Shantel's potlatch, frozen waterfall, and Dine and Dash!

This update will be a two week update. Mostly because we've been busy on Saturday nights which is my 'blog night'!! 

Daylight saving is over so we are back to 16 hours behind. The weather is cooling down. Last week we had lots of rain, then 4 days of wind. Bitterly cold with temps of around 3 degrees during the day and below zero during the night. The furnace is on, water in puddles froze over, and then we had gorgeous days of sunshine. Very deceiving because you see the blue blue sky and think, must be beautiful outside. So you head outside and suck in the cold air and you have to take another breath because the cold air takes your breath away, and you quickly head back inside!!

Here's some comparison photos of fall on the mountain behind us. It's a little bit deceptive because the first photos taken in September was on a sunny late afternoon. The comparison photo was just taken a week ago but on a sombre overcast day. But you can see the effects of fall!

We had an eventful morning one day when the council (county) tree loppers came and chopped the branches on a tree on our property which were growing through the powerlines. I think there were about 3 trucks and 1 car and a total of 7 personnel. Once they finally got set up, there were two working; one was cutting down the branches and another was picking up the branches that had fallen and feeding them into the mulcher. The other five were standing around watching! Oh and two were holding the lollipop signs on our super busy road! Okay, that was sarcastic! We get a car going past every hour or so!

The story doesn't end there. After about half an hour of chopping and feeding the mulcher, they quit work and packed everything up. The trucks backed up on the packing area opposite our house, and everyone hopped back in their trucks and cars and they sat there. For an hour they sat there, probably having lunch. Well after the hour was up, everything went back again. Witches hats back in place, lollipop ladies holding their signs again, the trucks back near the tree and they started work again. I don't know how long they worked for because I had to leave, which I had to stop at the first lady and wait for her to radio to the second lady so that I could go past safely, but I did have to laugh!

Shantel had been studying about the first Indians and how they lived and to culminate their topic, they had a Potlatch event for the parents. Even the big chief was invited and he came in a canoe.

Some of the kids read some reciting, they sang a couple of songs and even gave gifts to the big chief. Here Shantel is presenting the chief a 'woven hat'!!

Afterwards we got to sample some salmon, cookies, cake and candy. It was nice to see the kids show what they had learnt.

For Taleesha's birthday, she got a chalk/whiteboard. The girls just love drawing on it and I saw Taleesha draw this! Very artistic!

One Friday night, we headed to a local joint in Sumas for a hot cuppa. Comfy couches in front of the fireplace (okay it was fake but still very cosy!)

It's a real 'gezellig' place with decorations on the walls including a moose head hanging over the fireplace.

These are not giant marshmallows but wrapped bales which gets mixed with other grains and given to the cows.

Coming home from church last week the view was just majestic; low clouds, the colors of fall and green fields. The photo doesn't really do justice.

John and Veronica came over last Sunday and the girls, particularly Taleesha just really clicks with him. He got roped into playing games with them and reading books!

Every fortnight, Cassie and Taleesha switch houses and play together. This week was Cassie's turn at our place and they had lots of fun. They were allowed to watch an episode or two of Chuggington and they loved it!

On Friday night, we had our annual fall Dine and Dash. We served appetizers at our house and enjoyed prawn cocktail, prawn crackers, mini spring rolls, chicken wings and guacamole with 8 guests. We then moved onto the next house for dinner where we had gourmet. Delish! We then moved on to the next house for desserts. It was a very enjoyable evening, where we met at least 12 couples! 

The waterfall has frozen over or at least most of it, so Anthea and Stefan headed out there to check it out! 

Saturday afternoon we had some family photos taken so we'll had lots of shots taken. Check this space to see them once they become available!

Here's one of Shantel in the autumn leaves!

Saturday night saw us head off to Bellingham with Darryn and Bea for an evening out! We had Thai food for dinner and then Starbucks to warm up! We had a great evening guys!

Well, that's our update for the past fortnight! 

We hope this finds you in good health in whichever corner of the globe you live!

Thanks for looking!