BANCROFT GEMBOREE

This is the Civic Holiday weekend here in Ontario which happens to be the weekend the Bancroft Gemboree is held. Owen is very interested in gems and has been saving his money to go to the show. The first site that caught his interest was the "Gold Panning" tent. Here Oma, Kate, and Owen get instructions on how to pan for gold.

Even Kate gave it  try.

Owen using a magnifying glass to see if there was any gold in his pan.

Kate still hoping to find more gold.

The town was busy,  too busy or me, so I took Kate and headed for home. She was hungry and ready for lunch and so was I.

Looks like rain is on its way.

Today Jamie and Leanne arrive and we will have even more fun back here in the bush..

OWEN'S BOAT

Yesterday was construction day, a day spent building Owen's boat. He designed it and grandpa cut the wood. Even Kate helped by keeping our pencils sharp.

Oma and Sherri attached the rigging and the sail; it was a family effort.

The official launch took place after supper .......... would it float or sink?

Success!!! Now it's play time.

They spent hours in the water, pulling, pushing, and filling the boat with rocks.

Soon they were taking the boat far from shore so it was time to put o their life-jackets.

Oma and Sherri kept a close eye on the water. They were the lifeguards who decided it was time for life-jackets.

Owen trying to climb in but the boat was just too small. Guess he needs to design a bigger boat.

If you can't climb in maybe you can sink it. Boys like to play rough!

Giving grandpa the ready sign so grandpa could run as fast as his old legs would carry him up the shoreline tugging the boat and Owen behind him. No need for a gym membership when the grandkids are around.

It was a wonderful way to end our day.

Today we are off to the gem show.

Safe travels everyone and thanks for stopping by.

HARVEST TIME

It's harvest time back here in the bush Our raised garden beds are producing an abundance of food which we are delighted with. Beans, tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, potatoes are now part of our daily diet all picked just outside our back door.

Today the grandkids arrive so we will be sending them out to do the harvesting. Now if they were only old enough to do the cooking and cleaning life would be wonderful.

Safe travels everyone and thanks for stopping by.

GO SYSTEM

Yesterday I used the GO system to get to Toronto. It's comfortable, reliable and a cheap way for seniors to get around. My appointment was for 11:15 a.m. at the Princes Margaret Hospital and it
meant leaving Bancroft at 5 a.m. I could have left at 6 but that would get me into Union Station at 10:40 and then I would still have a 30 minute walk to the hospital.

At 6:50 I boarded the bus in Peterborough to begin my journey. They use double decker buses and we reached Oshawa by 7:55. You have a great view of the countryside from the upper deck and there were lots of seats to choose from.

From Oshawa to Toronto we boarded a train for the one hour ride. It too uses double decker cars and the train was on time. Total cost for the ride from Peterborough to Toronto was $10.75 for seniors.

We arrived at Union Station at 8:55 right on time which gave me lots of time to relax before my 11:10 appointment. It had been a while since I was in Toronto so I enjoyed the views on a perfectly fine summer day.

Stepping outside one is greeted by the Royal York Hotel an iconic landmark which dominated the landscape when I was a kid but has since disappeared in a sea of modern office buildings and condos.

Looking west another landmark greets the visitor the CN tower built way back in 1976. Go to the top for a great view of the Toronto skyline as well as having a meal on top of the city. Today you could see Buffalo across Lake Ontario.

Appointment over and heading home we passed through another venerable city landmark the "Distillery District" It too is undergoing major rejuvenation as they no longer brew whisky here. This was designated a World Heritage site in 1988 so well worth a visit next time you are in Toronto.

Today will be a stay at home day as I need to split more wood for winter. Hard to believe we are thinking winter in the middle of summer.

Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by.

DRIVE HOME

Once we left St Andrews, Owen knew we had a few long days in the truck. The roads through New Brunswick were good and the traffic was light. Mary had an activity box full of games and crafts for Owen. We also passed the miles, drawing pictures and singing camp songs. He never complained about the long drive.

Our first night the camp had a pool and that's where we cooled off.

After the pool it was time for some activity and jumping off the truck was fun. We didn't even unhitch just parked and camped ready to pull out right after breakfast.

The second night it was Owen's favorite supper; macaroni and cheese. We were just inside Ontario, 45 minutes from the airport in Montreal.

This park had a beach and Owen did a little dance to stretch his legs before getting wet. We didn't plan to swim but when it's hot and the water is cool who can resist?

Look who showed up after supper!!! Sean called and was in Montreal to pick up a van and trailer and since we were so close he came for a visit. We re-arranged our sleeping so he could stay the night and Owen was delighted to have some "lap" time with his uncle.

The next morning it was a quick breakfast, eggs and coffee, and then back on the road. This would be a short day, just six hours and then we were home. The perfect way to end a great holiday with an unexpected visit and breakfast together.

Safe travels everyone and thanks for keeping an eye on us.

WHALE WATCHING PART TWO

Another feature we liked on this tour was the "touch tank" where the little pirates learned about small sea creatures and actually got a chance to hold them. Here Owen holds a "star fish" which has the unique ability to reproduce its limbs as long as part of the center portion is alive.

The marine biologist also passed around a sample of the baleen from a Finback whale and explained how the whale takes in large amounts of water which it then squeezes through the baleen which acts like a sieve and traps any fish or krill for the whale to eat.

After the touch tank was put away each little pirate got a chance to steer the ship. Owen was first and kept us on course and off the rocks as instructed. (the real captain was always within arm's reach)

The ride back to port was cold so Owen and his new friend went  below and enjoyed more crafts in the warmth of the hold.

On deck,  Mary was enjoying another cup of soup.

With the sun setting and our sails full we headed for port having done and learned so much more than simply watching the whales dive. Another memory we will cherish forever.

We all slept soundly that night knowing that tomorrow we would be heading home. Still unknown to us the best surprise awaited.

WHALE WATCHING

We booked the evening whale tour and boarded our tall ship at 4:30 pm after first getting the necessary pirate gear for Owen.

He was ready to play the part and search for treasures.

These were two of the marine biologists on board who were very helpful, informative and just great with the kids.

First job was face painting and every pirate needs a few scars on his face.

Searching for enemy pirates or whales close to the boat.

It didn't take long to find them. We were soon spotting Finback whales (second largest species on earth) and Minke whales as we sailed out into the mouth of Fundy Bay. We drifted for a while watching and listening to these magnificent creatures break the surface and breath before diving again. Owen was delighted to be so close to actually hear them breath.

The evening was cool but Owen soon had a friend to share a cup of soup with. A new friend makes any trip better.

Part Two Tomorrow