It was a fun weekend!

On Friday, June 29th, we travelled three and a half hours to my daughter, Christine, and her family’s home. My son Adam turns 30 on July 6th but we celebrated his birthday, at Christine’s, on Friday. 

Adam currently rents a basement suite but he just bought his first home! He was given the keys to his house on Friday. After our birthday party dinner on Friday night, several of us piled into four vehicles and drove the half hour to see Adam’s new place. It’s on the outskirts of a hamlet on a large lot with plenty of trees. There’s a nice wooden gazebo on the front lawn. It feels like you’re in the country and I love it!

Adam moved in on Sunday and Anna will move in after they are married. Adam and Anna haven’t set a wedding date but since they want a simple, inexpensive wedding and will be married in the church they attend regularly. I think they will be married before the year is over.

On Saturday, June 30th, we attended my granddaughter, Ashley’s, high school graduation, followed by a backyard barbeque party at my daughter’s home. Ashley earned several scholastic awards, shown here here with the help of her siblings. These awards are: Chemistry 30 Honors, English 30-1 Honors, Social Studies 30-1 Honors, Mathematics 30-Pure Honors, and Grade 12 Overall Academic Award (highest overall mark of grade 12 students in her school). I am a proud Grandma!

Ashley is going to come to live with us in the city in the fall! She is registered to attend bible school and will make future plans sometime before next spring. She may continue her bible school studies but she is also considering becoming a high school teacher. If that’s what Ashley decides to do, she will transfer to university next year.

On Sunday morning, we started our drive back home. We stopped for an overnight visit at my sister, Marilyn’s, who lives along the way. Marilyn and her hubby live in the country ~ and I so love the country. Marilyn always plants a huge garden – it’s her pride and joy. Almost as soon as I was out of the vehicle, I was taking pictures of her beautiful garden.

It’s hard to get a picture of Marilyn’s full garden because it’s so large. The “Welcome to my Garden” sign is near the left pole in the background of this picture.

It wasn’t more than half an hour after we arrived at Marilyn’s when one of the worst storms I’ve ever witnessed swept through the area. 

By the time I thought to take a picture, the storm was almost over. The worst of it was scary – so bad that we were afraid we may see, or be swept up by, a tornado. I was thankful that we had arrived and hadn’t been caught in the storm in the vehicle on the highway.

High winds knocked over a lot of big, heavy things in Marilyn’s yard; however, even though her garden took a beating, it bounced back. The corn may have been ruined but Marilyn spent a few hours, early the next morning, pushing the plants back up and into the ground while the soil was still soft with moisture.

Little Bear loves to swim. We had good weather on Monday so he was able to get in a few swims in Marilyn’s dugout. The other dog in the water is Marilyn’s dog, and Little Bear’s friend, Aylmer.

Ken was able to get in a little R&R (in one of Marilyn’s hammocks) before we headed back home a little later in the day.