June - hooking, gardening and sailing

 I erratically attend the J.J. Ruggers meetings but made a point of attending the 2 events scheduled for June.

The first was a Saturday at Martina's wonderful store and property.

We sat, in the shade, under the tent,

enjoying the slight breeze and amongst the gardens.

I enjoyed the location and the company while double whipping the edge of Linda Powell's Spring Garden Bench.

In Martina's store, Michelle found the perfect yarn for the sky of the piece she has designed for the water workshop (more on that later).

I also shopped:

Primarily for the beginner class that I am going to be teaching

but also for the water workshop.

This was my design for that. It was conducted by Debi Fabi, who had some of her designs for sale but encouraged us to design our own.

I had hooked the flag, pole and chair before the class (and I have to say, Muskoka chairs are a real pain to hook)

Debi passed around a book; The Art of Adam Young, that had some very hookable paintings of water and other East Coast subjects.

Heather was working from a photograph taken last fall, when we were in the Yorkshire Dales

that Debi had kindly put on to the backing for her.

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My gardens are beginning to look closer to my vision for them as some of the plants are now established, planted 3 years ago. Yellow False Indigo.

The multitudes of Iris that Brit gave me, finally made a showing.

As did this beauty that has been transplanted twice since I moved it from Long Point.

Both the blue and the pick Spiderwart are blooming prolifically.

I have planted 5 Broom but only 2 have survived (Don tells me that we are at their northern most range)

Even my 2, Covid Christmases, Amaryllis, are happy

 On the sailing front, winds have been strong and from an unusual direction (North) which has made our races quite exciting. Caleidoscope did not compete in this years Interclub and the first 2 races were a bit of a "bust" anyway.

Saturday (the race from Erie to Port Dover) dawned very foggy and the boats emerged, all quite close together, and much earlier that expected.

As they moved further into Long Point Bay, the sun came out. I learned later that it had been too foggy to race and that there had been very little wind, so the race was cancelled.

Sunday (the Long Point Bay Race) was also very hazy and very little wind.

Rick and I went out on Spellbound, later in the day, to see if we could catch a glimpse of them finishing. We had a leisurely sail for a couple of hours 

and just as we spotted the lead boat (a Farr 60), the wind dropped to nothing. He just limped over the finish line. ( The other 2 boats in the photo had radioed in that they were resigning from the race as they knew they could not complete it in the time frame allowed)

We motored in and could see the next 4 boats coming in, off in the distance. Many of the fleets did not make the time cut off.

None of that stopped the dinner and dance

at the Yacht Club on Sunday evening. Unfortunately, 4 hours out in the sun, on the water, meant that Rick and I left before the band was even set up!

Introducing

Chubber, the groundhog, (named by Rick) who likes to eat clover on my bank and sunbath on the deck next door.

Sweet Peas and Crown Vetch, also from the bank.

First kayak of the season

 I realized that my kayak never came down off the garage wall for the whole summer of 2022. Made me remember how tired I was after the radiation treatment and that most of last summer was a bit of a foggy haze. I look back in this blog and realize that I did do things, but my memories of that period are rather vague. Anyway, the kayak is down from the garage wall now.

After our early summer heat wave the weather is now comfortable again. It took me a while to figure out how I used to get the kayak in the car. Luckily the access point, to Black Creek, near Dogs Nest, was open.

So peaceful: water lilies

and sunning turtles.

There's big homes with docks

and big boats, but there's also little, old cottages that look as if they would be washed away at the next high water event. Water craft vary from a huge power catamaran, through more modest power and sail boats and down to little runabouts, seados, kayaks and paddleboards. Anything to get out on the water.

I took about an hour to get as far as the condos at the base of the pier and didn't go further as the wind was picking up. There were a few other kayakers out on the creek but they were going at a pace equivalent to a run and I was out for an afternoon stroll.

Just so photogenic.

Enigma II and Redhead moored beside the lift bridge.

The banks of the river are as diverse as the watercraft. As well as the homes and cottages there are marine businesses that support the pleasure and commercial life of Lake Erie. Things like dredgers, ship builders, divers and marinas.

This area used to be a huge marine vehicle dump, full of rusting old boats of all sizes and histories. All cleaned up and a new seawall, it is slated for development.

The Port Dover Yacht Club looking very spiffy in its red, white and blue.

Dockage is for members only but the clubhouse  can be rented for community events, weddings etc and on Wednesdays a caterer provides meals for the public. We come for a meal and a drink after racing. Lovely to sit on the veranda on a summer evening and rehash the race.

Christine gave me a waterproof phone case for Christmas which kept that safe and most of the time my camera and car keys are in a heavy duty ziplock bag in a waterproof compartment. I am extremely careful when taking photos.

I stayed well clear of the numerous Canada Goose families, not wanting to be attacked by a protective parent.

They are noisy, fast and amazing hunters, so when I spotted this Kingfisher I just let the kayak drift while I quietly took pictures

not sure how close I would be able to get.

Too close.

Just around the next bend and I would have to figure out how to get out of the kayak (getting in is no problem, getting out is quite challenging, if you don't want to go for a swim). Luckily there were a couple of young me fishing at the ramp and they gave me a hand.