An Afternoon Stroll at Minter Gardens

Today Davey kept insisting that we had to go to Minter Gardens. At first I thought he wanted to go to the garden store; we'd been there a few times in the spring for coffee/ice cream and a look through the gift stores. But no, he insisted he wanted to go to the place with the 'flowers and the side walks'. So we went to the gardens.

They already had some fall scenes set up with pumpkins and leaves. Davey posed for me:

We had sandwiches in the cafe. While we waited for them, I showed Andrew some techniques I've been learning from ANTM. Find the light...
Very good Andrew. Well done!

The flowers there were lovely today. I think these are some type of hydrangea, but I've never seen them before.

Davey took charge of the map right away and planned out the route we would take around the gardens.


This is one of my favorite places - the little chalet at the top of the hill.

Davey stopped at the peacock to check that he was following the correct route.

In the rose garden. I really like the orangey roses.



And the clematis. I really, really want clematis somewhere at our new house!

We love the new kids' section at Minter Gardens. We always have to stop and play there for a while. If it only had a gate across the entrance I could sit there with a book and be quite content while the kids play.




Looking for loonies in the pond.

While Davey chilled in the stroller!


Okay, so there's this local photo contest I'm thinking of entering. Here's my first picture...


Or, this one. (the category I'm most interested in is close ups, and it's gardening photos).

Then I'm having a hard time choosing between this one,

...and this one.
Opinions?

I know I probably don't stand a chance. Every time I go to Minter Gardens there's Bazillions of old dudes there with their fancy cameras and tripods and equipment. And tons of photography classes seem to take place there. But I got a couple good pictures today so I thought I'd give it a shot. Maybe no one will enter since the prize is only $100 and a calendar?! I can hope!!

PS if you want to enter, you just need some gardening shots (Jane!) and head over to here. The deadline is tomorrow!!

When we got home I planted some fall flowers with plants I'd bought at Little Mountain Nursery earlier in the day. Davey and our neighbor Dryden kept shooting me with their water guns. So I chased Davey with my dirty hands.

Guess who had to have a bath tonight!! muah hah hah hah hah

I don't have any new pictures to post, except of the house. But I forgot the camera in the car anyway, so those will have to wait. In the meantime, here's today's strip from one of my favorites, For Better or For Worse. Kinda hit home today...

First Day of Preschool: Or, Someone is NOT going to be happy when she finds out she doesn't get to stay in this class...

Tuesday was Davey and Jade's first day back at preschool. Someone else was pretty excited for her 'first day' of school!

Oh man. I pity Kathi tomorrow. She has to drop the kids off - and pull tinker out - by herself.



Once we're moved I'm going to have to get her in a drop in program while Davey's in preschool.





I think Davey's gonna like school this year!

Is it just me, or do these kids seem to be looking really old all of a sudden?

There's something about this picture - I think Dave looks an awful lot like his uncle Rob in it. Same head shape, same ears, the hair is similar, the lower face is very similar....Yup, I think Rob has a "mini me" (you were right all along, Tash).

We had a house showing over the lunch hour today, so we had to make ourselves scarce. We packed some sandwiches and headed over to the park side of our complex to where some of our neighbors have a picnic table and a fire pit. The kids thought it was pretty awesome.


I'm getting some serious attitude here...

Actually, in this picture here, Davey reminds me of Rob too. I think we have a picture of Rob being all squinty eyed and cute.

Random Scenes from Grandma's

See this unruly mop? It was time to do something about it. Of course I left it till the day before school started so everyone was tooooo busy to cut his hair. So I took matters into my own hands.


Shorter than I wanted to go, but when you're using a razor...


Can't see the hair in this one, but he's just so gosh darned cute...

And just to prove I didn't cut all the curls out....