Last year's Halloween celebrations were muted because of the pandemic. There were no decorations in our neighborhood, but I did see these skulls elsewhere in someone’s front yard.
Outdoor decorations abound! My son sent me these pictures from his neighborhood...
Wow! I guess life is returning to normal!
It’s always so beautiful there - in any season, any weather.
The sun was just beginning to set when we arrived.
The leaves were so beautiful with sunlight shining on them!
They turned into silhouettes when the sun went down.
The shoreline, on the Quebec side of the river was also full of colour - reminding me that we should really take a drive over there before all the leaves fall!
We stayed long enough to see the sky turn pink and purple...
But once mosquitoes came out, I suggested we head home!
Most years, corn season ends in late August or early September, but we had a long summer this year, so Terry was hopeful.
Terry often buys corn from Glen at various farmers markets. This was the first time we came here to get it.
Terry did manage to get a few cobs - and, this late in the season, they still tasted very good.
We also checked out Glen’s new greenhouse...
I wonder if he envisages enlarging it someday to be as big as the one we saw in London...
Last time we were here, Glen had just installed an outdoor furnace that would heat the house, store and barn. I see it burns wood. Here’s a pile ready to go this winter...
Glen also has a gizmo like a cannon that he uses to shoot pumpkins into the field. Actually, he has an old truck in the field and aims the pumpkins at the truck...
The pumpkin cannon can be seen to the left of the barn.
Farming is a lot of work, but I suspect Glen also has a lot of fun.
On our recent visit to Almonte, we decided to explore some new places - and we ended up driving to a village called Pakenham, where there used to be several mills across the river...
The mills were built near the river so that they could run on water power, much like the mill in Manotick. They, of course, needed a bridge…
The first bridge was a wooden structure. When it burned down, they decided to build a stone one. Here it is - the only five-span stone bridge in North America.
This picture shows a white truck driving over the bridge.
It was originally built in 1903 - but reinforced in 1984.
I had a hard time taking a clear picture of the bridge, for some reason - the angle of the sun, perhaps.
What I found astounding was that it was built in only 7 weeks - using local stone and local labourers.
Glad to know it’s been reinforced... It gets a lot of traffic - both cars and even trucks continually crossing. When a truck crosses, the bridge becomes a single lane.
The park next to the bridge is a popular place for picnics. Terry noted that some energetic visitors may have wanted to picnic in the water!
An interesting place to visit!
A few days ago, Terry suggested a drive in the country... to Almonte...
We haven’t been there in quite a while.
In summer, it’s a popular destination for day trippers, like us - and we didn’t want to encounter crowds of people...
But now that October is here, things are a lot quieter.
The water in the river is a lot lower, as well.
It was lovely to be back!
A few days ago, I was returning from an early morning dental appointment - and it was cold! I had not dressed adequately for an unexpected change in weather...
As soon as I got home, I started to look for my go-to winter coat in all the predictable places - but I couldn’t find it.
PANIC!
Eventually I did locate it in an upstairs closet I had already looked in. I found it after pulling out other winter garments.
SUCH A RELIEF! I love that coat! It’s so comfortable and warm...
My daughter, in another part of Ontario was facing her own weather-related dilemma...
WHAT TO DO WITH HER OUTDOOR PEPPER PLANT?
If she brought it in, her cats would chew on the leaves and get sick.
A quick message to a friend - who agreed to “babysit” the plant for the winter.
Now that cold weather has arrived, there are a lot of weather-related adjustments to be made!
Terry and I recently returned from yet another visit to Guelph.
With winter approaching, we never know how many more trips we’ll be able to make before snow falls. So we savour each one.
The scenery is always interesting! There are farms to admire...
But there are also a lot of big trucks! So at some point along the six to seven hour drive, we get tired of the highway!
Once we’re a few hours from home - if we don’t feel rushed - we leave the main road and take the old highway that skirts the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario.
So beautiful! So relaxing!
Occasionally we see a barge going down the river...like this red one in the distance...
And there are “a thousand” islands!
The back roads do make our long trip home a little longer - but they’re such a refreshing way to end the long drive home!
