Phew!

We had a real heatwave here in the Haliburton Highlands last week – 35 with a humidex closer to 41. Phew! Luckily, we have window air conditioners and ceiling fans, but it was still too warm.

Pickleball😊

I’ve been playing lots of pickleball for the past several weeks. It’s such a great way to meet people when you’re new to a place. And I play inside most often, so it’s AIR CONDITIONED! I’ve played badminton for about 50 years, so I’m really enjoying learning a new game. There’s lots of cross-over, but also lots of unlearning since a paddle and a plastic ball are very different from a racquet and a bird.

Baby Birds

Can’t say as I’ve ever been too interested in real birds, but there are two nests just outside my back door, so I’ve been spending time watching. I think one nest is home to flycatchers, and their first fledglings left the nest a couple of weeks ago. I was happy when I saw one fly away over the roof, because two others didn’t make it. The adults have recently returned, and I assume there are new eggs in the nest, so hopefully I’ll get to enjoy seeing more fledglings take flight. The robins’ nest behind the garage had five babies stuffed into it. As they began dropping to the ground, I was amazed at how BIG they were – not sure how they all fit into the nest.

Brown-crested flycatcher

baby robins stuffed into their nest

Bunkie and Babies (now toddlers)

We’ve been staining our new bunkie, which is now wired. We’re doing the interior with pine tongue and groove (bought from a family-owned mill nearby) – so far so good. It’s an interesting experience owning the cottage property with Liam, Rachel and family. I love that Don and I are getting to know our kids as independent adults/parents, and of course, time with our granddaughters is precious. Now that they’re talking and growing their imaginations, so much fun to hang out with them! Still no pictures allowed online – sigh…

Nana and GP’s escape room

THRIFTING

I first started shopping at Frenchy’s, (now mainly Guy’s) Maritime thrift store haven, as a teenager, and I’ve never looked back. These days, Facebook Marketplace always seems to have whatever it is I’m looking for, and I’m spending too much time browsing its virtual aisles! (got a perfect non-tippy three-seater canoe on the weekend) I’m also getting an inside look since I’m spending Thursdays in the sorting room at the Lily Ann Thrift Shop in Haliburton. All proceeds are used for the 4Cs Haliburton Foodbank, which is independent rather than being supported by a bigger organization such as Feed Nova Scotia. People are generous in cleaning out their closets and donating, but I do wish they would sort out the items that are past use – garbage is garbage, and shouldn’t be donated… Most people are sensible and arrive with donations carefully laundered and folded, but not everybody.

I finally got to visit the new exhibit of Doris’s work/photos at the Doris McCarthy Gallery (U of T Scarborough) last week – more on that in a later post, but it was so good.

Hope your summer is off to a great start, and that you get to spend time with your people having fun, and staying cool. Hope you’re feeling lucky to live in Canada.