Dawn arrives around 5:30 AM these days here in Ottawa.
Sometimes I happen to see the sky's amazing colours! I took the picture above on Tuesday - through a window.
The following day, my son - on his way to work - sent me these early morning pictures.
The following day, another 5AM view...
5AM skies are amazing!
Day by day, even moment by moment - so different...
Maybe I should set my alarm so as not to miss the dawn!
Last Saturday, our family headed to the annual one-day Franktown, Ontario Lilac Festival.
There were a lot of things to enjoy... Free live music. Free horse-drawn wagon rides that took visitors down Lilac Lane.
This year, a local historian entertained us with stories of the early days of the 200-year-old village. He commented that, although Franktown was an early settlement, its growth later slowed because the railway did not pass through the town.
I always enjoy seeing updates on the repairs to the original stone wall that surrounds the first church built in the community.
It's definitely a labour-intensive job!
(I remember when these completed parts - above - were under renovation a few years back.)
The festival is a busy place: Craft tables. Food for sale. So many fun things to do, see and buy...
A great opportunity to support local crafters - and the church - I purchased a festival t-shirt, a church cookbook, fresh rhubarb, baked goods, burgers - and locally made toys for the kids.
A fun day was had by all!
The day was sunny...
Everywhere we went, people were out - enjoying the sun ... and the beaches on Lake Ontario..
After driving across town, we stopped at the White Mountain ice cream shop.
Then across the causeway...
And on to Brockville and Prescott.
A two-lane bike path runs along the scenic river road. Every time I see it, I wonder how we could arrange to either walk or ride a bike on it sometime - maybe a section at a time.
That could be a lot of fun!
My older son, who works nearby, was there last night...
There are a number of vendors - all with their own special secret sauces!
The hardest thing is deciding which to get!
I'm partial to Camp 31.
We often go to their "bricks and mortar" restaurant in Paris, Ontario - a short distance from the Mary Maxim yarn shop that I like to visit.
Prices tend to be the same, wherever one chooses to eat...
With great weather, the event is sure to be fun!
But... I've never had the slightest urge to do so!
Fast forward to this past Christmas... My daughter introduced me to a new hot drink she was enjoying... a coffee alternative - made from roasted dandelion root (and chicory).
I was curious... so I gave it a try.
Loved the taste! Very much like coffee...
(Though I still need my morning coffee to wake up!)
This is one of mine..
I could happily shop in every department...
The joy of creativity, of making things! To me, this store sells JOY!
Ottawa hosts a lot of races over the summer. I've never participated in any - but, a few weeks ago, my grandkids and their parents did a 1K walk in support of the local children's hospital.
I'm interested in another walking competition as well - not because I plan to participate or because I know any of the participants - but because a local man who just turned 100 will be competing for the first time. In fact, they had to create a new age category for him!
Like me (and my mother before me), he is an avid mall walker.
To me, that's exciting! Not saying that mall walking is a sport - or that it's as healthy as walking in the great outdoors...
(Though it might be!)
But it definitely keeps you active and in shape... in case you decide to walk in a 5K race, even if you're 100!
We were recently in Toronto for a few days. We hadn't been there since last October.
En route home, we took the "backroads" from Kingston to Prescott.
Tourist season hadn't begun yet, but there were boats in the water.
Then we had an experience we've never had before... Suddenly a large bird, flying low, flew towards the top left corner of our windshield. Terry and I were both shocked - it happened so quickly and unexpectedly!
I waited for the familiar thud of a bird hitting a window. We hear it at least once a summer as birds fly straight into our windows at home.
Would our windshield crack?!
But no! No thud, no crack. It slid over the roof of the car. The vehicle behind us swerved so as not to hit it.
All I can say is - I hope it survived.
We have a new neighbour!
Did I hear correctly?! One and a half pounds? Hard to believe!
She's so perfect - and so small!
Looking forward to watching her grow!
I wish the tidy bunches of euphorbia flowers (like those above) were most prominent...
But (alas!) dandelions fill lawns and college fields in our community - in spite of our best efforts to control them.
One bright spot in our front yard is this patch of white anemones.They are among my favourite summer flowers.
I also noticed a little red iris - near where I planted a lilac bush a few weeks ago.
Some lilacs are in bloom - on the old bush we've had for years.
Lily of the valley are beginning to bloom.
Also these pink and blue flowers... (Sweet Williams?). I remember planting them years ago from seeds.
I also noticed a few fancy tulips in the back yard - almost hidden by the gout weed, which has been growing tall with all our rain.
Like the dandelions, the gout weed is almost impossible to get rid of!
My grandson's fascination with Christmas elves started when he was four - and has continued for two and a half years.
His Christmas elves have "flown to the North Pole" - but they aren't forgotten. Often when he hangs out with me, he asks me to crochet him another elf.
"They don't have to be red or green, he said when I told him I'd have to see if I have any red yarn.
He proceeded to pick out this turquoise yarn, and we both worked on it. I did the crochet and he drew on the face.
Don't they look happy together...??
(Each time I make one, I wonder if it will be the last...)
I'm trying to make some connections...
We often have a large ant hill in our front yard. It's noticeable mid-summer when the soil is dry... Then a dusty mound emerges in the grass...
How to get rid of ants without chemicals, I remember googling...
Somewhere I came across an answer: Ants hate lemon peel...
Hmmm. I often buy lemons. Why not toss the peel into my flower beds and see what happens.
So I did - all last summer and last winter - mainly into the large front flower bed... where NO tulip flowers were snapped off by squirrels this year...
But in a smaller bed, where I had tossed NO LEMONS, two out of four tulip flowers were missing.
Is there a connection?! Does lemon peel deter squirrels?!
I guess I'll keep tossing my lemon peels into flower beds - at least wherever I have tulips.
I have yet to discover if lemon deters ants!
