Baler Fire

Also yesterday evening while we were still in Red Deer we were alerted to a baler that caught on fire in a field near our pasture. Art Anhorn was baling a couple miles east of his place when his baler caught on fire. In his mid eighties he was still able to unhook the tractor but his taillights and slow moving sign were scorched. Luckily he wasn't burned. Without a phone or radio he was trying to put the fire out with his front end loader. Thankfully a vigilant Kevin Letniak, out on a Sabbath afternoon drive, spotted the smoke and was first on the scene with a water truck and the fire was contained before it burned too large an area. It was moving north east so would have burned some of our pasture if not contained. We thank the Lord for what we are sure was divine intervention.

We stopped by this morning on our way home & took these pics.

It is a rather helpless feeling to be so far away & not be able to help with a fire so near home. Our hired man was filling our water truck but thankfully it was not needed.

Cousins

Yesterday some of Elaine's cousins came to Red Deer for lunch & the afternoon. We had a lovely time catching up but the time sped by too quickly.

Ron & Audrey Ferber (Millarville), Elaine, Bette Lou & Lorne Babiuk (Edmonton), Mom & Gene

Ron took this pic so Murray could be in it.
(Elaine, Audrey, Lorne & Gene are the cousins.)

Update

I have not posted for some time so will catch you up all at once! I have been away to campmeeting and my internet connection was down for almost a week when I got back. I really felt out of the loop!My brother Gene has been visiting from Manitoba and used to operate a grass cutting business so he professionally cut my grass before campmeeting!

On July 6 a bridal shower was held for Laurel Tym at the Red Deer church. Here she is with her Mom.

Opening the many lovely and mostly RED gifts for her new kitchen.

Laurel with the 2 friends that put on the shower -Rachel Miranda and Mandy Hyde.
The same day as the bridal shower, here at the ranch we got a tropical downpour! We received 4.5 inches of rain and hail with strong wind in just over an hour! I of course was not home and Murray didn't think to take any pictures - too bad. He was so busy doing damage control. He said water was pouring off our greenhouse roof like a waterfall and the yard was a sea of water. There was much soil erosion and grass clippings fom our lawn washed down to the ditch by the road where the water nearly ran over the road. Waterholes filled and ran over. The crazy thing is that just a mile away north or south there was only 1/2 inch of rain or so. Our houses did not recieve any damage but some near Hemaruka did.
Where the grass clippings and soil washed up. Also about 1/3 of my garden washed away.

Saturday July 19 we gathered at Ron & Connie's yard for a weiner roast. Many family were home for James Letniak's 90th birthday celebration.

Darlene, Kevin, Connie, Curtis & Ellen

Even Mary Letniak and Grandma Scobie enjoyed the food!

The best time of all was had by Jonathan, Jaren & Kaitlyn. Although the yard had lots of green grass, after eating they proceeded to find the dirt and become smeared - true farmers and farmerette.

July 20/Sunday family & community gathered at the Hemaruka Hall to celebrate James Letniak's 90th Birthday. Mary held up pretty well for the day.

James imparting his wisdom to Scott who was able to be home for the wknd.

As I post this the mosquitos have hatched from all the standing water after the rain so it is a challenge being outside, especially with the threat of West Nile Virus. My early norning walk was not so enjoyable this morning!