Wolfe Island Epitour

Caroline, Kaarina and I set off for Kingston, took a short ferry to Wolfe Island, and then drove the curvy roads to  Laura's new doorstep. Very picturesque territory.

It's not often I get to use the word bucolic, but it truly was such a sight, with mocha coloured and black angus cattle watching us with their big cow eyes as we drove past.

Laura has begun a new adventure, selling her city home and buying lakefront property with several acres. I'm excited for her and her husband Peter as they commit to a more independent lifestyle.

What a gorgeous property! The lake in front and a pond to the side. Acres to walk in the back.

Lots of birds. Raptors, ducks. Bird feeders front and back with visiting woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, bluejays. Freddy the cat was crouched on the counter for hours birdwatching and perfecting his attack technique, but the pane of glass made it all quite impossible.

In the mornings I did yoga in front of the wood stove while Ginger the cat circled my ankles. Tree pose, cow pose, cat pose, the morning sun rising. Perfect!

Laura is an Epitourist and as it was her turn to host, she invited the group to create a feast on Wolfe Island. We stayed two nights for a series of memorable meals.

When we arrived we enjoyed a snack of melted brie with warm blueberries. Dinner was tortiere from Cliffcrest Bakery, a mushroom kale salad with homemade ice cream and fruit crumble. After dinner, a scotch tasting.

A light breakfast the next morning, of fresh eggs from Caro's girls. "Lunch" turned out to be an eight hour extravagance. We paced ourselves, allowing plenty of time between courses and a nice long walk into the back woods after the main. Before dessert, we watched the full moon rise over the water and then finished with a cheese course.

Mont de chimay, beer washed le vieux pane, St. Agur blue, wine soaked goat

The next morning, a comfort breakfast of mushroom risotto.

A highlight of the trip for me was learning more about gourmet mushrooms.

We had also planned a tour of some Kingston artisans but decided to delay our departure to enjoy a leisurely morning before the drive back to Toronto.

Truly a wonderful few days escape from city life.

Yoga Camp!

A weekend get-away with Liz, Anita, Denise and Chris to the Queen Elizabeth Y in Honey Harbour. Nicki was there, too, with a separate group of friends.

A few weekends a year the YMCA welcomes adults. We signed up months ago to the camp, and I'd been looking forward to it but didn't know quite what to expect.

Yes there were yoga classes, but it was just as much about the yoga of connecting with friends, walking on pink rocks, paddling at sunset, meditating at sunrise, trying Qi-Gong, going on nature hikes, eating great food, forest-bathing, swimming, standing on my head on a paddle board and tumbling into the water, trying archery for the first time, singing at a campfire, going kayaking, crafts, lichen-looking, stargazing, birdwatching...

Being a sailor it has been many years since I've spend a summer weekend with such fabulous weather in a cabin on land. So lovely! We stayed in the same bunks the kids would sleep in, narrow beds with plastic mattresses. A trough outside to wash up and brush your teeth, a separate building for toilets, the main cabin for meals.

It sounds funny but I felt busy dawn to dusk. There were scheduled activities throughout the day, with meals served at designated times. No dishes, no cooking!

One sunset we took the war canoe out for a paddle. There must have been twenty of us out for a leisurely tour, enjoying the sound of the water licking the side of the boat and the beautiful colours of the sky.

I love the pink rocks of the Canadian Shield! Sculptured by the wind. Smooth and hard. In the morning we did Qi Gong on the rocks, followed by meditation.

On the nature walks, I couldn't believe people were walking so quickly past the moss and lichen. I had brought a magnifying glass in my pocket so I could see it up close, and even tugged a field microscope along. The microscope went unused but the magnifying glass opened a window to a miniature world.

On the nature hike, I did learn how to recognize the call of a phoebe and got a good view of a millipede. Too short a walk though, and too many people scared away a lot of the creatures. On another walk, they came across a rattler and a hognose snake. There were sightings of porcupine and fox, but not by me.

The weather was unseasonably warm, so I finally got to jump in the lake. I tried standing on my head on a makeshift paddle board - didn't last very long but it's something I've always wanted to try. A few other firsts as well - archery, kayaking.

So much fun! Hope to go again next year with the same group of gals.

Shuffle off to Buffalo

Rob and I went on an architectural tour of five Frank Lloyd Wright designs, ate dinner in an Ethiopian restaurant one night and a Prohibition-era speakeasy the next, took a Harbour tour that included a trip down a lock, did some bird watching, visited a wonderful gallery and took in the Allentown art festival.

When I was a kid, all I knew about Buffalo was what I saw on TV. So I associated it with nightly news about "fire in Tonawanda!" and Mighty Mouse cartoons with Commander Tom. My only other trip was to visit the Albright-Knox gallery back in 2012, a quick jaunt from the expressway with no visit to the downtown. Unfortunately, I didn’t update my opinion of Buffalo until last weekend, but I'll never think of the city in quite the same way again.

Even though we had booked our trip for the purpose of an architectural tour featuring the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, I was surprised by the grandeur of many of the buildings. An art deco masterpiece at City Hall, imposing mansions, and the setting for architectural precedents, including: the first steam grain elevator; one of the first hotels designed by a female architect; the first Frank Lloyd Wright boathouse;  the only FWL gas-filling station (incidentally, the combustible gas was to be stored just above a working fireplace).

Frank Lloyd Wright is well-known and appreciated for his organic architecture and skillful manipulation of light, which we got to appreciate first hand at Martin House, Greycliffe, the Boathouse, Pierce-Arrow filling station, and Blue Sky. Looking at photos is one thing, but inhabiting and interacting with the space is the best way to experience architecture. The way you  feel interacting with FLW designs is something else entirely. Some attribute it to the way he would compress entrances, others point to the direction of the light or the way the natural space extends outside to the inside. I thought Taliesin West was exceptional because of the desert, but Wright was also able to carry off the same transcendence in a northern climate. His dwellings are completely livable, with rooms positioned for the best views and places to make the most of your moments.

gardener's cottage at Martin house

When we visited the Martin House there was mention that the artglass for the main fireplace would be installed within the next two years. I think a return visit, just to see that completed, would be well worth the trip.

Wandering the streets of Allentown for the festival was an experience. Estimates were for 200,000 visitors over the two days, and there were plenty of artists and vendors displaying their craft. It reminded me a lot of our own One of A Kind festival, but held outdoors.

Saturday evening we ate at the Lafayette, a historic building  completed between 1902 and 1926, and one of the first hotels designed by a female architect (Louise Blanchard Bethune). We enjoyed delicious food in a room that had been used as a speakeasy during Prohibition, so I ordered a Sidecar off the cocktail menu in honour of the occasion. Butterwood Sweet and Savoury had wonderful ambience, and if I were visiting on a Tuesday or Thursday night, I could also have participated in a Paint Night.

Sunday morning we were strolling the waterfront looking at the naval exhibits and we happened upon the Miss Buffalo about to depart on a river cruise. Thankfully, the Penn Dixie organization was willing to take two Canadians aboard at the last minute. As we toured along the shoreline we enjoyed commentary about the birds, geology, and fisheries. The three-hour tour included a view of the Buffalo skyline, deserted grain elevators, a wind farm, a traverse through a lock & swing bridge, and a close-up view from the water of the Boathouse. Along the way we saw lots of waterfowl, including terns, gulls, great herons, blue herons, night herons, an egret, and a snapping turtle.

After that, it was off to the gallery to take in the works of Charles Burchfield, Phillip Burke, and sculptures from the Spong Collection.

Although Buffalo is the second largest city in New York State, its numbers are still fairly small with a population of about 260,000. Skillfully restored buildings stand beside others that look in need of quick rescue. Right now, the city is on the edge. lt could be ready for a resurgence or a desperate fall. Hopefully it will manage to continue its upward swing.

Monument Valley

My research for our upcoming road trip in the Southwest continues. There's so much to see, and I know we won't be able to take it all in, but I definitely want to get up to Utah for a first-hand look at Monument Valley.

It already looks familiar to me because it's been featured in so many films, including Stagecoach, Easy Rider, and Forest Gump. There's even a look out point named after Director John Ford, famed for his many Westerns.

We've booked  The View, right in the Park, and I'm hoping for a clear night's vista like the one captured here.

Mars and Orion over Monument Valley

Painted Desert and Petrified Forest

Painted Desert

Painted Desert.

Petrified Forest.

These names sound like places of enchantment in fairy tales.

Located in Northern Arizona, and part of the Colorado Plateau, the Painted Desert runs the length of the Petrified Forest. There is a 28 mile scenic road with nine overlooks and it's also close to Wupatki. We might be able to take it all in the day we're near Flagstaff.

According to Park Vision, the fragments of petrified wood are remnants of giant trees from ancient forests of the Triassic Period. Over 200 million years old, these logs turned from wood to rock after the trees were buried under layers of sand and silt.

With a landscape like this it is easy to imagine dinosaurs roaming forested hills.

The nearest town, Holbrook, Arizona, boasts a population of ~5K, but the park area sees roughly 600K visitors each year  because this is the best area in the States to find petrified wood.

Petrified Forest

 Military measures are taken to prevent the theft of rock samples, but even so, stocks have dwindled over the years. It must have been incredible a couple of hundred years ago before the area was settled and tourists began their raids. The problem continues...

Many visitors cannot resist taking rocks, despite strict regulations and stiff fines against removing any material. To see if the petrified wood was actually disappearing at an alarming rate, resource managers established survey plots with a specific number of pieces of wood; some were nearly barren in less than a week. National Geographic

I'll take a few digital photos, they'll be lighter to carry.

more great shots at Flickriver.comhttp://www.flickriver.com/photos/35592860@N08/sets/72157623253211008/

Sedona

Home of the vortexes, there are lots of New Age spiritual seekers in the neighbourhood of the Red Rocks.

I admit, I'm curious, even though many have dismissed the reported phenomena as a hoax. The debate continues. I'll have a chance to make up my mind for myself when we visit the area on our tour of the Southwest.

Give me windows!!!!

 This will be our view during our 3 night stay in Sedona.

Brenda and Bill (Rob's sister and her husband) recently went and had some very practical tips:

• To enjoy Sunset at Sedona Airport, go about one hour ahead of time because parking spaces go fast (the airport has a fantastic view and is adjacent to one of 7 major vortexes).
• There is a great drumming circle at a brewery; most people bring their own drums but they offered a tambourine to Brenda (that she totally rocked!)
  
• Pack hiking poles because they cost a fortune to buy near the Southwest trails ($30 at Canadian Tire vs. $100).
• 10 Best Hikes Around Sedona is available to buy everywhere and is a good guide about relative difficulty: Boynton Canyon is fairly flat with a steep incline only at the end; Devils Bridge is also good.
• Bring a backpack with you wherever you go.
• Stock lots of water... you get thirty fast.
• Pack sunscreen, lip balm and saline nose solution to protect against the elements.
• Bring a camera!

Internet research has turned up a great Stargazing Tour and a potential winetasting trail.

Flagstaff

With an elevation of almost 7,000 feet, I'm looking forward to some great stargazing here in Flagstaff.

Locals have a Dark Sky Coalition and make a great case to reduce light pollution, not just for astronomers, but for everyone to enjoy a starry night. The Lowell Observatory was originally on my list, but it won't be open the evening of our stay and I don't see much point of visiting it during the day.

Hopefully our Inn will have its own telescope, and if not, binoculars will help make us feel a bit more closer to the heavens.

Nearby, Sunset Crater is the site of lava flow, cinders, and some rugged geology.

Also close is the Wupatki National Monument, where trade items from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico have been discovered. Believed to be inhabited since 500 AD, it was first built by the Ancient Pueblo People. On an 1851 expedition, pottery was still thickly strewn over the ground.

Phoenix

In and near Phoenix, I want to explore the Sonoran Desert and hopefully catch a few cactus in bloom.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum was one of the reasons I wanted to travel to the south of Arizona. It has a trail with the different desert plant species clearly labelled, and a large diversity of species within just a few square miles, lovingly tended.

Also on the agenda is touring Taliesan West, the residence and school of Frank Lloyd Wright, which is renowned for its architecture.

We'll be staying two nights in Cave Creek, just outside of town, so might not even get into the hustle and bustle of downtown Phoenix.

Ready... Set...

This year I have an absolute craving to see the desert in bloom and humble myself under a vast, starry sky. Maybe the vortexes are pulling me!

It took some doing for Rob and I to negotiate ... but I think the route is set. Twelve nights, most spent in Arizona, one of the least densely populated terrains in the US, with only 45.2 people every square mile. There will be a lot of driving:

Las Vegas

Grand Canyon

Monument Valley

Flagstaff

Phoenix

Sedona

Las Vegas

Sunrise and sunset each day... an essential part of the itinerary!

sunrise on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

Weekend get-away

Rob and I spent the weekend in Ottawa and Quebec, getting together with old friends he's known since high school and I've known now for almost thirty years.

Many of his friends are newly retired. Seeing them adjust to new rhythms makes my own retirement planning seem a lot less theoretical. Although Monday morning sometimes comes quickly for me, or a work week seems overly long, mostly I still enjoy working for a living. Which is a good thing, seeing as how I'll need to keep it up for another decade or so :-)

Of course, there was great food! Friday night, we arrived a bit late for dinner but that didn't stop me from enjoying leftovers.  To try at home:  pan-roasted chicken breasts with sage sauce (from The New Best Recipe) risotto, and  tapinade rolled in phyllo. Saturday night: prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, delicious cheeses and port for dessert. I won't have to eat all week!

It was extremely cold and the canal wasn't in great shape, so instead of skating we chose to hang out Saturday afternoon at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

What an amazing planet we live on!

The Scream

The Bird Gallery dedicates a whole floor to thoughtful exploration. It was a bit like visiting an aviary, with a display that included samples of bird song, looks at nests and habitats. I learned about some new Canadian species, including an owl that burrows in the ground in the prairies. I also found out that I weigh about the same as 4 wild turkeys, or 5,000 hummingbirds.

The Nature Unleashed special exhibit was humbling. I hope I never experience tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes or floods first-hand. Awesome beauty, to be sure... Edvard Munch's famous painting, The Scream, is a fairly accurate depiction of what the skies of Norway looked like after the eruption of Krakatoa.

The  Earth Gallery showcased minerals, gems, and semi-precious stones. Natural, exquisite sculptures that were works of art in themselves: amber, amethyst, lazurite. Rocks that glowed in the dark, and others that seemed to bloom with pillows and plumes.

I could have hung out in the Water Gallery a lot longer, staring at footage of 2000 belugas gathering in the Arctic.  They are such beautiful creatures. Unfortunately, the Wild Beluga Cam that was set up was blown away by a storm and I can't find the footage on You Tube to share, so you'll just have to visit the Museum of Nature to see the film for yourself (which is still a whole lot easier than trekking to see them in the Arctic).

Aging well

September is one of my favourite months.  It is my birthday!  And harvest.  Such a great time of year.  A perfect time to tour vineyards and contemplate the art of aging well.

During our stay at Niagara on the Lake, we happily toured  five different wineries:  Peller, Inniskillen, Strewn, Riversview, and Rief.

Peller was where Rob and I enjoyed the Estate Tasting, right in the vineyard, sampling the grapes and tasting the wine as it was poured into the glass:  merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and meritage.

Only the two of us had signed up, so we had the undivided attention of our guide as he escorted us through the fruit ripening and terraced in the field.

The gardener in me appreciated how the roses stood sentry to indicate the presence of aphids on the vine, how inconspicuous the grape blossoms were, how rocks had been tumbled under vines to prolong the heat of a summer's day, how the number of pips in a fruit or the shape of a leaf could be used to identify one grape against another; how bunches were culled to intensify flavours.

Merlot was surprisingly thick-skinned and the cab franc even more so.

blossom on cab sauv grapes

An earnest young man gave the tour, a second generation vintner going to sommelier school; obviously knowledgeable about green details, like the pheromone strips dangling on the wires.  In his early twenties, he was learning the serious business and exact science of wine.  Thankfully, he was also generous with his pours and divulged that one of the wineries in Niagara has recently attempted an amarone, with some small success.

It would be fun to go on a poetry of wine tour, though, and have a passionate soul quote great literature, verse and mystical qualities of wine.  Maybe I could start assembling passages?

I loved the cool cellars, and seeing the hundreds of casks laid to age so respectably in their French or American oak.  Imagining the barrels being coopered, turned, and toasted to release their flavours.

I tasted one of the nicest glasses of the tour in Rief's sensory garden.  The space was been planted in collaboration with Richter's herbs to showcase the distinct colours and aromas of different wines.  Talk about the perfect setting to savour a glass of first growth pinot noir before hopping back on our bikes to continue our tour...

Rob and I picked up several bottles of ice wine along the way.  I admit I am a bit dubious about Ontario reds, but ended up buying a few bottles of award winning Cab Sauv from Peller.  It tasted of sun, of standing in a field on a late summer's day, and of course, of aging well.

Niagara On the Lake

I was dreading being stuck 'on the Wall',
but it was a great view.   

Just back from a four day foray to Niagara on the Lake. I was wondering why I've never been, given its vineyards, gardens, restaurants and theaters. We usually sail East, and this is definitely the furthest West I've been via the boat. To be frank, I was expecting rough water, lots of crowds competing for slips and boats rafted four deep on the dock at Niagara on the Lake Sailing Club.   Instead, it was pretty calm - nothing like two weeks ago when Rob went with friends and returned to the boat to find one of the fenders exploded into tiny bits, with dishes strewn along the floor of the inside cabin.  We laced our lines with some snubbers, so maybe that helped to cut back on the bouncing. Finding a slip on a finger dock was no problem, but then again, it was after Labour Day.

We drove our bikes every day, rain or shine, to admire the scenery.  There was lots to see, with historical forts, gorgeous front yard gardens, and the charming Old Towne all within a relatively short pedal.  No shortage of shops and galleries if you are looking for places to spend money.

And of course, what is a trip to Niagara on the Lake without visits to wineries and taking in a few plays?  I have plans to blog in more detail on these subjects so I won't say much more, except that I can't believe I put off visiting Niagara on the Lake for so many years!

warm enough to grow Monkey Trees at Niagara on the Lake!

Eating Out?

We ate at four different restaurants over our four day stay.  

The absolute worst meal was breakfast at Stage Coach Family Restaurant: mushy sausage, over-cooked egg, underdone hash browns and to add insult to injury, the service was poor and the meal was over-priced. My experience is the exact opposite of most of the entries on Trip Advisor, so maybe it was the cook's day off and they hiked the menu prices as a prank.  

Yummiest lunch out was the ice wine pulled pork at Peller Estates, credited to chef Jason Parsons of City Line fame.  Here, they serve a seven course meal paired with the winery's vintages. I was tempted by the Chef's Table, but you need to book ahead, so maybe another time.  

Best breakfast and dinner that we tried, hands down, were served at North America's oldest Golf Course:  a stunning view, great food, and friendly service. At dinner I had the tasty Prix Fixe, 3 course meal for $35.  I thought it was a nice touch that the plates with a bunch of locally grown, in season Coronation grapes. 

Sea to Sky Country

Hi-Way 99 travels along between the sea and mountains.  Today Rob and I rented a car and travelled along the route between Vancouver and Whistler.  When we left, the morning sky was clouded over and looked like rain, but the weather took a turn for the better and the sun came out to glisten on the water and paint the mountain tops.  A picture perfect day!

When we got to Whistler we rode in the gondola.  At least half an hour to the top of Whistler!  I thought we were already high, but the car kept ascending and ascending.  Incredible.  Then we rode in a glass-bottomed gondola to the Blackcomb peak.  It felt like flying, up close enough to touch the clouds.

peak-to-peak experience

glass-bottom gondola

Sky to Sea Country

Shannon Falls

Howe Sound

Touring Vancouver

Thursday morning, Rob and I have breakfast at The Public Market, listening to a street musician playing some Neil Young covers, and then we hop on a Big Bus for a tour of Vancouver:  Gas Town,  Chinatown, Robson, Davie, and Stanley Park among the stops.

At home in Toronto the magnolias died a premature death because of the drastic swings in temperature, so  I'm rejuvenated to see cherry blossoms and magnolias in bloom all over this city.

After doing 1.25 times around the Big Bus circle, we  get off at Stanley Park and don't get back on again.  With 45 minutes between buses, and a less than reliable schedule, we figure it's not worth the wait.

Totems in Stanley Park, a visit to Vancouver Library, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden in Chinatown, and a walk across the Granville Island Bridge.  After six hours walking, our feet are aching, but it somehow seems a fair enough price to pay.

squirrels at work?

Ming Dynasty garden in the heart of downtown

Vancouver's fabulous library

Granville Island

We spent the afternoon and evening exploring Granville Island.

After the train, our room at the Granville Island Hotel seems palacious. The views from our windows are gorgeous.

Lots of boats - sailboats, houseboats, tugboats, skiffs, kayaks, dragonboats. It's fun to watch the water traffic,

Very artistic community, with the Emily Carr University and Canadian Federation of Artists making their home here.  Carvers, weavers, ceramic artists, painters.  The Public Market close-by.

It's easy to walk everywhere and there is no shortage of cool stuff to buy.  I'm tempted by several vases, tea pots and mugs, but I'm already well-stocked at home.  But there is a garden thing-a-ma-jig - I've never seen anything like it, and it's only $60.  Several small copper bowls on sticks that catch raindrops and musically bounce against each other in the wind and rain. Just not sure I could get it home.   It is very heavy and I'm not sure how it could fly as carry-on.

At night we're out for a scrumptious meal at the Sand Bar, bumping into the singer/songwriter we met on our train trip who just happened to be seated at the table next to us.  Happy coincidence.

view from hotel window

view from Sand Bar restaurant

view from hotel window