Gratitude Monday--Many Things Edition

I am grateful for many things: big, little, middling, immeasurable.
Late last week the weather forced the cancellation of a planned camping trip with friends. It was disappointing, but we've had so much rain that our basement flooding. Even though it stopped raining Friday the ground was saturated, the water table rose, and water percolated up into the basement.
Being home gave my husband the time and opportunity to vacuuming the water every few hours.
For that I am grateful.

We spent Saturday trying out a new bakery in a nearby town and then on to a restaurant in a different town. Both were good and I am grateful for the chance.

I'd bought a sirloin tip roast to do over the campfire. Instead I got to roast it yesterday. We'll have several meals from it and that's really good. It'll mean less to think about while I process the abundance of vegetables we have received from my husband's family. I am grateful for the bounty and the time.

I'd been craving apple pie and my husband brought home apples from the trees in his orchard at his mother's place. I decided to try the new formula Robin Hood gf flour, but added a few things of my own including a tablespoon of psyllium fibre. It was a good call and it made a fine pie crust. In fact, it is the best pie crust I have ever made. I am grateful for all of it.

Gratitude Monday -- Garden Goodness Edition

I have plenty of vegetables to deal with and for them I am grateful.
Yesterday I picked beans and got enough to warrant freezing them. I picked and froze cilantro, and then collected thyme and oregano, both of which are now drying.
Then my husband came home from visiting his parents. He brought zucchini which needs to be dealt with soon, carrots, beets, cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes in red and yellow, several cucumbers, and many, many onions.
Today will be spent preparing and freezing most of the above.
It's going to be a great day.

Gratitude Monday --Up To It Edition

I am so grateful that I get to go hiking in the mountains pretty much whenever I want. My husband and I have gone out at least a dozen times since mid-April and each one has been wonderful.
We've often gone on hikes along the David Thompson Highway, that's the road that links Rocky Mountain House to the Banff National Park gate. We've got great hikes in Clearwater County and I am beside myself to live here.
We've also gone into Banff or Jasper Park for hikes. I am tickled even sillier to live so close to these magnificent mountain gems.
On Saturday we went to Banff Park and did most of a hike that goes to an old, abandoned forestry lookout on Mt. Sarbach.
It was hot and humid. I was in a plodding along in a steep pitch, that is, walk 10 feet and rest for 30 seconds or so. Mike went on ahead to scout the trail for us.
When he came back down we decided we'd done enough and turned back.
I am grateful I got as far as I did, grateful we turned back when we did, and so very, very grateful that with each hike I go farther up the trails than I ever have, that I have what feels like boundless energy to do it, and that we have the time to go out for drives and hikes in the Rockies.

Here's a pic looking south from somewhere high up on the trail.

Gratitude Monday -- It's All About You Edition

Thanks, all.

I really appreciate my readers. I am grateful you stop by to read me, and to those who leave comments, I thank you.

It's good for the heart, and the ego, to know that I am read. Agreeing with me is great. So is disagreeing with me.
I am glad either way.

How I Spent My 2nd Cancerversary

Over the last few days I've observed my second cancerversary.  That is, I noted in passing the surgery day and then over the long weekend I noted the day I got home from said surgery.
I feel really good. I've been exercising and owe a large debt of gratitude to doing squats. Mountain hiking is easier now that I do them.
Yesterday we accidentally did part of a hike called Tuff Puff. We meant to do a ridge walk nearby, but found ourselves on the Kinglet Lake trail which is also the start of Tuff Puff.  We decided to go ahead and see how it went as it was a totally new hike to us.
Partway up we looked across to our favourite hike. We thought we went high on that one, but this new one took us at least twice as high and we only went partway on it.
I had to stop and rest here and there due to the steep pitches. Every time it looked like we'd reached the top we were wrong.
We went as far as the of the Kinglet Lake/Tuff Puff intersection and then a bit farther along the Tuff Puff hike, just because.
I am amazed I did this. I won't say I can't believe it because as soon as you take that mindset the thing you can't believe happened gets taken away. I refuse to have mountain hiking removed from my life.
I've gone on many hikes in the West Country over the years and always enjoyed them, but never gotten this far.
While I credit exercise I also credit not having cancer. My body feels lighter and has more energy.
It really is the preferred option.
Here are a few pics of me on the hike, and cancer, my ass!

Hopping right along. The silvery band in the middle distance is the North Saskatchewan River.

In an alpine meadow near where we turned around.

Squinting to take a photo near the Kinglet Lake/Tuff Puff  intersection.

Gratitude Monday -- The Real Most Wonderful Time of the Year Edition

It's the best time of the year, food wise.
Blueberries and cherries are ripe and commercially available all around us for a reasonable price and for it I am grateful.
But the best of the best is the gardens are producing. We've had cucumbers and tomatoes from the inlaws for a few weeks now, zucchini as well, plus a few new potatoes. Yesterday we were blessed with more new potatoes, carrots, chard, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peas.
I spent a delightful few minutes shelling the peas. It is relaxing and it is easy to mark one's progress. But Mike offered to do it all so I let him while I attended to other matters of the kitchen.
The gardens and orchards are producing and for it I am grateful.