Firing Up The Smoker ...

For Smoked Kokanee
 

We have talked about getting a Smoker ...
for quite some time now ...
so ... finally last week ...
we purchased one ...
since it's going to be time to take the boat out ...
and go fishing ...
I took out a few packages of Kokanee from the freezer ...
put them in a brine solution over night ...
and in the morning ...
placed them on the racks ...
to be put in the smoker ..

 

 

Mike getting the smoker ready ...

adding the wood chips ...

we first used Apple Wood Chips ... 

and then added Hickory Wood Chips ...

after a couple of hours of smoking ...

the Kokanees were ready for the tasting ...

mmmmmmmmmm

vacuumed packed a few batches ...

so we can enjoy them ...

at any time ...

I See Frogs ...

In The House
 

Nixon just hanging out with the guys ...
joining in the fun ...
just too cute ...
Couldn't stop smiling and giggling ...
 when I received these pictures from Kendall & Ian ...

 

Apparently these Frog glasses ...

 are a "big hit" in the household right now ... !!!!

Daigen sure looks like his daddy ... !!

Absolutely adorable ... !!!!

Flowers For You ...

 

Off To The Bus Stop ...

May 7, 2012
 

We had stayed over another night ...
ended up walking 3 long blocks ...
with the kids ...
to the bus stop ...
early in the morning ...
saying our good-byes ...
before they boarded the school bus ...

 

Katie and Ella came and met us ...

at the bus stop ...

then we all walked back home ...

while Ella rode her bike ...

Walking On Stilts ...

Sunday Afternoon 
May 6, 2012
 

Craig wanted to try ...
walking on two sticks ...
he was intrigued with the stilts ...
Mom & Grandpa ...
helping him out ...

 

Grandpa showing them how it is done ...

 

Katie giving it a go ...
Nathan helping at first ...
and then she was off ...
walking around ...
she did really well ...
 

James having a turn with ...
mom & grandpa helping ...
 

And then it was Ella's turn ...

what a trooper she is ...

trying her hardest to walk on the stilts ...

They all had a great time at this Scout camp ...

Let's Play ...

At Silverland Camp
May 6, 2012
 

This playground Boat was constructed for the Scout Camp ...
all the kids were aboard to initiate it ...
pictures taken ...
and they were given chalk ...
to sign theirs name or leave their mark ...

 

Playing on the grounds ...

 

Poses for Grandma ...

 

Dinner was served ...

nothing better than having hot dogs ...

cooked on an open fire ...

with lots of veggies on the side ...

then a large cake to celebrate ...

cut-up and handed out to everyone ...

then the ultimate ....

oooooo

 marshmallows ...

roasted over the coals ...

to a light brown colour ...

although some were burnt black ...

but it made the inside so ...

ooy gooy delicious ... !!!!!

Craig's Initiation ...

Silverland Camp
High River, AB
May 6, 2012
 

A big day for Craig ...
here at the camp for the ceremonies ...
graduating from Beavers to Cubs ...
he was given a Compass ...
to help find his way on his adventures ...

 

A Cub member walking Craig ...
to his new Pack ...

 

Each group has their own way of closing the ceremonies ...
the Scouts, Cubs & Beavers ...
 

James watching as his brother ...

was initiated into the new Cub pack ...

and then the Beavers ...

took part in their closing ritual ...

Ella's Barbie House ...

 

Ella loves when someone will play Barbie's with her ...

so up to her room we went ...

we played with them for awhile ...

then I mentioned to Ella ...

that we should take a few pictures for the blog ...

making sure that everyone was dressed ... shoes on ...

and hair brushed ...

for the photo shoot ...

we positioned them in the house ...

and started taking snapshots ...

Ella was pleased with the pictures ...

when she viewed them ...

on the camera ...

It was great playing dolls with my Granddaughter ... !!!!

TCPL Hockey Tournament ...

May 5, 2012
 

This was the second game for the NGTL Aces ...
in the TransCanada Pipeline Hockey Tournament ...
at the Norma Bush Arena ... in Calgary ...
Nathan #3 in the box at the end ...
and on the ice ignoring mom ...
Then there was Craig with the Coach ...
I'm sure he was giving Grandpa a few tips on the game strategy ...
Craig, James & Ella modelling their "Hockey Sock Toques" ...
apparently one of the hockey players had torn a sock ...
at a game elsewhere ...
and decided to put it on his head ...
the kids got quite a kick out of it ...
so he told Nathan that he would bring 3 toques ...
for the next time he would see the kids ...
just too funny ... they love them ... !!!

 

It was great to see our friends ... Vern & Ellen ...
grateful that there were able to visit us at the arena ...
as the weekend schedule was quite busy ...

 

Since this tournament dinner ...

seemed to be for "Guys Only" ...

Katie and I decided to take the kids ...

into Okotoks to a movie ...

"The Pirates! Band of the Misfits"

it was a great 3D movie ...

Snapped this picture of the kids ...

going up close to the screen ...

with their 3D glasses on ...

at the end of the movie ...

trying to touch things popping out at them ...

Nights At The Museum ...

Royal Tyrrell Museum

 

Nathan, Craig & James spent the weekend ...
in Drumheller, AB ...
for a Beavers Campout ...
at the museum ....
learning, discovering and enjoying ...
After a talk about snakes ...
they were able to have contact with ...
"Brittney the Boa Constrictor"
I was really surprised when I received these photos ...
that the boys would actually hold her ...
Yikes ... !!!!

 

 

Finding fossils ... uncovering ... then painting there finds ...

 

Sleeping bags lined up ...

beside the displays ...

with dinosaurs ...

wonder how much sleep the kids actually got ...

here is a picture of Craig climbing the wall ...

Hang on Buddy ... !!!!

The boys were excited to be able to see their friends from Carvel ...

this was the first time since they moved ...

It was a great weekend for them all ... !!!

Close All The Gates ...

 

Mike went this morning and started working on the gates ...
first gate completed ...
with the new gate latch ...
called a "Boomer"
this is so easy to use ...
on a barbed wire gate ...

 

Our neighbours dog ... Sam ...
was keeping a close eye on this project ...
he couldn't quite figure out ...
what was happening ...

 

Gate #2 completed at the one end of the field ...

 

Mike working on constructing the last and final gate ...

stringing the barbed wire across ...

from post to post ...

He was delighted to have this project completed ... !!!!

Hooray ... No more cows in the yard ...  !!!!

Sprouting Surprise ...

 

This past weekend ...

while staying at the Ramada Inn ...

in Penticton ...

I spotted this mushroom ...

growing outside my room ...

just off the patio ...

THE SHAGGY MANE, is also a very common and easily identified mushroom, and its scientific name is Coprinus comatus. 

This excellent edible mushroom frequents areas of what we regard as 'poor soil', and will be found often near roadways, and where soil has been disturbed earlier in the year. 

They are relatively easy to identify, but could be confused with early stages of Amanita mushrooms - which are deadly poison. Be sure of identification before eating.  Pick only the very young shaggy mane mushrooms, and leave the ones which have the caps open, and turning black. These mushrooms are sometimes called inky caps; but be aware that there is a shaggy mane cousin, which is called the inky cap. Both are very edible, and delicious, so in this regard - no matter - as long as not confused as mentioned earlier with the poisonous amanita mushrooms. 

These mushrooms, when cooked, render down into a mushy gruel texture. 

 The shaggy mane, as it gets older, will have a filamentish looking scale, which is on the cap of the mushroom. The underside of the cap, in the gill area will be dark coloured gills, almost black and if touched, you'll find yourself covered with a slimy- inky - mess - and will appreciate why they are called inky caps. 

Stringing The Wire ...

Working On The Fences


 

It was a cool ... although windy day ...

to start stringing the barbed wire along the fence posts ...

Mike had everything ready to go ...

Barbed wire in the back of the truck ...

then it was attached to the quad ...

and I drove it along the fence line ...

to the end post for the gate ...

It was a long stretch ...

Mike used his come-a-long to tighten the wire ...

then we hammered staples into the posts ...

 starting from each end ...

and meeting in the middle ...

We strung over 4000 feet of barbed wire ...

4 strands of wire ... stapled on every post today ...

Hooray the field is completely done ...

except for the gates ...

It was a great day ... !!!

Singing In Spring ...

 

 

We were welcomed to the 52nd Annual International Choral Festival which was hosted by the
Naramata Community Choir this year in Penticton.  This was a celebration of music and friendship which is held alternately in the United States and Canada.
Eight choirs participated in this magical evening for the sheer enjoyments of singing.

 

Bisset Singers, Cranbrook, BC 

Director, Chuck Bisset  -  Accompanist, Tim Plait 

Our choir has close to 40 members from Cranbrook and surrounding areas.  Our director travels to Cranbrook from Trail each week.  He dedicates his time to sharing his knowledge of music with his students and choir music.

We perform a variety of music ranging from Jazz to Classical.

All choirs performed 3 music selections during the evening ...

ending with a Mass Choir Finale 

singing

"You'll Never Walk Alone"

"Russian Picnic"

"We Rise Again"

The power of the combined voices filled the room with an energy that left you breathless ... !!!

 

So delighted to have my friend Dagmar ... traveling from Kelowna ... to spend the evening enjoying the performance along my with mom ... we had a wonderful time visiting after the concert ... joining a few other choir members at a local pub ...

Grateful that Dagmar took pictures of Tammy & I before and during the whole performance ...

Leaving the next day ... mom took pictures of Tammy, Eric and myself ...

before this carpool headed back to Cranbrook ...

It was a busy, yet most enjoyable weekend ... 

lot's of music, laughter, meeting old and new friends, 

just having loads of fun ... !!!

Will be starting to practise new music in the fall ...

to get ready to travel ...

to Wenatchee, WA

next year for 2013 ICF ...