Off to the Cottage

Kevin, Bart and I had the most marvellous escape to Stony Lake.   It is about 2 hours north east of Toronto and comes by its name perfectly with its wonderful exposed granite shores.  My dear friend offered us the opportunity of borrowing her cottage from Thursday until Tuesday over the long weekend.  What an absolute tonic.  

Bart enjoyed both the watching and pursuit of various little creatures and having 4 other big dogs on hand to play with.  

Like the rest of southern Ontario - the colours are very beigified from the lack of water.  Even the early fall colours look thirsty.

The road down to the cottage is full of pine, oak and lots of woodland cover that can handle the shallow soil.

On Friday, Joanne came up and took me to this little nursery in Lakefield called Griffith's Greenhouses. It was beautifully set up and considering it was end-of-season, there was lots to see and buy.

In addition to the woodies, perennials and annuals, they offered a great selection of tropicals.  Here's Joanne standing next to the owner's front porch with a magnificent specimen.  The Zone is probably about a 4 - anything that looks the slightest bit tropical would have to be greenhoused over the late fall to late spring seasons.

It is so nice to go into a nursery and see everything so neat and tidy.

At the back of the garden centre, there were well marked display gardens, so if you liked something, you would be able to purchase the very plant and take it home.

Here's what grows naturally in the area:  (photo taken by turning 180 from previous shot)

I thought these old cars were brilliant.  No surprise that they offer the space to brides to have their pictures taken.

Joanne had said that they really had expanded from last year.  It's amazing what a lovely job they've done considering how fierce the weather has been.

If you look very closely you can see us right in the centre.

Later that weekend we were invited to her mum Barbara's house for dinner.  It certainly was no hardship to sit and watch the boats come into the bay.

Used my telescopic capabilities to get these paddlers in sharper focus - my, the light is gorgeous this time of year.

The next day Kevin, Bart and I went off to Lakefield on our own.  We were absolutely gobsmacked to see these turkeys just visiting one of the local cottages.

When we came back and told our hosts, they said, "Oh turkeys, see them all the time, getting to be a bit of a nuisance......"

In Lakefield saw the Horticultural Society hard at work trying to keep the floral beds alive and gorgeous.

 We followed a walking trail from town to the end of the point.  Very beautiful. 

Lots of milkweed - this was the only fuzz I saw.

Then back to the cottage - where Bart decided to jump in to "save" Kevin.  Jack Russells truly aren't built well for swimming.  He grunts like an old man having to do something he really doesn't want to do when he goes into the water......why, oh why does he do it then?

Then, it was time to go.  That evening, the moist air ahead of Isaac's remains, moved in and the air was just plain sweaty.   We stopped to say goodbye to Barb and I took this quick snap of her rose hips.  Look at the moisture.

And then it was back to town - fortunately ahead of most of the flooding, but very rainy as you can see.

All in all a great getaway - perfect weather, lots to read, things to see, and probably too many chips and G&Ts, but that's that for the summer.  A splendid way to finish off August and start September.