Canada

(by Grace)

I was blessed to have the opportunity to travel to Canada with my grandparents a few weeks ago. Besides attending a huge family reunion (Grandma Ethel's kin), we also enjoyed some excellent food and saw Niagara Falls.

Sunset from an airplane (JFK airport to Buffalo airport,NY)

The View from an airplane (It all looks like Google maps)

The reunion was held in Ontario, Canada,about two hours north of Toronto, on lake Muskoka.
(Lake Muskoka is where Grandma Ethel's parents owned a cabin that they vacationed in during the summer months with their children and later, their grandchildren.)

Saturday and Sunday morning were the days of the reunion. Much sharing of fond memories, photographs, and laughter was had by all.(Old Family Reunion - top left:(#2) Great Grandma Ethel) 3 above: Boat Ride on Lake Muskoka

Holding Babies

Aunt Mary (Grandma Ethel's younger sister) and her daughter Kathy.

Aunt Mary was a great help to us during our stay at lake Muskoka by showing us the land, identifying people and photographs and sharing with us a story or two.

Pop Quiz! Who are these People?

George Popadynec and his wife. He is a professional photographer and he gave me several good photography tips.

Shimmering pine needles (Lake Muskoka)

Rainy Day ( Lake Muskoka)

Corn husking Party ( Lake Muskoka )

The two memories of the weekend that really stuck with me are:
1.This House
Its not so much the house, but the story behind it. It belonged to Grandma Ethel's Great Aunt Clara and her husband, William Odell Whiting. They built it after both their hotels burned down. The first hotel burned before it was finished, due to carpentry error. The second hotel burned as a result of a forest fire. They lost a four year-old granddaughter in that fire. (They had already lost a nineteen year-old grandson when he dove off a dock and broke his neck.) After that, W. O. and Clara built this house, a bed and breakfast, in which they lived out the rest of their years. The B & B was passed on to their daughter Nellie, then their granddaughter, then their great-granddaughter, Bonnie. Today its still standing--one hundred years later.

2.Grandpa Bob. A tuxedo. A hot date and the pizza place. ( From right to left: Grandpa Bob, his cousin Joan, his cousin Mary, Joan's friend)

Doesn't that sound like a bad mix already?

So most of us were sitting on the back porch of the Whiting house sharing stories and looking through old photographs when I spotted a picture of Grandpa Bob. He looked (surprisingly) handsome, in about his early twenties. When I commented to Grandma about his looks, she said with a smile, "Yeah. That's why I married him," and continuing she said, "You know about how we met, right?"I quickly rambled off a summarized version of their blind (canoeing) date."I think she's heard that one before," a relative said. "Well, I bet she hasn't heard the one about when I took my cousin out." Grandpa said.

"Really? Which one?"

(points to his cousin Jone sitting next to him)

"I took her out to pizza..."

"Oh."

"...and I think I wore a tuxedo."

"Whhaat? You took your cousin out?... to pizza?..."

"Mm hmm."

"...in a TUXEDO!?"

"Yes."(He had his teasing smile on.)

"Why...would you...do thaat?"

Everyone laughed.

#1. You don't take your cousin out,
#2. You don't "dress up" to take her out,
#3. and you certainly don't dress in a TUXEDO to go out to pizza.

Grandpa then explained that he had just left his brother's wedding, and had some time to kill before the reception, so he asked his cousin if she wanted to go to out pizza with him. Of course she said yes.


Random and Interesting

(Snow Mobile Trail)

Their version of the Great Value brand is No Name. It's kind of weird.

The American teenager's dream of the speed limit

Niagara Falls

We saw Niagra Falls on the last leg of our trip. The view from the Canadian side was the best.

Sunset on the American Falls (Canadian side)
Sorry about the awkwardness of this picture. I stitched several photos together, the result being this. In real life the river is actually straight.

Only for you Jimmy Buffett fans.

We saw this on our walk back to our car and I just had to take a picture. Restaurant, gift shop, margaritas and, of course, Jimmy Buffett music.

Maid of the Mist (Canadian side)

Skylon Tower (Canadian side)

American Falls (American side)

After Cave of the Winds (American side)

Enjoying the Canadian Falls (American side)

The Dark City (American side)

Sunset at the Buffalo airport

I would have missed this sunset if our plane had not had an hour lay over. We were only in the next airport for our transfer to the next flight for less then ten minutes. We did make it home that evening, as planned. It was a God thing. He even got our luggage home in the same night.