September update - Sketch the Junction and Bare Naked Ladies

September was already a busy month and now there a various things to be done regarding Dad's passing: apartment, car, bank etc etc. But I still have lots of enjoyable thing on my plate as well.

On the day that Dad died, I was in Toronto with Christine, participating in "Sketch the Junction". She had invited me to do this with her and it sounded like fun and a bit out of my comfort zone.

Christine had been Executive Director of the Junction BIA so already knew what corner she wanted to position herself at. Many of the sketchers (there were 38 of us) where part of the "Urban Sketchers Toronto" and they would just plonk down on a curb or a bench but we had camp chairs, a folding table and a rolling bag to carry our stuff.

I didn't know what I would feel like doing so I took pencils, charcoal, pen and watercolours.

Chris started with this building

and opted for magic markers.

She then moved on to a pencil sketch of the Heintzman  Place, a condo building built where the Heintzman Piano factory was.

I liked the contrast of it with the old building on the opposite corner to us.

I went with pen and watercolour Only the second time I had used that medium.

 It was a lot of fun with people stopping to chat and seeing other artists at work. My piece took me over 4 hours (I couldn't believe the time when I finally stood up but my hips believed it). Aside from posting progress on social media (Chris took care of that) we had to deliver the sketches to Articulations, the art store and organizer, by 5 pm, where they would be adjudicated. Looking at the others as we all hurried to the store, there were some amazing paintings and sketches. They will be on display, at the store until early October, when we can pick them up.

We got the phone call about Dad as we were dropping them off and immediately drove down to Fort Erie.

The following week, Rick and I had tickets to see the Bare Naked Ladies at the Burning Kiln Winery. A concert that had been rescheduled from last November.

We parked, for free, in the vineyard and then stood in line for about 20 minutes to get our bags etc checked (for food and beverages)

Lots of people already there but as we made our way in front of the stage to get to the other side we spotted enough room for 2 chairs, in the 3rd row!

Doesn't get much better than that.

It was a lovely evening but cooled down as the sun went down.

The warm up band was High Flyer, lead singer the son of the headliners lead singer.

I didn't see, but could still hear, most of their set as I was in line up for a hot dog and battered mushrooms.

 Unfortunately none of the videos that I took worked but needless to say, it was a great concert. Lots of energy, interaction with the crowd, old songs and some that were just about to be released on a new album. They played for about an hour and a half and then came back for an encore. It didn't take long to get out of the parking and we headed home. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will look to see who is playing there next year, it was such a great venue.

Derek Antony Joynes 1932 - 2023

I went looking for a photo of my Dad and found this one (I had used it on the blog when my Mum died). In the last 9 months Mum, Dad and Aimee have all died.

 My Dad passed away on September 9, 2023 peacefully, in his arm chair. He had just turned 91.

Trying to reflect on what to say about him, I realized he was always looking forward; the next job, the next house, the next renovation, the next retirement plan, the next trip. He didn't let anything stand in his way, not even mobility difficulties. He had just returned from a wedding in the U.K. where, with help, he managed the transatlantic flights and the corresponding airports. He was talking about taking a cruise.

He was very social, at cast parties (and family Christmases) he could always be found, leaning on a bar or counter, drink in hand chatting about sports or theatre. He and Mum were always involved with amateur theatre; acting, producing, directing, organizing, hosting parties and working on committees. That and travel filled their lives both before and after retirement. He was currently involved in producing the Garrison Little Theatre's upcoming production.

He prided himself on his adoption and comfort with technology, always happy to buy the next computer or device and only frustrated when his large (and broken too many times) fingers were not sensitive enough or when he had to get help setting something up (though that did give him social time with the people on the tech support line). He prided himself on his memory, happy to tell me that his password was the license plate of his fathers first car or the address of his first house.

He enjoyed watching, and talking about, rugby, base ball, hockey, tennis, old movies, and old jazz. He enjoyed his scotch and his gin and tonic. He continued to drive, a standard transmission Civic.

He had a varied life that I believe he enjoyed, for the most part, not withstanding the covid isolation and the last few years taking care of Mum as she experienced cognitive degeneration.

Food, fund raisers and a day of birding.

 I have been busy since getting back from Edmonton so this is a "catch up" blog post before the month is over and we are into the different busyness of September. The summer seems to have flown by!

My first weekend back was the Port Dover Yacht Club Sailing School Fundraiser. Rick and I helped set up in the morning .... tables, auction items, corn shucking, tents, whatever was asked of us. I got there early to register people for the silent auction and then enjoyed a lobster dinner with Rick, Corrin, Brian, Mark and Angie.

The following weekend Rick and I tried out Nonni's, the restaurant on the lakeside lawn of David's Restaurant. Pizza, grilled zucchini, beer and Sangria. It was lovely and quite reasonable.

I think this is a young Oriole in the Rose of  Sharon.

Silver lining.

Sitting on the Edge, with storm clouds rolling in, Rick and I watched this waterspout form and then disappear. There were far more dramatic photos of it, on Facebook, taken from Turkey Point.

The next fundraiser was for the Selkirk Fire Department.

The rain hit at just the wrong time but they

moved the firetrucks out

and set up in the fire hall. It was very well attended with the lineup stretching all the way around the hall.

No-one seemed to mind the wait ... the locals were chatting

and there were things to see,

including the follow up rainbow.

Well worth the wait .... a huge helping of perch, fries, coleslaw, roll and all the corn you could eat. We bought half home for dinner the next day.

The nights are getting cooler. I can feel Fall approaching. So it is time to check out the Long Point Banding Station.

It was a Sunday and there were lots of families there so I don't have good photos of the birds. The ones we watched being banded were Flycatchers and Warblers but we were told that it is early in the migration and will get busier. We also checked out when the Owl banding will happen and some info on Hawk Cliff. Future visits.

We followed up with a walk in the Crown Marsh

where the Phragmites seem to be under control and now the Purple Loosestrife is back.

Osprey.

Next we walked the Big Creek Marsh area, along the north loop (which I had never seen open before).

I thought it might have been a stick but I took a picture anyway and then it moved...I think it is an American Bittern, which is a first for me.

There were so many Great Egrets that it was difficult to look anywhere and NOT see one, or more.

Even more of them than Great Blue Herons and there were plenty of those.

We were told at the banding station that there is an estimated population of 300 Great Egrets in the Long Point area and that the assumption is that climate change has bought them North. When I lived here they were very rare and that was only 3 years ago.

There was also a Kingfisher, fishing, as well as

A Caspian Tern.

We had planned to do the 2.6km loop but it was longer than advertised

and I was in sandals, so we turned around.

Mullion and some defiant Phragmites.

A Northern Leopard Frog. I yelped and jumped when I nearly stepped on him.

Another sign of fall - Goldenrod.

The following are Rick's photos from the same walk. He has a much better camera that can fire off multiple shots and he is good at following the trajectory of flying birds.

I love this shot, of the Tern just before it hits the water

and this one, just after.

He flew back and forth

fishing the stretch of water

right beside us.

It was after lunch time, and it was a long walk, and, what the heck, when was the last time I had a banana split (I can't remember). From Twins Ice Cream Parlor in Port Rowan.

A couple of clear nights and Rick indulged in his other photography hobby.

That little dot of light is him setting up his equipment on the Edge.

My shot of the moon,

his of the Milky Way.