Greetings from the Bell family!!

Well, it is December 26th and there is a hush over the house. We had a great time. It looked like FisherPrice blew up in our living room when the presents got opened, but that's what happens when a zoo and a barnyard arrive at the same time! We had our Christmas dinner with all our family on the 24th and a smaller version on Dec. 25th when Gerry and Lorna joined us. The babies had their first sleigh ride around the farm and Josiah even joined the big kids tobogganing down the big hill on Christmas day. I think he's pretty brave for a 1 year old! I'm sure the girls will have some great pics on their blogs soon so I'll just post a couple. I hope you have had a happy time with family too. We are so blessed to be surrounded by people we love!

Are we decorated for Christmas???

"... and the baseboards were removed with the greatest of care
in hopes that the painters soon would be there!"

Well, we've never been this close to having our house repainted before! so I guess all progress is good. This should be the week!? Meanwhile, I can glance in my living room to do inventory on what we own that is usually hanging on other walls in other parts of the house. It has been fun to get things worked on, but it will be great to have a spot for things again before the family is home.

Meanwhile, over at the addition to the churchbuilding. It is lookin' good as the carpet is down, the lights are up and the chairs are being ordered for the main room. I'll post some pictures when it's done!

We were up to Saskatoon last week to see family and this week is a family reunion of sorts with the Walter and Hannah Bell family as we meet them all in Weyburn on Thursday for Aunt Hannah's funeral. Their farm had been 1/2 mile east of here and Stan's family and theirs had spent a lot of time back and forth while they were growing up.

Rider pride??

Well, not to be left behind by our rider fans in the family, we have embraced the Grey Cup Game as an excuse to have supper with friends and neighbors and buy new shirts!! We had fun and enjoyed a pleasant evening.

Stan is busy hauling grain to the elevator and things may actually be starting to wind down on the farm. We look forward to having a slower pace and the temperature starts to drop and the snow line will start to increase.

We have been doing a little "polishing up" around the house and the last couple of days we have been walking around with little stips of paint colors playing the "imagine this a whole wall!" game. I think whatever "colors" we choose will be fun as we built in the era of beige and brown. Someone said those colors will soon be back. Can it be true?? Did we wait to long??? No - can't be!

Hello again

It's nice to have nothing pressing to write about, but it's a little boring for the randon readers,but... Normal is good!:-) Stan keeps busy getting fall work caught up. Our next big planned family event will be to have Stephen fly home for a couple of weeks at Christmas. Our Saskatoon family was home on the weekend following Kathy Bell's marriage to Joe in Moose Jaw last Sat. (It was a beautiful wedding and we wish them happiness as a family. Kathy also becomes Mom to Mykayla, who is ten.)

Linaya and Josiah change so much between visits that they constantly surprise us. We keep asking ourselves "Did our kids used to do that???" How cute they are! Josiah caught the flu and spent and extra two days here before they thought he was road worthy. They have so much fun with each other and the toys and have started exploring the house. They also like to be talked to on the phone!

LaWanda tells me there is talk of a JACOBS reunion next summer, so if that means you, keep posted. It will probably be in Regina the end of June.

More good news

Well, last week ended with a trip to Saskatoon. We had another appointment with Stan's doctor at the renal unit (kidney doctor) and the numbers were all good news. Stan was told to go back in a year and blood tests are switched from every two months to twice a year. That's progress. His kidneys aren't 100% but have stayed consistent for the last year at a very acceptable level of function. We are grateful.

While in Saskatoon we celebrated our 33rd Wedding Anniversary before heading back home to the farm. I told Stan that in the 33 years we still haven't hit the "worse". I think we confronted the "in sickness and in health" part of of our vows. Even during illness, we just found many blessings. We're looking forward to as many more anniversaries as God decides to grant us.

and again ...a door opened

Some of you will remember me saying last year that I would stop calling good things that happened a "coincidence" but rather a "Godincidence" Well, it happened again today. Stan had seen the plastic surgeon in Saskatoon in the last couple of weeks and was not comfortable with the line of treatment recommended to touch up the area affected by last year's surgery in Regina. After a restless night, it was decided that it would best if we tried to get in with the original plastic surgeon in Regina, Dr. Chang. We were given the first available appointment of Oct. 29th with the hope of a cancellation before that date. Last week, we had a call from Saskatoon to say that Stan had been BOOKED for surgery in November. The pressure was on! Do we cancel? What if we're missing an opportunity?? Again, a quick decision to go to Regina by 8:30 am this morning and sit, wait, and HOPEFULLY fit into a spot of cancellation to have a consultation with the man we trust. We sat, sat, waited, waited. Everytime the phone rang, I would send up a little prayer that it was a cancellation. They said they had 30 plus people coming through his office.
(1 doctor!) At about 11:15 the receiptionist told us there was NO hope to get in as they were an hour behind with appointments already there. Here's the happy ending... A young man sitting in the corner calmly said "I can wait" I couldn't believe what I just heard! She told him, "but I don't know when I could get you in. It could be a couple of weeks!" and he said calmy, "That's fine" He gave Stan his appointment and they gave him Stan's upcoming date of Oct 29th. WOW Restores my faith in kind people.
Dr. Chang had a different opinion. The difference between a "repair" and a "renovation". Stan is booked in Regina for March 12, still time to be in shape for Spring seeding. Again I say "God is good"

Hello, October and Happy Birthday, Linaya!

We had a wonderful time in Regina on the weekend. We were reunited with many friends on the Western Christian College campus as well as spending time with our girls and their families. We continued on to Weyburn to visit Uncle Bill and Aunt Vi Bell before returning home. Another mini holiday! I hope you all had a happy thanksgiving and the opportunity to look around you and take inventory of everything wonderful in your life,too. We have SO much to be thankful for and just listen to the news to appreciate where we live.

Saskatoon visit!

Well, it was time for the followup appointment to see the plastic surgeon to decide if Stan wanted any followup surgery this winter on his skin graft site. The option is still there, but "the jury is still out" The doctor is willing but Stan is still weighing the benefits against the risks of infection etc., with the level of improvement predicted and is yet to make up his mind for sure. We have decided to have a chat with the original surgeon in Regina who did the work and hopefully his input will be very helpful.

It sure looks like fall today! The leaves had changed and now a few brisk winds have hit and they are history! Sad to see bare trees from now until Spring. Stan worked taking off some of the last crop yesterday. I think the combine should have one more go at the wheat field and it can be cleaned up and put away until the next harvest. It is a satisfying feeling to know we have the crop off and in the bins.

The family is all doing great. I watched the babies in their swimming lessons and they looked pretty comfortable in the water for a couple of prairie kids. What wonderful opportunities are available to them. It just doesn't seem that long ago that I was the Mom in the water playing "motorboat" and now my babes are the Moms! and being so great at it, too!!

the video

As promised, here's the video of Dad wall climbing. He didn't seem to think it was a big deal, but the rest of us sure did! And while some of us were sore the next day, Dad said he works much harder than that on the farm each day. We're proud of you, Dad!

A family going places!!! Up!

You'll recognize these climbers, Stan, Stephen, Monica, Roy and Robert. Linaya and Josiah were able to get a little taste of climbs to come.

Finally all together!

Well, it finally happened. We had all nine of us together at once. Stephen was home for a week, some of that time in Gravelbourg and some in Saskatoon. He got connected with a little combine dust to remember his prairie roots and a little of the hustle and bustle of being around two babies to remind him of fun his family can be :-) He brought his climbing gear with him so most of the family went with him to a wall climbing facility, his Dad included! That was fun to watch, but I didn't try. Well, someone needed to hold Linaya and Josiah!! (Pick me!)

Harvest is over except for cleanup on weedy patches and sloughs. We are tired and ready to be finished and rest up. It all went well with no really no holdups this year for weather or repairs. We have had some work done on our house that started July 1st and has dragged out with a few delays. I'm also ready to have that finished and to get things finally cleaned up.

Fall is definitely here. I have started checking the thermometer to see if it is freezing or has frozen. I don't have a huge garden, but there are still things like squash and tomatoes that should be rescued. The leaves are starting to turn colors which is beautiful and sad at the same time.

All is well ...

This was just one of those evening when everything just seemed to feel good. The day was beautiful followed by a colorful sunset. Harvest is going well, and I had to admit to myself that it really doesn't have a lot to do with the yield. (Not that yield is not a good thing!) It just seems incidental how much crop is coming off. I was realizing that this is the first harvest I have been able to enjoy in two years! Two years ago we were flattened by the worst hailstorm we have ever experienced in magnitude of damage and area affected. Harvest that year was a matter of "housekeeping" so we could get things tidied up for the next seeding. Last year found us both in Regina and Saskatoon and thanks to Gerry and Tim and Robert "and company" a boutiful harvest went into our bins. It was a sad drive for us between Regina and Saskatoon as we watch other farmers in their fields and we were wishing it was us. I have loved this year at home. I've enjoyed my garden produce, picked apples for juice and baking and even made a little chokecherry syrup for old time sake. And best, the best, is that I'm back in the field with my husband every day :-)

Eventful week

Well, we are busy harvesting the duram wheat and we had visitors for two days! Robert took some of my turns on the combine so I had more time in the house visiting Monica, Linaya, Melissa and Josiah. Both babies had combine rides and we had a nice visit. They sent a visual message off to Uncle Stephen in Oklahoma. That will be our next highlight in the fleeing summer! They'll be back in a couple of weeks, hopefully Roy, too, and we'll get some family pictures. :-)

Time out

Somewhere between midnight Monday and breakfast on Tues., Stan decided we would take a couple of days between crops to go find our old camping spot at Cypress Hills Prov. park! We were packed and on the road by lunch! How's that for impulsive. We even went over to meet "Scotty" the T Rex in Eastend on the way. Two sleepovers in the woods and we're back on the farm and Stan is already out in the combine finishing off the rest of the Canola. I think our life will be interrupted from time to time with self imposed "time out"s. It seems to have a calming effect to disconnect and then carry on.

The silence of the moment was suddenly saddened on Tuesday by call from our son, Stephen, to say that one of his best friends, Brian, had just died in a taffic accident. Moments like that make me so grateful for a cell phone. There is nowhere I wanted to be more than on the end of that phone when he needed to call. My Dad saw 97 years and Brian didn't get to see 27 years. Please pray for healing for Stephen and the Windell family.

Day 2 of August, Day 3 of Harvest

Well, as I sat on the combine listening to Simon and Garfunkle, the motor humming, the Canola grinding through and Stan headed home to empty the graintruck, I was struck by the sense of familiarity and the feeling that all was as it should be. Okay, the crop is not as "great" as some years, but we have many little seeds to put in the bin and compared to the gopher infested fields of the Mankota area, south of us, we have it pretty good. The biggest pest problem we had this year appears to be a truck or SUV with occupants feeling big "under the influence" and small on intelligence that went roaring around is standing crops. It affected about six of us neighbors and the mystery is yet unsolved. Don't worry about aliens. They were lacking the accuracy for crop circles. Stan is hoping for a little break between taking of Canola and moving on to harvest Duram wheat. Harvest was here way too soon but there's no pause button!

Family and farmin'

Well, we have been trying to get siding on our house since July 1st and we keep hitting "glitches". Three and a half weeks until Stephen is home and maybe it will be done by then. My garden is doing quite well in spite of me not watering it and the temperatures have been up there for a couple of weeks now. I love the fresh veggies. I have been picking Saskatoons, from a UPICK , raspberries from the home patch and beets, potatoes and little zucchinis from the garden. Hurray! summer. Stan just finished the last? or possibly semilast?? spraying on those chickpeas. When the heat shuts them down and they stop growing is the day we stop spraying. I'm rather attached to my water truck.. I get to read and watch my duck family grow while I'm filling at the dugout. The harvest is probably a little closer because of the hot weather and we're gearing up for that. That is such an exciting time. I really look forward to it. I'll post a couple more pics from the reunion and family times. :-)

It's July!

Here we are sitting on the edge of two anniversaries. July 14th was the day we said goodbye to my Dad and July 18th when Stan had his surgery and God gave us our miracle. For a long time we have been adding "and it hasn't even been a year" to all progress statements. Now we will move over the spot on the calendar.

Summer is speeding up. We have the Bell reunion behind us and I am sorry it went by so fast. As with anything that involves a group of people, the conversations seemed too short. You can't stay up late enought to use every moment.

We are back in business spraying chickpeas today and we have contracters here putting the new siding on our house to repair hail damage from two years ago. My grass has changed from shades of green to shades of burlap so my mowing has finally slowed. (The exception may come with a big rain, but probably a little touch up mowing around the house will keep it down)

We were in Saskatoon a couple of days this week and spent time with our family there. A joy, as always. The wee ones always make us smile!

Reunited!

Well, this was the weekend of the Bell reunion and we had a wonderful time. Most of us were around all week, with the remainder showing up from Thurs. to Sunday afternoon. The weather cooperated and we spent a lot of time outside between our houses on the farm, Dad and Ruby's in Gravelbourg and an afternoon at Thompson Lake. I'll try post some group shots. More details may follow.

Hit one for the home team!!!

Looking twice?? Yes, that's Stan up to bat and playing ball at a good ol' fashioned ball game and BBQ. We had a great afternoon with friends and the mosquitos and the guests ate well :-)

Seeding has been finished now for three weeks and we are kept busy with spraying chick peas with fungicide, spraying out weeds and mowing all the green and growing grass from the wonderful rains we have been getting. Our crops look like they are doing well and we can just hope there's no hail in our future.

Our family reunion fast approaches for the last week in June and we look forward to lots of fun and pictures together. It has been a while since we have had so many little "Bell" cousins on the farm and we are looking forward to a great time. Stephen just booked his flight home for a week in August so there's another reason to smile.

Additional pictures: Fun things to do at the farm!

You can drive Grandpa's tractor...
You can hang out in the birdcage chairs... (Peek!)
You can ride on Grandma's shoulders....

You can try out the new toddler swing on the deck...
or you can just get totally involved in the new toys.... (note how Linaya's sitting up on her knees and feet :-)

Seeding is done!

Stan finished seeding the last of the crop on Saturday evening! That is great!
The girls and their babies have been here for the weekend and Josiah managed to get his first tractor ride on the last field. Look for those pics on Melissa's blog. What a fun time we have had. I bought a baby swing to clip on the deck beams and after a cool weekend, we finally had enough heat on Sunday afternoon to enjoy being outside.
It is showering today so I'm hoping Stan will give himself permission to take the day off. It has been a busy time around here.. There will still be some spraying to keep up with on weeds and fungicide for chick peas but the moisture was great for seeding and we are very optimisitic about a great crop.

Babies on the farm!!

The first picture is Linaya and Monica in the tractor with Stan. Her little feet were just a-bouncin' as if to say "Let's keep this thing moving!"

The next is Josiah wearing his John Deere shirt and socks from Tim and Sarina.

The last is Stan and Linaya enjoying what we refer to as "the birdcage chair" on our deck.