Local explorations
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A look at year 3
It is coming up on three years since my first post. I am inclined to review or reflect on another passing year. Unlike any performance review I had to conduct at work, my “reviews” don’t take any set form. The first year marked highlights and the second marked 100 posts. Looking back on this third year, a clear theme emerges. I have been fortunate to travel and it’s been all about Spain. As I do like creating lists (like delightful things about winter), the list in my notebook that has become longer and longer this year is “Things I love about Spain”. There could be many sub-categories, be it architecture,…
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White trail markers
I do enjoy an outing that combines a walk with a tasty destination. A Bruce trail hike PLUS a winery EQUALS one fine day. On one of these fine days, I was looking quizzically at a Bruce trail marker (cover photo) trying to figure out which way to go. I heard someone holler, “Are you looking for the trail?!” Well yes I was. The gentleman kindly pointed me in the right direction, which also happened to be the driveway to a winery: Locust Lane Winery. Perfect. The trail head was at the end of the winery’s driveway. From there, the trail passed by abandoned vines, alongside a small pond, across…
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Forest bathing invitations
“Place your feet firmly on the ground and feel the connection with the earth. Think of all the roots twisting and stretching out underneath you,” says Beth in her soothing voice. I am sitting in the forest on a collapsible stool. Beth is a certified Nature and Forest Therapy guide. Our small group has paused here, among the trees, to sit, close our eyes and allow ourselves to open up to the forest. She encourages us to slow our breathing and take note of any smells and sounds around us in the breezy forest air. It’s like we are prepping our senses, getting them ready to engage with the forest.…
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Bellissima
Gosh the peaches and nectarines have been excellent this summer. We have eaten baskets and baskets of these delectable stone fruits. Freestone. Clingstone. Baby gold peaches. White nectarines. Give me a moment please to wipe the nectar off my chin. To make the most of the short season I have taken several trips to Niagara’s Twenty Valley. I like to get close to the source. The fruit out there is beautiful. Rows and rows. Acres and acres. Bunches and bunches. Oh hang on. Let me have a closer look. I suppose peaches aren’t the only reason to drive out to Niagara. The vineyards are at their peak! The vines are…
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A tour of Europe in Bronte
To feed my travel appetite I have been listening to Travel with Rick Steves from time to time as I walk. In his entertaining weekly podcast he talks to tour guides, travel writers and other travel enthusiasts. It’s fun to hear their stories, get inspired and discover interesting travel themed books (this is how I heard about Eric Weiner’s Socrates Express). There are hundreds of episodes and I have merely scratched the surface. Anytime I listen though, I am ready to book a plane ticket to Europe. Maybe not right now. My appetite for travel inspired foods however, can be satisfied. I love trying the local cuisine when I travel.…
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Back out there
“The first couple days I felt like I was stuttering and stumbling over my words. I have basically been talking to only three people for months. It’s like I had to warm up,” our server at Back 10 Cellars said this about her first days back at work. “I’m good now.” She was smiling behind the mask. My husband and I were sitting in the stylish new Smit-ten Summerhouse. A gentle breeze wafted through the airy open structure that affords lovely views of the vineyards. The pavilion sits alongside rows of Riesling and Chardonnay. Up close I could see the tight bunches of green grapes taking shape and getting bigger.…
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Perfumed air
I have been stopping lately on my neighborhood walks. Simply to take a deep breath. And smell. The delicate scent of blossoms have been wafting through the air and it’s quite delightful. I do enjoy the bright springtime bulbs and woodland wild flowers like trilliums and marsh marigolds, but let’s face it, they are mostly nice to look at. Blossoms on the other hand, win you over with their fragrance. Right now, it’s the heady scent of lilacs in my neighborhood. I was also lucky to see the lilacs at the Royal Botanical Gardens recently. Apparently the Lilac Garden is “one of the largest and diverse collections in the world.”…
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Summer sunshine in a bottle
By most accounts, 2020 was not a great year. One bright spot was the nice weather. The relatively warm winter and plenty of summer sunshine was uplifting for my spirits, and more importantly, ideal conditions for plants to flourish. The vegetables from my summer garden are long gone of course but there is one crop to be enjoyed long after the summer rays are gone. Grapes. It was a great year for growing grapes in Ontario. Warmer than average temperatures through the entire growing season produced juicy and flavourful grapes. Winemakers are excited about this 2020 vintage. Say. No. More. I have been eagerly watching out for the 2020 wines…
