Great photos! I hope that we'll be able to visit you one of these days and to stroll along the lakeshore with you. Can't say just when that may be, but one of these days...
If you're where I think you are, you're just around the corner from one of our quilt supply shops -- Jilly Bean's, I think the name is. We've used them a couple of time for some of the quilts we've done.
Just wanted to welcome you to Canada. I think you're going to love it here. Make sure that you come up to visit Ottawa, it's one of the most beautiful cities in North America.
It wasn't until I moved to South Florida until I realized how ridiculously clean the places I've lived before this were--Ottawa, Toronto, New Hampshire. It's a world apart. I go home for visits and just boggle at all the stars I see in Ottawa.
LOL, it's so adorable when folks in metro-TO talk about getting back to nature.:D Bull elk are pretty ornery too. Oh, and don't forget avalanches, landslides and forest fires. Ah, the great outdoors.
Ah, there's the rub. I was mistakenly under the impression we were talking about nature one could actually enjoy... y'know, like parks, clean streams, warm sandy beaches, lush river valleys with trails stretching from Great Lake to Great Lake... that kinda thing. Didn't realize we were engaged in a pissing contest about things that would likely kill you and compel any sane person to huddle down his basement in candle light. My mistake. I humbly concede to the manly pestilence of the west. BTW, if you don't hear from me that much tomorrow, it's because I'm taking the day off to go bask down at the nude beach again and splash around in the warm water of Lake Ontario. Isn't that adorable? Here's hoping the avalanches dowse the forest fires and that the elk wounds don't fester too much, Dan'l Boone. :)
Now then... acid candies aside, I can in honesty inform the denizens of Calgary and Ottawa that on a recent late-evening stroll to and from the Don, I encountered a raccoon and three skunks, each of them more aggressive than the last (the first ran from me, the second stood his ground, and the third charged me and chased me off the sidewalk and into the street). Earlier on a nighttime stroll in the valley, I encountered a family of beavers gnawing down a sapling to add to their dam downriver; I sat and watched them glide to and fro for half an hour as the crickets chirped all around me. On another trip two weeks ago, a friend waded in the river as I stood on the bank photographing the moon, and the two of us listened to the coyotes yipping in the valley. All of this was well into the city limits of Toronto proper. Admittedly, it doesn't quite have the cache of being crushed by a landslide, and I'm burdened with the shame of actually having survived to talk about it, quaint as it is, but that's the awful burden of living in Toronto. If you're not into being fractured, smashed, or gored, Laura, you'll probably the nature hereabouts agreeable in the extreme... as it sounds like you do already.
Um, well, I like nature in controlled environments. TO nature will probably do me very nicely. I'll visit Alberta nature in a national park or equivalent. I'll respect the dangers, and enjoy being somewhat close to those dangers on a temporary basis. Then I'll enjoy the memory, and never wished I lived among it daily.
Sassycat: Clean. Yeah! The dirt of NYC was really getting to me. Canadians always tell me to see "real clean" you have to visit Montreal, but let me tell you, it is clean here, way clean, compared to NYC.
G: Mm, that's lovely. I grew up in the suburbs, and hated them. Leaving them for the city only made me hate them more. And now here I am, in the suburbs - although these are a far sight more interesting and vital than where I grew up.
It sounds like your home turf was more rural than mine - though 1960s suburbs were rural compared to 21st Century suburbs, if you know what I mean.
Just wanted to welcome you to Canada. I think you're going to love it here. Make sure that you come up to visit Ottawa, it's one of the most beautiful cities in North America.
Thank you, LiamJ! I agree - I'm going to love it here. I'll make sure I get to Ottawa at some point, for sure.
James, I haven't noticed that store, but then, I don't quilt, so maybe I missed it. My mom is a very talented knitter, quilter and yarn-craft person of all types, so she'll want to see that when she visits.
Your quilts are awesome. What a cool craft that is, such a great history.
Friday, September 02, 2005 5:46:00 PM
The dogs and I are just back from our morning walk, and it's the nicest one we've had in a long, long time.
One of the reasons I was ready to leave New York was that the dirt and noise was starting to wear on me. I've always been a city person (although I grew up in the suburbs, I always knew this to be true) and I accepted the down side of NYC as part of the package. Through my 20s and most of my 30s it was an easy trade-off.
In my late 30s, I had some health problems, and spent a prolonged period of time mostly holed up inside. Trapped in my apartment, the equation became harder to justify. I started to think seriously about moving away. After my health improved, my outlook on NYC improved, too, but my priorities had changed.
I still want a city to be there when I want it, but I also crave clean and quiet. Each year when we went upstate with the dogs, I was increasingly aware of this. (I blogged about this early on.)
This morning Buster, Cody and I walked on the lakefront trail. The quiet was punctuated by the calls of geese and ducks. Swans skimmed along near the shore. A ribbon of sunlight stretched across the Lake to the horizon. Shurbs and flowers line the trail. It is green. It is quiet.
Except for the lake, this is how I would start my day on vacation in the Catskills. It would help me feel peaceful and centered all day. But that was usually one week each year. A few years ago we were able to go for a month, in lieu of other travels. But every morning? That was a fantasy.
Now, weather permitting, I can begin each day this way. Even while I type this, there are leaves outside my window, and the sounds of birds chirping. We lived on a relatively quiet street in New York, yet our apartment would often be so loud I couldn't think straight. Like I said, this was an easy trade-off for me for a long time. I had to be right in the center of the action all the time. Now, I like being a bit off to the side.
* * * *
Allan's clearing customs right now; I stayed home for Bladder Dog. Hopefully I can get some painting done before Redsock returns.
"life without chairs"
20 Comments -
Great photos! I hope that we'll be able to visit you one of these days and to stroll along the lakeshore with you. Can't say just when that may be, but one of these days...
Thursday, September 01, 2005 6:16:00 AM
I'm glad to hear you all arrived safe and sound. Once again, welcome.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 7:00:00 AM
That is probably the thing i like the most about Canada... nature is usually just a few minutes away!
Thursday, September 01, 2005 7:30:00 AM
Thanks Rob :)
And hooray for nature only steps away.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 8:48:00 AM
Congtats!!!
Thursday, September 01, 2005 9:28:00 AM
Sounds like paradise.
I grew up with a large backyard and a river running through its back end, in a small, quiet village of a couple hundred.
Didn't know what I had until I'd spent a few years in London. Now, I'm grateful I grew up there, and I appreciate it more each time I return.
I'm so glad that everything has worked out so well for you and Redsock so far! Dreams can come true ... your story is an inspiration!
Thursday, September 01, 2005 9:42:00 AM
That is probably the thing i like the most about Canada... nature is usually just a few minutes away!
This summer, I certainly have to agree. We're really blessed in this regard in the GTA.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 10:58:00 AM
LOL, it's so adorable when folks in metro-TO talk about getting back to nature.:D
Thursday, September 01, 2005 12:33:00 PM
Agreed, Rob. It isn't back to nature if there's no risk of mosquitos, much less bears, skunks and cougars (of the four-legged variety).
Thursday, September 01, 2005 1:17:00 PM
Bull elk are pretty ornery too. Oh, and don't forget avalanches, landslides and forest fires. Ah, the great outdoors.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 2:04:00 PM
If you're where I think you are, you're just around the corner from one of our quilt supply shops -- Jilly Bean's, I think the name is. We've used them a couple of time for some of the quilts we've done.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 6:10:00 PM
Just wanted to welcome you to Canada. I think you're going to love it here. Make sure that you come up to visit Ottawa, it's one of the most beautiful cities in North America.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 6:16:00 PM
It wasn't until I moved to South Florida until I realized how ridiculously clean the places I've lived before this were--Ottawa, Toronto, New Hampshire.
It's a world apart. I go home for visits and just boggle at all the stars I see in Ottawa.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 6:48:00 PM
LOL, it's so adorable when folks in metro-TO talk about getting back to nature.:D Bull elk are pretty ornery too. Oh, and don't forget avalanches, landslides and forest fires. Ah, the great outdoors.
Ah, there's the rub. I was mistakenly under the impression we were talking about nature one could actually enjoy... y'know, like parks, clean streams, warm sandy beaches, lush river valleys with trails stretching from Great Lake to Great Lake... that kinda thing. Didn't realize we were engaged in a pissing contest about things that would likely kill you and compel any sane person to huddle down his basement in candle light. My mistake. I humbly concede to the manly pestilence of the west. BTW, if you don't hear from me that much tomorrow, it's because I'm taking the day off to go bask down at the nude beach again and splash around in the warm water of Lake Ontario. Isn't that adorable? Here's hoping the avalanches dowse the forest fires and that the elk wounds don't fester too much, Dan'l Boone. :)
Thursday, September 01, 2005 9:03:00 PM
Now then... acid candies aside, I can in honesty inform the denizens of Calgary and Ottawa that on a recent late-evening stroll to and from the Don, I encountered a raccoon and three skunks, each of them more aggressive than the last (the first ran from me, the second stood his ground, and the third charged me and chased me off the sidewalk and into the street). Earlier on a nighttime stroll in the valley, I encountered a family of beavers gnawing down a sapling to add to their dam downriver; I sat and watched them glide to and fro for half an hour as the crickets chirped all around me. On another trip two weeks ago, a friend waded in the river as I stood on the bank photographing the moon, and the two of us listened to the coyotes yipping in the valley. All of this was well into the city limits of Toronto proper. Admittedly, it doesn't quite have the cache of being crushed by a landslide, and I'm burdened with the shame of actually having survived to talk about it, quaint as it is, but that's the awful burden of living in Toronto. If you're not into being fractured, smashed, or gored, Laura, you'll probably the nature hereabouts agreeable in the extreme... as it sounds like you do already.
Thursday, September 01, 2005 9:22:00 PM
ROFL, lp, you rock, buddy! But I can still piss farther.;)
Friday, September 02, 2005 6:47:00 AM
Maybe. But I make wind that kills. >:)
Friday, September 02, 2005 8:37:00 AM
Um, well, I like nature in controlled environments. TO nature will probably do me very nicely. I'll visit Alberta nature in a national park or equivalent. I'll respect the dangers, and enjoy being somewhat close to those dangers on a temporary basis. Then I'll enjoy the memory, and never wished I lived among it daily.
Sassycat: Clean. Yeah! The dirt of NYC was really getting to me. Canadians always tell me to see "real clean" you have to visit Montreal, but let me tell you, it is clean here, way clean, compared to NYC.
G: Mm, that's lovely. I grew up in the suburbs, and hated them. Leaving them for the city only made me hate them more. And now here I am, in the suburbs - although these are a far sight more interesting and vital than where I grew up.
It sounds like your home turf was more rural than mine - though 1960s suburbs were rural compared to 21st Century suburbs, if you know what I mean.
Friday, September 02, 2005 5:41:00 PM
Just wanted to welcome you to Canada. I think you're going to love it here. Make sure that you come up to visit Ottawa, it's one of the most beautiful cities in North America.
Thank you, LiamJ! I agree - I'm going to love it here. I'll make sure I get to Ottawa at some point, for sure.
Friday, September 02, 2005 5:44:00 PM
James, I haven't noticed that store, but then, I don't quilt, so maybe I missed it. My mom is a very talented knitter, quilter and yarn-craft person of all types, so she'll want to see that when she visits.
Your quilts are awesome. What a cool craft that is, such a great history.
Friday, September 02, 2005 5:46:00 PM