Thanksgiving 2014
So again this year, like we had for the past 12 years, we gathered together with family and friends at Baturyn in the Eastern Townships of Quebec to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, and to have a chance to come together and talk, catch up, and talk about our plans, dreams, goals and fears. the weather was amazing this year and we all had a fantastic time. This was the first year that we did it without our father, Jurij Lewyckyj, who passed away in April and that was a bit hard on us. The pictures below chronicle the weekend. We had a very large crowd!! We already knew that we would not be getting togther in 2015 this way because Olesia and Pavlo had slotted that day for their wedding in Hunter, New York, in the Catskill mountains. But we plan to be back in 2016!!
This is our standard group shot, trying hard to capture everybody
Katrusia making sure everybody was lined up properly
Pavlo was enjoying the apple picking at the Abbey of St. Benoit du Lac
Larysa was good at the hunt!
Being tall has its advantages
But ladders help as well
I sure hope Pavlo was not planning to jump up off of the ladder!
The colours were still very vibrant
Some amazing reds and golds
Mother Nature's tapestry
The apple picking gang, with Sam
Anhelyna enjoying the fresh smell of this year's crop
Sisterly love
It was cool on apple picking day. Markian was proud of his haul!
Apple body building!
I can't believe he brought his cell phone to apple picking.....
A radiant Anhelyna
And a beautiful and proud greyhound owner, Olesia
Greg and Sandra with their girls
Kathy and Markian in front of the monastery. There is a store inside and they sell great cheese, ciders, and other tasty treats. The monastery is located just outside of Austin, on the shores of Sergeants' Bay of Lake Memphremagog
There was time for hot tubbing
And the sun really came out on the Sunday
Zenko and Katrusia in the kitchen of the Motria
Mychajlo carving one of the turkeys. We had 3 good sized birds
The master at work
Orest had brought some delicious bacon wrapped sausages!
Natalka working on the cucumber salad
We try to eat as healthily as possible, with lots of fresh vegetables
Bohdan and Sofika warming up to the camera
Mychajlo and Uliana showed us how it is done
Ihor was hungry as everyone dug in
Wasyl and Oksana had a chance to se everyone
Most of the Svinij showed up
Wolodymyr and Lida took it all in
Time for desert!!
The front table, with the photographer silhouetted
Zachar with his cool hat
Ada and Marta got a chance to catch up. In what directions will life send them?
Danylo has been studying in Montreal
Anhelyna and Diana warming up
Pavlo's sister Chrystia came and it was great to meet her
Brother and sister
Adrian and Alexa were having a good time
The youths were expending a lot of energy looking cool!
Seech and Sam were doing their own reconnecting on the sidelines.....
Sam, the beautiful greyhound adoptee
Please do not take my picture!!!!!
The balcony crowd
Ihor was warming up as well....
Mama digging into the desert table
The youth table out front
Katrusia making sure that everyone made it to the stage for the famous group shot
Wolodymyr and Lida going on one of there walks
But the real party starts when the sun starts to go down, and the campfire is lit
Charlene and Mathew
Lida and Oksana
Ihor trying to convince Uliana as Lily lies in the background
Thoughtful young man
Graham and Ralph
Sasha and Fedir joined us for the first time this year
The Wysochanskyj boys with Natalka, who does not seem impressed....
Pavlo was trying out a new add-on lens to his cool digital camera
Ihor brought Lily, and although a bit older, she fit right in
Katrusia listening intently to Kati
Serhij giving the camera the eye
Roman trying to decide if he liked the Cuban cigar
Ralph looking very comfortable and relaxed
Peter and Roman don't seem pleased with their view
Sasha and Uliana getting to know each other
Wolodymyr and Mama
Pavlo's parents came down to meet the crowd for the first time. Yurko fit right into the conversations
Looks like serious grown up talk
Pavlo's mother Marika, with Pani Katia
Sasha