April Cycles...

With temperatures trending a bit warmer, I dusted off my bike and managed a couple of cycle rides around the area. The first one was a lovely date cycle with Candace, a wonderful time of connection while exercising together. Cycling is one thing that we particularly enjoy and it's a great way to see sights and scenery at a leisurely pace. We love being active, and we even cycled the 109 km Cape Town Cycle Tour back in 2013. 

The second cycle was a slightly longer one that I did alone one Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day and although my legs were pretty tired after my 30 km (19 mile) cycle, my heart was happy! 

I'm hoping to get in more rides as summer arrives. :)

Cycling selfie. :)

Evening Rainbow...

The Lord has blessed us with some amazing weather this April. Now it's true that we have had our fair share of severe weather and places to the north have had major flooding, but we've enjoyed a lovely month with lots of time spent outdoors. The other evening, we witnessed a fantastic rainbow stretching over our back garden. It was such a gift!

Beautiful clouds in the golden hour.

We've never seen a rainbow with such vivid colours.

The rainbow created a natural divider in the sky.

Family selfie under the rainbow. :)

Signs of Spring...

It's a sure sign that spring is here when Jack pops up from the ground in a matter of days. :)

Window AC Curtain...

Using scraps of old jeans, my talented wife made this amazing curtain to give us some privacy in the summer months. There's a slot for the window air conditioner unit, too!

Martian Marathon 2026...

We were all up really early on Saturday, 11th April. It was time for this year's Martian Marathon, and I had been asked several months ago to organise the water station next to the church. We had a great time serving the runners in this community event in Dearborn!

Eliza at the water station.

It was a beautiful morning!

Riaan offers water and Gatorade to the runners.

Anya was so excited to hand out drinks.

Such a fun event!

Beaver Bridge Hike...

On Good Friday (3rd April), we met up with church friends and had a lovely hike down towards what we call "Beaver Bridge" (from where we saw a beaver back in November 2023). This trail meanders its way along the banks of the Rouge River, just across from Fair Lane Estate in Dearborn. 

Walking through the woods.

Ducks on the Rouge River.

So much fun exploring with friends.

The Rouge River with Fair Lane Estate in the background.

Delta Airlines Airbus A330 on approach to DTW.

Smaller Spirit Airlines jet flying the same approach.

Old pumphouse hidden in the woods.

Cute little squirrel enjoying its lunch.

Easter 2026...

This year, Easter was a time for reflection and family, as we enjoyed lots of time with our community here in the Metro Detroit area. There was the men's prayer breakfast (pictured here), a church tradition that Riaan and I enjoy together, and a combined worship service on Good Friday.

Our church had a sunrise service, followed by a breakfast on Easter Sunday. Later in the day, the children (and Dusty) had a little Easter egg hunt in our back garden, and we spent the rest of the day with friends, enjoying fellowship over a late lunch. 

It was a time to be thankful for each other, and to remember that our thankfulness stems from Christ's sacrifice on the Cross - the greatest gift that we could ever receive. I hope that your Easter was a blessed time with family and friends, wherever you find yourself.

Easter display at our church.

Palm Sunday service.

Candace's amazing hot cross buns.

Making resurrection cookies the night before Easter.

The joy of finding a South African marshmallow egg.

The children hid dog biscuits for Dusty to find in the garden. :)