I don't even know where this beautiful month of June has gone! But it has been a busy one - full of lots of wonderful summer activities. We had a very special Father's Day together with the kids, then there was a neighborhood branding, a neighborhood girls' birthday party, and quite a few get-togethers with friends and family. June has been a beautiful month with abundant sunshine!  We have even gotten quite a bit of rain, which has been such a blessing. We are truly blessed beyond measure. 

My clematis is beginning to bloom! Its glorious purple blooms are just starting, and I can't wait until it completely fills out. My scarlett runner beans are off to a "running" start, and it won't be long before they cover the trellis!

The clematis blooms are so vibrant that the pictures don't even do them justice!

It is now raspberry season! I picked the first ripe ones today. You can see the bushes are loaded! I have been thrilled to see all the native honeybees busily working the raspberries this year. The mild winter certainly enabled the bees to have an easier year, I think!

We enjoy watching the sunset from our back porch. The evening skies never disappoint!

A massive pot of chili for a gathering of dear friends we hadn't seen in many years. It was so good to have us all together, and chili is a great meal to serve a lot of people!

Some blooms in my garden - I like finding vintage metal pieces to use as flower pot displays.

I am enjoying my Pampered Chef Snackle Box! It has a couple of ice trays you can freeze and that keeps the food cold. It comes with a snapping lid that you can carry to picnics and gatherings. It has been wonderful to eat healthier at picnics and get-togethers!

A local town has a huge flag that flies above the downtown area. It is magnificent to see, especially when the wind is blowing gently.

Our neighbors held their annual branding event. It was such a beautiful day.

The mommas had to be separated from the calves, but they were let out into a field with lots of tall green grass, and that helped keep them content while they were temporarily separated.

Their tractor carried a hay wagaon that we were able to sit on and watch the branding.

Now... the mommas are not happy after they realize their calves were separated from them.

Our dear neighbor, 100 years old this year! She is the matriarch of this beautiful family that manages the cattle and comes out on the hay wagon to oversee the event.

The calves had to be herded through the chute to get the brand.

This little one looked like he was not too happy!

This was before the cows were let into the field without their calves.

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

This is a non-fiction memoir of one woman's 21 years living in Ecuador.

Lorrie takes the reader on a journey from her arrival in Ecuador with her husband through the years of raising three children and experiencing unique adventures that stretched her faith. Life in Short but Wide invites you to experience the honesty of a cross-cultural experience that includes heartbreak and humour on a path that led to beauty and grace.

When Lorrie Orr looks at how God has shown up in her life, she is filled with gratitude for the faithfulness of God in times of shadow, questions, and joy. Her life is an illustration of how stepping out in faith can lead to a life filled with grace and beauty

You will learn how Lorrie came to use the phrase Life is Short But Wide in the story, and it will be profound, I assure you! You definitely want to read her story :)

The giveaway is only open to US residents. Please leave a comment on the post below letting me know you are entering the giveaway. I cannot send the book to anyone with anonymous comments, so please be sure to leave me a link to your blog or a way to contact you. The giveaway will be open for two weeks and will close on Sunday, July 19th, with the winner announced on Monday, July 20th. I know that you will be blessed to read her story, and if you are interested in purchasing her book, here is the link: Life is Short But Wide. 

Today is Canada Day, and I want to take this opportunity to wish all my dear Canadian readers a Happy Canada Day! I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating! I was blessed to be born in Canada and to have enjoyed all the bountiful blessings of growing up on Prince Edward Island. I have wonderful family members and friends there who I love dearly! Wishing all of them a Happy Canada Day! 

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend celebrating the 4th of July, and our nation's 250th birthday! I have a dear friend who calculated how long she has been alive for the years' length of this nation. I did the math for myself, and I have been alive for 20.89% of the 250 years of this great nation! Wow! 

Sharing an old video I did some years ago of a collection of patriotic music. These are some of my very favorite patriotic songs! I wish each of you a blessed and special time celebrating Canada's birthday today, and the United States of America's birthday on July 4th! God bless you all!  

Happy Canada Day and Happy July 4th! 

Happy Memorial Day! We had a quiet Memorial Day at home this year as our semi-trucks had some big mechanical issues, and it took the entire weekend to fix them. I took this picture Sunday evening as the sun was setting - it was such a pretty sky. I am so grateful for the men and women who sacrificed so much for the incredible freedoms that we enjoy today! We remember their sacrifice with great gratitude! 

The lilacs are in bloom, along with my crabapple and bridal wreath spirea, and their blossoms are absolutely transforming my days right now. Every chance I get, I stop to breathe in the bouquets I’ve brought into the house or wander outside just to enjoy their fragrance. Why? Because they don’t last long. I only get to enjoy this once a year, and their bloom time is so short, just a week or two at most. Lilacs are my very favorite fragrant flowers, so I’m happily indulging my senses and sniffing away, lol!

Happy May, everyone! Finally, we get to hear Spring's announcement: "I have arrived!" Daffodils are blooming, swallows are swooping, wrens are calling, and tulips are blooming. Yes. Spring has finally arrived here in North Idaho, and it is cause for celebration! After winter, when the blooms begin to share their glory, it is cause for joy and celebration in our hearts!