helmut, Oscar & Michael loaded our van.

Today we drove the load to Jeffries Vegetable Growers and some of the employees helped Helmut unload it.

FINISHED for another 5 or 6 months.