First Braai...

We had our first braai of 2022 on Tuesday, 15th March. It was a lovely, sunny early-spring day and perfect braaiing weather! We had pork belly strips and toasted sarmies for our supper outside. Yum!

Enjoying the spring sunshine by the braai.

Pork belly strips.

Sarmies toasting on the braai.

St. Vincent StatFlight...

We were driving past the hospital recently, and Riaan noticed a helicopter on the helipad. We turned around and parked right next to this Eurocopter EC135 as it prepared to take off on its flight to Evansville. It took off shortly after this photo and went straight over our vehicle. Helicopters are amazing machines! We've seen a fair amount of medical helicopters over the years.

Ten Year Anniversary...

Candace and I celebrated ten years of marriage on Friday, 4th March. We had planned a night away at Brown County State Park, but unfortunately our kiddos came down with a cold on the day of our anniversary and so we were thankfully able to postpone our trip for a month. We still were able to enjoy our day and enjoyed sushi and Thai food for supper. We also went for an anniversary walk together.

Here's a look back at the day we were married on 4th March 2012! How has it been ten years already?!

Yummy sushi for supper!

Courtesy Flag...

A Mercy Ships friend of mine asked for my mailing address recently, and several days later this fantastic South African flag arrived in the post! He is Captain of a US Naval vessel that is currently being decommissioned, and he sent me the ship's South African courtesy flag. A courtesy flag is usually flown from the forward mast of a vessel while it is operating in that nation's territorial waters.

I was very excited to receive this flag and it now hangs proudly on a wall here in southern Indiana! Back in February 2011, I had the honour of raising the M/V Africa Mercy's South African courtesy flag as we neared Cape Town, South Africa - as seen below. :)

With the large South African flag off Cape Town, February 2011.

Sending it up to the top of the fore-mast.

Flying proudly in the fresh breeze.

4-H Presentation...

Riaan is a member of the local 4-H Club and both he and Candace shared a couple of presentations at their meeting last month. 

Candace talked about quilting and sewing and gave a really interesting talk on this subject. She had lots of object lessons, too, and showed some beautiful quilts that she has made over the years. 

Riaan then talked about building Lego and how he enjoys to build ships and planes. He even showed off a fantastic model of an Aerospatiale/BAC Concorde that he built with just a picture and his imagination!

I was very proud of both Candace and Riaan!

Riaan talking about his Lego projects.

Riaan's Concorde.

Daviess County Eagle's Nest...

The children and I went to look at the huge eagle's nest about fifteen minutes drive from our house recently. This is a bald eagle's nest, and as you can (just) make out from the close-up image, it is currently occupied by a pair of bald eagles - and most likely some juveniles, too! So exciting to have wildlife so close to home!

I've circled the back of the eagle's head in this close-up shot. It was a pity that it didn't turn around!

Eliza's Fourth Birthday...

Our middle child, Eliza Lucy, turned four on Tuesday, 8th February. She enjoyed birthday pancakes for breakfast and then opened presents while video-chatting her aunt Shirley and her cousins in South Africa. She also spoke to her Granny and Grandad a little later in the day. 

While I did work on this day, I was able to take her for a quick birthday date at the Cherry Ghost in the morning, and then we had Candace's parents around for a birthday supper for Eliza in the evening. She had a lovely day!

You can see how much she has changed since last year by clicking here. :)

Birthday pancakes for breakfast!

Cherry Ghost date with Daddy.

She received The Digging-est Dog - her favourite book when we were in SA - and a cool penguin game from Shirl and family in SA. They video-chatted with us while she opened her presents!

We gave her a crocodile outfit, since she wants to be a crocodile and go SNAP when she grows up!

Video-chatting with Grandad (and Granny) in Cape Town. :)

Eliza had this book read to her multiple times when we were in Cape Town over Christmas. :)

Candace and Riaan work on Eliza's cake.

With Eliza and the biscuits that Lavone gave us for our birthdays.

Sweet Anya Joy finishing up her cake.

Family fun in the evening. Happy birthday, Eliza!

February Cycles...

There were several warmer days in February, which meant that I could get out on my bike again! It's been a long winter and while we did get away to South Africa in December, I hadn't cycled since November. It's always nice to stretch the legs - even when there is still snow and ice around!

Selfie on my first cycle of 2022.

Horses in a field.

Patches of snow along the road.

Treacherous, melting ice at the East Side Park.

My 38th Birthday...

On Saturday, 5th February, I celebrated my 38th birthday! It was a lovely day filled with Lego-building, hot cups of tea, lots of reading and napping, and some games, too.

Riaan gave me a Lego Technic "Grave Digger" monster truck for my birthday. It is quite perplexing that he has two other types of this monster truck and my present seems to complete his collection. Strange, that!

Eliza gave me a beautiful card and Candace bought me a fantastic South African Rand (the currency in SA) coffee mug.

We had some close friends around for tea in the evening. It was a great day!

The three Grave Digger monster trucks.

Qwirkle fun!

My South African Rand mug.

Sweet nap time with Anya. :)

Winter Storm...

We had our first proper winter storm (in a couple of winters) on Thursday, 3rd of February. What started as rain transitioned to sleet and freezing rain as the temperatures dropped, and then changed over to all snow before the system left us. It caused some pretty icy weather conditions, as the pictures below show! We were outside playing in the four inches (10 cm) of snow that we received here the very next day. :)

Frozen drips - tainted with sap - on our maple tree.

Rain rapidly froze as the temperatures plummeted.

The bolt of our gate was completely frozen...

As were our cars.

Tiny icicles clinging to the roof of our car.

Frozen rain water at a down spout.

Snow plough driving along the icy streets.

The snow fell steadily throughout the day.

Clearing off the thick ice from the vehicles.

Getting there!

Riaan and Eliza and their snowman. :)

Driving carefully along the icy, snow-covered roads.