Braid

braid
Originally uploaded by Sophie_vf

I cut my hair, or rather, my friend Val came over and cut off my braid last Friday morning. It's about 10 inches long braided. I'm donating it to a place in Calgary that makes hairpieces for cancer patients. Of course, I have to go through the long process of finding an envelope and address, then driving the package around in my car before actually getting it to the post office, which could well take longer than it took to grow the braid itself.

Rites of Floggage

Time to get the fishing equipment ready! We've taken the kids before, but those trips usually involved a dunking of some kind or another. This time, Theo is getting serious about learning to cast. So off to the back yard we go. Here he is under Tim's nagging meticulous tutelage.

And I'm trying to revive my own somewhat rusty skills. We haven't been out on the river for a few years, so I'm out of practice!

All Ukrainian, all the time

Well, except for when we're at judo, of course.

Ukraine is part of the grade 3 curriculum here in Alberta, because so many emigrated and homesteaded in the Prairies. The kid's dance group gets so many requests to appear at the local schools, the practical solution was to put on a special performance for all the grade 3 classes.

Stasha watches the big girls dancing from the wings

The Ukrainian flag! I think this is actually right side up, because who can remember these things?

So much for what young cossacks REALLY do at frontier outposts, and a sibling bonding moment from Nintendo.

Victoria Day Weekend

Victoria Day weekend is the traditional planting weekend for most southern Albertans, but Tim and the kids actually got a jump on things and planted a few weeks ago. So, this weekend is Shed weekend, at least for Tim and Theo. We had the shed stuff delivered from Totem last week:

And Theo has pretty much taken my place as Tim's apprentice:

Among other things, he can squeeze into small spaces:

He was downright exhausted by Saturday evening, so we've declared today, Sunday, a lazy day. So he gets to spend some quality time with the Wii.

And finally, this clip will only make sense if you've seen the original "Need more Cowbell" skit from Saturday Night Live. But here goes, anyway:

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Another sign of spring

break
Originally uploaded by Sophie_vf.

I really like riding outside, especially along the edges of the coulees. This is the best time of the year to be out - before the heat gets really intense, and while the coulees are just starting to green up. The wildflowers are starting to come out too - I need to get out my plant books, because I forget their names every year.

Happy Mother's day, mom!

bleeding hearts
Originally uploaded by Sophie_vf.

I tried to call you today, Mom, but you weren't in. I trust you were out galavanting - hope you were having fun. Love from all of us - we started making a card, which is lying in pieces somewhere under various other craft projects... sorry.

First Communion

Stasha in her fancy togs
Originally uploaded by Sophie_vf.

a bit late here - but Stasha had her First Communion celebration last Sunday. So she had to get dressed up. I strenously dislike the little bride look girls wear for these things, and so does Stasha. But this seemed sufficiently dressy.