A Fall Tradition

It's our fall tradition to have decorative gourds and little pumpkins in the house to mark the season. I just love their colours and weird and wonderful shapes.

decorative gourds

 

We went to the dentist for a check-up and cleaning last week.  Believe it or not, I was actually excited to go to the dentist - a normal appointment that had nothing at all to do with cancer.  My teeth have survived all the treatments very well.  Another instance of my body defying the odds once again.  Thank you, Lord!  

 

We're hoping to go on a colour tour north to Haliburton tomorrow!

Visit with Rosemary and Hannah

 

 

before and after

 

Yesterday Rosemary and I (and later Gerard too) did some gardening together.  Since construction waste and supplies were kept in the back yard during the renovations, there had been no opportunity to do any gardening back there until just recently.  So yesterday we dug, pulled and raked out invasive perennials, weeds, grass and root systems and just generally did a good fall clean-up.  So rewarding!  The weather was beautiful.  We got a lot done. A wonderful morning!  

Hannah at eleven and a half weeks

So Rosemary got a cleaned up back yard out of the deal and we received a delicious lunch and some time with little Hannah Rose.  Win-Win!

Watermelon Beaver Carving Project

Here's something fun for you to try. I found this watermelon beaver idea in a magazine* while waiting for an appointment at the cancer centre and got excited about it right away.  I was thinking it might be fun to try making it for Oscar's birthday. So Wednesday was the day...

 

We bought a small watermelon, set up the I-Pad on the kitchen counter and started following the instructions. The demonstration started slowly and then towards the end I had to keep pausing and replaying the video  to catch all the instructions.  Here's the result.  It doesn't quite look like the pictures in the magazine and video, but close enough.  Second time around might be easier.

 

missing a whisker already

 

Oscar realized all the parts were removable.  Checking out the ears

 

 

He enjoyed spinning the nose unit like a helicopter propeller  

It was a fun project.  If you try it, follow the instructions carefully and save all the rind as you go because you use every last piece of it.  You end up with a fun centrepiece and a bowl full of watermelon flesh from hollowing out the body - a good healthy snack.  All you need for this project is a small watermelon, strong toothpicks, and a melon baller. 

* You can find this watermelon carving project at canadianliving.com/watermeloncarving

Oscar is Two Today!

It's Oscar's second birthday today!  This is how he met us at the front door this morning; "talking" on the phone with his uncle and aunt and cousins who called to wish him a "Happy Birthday!"

Are you really making me wear this party hat?

"How old are you, Oscar?"  "I'm TWO!"

(He's been practising that with Daddy for almost a week.)

 

and Charlie is 4 weeks old today

Oscar giving his baby brother a backrub

 

Exactly two years ago today our family changed.  At Oscar's birth we became grandparents and our children became parents and uncle and auntie for the very first time.  What a precious gift and blessing this little boy has been in our lives these last two years! 

Couldn't decide which picture to include.

Just love them both so much!

Some Interesting Signs

Here are some interesting signs we saw last week...

doesn't it feel like he's watching you?!

at the disc golf course at Little Lake park in Midland

We really did have to watch for flying discs because there was a group playing disc golf (like frizbee golf) close to the walkway we were on.  Each player carried a bag full of discs of all colours and weights.  Very interesting!

in the park at Little Lake in Midland

 

Just last week we were so surprised to read this for the first time anywhere.  No smoking near the playgrounds and sports fields?  And then, wouldn't you know it, this morning on the news I heard that Toronto Public Health is recommending that smoking be banned from Toronto restaurant patios, sports fields, beaches and entrances to public buildings.  We'll see whether it gets passed next week and how they will enforce this. 

Last Stop - Wasaga Beach

And here's part 4 of last week's holiday account. On our round-about way back home to Toronto we stopped at Wasaga Beach. It was still cool enough when we arrived just before 9 a.m. to go for an hour-long walk along the beach. Once it got warmer, Gerard found refuge in the shade with his book and I went splashing through the shallow water playing with my camera...

the two of us

Did you know that...

Wasaga Beach is the longest fresh water beach in the world?

 

 

just love the ripples in the sand under the very clear water

 

And that was the end of our 54-hour mini-vacation.  What a wonderful break from the daily routine at home!  I still keep looking at the pictures and reliving our time away.  It was a refreshing and reviving break.  We hope to do it again - as in maybe next week - to go and see the colours north of here.  

The First Day of Fall

Today is the first official day of fall already! Where has the summer gone? We've been so busy celebrating four family birthdays, Alida & Jeff's engagement, the births of granddaughter Hannah and grandson Charlie, and my good health, that the summer has just flown by.

 

And fall is really here!  We thought we might see some colours up in Midland this past week. It was just starting to change; a coloured branch or leaf here and there, just like down here in the city.  We've been on some invigorating (short) walks with these cooler temperatures.  Great hiking weather! (had to connect the next picture to this story somehow)

Sign on the washroom door at Wye Marsh

in the pond at the entrance of Wye Marsh Park

how many frogs can you find in this picture?

(double click on picture to enlarge)

at Little Lake in the middle of Midland

 

So much beauty in God's creation! We got a chance to soak it in every day of our trip last week. Thank you, Lord!

Our Visit to the Big Chute Marine Rail

There's just so much to show and tell about our little vacation.  Here's Part Three.  One of the volunteers at the Wye Marsh recommended a drive up to see the Big Chute Marine Rail* up near Cold Water. One entry on Tripadvisor described it all as "an alien machine emerging from the water carrying boats from one lake to another."  It piqued our interest, so after lunch and a rest we went to check it out.

entering Muskoka country

 

When we found the Big Chute Marine Rail there were no boats and no people.  Except for the open washrooms and a room to view a video about the history of the lock, there was no sign of action or life anywhere.  We went all the way down the hill and climbed up the stairs again. It looked as if everything was shut down for the season, or at least for the middle of the week.  So disappointing!

 

Just as we were about to move on, two men emerged from the building.  We looked upstream and sure enough! there was a little boat coming towards us!  The lift started moving across the road to the high water side to pick up the little boat.

 

 a small boat entering the lift from the higher water on one side of the road

 

crossing the road - notice the cables that are pulling ihe lift

reminded me of the San Francisco cable cars

 

past the observation deck where we were and down the hill

 

view from down below (photo from the internet)

 

We were surprised that they would do all of this for one tiny boat. As soon as this first boat was released at the bottom, we saw two more coming up above!  The lift went back up, picked them up and we got to see the whole process again.   And all that after we thought it was all closed for the season. What a unique and fascinating experience!  Another interesting and exciting afternoon!

 

* According to Wikipedia The Big Chute Marine Rail is a boat lift at Lock 44 of the Trent-Severn Waterway.  It works on an inclined plane (see picture above) to carry boats in individual cradles over a change of height of about 60 feet (18 m).  It is the only marine railway of its kind in North America still in use... It is able to carry boats in  individual cradles over a change of height of about 60 feet (18 m).  It can carry boats up to 100 feet long.  The boats rest on the bottom of the carriage with slings provided for safety to keep the boat from tipping and from damage.

Trumpeter Swans at Wye Marsh

Here's part 2 the story of our experiences on our mini vacation this week. 

Many years ago we visited Midland with our children to see the Village of Ste.- Marie Among the Hurons and the famous Martyr's Shrine. So on Wednesday morning we chose something new and toured the Wye Marsh - a nature reserve known for its dedication to protecting and restoring species, especially birds, that are near extinction due to hunting and habitat loss. One of the main attractions there is the Trumpeter swans, bred and protected there to restore this species that was once almost extinct. These swans are the largest water fowl in North America weighing up to 30 pounds and with a wing span of up to 2 1/2 meters!

"helping" with the feeding of the Trumpeter swans
 

We were so lucky.  We were about the only visitors there and just as we were planning to leave the interpreter's centre, two volunteers spotted us heading for the door and said, "We're going out to feed the swans.  Would you like to come with us?"  Sure! Going with them turned into, "Would you like to help us?" To actually feeding a swan! Gerard chose to stay outside the enclosure and I ended having (the tamest) swan eat corn right out of my hand!  Once the feeding was done, the volunteers offered to take us on a walking tour.   



view from the board walk

 

We ended up getting an almost two hour private guided tour.  They knew so much about all the plants and animals.  It was very interesting! We learned a lot.  They also showed us the birds of prey.   

Eurasian Eagle Owl 

 

"Trumpeter Tribute" - sculpture at the Midland waterfront.

 

The weather was amazing and thanks to Bob and Bryan we had a wonderful and interesting Wednesday morning at Wye Marsh!

Thirty Thousand Island Boat Cruise

We're back! It's hard to believe that it was only two days ago since we left for our little vacation. We were so ready for a complete break from all the cancer-related stuff. It was time to see and think and experience something totally different, and we did! I can't believe what we all packed into 54 hours!

The weather was amazing, so we spent almost all of our time outside. We didn't have any plans, except to start driving north and just seeing where we would end up. However, I think Gerard actually did have a bit of a plan. He had been looking up some information on the Midland area, and that's where we ended up. We drove straight to the waterfront to book a boat cruise.  

Midland waterfront - waiting for the boat cruise ticket booth to open

Our boat - Miss Midland.

 

Since it was quite cool, we figured we'd have to sit on the enclosed lower deck, but we tried the upper deck first. It was a bit on the chilly side at times, but great to be up there in the open air with a great view all around!

not much traffic on the water this afternoon, but we did see a bit

 

We were really happy with the recorded tour guide.  Interesting comments on what we were seeing, but only once in a while.  The rest was quiet time to just sit and enjoy. It was great.  Just enough information to make it interesting, but not someone who has to talk and try to be funny all the time.

pines, rocks and water -  typical of the Muskoka-Georgian Bay 30,000 Islands

 

 

I just love sitting at the very back looking out behind the boat, watching the water churning and the waves spreading out behind us.

 

 

yes, that's me, trying to stay warm and yet protected from the sun

What a wonderful afternoon!  Gerard knows I love boat tours. I'm so glad we went!  I have lots more to show and tell you about our little vacation.  Stay tuned.

Rambling on about This and That

Just want to tell you a bit about this and that...

 

On Saturday we attended an 80th birthday open house for a member  of our congregation. I really liked this arrangement on the food table.

 



Not sure if it's because of all the rain we got this spring, but many plants in our garden behaved very differently from other years. We had more apples than we've ever had before. Since we don't spray the tree most apples have some kind of scar or hole in them, but once I cut that away they taste delicious! Most of our perennials were almost twice the size they usually are, so we've had to stake and tie back some of them to keep them from falling all over the place.  The phlox and roses did NOT get mildew this summer.  The grass stayed green.  The crab apple tree still healthy and leafy (usually drops most of its leaves in early August).  However, the vegetables were a total failure.  Most of the seedlings disappeared and the ones that grew (peas, beans, red beets, radishes) did not bear much fruit.  What's going on?

sunflowers in the living room

Our self-seeded sunflowers near our front door provided us with so much pleasure this summer -  watching the birds and the bees feasting on the flowers and seeds was very enjoyable and they are such friendly flowers!  One of the plants grew to a height of 11 feet!  Unfortunately it broke in a rain/wind storm a few weeks ago.  I trimmed it back a bit, not wanting to take the whole plant out.  But it had damaged some of the other sunflower plants around it, so even though there were still some flowers, the whole clump looked like a mess.  So finally, very reluctantly, I pulled out the whole bunch.  It looks much neater at our front entrance now, but I really miss those cheerful friendly flowers greeting me each time I approach the front of our house.  I cut off the remaining flowers and brought them indoors where we are still enjoying them.  

 

sunflowers on the kitchen table

 

And that's about all for today, and probably for the rest of the week.  Gerard and I are going on a little trip for a few days, just to get a change of scene and perspective.  We've been dealing with this cancer for such a long time.  It tends to take over your life.  So, now that we have no treatments or doctor's appointments for awhile, we're going to enjoy our freedom and hit the road!  No idea where we're going - just starting out by driving north and we'll see where we end up. Yahoo!  Off we go!  

Flowers at Church Today

Just look at this joyful arrangement that was in front our pulpit at church this morning! I knew instantly who had created it. Only one person has such a variety of flowers in her garden and only one person would put together so many bright colours like this. - yes, some of you know - it's Joanne!
 

(a little out of focus  sorry)

 

 One flower really intrigued me, so here's a close-up.  Joanne told me it's called a teddy bear dahlia.  I couldn't find that on the internet anywhere, but unless someone knows another name for it, we'll take her word for it.



teddy bear dahlia

 

Doesn't it look amazing?!