Cottage Weekend: An Afternoon with Friends and an Adorable Pup (okay, mostly just Jasper)

While up north for the August long weekend, Ephraim and I had the chance to make the 45-odd-minute drive to visit a couple friends up at a cottage on a nearby lake.  Equipped with hamburger buns and some beer, we set out.  The cottage we were visiting was on a lake, and so we parked our car at the docks and our friends came to pick us up in a motorized dinghy, which I was pretty pumped about.  I had a cottage growing up, but we were always road accessible, and boat rides always felt the most special.  Now, of course, a dinghy doesn't exactly motor along, but I still enjoyed myself thoroughly. 

We arrived at just the right time to settle in and await the final touches on an incredibly delicious lunch.  I have no pictures of this lunch, because it was too delicious.  And because I feel like an idiot photographing everything.  I cannot ever be shamed out of photographing an adorable dog, however, so I took many pictures of Jasper over the course of the afternoon instead.   Some day I will properly document our friend Becca's cooking to share here, because it is truly delicious (and incredibly varied; I need to learn some skills to have a range like that!!).  Becca and her fiance Hugh used to have a food and wine blog, which I think they should really bring back.  It was hilarious.  And informative.  And as the one who lives two hours away, I generally wish all my friends would blog so I could "hear" them a little more often.  SIGH.  Okay, moving on, that's as sappy as I'm getting today!!

It would be wrong to call the cottage "basic", lest that come off not as complimentary as I mean it, and "rustic" seems to be thrown around a lot these days.  The whole place is wood, unpainted, lightly finished, giving the cottage this warm glow.  It's unbelievably cozy, for a place that isn't winterized.  Great big windows swing up and tie off to the ceiling for fresh air.  The wooden supports of the walls become storage for books, board games, and mason jars upon mason jars; I had sadly missed a peach jam making and pickling session; I've been promised a make up lesson to make pickles in October.  The cottage is comfortable without having too many comforts: but it does have - as Ephraim calls it - the most civilized outhouse you've ever seen. 

The rest of our time at the cottage was spent sitting outside, playing Star Wars Trivial Pursuit.  Except that we couldn't find the board, so we just asked each other questions.  Okay, mostly we asked Ephraim questions, and marveled over how he knows everything about Star Wars.  I like Star Wars a great deal, but I don't know many characters names.  Ephraim collected Star Wars trading cards as a child, and as a result has an encyclopaedic knowledge of everyone, what they're called, what they did, where they come from, what their favourite colour is, the works.  It's impressive and frightening.  And unfortunately utterly useless, except in matters of impressing your friends, or strangers on the internet.  Still, it was a fun afternoon, even if Jasper wouldn't pose for me.  I'll get you yet, Jasp.  Hopefully in the winter when you're delightfully shaggy.  You'll see! You'll all see!

This is Jasper's Blue Steel.

--Erin

Springtime at the Beach

Niagara on the Lake isn't exactly known for its beaches.  We don't have big white sandy expanses, no real spot to sunbathe to speak of, and people don't tend to get into the water.  Yet, this town has a few small, rocky beaches that are frequented by dog walkers and bonfire makers.  It can be a nice quiet spot to get away - if you can get far enough from the tourists.  The beach I went to one day after work last week was devoid of anyone who was just passing through.  For an hour or so I walked along, listened to seagulls, dug in the sand, and took pictures of the blossoms on this amazing tree.  It wasn't much of a beach experience, I suppose, but it was tranquil and regenerative all the same.  Plus, I got some of my best flower photos yet! One of these pictures might already be my computer desktop background... the white on the bright blue sky just makes me so happy.  I hope I can capture the blossoms on a few other trees around town before they're all gone!

I really love that I can walk down to the shoreline in NotL and see Toronto, across lake Ontario.  I grew up in Toronto, and working in NotL has been the longest time I've ever been away!  It still feels like home, though, and I'm so glad I get to visit as frequently as I do.

This trip to the beach had me looking for some beach glass for the first time, after seeing the impressively large and shockingly beautiful collection of sea glass found by Kaylah of The Dainty Squid.  I only found brown and green glass, but did a lot better than I expected to, and having a "mission" while at the beach was really pleasant.  I can be a bit of a magpie, so I tended to spot larger bits of shells before I'd come across a piece of glass.  I have some nice jars laying around at home, and I think it'll look quite sweet to have a jar filled up from beach treasures I continue to collect from NotL's beaches! There's a long summer ahead, after all. 

I don't normally alter the colour of photos so much, but it looked like a cherry tree all warmed up.  So delicate.

Thank you everyone for your birthday wishes! Yesterday was a lovely, low-key day. I hit up all the thrift spots in St. Catharines, and found some really great stuff, including a tin cup for my milkshake maker (FINALLY! All the milkshakes shall be mine, this summer!) and a Hawaiian muumuu in fluorescent colours. I also went to see the new Iron Man movie, and loved it! I think this year is going to be a good one, as strange as it seems to say that I am in my "mid-twenties".  It's going to be a big year for change, so I think an ever-so-popular blogger-style goals list is in order.  That, and a deep, deep breath.

--Erin

Colour Your World

Last weekend was our first real glimpse of spring.  With a crisp breeze and a constant struggle between sunshine and grey skies, it's finally beginning to look like April out there! And though my daffodils at home are taking their sweet time to poke their heads from the ground, I am getting so excited for plants to start springing up! My home has been greener than ever, as my roommate is a plant lover as well.  I haven't had a lot of luck this past year at keeping plants alive, as I keep going to and from Toronto a lot, but now that I have flexibility as to when I come and go thanks to Gertrude, my trusty Volkswagen Golf, I feel more confidant to keep adding to my little garden.  A trip to a local plant nursery had to be made! It's still early in the season, so none of the small stock caught my eye (well, except for the bleeding hearts, I may have to go back for one!) but I had to take pictures of all the beautiful colours.  I just can't wait for it to LOOK like spring!!

I told Ephraim I wanted to live in a world as purple as the little flowers in that first photo, and you know what, I stand by that ridiculous statement.  Take me away to purple plains.

--Erin

Walking in a Winter Wonderland: Christmas Photo Dump Pt. 1

Happy New Year, all! Or should I say, happy international hangover day? I hope you all had a swell time last night in whatever way you chose to celebrate the beginning of a new year, and are filled with motivation and optimism for the 365 days ahead until we do it all over again! I'm headed to a friends' house today to enjoy a large and prolonged brunch (you can graze on waffles for hours at a time, yes? Tell me I'm not alone) and a Simpsons marathon, with 25 selected episodes for our viewing pleasure.  It's a good, proper lazy day.

Though I spent Christmas Day by myself in Niagara, I got to head up north to Ephraim's parents' house on boxing day to enjoy a couple days with plenty of snow, reading by a fire, and more food than could ever possibly be consumed.  I of course took heaps of photos, and though most of them were taken indoors (it was cold out, and I am not a fan of being  cold voluntarily!!), I did venture outside a bit.  Here are some of my favourite outdoor shots from those couple of days.  Feels chilly just looking at them!

--Erin

Berries and Baubles

On my walk to work one day last week, I happened to bring my camera along with me.  I admired as I walked, the elaborate and classic decorations strung up on trees and fences, placed in bowls and within windows.  Lovelier still were the natural decorations of late fall that these bits of plastic and glass seem to mimic. The shiny spheres.  The plastic pears and apples springing out of nearly every flower pot in town, a trend I don't really understand.  It's a beautiful time of year, and I enjoy it when it's not too cold to.  I just wish Christmas was in the depths of February, when all is slush and darkness and the bitter bitter cold.

But with any luck, I won't have to walk to work, then. So sure, I'll take the pretty things now.

--Erin

Autumn Leaves

Here are a few shots from my walk to work yesterday.  I love the colours of autumn (who doesn't?), but these days the ground is covered in crunchy leaves as the trees themselves become more and more bare.  It's sad to know that the words warm and sunny are soon to leave our vocabularies for a few months stretch.  I'm not ready for another small town winter.  Already, the shops are open only on weekends, and there are no people on the street.  You know it's bad when even my favourite coffee shop is closed by the time I finish work.  Just a few of the things I can't stand about how this town functions.  A pretty place to visit, and a lousy place to live.  The beauty and activity of the summer is fleeting.

-- Erin

A Walk Down Autumn Lane

Feeling a bit antsy for a little time alone (for the first time in about 2 weeks), I took myself on a little photo walk on Sunday afternoon.  Just me, my camera, and my tunes - primarily The Shins, if you must know.  The leaves had all changed to brilliant hues, many of them scattered on the ground, and I knew I must take action and preserve the beauty in my lens while I could.  But enough yammering, here's a bit of what I found.

on the road to nowhere

I'm going to be really sad when autumn is over, winter feels awfully long when you live in a small town and haven't got a car! 

This last week off has been all about running around, seeing as many friends as I can, and preparing for my long weekend in Quebec.  I've read tons of plays in preparation for next season, and have managed to get sick...again.  I'm putting myself on a strict regimen of tea drinking, soup slurping, Dr. Who watching and sleeping so that I can enjoy at least one of my little mini trips out of town in good health.  Wish me luck! Or rather, wish my immune system luck? Ugh.  Anybody got any cold remedies they'd like to send my way? 

--Erin