Two for a time

I returned from Honey Harbour in time for Caleidoscope's turn at being Committee Boat on Wednesday night. Not as much fun as racing but still lovely to be out on the lake in the evening.

At the beginning my job was to check the boats in as they sailed past and check that everyone started in the right fleet. Rhapsody and I am not sure who is in the background but they are J80s , could be Dolce Vita and Relentless.

At the end my job was to write down the times as each boat crossed the finish line and work out the elapsed time (as the 3 fleets started 5 minutes apart). Amazing Grace on the first downwind leg.

So there were not a lot of picture taking opportunities. This is Sheets and Giggles first across the line.

While waiting for the boats to complete the 3 leg course we ate too much as everyone (8 of us) had bought contributions for the meal; pizza, cheese, crackers, olives, fruit tray, grapes, squares and cookies. I had half a cider and the others either had beer or water. We were a very sober boat, focused on the job, unlike some crews who see Committee Boat night as an opportunity to party.

Christine is away for a couple of weeks with a group that includes her usual cat sitters, so I have Two, and as Two is not a friendly cat, Simon and Daniele have Rasta.

It took her a few days to settle in. She probably doesn't remember that she spent the first 2 months of her kittenhood here.

She has been here a week and thinks she owns the place.

There are some similarities; just like Rasta she does the classic "sausage" stretch, she believes that petting her should take precedence over the tablet or the laptop and breakfast has to be served as soon as I get up. One difference is that Rasta wakes me (or tries to) with a gentle pat on my cheek with his paw, Two on the otherhand touches her little cold nose to mine and I wake with a cat in my face!

A short sojourn on Honey Harbour Island

Nic and my trip to the market resulted in a Kohlrabi Slaw (with carrots, purple pepper, Granny Smith apple and a honey vinaigrette dressing) and a Calprese Salad (tomatoes, Buffalo mozzarella, basil, anchovies and balsamic vinegar).

Wednesday I headed up to Aimee and Greg's cottage at Honey Harbour as their grandchildren had finally left and there was an available bed!

This year the Osprey had 2 young. One was already flying but this one had shown no interest.

Just like at home, the water levels of Georgian Bay are very high. They had to raise the gazebo and the walkway.

The front lawn is now frequently below lake level and Greg had sunk a pump in a barrel that moved the water out constantly.

Plenty of water for the resident duck family and the single young grebe that dove near the dock.

Plenty of water for the biggest Leopard Frog I had ever seen.

He didn't even move as we walked by him on the bridge.

On my second day Aimee and I watched, through binoculars, as the remaining young Osprey started to try out his wings.

The strong wind was making it difficult for him and sometimes he looked drunk. Squawking constantly, they really are noisy birds.

The next day he flew but the strong wind made it difficult for him to get back to the nest.

We sat on the dock and the deck, ate and drank wine, played cards, caught up with each others lives and families and started planning for our winter road trip through the U.S.

The building wind meant I had to get off the island before the waves became dangerous, earlier than planned. 2 days was not enough!

St Jacobs with Nicky

As Brit and her family are at my place for a week, I am staying with Nicola and Dave. We have a list of chores for the weekend but also Nic and I wanted to go to the St Jacobs farmers market.

First chore was to pick up 4 cement blocks ($1 each, found on kijiji) and the guy selling them threw in a pair of pillars for free. I couldn't resist. I hope Rick and Karen, who have an antique stall, can use them otherwise I may be creating Pompeii at the beach.

The market was packed, we had to park over at the outlet mall which, of course, resulted in some shopping.

The video above is for Heather as she used to step-dance.

Huge, delicious looking, sticky buns. At a different stall Nic was able to get gluten free butter tarts and a strawberry pie.

The lady at the honey stall was lovely and we tried all five varieties, both of us decide that the Buckwheat honey was our favorite and each bought a jar.

There is so much in season now it was a great time to go.

We couldn't resist the rainbow of peppers and bought a basket. I have never seen purple ones before.

We drove down to the village of St Jacobs for lunch, where it was much less crowded.

Flower box on the bridge. Both Nic and I loved the variegated succulent (heart leaf iceplant) but looking it up now I find that it is not grow-able, as a perennial, in this zone.

We watched a woman making brooms. She said they were made from corn tassles. A type of corn plant that doesn't grow cobs of corn, which they import from South Carolina as the growing season is not long enough here.

An extensive pottery store

in an old silo.

We ended our trip with a visit to the Re Store in Guelph where Nicola picked up some garden decor.

Lots of fresh veggies for our meals; eggplant, zucchini, peppers and kohlrabi (not sure what to do with that yet)

Long Point - August update

I have had a week to recover now Mike, Aimee and the grandkids (and everyone in the family visiting) have gone home. All the laundry is done and sand swept out of the cottage (and the shower, bathtub, cushions, rugs etc etc).

I went for a bike ride and found that I could not go down many of the roads as they were blocked by water. The lake levels have not gone down and we have had some wicked rain storms to add to the problem.

In addition people have been directing their sump pump hoses out to the roads.

Water has been regularly coming up over the channel walls and cutting the lawns has been impossible.

Out at the Old Cut Marina docks had to be raised and the boat ramp flooded into the street. The wires were covered in swallows

teaching their young to fly.

In my garden the "ditch lilies" are nearly done

and the more showy hybrids are taking over.

Anything daisy-like does well in the sand

and I have become better at spotting the different varieties at nurseries.

In the vegetable garden the lettuce and radishes are over, I am still picking (and freezing) kale and am now harvesting cherry tomatoes (can't keep up with them) and green and purple beans.

The hibiscus loves being outside for the summer

and the pansies had finally let me know it was too hot and humid so I replaced them with fuchsia.