Photo Challenge: Age

There is an old camp down the road from our cottage which has many wonderfully aged and worn buildings.  We often walk around there when it is unoccupied.  The camp was established in 1924 on a lovely point of land with a rocky shoreline.  Between you and me, the camp has seen better days, which means it is filled with homey old-style weathered and worn docks and cabins. 

Here are a few of the photos I took there this past weekend.  The fall colours fit well with the chipping paint, don't you think? 

 Do you see those birch just past the cabin?  That dastardly beaver has been at it again.

Here's a closer look. I'm not sure why the beaver stopped at this point, but we checked again the next day and he hadn't chewed any more. (You can see what the beaver did a few weeks ago to a birch along the shore from our cottage here.)

This seat carved from a stump is slowly decomposing.  This has been a good year for mushrooms and fungi, as you can see on the seat.

I love this sign that is nailed to the dining hall.  Does this child not like group sports and he's running away?  Is he directionally challenged and can't find the sportsfield?  Maybe he doesn't know left from right?  Whatever the problem, this lad is not going to make it to the sportsfield any time soon.

Linked to photo challenge at Razmataz
and Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer

Mosaic Monday - Busy as a Beaver

We had a surprise this weekend when we arrived at the cottage!

The birch tree, that has always leaned gracefully over the water along the shore from the dock, had been chewed down by a beaver some time during the previous night.  When we went down to the dock on Saturday we saw the tree lying in the water with all its branches still on it.    Then when we went back down to the shore the next morning, every last branch had been stripped from the tree and carted away during the night.  All that was left were some woodchips in the water under the now naked birch trunk.

I'd have to say we all were all sad the tree has gone, but a little impressed with the beaver's chewing skills.

Linked to Mosaic Monday at Little Red House

Friday Photo - Who Has Seen the Wind?

I entertained myself this past weekend at the cottage by taking photos that would show how windy it was.  It's not easy to take photos of the wind, but I like to set myself challenges so this is how I entertained myself.  I went around the island taking photos of wind, or more truthfully photos of the effects of the wind.  

What do you think?  Do you feel windblown when you look at these photos?  When you see the last photo you will see what Juno thinks.

Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you.

 But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
    

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I.

 But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by. 

poem by Christina Rossetti

Windy Weekend on Georgian Bay

We just got back from our windy three-day visit to our Georgian Bay cottage.  Did I mention that it was windy?  Thankfully the cottage is on an island so on the first day, which was actually warm and sunny, we could go to the calm side of the island and bask in the sun and swim.  I swam twice that day, just because it was likely my last swim of the season.

Even in the wind and rain it is a majestic setting. 

It was Christie's first visit to this cottage and she enjoyed it despite the wild weather.
 

The stormy weather stirred up some dramatic skies.

Sometimes there was so much rain

that there was nothing to do but stay inside and relax - Juno's favourite activity!

Other times, though, we could get out and explore.  There were only a few cardinal flowers this year, but they were lovely as ever.

I love finding puddles that are turned red by the colour of the algae in them.

and cannot get enough of the beautiful rocks.

 
There were signs of fall around the island.  From berries,

to goldenrod,

and aster,

and even a few coloured leaves.

 Oh, and polar fleece sweaters to ward off the chills.

Sigh!  All good things must end - even summer.  Sniff, sniff.  One last photo of a magnificent windswept tree.

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Just a warning - it may be the end of summer vacation, but I have a few more blog posts about summer activities that I will be posting this week and maybe even next. 

Relaxing Mini-Vacation

My husband and I are empty-nesters this summer for the first time.  We just got back from a lovely, quiet, relaxing 5-day mini-vacation at the cottage.

We both finished 2 books and started on our third and spent our time drinking copious amounts of tea and coffee.  On one of the cooler days, we sat wrapped in blankets reading on the screened porch while the rain came down.   It was heavenly.  I love the sound of a soft rain on the roof.

 Actually that looks a bit more like beer for him and tea for me.  Oh well, still relaxing.

It only rained one day.  We also had some lovely calm weather,

and the loon came by one afternoon.

Of course, I took a ridiculous number of photos, which is loads of fun for me.  I always set myself some silly challenge and then spent hours trying to get the shot.  This time it was to get a picture of a fish jumping out of the water.  Those fish are just too darn fast, is all I can say.  See what I mean...

My aunt and I went on a tour of the cottage country sights in preparation for our french guests coming next week.  It was a lovely afternoon with so many interesting things to see. Photos coming soon.

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Yesterday was my father's 81st birthday - it seems I'm a day behind on everyone's birthday.  Oops.  He is recovering from surgery and doesn't have quite his usual vim and vigour, but it is returning day-by-day.  He does still have his gentle kindness, amazing knowledge of the world, and his quiet patient way, oh, and his love of a good dessert.  We celebrated his birthday tonight with Moroccan Chicken for dinner followed by strawberry shortcake.  Yum!

Happy birthday, Dad!

 
Linked to Friday Finding Beauty at Dipity Road

Canada Day Mosaic

There were eight of us at the cottage including my parents and Christie.  It was a lovely sunny few days.  I don't know when we got so patriotic, but there was a lot of red and white happening on Canada Day.  We had a barbeque and a strawberry shortcake and there were fireworks at other cottages on the lake.

 Good times!

 

Linked to Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.

Water View Party

While I don't live by water, I adore going to our Georgian Bay island cottage, so I thought I would join in with Sharon's water view party at My French Country Home blog .  Being on an 11-acre island, our cottage is intimately connected to water:  we drive a little boat out to the island; we swim at different places around the island depending on where the wind is coming from; we walk around the island soaking in the gorgeous views; and we listen to the crashing waves on the reefs that are just past the next island.  I have been going to this cottage my whole life, so every nook, cranny, and view is seered into my memory.   When I think of the cottage, I think of: 

sparkling water,

windswept trees,

 

 

fabulous rocks,

and amazing sunsets.

One of my favourite places on earth!

Linked to the Water View Party at My French Country Home
and to Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer