We've had a very long, cold winter and spring here in Southern Ontario. Summer
sneaked up on us gradually, but every minute of warm weather is
much appreciated. Mother Nature brought too much rain in June and many of my
perennial leaves have turned yellow, but the vegetable garden loved the rain.
Cucumbers and tomatoes are early this season. I won't need to buy
lettuce until the fall and the fresh parsley and mint taste divine in
drinks and salads.
I found a wooden Muskoka chair in someone's garbage last week. All it needed was a few tweaks with a screwdriver and a coat of paint or stain, which I'll get to later this summer. My grandmother had two green Muskoka chairs in her backyard in West Toronto during the 1960s and my sister and I loved sitting in them whenever we visited her in the summer.
Some of my treasure finds last year included this birdhouse and fairy, which I carried home while walking the dog one morning. It was my dog, Little Bear, who alerted us that the birdhouse is occupied this year by a family of sparrows. The eggs have hatched and the mother sparrow is busy feeding her nestlings. I put lots of bread out for her several times a day and I love listening to the chirping chicks.
We're looking for a couple of acres of waterfront property that we can build on and retire to in about twelve to fifteen years. We already have plans for a chalet style house. Nothing big or grand, just somewhere we can hang our hats when we come indoors. A large dock is essential, no boat required, but clean lake water where we can cast a fishing line or swim.
Half the fun is searching for property and driving to rural townships to view them. If we're lucky, we'll still be looking in the fall and our travels will take us past autumn's gold and red scenery.
Summer comes and goes quickly here and I intend to enjoy every moment of her beauty.
