Fall Air

There's nothing like hanging laundry in the crisp, fall air.

Views of Thanksgiving Weekend

For Thanksgiving this past weekend, we headed to Richard's family in the Muskokas.


On our way, we had a picnic at our usual spot on Golden Lake on the edge of Algonquin Park.


The temperature was 26C with a humidex of 28C, very unusual weather for Thanksgiving weekend. It's the first time I've seen swimmers this time of year.


We spent much of the weekend at the dock, watching a pair of loons on the lake...


...and soaking up the hot sun with a beer or two.


Richard's sister and brother-in-law took the canoe out for a paddle.


Sadly, the cottage had to be closed down for the season and the dock moved to its winter position.


We said goodbye for another year and on the way home, stopped for another picnic at our favourite spot, this time a table right beside the water.


And what could be more Canadian than a butter tart? Hope all my Canadian readers had a wonderful Thankgsiving.

Happy Thanksgiving

I made this spice cake with maple frosting for Thanksgiving. The dinner on top is all made with marzipan, except for the cherry jam. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Look Who I Bumped Into...

Hey Buddy! Wazz up?

Camden Hills Park

While on our vacation in Maine, we headed to Camden Hills State Park.


Mt. Battie was our destination and instead of driving we thought we'd walk up.


Our eventual destination was the tower at Mt. Battie.


We couldn't see the tower...


...by what an amazing view of the bay at Camden.


Nice flat rocks at the top...


...and views galore. I guess the hour and a half hike was worth it


We took tons of photos of the edge of cliffs.


And lookie here! See that road in the distance on the smaller mountain? Why that's Mt. Battie with the road going to the tower.


We eventually made it down what turned out to be Mt. Megunticook, the highest peak on the mainland of Maine...


...and drove up to the tower at Mt. Battie.


In the distance, you can see Mt. Megunticook and the flat rocks where we were sitting just a little while before.


Great views of Camden's harbour from Mt. Battie too...

Dale Chihuly

On our recent trip to Boston, we were lucky enough to spend a day at the Museum of Fine Arts.


The Lime Green Icicle Tower is an amazing work...


...by glass artist Dale Chihuly.


Amazing detail. Amazing work of art.

Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge

Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement.


In the late 1950s, Carson turned her attention to conservation and the environmental problems caused by synthetic pesticides.


The result was Silent Spring (1962), which brought environmental concerns to an unprecedented portion of the public.


Silent Spring, while met with fierce denial from chemical companies, spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy...


...leading to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides—and the grassroots environmental movement the book inspired led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.


Luckily, we stumbled upon the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Wells, Maine and walked its paths.


It was established in 1966 in cooperation with the State of Maine to protect valuable salt marshes and estuaries for migratory birds. Lovely spot.

Misaotra Means Thank You

I received this photo from the Madagascar School Project thanking me for the cake I donated that was auctioned off at a fundraiser earlier this year. Isn't this adorable? What a thoughtful card.

War of 1812

War on weekends only...We decided to take in the re-enactment taking place at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum last weekend.


There were tents set up where the folks actually spent the night.


There were activities like testing you on how well you can do different knots.


There was a fashion show were red coats, blue coats and green coats all spoke and described life on the battlefield.


The museum was set up to look like it might in those days.


And then they got down to business.


Lots of shooting. I got mixed up as to who was who. I thought the redcoats fought the blue but there was also green (Glengarry Light Fencibles) and various non-uniformed fighters.


I could have used a program!


Richard got into the spririt of the day, however...

Journaling in New England

I didn't get very much time to add to my sketching journal on this busy vacation, but I did manage one fast sketch of the rocky shoreline of Camden.


Then onto Newton, Mass. where we found Taste Coffee House. A great place to wait for the train into Boston and sketch...


...and drink lattes. I told Richard it was the best cup of coffee I'd ever had in my life.


And I wasn't kidding. Not bitter. Tasted like dark chocolate. Happy I immortalized it in my sketchpad.