Well here it is August 31 - the end of Summer!
The leaves are turning already and the geese are flying - seems early but it is happening.
People have been asking me - How Was Your Summer?
My standard answer has been "it's summer, nothing special, just going along." I think because we tend to think of summer in terms of weather. Our weather has not been the best summer we ever had.
But I took stock today of the last few weeks and regardless of the weather, it has been anything but - 'just going along'.
We branched out with our wood working and met some amazing people in business who were willing to help us and partner with us - they did not have to but they are taking a chance on us and we are so thankful.
I got to ride along with my husband - in dump trucks - something I have not been able to do before because I was working. It really was quite fun!
Miraculously - my son had his wrist surgically rebuilt. They took pieces from another part of his arm and rebuilt his wrist so he would still be able to use his wrist and hand - pretty well amazing what Doctors can do now and we are thankful.
Grande Prairie and area has had its fair share of huge amount of thunder storms complete with hail, deluging rain and crops and gardens ripped open. I drove through the countryside a few times this week - crops are looking good - a few downed areas but they are looking good.
I spent a "girls" day at the beach in Slave Lake and got thoroughly sun burned but it was worth it.
I got to drive through a horrific downpour elevated in a dump truck and lived to tell the tale!
View from the windshield of the dump truck
I got to meet a couple of brand new little people - just brought into the world.
I floated down the river with one of my favorite gal pals and relaxed and laughed.
I ate a good amount of ice cream.
Journeyed up to Dunvegan and picked strawberries with a friend - and ate more ice cream!
I took my lovely Martha (87) out Saskatoon berry picking and proceeded to get so many mosquito bites my legs swelled but I got to spend special time with Martha.
Then Grande Prairie flooded - huge devastation water 3-4 feet high in some places and no one got hurt, homes and buildings did but not people.
Gardens all over the Peace Country are producing bumper crops of raspberries, apples, strawberries, beans and other veggies. I made raspberry, strawberry and peach jam.
I am watching daily as my one lone pumpkin grows bigger each day - thankful that my dogs don't eat pumpkin like they do all the other fruits and veggies. Trust me we have had to barricade the garden area off from them - they see the garden as their own personal smorgasbord of fruits and veggies.
I got to relax this summer as opposed to other summers where rushing and working was the norm and I loved it!
As I look back over the past couple months - I can thankfully say - "my summer was awesome!"