Aug 1, 2023 Killarney

It's always a relief, in the morning, to find our food has been untouched overnight. We don't always manage to hang it as high up as is recommended.

Packing up camp is a big job. It takes a long time. The clothes and sleeping bags are put on a tarp if the ground is wet, until they can be put inside a pack.

Matthew working hard, packing up. He's taking on extra work because Nathan and Melanie aren't here. Boy do we appreciate his hard work!

We found a frog camouflaged in the sand.

Finally! One canoe is packed and ready. Two more to go.

Off we go. It's a long haul today. I don't remember how many portages. Let's just say several!

Off we go! Matthew capably carrying a canoe.

Jennifer helping Dad get up with the food pack. It requires a shove over the knees when you are getting up...once you are going you can manage, if you are careful. Food for 6 is still a lot of food.

The youngest three have pretty big packs too...but not as heavy as the food pack, fortunately!

Resting after a portage and stocking up on energy.

A beautiful day to paddle.

Hot, though. So we went for a swim or two, to cool off. So glad we didn't camp the week before, because it was even hotter that week!!

Hard workin' ladies.

Loading up at yet another portage.

It's just soooo beautiful!

We did finally arrive at our campsite. At Killarney you now have to choose which campsite you will be staying at...so no more paddling around looking for an empty site, and choosing your favourite one if there is more than one available.

The wardens were at our site when we arrived, setting up a new potty. They didn't bother taking care of a loose piece of wood with rusty nails sticking up, but they did bother us with a lecture about offending the local native tribes of the Killarney region because we had made an inukshuk on our campsite...and that's not what the local tribes traditionally built. They took it apart for us.

Classic pose of Matthew...in the middle of an explanation. Between him and I, we can solve the world's problems. :p

July 31, 2023 Killarney

As per tradition, it's not a summer if we don't go back country camping. I found a route in Killarney, our favourite park. This year we went with only 6 of us. It was very different leaving two people behind.

A beautiful day to head into the bush! We arrived at Bell Lake and headed to Johnie Lake for the first night.

Matthew, being the oldest kid along, had a lot of heavy work to do to help out.

Evelyn's pack was nothing to sneeze at either. She did not approve of it but eventually we got it on her back in an acceptable manner and she carried it over our first portage.

Once at the campsite we could relax and enjoy the view across the lake.

Matthew and Daniel got a fire going.

Evelyn painted a fish.

I worked on dinner.

We cooked the sausage in the pasta this year. So much more delicious. You can add leftover cheese from lunch too.

Yum. Jennifer approved of dinner.

We had a sandy beach, which the kids took advantage of after dinner.

July 2023

 

We started the month with a Canada Day party.  It was extra special celebrating with a refugee family who finally made it to Canada!

The weather was great, and the kids enjoyed the outdoors.

Evelyn worked on a big drawing for her wall. It was a lot of work to make this boat!

Our "green bin" got taken away. It was really fun watching them move it. It looks very empty at the top of our hill now. And all the trees I'd planted to grow up and hide the container are all really taking off now...we will miss the extra storage, but it made our neighbour happy.

Matthew worked full time all July. As did Nathan and Melanie.

All summer we had our friends come over once a week. We really had a lot of fun together!

Of course the pool needs to be maintained if we want our friends to enjoy it. Every week Evelyn vacuumed it, and Daniel scrubbed it. Jennifer would spray the filter when it got full. Philip would keep the chlorine levels high enough.

We went for a weekend to some friends' cottage/farm. We did some paddle boarding. And some shooting. And enjoyed each other's company.

Another week of company. Daniel has a lot of boys who enjoy his company. He does a great job keeping them entertained.

The two youngest children.

Enjoying my summer! It's a good kind of busy. :)

Getting the kids to help clean up the extra grass. Maybe Daniel should have moved it earlier...but since he didn't, this works too.

Evelyn made a pirate shop.

The finished product!

Jennifer finished another skirt.

We planted a few more things in the garden. As always, Evelyn is my most eager helper in the garden.

I finally finished a pelmet board for Nathan's room. I think I bought the fabric last winter. And intended to make it during the Christmas holidays. Oh well, it's done now!

Philip finished my walk-in closet. Complete with drawers. I'm very happy with it.

The garden is growing well. Because it's so close to the house I'm more motivated to keep it looking tidy. Also, the imported soil has no weeds in it, so it wasn't that much effort to keep it clear. The tomatoes and peppers didn't do very well...hopefully next year with a bit of chicken fertilizer it does amazing.

We also had some sleepovers this summer. Once Evelyn got two friends over!

Daniel cutting grass for me. He made the trail around the property extra wide in the meadow. This is a bonus because the golden rod on the sides tend to hang over, so you could still get wet with dew or rain if you walk along the mown trail...but not in that part anymore!