Saturday, September 23, 2023

Some fantastic weather....

 

Our Location: 

Summer Spot, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada

 

I've been intending to write a post for a few days now but just can't seem to find the time. I'm not a person that can do things in increments, I want to finish a reasonable task before moving on to another and so I can't write the post or edit pictures in preparation for the post and leave it to be finished later, it's a continuous process for me. Kind of all or nothing. You see how that works some days right?

 

Taken at my favourite picture spot.

 
Morning fog on the water!

Heavy dew on a Mullan Leaf.

My dad's motorcycle that he rides probably 5 or 6 days a week all summer.

 

Our weather has been awesome, coolish nights but wonderful days. It reminds us of the desert as it cools off to long sleeve/pants temperatures in the early mornings and late evening but the daytime temps are shorts and short sleeves. We are loving it!!!  Fall is definitely here, the colours are showing and they are amazing!

 

 

Mullan leaves look very fuzzy and delicate.

They are plentiful in displaced soil, such as the lake property owned by nephew Jason.

A few even manage to produce flowers!

I never tire of this view. Can you see the fog over there?

 

We are counting the days left here in our summer location and I can tell you they are getting small. It is one month today until we start the wheels rolling. We, of course, won't be leaving Ontario just then, but probably a week in southern Ontario and the wheels will be rolling southwestward again.  So a short 37 - 40 days and we will be starting our 8th year of travel.   

 

 

Cobwebs are everywhere on the ground!

Fall is definitely coming.


Taken out the window of the Dogsled.


Our summer jobs are winding down but are still keeping us busy and we are slowly starting to pack things away in preparation for leaving. A few ongoing repairs to the Igloo which will be finished in the next week or so, the Dogsled goes into the Dr's office for a check up on Tuesday and then we putz around finishing things.

 

I walk past this tree at least twice a day on my way to coffee.

It is just gorgeous.

Along a creek bed in the far field on the farm.

The stand of maples near the corral.

 

Nephew Jason is still not healed from dental surgery, a month ago. It seems things on one side healed up nicely but the other has been a constant source of infection, hopefully they get that cleared up quickly. Nephew Jesse and his beautiful bride celebrated an anniversary recently, congrats!!! A big HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (#40) to Keith and Brenda. Wonderful folks, warm, welcoming, friendly and just good people. We wish them both a speedy recovery (seems they caught a bug), and many wonderful years ahead. Condolences to the Anstice Family in the passing of Ron, just last week. Riley and I have been going once a week to clean for Ron and his bride of 70 years Justeen for a couple of summers now. Ron was always ready with a story to tell, an opinion to share and a smile to flash. A handsome, hardworking fella, Ron will be missed. He was 96. 

 

 

A dew heavy cobweb on a morning walk.

Extremely foggy but a very warm, humid breeze coming in from the lake.

If you can reach 'em you can have 'em.  One of the many apple trees on the farm.

 

I read your blogs even though I don't comment often but I do mostly keep up with all of the excitement in your lives. You all make my days brighter, I laugh, I chuckle, and I even shake my head a few times but always I smile. You make me appreciate many things in my life and I feel blessed to count you all as my friends. I look forward to chatting with all of you over the months ahead!!! 
 
Fog hanging in the air early in the morning.

Yep, it's old fencing.



 
Until next time....
 
Take care, stay safe, 
 
Deb
 
 

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

A mushroom kind of day.....

 

 

Our Location: 

Summer Spot, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada

 

With the coolness of fall, the daily heavy dew, some rain and a bit of sunshine has made the various mushrooms pop up everywhere I walked. I hope you enjoy the views.

 


Acorns, ferns and squishy moss.





 

Happy Birthday to grandson Auston, who celebrates his fourth birthday today!! He is a shy little fellow, who enjoys Paw Patrol, trucks and all big equipment!! Happy Birthday Auston. 

 

The views of South Baymouth's little harbour!  Top right is where the Chi-Cheemaun rounds the corner.

The top left picture is my favourite picture taken on the farm this summer. The old wagon needs some air in the tires but is still operational. The bottom left picture is squishy moss on some of  rocks. The right two pictures were taken in Manitowaning after a morning at work at the motel My Friends Inn. The top right is a picture of the harbour and the bottom is a pic along the main street. The red brick building is the local grocery store, Freshmart. 



A cloudy day at one of my favourite spots for taking photos. 





Turning around, this is the view.


Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the pictures. 

 

Until next time....

 

Take care, stay safe, 

 

Deb

 

 




Thursday, September 7, 2023

A walk around part of the farm.....

 

 

Our Location: 

Summer Spot, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada

 

I took a walk around part of farm the other morning and found some interesting things to photograph.  I hope you enjoy them. 

 

I found the warbles in the trunk of this young birch tree to be interesting.

These leaves are now starting to turn just a day or two after I snapped this photo.

 

The top to pics show how the spruce trees are dying and the skeletons they leave behind. The bottom left picture was taken on my way to morning coffee at Dad's around 6:30 am, you can see the webs in the grass and the heavy dew makes them show up easily. The bottom left is a picture of the dew dropping from the branch of a cedar tree, also on my walk to or from coffee.


As you can see there is colour popping in many places.


Colour is showing everywhere!!

 


A few old cars hidden in the bushes here and there. The farm belonged to my great grandfather at one time and so the cars were definitely driven by the family. A great deal of the chrome is still shiny and amazingly fabulous. I'm sure with a little spit and polish it would shine like it was new!!
 


Some of the many paths in a small portion of the farm. Many of them were once the main road that twisted and turned across a corner of the farm. Some are paths from the dirt bike era of my nephew riding as a kid, and the cattle that pasture here have been following them as a means to get around. 



The paths are becoming overgrown and yet we can still see them and use them with quads and our feet! 
 
 
Looking up and down the fence line, and a few more over grown paths.
 
 
 
Evidence of death on the farm.
 
 
 Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of the farm. 
 
Until next time....
 
Take care, stay safe, 
 
Deb
 
 
 
 

Sunday, September 3, 2023

A touch of summer returns......


 

Our Location: 

Summer Spot, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada

 

 

A few pics to share with you. Enjoy.

 

Early morning patch of fog as I stand in one of my favourite spots. 



 


Lots of mushrooms around the area.

Our weather has taken a nice turn and we are back in the summer time temperatures with a bit of humidity. Thunderstorms roll along the line of the lake's shore and lightning is evident out over the bay. Rain drops pelt down, fine mist hovers in the air, and all the activity in between the two extremes. It's very much like the desert, coolish to cold in the mornings and a warm up during the day, with quick cool downs as the sun starts sinking. Hopefully it lasts for many weeks, it will make our stay here so much nicer. 

 

An abundance of apples, the view from above the Igloo, The Cabin, and a colour mushroom.

A small hint of colour, seeds ready to drop, and the view of the old orchard.

 

A few views around the farm.

A hint of the colours that will be coming soon!!



Until next time....

 

Take care, stay safe....

 

Deb

 

 

Sunday, August 27, 2023

We are nearing our last full month in our summer spot.

 

 

 Our Location: 

Summer Spot, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada


The temperature this morning was in the single digits on the Celsius scale, a mere 7C/ 43F. It warmed up as the day went on, just like the desert, although not nearly as quickly nor as high. It turned out to be a nice day and just like the desert, started cooling off quickly as the sun started it's descent. 


Sunrise, August 21.

 

I thought I'd share a few pictures today, as I have very few words to share. 


On a ride to the Sugar Shack I stopped to take the bottom three photos in the above collage. We call it 'going over the rock'. There is a trail that wanders around through the trees, it runs past all of the favoured maple trees for spring tapping. There is also another one that runs along the fence line to keep an eye on anything that might fall across the wire. The top left picture was taken upward toward the Igloo from the bottom of the pit, within a few weeks the leaves will be turning and the colours will look amazing. The top right picture was taken about half way up the side of the hill on a very steep roadway. As kids we used to toboggan down that hill, we banked the corners and enjoyed a fast ride down. The walk up was always difficult.  


    

                

A bit of colour in the greenery.  Some seeds getting ready to drop and get set for new growth in the spring.  There is much beauty here and I some times fail to see it, kind of like not being able to see the forest for the trees kind of thing. I guess writing an odd post now and then helped me realize what I've been missing. Thanks to my good friends Deb & Tom for giving me a little push to drop a post now and then.

 

 
 
Jason has been busy over the summer working on the lake property. So I thought I'd post a few pictures to remind me of the progress between old and new.  The top left picture is how the old cabins currently sit in construction to becoming one cabin which they will use while building their new home and possibly be turned into an Air BnB at some point. The middle right picture is the inside of the right cabin.  The outhouse, bottom left, is the only thing that hasn't been touched in any way. The two water pictures were just nice pictures. 
 
 
 A note of congratulations to our friends Linda and Randy, and their son Micheal and bride to be, on the birth of a son Weston on July 29. All are doing well and the proud grandparents are extremely tickled!
 
 
 Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the few pictures!!

Until next time...

Take care, stay safe, 

Deb


Thursday, August 17, 2023

It feels like fall is in the air....

 

 Our Location: 

Our Summer Spot, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada


It's been a while since I've posted and I thought it was time. The weather has changed a great deal, it went from being dry and hot to being wet and coolish. A touch of fall is in the air. The mornings are cooler, and darker than a few weeks ago. Heavy moisture in the mornings in the form of dew, quite literally drips off of all things. Some of the maple trees are starting to turn and we have barely passed the middle of August. The winds feel and sound like fall winds. Some gardens are producing greatly and others are barely producing at all. Apple trees are hanging heavy, chokecherries are dripping from sagging branches, raspberries are finished and the waters of Lake Huron are changing colour. 


A few signs around home. We live near the corner of Lakeshore Rd N and Lakeshore Rd.

We've been working a lot over the past while. Our private cleaning jobs are going well too. Our most senior gentleman, Ron is now in the hospital and is doing very poorly. He is a wonderful man, very pleasant, extremely gentle and a true gentleman. He is in his mid 90's and has lived a very long, good life. His bride Justine is also a very wonderful lady, a sweet gentle soul, with a soft voice and an engaging smile. She misses him greatly and visits him every few days.

 

Heavy dew, farm implements in the morning dampness, a few land mark rocks that have been around for years.

 

Daughter Bradey, husband David and their two young sons, Auston and Lincoln came to visit for a few days. We enjoyed the visit, the boys are growing fast. We will visit them again before we head south for the winter.  


Growth on the birch trees.


August has been a difficult month for me for many years. My parents and my grandmother all have/had birthdays in August. My mother and grandmother both died in August, as did my husband, who died on my dad's birthday.  On July 20th my father's youngest brother passed away three and half years after having a motorcycle accident that left him in a wheel chair. It has been a bit of a rough time. 


A few photos of interest, changing leaves, chokecherries, morning mist, abundance of apples.

On a good note, Jason and Leah welcomed a daughter on July 30, Laney James, a beautiful little sister for Hudson. One day after their 5th wedding anniversary. Daughter Bradey celebrated a birthday on July 24. Bradey is a beautiful lady that keeps life interesting and seems to have found her way on life's path! She is doing well! Dad turned 86 on August 10 and is doing well. 


One of my favourite places. Jason has moved the cabins.


We are starting to make travel plans, or at least we are figuring out our route. We have a couple of different ideas about dates to cross the border but for now we are happy to be here and are looking forward to at least another 6-8 weeks.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

 

 

Until next time....

 

Take care, stay safe, 

 

Deb