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Sunday, October 15, 2023

Camping Trip to Bruce Peninsula

My sister and I wanted to camp together in early October, and we wanted to head north for a preview of the fall color.  I ended up just looking at a map and saying “Hey, what’s that bit of land sticking into Lake Huron?”  Turns out that is Bruce Peninsula.  We started reading up on it and chose it as our destination.  

Ann and David took a several-day trip to get there, but Terry and I decided to drive it in a day in our campervan.  It was a VERY LONG day!  Our camping spot was on Cyprus Lake, just a short walk inland from Lake Huron.




From our camping spot, we would take a short hike to the Grotto - 




A short drive to the visitor's center - 




Or a short drive into the cute town of Tobermory - 







One day, we took the ferry to Flowerpot Island and saw some shipwrecks from our glass bottom boat:







We spent about half a day walking around Flower Pot Island - 








Terry and I also took a hike along the Bruce Trail which goes all the way to Niagara Falls - 




And all of us took a sunset hike on the western side of the Peninsula (most of the interesting topography is on the eastern side) -




We also had time to play Canasta* - 


I thought it was quite a fun trip! Terry said it was way too far to drive!  We did have mostly great weather.  Most of the fall leaves were on the drive up to the peninsula and not on the peninsula itself, where there were mostly evergreens. 

*I must share a story about one of our games while it is still on my mind.  I want to remember this years from now.  Ann and I have been playing this game since childhood, but in this game we made back-to-back unbelievably bad moves.  Followed by a little gift from God.  

Here's how it happened.  I was one card away from a natural canasta.  Ann discarded that card to me (big mistake), I didn't pick it up (even bigger mistake), and then the play went to David and Terry.  Ann picked up the deck on Terry's discard and got her card back.  I commented how we all knew that there was one more card like that still in play.  It was obvious that the guys didn't have it.  I said out loud that I wasn't going to pray for God to let me draw that card, but if He just wanted to show me how much He loved me, that would be great.  I then proceeded to draw that very card!  We were all a bit stunned.  All I could say was "He loves me.  Wow!  I knew it, but it seems He just wanted to tell me."  


Friday, August 18, 2023

Gran Intensive Practicum

My “grandma intensive practicum” a few weeks ago. I kept the kids while Rebecca and Joseph had a belated anniversary trip. I call it “Bubbles, Bikes, Books, and Brownies.”


So much dirt!  And also lots of bug bites. 

I worried a little about letting him go up so high!




He ran over his foot with a tractor.  I told him my Pa ran over his body with a real tractor. 

This girl is a real daredevil and loved to pick up her feet and fly!


I wore this one out a few times



At the library


Found this cool kit at Walmart





Monday, June 12, 2023

Monaco

In our last location, we walked along the Tour De France.  In Monte Carlo, we walked along the path of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which was due to start the next day.  This place is posh!  So many yachts!  And people scurrying around setting up for the rich and famous. We parked and walked along - trying to fit in, ha!





We're #1!




I told Terry we could perhaps afford this yacht but the club membership would still be a problem



all these yachts have front-row seats to the race

100 years of Rainiers


Sunday, June 11, 2023

Lake Como

We spent a day hiking Greenway del Lago di Como.  We logged 8+ miles, even considering that we took a boat back part of the way (we very nearly missed this boat, and then this hike would have gone down in infamy!).


We started our hike in Colono.  This hike reminded me of Cinque Terra as it went from town to town along the water

It's sort of a misnomer to call this a Greenbelt trail, in my opinion.  It's mostly cobblestone, and we got quite footsore. 


First view of Villa del Balbiano

This is the place where I had the best and cheapest pasta in Italy.  It was a ravioli in cream sauce.


Villa del Balbiano

This was one of the coolest trees I have ever seen


the spot where Anakin and Padme's wedding was filmed



boat ride back - we got the last boat leaving