Music at the Mill

We were treated to another sunny day on Saturday, so we grabbed our hiking boots, warm jackets and hot coffee, then hit the walking trails at the Mill of Kintail.
As we walked along we thought we could hear strains of music filtering through the trees, but the brush is pretty dense in some areas, so we couldn't see anything at first.
But, around one bend in the path we happened upon these fiddlers enjoying the sunshine in a clearing beside the river. As we got closer AC discovered that he knew both of them from the Celtic Jams he has been attending in town. We stopped and chatted, then sat on a log and listened for awhile. Other hikers stopped to listen too, then continued on their way. Before we left Bob passed his violin to AC and asked him to play a tune. AC obliged, and sounded great I might add.

What a unique place the Ottawa Valley is. Music is everywhere, and we love it.

Nice surprise

Just before we set off on our Riverwood trip we stopped at the mail box, and there was a parcel waiting for me there. Oh joy, what could this be? It isn't my birthday or close to any other special days. What could this be? I didn't open it right away, because I like to pinch and squeeze the parcel, ponder the contents, try to guess what it is, and why it was sent, before I open it. There was a return address, so I knew who it was from, but that didn't give me any hints at all.

After the car was packed and we were about to set off, I opened the box and discovered this cute little necklace inside from D3's mom. She has one just like it, and when she saw this one in the airport gift shop on her way home after the wedding she bought it for me, to celebrate the fun we had over early morning cups of coffee during her stay with us.
Isn't it cute? It warmed my heart, and when I wear it I think of E and the fun we had celebrating our girl's wedding.
When my sister saw it on the weekend she said
"Cuppa, what a perfect necklace for you!"
I think so too.
As you can see from the paper clip beside it, it is just a tiny thing, but magically large enough to hold all the wonderful memories surrounding the most beautiful wedding, and bring them all flooding back each time I wear it.

Thank you dear sister-of-the-heart! I love it.

Total Fun

I am home this morning to catch up on a few things so I have time to post a second blog for all you Smudge fans going through withdrawal this week. Enjoy.

Some colour on our walk to the park.


Once we got to the park we saw lots of colour on the ground too. Smudge was warmly tucked in her stroller, but she wanted OUT!

So Grandma obliged and Smudge had a blast.






Then it was time to be bundled back into the stroller and go the water's edge for some juice and a cookie.

One last shot before heading home.
Total fun!

Smudge Lesson for the Week - Get out there and scrunch some leaves under your feet while there is still time. It is total fun!

Road Home

We were treated to another sunny day for our trip home from Riverwood last weekend, and it made for some nice shots all along the route. Multiply the colour by about 100 and you will have an idea of how magnificent it was.

Mile after mile...
...after mile...


...after mile...
...of breathtaking views. What a treat!

Saturday Morning Walk

Saturday morning dawned sunny and cool, an absolutely perfect morning for a walk down the Old Logging Road. Yahoo! After a hearty breakfast we donned hiking boots and warm jackets, grabbed our cameras, and set off for a hike.

Zeus is patiently waiting for us at the beginning of the path. The dogs love these morning walks, and travel about ten miles to our one! They dash off into the forest, but soon come back to see where we are, make sure that we all keep to the same path, then they dash off again.

We soon joined Zeus for a leaf crunching, spirit lifting, soul refreshing walk.

Treebeard and AC were busy with cameras while Turtlestack and I sauntered and chatted.

We are certainly studying something intently here aren't we? I think it might have been some animal tracks. Treebeard is a great guide on these forest walks, and always has lots of forest lore to share with us.
AC and I found this most delightful prehistoric character waiting for us around one of the bends in the path. She was kind enough to pose for a picture with me. Wasn't that nice of her?
AC had to get down on the ground to take the picture, and while down there both dogs joined him for a little rest. I quickly grabbed the camera to get a shot of him with his furry buddies.

We switched from the Logging Road to the Riverside Ramble path and feasted our eyes on scenes like these all along the path.


At one point along the trail Turtlestack and I found a comfy seat to sit and rest awhile on. I think we were discussing how this would be a perfect spot for a Tim's kiosk. Treebeard said he would get right on that! Zeus joined us for the conflab, and a good time was had by all.

Southwood Walk

After our most fantabulous drive up to Riverwood, we were ready to walk the trails and explore nooks and crannies at the farm that the bugs keep us out of most of the summer. We headed across the fields to the Swimming Hole, then sauntered along Southwood Walk. The path was carpeted with leaves that crinkled and crackled with each step we took, and that made the walk so much fun.
This is a view of the river from Southwood Walk..
and a view of the Playner Mill and Old Barn, from a little further along the path. You can only see their roofs in this picture.
We emerged from Southwood Walk and headed up to Hawthorne Point where I took this picture of the Playner Mill, Old Barn and the Farmhouse.
Joy! Joy! Joy! We had the most marvelous weekend.

Road to Riverwood

We had a sunshine filled day to drive to the farm on Friday, and the rolling hills were ablaze with colour. Most of the red leaves had fallen, but the yellow and orange were in full vibrant colour and the sun shining on those leaves made for a spectacular affect. I just couldn't capture it on film, but I kept trying.
I oohed and aahed as we rounded each curve in the road, and snapped pictures all along the way, but...
..the breathtaking beauty and the awesomeness of what we were seeing got lost in the camera.
Take my word for it, we had the most splendiferous Autumn drive!

Hope you had a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving weekend too.

From the bedroom window

What a pretty view Smudge has from her bedroom window.
Her change table is right in front of the window and at each diaper change we look for bunnies, squirrels, birds, rustling leaves, skittering clouds and any other thing moving around in the back yard.
We have even seen a deer emerge from these woods and saunter off down the street.

We are off to visit family at Riverwood for Thanksgiving weekend. Hope you all have a warm and wonderful time with family this weekend too. Talk to you all when we get back.

What next?

I was making chocolate chip cookies yesterday and Smudge decided to help me find the right pan. At least I think that was what she was doing. What a scamp! I was aware of her making lots of noise with the pots and pans, but was surprised when I looked down and saw where she was.
This is now her second favorite spot to sit. The MOST favored spot is still the little chair where she can keep an eye on the oven timer.
I wonder if she is going to be a world famous chef when she grows up.

Smudge Lesson for the week - go ahead and try it! Whatever it is you have been wondering about, go ahead and try it. Even if you have to re-arrange a few things, it might be worth the effort. You might just find a comfy new warm spot to sit this winter.

Mittens

On our visit to the park this week it was cold enough to wear mittens. A first for Smudge and she was quite taken with them.
I don't know if you can tell from these pictures, but she is holding both her hands in the air and has all her fingers spread out inside the mittens.
What a new and exciting sensation to have mittens on your hands for the first time. She clapped her hands together during the whole ride, and seemed quite taken with the sound and feel of these wondrous woolen things on her little paws.

It is really neat to watch her discover all these wild and wonderful things in the world around her. I am loving being along for this ride with her.

In Grandpa's Shoes

Too cute for words. Enjoy

Grandpa's Helper

Come on Grandpa, you can do a few more sit ups. Here, let me help you.
Up down, up down, up down. That's it!
What a cute little helper she is.

Buddies

We celebrated an early Thanksgiving with the kids this weekend so Saturday was spent cooking the turkey and fussing with the fixings to go with it, and Sunday was spent gobbling the gobbler. Yum!
I was in such an overstuffed stupor when I left the kid's place, I forgot my camera so I have no new pictures to upload today. Sorry!

Let me share one I took last week of these buddies at the park. They are each marching to their own drummer aren't they? One is marching quick-time into flaming colour while the other one is taking its own sweet time thank you very much. Their differences make them look more beautiful standing beside each other, they highlight each other. I think there is a lesson here.

What's This?

Smudge got a new desk last week, and the first thing she wanted to do was climb on top of it.
I persuaded her to sit in the chair and try out her new crayons, but...after a few seconds her look seemed to say-
"You don't really expect me to sit at this contraption and colour when I can climb on top of it do you?"
Oh my, she does keep us moving as fast as we can to stay one step ahead of her these days.

Smudge Lesson for the Week - Think outside the box. Let your imagination soar and be creative with everyday things in your world. You just might discover a whole new, more exciting use for some boring old things.

Quiet Time

Smudge just hasn't been herself the past couple of days. She is giving Mommy and Daddy a run for their money at night, and keeping Grandma and Grandpa on their toes during the day.
Lots of snuggles were called for this week, and Grandpa was ready to deliver.

A very weary Mommy found two new teeth about to break through soon, so I guess that explains things. We all look forward to to a good night's sleep tonight. Yawn!

I'm off to bed now. Talk to you again later.

But I don't like them!

I am afraid I'm fighting a losing battle with Smudge over this one. She has the most beautiful hair, but it tends to get a tad messy at times, so we have tried every hair clip, elastic, pin, hair band, and whathaveyou know to woman and...

...within two seconds the hands are up at the head and out they come!

The look on her face says it all doesn't it? Yep, I'm fighting a losing battle.