We saw tons of stuff on our trip to Tennessee including a replica of the Parthenon in Nashville...
...great music at the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman, the historically cool mother church of country music.
Then onto Memphis to see the National Civil Rights Museum.
This amazing museum is housed at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assasinated on April 4, 1968. 
From the outside, the motel looks exactly as it did on that day. Inside, it's a very moving and fascinating place.
I guess you just never know when you'll see the next "big thing" for my collection. Here's a giant Microphone near Music Row in Nashville. Yee-haw or should that be Howdy!
On our way home from Thanksgiving in the Muskokas, we stopped in Algonquin Park again and this time brought along raisin bread to feed the Gray Jays.
These birds are also known as the Canada Jay and Whiskey Jack. They are clever birds and don't migrate, so they're getting ready for a long, cold winter in Algonquin Park. 
It was a thrill to have them land on my hand. Very cool.
Richard and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend at his family's house in the Muskokas. On our way, we had a picnic at a quiet spot along the road.
We got to take the new, insulated picnic backpack that my cousin gave me for my birthday this summer.
It worked great and we ate with a wonderful view of Golden Lake on the edge of Algonquin Park.
At Algonquin, we stopped and walked at one of the shorter trails -- this one was called the Spruce Bog.
It was only a 1.5 km loop but it was a nice break from the drive.
Up in the Muskokas, we ate turkey, shopped in Huntsville and sat by the Lake of Bays.
The weather was warm and the company fine. Good times.
On the way home, we stopped in Algonquin Park again, this time at a point we've stopped at before, to take our semi-annual photo there. No one was around to take the shot, so it was one of those hold-your-arm-out-as-far-as-you can type things. It kinda worked!
I'm bringing this carrot cake I made to share with friends and family this weekend. To all my Canadian readers, Happy Thanksgiving!
We actually had a bit of down time on our trip to Tennessee last week, so I painted a few of the new birds I saw.
Jane's dog Nila is a sweet thing so I tried painting her. She sort of, almost posed for me at one point. Sweet!
Most of our lounging and resting was done by the pool, so I figured I'd sketch that too. 80-85F most days, warm sun in late Sept/early Oct. What can be bad?
I was buying some cat food at my vet's office and a little white paw came out from behind the counter! Someone had found this little gal across the street in a parking lot and brought her in. They cleaned her up and she was up for adoption.
Well, guess what? Last week I was back at the vet and someone had taken her home and was bringing her back for her first check up. Phew!
At the Harvest Fall Festival at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum, there was the annual Zucchini Contest.
This year's heaviest weighed in at 13 pounds and a few ounces. It's the one with the red ribbon.
There was also the best-dressed category. This one won for best dressed pioneer lady I think.
And this one got "Best Zuke Dressed as Moby Dick."
I had to settle for my "Participant" ribbon; my poor zuke only weighed in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Well...there's always next year.
Just back from the great state of Tennessee ya'll. That means, The Opry...
...Civil War battle sites...
...chess pie...
...and lotsa barbecue!
Steak. I love a good rib steak or T-bone and I like mine medium rare. To me there's nothing better than a good steak on a barbecue.
We found this fantastic salsa at the Vankleek Hill Farmers Market from a place called Peppermaster located in Rigaud, Quebec, just down the road from me. There are a ton of products to choose from and all are Fair Trade. Some of the money from this salsa is going to help folks in Haiti.
A few weeks after I bought it, I saw our MPP, Jean-Marc Lalonde trying some salsa too!
Really delicious. And hot but just right (I think I tried the medium heat version).
It's out and about! The Fall 2010 issue of ATC Quarterly has already gotten a bunch of positive reviews from subscribers. To see more click on: www.atcquarterly.com
I was driving with my friend Peggi and she screeched to a halt and backed up. She had spotted these turtles on a log. I crept over to the edge of the bridge and took the photo (I need a better lens!) At any rate, when I got back in the car and slammed the door, all six of them jumped into the water and vanished.
Last week our office closed early and we all went golfing together. 
My skills are rather limited in the golf world, but I concentrated...
...and swung, with great aplomb...
...and well, it went a few feet and I got a good ribbing from my team mates.
The last hole of our 3 hour tour was the 9th, and as it happened, was sponsored by my workplace. Off to the 19th hole for a cold one!
