Camp!

This was the year that the girls went to their first real summer camp...and it was a total success!

We chose Mountsberg based on recommendations from friends. This camp based in nearby Halton region includes all the fun things that a sleep-away camp up north includes...hiking, archery, canoeing and boating, swimming, crafts, theme days, caving, and for the older kids, an overnight in tents! But all this is only half an hour away and the kids take a bus each day that picks them up at a school close to home. An extra bonus was that we discovered that 2 CB friends were going the same week, so the moms finagled the girls (the 2 older ones together and 2 younger together) into the same camp groups. They had a blast.

I gave each girl a disposable camera, and the following are some of their pictures from the week.

Enjoy!

The allergy bracelets. This is the first thing the kids did on arrival at camp. Evey child was given a bracelet which noted by bead colour their allergies and medical conditions. Cassidy has none, so only had a clear bead. Bryanna's environmental allergies are noted by the plain green bead. Kids had to keep bracelets on the entire week. This mom was impressed.


Bryanna's 7 km hike!

Stopping for lunch on the long hike! Uncle D, you would be impressed!


Cassidy and her friend, S. For these younger ones, having a friend took away the hesitation about being away from mom.


Cassidy's pic...loved the trees.

Another Cassidy pic - "the fields looked golden, mom"

Pirate Day!

Bryanna's pic of the lake at Mountsberg where they went canoeing (see left side of picture).

Caving at Mount Nemo! The kids went right underground through channels carved by streams/rivers. Apparently there were counsellors stationed every few feet throughout the caves, instructing each child exactly what to do/where to step.

Overnight adventure for the older kids! Camping out, cooking outside, sleeping in tents - BIG adventure.

Brya and friend H in their pjs.

Returning from the overnight

I am aghast. Seriously.

I mean, seriously!

But let me back up…

I started reading a new novel last week – a slightly spooky mystery by an author whose stories I have enjoyed for many years. In this book, each chapter begins with a quote – related in most cases to women authors and their writing (as the story is about a long-lost nineteenth century manuscript). See if you can imagine my reaction when I read this one…

All women, as authors, are feeble and tiresome. I wish they were forbidden to write, on pain of having their faces deeply sacrificed with an oyster shell.

Nathaniel Hawthorne
letter to his publisher, 1852

Yes, the Nathaniel Hawthorne who wrote The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables.

Is he kidding?!!!

Now, not wanting to jump to conclusions…because the quote could have been taken out of context...I spent the weekend doing research on the internet. (Despite my degree in English Lit I never studied Hawthorne. If I get any of the following wrong, I know AM will correct me.)

Now, Nathaniel sounds like he was an alright guy overall…grew up in a home with a single mom and sisters (his dad died young) and after some lonely adult years, met and married the love of his life who he seemed to adore. He was embarrassed and ashamed of his own ancestors’ poor behaviour (as far back as the Salem witch trials) and his stories are apparently complex studies of good vs evil and moral behaviour. Considering that he often struggled with writing and inspiration during periods where he had to make money at a desk job, and the fact that his own writing was often classified as the “romantic” style, I was even more surprised to conclude that he did apparently mean what he said in the noted quote. Not only that, he went on to say the following two years later:

America is now wholly given over to a d___d mob of scribbling women, and I should have no chance of success while the public taste is occupied with their trash...and should be ashamed of myself if I did.

I mean, seriously!

Different time and all that, I know. Whatever.

Those who have known me longest may not be surprised to hear that my own long neglected novel has suddenly been dusted off (figuratively) and I hope to get back to work.

Can’t let Nate have the last word, even if it is in my own mind.

Southampton and Tobermory

Summer vacation...two of the loveliest words, don't you think?

The girls and I just returned from a week spent with 3 friends and their daughters at the most lovely cottage in Southampton. Despite some rainy and cool weather, we loved it ...words cannot capture the many adventures, giggles, dramas and delicious meals we experienced this week so the rest of the post is dedicated to some photos from the week for our friends and family to enjoy. (The pics are loaded small as there are so many - click to enlarge.)

My personal favourite...loved sitting in the muskoka chair listening to the waves roll in from Lake Huron. (Can you hear them?)

The museum in Sounthampton - pics of an old school house and a fantastic dinosaur exhibit are shown here - what a contrast!

Taking a page from their cousin's adventures last month, the girls were excited to add their mark to the main street of Southampton on Canada Day.



Canada Day celebrations with tattoos and cake.

From Big Tub Harbour at Tobermory, we took the fast Zephyr out to Flowerpot Island (happy that the sun joined us for this adventure - the five girls thanked the Captain with a "You rock!" (S, the girls are excited to take you on this fun ride...)

Hiking through the National Park to see the flowerpots...Uncle D, we all kept saying that you are going to LOVE this place!

A clip from aboard the Zephyr back to the mainland...according to the girls, the BEST part of the trip!

Sun again for a final beach day...



P.S. More pics of our week's adventures will soon appear on our friends' blogs...keep an eye on these links over the next little while:

http://macshaslife.blogspot.com/
http://devinedetails61.blogspot.com/

Food, glorious food!

Just lately, I have been obsessed with food for some reason...it started a few weeks ago when we visited our friends the Ramundos in London and Nick made the most delicious appetizer with some crusty Portugese bread, fresh basil leaves, olive oil, sea salt, tomatoes and bocconcini cheese. Oh heavens, it was wonderful...I have made it myself a few times since and am hooked on the stuff.

Now bocconcini has a permanent place in my fridge...I throw it in salads, on sandwiches, everywhere...look out everyone who comes to my house, you'll be served it!

Then there is baking.

I don't love cooking, but baking is fun when I have the time...I think it's more to do with the art of it and appeals to my creativity. Now, granted, baking is a challenge in my house because I work with a mixmaster that is going on 40 years old and belonged to my grandmother - there really aren't 12 different speeds anymore on the poor thing...more like 3 with various sounds of protest as you move up to the whipping settings.

However, I still manage to whip up my favourite chocolate meringue torte on that mixer and, believe me, that is one delicious creation.

And last night, it was moon cakes. It was Bryanna's turn to provide treats for the end of year class party and she has been begging for moon cakes for months. Mind you, I had no idea I would be making 4 and 1/2 DOZEN of them last night before my yoga class, but despite the insanity of the kitchen for a period of time, we managed.

As I slid a final tray of the cakes in the oven, I bit my lip so as not to laugh as I listened to the dynamic duo discuss my culinary skills...

B: "Mom is the BEST!"

C: "She is the perfect mom!" long pause...

...."well, her COOKING skills are perfect."

Hmm. ;-)

Serendipity

Gentle sunshine gifted us with a delightful afternoon...

Later, after a long day full of errands, I walked upstairs to throw some clothes in the washing machine and was caught by the sight of my bedroom...sunshine fell through the windows, a whisper of breeze lifted the curtains and suddenly the laundry was forgotten...

I was drawn away from the laundry to sit in that patch of sunlight for half an hour, a book across my lap and the sounds of birds and children laughing spilling in through the open window.

It was a gift.

A little this, a little that...

Hi all ~

This is a quick and dirty post to catch up on several weeks of happenings. It has felt like a roller coaster lately...many ups (visits with good friends, the simple joys of childhood) and downs (the departure of a much loved leader at work, work challenges, and the unexpected feeling of exhaustion after the completion of a huge project).

I seem to be on an upward swing again, with time to breathe, so am posting some fun stuff from the last month...in order of occurrence...oldest events first and ending with yesterday.

Enjoy - glad to be back!

Bryanna's Art

A month ago, some good friends and I spent four wonderful days in Chicago. One of my tasks there was to take photos of paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe at the Art Institute for a project Bryanna was working on. This is the result...original by Ms. O'Keeffe above and Bryanna's reproduction below...

Visiting the Coulmans and Sellecks in Keswick

Long time good friends (the Coulmans are Bryanna's god-parents and Jane, Joanne and I were apartment mates in another lifetime) who we see far too rarely. Allie, Jessica and Megan (all grown up - how did that happen?!) were wonderful with the dynamic duo - who were delighted to find that their birthday was celebrated one more time!

Uncle John's shed...


Kite Flying
Kites from the April birthday bash were finally flown with nanny and papa last weekend - wow, did they soar!

With Spring, come the bunnies (thank goodness we don't have vegetables...),

and gardening...

A couple of weeks ago, my dad brought his tools and added some boards along the bottom of my fence so I could extend the gardens. Then we went and bought 40 bags of soil and spend the afternoon carting and dumping it!

All in preparation for the gardening that was done yesterday...the girls were a great help and loved having their own knee pads, trowels and garden gloves.

and fort building...

Yes, this is THE favourite new activity for the dynamic duo. They spend hours in this thing and they brilliantly fashioned the fort around the TV in the basement so that they can watch DVDs while relaxing. The first day they built it and I said they could carefully eat a bowl of popcorn inside, Cassidy came upstairs and while jumping up and down declared, "I am SO happy!" hee hee. I made them take it down yesterday so I could clean but it's back up again (and bigger).

and Roast Beef.

Roast beef? Well, I needed a conclusion and the Sunday dinner I made yesterday WAS phenomenal and a great end to a productive weekend!

Really... a good meal, working with your hands, friends, family and simple pleasures...sometimes I forget that life is really good.