Snow blowing!

Four days ago I sunburned my face in Ecuador. Yesterday I used my snow blower for two hours to clear half the driveway...quite a change from +22 to -15 C.

Even more adventures in Ecuador

Travis and his family took us to a park in the center of Cuenca and we spent about two hours wandering through it. We saw all kinds of trees and flowers and in some places there were tunnels through the underbrush and extensive wooden walkways over water prone areas. It was an amazing park.

More adventures

Nov. 24 on Saturday we made a delicious chicken-vegetable soup (with about $100 of produce from a local farmer's market) and handed it out to 241 people at a local market. Even though it was cold and raining, the soup was gone in about 15 to 20 minutes.

More adventures

On Sunday Nov. 25 about 120 people showed up for service. I taught the adult Bible study on the topic of "Social Justice" while Travis interpreted, and then Mike did the sermon for the worship service while Travis interpreted. Travis was exhausted after service was over.

Ecuador trip Nov. 22 to Dec. 3, 2012

Jenny at the market helping us buy ingredients for making soup which we handed out on Saturday.

Bolo and Jenny Vasconez hosted our team and some friends on Friday, Nov. 23

 1.The family Basconez put on a meal for friends and for our team. They barbequed chicken and put on a great meal on Friday the second day we were in Cuenca.
2. Jenny Herera helped buy ingredients for soup. We boiled the chickens and chopped up the vegetables and on Saturday around 6:30 we took the two huge pots of soup to a central area near a market and handed out 241 bowls of nutritious soup.

Snow day

A snow day was a good time to finish a tiling job.

1980 Citizenship card

Ruth found her Citizenship card from 1980 (that she thought that she had lost) and I just had to post this. She doesn't like me posting her picture but I just couldn't help but share it.

Thanksgiving

All of my grandchildren decided to have a picture with me. Since it will soon be Ivan and Angela's birthday soon and we won't be there, we gave their birthday presents early. Angela got a wet suit so she can swim in the lake (next summer of course). Angela not only painted her front door, she is good at painting kids faces. And she braided Imogen's hair. We had a great visit with the Baggetts and the Koops in Ft. Qu'Appelle.

Abalo Teloungue and Irene David get married!

 Abalo Teloungue and Irene David in the conservatory wing of the Mendel Art Gallery. They were married in the park by the band-shell by the Bessborough Hotel October 6, 2012.

September activities

• I built another raised planter and all that is left now is to add the topsoil (which we just had delivered last Friday). 

• Comfort Brewer is learning to drive, and I am helping her practice before her driving test. 

• Dave Patterson took me flying again and I took a picture of Stan and Maxine Bell's home from the air and also one of our place from the air. 

• As I was cleaning out the garage, I found a couple of hand prints under a mat. I thought that if I show those two that I better include Angela's hand print which was outside the garage.

Fall harvest 2012

I like this time of year because of all the fresh fruits and vegetables that taste so much better than what one can get from the store. This is an orange bell pepper that Ruth grew from a seed. We have had asparagus, red and purple potatoes, yellow and green beans, peas, carrots, beets, kohlrabi, purple and green cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, beefsteak and Romaine tomatoes, onions, green pepper, parsnips, raspberries and corn is on the way. 

We have had a wonderfully busy summer.

1.   I added a pump and filter and solar heater to our pool and we had several warm days to enjoy it.
Isaac, Jennifer, John and Imogen Wallace
2. Isaac and Imogen enjoying lunch in the Jamaica room.
3. Elizabeth challenged me to a race at a church picnic which she lost!
4. Picnic
5. Elizabeth found someone else to race that she was able to beat. (Diane Waddell)
6. Ruth and I celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary.
7. Logan, Bernard and Alicia Krogsgaard were able to visit for a short time.

 8. New paved driveway.
9. and 10. Dinner party of 13.
11. Brandon, Ri and Jenge came out to our Friendspeak barbeque where 65 people attended.
12. Jeff McCallum  and Randy Orr at the Taylor barbeque and sendoff for Samuel.
13. Jeff
14. Nancy and 9 of her 10 grandchildren.