The Last Bits of Summer

Here are the last bits of summer, spent at a family cottage in the North Kawarthas.  We were relieved to leave the heat wave in Toronto and escape to the lake at the cottage where we could jump in the water whenever it all got too much.  That is exactly what we did.  There was more than one morning we spent sipping coffee down at the dock while the children waded and splashed in the water before the sun had even hit the beach. I always used to love the water (and still do) but to be honest, between 19 years old and now I haven't spent more than a few minutes at a time in the water, really.  

But this past weekend was really full of swimming.  It was so hot, it was hard not to go in.  Gabriel must have spent the better part of eight hours a day (when he wasn't eating breakfast, or lunch or supper) in the water!  So between Jordan and I who joined him there, we each spent about four hours each day in the water too.  I definitely felt a little bit like a kid again, paddling around, jumping in and out, running in and out of the water splashing, lounging in the floaty.  It was pretty fabulous really!  The water, along with the cousins as great company, and delicious food... well, it was pretty alright, you know?

Even the littlest of cousins dipped his toes in the water.

 There were plenty of boat rides where the kids got to "drive."

 And plenty of relaxation.

Our cousins have a cottage right beside where we were staying and so our children got to spend a lot of time together.  It's pretty neat that we have someone born every year for the past four years.  Many babies to keep each other company!  And hopefully many summer weekends together up at the cottage!

 Another little cousin stopped in for a visit!

The lingering benefit of our trip this summer has been the strong friendship that has remained between Maggie and Gabriel.  They love to play together, (and pester and torture each other).  We love watching them play together, racing around playing "chase" and "steamrolling" each other.  The shrieks of laughter, the giggles... the crying....  (It always ends in tears, doesn't it). 

 

 And here we go, Fall....  Back to the grind!  It already feels like fall here in Toronto again!

Trains, Ships and Marshmallows

I have to share a few more photos from our visit in Nova Scotia--the Summer Home at Elva's Gardens, the beach, Halifax and various small towns.  We love Nova Scotia and look forward to spending more time there over the years, using Elva's Gardens as a launch pad for other adventures in the area.

Jordan and I got to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary with a dinner out.  Likely the first time in oh... five years that we actually properly got to celebrate by going out for dinner.

We visited the train museum with a miniature electrically run train.  My dad used to have one of these and I remember we weren't allowed to touch it.  I don't even think we saw it or knew about it until I was about fourteen.  Well, when Gabriel saw this one, all he could say was "Please, Gabriel touch it!???"  There were big signs posted everywhere, "DO NOT TOUCH THE TRAIN."  Someday, Buddy.  Someday. 

Of course, we had to visit the harbour front in Halifax to just be downtown and see the tall ships.  We climbed around in the jungle gym shaped like a submarine, had some pizza and slushies and got a chance to climb aboard one of the tall ships and touch the steering wheel.  Those big old beautiful ships are just gorgeous!  They don't make anything like that anymore!

Of course, what would a visit to Halifax be without visiting with some more family!  Cousins we haven't seen in years. And they had some little people too, so the visit was made all the more fun! 

Our last night was spent down by the water roasting marshmallows and soaking in the last of the rays of sunshine from the day.  The light down by the water is just incredible and left us wondering why we don't sit down there every night doing just that.  Because if you are really quiet you might just get a visit from a pod of porpoises in shallow bay of the harbour or the long gangly flap of a blue heron who are all doing just the same thing--gathering the last light-filled moments of the day.  We got covered in a white sticky mess of marshmallows and everyone got their fill.  Even Abe.

We also got a very short visit with Emma, Jordan's step-sister.

And then it was time to say good-bye.  Good-bye to ChouChou and Fizey, the sunlight pouring in the front windows in the morning, lazy breakfasts, the bunnies that hopped the hills around the house, the rocky beach by the ocean, G and Ts on the deck before carefully made suppers, the orange sunsets, the heron, the porpoises, the canoe, the moonlit nights and star-filled skies we can't see from our yard in Toronto and the long over-grown gardens we are hacking to submission, so named after Elva.

>>>>>>>And onwards to Prince Edward Island.>>>