originals at original joe's

Hubby and I experienced a first today. We were the first customers at the new Original Joe's that opened at 12 noon in our neighbourhood.  (They even took our photo.)

The decor is bright and modern with clean lines and rich colors. 

I noticed the feature wall and snapped a picture. The owner came over and explained that the framed photos on it were taken in the community. And so now I'm going to be on the lookout for the where they're from. 

 Hubby ordered the burger, I the quesadilla (chipotle quesadilla with side salad of greens, dried cranberries and almond slices.) Yum!

We decided to go the distance and even have dessert. My tip: leave room for this luscious mud pie (with mocha). Double yum!! 

It's the first Original Joe's we've ever been to and we'll be back!

snow that's a sign of spring

While the east is digging out from under their latest storm,  here on the west coast we're inching noticeably toward spring.

On our Thursday walk, I snapped these catkins.

When we got home, I checked my own garden for signs of life and sure enough... little bulblings are sneaking their snouts through the soil and pine needles.

Then yesterday I caught sight of the surest sign of spring yet—the first flowers. These snowdrops are so white my camera could hardly handle the glare.

I love it!!

guess who's back!

Red-winged blackbird, heard, then seen on our walk this morning!

His call is the harbinger of spring.

shiny

Antique car hood ornament -  2012 Cruise-In, Langley, BC, Canada

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Thursday Challenge

Next Week: WATER (Drops, Glass of Water, Ocean, Lake, Pond, Pool,...)

you dream it, they'll cake it

On these wet wet days when our walking path looks like this...

...we've altered our route to go through town. We walk past a cute shop window that has the coolest decorated cakes. I first noticed it this fall and took some photos around Halloween and Remembrance Day.

Fall Cupcakes

Beach Cake

Halloween Ghoul Cake

Creepy-Crawly cupcakes

Treasure Island Cake

Flanders Fields Cake

Over the Christmas holiday the window was empty. But this morning when we passed by I saw the shop window was again getting filled with these incredible cakey creations. Are they real, edible cakes? I have no idea. But they sure are fun scenery on a rainy morning. 

Snowboard Cake

Penguin Cake

And a HOCKEY CAKE, to celebrate the end of the lockout, do you think?

The shop is Scoop-N-Save, Cake Decorating Supply Specialists. They have a web page and a presence on Facebook. (If you're into cake decorating and live in the area, they're probably a destination that will make you drool.)

we remember

Today is Remembrance Day

We take time to remember and salute the soldiers, old and young, past and present, who have served our country in various theaters of war.

It was nice to see Remembrance Day reminders on our walks around town during the last week.  A local framing shop as well as a bake shop had window displays.

But the nicest touch was to see the photos of veterans (don't know if they're local), silk-screened onto banners that decorate the downtown area. Here is a sampling.

Langley city's Remembrance Day parade will begin at 10:25 a.m. (Logan and 56th), followed by the ceremony in Douglas Park at the new Cenotaph starting at 11:00 a.m. sharp.

Click for map and parade route details.

june treats (1016 to 1023 of unending gifts)

"Flowers ... have a mysterious and subtle influence upon the feelings, not unlike some strains of music. They relax the tenseness of the mind. They dissolve its rigor."-Henry Ward Beecher

My list of unending gifts continues...

1016. On the 19th we celebrated our 31st anniversary. We've come a long way baby! The photo is of us on our wedding day (top), and us earlier this spring (bottom), against a background of the anniversary roses I got from my sweetheart.

1017. 

1018. I am so enjoying my hanging baskets. I think our cool weather is agreeing with them. Here's a little comparison: what they looked like when I first put them up on May 8th and now.

1019. My yellow lily bloomed! It's my Mother's Day gift from son last year. I love it when gifts keep giving.

1020. I found out the name of the trees that grow along the path behind our house. They're Hornbeam trees.

1021. It's strawberry season. We bought a flat from Driediger Farms. They are some of the juiciest berries I've ever had—such a treat. For a potluck tonight I'm making Strawberry Trifle (I'm trying out this recipe).

1022. Scenes from the mighty Fraser flood of 2012. Yesterday we went to check out one of our favorite trails—the Fort to Fort from the Heritage House to Derby Reach. Here's E. on the path. Any more rise in water level and that path will be gone. The last little bit of the path into Derby Reach is under water.

But that's nothing compared to the campsite. Here we are at the picnic area.

And this is the campsite. Each pole designates a camp spot.

1023. And this is my 2000th blog post. That is another reason for thankfulness!

Now to tackle the last week of June! What are you up to this week? And where is the time racing to? 

This post is linked to the "Multitudes on Mondays" meme at  A Holy Experience.

big

Vintage "Spirit of the Skeena" plane on display at the Langley Airport 

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Thursday Challenge

Next week: HOT (Fire, Burner, Candle, Day, Hot Springs, Hot Air Balloon,...)

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"Spirit of the Skeena"--its 50-year journey