Inside the gate.
Randy's neighbourhood.
From that spot, the view to the northwest.
Southwest.
The pretty white lilac, one side of the neighbourhood.
The cool red leaved tree i cannot name, other end of the neighbourhood. (I like trees with red leaves). I wonder what the bush framing the neighbourhood looks like in full bloom. Hopefully, i can get out here in summertime.
Oh it is so pretty in the spring! I remember taking Kristen and Karina there years ago, on a beautiful summer day, and we took a picnic lunch and ate it close to Randy's place. The girls loved exploring in that beautiful, peaceful place, and reading the different inscriptions on the surrounding grave markers. It was a very memorable experience. Rest in Peace, my brother. I miss you.
ReplyDeleteThankyou, Jeff...for doing that!
It was very pretty, and VERY sunny, hard to aim my cheapo camera right, some of my pics didn't turn out. I ended up not having to take a cab out there, someone from work gave me a ride, so i didn't have much time to look around. Next time i arrange to go out there, i hope to have more time to look around. I like how it's different from westlawn, so open, one can look all around, for miles, and see nothing but farmland. Can barely see the city, though the downtown skyline does show up slightly in the view to the northwest. Looks so far away, i forgot about the city for the short time i was there. Coming back in on the Whitemud was kind of a drag, to see all the new industrial buildings going up in what was recently open land...and then a new LEON'S at about 34 st. Oh well, Randy's still in peaceful, open land. Reminds me of the summers my brothers and i would stay out at the farm in Vermilion. Randy would tell me how he liked to be out of the city, at the farm, around all the animals. And he was fearless at going into the chicken coop to collect eggs. And walk around in the steer pen. Both places i wouldn't venture.
ReplyDeleteThankyou jeff. I have so enjoyed this post! You are definatly this familys link to our past and memories we all cherish. You are so thoughtful and reverent to our cherished dad and brother. I just wished rob had a computer, he would really enjoy this too. Know that your blog is read by many and enjoyed by all. Thank that kind person at work for taking you there and let them know that their exmple of service is much appreciated. Steve and I are at the lakehouse putting in the dock this weekend. We tried to muster up our kids help with that but first time ever no one could be here. We hired 2 workers from town to come help and its almost done, usually takes 2 hours or so. I better get out there though, cya. luv debbi
ReplyDeleteThnak you, Debbi, for your kind words. I will tell my co-worker the family appreciates his help.
ReplyDeleteI try to make the blog helpful to the family...lately though it's been less easy to get Mother to get back to all the stories she has to tell...with all her lodge work, and partyin' with her siblings...i think she's working on a post now. (See, now you're committed, mom..or is that, you should be committed...hahaha, j/k).
Love to all, thanks for reading.
Thank you, Jeff, I am so glad you managed to get out to South Haven! Your co-worker has a kind heart to take you out there, thank them from me too! I cannot express how happy I am that you now know where Randy is and see that it's such a nice, peaceful place. Thank you for taking the pictures, they're wonderful! I guess you didn't have any trouble finding the right spot. The lilac in flower is beautiful! Next time you go out there in the summer, the bushes right behind Randy should be in flower and they are a beautiful bright yellow, it looks very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your memory of Randy collecting eggs in the chicken coop-I hadn't heard that one before!
Since you hadn't seen the stone and the engraving before, Jeff, you might be interested to know about what the "Love Remains" inscription on it means to me-there is a country artist named Collin Raye-he still records, but not nearly as popular as he was 10-15 years ago, and he has a song called "Love Remains"... the lyrics are amazing, they say exactly the things that I wanted to say, and I had the song played at Randy's funeral. Maybe you can find it on Napster or ITunes or something like that to listen to.
Love you Jeff, for going out there and keeping us connected!
Thanks Jackie.That is a nice song, love remains, i looked it up on youtube, thought i might include the lyrics here:
ReplyDeleteWe are born one fine day
Children of God on our way
Mama smiles daddy cries
Miracle before their eyes
They protect us til' we're of age
Through it all love remains
Boy moves on, takes a bride
She stands faithful by his side
Tears and sweat they build a home
Raise a family of their own
They share joy they share pain
Through it all love remains
Kingdoms come and go they don't last
Before you know the future is the past
In spite of what's been lost
Or what's been gained
We are living proof, love remains
I don't know baby what I'd do
On this earth without you
We all live we all die
But the end is not goodbye
The sun comes up, and seasons change
But through it all, love remains.
An eternal burning flame,
hope lives on, and love remains.
Thank you Jackie for that comment, I never realized before the real reason why you put that particular phrase on the inscription, LOVE REMAINS. And truly, it pretty well sums it all up, I was going to google it too, so Thanks, Jeff! you saved me the trouble. The words to the song are beautiful. South Haven is exactly that, a haven of peace and tranquility. And I love that picture of Randy, it really personifies the way he was, and the way he was most comfortable, in a simple T-shirt and jeans. When I look at that particular photo of him, I can again visualize him coming in the backdoor, "What's for lunch?" Because that's the way he looked, every day, 24/7. He actually hated getting dressed up. That blue tee must've been a favorite too, I loved it because it matched his eyes. Our blondy-blue-eyes! ever loved, ever missed. Thank you, Jeff, for going out there and taking those pictures, the foliage around is much more pronounced than at first when the park was new, trees and shrubbery much more mature and attractive. The red leaved tree I think is a dogwood, the shrubbery behind the wall has bright yellow, 5-petalled flowers, I can't remember the name, starts with a "p", the city of Edmonton plants them all over the place to beautify the many nooks and crannies Edmonton has on public land locations. I used to make dried flower pictures, and often combined those perfect little blossoms with the even more perfect "little pansy faces" that grew in the wood chips below the wall. I think I can detect a pansy face on one of those pictures, Jeff. If that's true, thank you especially for that Jeff, I know you brought it just for Randy.
ReplyDeleteI'm nothing if not honest. Someone else left that silk pansy there, there was 3 items in front of Randy's place, that silk pansy, which had blown down, i returned it to upright, a small bouquet of yellow flowers, carnations i think, i took off the plastic sleeve, spread the dried out flowers out on the bush behind, and the pot and soil from the flowering plant Jackie's mom left there in February, i crumbled the soil back into the earth. It's so quiet there, i would love to plant real flowers for the whole neighbourhood.
ReplyDeleteYay! I just remembered the name of the yellow shrubbery, it's POTENTILLA. The name must be familiar to you Jeff, you're so good at plants and flowers. Dad and I purchased a small set of it at a nursery after Randy passed away, and it was just starting to produce flowers in abundance when I left the house. it's planted in front next to the bleeding heart. The plant is SO suited to Edmonton environment. Thank you for tidying up around the resting place.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the lovely pictures! I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Kyle, we need to go visit your Uncle Jeff in Edmonton before it gets too hot to enjoy it!" Maybe this month...?
ReplyDeleteYes, that's the name of that yellow flower behind the stones! The fake pansy plant was left by my Mum for me last year, in rememberance of those pretty flowers that grew for a couple of years. Do you know that Kristen remembers those little flowers really well-she said to me very recently that she wants to incorporate them into her wedding flowers because of the sentiments attached to her daddy with them now! Also, we were on the topic of tattoos not too long ago because a friend of ours recently got one relating to her deceased sister, and Kristen said if she ever got one, it would be a pansy! Of course, while she's under 18, she'll not be getting one!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I shall be out of town without computer access for a few days... we are leaving early Wed June 3rd to head down to Savannah GA for 1 night, and then over to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina for the next 3 nights-we return late Sunday night, so I'll try and catch up here sometime next week!
That could be a good idea, Camille, i like the staying inside with the a/c on full tilt in the full blush of summer. Like August, my month of birth, i really don't enjoy it's weather.
ReplyDeleteI'm always here.