One of hubs’ brothers (Dan – the one hubs was closest to) passed this spring, shortly after we returned home from Texas.
Dan had purchased this loonie bank at a Ducks Unlimited event. The bank itself is a loon and the coin slot is made for loonies (Canada’s nickname for our dollar coin)
His kids gave this bank to hubs as a remembrance.
As I face the pending loss of one of my sisters, I look at the bank sitting on the ledge near my armchair and am reminded of hubs’ loss a few months ago.
Our daughter was raised in a small town until she was five, and following that, in a small prairie city.
The only exposure she ever had to farm life was during her first five years when hubs would help my aunt and uncle with harvest on their south Saskatchewan grain farm, and I’d take her out to visit for a few days.
After her first marriage ended, she held out on committing again for many years. Hubs often said to her, “Marry a farmer”.
Three years ago, she took her dad up on his suggestion and married a grain farmer. She has embraced the lifestyle and is the most content and happiest that we’ve ever seen her.
Last week, we drove up for a visit and it was the perfect time to be there.
Harvest was finally in full swing and our daughter was driving grain cart for the first time ever. She had recently resigned from her full time day job in order to become more involved in the farming operation.
Hubs’ younger years (until he was 13) revolved around farming. After his dad sold the family farm, hubs had a few years in his adult life where he was able to help friends and family at seeding and harvest time.
His thrill last week was being able to climb up into the tractor with our daughter and make a few rounds.
My thrill was seeing the two of them together doing what they both love.
My other thrill was using my new 240mm mobile tele lens for iPhone to get some shots of harvest in progress without me having to venture into the fields.
My feature photo is of our daughter bringing the tractor and grain cart to pick up her dad. I was a good distance away for that shot, as I was for these:
Barley from grain cart to truck Our girl The older combine Hubs climbing into the tractor Unloading the combine to the grain cartShe’s completely focusedOur son in law driving one of the grain trucksGrain truck being loaded from the grain cart
After hubs had his turn, I hopped in. My first time ever in a tractor! That’s an unusual statement from a small town prairie gal in her 73rd year.
I didn’t have the 240mm lens with me for my ride and that was ok because I was close enough to the action when I was in the tractor.
Our girl in her glory inside the tractor A typical nighttime scene in Saskatchewan at harvest timeAnother shot of the grain being augered
Mom moved out of assisted living to her own apartment after Dad passed, and is doing extremely well at being independent again.
Her memory is sharp, she maintains a great sense of humour, and is involved in many of the activities in her seniors apartment building.
Mom makes her own meals, does her own laundry, makes her bed and does her own light housekeeping.
She’s techy – in her nest around her chair is a laptop that she uses to do her banking, an e-reader, an iPhone, and an iPad and she tries to troubleshoot device issues on her own before asking for help.
She still plays her 12 string guitar and sings beautifully.
We’re very blessed to have our mom in excellent health in both body and mind. Aside from using a walker due to some lower extremity neuropathy, she’s determined to stay fit, to the point of being sure to log over 3,000 steps daily.
Recently, I read a post by Bernie at Equipoise Life about activities with her grandkids.
I was immediately reminded of the same things I enjoyed with our two grands who are now active, successful, and busy adults.
My advice to anyone reading this: If you have small grandkids, savour every minute you can get with them. You’re not only building memories to last them a lifetime. You’re making memories for yourself that you’ll cherish for the rest of your days.
The days of making annual Easter Bonnets and colouring eggs together (among so many other activities) are long gone, but the memories live on.
On the August (Saskatchewan Day) long weekend, two of my sisters (the third one was feeling unwell, so unable to join us) and I attended the third annual Tomato Festival, sponsored by the Regina Farmers Market group.
A pit stop before the event. We wore matching shirts decorated with tomatoes
This was the first time any of us had attended the event and we decided it won’t be the last.
There were over seventy vendors, most selling freshly picked garden produce. There were others with everything from jewelry made from silver spoons, to honey, to baking – if it was home made or hand made, it was there.
One of many vendors selling the stars of the show My sis next in age to meMy baby sis Moi – The eldest and the shortest
One vendor had some cute signs for his produce:
They were plump and sweetSome of his beans were in a crock pot
The event was held in the stunning Queen Mary II Flower Gardens, adjacent to our province’s legislative building. Although I’ve been there many times, I’ve never had a photo of myself there. Now I do.
The day was forecast to be extremely hot, so we were there when the festival opened and finished our shopping by the end of the morning.
I purchased all of the ingredients I needed for the borscht (beet soup) that I make every summer for our mom. It’s her favourite soup, and we arrived home early enough for me to get the borscht made in my Instant Pot.
A healthy haulEverything is washed and ready Chopped just the right size Borscht, accompanied by whole wheat sourdough bread that I also bought at Tomato Fest
