Category Archives: Oh Canada

A Great Time on our Summer Cycling Tour around Owen Sound

Not sure who is cuter!

This group followed me!

 

Trail at Meaford

Thornbury

Going the right way?

This photo includes Judy

We rested for a moment

Photo by Shirley

Some went shopping

 

Strolling by the bay

Along Lake Huron

Sitting by the shore of Georgian Bay was a touch chilly

New friends

Getting ready

At Lake Huron

Bob and Jeanne

The gang

The “long route” gang

The fast ones

Best burrito hands down at Caesaro’s

Lonely guy

Three foxes!

Peter and Cathie’s first time out with the Cyclopaths

David loves pink lemonade

Just taking a break

This diner is amazing!

Wildlife galore

Sunset over Georgian Bay

Cycling from Glen Ross #7

Cycling from Glen Ross Lock of the Trent-Severn Waterway….a great spot for a ride and picnic lunch back at the lock.  Enjoy the photos (some are mine and some are by Leslie) 

Parks Canada Glen Ross Lock

 

Leslie and Floyd

Beautiful

Recognize this gang?

Now here’s a special couple!

Frank and Lynn

Lunchtime!

A lovey hidden spot to enjoy!

A Little Gem

The other day I decided to paint a simple watercolour for my granddaughter’s birthday card….I am NO artist but I can do some simple stuff. My grandkids love my work and that is all that matters!  I haven’t touched my paints for quite a while and I pulled out one of my watercolour pads and a beautiful watercolour painting fell out!  Not mine but one painted by a dear friend.  It was painted by Dave Durnford during our tour in Newfoundland a few years ago. Dave knew how much I love The Rock and he gave me that lovely work of art.  I must have put it in the watercolour pad to keep it safe and then promptly forgot about it.  Those who know me know that Newfoundland is my most favourite place in the whole world….really!  On a dreary winter morning I found this little gem…..Thanks Dave…..

Ah…..a sunny fall day in October

On this sunny beautiful day in late October I found myself in the “spring cleaning” mood. Not sure where that mood was in the spring but at least it has finally hit me! 

David was at the boat putting it to “bed” for the winter so I decided to clean the screened porch. After a season of winds and bugs, it gets pretty grimy so I thought I would clean the ceiling and framing before the snow blows!  I got my super duper sprayer along with my Dr Bonner environment friendly soap (recommended by David Suzuki) and I was ready to go. I figured an hour, maybe two at most and all will be done!  Well….after four hours I was still going….and not strong! 

What was I thinking? This was one tough job! 

Living in the country has its joys but there are a few things that can make farm living an absolute hell……bugs!  You see, we screened in our porch a few years ago so we could sit outside and enjoy the country sounds, fresh air with no bugs. It has been one of the best things we have ever did!  I love our porch…. but so do the bugs.  But not just any bug……those dreaded invasive lady bugs. They are not the real lady bugs of my youth….you know the ones. Those ones are bright orange and when they would land on you, you’d make a wish!  These new ones are actually called asian lady bugs but I am not sure if that is politically correct so I will call them the nasty lady bugs and so not to offend “ladies”….I will refer to them as those “nasty” bugs. They even bite. Enough said. So these nasty bugs love the porch too…so much that there are literally hundreds of them in the porch right now.  YUCK!  

 

 

Don’t get me wrong ….I do not hate all bugs. I am careful to never kill spiders, I can watch a bumble bee work on a flower and marvel at its beauty, I get excited at the sight of a walking stick or praying mantis and dragonflies make me smile but  I hate….no, I despise mosquitoes, black flies, wasps and hornets, cluster flies and those NASTY invasive bugs! 

After I had cleaned half the porch David returned home and said he’d be happy to clean the rest!  He didn’t look happy but I have to take his word for it. Next we put up a contraption I bought at Lee Valley….an asian lady bug buster! Made in Collingwood! I sure hope it does the trick. 

 

 

After the porch was finished, David rushed on to the next job…..I decided, after hearing our neighbours say they had their septic tank pumped, that we should have ours done too! After all, it has been about 7 years since the last pump out.  Before the septic service company comes to do the dirty work,  David has to dig down to the lid….he did this chore with a smile! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me….I decided I deserved a treat so I had a bowl of vanilla ice cream (Reid’s Dairy of course) with butterscotch sauce.  It was delicious. I guess you could say that asian lady bugs can cause weight gain! 

 

 

 

 

David is now cutting the grass hoping to get it done before the sun sets. Me….I am sitting in the porch enjoying the last few hours of sunshine watching those damn nasty bugs go everywhere but into the bug buster!  

So there you go….our lovely fall day in October!  

 

Visiting Mosaic 150 in Gatineau

On my Laurentian Great Escape in late September, we stopped at Gatineau to see this amazing floral display in celebration of Canada’s 150th.  It was a visual extravaganza! 

Love the puffins of Newfoundland

Fishing the Atlantic

Isn’t this guy cute!

This gives you the idea of the size of the displays

A Canadian iconic symbol

Charlottetown….A Very Pretty Place

My last two days in PEI were spent in Charlottetown…..stayed at the Great George Hotel in the heart of the historic town. I love it there!  We will stay there for two nights on the PEI cycling tour next August!  

Wonderful boutique hotel

St Dunstan Church

Cafe right on the harbour

Love the food at the Gahan House

Super cafe on Victoria Row near the hotel

Beautiful streetscape