Want a beach to yourself, but can’t manage the down payment on an island?
Take a walk down to Lake Ontario when the thermometer reads -8 Celsius.
Cobourg, Lake Ontario.
Still beautiful, but you might want to hold off on the bikiniĀ š
I see nature winning,
And man failing.
I see a world suffice unto itself.
Oceans and plants and crawling things
All of whom
Would be better off without us.
I see humanity,
That puffed-up peacock of the animal world,
Building monuments to nothing
But our own vanity.
I see blue skies and green trees
Towering mountains and vast seas
And humans too stupid to
Appreciate any of it.
I see nature winning,
And man failing.
Defunct stone fountain, Guernsey.
Window on Time
Walk with the Eternal.
Wishes over water.
All pictures:Ā Pont du Gard, France.
Watching with care,
Waiting in welcome,
Windows of the soul.
You’re late. Where are you?
I drove out to Niagara-on-the-Lake recently, a small town in Southern Ontario with a big history. Founded in 1782 by Empire Loyalists fleeing the newly created United States of America, Niagara-on-the-Lake became a battle ground between the Americans and the British during the War of 1812.
Today, Niagara-on-the-Lake is home to the Shaw Festival (summer theatre) and wine, wine tours, and wineries.
I stopped by McFarland House for tea and a tour.
Built in 1800, McFarland House was unusual in its day in that it was constructed from brick instead of wood. It served as a hospital for both American and British troops duringĀ the War of 1812 and thus became one of the few houses to survive the period.
The front door was, and still is, painted red ā a sign of welcome.
As you can see, the door could use some work. Probably because no one uses it anymore, all guests entering through a side door that opens onto the tea room.
Unfortunately, while I can’t claim Norm’s camera skills, I did find myself reaching for my phone on a wander through the Old Town.
Fun fact: Niagara-on-the-Lake boasts the oldest surviving golf course in North America, Niagara Golf Club circa 1875.
Funnier fact: The town is home to the oldest operating inn in Ontario, The Olde Angel Inn established in 1789. If you’re ever in the women’s washroom, think twice before you lift the privacy leaf on the Statue of David ā a bell will ring in the main dining room š
Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands
Along with the sand and sea, Saint Thomas has a few doors that had me reaching for my phone š
Are you thinking rain, grey skies and puddles on the street?
As the Gershwin classic goes, “It Ain’t Necessarily So”.
Umbrellas can mean blue skies ā¦
and sunshine ā¦
and days at the beach.
They can mean that, but not in Toronto. Not in March š¦
There’s a romance to doors, a mystery.Ā They lead us out and welcome us in. They protect us and hide us and keep our secrets. They’re the architectural version of a diary, a thousand stories under lock and key.
If doors speak to you, check out #ThursdayDoors over atĀ Ā Norm 2.0Ā .
