Memories of Rural Living Came Alive.

I remember playing in the straw, and still scratch when I think of it! (Click picture to zoom in)

When I was young, my Dad (a salesman) and my Mom (ex farm girl, turned secretary/office manager) both worked. I wasn’t into summer camp like my sister was so for at least part of the summer, I was shipped off to my Grandparent’s (Mom’s parents) 150 acre farm near Zenda, near Woodstock, Ontario. In fact I learned to drive on a John Deere tractor.
The tractor I learned to drive on could be here. Who knows?

Grandpa’s farm was mixed with all kinds of different crops and animals in two big barns. Chickens, cows, working horses… Orchards, vegetable gardens, cornfields, wheat fields and pasture land with a spring fed pond. During these early years from toddlerhood to about age 16 many months were spent living the rural lifestyle.
Wendy and I decided to drive over to Forest Ontario, about 25 miles inland, north east of Point Edward for their annual http://www.steamthresher.com/ steam thresher, tractor show. For those of you who don’t know, a thresher is a complicated looking portable machine that, driven by belt from a pulley on a tractor, separates wheat kernels from the wheat stalks. The grain goes into one wagon and the resultant straw goes into another. Most farmers never owned their own "thrashin’" machine so the huge dinosaur-like behemoth would be brought from farm to farm. The farm ladies would make tons of food to feed the men who would cooperate during the threshing. I remember the itchy straw stuck to the sweat down the neck of my shirt as the work always seemed to take place on the hottest of days. Later, ham and potato salad, home made bread, pies, tarts and much more made up for the discomfort. As a kid, believe it or not I actually enjoyed a bath after a day of threshin’.
The Western Ontario Steam Thresher’s Association is the oldest club of its kind in Ontario and has been described as the “Best Steam and Heritage Show in Canada”.
These images show life in a different era. Nowadays, air conditioned combine harvesters perform all the functions of the old threshing machines. Gasoline and diesel engines replace steam. Still, farmers of today need to have the efficiencies that come with these expensive new machines in order to survive in a competitive and highly risky business. My memories of olden days were through the eyes of a child. I'm sure there were many pressures back then too. Certainly lots of labor was required to get things done. When my Grandpa replaced his 8 horses with a John Deere, I'm sure he felt he was moving to "state of the art" farming back in 1954. My hat is off to all the hard-working farmers of yesterday and today who toil everyday to provide us with our food.

Congratulations Erin! We Are Very Proud!

Erin finished her MBA this week and on the same day got a position with the International Joint Commission on air and water quality (Canada and USA). We’re so proud of her accomplishments and her dedication to preserving our environment. As most of you know she’s an Honours Science graduate from the University of Western Ontario. Now the “A” student graduate can add MBA after her name as well. Although science is her “first love” she hopes now to combine science and business. She has elected to continue this work with the IJC in Windsor; on a temporary basis, while searching out a permanent career opportunity.

The last week was used up back in London at Wistful Vista.

Click on the picture above to see this unusual balloon
Balloon Fest was on in London. We always get dozens of hot air balloons over our house.

It was great to get back to the condo after having been back in London from Friday, August 3rd for Wendy and Gene’s appointment with the eye specialist. These appointments are hard get, especially since the doctor has been off since April with a skiing injury. There were a few things to do around the house so nearly a week elapsed. Last Thursday, August 9th we drove back to Point Edward The Palms Krystal in Port Huron Michigan is right out of the past!

Thursday afternoon John and Linda dropped in on their way back from a few days golfing near Traverse City in the north of Michigan. They wanted to go out for dinner, which was not that easy for Wendy and I since, at lunchtime we had stopped into the Palms Krystal Bar in Port Huron for some “Chicken in the Rough” on our way back from shopping. We all headed over to the Casino for dinner. Wendy and I rose to the occasion and managed to push down another meal. Sometimes I amaze myself. Arts and handicrafts were abundant at WAMBO

This weekend events included WAMBO (Wallaceburg Antique Motor and Boat Outing) and The San Rocco Festival in Centennial Park in Sarnia. We drove down the scenic St Clair Parkway on Saturday. As usual, we weren’t disappointed. The car and boat owners again lucked out with a beautiful hot, sunny day to display the fruits of their hobby. Beautiful boats and cars were the order of the day at WAMBO

Sunday started out rainy but cleared to a sizzling, humid 85 F. We took the dinghy over to Sarnia Bay Marina and walked to the San Rocco Festival. Admission was free so we sat and watched as young folk dancers performed and a quaint accordion band composed of real authentic older Italian gentlemen whou sang traditional Italian songs. To make the day complete there were Italian specialty food booths (more food!) and a cash bar.

The San Rocco Festival in Sarnia's Centennial Park was a nice way to spend part of Sunday.

Back at our dock, we relax in the heat with cool drinks.

A Week Away in the States

A Texas style cook-off on our back deck. Ed and Dave pose "for the blog"

Penny's sister Linda and her husband Jack drove by car to visit on their way north. You may recognize Jack from Boater's World.
Bill, the Coyote
Rick and Lucy talked about their trek in Taiwan

That's me with Damien from Ohio

Damien and Barb

Even flowers on the table courtesy of Damien and Barb

Ed and Penny

Wendy talks with Carol and Tom

It looked better cooked!
Pauline puts up with Bill the Coyote. They are new condo neighbors but we've known them for years.

Did I mention Damien?

Click the picture to enlarge Brian. Or maybe that isn't appropriate!


Lovely Joanne always listens to my BS

Ed, Abbey and Tom

The Landing Restaurant. Yummy.

The "Birthday Girl" Christine and below her husband Brian

Me, Joanne, Dave, Ed, Penny, Penny's sister and b in law, Linda and Jack (drove up by car to visit) and Wendy

Penny, Brian and Chris tell a few stories

Carol, Tom and Ed

On Friday the weather man was kinder than the past few weeks. He was now calling for hot weather all next week. We decided to take the Phoenix up the USA side of Lake Huron to Lexington, MI some 20 miles north of the condo to watch a concert in the park Friday night featuring Thornetta Davis. We had seen her in Lexington two years ago and were very impressed with her vitality and talent. It has been said if Motown Records still existed, she would surely be a superstar and I agree. Her band is exceptionally good. We intended to return to Point Edward Saturday but… When we arrived in Lexington we were pleasantly surprised to be assigned dock #10 which co-incidentally was right beside condo neighbors Dave and Joanne. Dave met us at our slip and helped us tie up. He explained that he was on a week’s vacation here and was waiting for three or four more boats from our marina that they would be staying all weekend. This sounded like the makings of a party. Ten years at the same condo/marina and we still barely ever see a lot of the people there. How weird is that? Again, my fault I think.

Anyhow, the other boats soon arrived and an impromptu dock party ensued. Everyone brought snacks and drinks and music evolved from one of the boats sterned in to the dock. Later, the concert went off as expected. Wendy and I were amazed at how many people of every age, got up and danced to the jazz/rhythm n blues/Motown tunes. Wimpy’s restaurant was represented in a tent in the park and we bought a few burgers and pizza for dinner. At $1.75/burger, and $1.25/slice, we got out of there for $5 each for dinner, with entertainment. The others went to dinner at a pizzeria up on the main drag and missed most of the concert.

Saturday brought nice weather although breezy. The dock party resumed and snacks extended the normal dinner time to around 8 pm when we finally all moved to The Landing Restaurant on the waterfront for a really nice late night dinner. I had the prime rib. (only served Fri and Sat) It was so-oooo good!

Sunday, because we ate so late, we all agreed we would eat first and snack later. It was planned that we would all meet on shore on the grassed area around 4pm to run the barbeque grills. Another great shore party was sure to ensue. We met a lovely couple from Maumee OH near Toledo. Damian and Sharon lent us some tables and said they would see us later as they were eating at the Landing Restaurant. Rick and Lucy told about their trekking tour of Thailand.

Monday, and everybody left for home except Dave, Joanne, Ed and Penny. Internet service stopped working on Sunday and never resumed. Consequently I can’t post this stuff until I get back. The absence of boats in the harbor compared to the weekend had no effect on the fun that one can have here in Lexington. The wind diminished and the temperature stared to climb. We decided to head up for supplies early, before the temperature climbs into the high 80’s with 78% humidity. (feels like 96) The AC’s are getting a good work out! The Phoenix is cool and dry and it’s like a refreshing sea bath when you go into the cabin. Dave, Joanne, Ed and Penny brought the bbq over to our back deck for a party and dinner cooked on board.

Tuesday the rest of the group ate out but we stayed and had burgers on board. Hot hot hot!

Wednesday hotter, nearly 100 F. It was so hot we hung around in the shade until about 4pm. Then we loaded lawn chairs, snacks and refreshments into the dinghy and motored over to the beach where we joined Dave and Joanne for a swim. Later in the evening we had yet another dock party with dinner around 8pm.

Thursday could break a new record temperature for this day. We headed back towards Sarnia around noon. By 3pm we were back at our dock after getting a much needed sewage pump-out.