Now... About That Apple...

Yeah, about that apple...

I kid you not. This is how it happened.

We were driving along and it was near lunch time so we decided to pull up at a farm where they sold apples and advertised country baking. 

We got talking to the very nice lady who usually does the baking - Sandy. It so happened that Sandy had a sister and brother-in-law who ran a diner just down the road. Sandy gave us a couple of apples each and we were on our way. 

We went down to the diner for lunch. And... got talking to the peope who ran it - Sandy's sister and  brother-in-law. Before we knew it, they'd phoned their other sister and brother-in-law in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, and there we were - on the way to Canada to stay at these people's house.

We stayed at Jim and Nany's place in Brantford, Ontario for a few days. We were absolutely blown away by their hospitality. It was amazing.

Using Brantford as our base, we went to Toronto for a day on the train to look around and then on other small day trips around the state of Ontario. 

Wow! We still couldn't get over how wonderful these people were. They took us into their own house and treated us like part of their family. It was great!

 The Canadian Border on the Niagara River

 We waited in line, had our passports

stamped and that was it.

   

We were in Canada.

This is a part of Jim and Nancy's back garden. I'm envious. I want a back yard that looks like this too.

I'd even volunteer to mow the lawn.

 

When we took a drive from Jim's place we were surprised to see so many little roadside shops selling tobacco and fireworks.


The above picture was taken at a place called Ohswekan in Ontario where we stopped for a genuine chilidog at a roadside stop. The native Americans on this reservation obviously know how to have fun on July 4!

I think this grand old church in Brantford could do with a new advertising manager. I'm not sure this would entice me through the door.

I couldn't resist a picture of this. A Williams at Williams. Well, I found it amusing.

We went out to dinner with Jim's family for Mother's Day here.

 I ordered a waffle. This is what I got. Yummmmmm! I think I could get used to these Canadian waffle things.

Everything Has A History

After our carousel ride we drove into the next town, Clarence. The old motel we stayed at, ASA Ransom House, used to be the home of the founding father of Clarence and his family. The people had restored it and added on to it so it was quite a large, but still olde worlde charming, boarding house. Everyone was treated like royalty there. We could not believe the rooms! 

 Old fashioned luxury at an affordabe price

 We were even given a cheese and fruit platter to welcome us.

 Remains of the old stone walls and bridge of an old railway in the hotel grounds.

Lakes Like Seas & Old Carousels

Olcott to Tonawanda
Day 10 - But who's counting?

We drove from Lockport to Olcott which is a pretty little village on the shore of Lake Erie. No wonder they call these lakes "great".

Geoff at Olcott, Lake Erie.

 We had a hotdog from one of these

little shops on the boardwalk.

I'm really beginning to love American chilidogs.

You'd swear you were looking out to sea, but this is a lake!

 Is it a bird?

Yeah, well that is a turkey vulture. They are really enormous, and they are everywhere. They circle the updraughts on wings like majestic black sails against the perfect blue sky.

In Tonawanda we were privileged to have a ride on the old Herschel carousel at the original factory where they were made. Everybody knows how much I love these old carousels. I turned back the hands of time and rode around while the big old Herschel pipe organ played. Can I describe such an experience? Not really. The music... the wooden horses going up and down on their shiny brass poles... heartachingly familiar.