Speed Can Kill Anywhere

At noon yesterday a young man driving a new car drove up Falgarwood Drive at an excessive speed according to all the neighbours. Theresa and I were right there but did not witness the accident.According to witnesses the car approached the gentle turn at a high rate of speed. The driver could not manage the curve so hit the curb, cut down a sizable tree, continued to hit a large tree which ripped off the drivers side of the car.  The car then crossed the sidewalk and hit another tree and by this time the car was a write off.

The car came to rest in a driveway and damaged stone works and landscaping. The young driver (19) was fortunate that the air bag saved damage to his head but glass and car debris did their job.He had to be cut out of the car by the firemen and ambulance personnel.I actually talked to the youth as he was attended well by a lady who kept him calm and kept him from trying to get out of the car. He admitted to speeding and all because he was in a hurry to get somewhere.

Fortunately no one was walking down the sidewalk or working on their lawn or this could have been much worse. The youth was remorseful as he was afraid of his parents because of his thoughtless act. We live on a quiet residential street and this was not the first accident on this slow curve in the road. Speed was the cause and it can happen anywhere when drivers ignore the rules of the road.

Cruising Lake Ontario Near Oakville

One of the most beautiful lake fronts in Ontario is Oakville. The financial giants of the business world in Toronto live here. Years ago when Oakville was an hour away from Bay Street these very rich people built huge estates along the shoreline. Historical homes in this city are named as historical sites and during the festive season people drive past these places and enjoy the decorations which make Oakville one of the most beautiful places to live in Canada.

Today we enjoyed a sail past along the coast and were treated to perfect weather and great views. The lake was alive with numerous sail boats and cruisers. We were treated to Johns hospitality and some of our grand children and friends loved the activity.

There are three main marinas in Oakville which are home to literally thousands of boats of all kinds. The natural beauty and geography of this area made it home to boaters for many years as it was once a flourishing ship building center around the eighteen hundreds.

Today we were treated to a family of swans complete with the mom and dad and six babies who were touring the marina looking for handouts from the boaters.All in all it was a great day and one which we will remember until we get out again in a boat to experience nature at its best.

Rain and Trees

Our yard is full of trees and shrubs. Every year we have a period of a few weeks when we wonder how the weather will be to enable the trees to flower and be visited by our friendly bees. Last year it was the warm weather followed by a late frost which killed much of the apple crop in Ontario.Another Year the bees did not appear in numbers and our trees were left unpollinated.

This year we had a beautiful beginning for the vegetation. Recently we have had plenty of rain and cool nights followed by humid days which is ideal for the growth cycle. The farmers are happy but the trees are even happier.I have rarely seen the amount and quality of growth in all of our trees.The fruit trees are heavy laden and the ground vegetables, specially the strawberries are doing very well. The squirrels and raccoons are visiting the parch every night checking the ripeness of the fruit and it is early in the season.

I expect to have ripe berries by the 8th or 9th  of June which will be a little early for us.It is really no consincedince .that the reaifall has been just perfect this year.In Oakville a few years we suffered a drought for two years and we lost a huge number of our mature oaks . The Ash trees have been attacked by a beetle which killed thousands of our ash trees which lined our streets . Most of them have been replaced by new trees ans in front of our home two Elm trees were planted. With this rainy spring they have flourished as well as the many across town.

You can water from the tap all you want but there is no replacement for a good all day or night rain .Mother nature controls the vital products  that make our earth live and breathe. It is curious that countries which do not support good growth patterns for the health of their forests eventually are left with virtual desert conditions.Our water resources are the life blood of the our nation and must be treated as such. Everyone can join in and help by planting a tree,  a bush or anything green to aid mother nature carrying out her vital role.

Amazing Grace

Our neighbour Grace turned 80 the other day and her friends with the help of Renee' celebrated the occasion with a special block party. The weather was supposed to be fine but as it turned out became nasty and tried to dampen the occasion. Renee invited everyone inside to a decorated venue and the flood of friends and neighbours filled every space.

Neighbors mingled and united or reunited in a festive mood. Grace was not privy to the party and when she was escorted into the room was completely speechless for a few moments. I believe every neighbour within blocks showed up and and grace was showered with best wishes and gifts. Grace made it a point to give everyone a hug and made her way through the crowd to personally greet and thank everyone for coming.

Renee's committee provided tasty items for lunch but the main attraction was the beautifully decorated cake. Cheers rose as Grace made the first cut and the ladies began sharing the cake with the guests.

Grace is no ordinary lady. She is capable of looking after her large property and her landscaping is exceptional. She has an inner kindness which makes it easy for her to be generous with all the neighbours. As a crossing guard at a local public school she can name every student she keeps safe and most parents who come by to pick up their youngsters. Her memory goes way beyond as she also knows all the names of the dogs and their masters who happen to walk by her home.

You can be assured that you will see Grace working outside every day during summer and people walking by frequently stop to share a few minutes with her. On a personal note Grace has been a kind and helpful  friend to Theresa and I and when we travel she keeps a watchful eye on our home.

It is fair to say that we all wish Grace the happiest of birthdays and to have continued good health and to remain the person we fondly call Amazing Grace.

Evening Walk In Oakville Waterfront

After a very busy day Theresa and I decided to take a stroll on the busy but beautiful Oakville waterfront. It was so hot in the city but immediately the temperature dropped 20 degrees when you get out of your car on the shore of Lake Ontario. There were many people who thought as we did and the pier was crowded with fishermen and people just walking in the cool breeze.

We are fortunate to have so much of our waterfront in public ownership. There are several huge marinas on the shoreline and sailboats abound. We love to just sit or walk and view the boats tied up and every evening there is a race out on the lake. Colourful spinnakers on the sailboats and the boats tacking to gain position make a wonderful sight.

Walking paths lead to historic buildings and the cultural hub of our city. Within a few blocks of the downtown we have the arts center, community swimming pool, lawn bowling and one of the prettiest and most active down towns in Canada.

Many of our family frequent the waterfront and enjoy the freedom that only water can give. There is something endearing about a city on the water. The water opens up all types of activities and it is real estate which is owned by everyone. We take advantage of this geographic treasure and feel grateful for the opportunity to experience its beauty whenever we wish.

Pear Invasion

Our pear tree was planted six years ago in our back yard. It was one of those end of the year sales and I paid $7 for this crumpled, awful looking fruit tree. Devoid of leaves in October and guaranteed for a replacement if it did not flourish, I loaded it our van and brought it to our tree family. After planting I was to be disappointed because the location was unsuitable. In late spring I moved it closer to the house on the fence line. It grew and grew in one year to become quite a tree.

The second year it had so many blossoms and later fruit I had to prop it up. The fruit are large and heavy. The tree is now in it's fifth year of bearing an incredible number of fruit. I have to prop up every branch as the weight brings the branches to the ground.

Last fall I clipped seven or eight feet off the top and reduced the length of all limbs by five feet. After the slaughter of the poor tree it was a manageable size but I thought it would have a long recovery time. When we arrived home from Florida we were surprised to see this giant tree once more taking up a large portion of our side yard.

The fruit are flawless and provide all in the area with beautiful Anjou pears. The squirrels and raccoons have first dibs on the fruit and squirrels with fruit, heavier than themselves, are seen climbing to safety with their prize.

We make pear marmalade and other treats with the bounty but I like just biting into the sweet, ripe fruit for my daily snack.

Happy Birthday

Theresa celebrated her birthday yesterday and it turned out perfectly. With best wishes from her mom and myself the day became a flurry of activity. Theresa's close friend came over with a beautiful rose and an invite to lunch. With a little spare time they shared a small glass of white wine and some good conversation. They were off to their favourite lunch restaurant.

We had planned to do something active and chose to go for a bike ride along part of the Cross Canada Trail along our lakefront. The weather was hot but a nice breeze cooled us as we stopped many times to see the large areas of wild flowers. Of course we took a few pictures. Arriving back at the car we decided to have fish and chips at a Bronte, family owned business and were not disappointed.

Before leaving for home we went to the Oakville Marina and walked out on the pier. There were hundreds of people there fishing, watching the International Boat races, just sitting and enjoying a wonderful evening. I suggested ice cream to complete a great day but Theresa suggested we stop and buy a large box so were could enjoy at home. We did just that and arrived home to find out we missed a visit from daughter number three and her two sons. They left a beautiful bouquet of flowers. So Theresa began the day with flowers and ended it the same way,with flowers. In between all this activity she read E mails and took calls from the family and friends. Daughter number two and family completed the day with calls from Ottawa.

Birthdays are important to us and I was so happy to see another one begin and end on a high note.

Snakes in Our Back Yard

While I was putting my garden to bed for the summer I needed some heavy stones to hold the plastic covering down. I threw all the large and small stones in a rough pile around the banana trees when developing my vegetable patch. Yesterday while retreaving some of the same stones I was surprised to find a pigmy rattler under one of the stones. After removing it to the lawn I called Theresa to see my new thing of interest.

Theresa hates snakes and I thought if she could see this little fellow it would help her to be more receptive to one of natures little creatures. She with hesitation observed it from a distance. It was small being about 14 inches at most. A very fragile snake with a particular head. Instead of being covered with numerous scales it has 9 distinct plates. Not exactly harmless but with less clout as its larger relatives they are found throughout the southern part of the USA.

On returning it to its home area I saw another one and knew that sometime in the future there could be a whole family. For me the snakes do much good in eating up harmful bugs which live on my vegetables. These are shy creatures and are seldom seen and retreat quickly when confronted.

There are so many new forms of life here in Florida and I find something interesting nearly every day. With the temperature over the 90 degree mark we are happy to be returning to Ontario for a cooling off period. In a few days we will be back with our family and friends and will be enjoying the changes in the grand children and children as well. Six months is a long time away but we love it.

Waterfront of Oakville

Oakville is a medium size town of 175,000. By many it is considered to be one of the finest places to live in Canada. It is not because the economic level or the important and famous people who live here that makes it special. This town has a waterfront that stretches for miles along the south western section of Lake Ontario.

Several rivers and brooks pass through the city before meeting the waters of the lake. These waterways provide welcome harbours for pleasure craft by the hundreds. Years before, Oakville had a flourishing ship building industry and its history was sculpted by the builders trade. The town fathers developed a plan for the city which protected the land along the many ravines and rivers. This land now provides miles of biking and walking paths. Nowhere is this more noticeable than along the waterfront.

Last eve Theresa and I drove downtown and parked on one of the back streets. We began our walk by wandering through Olde Oakville and heading towards the harbour. The many named properties reminds us of our past as we see these historical buildings protected from future demolition. Hugh trees frame elegant homes which have survived for over 150 years. As we near the path that follows the edge of the lake you had to be impressed by the numbers of families and individuals walking. Dogs are welcome and numerous and receive their share of love and attention.

We sat for a while watching the sailboats returning to their docks and the whole tone of this place is contentment. People wandering about exchanging words with each other and using this waterfront as a extension of their home. It is in fact just that - as the common areas of the city do belong to all of us. It is this feeling of ownership that causes all of us to take good care of this wonderful facility.

Theresa and I do not walk there every night but every time we do go there we are amazed at the natural beauty being cared for the general population. We are blessed in Oakville and so is every community which has a waterfront available for its residents.