Change of Seasonal Hobbies

Racing starts next week for the Port Dover Yacht Club Racing Division. Last week was the practice race and Spellbound was the committee boat so I got the first boat pictures of the season.

Rick handled the radio and the horn, Fi and Gord managed the flags going up and down and I had the lovely job of sitting by the mast and ensuring that no boats went over the start line early (and took pictures)

 

There were far fewer boats out than usual. The cold wet spring has meant that many owners have not yet finished the spring boat chores and some boats aren't even in the water yet.

We conducted three practice starts for each of the 3 fleets (that's a lot of flags up and down and horns going off)

On the final start they raced to a windward mark and back.

A gusty strong wind kept things interesting.

These two, "Sheets and Giggles" and "Dolce Vita" are both J80s

and they had some fun harassing each other

and taking the competition seriously. Afterwards we all headed for the Yacht Club for drinks and dinner.

While sailing is just starting up, rug hooking is winding down. J.J. Ruggers final meeting of the season included these "mug mats" which we all made in memory of member and rug hooking teacher, Cheryl Krug-Wiltse. They are to be donated to the Brantford hospice but some of us bought them and we donated the proceeds.

I ate far too much at the pot luck portion of the meeting.

We also discussed ideas for "program" next year and held a silent auction with proceeds from that going to the Paris food bank. Our meetings will start up again in September.

Kinky Boots

 Chris and my birthdays are 4 days apart so, to celebrate them together, we went to see Kinky Boots in Toronto. I hate driving in Toronto (I also hated the $45 parking fee that the hotel wanted to charge me) so I drove to the GO train, parked there

and took the GO in to Toronto. You can park for free for 48 hours. If you can find a parking spot that is. I couldn't find one at Aldershot and ended up embarking at the Appleby station. The train was comfortable and  wasn't crowded so I had a nice hour long commute.

 

Union Station used to be a bit of a madhouse and confusing but since the renovations it seems more efficient and spacious.

I always feel like a tourist when I am in Toronto. I am not comfortable there, don't know my way around or the city culture. I just accept this and act like a tourist, stopping and taking pictures of random things.

It was about a 20 minute walk along Front St and up Yonge to get to my hotel.

Not a lot of trees in downtown To.

I love the juxtaposition of new and

old. Side by side, one on top of the other.

I checked in to Yonge Suites Apart Hotel, right across from the Eatons Centre.

I was impressed; a full kitchen including a little dishwasher, washer and dryer, living room,

bedroom and 2 bathrooms. Nicely decorated and well equipped and no more expensive than any other downtown hotel - that is to say, ridiculously expensive!

There was also a little patio area

that overlooked Yonge St.

I walked up Yonge St 

to meet Chris at her workplace. We ate at a falafel place (excellent  falafel and salad, I couldn't finish it all) and then went back to my hotel. I needed Wifi to download the tickets.

Even so the box office had to print my tickets because my phone wouldn't display them.

Beautiful theatre and Chris and I worked out that we hadn't been there since seeing Phantom of the Opera when she was in High School. She, however, saw Harry Potter there.

We also took a joint selfie but, luckily, that one was very blurry.

It was an excellent show, great sets, fabulous choreography (how can they dance in those stilettos?) and some great voices. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Chris walked me back to my hotel before Ubering home. 

I slept surprisingly well, helped by all the walking I had done, had coffee in the room, baked goods from a bakery across the street and returned the way I had come.

Recent visitor - a Flicker digging for bugs in the lawn.

 

Rick's most recent photo - the Whirlpool Galaxy.

May Long Weekend

Much of Saturday and Sunday were spent in gardening. I have been seeding into this bed for the last month and I have carrots, chard, beets and lettuce all germinated. I seeded each for the last time this weekend. Hopefully this means that my harvesting will be spread out too.

 

In this bed, and in containers at the front and on the deck, I have 12 tomato plants and 12 pepper plants. The green material on the cages is "row cover" that I wrapped around them the first day they were planted because they needed protection from the very strong wind that was blowing that day. Once they are established they wont need that protection any more.

I had purchased a number of plants from a person in Port Dover who sells them every year (hosta, lily and coral bells) and some "driveway plants" (primulae, hosta). So those all got planted this weekend too. 

The apple tree looks great this year. Usually there is just a couple of clumps of blossom and sometimes none gets pollinated.

 

It was planted 5 years ago and this is the best blossom show yet. I have never had more than 3 apples off it!

Next door's pear tree also looks great this year. Last year, not a single pear.

Rick did some work on Spellbound and also helped me put the deck furniture out. He also whipper snipped the bank and I cut the grass.

By Monday we thought we had earned "a vacation" so went for a walk in Backus Woods.

It was very hot and muggy

and we were thankful whenever the wind found us.

I recognized the foliage of the lupines before I realized that the meadow was full of them . I had not realized that wild lupine is native to Southern Ontario.

Lots of wild strawberries too.

We were past the peak for trillium

but there were still some around. Rick mentioned he had never seen a red one.

Challenge accepted!

We had planned to go further but we just weren't accustomed to the heat yet and only did about 4km.

In Port Rowan we stopped at Tims and the grocery store to get what we needed for a picnic in the park by the marina.

It was difficult to get a photo of the osprey in the nest on the lighthouse as she was crouched down most of the time, perhaps sitting on eggs.

She appeared to be panting, too hot for her too.

I had assumed that the swallows swooping around the boat houses were barn swallows but this looks like they are tree swallows.

End of the long weekend, drinks on the Edge.