Rob & Julie visit from Iowa

We first met Rob and Julie on the Pickle Ball court in Leisure World Arizona. This summer they were touring Western Canada and decided to drop in at Lac la Nonne for a few days.

Doris spent a few days with us too.

Plenty of stories and lots of laughs.

No one is safe in the outdoor shower.

We drove to Sherwood Park to meet up with Sandi & Tito and then to the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin. Here, Sandi and Yvonne climb into and old car for a photo opportunity.

Tons of static displays. Everything from old motorcycles, cars and farm machinery, all perfectly restored to original condition.

Three young chicks pose by a 1958 Mercedes Benz.

Rob & Julie board a vintage biplane for a short flight around Wetaskiwin

We couldn't resist and did the same.

Spectacular sunset while cruising Lac La Nonne on Stan & Cathy's pontoon boat.

Julie doing her daily 06:00 meditation & exercise routine.

From here Rob and Julie are backtracking to Lloydminster and then heading West with stops in Jasper and Banff, Vernon and Vancouver Island. We'll meet up with them in Arizona in a couple months.

Slocan updates

Here's another progress picture of the house. 

They seem to work faster when Grandpa's not around.

Slocan Visit

Joel and Erin are building a new four bedroom home on the southern edge of Slocan City. We recently spent a week with them to work with the contractors and to help look after the boys. 

These four upright posts will support a south-facing roof overhang. These posts and several others they are using inside the house were cut and milled on site.

I spent most of my time framing in the main floor interior walls.

Yvonne spent her days with Erin and the boys at the beach and at the cottage we rented near the lake.

Superman fly by

Interior framing.
We'll return in a couple weeks after the roof is completed to continue with the 2nd floor framing.

Lakeside activity

A walk around the yard shows that we are outnumbered by the local wildlife.

Canada Geese with goslings

 Spotted Sandpiper

Canadian Dakota Toad 

Tiger Swallowtail butterfly

Snowberry Clearwing a.k.a "Hummingbird Moth"

Project: Sidewalk Replacement & Duckhouse Disaster

For years we've been walking back and forth to the garage and brick-oven on a temporary sidewalk. It was too high to cross with the lawnmower and every time I cut the grass I cursed having to drive all the way around the house just to cut grass in the other side of the walk.  Finally, I decided to do something about it.

Parts of the new walkway are more like a patio/deck

Most of the walkway is recessed in the ground so it can be driven over with the lawnmower.

After a week of digging and sawing, 1500 screws find a new home.

A summer storm rocked the duckhouse and it fell to the ground. 

Sadly, there were 13 Goldeneye eggs in it that hit the ground and could not be saved.

The next project will be....... Duckhouse Renovation!

Calm before the storm

Environment Canada was tracking a severe storm near Devon a couple days ago. They were predicting heavy rain, hail, high winds and the chance of a tornado as it progressed towards Edmonton. Everybody braced for the worst but at Lac La Nonne, life goes on.

The sky did get ugly for a while.

Demolition Day at 44 Birch Cove

Sandi and Tito have taken on an aggressive project this summer. By constantly raising the bar, they picked up a lakeside property that has both developmental challenges and the high potential for a great family cottage. 

The work started with the surgical removal of a dozen overgrown trees and continued on with the demolition of half of the existing building. 

This is what's left at the end of the day. A clean site to begin rebuilding.