One Last Kick At Summer!

Last weekend we went to our friend's cottage. We have gone there for about 16 years and it is usually in July but this year we just couldn't get our schedules together till now.

I learned that you can enjoy a cottage just as much in early fall as you can in the heat of July. We slept well during the crisp night and enjoyed the fireplace all the more, not to mention our coffee!
We went canoeing and kayaking, and really appreciated the bright warm sun....once we took off our canoeing gloves! I caught a few early and anxious maple leaves tinged with red...always exciting!
Dave went for a long bike ride and a run, followed by a swim...but as you can glean from the photo, he was a little reluctant!

Fall and friends, you can't beat that!

Summer Cottage!

I just came back after spending a week at a cottage. Man, I could really get in the cottage mode all summer!

I love the western exposure because of all the great shots you get at sunset.

Nothing to get up for except the good coffee! From left, my sister, Joan, my sister, Gail, and MOI. Morning Beach Babes!??? Hags??!!

A beautiful sandy beach literally right at your doorstep makes swimming and boating so easy!

An old mahogany boat they restored called, "Mr. Sub"! (They found it sunk to the bottom of a bay!)




Ah! Me...a dock babe!




We went to hear my brother-in-law sing on the porch of a resort nearby. Left to right: Me, Gail, Joan.




Bill, the one who plays guitar and sings harmony on the song I wrote and sing on this blog!

I love our yearly sister-fest at the cottage!

Cottage Visit!

On the weekend we spent time with really good friends at their cottage. It was unusual because we have always gone in the summer but for some reason we couldn't get any dates that we were all free. I'm glad that happened since it gave us a new perspective. One need only look at the pictures to get a feel for the fall cottage experience. The fall colours will peak by next weekend, our Thanksgiving here.

There were eight of us there and we all did somewhat different activities. My husband went running and biking with the others who do these sports competitively and I went walking with my my Nordic poles while my girlfriends walked. My husband actually went swimming twice...mind you it was a very short swim with the water temperature at 64 F!!

I also went canoeing which I love and then tried kayaking for the second time in my life. Man, is it different! It's more difficult for me because it involves upper arm strength. It seems like you are holding the paddle in mid-air and you have to keep synchronized with the other paddler. Your legs are stretched out in front of you and your back seems to be on an angle which I could really feel in my lower back. (I have nothing left of my lowest disk)

The meals were fabulous and the close friendships were nurtured once again. It was neat to be so laid back and comfortable just being yourself, "in all your grubby glory"! No worries what you look like or what you're wearing!

That's my kind of weekend - it doesn't get any better.

Back From A Break!

I have just spent five fabulous days at my sister's cottage.....great warm and sunny weather, beautiful refreshing swims in the lake, relaxing on the sand beach with a magazine, canoeing while trying to capture loons on camera, walking on the hilly cottage roads, feasting on tasty barbecued dinners, gorgeous sunsets and best of all - lighthearted and fun company!

We even made the annual visit to a resort to hear my brother-in-law play guitar and sing at a regular gig on a screened off porch overlooking a lake. There was also a huge craft fair in the closest town (a forty minute drive) where I picked up quite a few cool gifts for people.

I could so be a cottage person! You just can't beat summer in Ontario's Muskoka North!

***Caught this deer coming right up to the deck to munch on foliage early one morning.

***Me holding the much too short paddle after a tour around the lake.