After my lunch in the park the other day, I noticed something on the end of my antenna.
This amazing dragonfly had landed on the very tippy end of the antenna and was sunning himself, giving me the opportunity to get this great photo. Check out the neon red wing edges. Wowza!
Richard and I spent a day up in Morin Heights, QC with cousins Jane, James and Maddy, visiting from Tennessee.
Jane and I went out in a pedalboat...a first for me!
It was really a lot of fun.
We circled around that island behind us on Lac Notre Dame and then headed back.
Next it was James and Richard's turn.
Maddy fed her "fishy friends" a bit of bread from the dock...
...while Richard and James completed a circle around the little island.
I think there was lots of political talk on that little pedalo!
Time for a beer! All that hard work!
It was a lovely visit. I'm so lucky to have such great cousins...who have such a nice country house too!
Yesterday was the Glengarry Pioneer Museum's volunteer appreciation picnic and I was asked to make the cake.
It fed 65 hungry picnickers...
...with a few pieces left for museum staff to polish off this week.
This year my sister sent me a bunch of different seeds. (She has too many deer!) These were heritage seeds for Satsuki Midori cucumbers and they are fabulous.
Also from my sister, these funny little cukes looked white.
And indeed, they are white!
They're called Salt and Pepper cucumbers and the seeds were developed at Cornell University, where my sis bought them for me!
This vine is from grey ghost squash seeds given to me by my friend Sigrun. There will be tons of fruit from this vine. And I can't wait to see how far it grows!
Here's Richard on the other side of my volunteer dill plants, all from last year's dill. Now all we need is some rain! (More garden posts next week.)
The lovely park I have lunch in every day has a kids' playground along with a splash pad full of happy kids.
There are also pedalboats for rent...
...and a little dock where people sometimes go fishing.
There are walking paths...
...and spot along the way for bicyclists to picnic and folks to swim at the water's edge on the sandy beach.
There are colourful gardens...
...tended by a friendly gardener.
For me, after a hectic morning at work, I'm happy to find a quiet picnic table... 
...and enjoy my lunch in the light summer breeze.
There are some foods that just scream "summer." Bean salad is one of them. Have you ever eaten 3-bean salad in the winter? I haven't. This one was especially delish because Richard used his own steamed green and yellow beans for this dish.
Grilled zucchini. With zukes galore in the garden, grilling them and covering them with balsamic vinegar, oil and garlic, salt and pepper also yells, "It's summer!"
And these two cuties? Oreo and Cookie love the great summer weather but safely, if you please, from their cat shelter. No wild animals or fast cars on the road for them! Happy summer ya'll!
Last Saturday, three little girls celebrated their fifth birthday, cowgirl style and I was asked to make their cake.
The triplets from Montreal had a big backyard party. All the guests wore their best cowboy and cowgirl gear.
The cake was brought out to much fanfare...
...and didn't last long, with 35-or-so anxious cowpokes wanting a little bite of heaven.
Meanwhile, back in Ontario, we celebrated a long weekend of summer with a big backyard barbecue and some watermelon...cake that is!
CTV Ottawa's former newscaster was Max Keeping and I was lucky enough to get his autograph yesterday when he was granting a local senior's wish to meet him.
Some years ago, my friend Anne bought one of my drawings (of a local log house) to give to the well-known ABC anchorman Peter Jennings and he wrote me this thank you note.
Once every few weeks or so on my lunch hour, I drop into the local feed supply shop that takes in unwanted kittens.
I play with all of them and the gal who works there is happy for my visits, saying that I help to socialize them and get them adopted easier.
Sometimes you just have to nap, even if the paparrazi are flashing away.
These little black kitties had found their way into some sort of mechanical thingie that was for sale.
Cuties or what?
The summer is flying by and most of mine is being spent indoors. Yes, my 2- day-a-week job has blossomed into a 4- or 5-day-a-week job, as I replace other workers who are taking vacations. Still, my lunchtimes are glorious as I have a picnic everyday at the park on Mill Pond in Alexandria.
And I'm never alone. There are usually a few friends about looking for handouts!
I just love the taste of summer, especially when it's available in your own backyard. The heat has brought out the best in the garden with more to come! Best of all, I don't have to shop for veggies for the next few months.
On Saturday, the tiny town of Dalkeith celebrated its 200th anniversary. One of the organizers asked if I'd exhibit some of my stuff...so I did.
It was a beautiful day and since we were in Glengarry County, there were pipers piping...
...and a few dignitaries and speeches.
Richard met a few folks and chatted away.
The pulled pork sandwiches were delicious...
...and cold Beau's beer on a hot day hit the spot!
