Road Trip ~ Third Leg, Fourth Leg and Home…

There has been a lot of reminiscing on this trip! We arrived at Mom’s in Mount Hope just after lunch time on Tuesday…I was confused about the time because I hadn’t changed the clock in the van…we lost an hour last weekend…I don’t mind the time changing business when I get that hour back in the Fall…but I hate the losing of it!

Mom fed us lunch and then we all had a nap…I fell sound asleep for almost 2 hours…it was lovely! Later, Mom and her sweet baboo took us out for a delicious Thai dinner at one of their favourite haunts…I had my leftovers for breakfast the next morning!

Mom and I spent a relaxing Wednesday morning drinking coffee and talking…the girls slept and sweet baboo went for his weekly ‘coffee with the guys’…in the afternoon Mom had to go to the funeral of a dear friend's hubby; the girls slept on and I went for a drive…hoping to visit a friend in Dundas…but I guess most people are working on a Wednesday afternoon in early March!

Having grown up in and around Hamilton, it was a trip down memory lane as I meandered my way into Dundas…I drove along Scenic Drive, passing by some homes of friends and acquaintances from years ago…I drove past my old school, Hillfield-Strathallan College, and on down the Queen Street hill…a steep and winding 2-lane road that makes its way up the Hamilton Escarpment…one that I travelled almost every day for many years of my life…on my way to school or to my best friend’s house…

I stopped briefly to photograph the house that I lived in for the first 9 years of my life…2 Hillcrest Avenue…the last house on a dead-end street…there is still a huge park across the street from our old home…we called it ‘The Reservoir’…there were woods and areas of tall, wild grasses, the park stepped its way up the escarpment in a number of different levels that provided wonderful tobogganing hills in the winter and rolling-down hills in the summer…I spent many wonderful hours there as a child…playing and exploring…even sharing tea with the grounds keeper…there is some kind of construction going on now at the dead-end…not sure what…it was looking a bit ‘under construction’ all around the old place…

...2 Hillcrest Avenue...















The dead-end is a tad chewed up with construction...














As are the steps up to the Res down at the corner of Hillcrest and Mountain...














I had called my friend and left a message on her answering machine at home…it turns out that she had left work early and as she was driving down the main street of Dundas – she saw me! At this point she had no idea that I was in town (she hadn’t got the message yet)…so she figured that she was seeing someone that looked like me! Then she got home later and listened to my message saying that I was there! She said it was a very bizarre feeling! So we didn’t get to see each other, but did end up with a talk on the phone…next time…

When she saw me, I had been wandering down the main street taking pictures, looking into various stores…she said that I had looked carefree and happy…it is nice to hear that you look that way when you are wandering around unsuspecting that anyone is looking at you and thinking that you look like someone they know!…much better than looking sad or sour!

Here is one of our old watering holes...it looks much the same as it always did!
The Collins Brewhouse...























Our visit with Mom was too short; as was the next visit on the trip…after lunch on Thursday we packed up and headed off to Napanee to visit my Dad. We arrived just in time for a before dinner drink! On the Friday we took the van in to Dad’s mechanic for a check-up and servicing, then Dad took us for a drive around town and we met up with Dad’s Jean at a Timmies for coffee and breakfast.

The weather, throughout the trip, except for the one storm at LT’s, was beautiful…mostly sunny…and while we were at Dad’s, it was no exception…except for the trips into town to take in and then pick up the van, we stayed out at Dad’s house on Long Reach…about 20 minutes out of Napanee…a beautiful spot overlooking the water, surrounded by farmland, woods and quiet…

I have always had a thing about fence-lines like this...the aged wood and tangle of wire, weeds and grasses makes for a beautiful arrangement...


















I also love gazing up into trees...

































Looking from the water-side up to Dad and Jean's house...














Here's Dad calling us in for dinner...


















At one point, after having gone down to check on the dock, Dad came in with these big seed pods…from a locust tree and the girls and I went out to look at all of them…there were more pods on the ground than it seemed possible for the tree to have held…I had fun photographing them…they looked like snakey things on the grass…ok...I am easily amused!!!

They are coming...


















No...they are going...


















They are circling...














They are amassing...


















They are dancing...


















Individual pod sculptures created by nature...


































On Friday afternoon my younger daughter’s beau came to pick up both girls to take them back to Ottawa a day early…he was in a hockey tournament that my daughter wanted to see and my elder wanted to get home to find one of her cats who had gone walk-about…I stayed on for a quiet last day with Dad…Jean was away at a painting workshop in town, led by an artist friend of hers, so Dad and I were on our own…I never seem to get to see family very often, so it was nice having even a little bit of time for visiting…

Saturday after lunch, I once more loaded up the van and set off on the last leg of the road trip…the trip home…while nice to visit, it is always nice to get home again too!

Road Trip ~ Second Leg…

On Thursday March 5th we got all packed up and began the second leg of our trip…Toronto to Waverly - where we would have a few days visit with Little Tammy (LT)…on our way out of Toronto, we stopped at “All the Best” to pick up some cheese melt…it is absolutely delicious…we usually only get it when we see my sister at Christmas or up at the cottage, but we hadn’t had any this visit, so we decided to get some to take up to LT’s…we got 2!

The drive to LT’s was quiet and quick…the girls slept and I listened to CBC…it was only about an hour and a half drive…we were supposed to stay at LT’s from Thursday to Monday and head down to my Mom’s Monday…but on Sunday night there was a storm – it blew like mad and started with rain, which turned to sleet, hail and then finally to snow…I guess a cold wind got up the vans ‘skirt’ and froze there…after I had loaded up the van on Monday afternoon, she wouldn’t start…turn over, yes, but no way would she start…by the time we gave up, called CAA and got it towed to Canadian Tire in Midland, the mechanics were getting ready to head home…so we left the van and went and got stuff for a home-made spaghetti and garlic bread feast…we still had wine left to drink…

Tuesday morning, after a night in the shop warming up and drying out, the van started with no troubles…but I am getting ahead of myself…

We had a great visit with LT, her beau and 2 dogs (Teegan and Cloe)…lots of sitting around the kitchen table eating, drinking wine and talking...much laughter…we also put in a lot of miles…driving both to new places and to old haunts and reminiscing…we used to live in Warminster from the time my younger daughter was 3 until she was 8 and then we lived for a year in Orillia before we moved to Ottawa…so there were a lot of memories for all of us…

On Friday LT, the girls and I drove to Orillia and had lunch at Mariposa Market…I found it kind of funny, that after over 6 years, I had the same lunch that I used to have when we lived there…it was still yummy! I also found it kind of frustrating that the Mariposa Market food counter still operated in its haphazard, chaotic way which always left you wondering if you were ever going to get the food you had ordered! The store was pretty much the same in every way…a very quaint, small town, old fashion-styled emporium…baked goods, gourmet food stuff, pottery, cards, the best fudge and kitchen gadgets…

After lunch we wandered around the main street…I remember when I first moved to the area (Warminster was less than ten miles outside of Orillia), I had asked someone where a certain store was and I was told it was on “Main Street”…I couldn’t find it…”Main Street” is actually Mississagua Street…but the locals just call it Main Street…

Here is LT and my younger daughter...LT's lunch wasn't as agreeable as mine had been...so she isn't feeling all that well here...














I always loved Orillia's downtown...it has wonderful old architecture and many of the stores have done beautiful jobs fixing up thier store fronts...











Manticore Books was a favorite store of mine...I spent many an hour and dollar in here!






























I wanted this garden toad...


















Hudson's was another favorite store...I used to go in and look longingly at the Fiesta dishes...


















I worked for over 5 years at a picture framing shop and gallery on ‘the main street’…I loved working there…now the store stands empty and is for rent…that was sad to see…the vacant space holds so many happy memories for me…the 2 women I worked with and I had so much fun there and we went wild with creativity…I have a great number of fantastically framed pictures from my days as a picture framer there and many tears of happiness, silliness and sadness fell over the years we worked together…


















Even though the store I had worked in is empty, Orillia has a pretty vibrant downtown…there are quite a few neat little boutiques, kitchen stores, galleries and restaurants and we poked our noses into a bunch of them…a good number of them were ones that had been there when I used to live in Orillia and that was nice to see…it is nice when some things don’t change too much!

On Saturday we all headed to Barrie in the afternoon to go to Chapters…I got a neat book called The Artist’s Muse - Unlock the Door to your Creativity…...there is a book and 3 decks of creativity prompt cards…1 deck is called the 'Doors of Awareness', one the 'Cirlces of Growth' and the third is called the deck of 'Windows of Opportunity'...you can choose a card from 1, 2 or all 3 decks to be prompted...I am looking forward to having a chance, when I get home, to try it out...on first glance I really like some of the examples of art in the book...so, if nothing else, it will be inspirational eye candy!

On Sunday LT and I left everyone to sleep and we went out for a drive…LT took me all over on the back roads…it was a lovely, sunny day and it felt like spring was in the air…I loved this clump of trees at the intersection of 2 back roads...
































We ended up in Orillia again and got the fudge we had forgot to pick up before, but the stores were almost closing, so we ended up just having a walk up and down the main street again…then we drove over to the house I had rented the year before I moved with the kids to Ottawa…I had always liked the house…it was cute…it has been fixed up quite nicely, but the huge tree that had been in the front yard is gone and it looked bare to me…










































Monday was spent getting ready to leave and then figuring out what to do about the van…Tuesday morning we got on the road to my Mom’s and arrived here in Mount Hope in the early afternoon…

Oh...a couple last pictures...LT's dogs are so badly treated...the poor things...here is Teegan demonstrating the abuse she has to endure...

Road Trip ~ First Leg…

On February 27th Cariño and I took my paintings down at Heartwood House…I received a lot of really nice comments about my show, I appreciated each and every one very much and they will be helpful in boosting my confidence and in how I feel about putting my stuff out there…

On Monday, March 2nd my 2 daughters and I set out on a road trip…a road trip for a number reasons…to visit with family again, for me to see one of my customers in Toronto, to hopefully see a few friends along the way and also to deliver paintings to my sister, Mom and Dad…they had all come up to see my show and had all bought paintings…6 in total between them! I won’t get any chance to paint during this trip…but I will be filling the well…

We set out on a sunny, but cold day…in fact the weather has remained sunny so far…but cold! The drive was quiet…the girls slept, mostly, and had their iPods…so I got to play my CDs!



































Toronto was our first stop…we have set up our base ‘camp’ at my sister and her hubby’s beautiful house that is up for sale…they are building out in Uxbridge and have moved to a condo down in Yorkville…what a dangerous place that would be to live! Amazing art galleries and boutiques right outside their door! And The Guild Shop just across the street! It is a great neighbourhood! We have been going down to their condo for dinner, or out to restaurants nearby…what a treat it has been! Wonderful accommodations, great food and wine…love getting to see family…art galleries to pop into!

Here is the house we are staying at…it’s for sale if you are interested! Great location…just a few minutes to downtown Toronto…lovely neighbourhood…


















There are beautiful sculptures from Bali in the back yard…
















































On Tuesday I had a job to do…one of my senior customers moved to Toronto a couple years ago and I try to stop in to see her and help her out whenever I am in town. That took up the morning and early afternoon…then I picked up the girls (who got to sleep in) and we went down to meet my sister and wander around Yorkville…went into the Mira Godard Gallery and saw some beautiful art…a Christopher Pratt triptych that was amazing, a fantastic Joe Faffard horse and lots of other wonderful eye candy! We also stopped in to The Guild Shop…oh, what a store!!!…I think if I lived where my sister does, that I would have to go in daily…but things would talk to me…and that is dangerous! When we were down just after Christmas, Cariño, my sister and I had gone in and I had seen a print by Michael Robinson that I had seen last summer up in a gallery in Tobermory, which spoke to me…I got all excited when I saw it again…there were also some paintings by the same guy…all wonderful…but there is something about this print that I just love…I had to leave it in the store though (even though I knew it would talk to me…probably even haunt me!)…it didn’t have to haunt me for long though…my sister bought it for me for my birthday!!! She brought it up to Ottawa and gave it to me when she came with my Dad to see my show! The print is called The Poet and the Song...

On Wednesday the girls and I all had a sleep in and then my elder daughter and I went to the AGO…my younger daughter isn’t into going to galleries, so she stayed at the house and got picked up by my sister later and we all met up again.

The new AGO is something to see…just amazingly beautiful…I got very carried away photographing the stairs…the curving wood ones…when we went up them, they seemed to go on forever and they are beautiful and different at each twist and turn! We didn’t have very long to visit…but what we saw was great…

Here is my elder daughter…we stopped for a coffee and cookie at a little café kitty corner to the AGO…the sun streaming in the window was lovely…


















Outside of the café we had this view of the CN Tower…and this interesting, very different building…the black and white one…these are my 2 favourite shots of the corner…I like all the lines in this first one…and in the second I like how busy it is and the variety of textures…lines and people and buildings…I am standing kitty corner to the AGO…taking these street shots reminded me of the couple of years I spent at Ryerson in Toronto in the Photographic Arts program…































I didn’t get a very good exterior shot of the AGO…













I had been told, that if nothing else, I had to make sure that I saw the Galleria Italia…it runs along the whole front of the AGO up on the second floor…it is beautiful…there are some amazing sculptures there…huge rough-hewn timbers with parts of them carved into trees…like the core of a carrot…the carved branches lined up with the knots in the timber surrounding the carved part…it was all one piece…with the part carved into the whole…there were many of these carved timbers up on the interior wall…each with some part of it carved into a tree…in the middle of the space there was a huge piece of a tree…it was so big around it would have taken 3 or 4 people to circle it with arms outstretched…inside a part of it, it was carved away to the core and a tree was carved out of the core, again with the branches matching the knots…I took a picture of my daughter and just happened to catch it in the background…it was amazing…beautiful, fascinating…one of our favourite pieces!


















































































There was also a huge room full of gigantic Henry Moore plaster casts…everything larger than life…curvy and voluptuous…I couldn’t take any pictures in there because I was not allowed to take pictures of the art…up in the café at the top of the beautiful stairs there is a great panoramic photograph of the Moore room…I meant to look in the gallery shop to see if they had it for sale…but forgot by the time I got back down to the main floor! I was caught up in eye candy overload…

The stairs are a work of art on their own…like I said earlier…I got a bit carried away photographing them…just a tad…here are my ten favourite shots…




























































































































































Tomorrow we head up north a bit to Little Tammy’s…will work on another post then…we are having a fun road trip so far!