MORE MARCH!

THIS EXPLAINS IT ALL!!

 TO LIVE IN THIS CLIMATE AND LOVE IT, YOU REALLY NEED ICE IN YOUR VEINS!

WE JOINED THE KIDS AT THEIR CHURCH LAST SUNDAY. 

THE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR A SMALL TOWN 

CHURCH DIFFERS A LITTLE FROM A CITY CHURCH.

 SNOW MACHINE (45 MINUTE RIDE) OR BIKE. 

THIS KIDS FROM IN TOWN!

 

THE GUYS HAD A GREAT DAY FOR A RIDE! 

GROOMED TRAILS ALL THE WAY!

 MEANWHILE OUR LITTLE MISSY WAS MAKING GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES. 

IT WAS A SOUP AND SANDWICH DAY.

AFTER LUNCH WE ALL HEADED TO THE LOCAL ARENA TO WATCH BOTH DECLAN AND JAYDEN CONTINUE THEIR PLAY OFF GAMES. 

IT WAS NOT THEIR DAY. BOTH BOYS WERE ON THE LOSING TEAMS 

BUT HARD.

BACK IN OUR BASEMENT - THE SHOWER WORK CONTINUES!

PEX PLUMBING IS BEING INTRODUCED TO OUR SYSTEM. 

NO SOLDERING!!

NEW DRAIN NEEDED

TAKING A SLEDGE TO THE FLOOR

AND A JACK HAMMER

FINALLY!

MOVE THE PIPE TO THE CORNER

FILL IN THE HOLE

A HAH 

WE HAVE A BASE WITH THE PIPE IN THE RIGHT PLACE

 NOW TO LEVEL THAT DARN THING! 

AND THE FLOOR IS NOT EVEN.

ONE SIDE UP

THE BACK AND 2 SIDE PANELS IN PLACE.

AND WE CONTINUE.

TIME TO CLEAN THE BASEMENT SO THE KIDS CAN HAVE

THE USE OF A PARTIAL BATHROOM.

DECLAN HAD A TOURNAMENT IN STEINBACH 

SO THEY HEADED INTO WINNIPEG FOR THE NIGHT.

AND WE HAVE ANOTHER SNOWFALL WARNING 

TWO CLIPPERS BLAST THE PRAIRIES WITH HEAVY SNOW,

STRONG WINDS! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS!!

LOOKS LIKE A WINTER STORM IS TARGETING YOU GUYS IN KW AS WELL

HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLOW!

  

WE MADE A QUICK TRIP TO BOUNDARY TRAILS HOSPITAL IN WINKLER TO 

CHECK UP ON MY MOTHER. SHE HAD FALLEN ON FRIDAY AND BROKEN

HER PELVIS. AT 88 THAT IS NOT A GOOD THING. BUT SHE WAS IN GOOD

SPIRITS AND WAS TOLD TO EXPECT A MINIMUM STAY OF 2 WEEKS!

WE'LL BE MAKING A FEW MORE TRIPS BUT HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER

WILL TURN TO SPRING SOON! 

RAPIDLY DETERIORATING

THANKFUL TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE CITY SAFELY! 

DO WE REALLY NEED MORE SNOW??

 WE ARE HEADING OUT TO MEET THE CAMPING GROUP TONIGHT FOR 

A GAMES NIGHT. A TIME TO RECONNECT WITH THE COUPLES

WE HAVE CAMPED WITH FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS.

I KEEP PUSHING IN THE PLANT DEPARTMENT.

HERE IS A SUCCULENT I HAVE HAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS 

-NO IDEA WHAT IT IS CALLED-

AND IT HAS DECIDED TO BLOOM THIS WINTER.

IT IS COVERED IN BUDS.

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY COLOUR!      

BUT I DID FIND 10 NEW ONES WHEN I WENT GROCERY SHOPPING!

I COULD NOT RESIST AS I HAVE A LOT OF PLACES TO FILL IN. 

HERE ARE 2 SAMPLES.

I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THEY WERE ALL LABELLED WITH

THEIR COMMON NAME AS WELL AS THEIR GENUS NAMES.

TO KEEP THEM STRAIGHT I GOT SOME GOOD PICTURES OF

EACH AND WILL PLACE THEM INTO MY PLANT ALBUM.

AND WHEN I AM NOT PUTTERING WITH MY PLANTS,

I AM STILL INTO PUTTING ANOTHER PUZZLE TOGETHER.  

AND ANOTHER!

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY

HOW MANY MORE SLEEPS TILL SPRING???? 

 

SMILE!

NICE WAY TO START THE MORNING ON A FROSTY MARCH SATURDAY! 

MICHAEL WAS MAKING HIS FAMOUS SCRAMBLED EGGS WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SMILEY FACE LOOKING UP AT HIM!  NEAT!

BACON, EGGS, HASH BROWNS, TOAST & COFFEE! UH HUH!!

 WITH MORE SNOW IN THE PAST WEEK, THIS IS OUR BACK YARD.

WE HAD 2 DAYS OF BLIZZARD LIKE CONDITIONS. HAPPY TO JUST GET THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE STORM.

 MANY OF SOUTHERN MANITOBA SCHOOLS WERE 

CLOSED FOR MONDAY & TUESDAY. 

MIAMI (APTLY NAMED!!!) RECEIVED 56 CM. 

A RECORD ALL TIME SNOWFALL FOR THEM! 

WE HAD ABOUT 20 CM.

THIS IS THE VIEW FROM MY EASY CHAIR - NOT ANYWHERE NEAR PLANTING TIME FROM THE LOOK OF IT! 

ALSO, A BIT OF TIME TO SPEND INSIDE BEFORE WE CAN HEAD OUT 

TO FIX AND PAINT THE GAZEBO.

 THIS WAS AN INTERESTING SNOW FEATURE.

 IT LASTED ABOUT A DAY. AMAZING 

HOW THE SNOW CAN DRAPE SO BEAUTIFULLY!

SO WHILE WE WAIT FOR WARMER WEATHER 

TO MELT AWAY THE WHITE OUTSIDE, 

THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE TACKLED INSIDE!

MY LAUNDRY ROOM IS HAVING THE CEILING REPLACED. 

WITH THE RENO OF THE BATHROOM, IT IS TIME TO REPLACE THE FAN AND HAVE IT EXHAUST TO THE OUTSIDE. 

NICE CHANGE! NEW LIGHT FIXTURE, HEATING VENT AND GRATE.

 NEW BULK HEAD COVERING THE PIPING!

WHAT A CHANGE! NICE JOB!

NOW ON TO THE BATHROOM. 

HAD OVER NIGHT VISITORS SO NEEDED THE SHOWER.

 WE HAVE 2 WEEKS TILL THE NEXT VISIT. 

THE NEW EXHAUST FAN IN PLACE.

NEXT WEEK ON TO FINISHING THE CEILING, THEN THE VANITY, MIRROR AND LIGHT UNIT. THE SHOWER IS STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGE. 

THE TOILET WAS NEW A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. 

THE FLOOR MAY OR MAY NOT BE AN ISSUE 

ONCE THE SHOWER DECISION IS MADE!

TIME WILL TELL.

NOT MUCH TIME NEEDED.
THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN A COUPLE OF HOURS AFTER I HAD POSTED THE ABOVE. 
DEMOLITION IS NEARLY COMPLETE.
BEFORE PICTURES

AFTER PICTURES

I GUESS THAT MEANS A NEW SHOWER AND A NEW FLOOR!

  

MARCH!

WELL, IT WAS NEITHER LION NOR LAMB. 

ONE METEOROLOGIST SAID MARCH CAME IN LIKE "FROZEN MUTTON". THAT MAY BE THE CASE, BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING A SNOWFALL WARNING. A PREDICTED 20 CM OF SNOW (THAT MEANS 8" FOR THOSE OF US WHO UNDERSTAND INCHES!) 

MORE SHOVELING! 

AND WE JUST HAD A NICE CLEAR SIDEWALK AND MANY OF THE MAIN ROADS WERE CLEAR DOWN TO THE PAVEMENT. 

THE FUN THING ABOUT DRIVING IN WINNIPEG AFTER THE WINTER SNOW DISAPPEARS IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH LANE YOU ARE IN. 

YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY COULD PAINT LINES ON THE ROADS THAT WOULD MAKE IT THROUGH A WINTER! AFTER ALL, THE SHUTTLE CAME BACK FROM SPACE STILL WHITE!!! WAS THAT PAINT THEY USED?

IN ADDITION TO ARM CHAIR GARDENING, I HAVE BEEN PUTTERING WITH MY SUCCULENTS AND CACTUS. I HAVE MANY THAT DO NOT OVER WINTER IN OUR ZONE 3. BUT RATHER THAN BUYING NEW ONES EVERY SPRING, I PLUNK THEM INTO A TERRACOTTA TRAY OR POT AND BRING THEM IN. IT IS TIME TO REPOT SOME OF THEM SO THEY GET ESTABLISHED.

THE CACTUS ABOVE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF A NEW HOME. WE'LL SEE WHERE I FIND TO USE THEM.

SOME OF MY FAVOURITE SUCCULENTS - THE FLAPJACKS, RED GLO, AND KIWI. I AM GLAD I DUG THOSE OUT OF THE GROUND AND BROUGHT THEM IN. MY TIP TOP DID NOT SURVIVE, UNLESS I FIND A LITTLE OFF SHOOT SOMEPLACE.

 THE TRAY ABOVE IS IN NEED OF TRANSPLANTING AS WELL. IT HAD A BIRD HOUSE WITH IT AND WAS STANDING ON A PEDESTAL. THE BIRD HOUSE WAS A GIFT FROM THE GRANDSONS - THEY HELPED DADDY BUILD IT AS A SPECIAL GIFT FOR ME.

 WOW, THE PLANTS HAVE REALLY GROWN SINCE LAST JULY. I WILL NEED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE BIRD HOUSE!

 I ENJOY ADDING GREEN ONIONS, DILL AND PARSLEY TO MY SALADS SO I DECIDED TO TRY STARTING SOME INSIDE. THE DILL IS LOOKING GOOD. ONION AND PARSLEY ARE STARTING. I WILL TRY A CUCUMBER AND TOMATO NEXT WEEK! 

WHY NOT, I HAVE THE SEEDS!

MY BEGONIA WERE GROWING IN MY PANTRY SO I DECIDED TO BRING THEM UP AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. I HAVE NEVER HAD MUCH LUCK STARTING THE TUBERS. I THINK I ALWAYS OVER WATERED THEM. WE'LL SEE WHAT I BROUGHT IN LAST FALL!

THIS CACTUS GROUPING WAS PLANTED WHEN LORI WAS IN PIONEER GIRL'S CLUB. A PROJECT FOR ONE OF THE BADGES. 

THE POT IS ONE I MADE IN MY TRIAL RUN AT POTTERY. I HAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF THINGS I MANAGED TO THROW! THE PROBLEM WAS THE POTTERS WHEEL WAS NOT ELECTRIC AND MY LEGS WOULD NOT DO THE JOB! 

I GUESS I HAD LEG PROBLEMS 35 YEARS AGO ALREADY!

AND MORE PUZZLES. AN EASY ONE - 500 PIECES - AFTER WORKING ON THE PANDA ONE FOR DAYS! 

 BLACK IS NOT BLACK AND WHITE IS NOT WHITE! 

WHAT A PROJECT, BUT I DID NOT GIVE UP!