Busy week ahead....

I can't afford to have this headache starting up....!!!

I shall attempt to will it away before it gets the better of me..."attempt", being the key word.

If I think about these ice formations long enough perhaps that will do the trick.

I may have to get an ice bag though......

Strange how ice forms into all types of patterns, each one unique and lovely. Kind of like us!!!

Ya, I'm off to get an ice bag....

Praise in architecture....

We took a look at the N.Saskatchewan river yesterday

and the freeze-up is beginning.
Next 3 pictures are of Holy Trinity
Ukrainian Orthodox church in P.A.

Architecture is phenomenal.



Majestic!!

Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Cathedral, next 3 pictures.

Amazing!

Reaching to the heavens!

St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Church

in Prince Albert.

(click on the pics)

We took a look at some of P.A.'s church architecture yesterday. I took many pictures. Many. There are other church structures too, in the city, but I shall have to save those for another photo outing.

People have a great need to reach to the heavens in praise of God...perhaps to be nearer to him or to attempt to touch him somehow.

It also calls us to be aware of His presence amongst us. The crosses and the edifices are prominently situated to enable us to see those reminders.

The cross of Christ. It can be an offence to some....but an offering of life to others.

To me, it brings life and hope and love.

The architecture is truly magnificent and a great human attempt at praising God.

(I can't imagine what I'd be like in a huge European city with Mr. Olympus around my neck!)

Winter...warily winding it's way...

Lying in wait for the snow.
The Little Red River sported icy chunks.

Water desperately trying to stay on top of things.

Linear ice formations on the foot bridge.

River swirling and dancing before the inevitable hush

of winter's frosty blanket.

Squirrel announces he's ready for the next season.

Husband slept a bit while I wondered the woods.

It was another most excellent day with husband and Mr. Olympus! :-)

We took a trip to Little Red River Park where said river is trying ever-so-hard to put up a great fight but no doubt will lose the battle for free-running supremacy. Edges are now winter-hard and continue to gather forces to close up the gurgling little stream and put him to silence for another five long months.

It was a beauty of a day. Sky was winter blue. The muted tones of fall permeated the entire landscape and all was hushed....in anticipation......

With close to above normal temperatures, the frost still won an easy victory over the November sun. The forest floor was crisp and the shadows long and thin.

It appears, all is ready for the onslaught.

Day off?

Another not-quite-close-enough encounter with Mr. Jay.
Tall shadows of winter.
The back door awaits this year's Christmas decorations.

The front door Christmas decorations were put up

with only a few minor hitches....

My extra day off began at 7:23 a.m.

Groggily..."Hello???"

For the 89th time in a month..."Hi, is Clinton there?"

Disgusted..."No, as I've said before, Clinton does not live here!!!"

And under my breath after I hung up...."It's my day off, for Pete's sake...how can they dial the same wrong number for the 89th time ON MY DAY OFF!!!!!!!????"

OK. Got that out of the way. Doze for another hour.

Up and out the door by 10:30 a.m. to A&W for coffee. Chat away with husband.

"Let's look for plant ladders!", says I. "The climbing plants at work need somewhere to go. I need to get them a little ladder so at least they'll look like they're getting some exercise! They will be so much healthier!"

Ever try to find anything "plant-ish" a month and a half before Christmas?

N O P L A N T L A D D E R S.......we'll try Peavy Mart tomorrow.

"Let's get the car washed!! It looks like a grey vehicle with little red spots like measles!".

Husband agrees. Nine cars waiting in line to be washed. We'll wash later.

"Let's get up the outdoor Christmas lights then....", says I, with a great deal of fear and trembling.

Down come the boxes from the loft of the garage. Pick up the thingys that allow them to blink at intervals, some extension cords, pliers, little clippy tie things to hold everything in place.....and big smiles on our faces, to get things in the right Christian Christmas spirit.

Which garland goes where? Which lights go where?

"I shall put on the garland...down the step railings and you, dear, can put the lights around the garland once I get it up", says I.

I notice little bits of mumbling now and then what I believe to be from husbands lips. All I said was that I think garland needs to go around the top of the door frame!

"We've never had it around the door frame before!!!"

"Oh yes we have...... and if we haven't had it there before, then I think it's about time we had some there now!"

"Can you come and hold these lights then!!", husband exasperatingly expresses, as he teeters on the top step of the ladder. Walking up the steps I grab hold of what I thought were said lights, but apparently not.....

I heard police sirens come down the avenue. Perhaps the neighbors were tuned into our conversation regarding lights and hammers and a gun (staple gun, of course). When one only gets a partial conversation, one can come to all kinds of conclusions.

I ran in the house though when I heard the sirens coming.

Anyway, this evening, all is calm....all is bright.

I think it was a terrific idea to leave the back door decorations 'til next week.

Lover & Warrior....

My dad - Philip Benson - 23 yrs. old, single, handsome
Finding the love of his life - Patricia - in 1937
(picture taken on Prince Albert train bridge)

Dad joined the army, married my mother
and had their honeymoon while dad was on leave in Toronto.

Tom Benson, dad's younger brother, joined the RAF

but too young to go overseas, stayed in Canada for flight school.

A Christmas gift of writing paper in a leather-bound case

to Phil with love from Pat and son, Garry.

Dad in allied tank. Although trained for tank action,

he ended up in the 18th Armoured Reconnaissance Division,

'C' Squadron - Special Commandos Unit , Communications.

His group of buddies. The ones with "x's" were those

killed in action. Dad is second from right, top row.

Mom's last letter to dad overseas, as she

awaits his arrival after 3 and a half long years of waiting.

Dad joined the XII Manitoba Dragoons in 1941 perhaps knowing

he would leave his dear wife to live with her parents, then living

in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

Today we spent 2 hours at the P.A. Armoury

remembering the sacrifices and praying for peace

in a world of continual war.

That was my father's life in a nutshell. He lived, he loved, he fought for democracy and peace and died a very loved man in April, 1986.

May God bless his memory and all those whose lives were and continue to be affected by the wars of men.

France, Holland, Belgium...

My father served with the XII Manitoba Dragoons during the 2nd World War.

He fought in France, Holland and Belgium...years of his life that were offered up as a sacrifice.

I wonder if anyone these days even thinks about that and remembers not so much the war and its battles but the decision to serve their country. We are so bent on keeping war at a distance, which is OK with me but there are times when some things are worth fighting for. Ya, I know. Many folks reading this will disagree with me on that one. Two things come to mind that are worth keeping in tact.....love is one thing....and so is peace.

I read a bit of some accounts of folks who lived in Holland when my father's regiment came to free them...their entire country, actually. He said it was a day like no other he had ever experienced. People were set free! Even in their months of starvation, it was a time of celebration. I like to remember how my father was an integral part in the freedom process of not only Holland but France and Belgium as well. Here is a map of Holland and I recall him speaking of some of these places.

http://www.map-of-netherlands.co.uk/images/noord-holland.gif

I shall remember the word "sacrifice" this week.....and remember too, the sacrifice Christ made to set us free.

Remembrance week....

From summer....
To winter......

From the mountains....

To the prairies.....

No matter where we are or what season of life we're experiencing,

no matter where we've come from or where we're heading,

the 11th of November is a day for all of us to remember a particular time

when peace crept out of a time of war.

It is a day that drives us to appreciate more of what we have, not only as individuals

but as a nation.

We have come from a time of war to a time of peace....at least the generation

before me did.

I have never known war in my country during my lifetime, never had to have my children leave

home to become a part of something bigger than themselves....bigger because war involved so much more than each person as an individual....it involved the sacrifice of entire families, and great parts of entire countries. I have not known that kind of sacrifice or loss.

So, November 11 reminds me of a world that is broken, a world that shared a great loss together. It reminds me of the importance of not letting greed and power overtake the world . It reminds me that God still loves people even in the midst of their self-centered worlds and that there is hope for humanity to see that love demonstrated through our relationship with Him.

November 11th. Sacrifice. Hope. Peace.

We shall remember.....