Winterlude et al - Ottawa

Winterlude et al - Ottawa - February 4th, 2015

Coming from a British background, I still find myself in awe of the fact that the low temperatures here in Ontario can sustain ice sculptures for long periods of time. Due to this fact, we were able to enjoy a brief visit to Winterlude in Ottawa, before traveling on to our friends in Kingston.

Several years ago, we had seen some artists actually making sculptures out of ice blocks on the main street in Collingwood and we stayed for nearly an hour as we watched the discernible shapes emerge out of the ice block. It was fascinating to see what was in the sculptors mind being gradually revealed. Here, at Confederation Park in Ottawa, we were in awe of the creations that were before us.

Fairy Magic - Peru

The continual light snowfall did not deter us from enjoying the sights created by these artists and the fascination of how so much detail was captured in the exhibits by the sculptors that came from all over the world to participate in the event.

Joie de Vivre - U.S.A.

Mystery at the Bottom of the Sea - Japan 

Winter's Essence - Canada

Games in the Sky - Mexico

Crazy Juggler - France

Fairy on the Ice - Japan

Illusion - Malaysia

Some of the sculptures were larger than life and - although partly covered in newly-fallen snow - were clear enough to make out very easily.











It was neat to see how even the posts supporting the railings were made out of ice blocks.








Of course, with us, there is the inevitable humour as a photo-op becomes available!

Not sure what this was, as there was no obvious sign around. Apparently, it is lit up at night. As it was during the day in the middle of the week, some of the larger sculptures were covered, and we've added a night-time experience of the event to our bucket list for another year.






After we'd had our fill of wonder for the day, we left Confederation Park and took a short walk along the Rideau Canal. Being a working day, and with weather conditions that precluded a large volume of tourists, we had the canal almost to ourselves.

Stepping out on to the canal still gives me a thrill.I had not done this since 1992, when I discovered, for the first time, that I could actually walk on water (something that we Brits find intriguing, if not a little scary). I also discovered just how cold it could be here in Canada. On that evening, the first time around, the temperature had dropped to a chilling -42 degrees Celsius, with the wind-chill factor. I also discovered the taste of my first BeaverTails Pastry which I was able to use to warm my hands while consuming it with slow relish!

Parliament Buildings - with the Peace Tower in the centre

From the canal, you are able to see some splendid views of the Parliament Buildings and the Chateau Laurier - of course, it would have been even more splendid had it not been snowing at the time!!

Chateau Laurier

We wanted to visit the War Memorial out of respect for Nathan Cirillo, who was standing on guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier when he was senselessly shot last October. The memorial stands as a reminder of how much we owe so many who gave their lives in the many wars so that we may enjoy the freedoms and privileges of Canadian Citizenship.

A trip to Downtown Ottawa without visiting the Parliamentary Building is unthinkable! With its magnificent Peace Tower and the eternal flame, representing all the Provinces and Territories of our great country, it calls out to us all to remind us of the responsibility to pass on the flame of peace and human liberty to future generations 

East Block

A final nod to our Winterlude experience came in the form of an unexpected sculpture outside a street building. Mark couldn't resist... and I dutifully obliged! Ever the patriot!!

We love our Capital City! Proud to be Canadian!  

#happyfitandfree      #travelguys    #winterludeottawa

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Dealing With Bereavement

Dealing With Bereavement

Dealing With Bereavement

January 23rd, 2015

Today marks the 18th anniversary of my Mom's passing and, naturally, memories come flooding back of the times we had with her.  Our family still tells stories about her - usually they make us chuckle, or cause us to smile. It wasn't always like that. 

I can remember that it felt like I was now an orphan - having said goodbye to my dad 17 years earlier. It really hit me on my birthday, when I realized that the woman who gave birth to me wasn't around any more. Getting through that first year had many tough moments - mostly on those special days - birthdays, Mothers' Day, Christmas. It was hard to look at the selections in the greeting card sections knowing that there were some cards that I would never buy again. 

Certain songs would trigger memories and, one of my favourite songs, 'I Will Take Care of You' by Amy Sky, would make me feel so sad that I couldn't listen to it and would change stations if it came on the radio. 

This last week, we said goodbye to a dear friend of ours. Derek Walton ('Braveheart'), had lived with ALS, surviving for over 12 years with this debilitating disease. His motto was, "In order to have a life of purpose, you need to have a purpose in life". He lived this philosophy - and then some. He has left a huge hole in our lives. 

Whenever we are faced with the death of a loved one, we often reflect upon our own mortality. We find ourselves asking questions: What is it all about? Why are we here? What's the point? The circumstances surrounding the passing also have an influence upon our reactions. 

Courtesy of http://www.quazoo.com/q/K%C3%BCbler-Ross%20model

When I was studying theology in college, back in the U.K., we covered a whole unit on Divorce and Bereavement, comparing and contrasting these experiences of life. There were remarkable similarities, and the stages of grief were almost the same. It was made clear that people cannot be rushed through those stages (Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance), and they don't necessarily occur in that order, nor only once. Life is more complex than that - as anyone who has grieved a loved one will testify. 

One of the things that brought me comfort at the time of my Mother's death was the fact that just two days before she died, she celebrated her 82nd birthday. She was in hospital, and when my sister and brother-in-law visited her, she was sitting up in bed, and had perfect vision and hearing - in spite of spending most of her later life having to depend upon hearing aids and glasses. She was very chipper and wanted to know where her birthday cake was!! The following night, she slipped into a coma, and died early the following morning, just 2 days after her birthday. I can't help feeling that she was given a glimpse of things to come, just before she made her transition - no more pain, no more disabilities, no more anxiety - just peace and joy. 

Derek 'Braveheart' Walton, surrounded by his children

The last time we had seen our friend, Derek Walton (at his home about a week beforehand), he looked very poorly and we felt that this was going to be the last time we saw him on this side of the veil. His last few days were spent in Hospice Simcoe, in Barrie, and he was surrounded by his amazing family. The photos and a movie we saw on Facebook showed him deriving pleasure from those visits. On one photo, he looked much better than the last time we had seen him. When one of the PSW's entered the room and sang with his guitar, you could see Derek's lips moving as he joined in with the song. After saying goodnight to his children, he told his wife, Diane (an extraordinary woman and beautiful person), that everything was OK; and then he chose to pass peacefully - just a few hours afterwards. 

People deal with bereavement in different ways. Each person's pain is unique, and the journey has to be made alone. No words can be found to take away the pain, to lessen it, or move through it. When people say things to us, they may sound like clichés. When that happens, I tell myself that what people are trying to say is that they care - and take comfort from that. Probably the toughest time is when all the immediate support of the physical presence of others is withdrawn - the funeral is over, family and friends have returned to their routine - and we are left alone, knowing that our lives have been changed forever.  

It's not that we forget our loved ones (who even wants to forget - rather, we want to hold on to those cherished memories). I think what happens is that, after time passes, we tuck our memories somewhere deep within. They are not recalled every single day and we can begin to move on. The memories are always there for us to retrieve whenever we feel the need. We can enjoy them and then gently return them to that recess in our heart and in our mind, ready for the next time. 

Bereavement is a part of life. It is uncomfortable, painful, and heart-rending; but it also has the ability to help us discern what is important to us, and may help us to clarify our priorities in life. 

Jane's Tea Garden

Jane's Tea Garden

January 21st, 2015

No visit to Elliot Lake would be complete without a visit to Jane's Tea Room, on Ontario Avenue!

Ontario Avenue, Elliot Lake

It was one of the first dining experiences we had after we had moved up here, following the recommendation from our friend, Emily.

Situated snugly amongst other friendly small-town shops, it beckons people inside by an alluring array of gifts which surround the dining area. Once inside, you are welcomed by the warmth and personal service from the staff who really know how to cater to their clientele. 

Ranked #1 of 21 restaurants in Elliot Lake by Trip Advisor , the tea room is billed as 'A great lunch spot with homemade food'. It has 'a great soup and sandwich selection.... along with selections of teas and lovely gifts around the store which make this spot and enjoyable break.'  This is certainly what we have found, and we have had consistently great experiences there.

A nice variety on the menu board

When we visit the tea garden, we are always made to feel very welcome and are the proud recipient of warm hugs from either, Lynn, Glynis, or Gwen! From the first time we entered, we felt at home and it remains at the top of the list of places to go when we have visitors staying with us. The ambience makes for a pleasurable dining experience. Whoever is your server, you will be looked after and treated like royalty - and the homemade soups are out of this world!

Two large pots of homemade soup - always ready to serve

They are usually closed in the evenings, but last year, on Valentine's Day, they hosted a special evening meal - and we have to say that it was, by far, the best meal we had ever tasted in Elliot Lake! We're hoping that they will be offering the same event this year. 

Us with Lynn, one of the delightful servers

If you are ever in Elliot Lake - for business or pleasure - make sure you don't miss out on this fine experience. You will not be disappointed!

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Walking on Water - Frozen Elliot Lake

Walking on Water - Frozen Elliot Lake

Monday, January 19th, 2015

For those of you who know me - coupled with the fact that I originated in the U.K. - you'll understand the fascination I still entertain about the lakes being frozen enough for people to actually walk on them! Yesterday, we took our snowshoes and ventured out onto Elliot Lake to explore along both sides of the lake. It was going to be interesting seeing the familiar from a different  perspective. 

Spine Beach is just 2 minutes drive from where we live, and is a place we frequent in the summer - especially when we want to cool down in the heat of an August evening. This was our starting-off point for our trek across the lake. 

As we were donning our snowshoes, a car was towing an ice hut onto the lake. It still astounds me that cars and trucks can venture out onto a lake! 

We made our way clockwise on a planned 'route' and reached the first 'jutting-out bit', around which we had not set eyes upon before. We knew the lake to be large in area, and we saw this for the first time. Aware that the lake extended beyond the furthest we could see, looking westward, it wasn't until we arrived back home and checked on a map that we realized how we had hardly touched the halfway mark!

The route we took (enlarge for clearer view)

We had wondered about trying to reach the far end of the lake to see the waterfall that we'd heard about, but it would have taken too long. We would have to leave early in the morning to dust off that ambition. 

Crossing to the other side of the lake, at a fairly narrow part, it was interesting to look back at the edge of the city, noticing the hospital and the other beach, further along the shoreline. It was also enchanting to see how many little islands there were on the lake that we had not known about before.

View of the town from the middle of the lake

The inevitable 'selfie'!

Of course, we're always on the lookout for wildlife, and we noticed a proliferation of animal footprints in the snow - even as far out as the middle of the lake.

Deer tracks? ... At least, that was what Mark was hoping they were!

At one time, when we were near the northern shoreline, we heard the deep-pitch sound of a pileated woodpecker. Well camouflaged among the evergreens, we had to be content with the sound only.

Woody wouldn't come out to be seen

We passed a man who was ice-fishing (without a hut). He had a lawn chair to sit on, but was checking his lines to see what was happening. 

Ice fishing

Turning eastward, we hiked around an islet then traveled past Sylvah Island before heading back to Spine Beach. 

Onward we go

Where we'd been

The lowering sun looked amazing through the trees on this island

By the time we got back to our starting point, the sun had gone down and the temperature dropped somewhat. 

To think that this is just 2 minutes from where we live, makes us feel a great sense of appreciation for the lifestyle we are carving out for ourselves. 

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