Friday, October 31, 2014

Visit with Nova Scotia friends - October 2014

As I continued to sort through my picture file I found these pictures of our visit with old friends from Sarnia, who now live in Nova Scotia.  Even though we don't see each other often, we can pick up right where we left off, and it is like no time has passed at all between visits. 
We spent a sunny afternoon touring around Almonte, and stopped shopping from time to time to take a picture.

Hilarity abounded when we all posed at the Naismith statue.  Paul is a basket case indeed!
The next day was rainy, so we decided to find an indoor activity to entertain us. We had often seen signs pointing to the Diefenbunker museum in Carp, and wanted to take the tour there, so that's where we headed on this rainy afternoon.  
This is a picture of the blast tunnel leading to the front door of the bunker.  It was built to absorb the blast from a nuclear explosion at one end of the tunnel, and send it out the other end, while leaving the front door in the side wall  in the middle of the tunnel, in tact. 
It was quite the eery place, and I didn't like the thought of being so far underground, but I am glad I pulled up my socks and took the tour. 
Once we got inside the bunker, it was quite bright and airy feeling.  This was the first floor underground, and we had four more below us.  I didn't know if I would make it down all found levels, but I did.
We had lots of interesting displays to view and read about as we went further and further underground.

I guess this was high tech stuff at the time.
Yikes!  Sure look complicated doesn't it?
The vault located on the fourth level underground.  Gold bars where  to be stored here in case of an imminent attack.

Decoding machines.
The war room.   The top level had two phones on the table.  One Red and one Blue.  Here we see Paul going for the red phone. 

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Being silly at Riverwood - 2014

The kids came up to join us at the farm for one weekend while we were there. Silliness did abound.
The kids found a silver hair brush on the dresser in the Princess Room, so they decided to give us all beauty treatments before bed one night.  JJ is wielding the brush in this pic, and Dani is giving Buppa  a head massage. 

Next it is my turn for a new hairdo.

Next.....
Once everyone had their locks in order, it was time for a bedtime story.  We didn't have any books, so Buppa told the kids a story about a time when he was a boy.  They loved it.
In spite of a late night, both kids were up with the birds the next morning.  We wrapped them in blankets and gave them each a tablet to play quietly on while the rest of the house tried to get a few more winks of sleep. 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Out and about around Riverwood - 2014

Pictures at and around RW.
Raspberry Hill Gate.  Just beyond this gate raspberry bushes flourish, and we can pick the delicious fruit on our way down the path to the Playner Mill. 

This is  part of the path that continues on the other side of Raspberry Hill Gate.  Wish I was there this morning.
One afternoon we took a drive along a back road near the farm, and found this delightful scene.
When we looked to the left of the scene above we saw this road sign.  We didn't go down the road, but must  try it next time.  

Riverwood in the morning mist.
Another morning mist picture
This is one of my favorite spots to visit while at Riverwood.  She has an eclectic selection of items, but my favorite is the estate jewellery. Oh such treasures!
South road leading to the Gut conservation area

The swimming hole at Riverwood. 
Glen Alda road just around the corner from the farm.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Evening shots at Riverwood - 2014

More memories of our trip to Riverwood this fall.
Evening in the Playner Mill

Evening walk at RW
Lots of busy spiders at work at the farm.  This is an early morning shot of strings of dew-pearls on this work of art.

Couldn't get a clear shot of the campfire, but you get the idea.
MMMMM toasted marshmallows....yum!

Monday, October 27, 2014

Riverwood at night - 2014

Now that we are home and all settled in for the winter, I will sort through my picture file and post more photos from our travels this fall. 

Many an evening during our stay at Riverwood, AC went out with his camera and tripod to get some starry-night pics.  These are a few of my favs.  Enjoy.
View from the farmhouse down to the old barn.
Amazing huh?
The Playner Mill lit up from the spill-over light from the security light on Welcome Lane.
No stars in this one, but the security light lights up Welcome Lane beautifully

Friday, October 24, 2014

Whirwind visit to Peterborough Ajax, Dundas and Guelph - 2014 - 4th stop Guelph

Sunday found us battling traffic on the 401 once again, on our way to Guelph.  Brian gallantly took up the reigns for us, and fought the good fight from the driver's seat, while we sat in the back with our eyes closed. I'm not kidding!  I had to stifle a scream a few times when a driver in the right hand lane cut across in front of us going a kazillion miles an hour, then continued to cut across four more lanes of cars going faster than the speed of light, only to swerve back and forth between lanes as he hurtled down the highway.  Yes, I had to close my eyes.

Anyway, we arrived safe and sound due to the skillful driving of Brian, and I am happy to say that the shaking stopped after two or three DAYS.
After hugs and hellos it was time for a picture with Ben and Mary in front of their new house.
It is a heritage property, and we could feel the history oozing out of every nook and cranny of this old stone cottage.  The kids did a lot of work on it during the summer, and inside and out it is quaint yet modern.  A perfect combination.
The sun was shining brightly when we arrived, and the deck was so warm and inviting we decided to sit and visit in the sunshine for a while out on the fabulous deck Ben built this past summer..  AC did go back to the car for his hat though.  Maybe it wasn't as warm as I thought it was.
Delicious snacks were set out for us and the gabbing and gobbling began...
...but the sun went behind the clouds, and soon Mary was wrapped in a blanket, Ben needed his hoodie, and AC was starting to shiver.
Brian, with his back to the camera, is all hooded up too.  Heather and I were fine however.
Mary brought a blanket out for AC while we waited for the sun to make a re-appearance, but it didn't, so we gather up the food, and moved inside.
Ahhhh, it was much warmer inside the sun-room, and we picked up right where we had left off outside.
What a perfect spot to sit and visit on a cool afternoon.  It seemed like we were still outside, but were much warmer.
Before dinner, we decided to grab our cameras and go for a walk.  AC went to university in Guelph, and we lived there for our first year of marriage.  It had been 45 years since we were there though, so we wondered what changes we would see in our old stomping ground. 

When we walked to the end of the kid's street, I was shocked to discover that they now lived just around the corner from where we used to live the year we were in Guelph.  We came in the back way on a new highway, so I had no idea what part of the city we were in until we got out and walked around.

This is the park I walked by every day on my way to work.  It was just a short walk from the kid's front door.
It sure was dressed up in its Autumn best for us this day.
This is the bench I sat on to eat many a sack lunch.
What fun to walk through the park with Heather and Mary while AC took lots of pics.  I was stepping back 45 years, and it felt strange but wonderful.
We then went back home to get the car so we could go on a driving tour of the city.  Above is the first house we lived in.  No, it wasn't our house, we just rented the basement apt there, but to me it was a palace.
We drove around the university campus, and stopped to take pictures in front of this statue near the entrance.   Wow,  where did those 45 years go?
The old retired teachers shared a special moment with the young teachers just starting out.  What fun.
This is where my camera ran our of battery power, so I missed all the pictures of our time at dinner.  Sigh!  Next time.

Thanks for the great day Ben and Mary.  We loved our visit with you, and our walk down memory lane in Guelph.