I thought it was time to write a new post. These are pictures of my family as it looks now. From left to right are Alethea - 14, Gracie - 7, Jasmine - 12, Jack - 17, and Tye - 25. This picture was taken at Englishman River. Tye will be moving out in August to go to university in Nanaimo, which will change the way my at home family will look.









Here they are again at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo. This park is a great place to go hiking. The path leads to big rocks that jut right out of the ocean and you climb on top and you get the most beautiful view of the ocean and mountains. We were there a couple of weeks ago and there was so much wind that the waves were crashing against the rocks. When I looked down from the top of the cliff I thought how easy it would be to fall. When the waves crash against the rocks below like that and you look down it makes you a little dizzy. I can't wait until the weather turns nice so we can go swimming in the ocean and lying on the beach.





My friend Judy Quiring was visiting this last week from Saskatchewan. We went to the beach a couple of times, I took her to Englishman River Falls and Little Qualicum Falls. We did my usual 5 km hike a couple of times and we went to the wharf in downtown Nanaimo. I have been there once before and there are such cute shops there. We ate lunch one day at the wharf at a floating fish and chips place. They serve their fish from that day's catch. It was so good. We also spent one day walking around Qualicum Beach. She loved all the shops down town. I love showing people around my home town and actually having something to show them that is more interesting than the local restaurant or the schools. In Martensville I could have shown people Henry's Cafe or the Corner Store. Maybe the Police Station or the woodlands behind the elementary school. Oh, I forgot about the (lake) on the West end of Matensville. Apparently a dog drowned in that lake many years ago. His name was Spike so now the locals call it Spike Lake. Calling that puddle a lake is about as hilarious as calling Blackstrap a mountain. Don't get me wrong. Saskatchewan is a great place to come from. It has many beautiful things to offer. My parents, my sister, my brothers, their families, my friend, and we can't forget Loon Lake. That is truly a beautiful place to go camping. I apologise to all you prairie people for talking this way about your chosen place to live. I guess I just can't get enough of this country. I sometimes still catch my breath when Mount Arrowsmith shines white and beautiful on a sunny day or when I drive on the highway to Nanaimo and I see the ocean stretch out on one side and the mountains standing tall on the other and the amazing amount of trees that grow three times as tall as prairie trees. So forgive me for talking negatively about the prairies and bragging up BC, but I really do feel so thankful for this part of Canada.