Summer in "The County"

This is a beautiful part of Ontario. Just driving the tree-lined roads in The County [the locals name for Prince Edward County] is a calming experience.

We were often alone in our area.

 the Murray Canal

Large fields 

and tree-lined roads 

The resident swan in the stream behind the RV park

Homes often set well back from the road

Grape pickers at a winery

We have enjoyed watching the fields go from ploughed earth, to rows of green which became corn or vegetables or hay.

A field of corn

Each time we drive to Wellington, we slow down to see the mini horses.

Pleasant Bay Minis- "Tiny Hooves, Big Hearts"

As you drive the winding roads, you get glimpses of the lake,

Wellers Bay-just around Barcoven Beach Road from the campground.

Marina Cafe where we went a couple of times for fabulous Eggs Benedict.

or lines of trees, or sometimes a house down by the water or hidden by the barn.

One of several large homes by the lake just west of Wellington

The Barn Quilt Trail winds all over the County. We have seen the ones on the main roads.

One of my favourites on PECR33

The patterns vary from traditional quilt designs to unique designs special to the business or family.

We love them and are going to design one for our house to put above the garage door.

The towns have something special almost every week. Canada Day was a big celebration, starting with a street Dance in Wellington on Friday evening,

Young and old were up dancing

and parades and activities all day in each town.

Wellington Park

 Picton’s Main Street even had sod rolled down for a children’s play area.

Main Street Picton for the children...

Nearby Cobourg hosted its huge annual outdoor craft show. It was fun to see all the new ideas and catch up with artistes who have become friends over the years.

We toured all 5 large tents,

then walked along the pier to see the boats, and along the beach

Brighton hosted Applefest, with the main street closed off and lined with craft and food kiosks, and a parade.

A lot of work was put into many floats

even this one...

and of course a clown with balloons for the kids

even the Shriners Roger!

and antique tractors

In several place artists quietly worked.

A huge Craft Fair and a Quilt show were held in Picton, but we were out of town. There are delightful little stores in each town. We have spent most of our time in Wellington.

Gelato and a clothes boutique

"The Courage" - it was "The Tall Poppy " when we were first there

Once a church, now a museum...

The General- great speciality coffees, and an eclectic assortment of merchandise

Our favourite place to sit -beside "The General" - with one of their lattes or flat whites, and often sharing a sandwich - right on Main St. .

We have driven to Belleville the back way, 

Bellvilles bridges to downtown.

many times and to Trenton to work out at the "Y"- actually John works out, and I may do aquafit, or just shower and then read or work on the computer.

One day we decided to take a drive north of 401 on the Brighton highway. We found delightful towns- Campbellford with the largest Toonie,

The largest Toonie

right on the canal.

Campbellford downtown is across the canal

One weekend, we travelled to Richmond,

The first rockcut I have seen for a while!

just on the outskirts of Ottawa for an Airstream Rally. It was fun to renew friendships with folks we had met at the Spring Rally.

A beautiful sight, a sea of Airstreams!

On a free afternoon, we drove to Manotick, and walked through the Historic Mill

The Historic Mill

The mechanism for the Mill, on river 

View across the bridge to the park on the other side

and then around the square.

When we left the Rally, we drove across Ottawa to Hither Hill Campground on the east side, to meet our Friends from Nova Scotia,[who we had met in the Yukon last year!].

They have just bought a new Jayco!

We spent a couple of days catching up and just enjoying their company.

John and I with Cristina

We went from there to Montreal to spend some time with John's Mum. She was having the huge maple tree in the backyard taken down, and wanted us to be there.

The towering maple tree

The tree was rotting from the bottom, and she feared it could fall on the house. It was fascinating all-day to watch the two fellows take off branches, one at a time,

He is higher than I could go,

or even John...

and then use the chipper on the smaller branches

The chipper was in the driveway...

and cut down the trunk.

cutting up large branches and the trunk

all that is left of the towering Maple...

We will be visiting many more of the towns and fascinating places along the Taste and Wine Trail as time passes. However, we have not explored as much as we had planned, as I have been spending time 3 mornings a week in Physiotherapy,

Physio is handy, right on the main street, probably 15 min walk-if I could walk!

and not walking too well, or even sitting easily in the car, the rest of the time. I am on fairly strong pain meds, so haven’t done much writing either. The nerve that was pinched on the drive back from Santa Fe in May, has not been helped significantly by exercise, medication, physio or time, so having now seen an orthopedic doctor who read the MRI and found what is probably a cyst on the vertebrae, a decompression operation is necessary. The date is set for early December. The only little wrinkle with this is that the house closing is Dec. 1 and the move in shortly thereafter….  Oh well c’est la vie, the boxes will wait until I can move around and bend down.

We have been to Wellington a lot to check on the progress of the house.

Our lot all summer...The house behind us is the same style, and the same colour scheme-except we have charcoal window frames throughout the house, and we will have 2 narrow windows in the centre section, on either side of the fireplace.

It was really exciting when they actually broke ground

The foundation, finally!

and we knew we would soon have a house. We checked often as the hole was dug, the footings went in,

Checking that the footings are properly done!...

then covered with gravel for the basement floor base

the basement gravelled, and walls poured, 

Basement is poured

then the framing began

Framed and wrapped- garage is on left

.

The trusses arrived and soon were in place.

These guys were so fast and efficient, it was fascinating to watch.

We made a quick trip to Montreal, to come back to find the plywood on the roof and the doors and windows in.

The trusses arrived and soon were in place. We made a quick trip to Montreal, to come back to find the plywood on the roof and the doors and windows in.

You can see our red door and charcoal window frames

Now the shingles are on, we owe the next payment! The inside work can begin.

Adding the shingles...

It looks more and more like our dream each time we check.