The beauty of rain.

Our camping trip this year ended on a rainy note.  Seventeen hours of straight rain that is.  Despite this it ended up to be such a fun day.  It started with a well deserved afternoon nap.  When we realized that it was not stopping we got our bathing suits on and headed to the beach (strangely there weren't many others sharing our enthusiasm for a swim!).  The air was cold but the water felt warm.  Later, back in our campsite, we played card games in our eating tent.  Two of us on each side of the picnic table squished together to avoid the rain coming in at all sides. We made coffee and hot chocolate and shared some laughs.

We went to bed in the pouring rain.  Often the sound of rain can be so soothing but not this night.  It was strangely loud and it took me a while to get to sleep.  I was hoping we would all stay dry inside (we did).  We awoke in the morning to silence except for a few lone bird calls.  Eventually, even the sun tried to peek out but was unsuccessful after a few minutes.

Our tent was soaked, our towels wet and sandy and we knew we would have heaps of laundry to do when we got home but we were still ending our trip on a happy note.  It was great for the four of us to be together with no other distractions and just ourselves to entertain each other.  I wouldn't have changed anything and I know I will always look back fondly at this trip.

While getting ready to pack up I noticed how pretty the droplets of water looked on the tent.

The girls will be returning tonight from a week with their cousins. It will be nice to have them back.  The renos are moving along pretty well.  The plumber is here now and with any luck I might just have the house to myself in the afternoon. Have a great weekend friends!

Rest, Relaxation and Renos

I'm back from a fabulous family trip of cottaging, camping and family visits.  It was lovely and relaxing and a much needed time away from home.  We had the extremes of weather - high heat and humidity when I felt like I might actually be on fire - to strangely cool and rainy end.

We saw some fantastic wildlife some which I was able to capture on camera and others unfortunately that I must store in memory.  The most spectacular a moose calf eating lilies at the shoreline of Arrowhead Lake during the late morning while canoeing.  She just stood there eating and staring while we floated 40 feet from her. I will probably kick myself for a while for not bringing my camera that morning but there is also something nice about a memory that is just totally yours.

 We visited the falls at Bala with my girls and their cousins.  It's about a 20 minute drive from the cottage and one of my favourite places to visit each summer. It's the same place I used to visit with my friends in high school.   Bala brings back great memories. I still remember sitting on the wooden steps of the arcade one wet summer afternoon.  The Kee next door was blaring Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight" over their speakers and we were singing and air drumming.  Who would have guessed that boy sitting next to me would be my husband.

Turtle crossing.

 We even had wildlife in our canoe!

Guess who the dancer is in the family!

The obligatory seagull picture.

Now I'm getting back into the swing of things but not in a slow manner which I may have liked.  Last night I completed and mailed out a big custom order that I've been working on. Then we had to unload our entire master bath as our renovations start today (I can hear tile breaking as I write this).  I have to ask? Does everyone have as many bottles of half used shampoo and lotions as we managed to collect? 

On the weekend we were scrambling trying to locate a mirror.  Who would have known it would have been so difficult to find one we liked and was big enough.  We did finally manage to find one and order it and at least now when the electrician comes in on Thursday the rough ins for the lights can be placed properly.

I'll keep you posted on the renos.  I took some before shots yesterday so it will be fun to see the progress made.  

The Calm Before the Storm

Our family just returned from a beautiful long weekend camping trip up at Algonquin. It was a great weekend with old friends and even the rain, thunderstorms and lightening and bugs didn't stop us from enjoying it.

Such a beautiful place. In the short time that we were there we were able to see 2 moose, a deer, a beaver, 2 great blue herons, a family of ducks, a river otter swimming right by our canoe, loons and howling wolves in the distance.

Ahh...it was so relaxing.