Before the Mill

I took you to our viewing of the new Tri Century Mill complex yesterday —  new in its present form — but it wasn't our first stop on Monday. I wrote about the mill first, before this post, because in my tiny mind, it seemed to be very connected to our anniversary weekend, but I think this first photo op was also pretty darn good.

Before we got to yesterday's mill, we had to pass the old garden and the river. We had gone to the river to satisfy Sue's need for her photo of the day. Her theme was swell, and she thought that she might be able to use the swelling waves in that section of the river. I am not sure if she did or not.

First things first, however: we stopped to examine the remnants of the garden by the abandoned shop, the shop that I think had been an antique store. Whoever ran that shop had, apparently loved spring flowers. That is where I find crocuses and scillia every spring. Indeed I posted of them several times in April.

We wondered if anything else had come up and were delighted to find both tulips and grape hyacinths. Isn't that wonderful for the bulbs to come up year after year, long after after the humans have moved on?

Anyway, I have a few photos in passing, first, the whole patch and then a couple of closer shots.

The river lies on just the other side of the building, so we moved down the slope, and Sue did her thing.

I composited two other Sue photos into one. It's fun to play.

We continued our stroll around by the mill. We went in, and you know that story already, but both the mill and the flowers on the so-far warmest day of the year completed our anniversary weekend very well indeed.

Anniversary Surprise

Yesterday continued the long weekend, so we are permitted to count it as part of our anniversary although it was a day after the most-blessed event. ;)

On a lovely and perhaps too-warm day, we went for our usual walk — this time by the back bridges and the spot where we previously found the croci and the scillia. But we'll leave those findings for another time — tomorrow most likely.

When we walked by the former McArthur Mill that is becoming quite a refurbished complex, we noticed that the door was open. We wandered in.

We asked if we could look around and actually ended up receiving a lengthy guided tour. First, however, just beyond the doorway, we came upon the area that will be a cafe.

The actual coffee bar will be just behind me.

Complete with a grand piano, it will be quite the treat, and they are building a patio as well. I stepped onto the unfinished platform and took a picture of the view.

Then, we got a guided tour of the rest of the building. Delightfully, there is all sorts of stonework and woodwork exposed. The floors are all semi-original. By that I mean that they were not the very original floors to the mill, but when the originals dilapidated a long time ago when the mill was still running in full vigour, they built a new floor over top of the very original.

The owner-developer took us into all sorts of rooms: hotel on the right side if you go back to the first 

photo and residences on the left. We viewed so many rooms on both sides that I can't tell you which was which. I can tell you that the hotel side is already functioning, for we saw various unmade beds on a Monday morning. I think this ↓ was an apartment. Just look at those windows and the view. Can you imagine having your morning coffee by those windows?

We were told that the river could be seen from every window. This ↓ window, also has a view of the giant chimney, whish will remain in place, and you can see a bit of the river on the bottom right. They will use the base of that chimney for a wood-fired oven by the patio.

What can I add? We stumbled onto an unexpected treat and really appreciated and enjoyed our tour. The developer generously took his time with us on a beautiful Queen Victoria Day.

We are looking forward to stopping by the cafe, which should be open for business in  month or so.

Ah Fudge It

We had been planning to drive up to Pakenham to look for fudge with little hope of scoring any. When I checked online, I could spot baked goods in the header picture but no fudge. Nevertheless, we were prepared to make the drive on a very lovely spring day.

However, at the last moment, Shauna posted that we could purchase fudge in Lanark, a village in the centre of Lanark County, or close anyway. Off we headed, 30 minutes west instead of 30 minutes north. Please include an 'ish' with both directions. :)

When we got there the cupboard was bare. No, that is a nursery rhyme. We did not even get to check the cupboard because the store was inexplicably shuttered on the Sunday and Monday of the holiday weekend. But I can't blame them too much as the village of Lanark is not a major tourist draw.

We took a selfie to prove to Sha that we went and that we shouldn't have gone.
Naw, it was a decent day for a drive.

Ironically, we had just driven into Lanark on the previous day after leaving the fudge-less Balderson. If we had only known then about this Village Treats shop, we could have obtained our fudge then. Alas, this became our first fudge-less anniversary as far as I can recall.

The countryside was many wonderful shades of green, but we just rolled on by, However, I did take a pic at a brief stop in Almonte by the Mississippi River. 

Ya gotta luv the greens at this time of year.

However, all was not lost, for there was still pizza to be ordered and enjoyed at supper. Or perhaps all was, indeed, lost, for the wrong pizza was delivered -- thin crust with bacon instead of thick crust with bacon, mushrooms and pepperoni. I had it opened and in progress before I realized.

No fudge. Wrong pizza.

What can do you?

I am not sure that our marriage can survive these two dreadful blows. 

Opening Weekend, Washrooms Included

• This is a big weekend in Ontario and for us in particular.
• It's the May 24th weekend or May 2-4 as the younger generation likes to call it because this is when they party outdoors and open their cases of 24 beer.
• May 24this a Civic holiday in this province, in memory of Queen Victoria's birthday on May 24 1819, bless her heart.
• The actual holiday seldom really occurs on the 24th but the Monday closest to May 24 (before, not after). The last time we actually celebrated her birthday (not that we really celebrate her highness exactly) was in 2021. Before that it was in 2010.
• This year we will have tomorrow, Monday the 18th, off.
• Aside from the actual holiday, the weekend is viewed by many as the time to open things such as cottages and campgrounds.
• Of great significance is the opening of public washrooms whether in a community like ours or along rest stops on rural highways. Of course, they are always open in the various eateries along major highways. It's quite a relief to be able to use washrooms once again; it's a long time to hold from the middle of October. Phew!
• Another opening: on Friday we saw that the town docks were open for the first time when we stopped to enjoy our coffee and takeout breakfast sandwiches.
  
  
  
  
  
• We also tend to view it as gardening weekend. Nurseries advise us not to plant before this weekend. Some people do, but if their plants get hit by frost, nurseries will not reimburse them.
• This year, my mother's birthday fell on the Saturday of this holiday weekend. She was born on May 16 1915.
• It is also the weekend of our wedding anniversary. We were married 57 years ago on May 17 1969, which fell on a Saturday then, but today, Sunday, is our anniversary day this year.
• Traditionally, we enjoy fudge on our anniversary after having purchased some on the way to our honeymoon motel in Stratford, Ontario all those years ago. 
• We honeymooned (for one night) in Stratford because I had proposed in the Shakespeare Country Garden in Stratford after a performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream in 1968. It was also within a half hour drive or so of our basement apartment in Guelph where I was still a university student.
• Back to the present: our local purveyor of fudge has shut its doors, so we drove the half hour to Balderson in the country where we, unfortunately, discovered that they also no longer serve fudge.
• However, it was a pleasant rural drive, and they do still serve ice cream, so we had a cone as did these gentlemen at an outside table on a pretty nice day.
  
  
  
  
  
• The little store is the only shop that remains in the tiny hamlet of Balderson as the rural exodus continues.
• We're getting a bit out of sequence, but I had proposed in the Shakespeare Country Garden in Stratford after a performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream in 1968.
• We ordered a pizza on our wedding night at the motel. Doesn't everybody? We have carried on the tradition on our anniversary ever since then. So that will be supper tonight.
• It is rather nice out this morning. Alexa says the temperature will go up to a 21C/70F, which is pretty terrific. Perhaps, we shall look for fudge in another direction. Pakenham lies about a half hour north and claims to have the longest continually operating general store in the province. It has been quite a few years since we poked our noses in there, but I wonder if they might have fudge. If not, the drive should be pleasant enough.

A Loon and a Looney Tulip Bed

As we walked along the arena section of the trail, I was thinking that I wouldn't be posting today. Of course, that it altogether fine. I am sure that you could all use a break. But here we are regardless.

The day was grey and there were no wildflowers to be seen, but when we got to our turnaround spot, Sue looked down. Behold, a loon was resting just down the bank. I don't recall ever seeing a loon anywhere near here, but here it was, sitting calmly, just a few feet from us.

The creature was calm enough for a bit but became exasperated by our intrusion and soon swam off downriver in a huff.

When I got home, I took a snap of our tulips. It is what Sue terms A Happy Garden with no thought or planning. I blame a previous owner of the adjoining house who thought it was just wonderful that way. Who am I to argue? As a guy who once had somewhat planned gardens, I didn't love it at the time. Now, I don't care.

Speaking Canadian

Since I don't drink much, I don't use some of these terms, but I know most of them. A few of my most common ones are double double, click (or klick), hydro, back bacon, timbit, pop, and touque. I take exception to toboggan, or at least as pictured, above. Toboggans ↓ have flat bottoms without runners. We call the one pictured in the list, a sled.

I am totally unfamiliar with street meat (hot dogs), darts (cigarettes), out for a rip (drive). Instead of pencil crayons, I am more more likely to say coloured pencils, but pencil crayons are familiar too. 

For the most part, the list is accurate, and I think most Canadians know most of the terms and would actively use many of them.

Completing Mother's Day

I took awhile to complete Mother's Day. I previously posted about Shauna's visit on Saturday. Then, on Sunday we drove the short distance to Dark & Deadly where we enjoyed hot and tasty breakfast sandwiches. I'm sorry that photo includes me and not Sue, but, primarily, she was taking a picture of our breakfast when my old mug got in the frame.

While I have already praised the breakfast sandwiches, let me tell you that, as delicious as they look, the butter tarts did not appeal to us because, somehow, they were inexplicably salty.

Later that day, Jonathan dropped by with roses. He also brought his friend who, in turn, brought her ersatz baby. Said baby was a homework assignment. The $3000 doll acts, fusses and cries like a real child. It needs to be fed, changed and burped and will fuss until it receives the appropriate attention. The baby even gets mom up in the middle of night. Just like an actual baby, the doll demands 24/7 attention and had to come along with Nora  

Danica was hit by a virus and did not get here until yesterday. She brought coffee  and a gift card for even more coffee at D&D. She told us about having just signed her lease for the room that she will be occupying in the fall for her second year at university, and then we played a few rounds of Uno.

The Community Garden

After seeing various wildflowers that I recently posted, we dropped by the community garden at the museum to see more cultivated spring blooms. I don't mean community in the sense that random people plant gardens there but in the sense that the garden is planted and maintained by certain members of the community (the horticultural club, I think) and for members of the community to enjoy. It's not a grand place in scale, but it is a nice little spot.

The first photo that I took was of patch of grape hyacinths, aka muscari. I shot pointing downward and made a single flower my main focus. This ↓ is how the shot looked without any special editing applied.

I found daffodils other than the ubiquitous yellow kind. While the more common yellows are quite fine, it's nice to see other varieties by times.

And  . . . two little clumps of pretty tulips.

It’s raining this morning and for the whole day it seems. The plan is that Danica will drop by with coffee and for lunch to complete Mother’s Day visits. She got hit by a bug over the weekend, but she is fine now. 

Lights and Delight

Our mayor posted a photo of the bridge lit up in green for mental health week, so off we drove to the bridge, but where we got there, we were disappointed.

We were compensated, however, for had never seen the bridge lit in orange. Usually, if nothing special is being featured, the lights have been white. I don't know if orange is just a change of pace or whether there is a special meaning attached.

 

We've also never taken a photo of the bridge lights when it hasn't been dark out, or at least nearly so. This was around 8:15, and I just miscalculated about when it would get dark. However, I kinda sorta liked this look too, so my initial disappointment did fade a bit.

As we sat on the bench while waiting for the darkness to fall, I took a selfie. I once promised Sue that nothing would come between us, but townhall loomed to prove me wrong.

Darkness was slow to descend, and there was a chill in the air, so we left early.

Speaking of leaving, I leave you with this tulip pic before we part today. After a recent very cold night, our tulips opened regardless. I looked straight down the throat of this beauty and snapped my snap. After first showing the bridge lights, I now leave you with this delight.

The Other Wildflowers

I posted about the expanses of trillium flowers recently, but we began to notice other wildflowers as well, in little places here and there, like by this log in the background.

According to my iPhone, they are yellow trout lily flowers, aka Erythronium americanum. "The yellow trout lily is a perennial spring ephemeral with bright yellow, nodding flowers and mottled leaves, native to eastern North American woodlands." 

Before we left the woodland, we spotted another tiny flower, quite small and very low to the ground. "Hepatica (hepatica, liverleaf, or liverwort) is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the buttercup family, native to central and northern Europe, Asia and eastern North America." As we can see, they are pretty, little flowers, and I think my fav photo of the excursion. 

Mothers I Have Known and Loved

It is the day to acknowledge mothers. This is my mother with my daughter in 1974 (I think). Evidently, Shauna was telling a fish story of the one that got away.

Mom was born in 1915 and lived until 2003.

I usually print some sort of card for Sue on these occasions. While Shauna doesn't look happy, it is a reminder of Shauna being put to sleep outdoors in the carriage in all sorts of weather. Does anybody still do that? Those kinds of carriages no longer seem to be in use.

The years roll by and roles change. Shauna took Sue out for coffee and shopping yesterday, and the grandkids will drop by today.

A visit, coffee and a hanging basket from Shauna.

Meanwhile, here is Shauna with her own kids about 16 years ago, I am sure that her own kids will do something for her today.

Here's another photo of Shauna and Danica that popped up when I was looking for the one above.

Total Trillium Time

If you go down in the woods today

You're sure of a big surprise

We did not go down to the woods yesterday, but we did go up — up to the St James Woods on the northern fringes of town.

As for the surprise in the rhyme, well, we saw hundreds and hundreds of trilliums, our provincial flower. I was told that I would see some trillium flowers, but I've only previously seen them in small patches by the roadsides and not the plethora that greeted my eyes.

This (below) was one part of a large area, and there was more than one large area. It was rather wonderful. The picture doesn't do it justice, but one does what what can.

After gazing at the flowering fields, it was time for the old man to assume the position. While trilliums are not as low to the ground as the crocuses were a few weeks ago, they are still lowdown little things..

The surroundings are leafy and twiggy, but one does what one can. I hope you like the resulting photos. 

I really appreciated that glorious sighting of little white flower everywhere.

Very Recent Shots

The world turned green almost overnight although some trees still lag behind. Some people have their lawn chairs out, including this poor family that is forced to live by the river. I mean you've got to feel a bit sorry for them. 

Sue continues to try to get the seasonal photo as she envisages it, but there is a section of trees farther along the left bank that refuses to green up. I expect her to try a few more times and on brighter days. It is odd how the upriver photos ↑ always look brighter than the downriver ↓ shots.

I went out for coffee with the boys. Nick shot me. He caught me smiling. It drives Sue crazy when I can't smile for the camera, but this was spontaneous.

A guy sat down the table from us. You can see why I asked to take his picture. His name is Terry; I sent him a copy. Of note is the reality that I couldn't have done this with a real camera. I picked up the phone and twiddled one dial. The effect was right in the phone, not later when I edited. I did crop in post and removed the glare from his glasses, but those were just the touchups to the basic photo that came form the phone.

Meanwhile, we have tulip colour. These coral-coloured tulips are among those that Jonathan planted for us last fall. They are the early and low variety. I'd rather the later and taller tulips, but there is something to be said for early colour too. I think there are six plants scattered about our little front garden.

Poor plants though. We had a frost advisory last night. Whether it eventuated or not, it would have been a close call. I am sure the hardy daffs would have survived, but I don't know if the tulips would have made it. I don’t see as much colour when I look down there early this morning, but perhaps the tulips just gathered themselves overnight.