Thursday, June 17, 2010

a fine day out

There is a lovely little touristy town not far away that offers up the Shaw Festival. A friend I wander down that way twice a year for a play - once in the spring and again in the fall.



It is a day full of rituals that never seem to tire.
We grab a coffee for the drive into Niagara-on-the-Lake because the wonderful bakery we always stop at serves exquisite pies but crap coffee.
She pays for the parking and I pay for the pies (which co-incidentally will likely come to almost the same price!)
When we start to see the signs for the various wineries one of us will say: we must spend a day and do a wine tour.

In eight years we have never done a wine tour.
The shame of it all.

After pie we feel a need to walk a bit and head for our favourite antique place. Going to an antique place right after an auction is never a good plan. Still, there was something a bit ... spiritless this time. The barn seemed smaller and was certainly almost empty, but here was nothing that caused either of us to seek out the other and grab her arm and drag her over to see something wonderful that we would never buy. We will need to replace this part of the tradition, I think.

The weather people had promised lots of rain with some thunder and lightning thrown in for added drama, but when we got on the highway, the car said it was 25C and it was humid enough to require the A/C, it was windy with blue sky and lots of white puffy clouds skating across it.

We decided to save the walk on the waterfront trail until after the play due to the humidity and instead spent a few minutes window shopping (I later had to go back and purchase those earrings I saw in the window even if they were at inflated NOTL prices).


Apparently we missed the massive rainfall and dramatic thunderstorm while sitting comfortably inside the theatre.

Because that seems to be the other ritual: it always rains when we go to NOTL.

When we came out of the theatre, the streets were wet, the grass was glistening. There were deep puddles everywhere. We decided against going for a walk along the water afterall, though I had to make a quick stop to take more photos of the sky.

And found these entertaining guys.
(click on the image for full effect - for some reason it gets very big!)

You can see the transistion to looking like a real Canada Goose.


They are so funny at this awkward stage.

Probably the only teenagers in town that afternoon!

Later, we have dinner at our favourite restaurant that is near a shipwreck. I would have taken photos for you, but as soon as we got off the highway, the skies opened up for a brief but intense downpour. By the time we were seated, it had cleared up again and we ate our meal while watching the gulls soaring over the waves of the lake.

I was waiting for my friend at the bar as we were leaving, watching the television screen with the soccer match repeat and chatting to a fellow once-every-four-years-fan. In the course of our chat, his wife accidentally let slip the final score. Poor thing, she must have apologized 15 times, but really I wasn't bothered. Though when I got home and turned on the tv for the news and caught the last 10 minutes, I admit to feeling a teeny bit of smugness knowing the outcome while listening to the announcer getting all excited and unbelieving about the prospect that Switzerland - Switzerland! - might win this match.

36 comments:

  1. Hey, I've been there! Years ago as a sulky teenager with a broken arm. Think my mum went with her 'Canadian' sister to do something cultural at the Shaw Festival: I just remember the trip on the Maid of the Mist and thinking about Superman.

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  2. Well, if you bring your non sulky self back for a visit, I'll take you and we can do the wine trail (unless you don't drink, in which case we'll just have fudge and ice cream!).

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  3. aw, how cute are they! they may be at that awkward stage but i still think they're adorable :)

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  4. I find it fascinating how they grow into their adult look - they really look nothing like that as goslings.

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  5. I have visited Niagara-on-the-Lake many years ago. Looks like a real nice place to live if it wasn't for all the dang tourists! (I always think like that even when I am the tourist!)

    Sounds like a great way to spend the day and to end it with a historic note of the slaying of Spain by Switzerland! My wife's not too happy though as she placed a bet on Spain to win!

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  6. I was there years ago! It looks like you lucked out on the rain. Those skies look pretty nasty.

    Cheers, jj

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  7. love the photos of the buildings. the dark clouds really add to the pictures
    have an awesome weekend

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  8. Wonderful day out. Glad I got to share it, plus the pics were an added bonus!

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  9. LGS: the busloads of tourists can be annoyuing. I don't think I would enjoy living there.
    And it seems the underdog teams have done rather well for themselves in the first round! Who knew, eh?!

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  10. Joanna: yes, we did! actually as dark as the sky looks in these shots, it was bright and sunny directly behind me.

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  11. Pete: at least two people (possibly locals) commented on my photographing angle and knew it was the sky I was aiming for! the dramatic lighting was wonderful.

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  12. Meggie: I wish I'd had this post in mind, I would have taken more and different pictures, but these give an idea anyway.

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  13. Fun post! We visited NOTL many times when our son was an actor there. (2008-9).

    His girlfriend is in Peter Pan at Stratford. He's hoping for another gig! Lots of young, male, white actors out there, though. Thanks for taking me back.

    Thank you for visiting My Muskoka !

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  14. Thank you for the tour round this pretty little town. It sounds as though you and your friend have a fine tradition!

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  15. The flower in your header photo, what is the name? Yesterday, I saw a plant which could be the same as yours. It is just starting to open up. I was attracted by it.

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  16. Hello VS:

    What a fun adventure. The sky was foreboding. Very dramatic at one point. Loved reading about your adventures. The only thing you didn't do was show us those earrings that attracted you! Do share! I love earrings!!!!! So happy that you indulged.

    Jan
    GDP

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  17. Those are pretty dramatic skies. Good thing they passed you over while you were inside!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  18. I was SO bummed that Switzerland won the game...

    I've only been to NOTL at the end of November for a business meeting. The hotel was nice but otherwise.. big yawn.

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  19. That's a pretty little town. (I was so glad to click over here and not see those hideous cakes.) That sounds like a relaxing day except for the weather. I bet the founders of that corner store are distant relatives of my MIL. By the way, have you ever been there on a perfect day with no rain? Maybe it rains there every day, like some cities in Florida.

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  20. Scary sky! I'm glad it did not spoil the fun. Looks like a delightful way to spend a day. We have a lot of Canada geese here, especially in the winter. Some stay ear round and we see the little ones following mommy goose to the ponds.

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  21. Jenn: that is so cool. maybe I saw him? will be seeing Peter Pan in August and As You Like It in July.

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  22. jabblog: it is a wonderful tradition. I probably wouldn't see anywhere near as many plays without her booking them!

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  23. Ann: that is an ornamental poppy. I love poppies!

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  24. GDP: thanks for coming on this adventure.
    I'll post a photo, maybe tomorrow. stay tuned.

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  25. chanpheng: yes, we were a little shocked when we got outside. everyone in the stores we wandered into asked us if we missed the storm, then gave us details of how intense it was!

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  26. Jazz: actually, I love it when the underdogs win - especially in this first round.
    sorry, England.

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  27. geewits: are you maybe relatives of the jam people?!!
    okay, maybe it was a slight exaggeration. there have been lovely sunny days.

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  28. Lew: it would have been a little uncomfortable had we sat in the theatre sopping wet.
    we have a lot of Canada Geese and ducks that overwinter in our area, too. there a lot less of them in the summer and imiss them (but then, I don't have a lawn...)

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  29. Cute teen geese. But wonder why the bakery can't get the coffee right?

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  30. SAW: maybe no one has complained to the right person. their speciality is pies and it is always busy. at the price of their pies, I think they are still making good money, so maybe they don't worry about the coffee.

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  31. it's a picture perfect for the dark blueish grayish sky, it looks threatening but it also look like it could hold on for that long so people can enjoy the day... thanks for stopping by my photo blog.. have a good weekend..

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  32. Lindz: I had fun taking these pictures with that dark sky.

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  33. Oh, I wish I were your company there!
    I like the view of this town even though it was bad out.
    If it was nice out, I could see the beautiful sky with the beautiful town!

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  34. ayamlin: it would have been fun to have you there, to see it all through fresh (unjaded) eyes!

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  35. Sounds like my kind of day! I've never been to NOTL although I've been to the U.S. side of Niagra Falls. So many places to visit, so little time.

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  36. Susan: next time bring your passport - NF, NY has nothing on our side!!

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