<------- Behold the Tin Man, guardian to the (temporary) Land of OZ. He sits at the front door, welcoming all ....isn't he cute!?! Yes I have been scrounging in the (many) sheds...that is... barns... & have found an Alladin's cave of bits of machinery etc......Just gotta ask Ralph (Jan's Dad) which bits I can use to make my junk sculptures ! Its an amazingly beautiful day today....sunny, cold & snow showers! The sight of snow falling (flurries) while the sun is out is incredible. Ok...Groundhog Day....its real & not a figment of Disney! Its celebrated with food & hot chocolate, on Feb 2nd & comes from (one theory) German settlers in Pennsylvania in 1841, where if the groundhog comes out, sees its shadow, scurries back....six more weeks of winter. If not, spring is on the way! There are lots of other origin theories....check out wikipedia if you need more info!?! Alberta's groundhog is called Balzac Billy, but each state/province have their own.....the most famous of course being Punxsutaweny Phil from Pennsylvania. Crackin! Other Canadian groundhogs are Wiarton Willie from Ontario and Shubenacadie Sam from Nova Scotia. Gotta love the silliness of it !!! |
Last weekend we were invited to a "weiner roast" ....(sausage sizzle) at the Simmonds/Koebbel household in Clandonald......it was brilliant! How could it not be? Sitting at the edge of a big frozen lake ~ fire, ice skating, tubbing (being dragged behind a quad vehicle while sitting on a round plastic tub), cross country skiing, sausages /weiners, beverages, laughs, grand company..........heaven!
Thankyou to Jodi, Rob, Anita, Bailey, Jill, Zac for looking after us xxxxxxx We are still pinching ourselves at the magnificent beauty of Canada. As we were packing up.....sun going down...full moon coming up....coyotes calling.....are we really here? The girls & I went curling again yesterday. No style & all substance us Australians! We keep sliding the "rock" through the target...too much oomph!?! Its still fun though.....as Till says...."this game is so random, its beautiful!". We are all getting fairly settled in now....Vin & the girls in school .....and me the back up! Every band needs a good roadie?! Speaking of which......Till is moving along with her guitar, guided beautifully by Vin. After our raid on Ralph's music emporium.....I have a trumpet sitting waiting for me (Thanks Ralph x).....couldn't get a noise from his saxaphone, so have decided to start with the "flumpet". Lucky we don't have any close neighbours!!! |
The F & Y barn....ok I know its really the Feenstra's brand, but I like to think of it as the F & Y barn.....Frank & Yvonne x |