Heading South

Most of our summer was spent at Bill’s place on the prairie near Vulcan, Alberta.  All though it was hotter, drier and smokier than I’ve seen it in the past five years I have been going there, it is one of my favorite places!

However, it was made even more wonderful by all the visitors we had….The Clarks are always welcome guests…

Bonnie and Darren

as well as Chuck and his crew.

And once again, we had to help Dennis and Donna get up the hill and back on the road again, ha-ha!

Our summer isn’t perfect without a visit from the Brainiacs…Bill’s Goddaughter and her wonderful friends.  We always learn something new from them!  (Brenda’s method of picking who does dishes dealing poker hands)

This year was also special because of new visitors to Little Bow…

Ben and Lucy, off the boat Georgia, swung by for a few days….You don’t want to miss Vulcan and the Starship Enterprise!

Bill getting wise advice from veteran sailor, Ben.

Vince, Gail, and Blue also pulled their trailer from San Diego and we enjoyed a few glorious days at Little Bow as well as in Canmore!

Bill got some BBQ tips from many of our visitors, especially Vince!

Sadly, the smoke in Canmore made it hard to really appreciate the beauty of the mountains!

What a great visit we had!

Bill has an unwritten rule for visitors of Little Bow, 2 hours of work a day.  No one is really held to it except maybe me.

One of the issues this year was beavers…so it was my job to wrap the trees so they couldn’t chew them down any further.  We’ll see how they weather the winter and next summer.

Beaver Dam

Don getting ready to do whatever Bill needs…

Randy readying the horseshoe pit for upcoming competitions…

Robert advising on the move of propane tanks, with input from Aron.

Dennis helping get the pump ready to put into the lake to pump water up for the waterslide.

The tall, lean Brainiacs helping Bill untangle his flag and raise the pole again!

My major project was repainting the outhouse, which has now become the “White House”

We renamed it after I did a prime coat on her…

and we upgraded her by giving her a new roof and painting the inside with a gold toilet seat and painted rugs around.

We also gathered with some of Bill’s old friends and relatives at the 50th anniversary of his car club…

And joined the 2nd annual golf tourney at Craig’s Bar….

A couple of years ago they erected a wind farm near by.  It is hard to really conceive of the size of the blades when they are upright…

But our favorite pastime is floating on the raft, enjoying the lake.

Each morning as the summer neared it’s end, I would see the geese fly south, and found it was time for me to do the same.  I packed up and headed to Kalispell, Montana looking forward to driving through Glacier park.  Sadly, it was very, very smokey and hard to take it all in.  But once at Karen’s, in Kalispell, we did the best we could to enjoy outdoors…

Always a great time with Karen!!!!

At the end of September, I met Bill in Boston again to visit with my daughter, Whitney, her husband, Jason, and my funny little Kennedy.We were on the go, visiting Portland, Maine…

picking apples…

and, of course, eating lobster!!!!!

It wouldn’t be Boston without taking in a Blue Jays/Red Sox game…

(most of us enjoyed it)with Cousin Claire.  Kennedy did cheer up once inside Fenway Park, but who wouldn’t?

Thankfully, Jason has heard of Bill’s two-hours of work requirement and got it out of Bill…(checking for termites)

Once again a great visit with the Cardosi’s, can’t wait to go back!

Now I am enjoying the beautiful colors in Park City and getting in a few last games of golf before we continue south to a new season on Sol Seeker!!!!