A Little of This and a Lot of That

This afternoon casts gentle hints that we may be coming 

to the end of our incredible Indian Summer weather.

There is a faint chill in the air that wasn't there this morning when I 

was out being diligent in the garden,

moving great clumps of coreopsis and rudbeckia 

and planting in their place lilies and spring bulbs

The week has flown by, each day dawning with the crispness of fall

and then, by noon, warming the valley with wild, rich

colours, blue sky and sunshine.

On Wednesday I spoke with a gentleman in India

(who had called me on behalf of Telus)

and he informed me it was 29C there in the city where he lived.

We were only a little behind, - on my front porch

the thermometer read 26C.

As a result of this call my daughter and I are going to have an

encounter with Smart Phones!!!!

For Charles and I a little minimum flip phone was adequate,

and my daughter took over her Dad's phone when he left,

so she could keep track of me.

Now that we are into a new contract time  I took the plunge, and ordered a

clever phone that does all sorts of amazing things, hoping that she

would be happy with this new challenge.

These men from India who work for Telus have a way about them

that is quite encouraging........

A week ago, at this time, we were just arriving in Langley and 

transferring luggage into the Motel.

We had arrived after traveling the Coquihalla, a high pass

across the mountains that I first encountered on a train when

I was taking our first born to the hospital in Vancouver.

In the middle of winter.  When the snow frequently halted one's train journey

at the height of the pass, as it did at that time!

This time I was traveling with the same first born and his wife,

but times were not as fraught and I was able to relax

and take some wonderful pictures of this high country.

We came home along the Hope Princton Highway, where the scenery was 

equally as spectacular and brought back so many memories of the times

Charles and I traveled this road in early October to attend School Board conferences.

We stopped for a break at the spot where the Dewney Trail touches the Rest Area

Lovely quiet woods

and then off to travel the Old Hedley Road leaving Princton

It is so beautiful along this back road as it winds along the water

but unfortunately we ran out of memory on the camera, and the card we had

purchased at Langley was too small and rattled around in the camera,

so we just relaxed and enjoyed the wonderful, familiar drive.

Besides talking to the 'man from India' on Wednesday I made
a really humungous and delicious stew,
so the next day I stashed away a dozen small beef pies in
the freezer, and I'm going to have one for supper!

And it's just about time....certainly time for Happy Hour.

I leave you with one last gorgeous picture that arrived in my mail box today.

M is for Memorial

ABC Wednesday
October 8th, 2014

The letter is M, for Memorial

I have just returned from New Westminster where I attended

the unveiling of this poignant statue

commissioned by the City of New Westminster in memory of

the thousand men from the Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles

who marched down Columbia Street on the 1st of October,1940, 

on their way to embark to Nanaimo for winter training

and thence overseas for five long years.

Claude Dettloff, a news photographer, captured 

the march in an iconic picture that became

famous all through North America, and from which the artists,

fashioned the sculpture.

            

It was a wonderful and rather emotional experience.

First came the pipers and the drums.....

Then the dignitaries, 

 and the servicemen, who valiantly remained standing without a twitch

all through the speeches and presentations

the small boy, now eighty, was present with his grandchildren

and helped to unveil the statue

 

 The artists, working on the project

My husband's two brothers marched that day in 1940 with the Regiment.

Neither of them returned to the hills of home

and sleep in Canadian War Cemeteries in France and Holland.

Here is Tom, second behind the 'Daddy"

Gordon is a few rows behind, and in the adjoining file, not visible.

Tom's daughter was there on Saturday, and I was accompanied by family -

it was a time of poignancy and pride among a wonderful gathering

of young and old.

Have you seen this picture?  It hangs in our living room, a gift to

Charles from some of the children.  Greatly cherished.

For more interesting Ms visit here at ABC Wednesday, with

Many thanks to Roger, Denise and Multiple helpers.