A BUSY JULY!

We started July off by taking in the Canada Day celebrations in nearby Oungre Regional Park.   A Jamboree is always part of it and is organized by the Daae family from the Torquay area.  It always includes guest singers, often from the US but we always prefer the local talent - the Daae Family and the Hansen trio.  They didn't disappoint us.  There were many activities for the youngsters as well as a parade of tractors and older vehicles.

We went for lunch and what a busy place!  We had to wait almost an hour for our order of chicken strips and fries.  It was fresh and hot when we got it so it was worth the wait!  We got in a bit of visiting during the wait too.  We didn't stay for the cabaret, a new addition this year, or for the fireworks.  Too late for us old folks!

On July 11 our accordion group, Homespun Harmonies, played for the residents of Trinity Tower at 2:00.  Then we enjoyed supper out with our spouses at The Flats.  Following that Alan and I left for Milestone where we spent the night at the Diekrager farm. 

Red, white and blue pickups at the Diekragers!

 In the morning we left for Brooks, AB.  Laurel and Ashley came with us to visit Kristy, Nora and Elly Clara, who were visiting with Kristy's family for a few weeks.  Alan went on to Calgary where he visited his daughter Nancy and Trevor and son Derek and Jackie along with his four grandchildren.

Alan's two grandsons (with caps) now visiting cousins in Ontario

Todd remained back in Norway to work on his studies for a Masters degree in theology and ministry.  Todd has been reading up on Martin Luther and came across several podcasts that his second cousin, Pastor James Nestingen, has published. Jim, as we know him, is a retired seminary professor who has done a lot of research on Martin Luther's history.  Todd hopes to meet up with Jim someday.

Elly Clara turned three on July 6 so we had another birthday party for her on Sunday afternoon.  I gave her the tea set of Moderntone dishes that Mom and Dad gave me for my fifth birthday, along with a picture of me taken that day.  The setting was outside in front of the steps at Grandma and Grandpa Erickson's house.  It was February and no flash cameras for inside pictures back then.
Special thanks to Dan and Helga Ledene for your warm hospitality!

On her actual birthday at Auntie Jenny's, Thorhild, AB

Elly Clara beside a "dinosaur" at Brooks museum

Elly Clara opening her 72-year-old tea set from Grandma J

Fun in the Brooks pool with Auntie Laurel

We had planned to take Alan's car to Alberta but found out the week before that it wouldn't start even with the battery fully charged.  He had it towed to Power Dodge in Estevan where they discovered that mice were the cause of the problem, to the tune of $700 damage to repair wires and cables.  That was fixed up and we set off in the car from Estevan that Thursday afternoon.  Soon the red engine light came on and 70 km was top speed.  So back to the garage and we ended up taking the pickup on our trip. This time the mechanics were to blame for mistakes in the wiring so no further bills!


On July 20 we went to Crosby, ND for their 50th Annual Threshing Bee.  We enjoyed the parade at noon SK time.  This year they featured Case tractors.  "Ladies of Steam" was a new addition featuring two women from Minnesota who offer workshops of "Women Teaching Women" all about running steam engines.  They drove a big old Case in the parade and had lots of pictures taken of this event.  I enjoyed browsing in the flea market and was pleased to find a runner for the top of our piano made by a lady not far from Minot. The runner is even reversible with small squares on one side and one-piece piano keyboard fabric on the back.  I love it!

We stopped downtown so I could pick up Ty "grab bags" for kids.  They came in handy later that day when Jodi, Clare, and Abbey came back from Crosby with their visitors- Jodi's sister Patti from Winnipeg and her son Jimmy's wife Vita and sons, Frank 7 and Hugo 5 from Australia. The boys enjoyed their grab bags and slept with Abbey and their new "stuffies" in the camper at Clare's.  Jimmy had worked for Clare one summer so his boys were anxious to come to "the farm".  Lawyer Jimmy will join the family in Canada soon.

Clare and Abbey in a canola field with
Aussies- Frank and Hugo 

Frank and Hugo each in a tractor wheel

While they were over at the land east of our home farm they stopped at the DEEP Geothermal site on Clare's land. 

Abbey, the future owner of this land!!

On July 24th we went to Kenosee Lake to visit Kirk's and to help celebrate Jamie's 12th birthday a week early.  Laurel, Dawson and Ashley along with Jodi and Abbey joined us too.  We enjoyed a beef on a bun lunch and then headed for the lake.  What a fun afternoon!  "The kids" headed out with Kirk's boat and the "old folks" enjoyed cruising the lake in a friend's pontoon boat with Kirk in charge.  That's my style of boating!  Carter has his boating license so the kids were on their own with a careful driver.  Dawson enjoyed wakeboarding for the first time.

The weather was ideal, warm with a light breeze and partly cloudy.  There were storm warnings for parts of SK but nothing at the lake. Laurel and Jodi drove through a stretch of heavy rain on the way home and had to stop for a bit.  No hail though.

We gathered at Kirk and Shauna's campsite for a birthday supper - chicken wings done on the Smoky, salads, chips and dips and a special birthday cake made in Carlyle by Shauna's cousin.  Here are some scenes:

Grandma, Laurel and Alan

Relaxing on the lake!

Captain Carter at the wheel

Happy Birthday Jamie

Jamie with Lindsay and Carter

We stayed at the Inn overnight and stopped by the campsite in the morning.  Then we drove to Carlyle and I shopped at King's so now I have a new pair of navy Skechers.

On Friday we went to Crosby for Elberta peaches.  We got to the border when it opened at 8:00 SK time so had a good choice of peaches.  I like the larger ones for canning and came home with nine cases.  Six are for Laurel, Clare and Kirk's.  They are quite green so next week they might be ready to eat or can or freeze.

On Saturday we had lunch for $5 each at the Torquay Community Centre, thanks to the Torquay Fire Department.  They also drew winning tickets for several items donated by generous sponsors.  We didn't have any winning tickets though!  Here's a picture of the old fire truck that has been replaced by a much newer one.

Ron Fonstad and Alan looking it over

Kristy and the girls went back to Førde, Norway last week. Here's a picture of Nora and Elly Clara, happy to be back home with Pappa.  They have been having a heatwave in their area with temperatures of 32ºC the other day, very unusual for Norway summers.

Welcome home at the Bergen airport

The annual service at Salem Lutheran Church, just two miles north of the Johnson farm, will take place on August 11th at 10:00 am.  It will take the place of the Sunday service at Trinity, Torquay which is held at 9:00 am. Lunch will be served by the Johnson family following the service.  Howard Johnson was born on that date in 1935. My mother, Hulda (Haaland) Erickson was born on August 11, 1919, one hundred years ago.  The lunch will be served in their memory and will include some Norsk dainties.  All are welcome to attend the service led by Pastor Danny Krause and to stay for lunch to follow.

It looks like my blog posts are now a monthly item so watch for the next one near the end of August.  If you add your email address at the beginning of the blog you will be notified when a new blog post is published.  Enjoy these summer holidays!