Benjamin At Almost Four Months

On Tuesday, September 28th, we drove down to babysit our grandsons, Benjamin and William. We hadn’t taken many pictures of Ben lately, so we took the opportunity to take several – and one of Will for good measure. Enjoy.

 

Will at the Butterfly Conservatory

On Tuesday, September 14th, Margaret-Ann and John picked up grandson Will and brought him back to their home in Brampton. The plan was for Will to spend the night in Brampton, then Wednesday morning, set off with the grandparents to the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory (about 5 kilometres from Niagara Falls). By mid-day, Wednesday, they were at Niagara-on-the-Lake and stopped for a picnic lunch in Simcoe Park. They all walked up to the main street and had decadent gelato for dessert – the stracciatella was Will’s favorite. After lunch it was a short trip down the Niagara River Parkway to the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory. Will and the grandparents thought the Butterfly Conservatory was fantastic! Will spent a lot of time trying to get a butterfly to land on his hand, but was not successful. However, just before they left, two large butterflies is quick succession flew right up to Will and landed on his bright red shirt – a perfect ending to a day at the Butterfly Conservatory! After leaving the Butterfly Conservatory, Will and the grandparents spent another hour walking through the adjacent Niagara Botanical Gardens seeing all sorts of interesting flora and fauna, then returned to Niagara-on-the-Lake to pick up some peaches and stop at Tim Hortons for dinner (Will loved his strawberry yogurt and chicken wrap). It wasn’t long after they were on the QEW back to Brampton, when Will was fast asleep in his car seat.

Will and Margaret-Ann in Front of a statue of George Bernard Shaw in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

  Will on the park bench in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

 The Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 The Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 Will trying to coax a butterfly to land on his hand at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 Will takes a close look at a butterfly at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 The Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 The Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 Will still trying to coax a butterfly to land in his hand.

  Margaret-Ann and Will at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

The Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 The Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

  Will’s keen eyes spotted this turtle in one of the water features at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

Will and Margaret-Ann at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

  The Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

Margaret-Ann and Will pose in front of a butterfly sculpture at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory.

 Will rests in the gazebo at the Niagara Botanical Gardens.

  Margaret-Ann and Will at the Niagara Botanical Gardens.

 

 

Another very excellent adventure for Will and the grandparents!!!

Hiking in the Hockley Valley

On Saturday, September 11th, Margaret-Ann and John drove up to “Hockleycrest” – Dave and Sally’s 76 acre farm on Airport Road just north of Highway 9, in the Hockley Valley. John and Dave worked together at the Ministry of Transportation, and still play hockey together. Dave and Sally were each celebrating a “significant” birthday. All Dave would say was that their combined ages totaled 110. About 100 people attended the all-day party, with the most adventurous (including Margaret-Ann and John) arriving early enough to go on the 10 kilometre hike along the Bruce Trail through the Hockley Valley. After the hike there was a fine BBQ back at “Hockleycrest” with plenty of beer and wine to quench everyone’s thirst.

The Bruce Trail passes through Dave and Sally’s farm and crosses Hockley Road on it’s way into the Hockley Valley.

 The lead group (Margaret-Ann is third from the end) of the 10 kilometre hike.

 Margaret-Ann, on the left, and others in the lead group wait for the rest of the hikers to catch up. Other than the 13 year old and the two dogs, the older man on the right was probably one of the most fit hikers in the group.

  It was just a bit early for the leaves to turn colour, but the golden rod was in full bloom in the Hockley Valley.

  On the way back to Dave and Sally’s farm, we pass an abandoned ski hill in the Hockley Valley.

It was a wonderful day, mostly sunny and 21 degrees, for a hike and a birthday party – another excellent adventure for Margaret-Ann and John!

 

New Car

On August 31st we said goodbye to our 1996 Honda Civic Hatchback and traded it in for a new 2010 Mazda 3 Sport GS. The Civic was probably the most versatile car we’ve owned, travelling 291,150 kilometres almost trouble-free. For our second car we kept the 1992 Honda Accord which already has 366,100 kilometres on it. We’re hoping the new Mazda performs as well as the Hondas. So far, so good – we had an excellent two-day adventure down to wine country and the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake on September 1st and 2nd.

1996 Honda Civic CX

 

2010 Mazda 3 Sport GS