Oh HAPPY DAYS

 

He thought they were bugging him about his age.

Inside was a picture and this is how Duncan showed us 

This was the best birthday gift ever

WE ARE GOING TO BE GRANDPARENTS!!!

The baby is due in March or as Brittany says
 on her blag as of today, 178 days and 13 hrs.

Septembers Adventures

This is our schedule for September if any of you are in the area be sure to come and visit.

Sept. 6-8, Inverhuron
Sept. 13-15, Emily
Sept. 20-22, Rondeau
Sept. 27-29, Point Farms

Arrowhead, Aug.30-Sept.2 2013

This was truly a family vacation. Drew, Ian and Brittany came with us for the long week-end. We had a good drive up and the traffic was moving well. Just after arriving we had a downpour so Duncan got a little wet filling with water. It rained lightly off and on most of the evening.
Saturday we drove into Algonquin park to take in some of the sights of this beautiful park. Unfortunately we didn't see any moose and Brittany didn't get to see a beaver. We had a late lunch and stopped at Ragged Falls for a while. We arrived back at camp to a yummy beef, potato and carrot supper that had been cooking in the crock pot while we were away but none of us were hungry. We went down to the lake for sunset and then enjoyed the rest of the evening at the fire. It was nice sitting at the fire and having our supper.
Sunday we went to the Mayflower lake and then hiked to Stubbs Falls to enjoy the sights and sound. Duncan always love sitting there and just listening to the water roaring over the rocks. We then headed into Huntsville for a waffle ice cream cone from the Kawartha Company. It was so good and the small cone was two large scoops. We headed back to camp and the kids enjoyed feeding the chipmunks sunflower seeds. They were like little vacuums filling there cheeks and running off to hide them. The three that were visiting were all given names. The first was woundy 1, then woundy 2 came along and then lumpy butt. The first two had sores on there faces and the third one had a lump above its tail. They were great entertainment. When the red squirrel came by he would go and hide the nuts and then the blue jay would take them from his hiding spots. It was quite funny at times to watch the antics between them all. We spent the evening relaxing by the fire and keeping an eye on the three toads that joined us for the evening.
Sunday we had breakfast and spent a bit of time relaxing before packing up and heading out for the  trip home. We stopped at Webers Hamburger's for a late lunch. The traffic was very slow at times so it was a 6 hr drive home. Once we we able to get off hwy 400 we were able to pick up speed and make much better time. It was nice spending the week-end with the kids. Thanks for sharing the week-end with us.

Memories From Arrowhead

Can you spot the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker?

Juvenile Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

This is woundy one Chipmunk

Reflections on Arrowhead Lake

Red Squirrel enjoying a peanut. Photo taken by Drew

Juvenile Hermit Thrush

Drew feeding lumpy butt

A molting Blue Jay

Ian feeding lumpy butt

Evening reflections on Arrowhead Lake

Sunset at the lake

Can you see the face in the fire?

Reflections on the river

This is a violet coloured Blewit Mushroom (edible)

View from the rocks beside Stubbs Falls

The spider that sat beside Brittany and scared her

Memories Of Our Algonquin Trip

Looking down from the visitor centre

The leaves are changing colour already

Blue Heron in a pond 

Hiking The Ragged Falls Trail

A hiking we will go.......

 

 Brown-spored mushroom (scaly pholiota)

Tree roots hugging a boulder

Light spored mushroom

Two Inukshuk at the top of Ragged Falls

Looking down at the Ragged Falls

Port Burwell, Aug. 23-25 2013

I had the experience of a lifetime on Saturday. While we were making supper we kept hearing a chirping sound in the wooded area behind our campsite so I decided to go and explore. With camera in hand I followed where the sound was coming from and eventually had a fledgling Cardinal fly towards me with its mouth wide open looking for something to eat. I had noticed that there had been a pair of Cardinals hanging around since we arrived on Friday. I was able to get a few photo's before mom & dad arrived and got rather anxious with me so close. They eventually flew out of the woods with the wee one following but it was not able to clear the awning and it landed on the back of my chair. After taking a few more shots it was not moving off the chair and the parents were not returning. It cried out many times and I eventually put my finger out and it climbed on so I returned it to a branch on a tree at the edge of the woods. After a while mom & dad came back and they all flew deeper into the trees. It was my first time seeing a baby Cardinal and to be able to assist it back to the woods was a thrill in itself.
We spent lots of time at the beach, enjoyed two evening sunsets and lots of relaxing time at the campfire. Its amazing how you can sit at a fire for so long and enjoy every minute of it. On Sunday I went for a hike along the ravine trail and was able to find the huge tree that we had seen when we hiked the trail once before. I had looked for it since but was not able to locate it. I found out I had to walk the loop that goes to the farthest campsites which I usually don't do. Now the mystery is solved.
It was another wonderful week-end at one of the many provincial parks we love going to.

This is when it flew over to me in the woods

Check out the hair do!

Perched on the back of my chair

Returning the wee cardinal to the woods

Time At The Beach

Lots of Terns, Bonaparte and Ring Billed 

Gulls flying on the shoreline

Purple beach grass in the sunlight

A Spotted Sandpiper near the beach

The beach beans are almost ready

Someone creative beach art

A little breezy Sunday at the beach

Great view over the lake

A walk on the ravine trail

 Friends in the fungus world

I found the big tree

Eye see you looking at my face.......

Natures beauty

Fading coral fungus

Fall leaf caught in a web

A new find for me

Sunset over the water

 

Golden rays on the beach grass

 

Sunset through the fine grass

Inverhuron, Aug.16-18 2013

We had a sunny, warm week-end and I enjoyed my time in the water. It has been a while since we have had a nice week-end like this.
Friday we had company for the evening. John & Joanne came for a visit and were our first week-end away guest to check out Georgie. They were impressed! We had a good evening sitting by the fire enjoying the wonderful aroma of the pine wood John so kindly delivered to us. If I had known he had brought more I would have kept it all. It is always nice to catch up with family. We hope they are having a great time in Bristol, Tennessee.

Saturday we did a little exploring in Kincardine and spent time walking the beach. It was a beautiful day and we so enjoyed the warmth by the water. We indulged in strawberry shortcake when we returned back to Inverhuron and it tasted sooooo good! There were lots of birds and there young at our campsite so I enjoyed time with them. It was hard to get photo's of some because of all the leaves on the trees but just experiencing this wonder of nature was a pleasure. In the evening we went down to the beach to enjoy the sunset and spent the rest of the night enjoying the warmth and glow of a pinewood campfire.

Sunday we went for a hike and spent time down at the rocky shoreline. We had a late breakfast and enjoyed some lazy time before heading to the beach for the rest of the day. It was great to get in the water and spend time just enjoying the sights and sounds at the beach.

I see you down there looking at me

Open wide, busy feeding the young one

Colour contrast is always amazing with this flower

Mr. Redstart keeping an eye on the young one

Juvenile Redstart waiting for more food

Sun setting through the trees at our site

One of many flowers by the entrance gate

An old fashion wind turbine

A favorite food of the birds

Pine wood pile thanks to John

Red Squirrel enjoying sunflower seeds

Sun setting over the trees

It is slowly disappearing........

Everything is a glow on a gorgeous evening

Life on the rocks

A dedication to our new cottage on wheels

Reflections........

 

A rare site this year as monarch numbers are low

Pretty in purple

A Ring Billed Seagull reading the sign

This one just wanted to visit us at the beach

Mennonites in there lane way on our trip home

Nothings more cute than this  

Hot air balloon landing near St. Jacobs