Trip to Windsor, Ontario...

We loaded up the children and visited Canada on Friday, 23rd October. There's a South African street food restaurant and shop that's recently opened in Windsor, and so we thought we'd head over there to support this new business. We enjoyed boerewors rolls and ribs as well as refreshing Appletiser. It was awesome!

We also went to a lovely coffee shop, a quilt and fabric shop for Candace, and Jackson Park, where we all had a great time outdoors. This park has a wonderful memorial to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), complete with replica Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft mounted as if they're flying in formation. There is also a monument to Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland, and the Queen Elizabeth II sunken gardens. 

We drove home via the newly opened Gordie Howe Bridge after a lovely few hours across the Detroit River in the friendly country of Canada. :)

With Arnie, the owner and cook at What's Arnie Cooking?

Enjoying a delicious meal outside.

An amazing boerewors roll. To quote Candace, "This tastes like Cape Town!"

The cute little coffee shop, Cafe Amor and Art.

Candace's latte.

Rose Cottage Quilt Shoppe.

Hurricane and Spitfire replicas at the RCAF memorial.

Robert Burns monument.

QEII sunken gardens.

A beautiful thistle.

Relaxing on the giant chairs at Jackson Park.

Driving back over to Detroit - and the United States.

Petting Zoo at Church...

Our church hosted an autumn festival with farm animals, doughnuts, coffee, and apple cider one Saturday morning in mid-October. Our children loved the petting zoo and interacting with the goats and bunny rabbits, particularly. It was a great community event!

And, to make the day even more exciting, we dropped Candace at a Quilt Show nearby, where she could browse beautiful quilts at her leisure. :)

Admiring the chickens, ducks, and rabbits.

A sweet miniature pony.

The event had a great turnout.

Spotted in her natural habitat. Candace at a Quilt Show. :)

Work Visit...

Horizons' Founder and President Georges Houssney visited Metro Detroit a few weeks ago, where he encouraged and challenged believers over the course of a weekend. We enjoyed fellowship together at our church on the Friday night, and also helped man the book table when Georges shared a message at a church over in Canton on the Sunday morning. :)

The book table at the church.

Georges shared a message focused on encouraging but also challenging the church.

Family photo with Georges. :)

Cotton Wool Skies...

The skies were filled with puffy white clouds on this October day.

A Delta flight flies under the clouds as it lines up to land at DTW.

Autumn Cycles...

I've enjoyed a couple of cycle rides in the past few weeks, taking in the changing colours in beautiful sunny weather.

There's something so special about watching the leaves turn yellow, orange, and red - as if they're coming alive before the chill of winter takes hold. 

And watching these changes while on my bike is so great!

The morning sun breaks through the trees over the Rouge River.

Spectacular red colour in this large tree.

Looking down at the Rouge River again, but this time in the golden hour before sunset.

Mercy Ships Reunion at Kensington Metropark...

We had a small informal Mercy Ships reunion with our friends Noel and Justin and their children at the end of September. Another Mercy Ships friend Dan and his daughter Hannah joined us, and we had a great afternoon exploring the farm. 

While we see Dan and his family quite regularly, it was the first time in nearly four years that we had seen Noel and Justin. They were on their way from northern Michigan to their home outside of Cincinnati, and passed close to Metro Detroit. It was great to see them again!

Massive (and probably ancient) snapping turtle.

Its shell was covered in moss.

The pretty lake outside the Nature Centre.

I put Cape Town, South Africa, on the map! :)

Riaan's Lego Moria Battle...

"They have a cave troll." 

Another day, another The Lord of the Rings scene from Riaan. 

This time, the battle that takes place next to Balin's tomb is recreated in Lego, along with a brick-built cave troll. :)

He even built Balin's tomb and the infamous well - where Pippin knocked down a skeleton, precipitating the "drums in the deep."