Long hot summer days - I love them

YUMMY!!

Having just finished the above lunch outside on the deck under the brolly. Home grown and organic of course from our garden, well mostly ;) I am now in the mood to write a little post, which is long overdue.

If there is one thing I have learned over the years we have lived in Canada, it's to make the most of the warm summer days while they last. This year has been one of the hottest on record in Nova Scotia and we will remember June, July and August 2010 seemingly going on forever. But, as we all know all good things come to an end and as I write this, storm Earl is heading up the coastline towards us, predicted to hit sometime on Saturday morning.

Securing the roof tiles, tying down the outdoor furniture and hoping the hydrangeas don't get completely flattened with the predicted rain and wind. Who knows, sometimes these storms skirt around us and head back out so sea.

Now I can't cram everything into this page, but I can give a quick summary.

Apart from the usual summer activities of wood stacking, fruit picking, mowing, catching racoons and skunks by mistake (I could write an interesting post on that one!), feeding the hummingbirds, squirrels, chipmunks, finches and spotting the occasional groundhog, well I could go on and on......

We have tackled a few painting projects, after working at an auction centre several times in July and August. Assisting the auctioneer throughout the nerve wracking bidding process I spotted a few nice pieces and my hand just flew up in the air of its own accord! In fact the girls have both taken a liking to sanding and wielding a paintbrush this summer (wonder where they get that from?) Amber sanding her new/old dressing table picked up at the auction for $30.

Jemma painting her table (mentioned in a previous post) now in use in her apartment.

Several BBQ's were had making the most of the balmy evenings, usually finishing off with special friends gathered around an open fire under a starlit sky.

Exploring Halifax on foot while visiting Jem (and feeling needed as a Mummy again when I stay overnight). Amber even spent a whole week with her and they enjoyed their familiar sister time together, while Craig and I got a taste of empty nesting :D

Amber learned how to play tennis and started to really enjoy it by the end of August winning all her games in a final tournament. She also managed to save up enough money to buy her fancy Canon camera.

Jemma has changed her focus from Science at University to Business and Asian studies and feels much happier about starting her second year, having registering 40 foreign students she has been kept busy with enrolling and admin.

Hazel x