Fall skies

 The last couple of weeks or so has been spent on fall chores....putting away outdoor furniture, planting bulbs, cleaning out the vegetable garden. Not unpleasant as the weather has been lovely. Our last race of the season went well, coming in first in the Jib and Main B fleet.

I have bought in the plants I plan to winter over

so the sunroom feels crowded again, even though I have left the 2 large pots outside. I think I will plant them with annuals next year.

It's the season for

magnificent skies

and truly

stunning sunsets

that disappear in seconds.

Guest photographers:

Turkish coast from Nicky

Brussels balcony view from Rick.

Cigi for the weekend

 Last year, for Christmas, I gave Chris and Jason a gift certificate for a night at the Arlington Hotel in Paris. Nic and Dave gave them a meal there and we both said we would babysit. Well Chris stretched it to 2 nights and we picked Cigi up in Paris on Friday.

We stopped at a farmers market on the way home

 

At first she was a bit intimidated by all these bright orange aliens

but eventually she screwed up the courage to touch one.

 

Nic and I felt we would have to keep her busy so we had a variety of activities planned. 

Apple in hand, she helped take the pruned Rose of Sharon sticks to the fire pit.

Apple still in hand she examined

a fuzzy caterpillar.

Then we sat on the Edge for a while, eating an apple and watching "berbs". We discovered that they were her 2 favorite things....apples and birds.

Up early (way, way too early) we went to the market in search of apples. Finding none

we went up the road to an apple farm and bought a bag. Happy, with apple in hand.

Really not interested in the trees covered in apples, just in getting them in her mouth.

Ok, yes that's pretty, but where are the apples.

Next chore, shucking corn on the front porch and watching the birds.

After a nap it was down to the beach

where she played in the sand, walked in the water and had an ice cream cone (shared 3 ways, we didn't want her on a sugar high)

Another early morning and, after breakfast, we sat on the front porch, with apple in hand, before cleaning out the games cupboard (she helped Nic make sure all the chess pieces were there)

We met Chris and Jason in Aldershot to hand her back. Exhausting but so much fun. She really is easily occupied and happy to eat cheese and apples at every meal, turning down other offerings (ate a banana and some cheerios for breakfast)

Sad day today as Spellbound came out of the water. Boom off,

mast down and bottom sprayed off.

It was like a funeral procession with Spellbound being carried to her cradle, followed by Rick and Tim walking and me in the car.

She was deposited in her cradle where she will sit for the winter while Rick itemizes all the things that need doing this fall (that he wont get around to until next spring).

Port Dover Show and Shine

 I have seen the Show and Shine advertised all summer and kept meaning to go and see what it was all about. It is on every Monday from 4pm until dusk and I didn't have high expectations for it. I was pleasantly surprised....well organized, well attended.

Rick and I got there at about 4:30 and there were already about 50 cars at Silver Lake Park and they continued to pull in the whole time we were there.

It is run by the Lions Club and I guess it is a fund raiser

as they sell food and drinks and tickets for a 50/50 draw.

Hard to believe these vehicles are driven because the engines were spotless.

I enjoyed the hood ornaments and paint jobs

Rick was more interested in the horse power and reminiscing.

They ranged from 1930s up to current but most were "muscle cars"

It was

a fun way

to spend

an early fall evening.

There were not a lot of spectators

Most of the people standing around, chatting,

were the owners, enjoying their time with like minded people.

We topped it of with a short walk by Silver Lake

where we spotted the usual suspects.

 

We also said goodbye to Brit this week. She has been a mainstay of my hooking and crafting community Always willing to learn something new and then teach it to all of us. Always up for a walk on the beach, gift me some plants or popping in for a coffee. She is moving  "out East" and we gathered at the Beach House to wish her well

and took a windblown picture at my place after. Nic and I are already planning a road trip to visit her.

Racing Spellbound

 Mark, Caleidoscope's skipper, is away for a couple of weeks, so Rick decided to take that opportunity to see how competitive Spellbound could be. He, Gord and I raced her for the last 2 Wednesdays in the JAM B fleet (the slower boats, only using the Jib and Main sails). 

The first Wednesday the winds were very light

There was just enough wind to race.

But Gord took a pretty relaxed approach to trimming the sails.

Even with the light air we were first around the windward mark, then Solstice overtook us on the reach. But another boat took his wind, stalling him and we were able to get in front again.

We were first over the finish line however as we are "guests", not regular competitors, we are not officially scored.

Heading back in

as the sun was setting

made for some lovely photos.

Th next Wednesday was a totally different situation with gusty winds frequently healing us over.

Gord was a bit more serious about the sail trimming as we were not doing as well against the other boats. I was far too busy to take many photos during the race

but after we finished I got the camera out. The Spinnaker boats were neck and neck at the finish.

We were 4th across the line but Rick figured out that with the handicapping system we would have come in 3rd.

It was a fast race

so the sun wasn't as low as we headed back to the marina and then the Yacht Club for food and drinks.