Day 3 - Elora, Meeting Penny

Sisters' Reunion, continued.  After an exciting day at the quilt auction on Saturday, we wondered if we would all feel like driving out to Elora on Sunday, but we were all ready and up and out early, driving through the beautiful Mennonite farm country to visit a place where we all held some memories of visits in years past.  Elora is a vey old village with many beautiful stone mill buildings and a very popular destination for a day of boutique shopping, walking, and dining.  When we arrived it appeared there was some sort of motorcycle rally taking place. You can read a bit more about Elora at this link.

http://www.fergus-ontario.com/elora-gorge-rock.htm

Beautiful farm land on the way to our destination, and some farmers make their way along in a buggy and on a bike.

In the Epiphany boutique daughter, Anne, found some wonderful shoes....we had a little fun with this and brought the package out to the car and handed it to LM, telling him we'd bought him a gift.  He turned bright red when he opened the shoe box....big laughs all around. Silly girls taking advantage of our trusty chauffeur and helper's good nature.

There are some lovely doorways on the shops lining the old part of town.  It reminded Anne so much of France, where they visit often.  Love the little doggie on the bottom of this door. 

After shopping and some lunch, we were off to see the famous Elora Gorge.  This is a little peek through some rock formations.

We all gathered at "Lover's Leap" for this photo and a kind fellow tourist took this "family"shot: LM, Bebo, Eleanor, Moi, and daughter, Anne.

On the way back to Waterloo, some of us had a very important stop to make.  We were all starved for some kitty-love and our niece, Ellie, invited us to stop by to meet her new baby, Penny, and to have some delicious homemade lemonade and treats. Ellie, Margaret's 2nd daughter, has recently moved back to Waterloo from Toronto, and has found a lovely apartment in a beautiful old building.
As you can see, "Aunt Bebo" was the first to get a big hug from the most beautiful and willing Penny.

We all had a turn but, of course, the big magnetic pull was with the one most dangerous, as we all know his reputation for stealing felines, ahem, LM....I want my cat back!! In case you are not aware, my beloved Ms Graysea went to visit LM for a few days in 2008 and has never been allowed to return home!  It is true love and I cannot force them apart.He tells me she may return home when she jumps in the cat carrier by herself and closes it up. The likelihood of that happening is NIL.

Penny had no idea that she was in danger of being swept away to Cape Cod.

Ellie, Emmy and Matt served us some delicious and refreshing lemonade and treats.

Ellie found Penny when she was quite little, sitting atop of a trash barrel in a snow storm, complete with a little cap of snow between her ears.  She was irresistible in her little pleas for a home. She came to Waterloo and quickly thrived, as you can see.  She is the most relaxed and loving cat for one who had such inauspicious beginnings.  Here, she rests, after all the loving, in a fun box, given her by her aunt Emmy!

Ellie was a most gracious host and we really enjoyed our little interlude with Penny. Soon we were on our way back to our various lodgings to rest and prepare for a delicious and fun evening dining out in Waterloo.

I'm sorry for all the delay in finishing posting the rest of our trip adventures. Summer has arrived with a most oppressive, dark and dank vengeance here, and I am using my energy to work and get through each day.  We have not seen the sun in well over a week and the humidity is at 97%.  Sleeping is elusive as my ancient AC cannot keep up.  The house feels like a swamp.
On the plus side, there are beautiful local strawberries, and a bit of preparing and freezing of said luscious treats, is in process.
Love to all....

50???

It has come to my attention that I am the mother of a 50 year old woman. How did that happen?  It seems like yesterday that she was born on a 106 degree summer day - she came with the most beautiful head of dark hair, perfect little fingers and toes and beautiful deep brown eyes. A treasure tied  up in one sweet package. She still has it all and then some.
Happy Birthday, dearest Anne, you make 50 a very nice place to be. I love you!

 

Love

Fresh off our first weekend together with Ms G in 9 months, LM and I are both feeling a glow today. It was wonderful to do so many of the things we shared for so many years, once again. We cooked (steamed clams), we worked a bit in the garden, we sat and chatted, watched Doc Martin, went to the beach and while LM fished, I took a lovely walk in the early evening breezes, on a way lined with beach roses, and watched a pair of ospreys tend their nest.  We met friends there and I welcomed the banter of seasoned fisherman as they told stories. 
Father's day brought a visit from LM's son, John and his girlfriend, Vanessa. Both are doing so well and were so happy to take Dad out to celebrate Father's Day. When we returned, while standing in the tree shaded driveway, I was gazing up at the blue, blue sky through the tree canopy, and was entertained by a pair of Baltimore Orioles going in and out of their hanging-basket type nest. Although I had my camera, I stayed right in the second and took in all that beauty. The weekend was filled with so many special moments like these.  We spoke with Kristi and she arrived safely and happily in Casper, WY to stay with her aunt for about a month. We miss her, yet, we want her to have these different experiences and be with the other people she loves.

My creativity is stirring again and I've a new quilting project laid out to begin. 

Thunder storms lurking so I will close for now.

Love to all!

DAD

It is the most perfectly beautiful Father's Day and weekend for that matter, as LM and I have been together ALONE at his house for the first time in 9 months.  He is an amazing and wonderful father for having Kristi with him all this time and loving her and seeing her through the death of her mother. Right now Kristi is in Wyoming visiting her aunt for a month and we are sure she is delightedly happy.

Meanwhile, my wonderful Dad is very close to my heart today and have included some favorite photos of us....

 

At brother, Sam's graduation from Northeastern University. We were so happy that day as we shared Sam's wonderful success.  Below, just some great smiles on a summer day.

 Dad, with all his girls gathered around him on the day of Mum's funeral. What an honor to be with him and offer comfort and poignant memories.  Below....A Christmas photo on the dining room where so many family memories were made....oh, Mum, that wallpaper - you loved it so much. So nice that the captain's chair (Mum's chair) in front of us is now in Margaret's home in Canada. I have a lovely picture of Anne taken in that chair during the recent Sisters' reunion. I know she felt a very special connection being able to sit in that chair once again. Anne was their first grandchild.

 A very special evening out, of a few years back....Bebo, Dad, moi and Evie at Vin and Eddie's restaurant in Abington, MA. Dad and Mum loved that place!!

Memories and Hands of Love

To mark the auspicious occasion of the sisters' reunion, I made bracelets for all the sisters and the nieces present, from glass beads in shades of purple.  It popped in to my head on the way to Canada that we should have a photo of our hands wearing the momentos. These photos capture the fun of the event, and then, of course, out of my bag of tricks, I had to pull some spare bracelets for the guys, and they joined the fun.

At bottom are LM's and my hands....he got a turquoise bracelet!

Emmy's boyfriend, Matt, gets on a chair to photograph the sisters' hands and there was lots of laughing!!

More of the hilarity that was capturing just the right hand photos.

A nice photo of Margaret and Jerry, our wonderful hosts,  at their front porch. 

Day 2...Mennonite Relief Quilt Auction

Lovely Mennonite farm spotted on our way to the quilt auction this beautiful day!

Sister, Margaret has long been my quilting mentor, and we love talking all things quilting. Every year she participates in the creation of a work-of-art quilt to donate to the Mennonite relief Sale in New Hamburg, Ontario.  I have always wanted to attend this amazing event, yet another reason that the reunion was planned for the 3rd week in May. Hundreds of beautiful quilts are donated and this auction goes off like a well-oiled machine.  A highlight of this day is watching the creation and sale of delicious strawberry pies - sold by the piece or whole, these beauties disappeared in the blink of an eye, but you can be sure we stood in line to have a piece.  All but one pie is sold and then tradition has it that it be auctioned off. This years "last pie" went for $445. This auction was really fun to watch as the high-bidding older couple were sitting right near us. Meanwhile we were ogling all the beautiful quilts and the show that is the auction.  LM was outside standing in line for freshly made donuts, although he did join us for the last half of the auction and loved it. This is entirely run by local Mennonites, and a fine example of teamwork.

On the stage, along with the auctioneer, was someone describing the quilt, and then two young Mennonite women setting up the display and turning it for everyone to see.  There was a lot of funny banter.

Rapt attention from the Morse sisters.

This was the cutest thing to see this little one pushing  the wagon for his Mom.  There was a big plant sale outside, as well.

This piece of loveliness was made by sister, Margaret and her friend, Emily, and brought over 1200. to the sale.

This quilt drew a lot of interest and was called a "John Deere" quilt for its colors.

Of course, you would know that this cat quilt was of great interest to the sisters!! It really was striking.

Margaret and her friend, Emily. So sorry I got them with eyes closed but had to post this happy picture. They are such dear friends.

As we were walking back to the car through the adorable town of New Hamburg, we saw a cat hanging off a window sill outside this house. Can you spot it? Precarious place for a feline!

More scenery from the walk. Lilacs!

That evening LM was on the docket to prepare his "famous" fish dinner so while he took over the kitchen, Anne and I took a walk in the beautiful Community Gardens on the property of the assisted living complex where Margaret and Jerry live.

Some nice afternoon sun coming in to the dining room!

Before the walk Anne and I posed for some porch pictures by the front door. Margaret has some lovely plantings.

Love those shoes!

The rocking chair was a gift to Margaret & jerry when Margaret gave birth to Emily in 1978! 

Lovely lantana..

The entrance to the community gardens.

Alium

Rhubarb

We suddenly hear loud bird screeching as we approached this raised bed and were amazed to see a killdeer sitting on some eggs in the corner. Poor thing was in great distress and we moved along quickly. Bad choice for a nesting area.

A funny tin-man scarecrow.

A spectacular tree peony

Iris in my favorite color

This wonderful primrose is in Margaret's front garden and was a gift from a friend in Nova Scotia.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, dinner preparation was well underway by the master chef - usually this dinner is created on Cape Cod using local cod or haddock, but neither were available in Waterloo, so LM used walleye (pickerel).  It was really delicious accompanied by baked potatoes and a nice mixture of fresh vegetables. A delicious and rave worthy meal.

Many hands helped with the table

The "kids" table - Anne, Ellie, Emmy and Emmy's boyfriend, Matt

More to come!!