Around the Village

We spent quite some time touring around Hampton, to see other interesting historical places and scenery. This structure is the Tyrone Mill, a very early part of Ontario history. The early villages grew up around mills which means settlements were situated frequently around rivers and natural water falls. Tyrone Mill was a flour mill and today still operates as a lumber mill.

The blacksmith shop.

The hills around Hampton.

The United Church in Hampton. Richard and Nicole take the baby here to church, much to the delight of the elderly parishioners who smile through all the baby noises that Rachel make. They tell them that they LOVE having a baby at church...this Sunday the church is having a play with many of the village children taking part. The architecture is typical early Ontario Presbyterian style.

 On the opposite corner from the church is the corner store, a mainstay of any proper Ontario village. Sometimes (as in the one I used to live, the post office is found here)...today they sell lottery tickets instead :)

 Our little group is heading down to Hampton Pond. Hampton had four mills at one time, and they were located opposite the road from the pond, which has silted up considerably. You can see just a tiny remnant of it in the far right.

Around Hampton Pond is a delightful wood, currently filled with wild Phlox which unfortunately now are labelled as noxious weeds. I find them neither noxious, nor weeds. They grow in my garden at home and they are beautifully scented and a reminder of all the historic farmhouse gardens in the country!

 Rachel and Nicole stroll across the pedestrian bridge on the way back home.

 The quiet residential streets of the village are lined with hundred year old hardwood trees, the most magnificent of which are the sugar maples towering over the yards spreading a welcome shade from the summer heat.

 Here we saw a beautiful Victorian historic brick house on a huge lot almost stretching a full block. The garden was the usual English type, laid out to perennial beds with beautiful swaths of velvety green lawn.

 The style is one of several very popular in our early history. This property must have belonged to a very prominent early resident of the village. Perhaps Samuel McLaughlan, the auto car manufacturer?

 Another view of the same street.

Another style of Victorian brick.

FAMILY TIME!!

It's time to meet the family. Here we are in the delightful village of Hampton, east of Toronto enough to have the true Ontario village experience. How lucky Rachel is to be growing up on this street with lots of children, quiet streets, friendly neighbours and a community full of resources for a young and growing family.

Richard and Nicole live here, in a very comfortable family home on a spacious lot with enough room for all of Richard's "stuff"...things like spare truck, three snowploughs, sander and a large trailer mounted leaf vacuum.

And among all of Richard's stuff there is still plenty of room for us to tuck in and hook up. A home away from home!

Of course the whole agenda is focused on the newest family member Rachel Danielle Joiner. It's almost scary how much she is a clone of her daddy. Not just in appearance either, but in impishness, energy level and general personality.

 Yesterday morning we all cleaned the pool. Rachel wanted to have a swim but we dissuaded her with great effort.

 Great-granddaughter meets Nana B. It was love at first sight...

And here is the proud papa, with his nana. He is a blessing to us in so many ways, coming to us late in life but what a wonderful surprise he is. And we are so proud of him and Nicole and the lovely family they are building together. We know they have a rich and blessed life ahead of them, and will grow up and old together and reap the benefits, just like me and Rick. A tradition of love to endure...

Friends from afar...

 We started off today with beautiful clear skies and sunshine. The view of "Lake Irwin" from the balcony was very inviting. The water in the lake is fast warming up and almost ready for swimming.

 Yesterday we were invited to go visit our friend Bill's sister Helen who lives near Peterborough, about 2 1/2 hours away to the south east. Helen went to high school with us but was 2 years behind us. She and Dave met at Guelph (Agricultural College) and have three children and several grandchildren. We were invited for lunch, but once there we were encouraged to stay for supper as well. We had decided to take Molly and her little doggie bed, as we thought the day might be long for her to stay in the camper. We went by the back roads, zig-zagging across various Ontario counties to Lake Chemong near Peterborough.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chemong


 The area around Helen and Dave's home is beautiful with rolling green hills and lots of hardwood trees. I thought it looks a lot like Missouri, around St Joseph.

 Helen is an avid gardener and her garden is an inspiration for other gardeners like myself. She and Dave have 2 acres of beautifully sloped land with lovely trees and they designed their home to sit on a crest of land and look down over the rock gardens and wooded pathways.

 The lower level overlooks the sloped rock garden...peace and tranquility!

 One big treat from our visit with Helen and Dave was for Dave and Rick to find a great common bond through a mutual interest with trains. When I mentioned that Rick's dad and grandad were Union Pacific men, Dave's eyes just lit up. He is a big Canadian Pacific follower, and he took Rick downstairs to his "train room" which has a huge model train set (18 engines?). He has been to many train conventions including some of Union Pacific in the US. Clearly, he and Rick had a very solid bonding moment!!! The other interest they share is RVing, as Helen and Dave have a fifth wheel and have traveled many places throughout North America, many of them places where we have either gone or else plan to go in the future. Dave was able to give Rick some good advice on the route for going home.

The day was so enjoyable, we didn't pack up to leave until the sun was starting to set. It was a wonderful day for all of us and we certainly hope to see each other again soon. We got about 2 miles down the road when Bill's cell hone went off. Helen was calling to tell us we had left Molly's doggie bed behind!  A short detour back to the house and then home again. It was a typical Southern Ontario evening. Every hamlet and village had settled in for the night, no activity, all was quiet and almost no traffic. A typical Southern Ontario rural evening.


Meanwhile, back here in Muskoka at "Lake Irwin" next day, one of the nearby towns is Bracebridge, and it looks exactly like it did 60 years ago when I was a kid. The town has been allowed to expand but up on the flats, separate from the old town which is preserved as it used to be.

At the foot of the town is the old power station and bridge over the falls. Parks line both sides of the river. 

Most of our time here has been spent engrossed in conversation with friends and catching up the news about each others' lives. The rest of it has just been a relaxing break after our long trek across Canada to get here. Molly has settled in nicely, she loves the fifth wheel and lives underneath the dinette, spending most of her time out of the way...
Tomorrow we have a day of rest planned where we can read on the deck and catch some rays before leaving for Hampton Monday morning. Hasta la vista! (See y'all soon!!)

Georgian Bay to Muskoka

This part of southern Ontario sits on the Canadian Shield which you can read about below. It is totally different from the lush farmland just to the south. This is not the least bit suitable for agriculture as it is 75% water from the infinite numbers of lakes and rivers, and of the remaining 25%, most of it consists of granite outcropping. Georgian Bay in particular is very windswept. The 30,000 islands look pretty much like the one below.

 The landscape in between looks like this...

 Once in Muskoka, the scenery is less dramatic and windswept, but is still built around the many beautiful lakes, rivers and falls. These falls are at the scenic village of Bala, at Lake Muskoka.

 

At last we made it to "Lake Irwin" or as the official name goes, Bass Lake. Here we are camped in front of the cottage of our friends Bill and Lois. We have known each other since high school (1958). They are now retired and live full time in this lovely setting. Next month they are hosting a wedding here for their eldest son and 80 very lucky guests.

  

As you can see, this is by far our best camping spot yet. 

 

The first morning, Rick shot this photo of mist rising off the lake.

 

Today, the four of us traveled south and east to the delightful "Scottish" village of Elora near Fergus. Fergus is famous for its Scottish traditions and for the Scottish stone masons. http://www.fergusscottishfestival.com/

Elora sits on a very scenic gorge and the mill is also a famous spot for special meals or weddings.  You can see more here http://elora.info/

We went to Elora today with Bill and Lois especially to visit with another very dear high school friend who is pictured below. LtoR: Bill, Barbara and Stewart...celebrating 57 years of friendship!!

Marathon on Lake Superior to Spragge...

Still cold. It was below freezing when we packed up and left the campsite at Marathon. But the air was clear and crisp. We passed in and out of different micro-climates which we could discern by the state of the leaves and whether or not they had broken bud. The views along the northern shore of Lake Superior were stunning.

Most of these photos were taken inside Lake Superior Provincial Park which is a pristine section of forestland, granite outcroppings and lake views...but mostly, I just loved the rugged terrain and those amazing passes through granite bedrock...

By the time we reached Sault Ste. Marie (or "the Soo" as most of us call it) we had definitely crossed a divide, and the wild forestland and bush of northern Ontario had shifted into more of the hardwood bush of southern Ontario. Here there was no question that spring had come and the bush was in that wonderful virgin state of lime green freshness. I got to re-experience spring all around me, as the homes were surrounded with lilacs and flowering cherries. These bloom in April at home. The sense of a lovely April day in almost June was quite a treat.

 

We arrived at Spragge still with energy enough to walk around the camp and take the trail to the river where canoes were set out ready for the summer influx. Right next to us in the camp ground was a recently retired couple from Kamloops on their way to explore Canada right across to Newfoundland. They didn't expect to be back to BC until September. I had a twinge of envy, but to be honest I cannot see ourselves taking that much time out from life at home anymore. It's one thing to go south for the winter months to escape the grey and gloomy weather, but it would be quite another to sacrifice an entire Gabriola summer to wander along some long stretch of highway with sub freezing nightly temps!! I know I am sounding spoiled, but the aim in retirement is to find your comfort zone and enjoy it. It is the time for being spoiled!! For these folks it is 4 months exploring Canada (they had never been east before). For us it is returning eastward to visit friends and family and then happily returning to our roots in the west. Each to his happy own, eh?? Besides, the boys at home would never forgive us...as it is, I expect to be shunned for quite some time when we return. I am familiar with the routine. Back sides thrust into my face, a refusal to take the mineral pan, a toss of the mane when offered a slice of apple. I will be made to PAY for this month of holiday without them. You can be sure of that!

Pincher Creek Alberta to Marathon Ontario

 Gosh, how the days have flown. We have not had a lot of time to reflect, as we battled against strong bitterly cold winds all across the prairies. We woke at Pincher Creek to murky skies. As we climbed out of the valley onto the plains we could smell smoke in the murk and we realized it was from the massive forest fires in the north. From the photo below you can see how closed in it felt...

 On the prairies everything is on a larger scale, including what you see traveling down the highways with you...

 The trip across was not the magnificent Big Sky Country of our past experience, it was miserably cold, with miserable winds and miserable wet. But we made good time as there was no reason to stop anywhere...

 

 By the time we got to Regina, we had outrun the worst of it, and we pulled into a leafy green campground and enjoyed the Big Sky Country for a few hours...despite the cold air mass that followed the rain, we thought the sunshine a good omen.

  

This is a typical Saskatchewan sky despite the first three photos. Unfortunately we only enjoyed it for a few hours before toppling into bed, exhausted.

  

 On our second day crossing the prairies we made it almost to the Ontario border, and camped at Falcon Lake Manitoba (See below)...in the morning there was fine sunshine, but the temperature was around zero (Celsius) and once more WE FROZE!!! So much for positive omens...

 Crossing into northern Ontario, we noted that we seemed to be traveling backwards in time, as we saw that in many places the leaves had not yet even broken bud.

 

At last I saw what I was waiting for, some sign of the Canadian shield, an outcropping of granite, my Ontario rock face! I took a lot of photos of rock!!

 

 As we passed Thunder Bay we stopped at the wonderful memorial to Terry Fox. To my overseas friends they can read about him here http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/terry-fox/. I don't think I have seen a lovelier setting than for this memorial. We approached it by a long winding drive lined with beautiful hardwoods just leafing out. It led us upwards onto a high crest of land with a magnificent memorial statue positioned to view the "Sleeping Giant" island of rock in Lake Superior.

 

 We had one of those special moments here at the memorial. Two young men were there on their bikes packed with camping gear. I asked one of them where they were from. He said Chatham Ontario but his friend was from Holland. We heard their story. The young Dutch man had had the same kind of bone cancer as did Terry Fox, only he had beaten his.  He then decided he wanted to do a cross Canada bicycle trip with his friend from Chatham, as a tribute to Terry Fox and the personal inspiration he had been given by Terry through his similar struggle with this terrible disease. They decided to bicycle from the Maritimes to Vancouver. And the highlight of their trip would be this memorial in Thunder Bay. Here were two young men, pedaling all this way from Nova Scotia to get here just for this moment.  They told us it had been snowing in the Maritimes when they started and indeed it had snowed the night before in Schreiber Ontario where we were heading next!  We enjoyed our chat with them, and wished them well for their trip across the prairies and mountains of BC. I wonder how many others have been inspired like this by our Terry?? Before we left them, they offered to take our photo standing in front of the memorial statue.

 Continuing on to Schreiber I took photo after photo of rock cuts. Yes yes, I know. It's just rock to you. But to me it holds the essence of who I am and where I come from...it is the heart of being an Ontario native... I love granite!!  I personally like the pink and black granite with crystals glittering through it, but Rick likes the more sombre dark greys and greens.

 In the end we miscalculated, as the campground at Schreiber was deserted and closed down, and looked as if it had been for many many years!  So we wearily trudged onward down the long ribbon of highway to the next opportunity at Marathon where, after 10 long hours on the road, we found an open and welcoming campground to park ourselves for the night and we plopped into bed.

And so here we are. Starting another day down the Trans Canada, weary a bit in body and yet anticipating another sunny day, and hopefully one that ends in the comfort of above freezing temperatures somewhere south of here.