Pictures of a rural community....

Susannah and I had to run out and get some milk today, and so I thought I'd take my camera with me and snap a few pictures of the nearest little community to our home.  We live about 15 or so minutes from town, about 30 minutes from the city and about 15 minutes from a retail park - so we normally do all of our shopping in those major areas.  That said, we are lucky that we have quite a few choices within a few minutes drive (and a bicycle ride away/ long walk away in Summer) if we don't feel like going into town.

We even have two restaurants close by - four in Summer (when the golf courses are open).  As well as two pools (one outdoor for Summer), lakes and campgrounds, parks, community halls with all kinds of activities....a liquor store (off licence) etc etc.  The library comes out to our area every Tuesday so we can even get books/ return/ order etc etc.  They have family movie nights at our hall on a big screen once a month which is nice too :)  The kids like that!

Anyway, here are some snapshots taken through the car window:

Little church, they also hold craft sales etc here:

One of the local stores.  This one has the post office, a gas station, and sells groceries, has a video/ dvd rental etc etc:

Another local store.  This one has a 'build a bear' type store in it!!  It also sells groceries, candy and souvenirs/ decor etc etc.  Next to it is a restaurant/ pizza type diner.  This place provides the hot lunches at the school and also gives a free dinner coupon to the 'child of the month' at the school:

This is the lake - still frozen but not safe to go on now as it's been too warm!  Won't be long and we will be able to kayak on it again - although last year the water levels were too low :(  Across the lake you can see the local airport - a small airport and one of a kind in Alberta as it has those seaplanes or whatever they are called - the type of planes that can land on water!!!  I love having the little planes flying over our house.  Lloyds friend has a plane and takes him up i it.  This year he is taking the boys up too:

The liquor store/ off licence.  Lloyd will often run here at the weekend for a bottle of wine ;)   

The little fire station for our community!!  A VERY important building full of VERY important trucks and people when you live in a rural area and are NOT on city water!!!:

The local school - you can see where the children sled down from the roof of the school Yes part of the school is built into the ground) at recess/ playtime - but all the snow is quickly melting away so they can't sled any more:

So I hope you have enjoyed a little look of the closest community to our house.  We don't actually live in a 'community' or village or whatever - we live in a  rural area.  Not in a subdivision or anything.  This little community has been very welcoming though :)  

Relaxing on the porch.

tonsils the size of golf balls....

Rhona - I think it must have been passed via Facebook or something - because Laurence came down with this yesterday.  His left tonsil swelled up HUGE and this morning they weren't quite as big BUT the other one has started to swell up too (see pic above lol).

I apologise to anyone eating while blog hopping ;)  

So he has been taking his garlic capsules, his pain relief and has tried ice cream and hot drinks.  He prefers to drink hot drinks but likes to eat cold foods.  He's also going to try the turmeric in hot milk each night for the next few nights and if it's no better by Monday he will be off to the family doctor.

He's feeling TONS better today though and the swelling is less.  Here's hoping the garlic works it's magic before Monday.  Laurences Dad had tonsillitis off and on for years before having his tonsils removed at around the age of 34, so I told him to contact him for some advice too.  

Another beauty.

Friday Fill ins

1. Why are you making such a mess with the bird seeds little Common Redpolls?  The other birds don't like when you empty the feeders onto the floor in one day!
2. I want you to take the time to think things through.
3. If they don't show up on Monday, then it will be on my terms.
4. Everything is up in the air for us at the moment and all we can do is wait and see what happens.
5. I could use a pair of sunglasses or a brighter screen - the sun is so bright I am squinting and its hard to see the screen - all I can see is my own reflection lol.
6. At the moment I'm sat out on the deck in the sunshine, with a coffee and my macbook, listening to the birds chirp (and a magpie calling) and the snow melt - drip, drip, drip and then I'm going to go back inside and check on my Son with the tonsil the size of a golf ball and see what the others want to do for the rest of the day.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to an unplanned evening after our plans were changed (for good reasons though), tomorrow my plans include lapping up this great weather and Sunday, I want to continue to enjoy this gorgeous weather - maybe head to the river valley or out to Elk Island or somewhere.  We have no fixed plans as such but no doubt we will do something somewhere!  


You can find your Friday fill-ins HERE