I got thinking that it is hard to distinguish one lake from the other in these photos. And with so many lakes in this area one is just as special as another. I hope you are enjoying the Jewel in the Wilderness and all it has to offer.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Quirke, Ompa and Flack Lakes
I got thinking that it is hard to distinguish one lake from the other in these photos. And with so many lakes in this area one is just as special as another. I hope you are enjoying the Jewel in the Wilderness and all it has to offer.
Labels:
Scenery
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Jewel in the Wilderness

I hope to go out again soon before the weather changes too much to take some more lake photographs and I will post them.
Labels:
Scenery
Monday, September 22, 2008
Another Birthday!

All remarkable, amazing women and excellent role models.
When I was a child every year we would go to my Aunt Verna and Uncle Stan's house at Christmastime to visit with them. We would have a meal there and exchange presents. At that time they were giving me a place setting of silver flatware. They did this every occasion until I had a setting for eight and they also gave me the wooden box to store them in. I use and treasure this gift now so much.
When I was about 19 or 20 and just out of high school Aunt Verna arranged a job for me where she worked at Prudential Insurance in downtown Toronto. I was living in Brampton at the time and traveled by go train to the big city to work. I got to see Aunt Verna quite a bit. She would come to visit with me in the department where I worked and we would sometimes have lunch together in the cafeteria when our schedules allowed.
One summer Aunt Verna and my Mom came out west when we were living in Redcliff and they visited with us for a few days and then went back to Calgary and went to the Calgary Stampede. They had a blast. I really enjoyed their visit. My aunt likes to remember the trip she made to the Holy Land. She was so happy to have gone there and has many wonderful memories of her adventures there.
Have a great birthday Aunt Verna!
Labels:
Family
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Happy Birthday Dad!

Above is a photo taken many years ago of my family. As the years have flown by the family has gotten smaller but the loving thoughts and memories have grown to huge proportions. I would love to do a fitting tribute to my Father, but somehow I feel inadequate to do his memory justice. Best left for another time when I can map out a history of his life complete with photos.
Dad... you are so very missed, today and everyday. Happy Birthday!
Samuel Michael Kushner.... September 21, 1929.
Labels:
Family
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Duh.... No Camera, Again!

Welcome aboard one of the most popular train excursions in North America. This one day wilderness excursion will take you 114 miles north of Sault Ste. Marie, over towering trestles, alongside pristine northern lakes and rivers, and through the awesome granite rock formations and mixed forests of the Canadian Shield.
Through the large picture windows of your comfortable coach, you will experience the same vistas and panoramas that inspired the Group of Seven to create some of Canada's most notable landscape art.
Only the hardiest made this rugged land their home and the marks of the Ojibway, fur traders, lumber jacks and prospectors are barely discernible in this unspoiled wilderness. During your excursion our friendly tour attendants will tell you more about this fascinating country and its history.
Just when you thought you'd seen it all, we'll coast 500 feet down to the floor of the Agawa Canyon, where you will have almost two hours to experience the pristine beauty up close. The whole family can enjoy scenic walks on gravelled trails, four waterfalls or an invigorating climb up over 300 stairs to the breathtaking Lookout platform, perched 250 feet above the tracks.
If you are looking for something more relaxing, you can stop in our Souvenir Car, enjoy a peaceful lunch in our groomed picnic areas or pull up a bench and watch the Agawa River flow by. Our park rangers will also be on hand to answer questions or possibly point out some local wildlife.
There will be plenty to photograph during your excursion so be sure to pack your camera and lots of film.
For your stay in Canyon Park we recommend that you wear recreational clothing and footwear.
FALL COLOUR SEASON
Algoma Country is ablaze with colour during the fall! Though peak colour varies with each season, the last two weeks of September and the first week of October can offer the most spectacular colour and should be considered when planning your fall tour. Due to popularity of the fall season, early bookings are recommended................................................................................


St. Joseph Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, near the mouth of the St. Marys River which connects Lake Huron with Lake Superior.
St. Joseph Island has a year-round population of around 2000, and is connected to the mainland by the Highway 548 bridge spanning the North Channel of Lake Huron. There is another segment of Highway 548 that circles the island. The largest towns on the island are Hilton Beach and Richards Landing. Tourism is the primary source of income, while logging, maple syrup, and agriculture are of lesser importance. The island has c.10,000 tourists each year.................................................................
We arrived home just before nine.
There are so many side roads off the main roads that will keep us busy for years to come. There is a lot to see and do if you just look for it. I just love the north! It is a great place to live and travel.
Labels:
Our Travels
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Darn, I Forgot My Camera... Again!
Espanola, a town of 6000 people, is the gateway to LaCloche country and the natural wonders within. Well situated on the south shore of the Spanish River, Espanola gained it's name from Spanish speaking descendants of a Spanish- speaking woman who was brought to the area in the mid eighteenth century by Ojibwe traders. Today the town offers the most complete range of shopping, service and recreational opportunities.

After our shopping, we decided to travel on to Manitoulin Island which is 45 km from Espanola on highway 6. When you reach the Island there is a swing bridge which accesses the Island.
As you exit the bridge you enter the town of Little Current.
Little Current, Ontario
Little Current is located on the northeastern shore of Manitoulin, where the island makes its closest approach to the Ontario mainland. It was first settled in the 1860's and soon grew into a major Great Lakes port. During the 1880's and 1890's, the town's docks were lined with passenger steamers and sumertime visitors from the lower lakes. Besides tourism, lumbering was the mainstay of the economy and remained so until after World War One.
Below ia a painting of the Anchor Inn Hotel where we had our supper. The Anchor Inn is in downtown Little Current. It was a quaint place to eat and our supper was delicious. We both had new york strip steak in a peppercorn sauce. I had a caesar salad with mine and Bruce had the tomato vegetable soup.
It was nice today on the Island, very quiet...it is usually quite populated throughout the summer. It had clouded over but wasn't gloomy, and it was mild but with a nice breeze. As we headed home it began to rain a bit.

Another enjoyable day!
Labels:
Our Travels
Friday, September 12, 2008
Yogi and Boo Boo Go on a Picnic
It was a great day and I hope we have a few more before the snow flies!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
My Version of Shepherds Pie
I used ground turkey today but previous times I have used leftover roasted chicken, or cooked chicken breast, cut up, or leftover roasted turkey, or ground beef. I browned the ground turkey in a frying pan and added diced onion and a clove of garlic diced, and salt and pepper to taste. You can add whatever spices you prefer. After it was browned I drained the meat and put it into a roasting pan and added a can of cream of mushroom soup and a bit of water, you can make it as dry or as wet a mixture as you like. I then mixed this all together.
I used a mixture of frozen peas and carrots which I precooked and added a can of corn, drained and spread it evenly over top of the meat mixture. You can use whichever combination of vegetables you have on hand.
I boiled 8 peeled potatoes and then mashed them, adding margarine, milk and cheese whiz to them. Today I added the cheese whiz but sometimes I put in a can of cream of mushroom soup, you could also add cream cheese or shredded cheese, or just plain mashed potatoes. I spread this over the top of the vegetable layer.
I then dotted the top with margarine and sprinkled paprika all over. Other times I have sprinkled shredded cheese over the top of the casserole.
About an hour before supper I will put the casserole in the oven and heat it with the lid off for an hour at 350 degrees.
Add a tossed salad and you are done ... Supper is served!
Labels:
Recipes
Monday, September 8, 2008
Top 10 Favorite Things About Autumn
2. I like the cool nip in the air. It is not as humid in the fall and sleeping is easier. A nice brisk walk amongst the falling leaves, crunching underfoot. Love it!
3. I like the autumn vegetables. Squash, rutabaga, carrots, cabbage, corn on the cob to name but a few. I love the fruit pies made from berries and peaches and the pumpkin pies! Yummy!
Comfort food at it's finest.
4. Preserves made from the vegetables from home gardens and fruits recently picked. It is a beautiful sight to see a fully stocked pantry of preserves. In our case we have a freezer full of blueberries and blackberries that Bruce painstakingly picked for us to enjoy. Thanks, Bruce.
5. I like the short warmer afternoons that linger into October and November. I treasure them because they become fewer and more far between and that makes them more special. I like to sit out on the patio with a cup of coffee and just enjoy the sun and the mild breeze blowing.
6. I look forward to the new fall television season. All my favorite shows are back and new ones have been added to the lineup. New movies are being shown... all the ones recently on dvd or pay per view are now available on movie channels.
7. The lazy days of summer are waning, but there is a renewed sense of purpose to life. Plans are made for new projects and ideas are flowing. It is a time of inspiration to improve on a way of doing things that perhaps wasn't working. To brainstorm over the coming months and to put into action the following spring.
8. The autumn decorations are heavenly. I love those colors... rusts, pumpkin, mustard yellow and so on. I love pumpkins and wreaths, sunflowers and cornucopia and mini squashes as decoration. And all that Halloween swag! Oh my... ghosts and goblins. I can't wait.
9. Thoughts of Christmas are just beginning to bud. Mostly thanks to the retail stores who are putting out the decorations and advertising far too early.
10. Thanksgiving is an autumn holiday I look forward to. The feast of turkey and all the trimmings and looking back on the past months and realizing how fortunate we are in this country to have all that we do and be able to enjoy such autumn splendor and the changing of the seasons..... Wow!
I am grateful that I am living in Canada.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
May The Fours Be With You
Okay... I am once again borrowing an idea from Catharine. I am calling it "the fours".
4 jobs that I have had.....
Fitness Instructor at King's Fitness Center in Fort McMurray. I taught strength training. I set my clients up on programs and trained them accordingly and I did other gym related work. It was a really great social job and I met a lot of people.
I worked in hotels as a front desk clerk in Fort McMurray. Fun, met a lot of people and it was a job that I could really concentrate on perfecting the craft of good customer service.
I worked at an optical store as an optician's assistant. I sold glasses, basically.
I worked at Walmart pharmacy in Fort McMurray. I started working in OTC as a clerk and ended up doing mostly pharmacy technician work. Really interesting fast paced job.
4... okay 5 places I have lived.....
Downsview Ontario
Brampton Ontario
Fort McMurray Alberta
Redcliff Alberta
Elliot Lake Ontario
4.. okay 5 favorite movies......
Gone With the Wind
Sleepless in Seattle
Out of Africa
Fried Green Tomatoes
Legends of the Fall
And there are so many more!
4 tv shows.....
American Dreams... no longer on the air
I Love Lucy
Three and a Half Men
Everybody Loves Raymond
4 places I have visited
Florida
Cabo San Lucas
Kelowna BC
the Rockies... many times
4 places I would like to go visit
New York City
The United Kingdom
Australia
Africa
4 favorite things to do
Genealogy... you knew I would say that, didn't you?
visit in person with my friends and family
Go for drives to places near and far
Cooking
4 childhood memories
playing with my friends
christmas with family
getting a new bunch of books from the school book club
lots of walking all over town
4 favorite foods
pasta
pizza
hamburgers
soup
4 favorite smells
lilacs
summer air
leaves
smells coming from a coffee shop or bakery
It is hard to limit yourself to just four favorite things. Think about it... what can you come up with?
4 jobs that I have had.....
Fitness Instructor at King's Fitness Center in Fort McMurray. I taught strength training. I set my clients up on programs and trained them accordingly and I did other gym related work. It was a really great social job and I met a lot of people.
I worked in hotels as a front desk clerk in Fort McMurray. Fun, met a lot of people and it was a job that I could really concentrate on perfecting the craft of good customer service.
I worked at an optical store as an optician's assistant. I sold glasses, basically.
I worked at Walmart pharmacy in Fort McMurray. I started working in OTC as a clerk and ended up doing mostly pharmacy technician work. Really interesting fast paced job.
4... okay 5 places I have lived.....
Downsview Ontario
Brampton Ontario
Fort McMurray Alberta
Redcliff Alberta
Elliot Lake Ontario
4.. okay 5 favorite movies......
Gone With the Wind
Sleepless in Seattle
Out of Africa
Fried Green Tomatoes
Legends of the Fall
And there are so many more!
4 tv shows.....
American Dreams... no longer on the air
I Love Lucy
Three and a Half Men
Everybody Loves Raymond
4 places I have visited
Florida
Cabo San Lucas
Kelowna BC
the Rockies... many times
4 places I would like to go visit
New York City
The United Kingdom
Australia
Africa
4 favorite things to do
Genealogy... you knew I would say that, didn't you?
visit in person with my friends and family
Go for drives to places near and far
Cooking
4 childhood memories
playing with my friends
christmas with family
getting a new bunch of books from the school book club
lots of walking all over town
4 favorite foods
pasta
pizza
hamburgers
soup
4 favorite smells
lilacs
summer air
leaves
smells coming from a coffee shop or bakery
It is hard to limit yourself to just four favorite things. Think about it... what can you come up with?
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