MIXED EMOTIONS

Robert and i did a road trip 2 summers ago and this is in Writing on Stone Provincial Park in Southeast Alberta.

That same road trip only this time in Waterton Lake National Park. He loves to hike and he dragged up and down so many trails. I would do it again in a heart beat. We actually hiked into British Columbia on one of our hikes.

He and his sister Angela (DVM2012) and the dog on the nature hike to McGilverary Falls in the Whiteshell in Southeastern Manitoba


This is in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. No matter where he goes, he experiences the true natural side of the country

Snowmobiling in Whiteshell, Manitoba. One of his passions.


After all that hiking and stuff, one must relax and keep up the fluids. This is on one of the family trips to Cuba.




These last picturs are from different summers spent in the northwest portion of Alberta, working in bush camps etc.

As mentioned in an earlier blog, my son Robert, the oldest of my three children has moved away from home and started his future in Hanna Alberta. He starts his new job tomorrow with Tera Environmental Consulting. I am very happy and proud of him but also a bit sad. As parents, we enter into parenthood not knowing what our children will be like. What kind of person they will become. We spend our days, teaching, guiding, disciplining, and hoping that they will grow up to be good people,with good values, kind hearts and someone others will admire. Whether we are parents, grand parents, aunts, uncles or friends, we all have an input into how the children we are involved with turn out. My son has always loved animals, nature, the environment. Ever since he was a young boy he wanted to be a forest ranger. He could spend hours playing in the grass with his dinosaurs or animal figurines. He graduated this past April, with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Conservation sciences,majoring in Conservation Biology and Rangeland Management. He has spent the last few summers working with different organizations, living in bush camps, trailers or whatever but always out in the bush, studying trees, grasses, weeds, etc. doing what he loves best. These jobs were always just for the four summer months and he always came back in September for school. He is now entering a new phase of his life; starting his career. It's only 3 and a half hours from home, but it feels like another continent. I'm proud of him and know that his dad and I did a great job in preparing him to start on his own journey. Here are a few picutes of him over the years, doing what he loves best.
As a mom, I guess I am worried, will he eat right, can he look after himself, and then part of me is saying It's about time, I've done all I can. Time for him to, as his Aunt Sherry says, "Let go of the rope". Thanks Sherry for helping to raise such a fine young man. I think we've done good. Now it is up to him. Good luck Rob.

IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN AND ALREADY

The new year has just begun and already the first month is almost in the history books. What a month it has been. Alot of stuff; good and bad happened this month. Where to start? I guess at the beginning. After a great Christmas, started the year at Fv's sisters for New Years Eve. A quiet affair but a nice visit. Started the vehicles at 11:55 and on the strike of 12, had our champagne, hugs and kisses and all headed off to bed. Great partiers that we are. Angela went back to Saskatoon and son Robert anxiously waited to hear back from a great employment opportunity. He got the call and is heading down to Hanna, Alberta to take a position with Tera Environmental as a Vegetation specialist in three days. This is exactly what he took in university for four years and is very excited. Was suppose to spend the first 3 or 4 days in Calgary for orientation etc. but received an email this week that it will be only 1 day and then into the field. He is very excited about getting back into the field. Not much snow there, very very dry area. So now we have two that have left the nest. Just leaves the youngest at home technically, although we don't see her much with University, extra curricular activities and the social life. She is thinking of heading east to Manitoba for school in the fall. Don't know if I'm ready to have all three gone. The house is already feeling empty. Thank god we have Rosie, our golden retreiver, gives us something to care for.

After loosing my mom over a year ago, I have been looking for something that I could get that would help keep her in my heart and thoughts. We grew up with a wind up mantle chime clock. The Big Ben chime. Now this clock was really loud but we grew used to it and it never kept us up. Well I found one very similar to it. It is not a wind up but a quartz. German made, the same colour, chime and almost the same shape. This one has a night time quiet switch and a volume control so it doesn't disturb anyone's sleep. It chimes every 1/4 hour and then the full hour count on the hour. I love it. Makes me feel good and reminds me of my mom. It is chiming now as I type this. It's funny how certain things from your past can mean so much in the present.

The weather turned from bitterly cold to melting which made the ability to ride my horses pretty impossible. When I did get a chance, all I got was APPYTUDE from my young mare. Going great until a bird flew out of the bush and that was all she needed to end the day. Just put on those appy brakes and there was no way she was going forward. Did manage to get her to some things that I wanted, thanks to FV so we ended the day on a good note. She is a sweetheart of a mare, very loving and gentle, never bucks or anything but boy when she brings forth her stubborn streak, the thighs and legs get quite a work out. I was pretty stiff the next day. Felt as if I had been riding for a week straight.

Angela was home this weekend for a couple of job interviews for the summer. We tried to go for a ride on Sunday, but Blue was pretty sore. We thought maybe just stiff from not going out for awhile, but the longer we went the worse he got. I think it is his shoulder again and am having Sherry contact Kevin to see if he can come check him out again. He was doing really good. The wind was really cold anyway so we would have turned around shortly after that anyway. Angela has the plaque so was quite under the weather for the most part.

Spent as much time at the farm on the weekend as I could. Helped muck out stalls, Ivomeck the cows, etc. I love working at the farm. It is different from what I do during the week and I always feel so alive, although tired, when I come home. Saturday night took the whole family, all five of us to Sherry and Martin's and my husband Brian, son Robert and daughter Cara along with Martin assembled S & M's dining chairs. My hubby loves this type of stuff. Hates to see anything unfinished. If there is something to be done, he is never shy in getting involved and getting the job done. Sometimes his enthusiasim gets the better of him, but at least he's always there, willing to help.

Sherry and I also went to the Horse owners and Breeders conference in Red Deer. It was a fun couple of days. Met lots of new people and some from the past. Horse people are always so friendly I find and love to talk. Some great educational sessions. We had some pretty hilarious times where we were laughing so hard, our stomachs hurt. Trying not to wake each other up with our snoring was a challenge and gave some great fits of laughter afterwards. Thanks Sherry for going with me and it was a great time.

There were alot of fun times, busy times and just good hard work times, but there was also a sad time. Why is it that those that deserve the best get the worst out of life. My brother in law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer early this month. He is 57. It is unoperable and even chemo/radiation won't help him. The doctors have given him 9-12 months. I have known this man for most of my life. I think I was 11 or 12 when I first met him. He has been a brother to me more than my own brother has. He was always the shoulder to cry on, the one to give advice, or the one to just listen. If anyone needed a hand, Mike was there. He always put others first. Good Irish boy that loved a good drink, a fun time and good friends. It just isn't fair. Going to head out that way as soon as the weather is good enough for them to open the trailer for the season and then spend some good quality time with he and my sister. She is being so strong through this but I know deep down this is killing her too.

Well this month is almost done and February looks to be just as busy if not busier for me. We booked a trip to Vegas though for the 21 to 26. Taking Angela with us as she has not had a holiday since Christmas of 08. Our first time so if any of you have been and have any pointers as to what to see, where to eat etc. the tips would be great. We are renting a car and heading to the Grand Canyon, Zion national park for a couple of days. Want to try and see one show for sure but there are alot of other attractions in the city to see too. Will be a full five or so days. Looking so forward to it.

Don't have any pictures from the past month to share so have attached some historical footage. enjoy. talk to all again soon.


Angela riding Fernvalley's Jazz


Angela holding some of the kittens from the farm. They almost look like twins


Sherry Angela and I out for one of our too few rides.


Angela and Blue. Even at a young age, she had a way with horses.

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW

This is Angela with her two year old Eurus.




This is me and Peps on our Christmas ride.



This is Blue and I on our Christmas ride with Angela and Digger


This is a picture out our back window of our cottage. The moon was so bright, it was almost like daylight outside at midnight.

Well it's been a year now since I first started this blog. I've found it to be a great way to vent, or too just talk and meet new people and follow others stories. This past year was fun and eventful. From travelling to New York and visiting family in Winnipeg,to cruising Alaska with FV and hubby; to overcoming my fear and getting on my horse again to working with my young filly, I'd say it was a good year. The year ended with a great family Christmas. Our three kids were home and we spent the holidays enjoying family time and catching up. The weather was cold for most of it but Angela and I did manage to get a couple nice rides in. The first day we took the boys and went for over an hour. The next day she helped me with my young mare Peps and we took her out for a bit of a trail ride and she worked her two year old Eurus for abit. She also managed to get in some snowmobiling with her dad and brother. The first week of the New Year was hectic. Fell behind in alot of things over the holidays so spent the week doing laundry, cleaning, working, just gertting caught up. Heading to Red Deer with Sherry (FV) for the Horse Owners and Breeders conference Jan 15-17th. Should be very informative and a great way to meet and interface with other horse people. I'm not one for making New Years resolutions but I do want to try and blog more, ride more and enjoy life more as we never know what tomorrow will bring, so enjoy what we have as much as we can.