Anthony and Karine 'Amazing Couple"

Anthony and Karine, May 2nd to 23rd, 2008. Thirty fourth and fifth, Woofers
Anthony and Karine also from France arrived one day after Natasha. Originally, Loren and I had planned a holiday for the first three weeks of May, and had asked Anthony and Karine if they would house sit during this time. But since the spring was so late we cancelled and instead we kept three French travellers busy around the farm. Karine and Anthony were such a great team and Natacha fit right in. We felt so comfortable with them being here, that when they left we shed tears.
Anthony played the guitar, and was the first person Loren ever accompanied with his accordion. Karine spent her quiet times knitting fingerless gloves with recycled wool. She even knit Roxy a pair of ankle warmers. Anthony also liked to cook and we were never without cookies made by wwoofers.

Everyone helped with the weeding of the garden, but Karine and Natacha prepared the raised beds and planted much of the seeds. Karine also planted the potato patch. Both Karine and Natasha helped me plant trees on our woodlot, Natacha for one day, Karine for two. Karine said it wasn’t a job she would apply for.
The first big tasks Natacha, Karine and Anthony helped us with was landscaping in front of the lodge. The second task Tony started on with Loren and then Karine joined in. This was getting a good start on our new machine shed and bunk house near the barn. We put the footing posts in the ground the first part of May and by the 2nd week, Anthony had helped Loren at the sawmill, to mill all the 2 bys’ for floor joist, trusses, rafters and framing and 1 by for floor decking and roof strapping. Then they started building, framing the floor, blocking and decking the floor. Karine then joined the team and they framed the walls and put up roof rafters. If they would have stayed another week I am sure the metal would be on the roof. We have promised to name the South room after Karine and the North room after Tony (as known to Loren).
Karine and Tony liked to keep busy, and twice when they were not helping they hiked, first up Willowbank and the second time down to the Blaeberry River. Karine and Natacha even managed to get out on Duke and Duchess. Together we enjoyed evenings of music by the firepit, while Karine knit, icefishing at Susan Lake, Thompson Falls, a visit to a friends place on the Columbia River near Cedar Creek, walking along the Blaeberry River, hiking into Wapta Falls, watching crazy tv and bear watching drives in the neighbourhood.
As well, both of our neighbouring Wwoofer Hosts, had Woofers while Natacha, Anthony and Karine were here, so we arranged a Wwoofer gathering one evening, three from France, two from Germany and a lodge helper from Switzerland. They had such a good time, that a week later, they organized another gathering at Goldenwood where there was again three French Woofers, two German Woofers and two Swiss lodge helpers. All having a good time in the Rockies.
Loren drove Tony and Karine to the jct. of the Hwy. to Jasper at Lake Louis. There Karine and Anthony hitched a ride to Jasper and then they were headed to Valemont the next day to start their Wwoofing experience again. We hope we see these two again, before they head back to Quebec for the fall apple harvest.