OF BLUES AND BEACHES

TUES 26 JULY 2011 2:48pm Sitting in McD's using the Wi-Fi to watch a couple of videos. It's such a change from home where they buffer out after a few seconds.

Saturday night we went to Neighbours restaurant in Port Rowan to take in one of Duane Rutter's on-going series of singers and players. It was a great show featuring bluesman Brian Cober from Toronto, master of the double slide. Really well-crafted and fun original songs and his spot-on cover of Robert Johnson's Crossroads was downright spooky with sheet lightning in the windows behind him providing the light show. We bought his CD Real Far Gone, and it's smokin'. Find it here.

After a set he and Duane played off each other for a truly special treat for guitar lovers. 

Duane has just released his new CD Never Bet The Devil Your Head. It's literally home-grown, recorded in a tiny room in his house with the equipment at hand. All instruments and vocals are by Duane. The full story is in the liner notes.  And it's great! Check it out for sure, here.

Sunday was hot and humid again and we took full advantage of it. It was one of the laziest days in memory. Usually one of us cracks and gets up to do something, but not this time. As J says that's what people do when they go on holidays, sit around, read, drink beer, and just relax to the max. She didn't say the last part, that's me. So, once I got the concept I was able to really relax. And it was great. Lot's of reading. People talk about their summer reading and that's what they mean. Not a few lines before falling asleep like usual, but all day long. I like this.

Yesterday I went to our beach. There hasn't been much of one this year, but I found there was a fair amount of beach showing after you walked around a bit of a point and through the water.  I found some nice glass. Not a lot but enough to keep me interested. Since I hadn't been down for a while the trip up the cliff just about did me in. But, in all, a good time.

Later we went to the beach in Burwell, the main beach, which is now cut off from the general public by the Provincial Park. You can still get onto it but there is a No Trespassing sign. Jackie walked for a ways and I, having already had a big walk today, stayed behind to take some pics, having remembered to bring my camera.    

I have to confess I did a real Mr.Bean today. I was in the Home buying among other things a toilet plunger. We lost ours. So, having to choose among a few I picked one and stuck it to the floor. Very good suction – I couldn't pull it up. A large biker type was ambling down the aisle and I'm pulling on this handle. Finally I gave it a swift kick to break the suction and it gave. I picked it up and said “It works.” He sort of smiled.



Here's some photos from our walk on Port Burwell main beach.

Jackie's leaving me behind. A real fast mama.

Vegetation left to aid in building the dunes.

Swing around the other way and there's the break-wall.

Getting close up and personal with the break-wall

Even closer.

OK, back off a bit.

Ye olde beacon.

Heading out to the hungry fish.

SMOKE ON THE WATER!

SAT 23 JULY 2011 10:36am   Ok, repeat after me. Never, never, ever leave home with out your camera! I did and now will relate the sad tale.

We had to go to Simcoe for something then went down to Dover to pick up a few groceries at the No Frills. Then we got a take-out coffee and headed home. Jackie said it would be nice to go to Port Ryerse to drink the coffees. So, we wound down the deeply shaded hill past the old cottages to the waterfront and there not far off shore was a burning boat.

 Naturally the first thing I thought of was a Viking funeral but it was less romantic then that. People crowded the cottage porches and lined up on the sand, boats and kayaks circled in the vicinity.

We parked and sat back with our coffees to watch the boat (about a 15 foot fibre-glass boat with an outboard engine) slowly disintegrate. I was already kicking myself for not having my camera, when we heard the sirens in the distance.

It's a narrow road leading to a small parking area, at the end of which is a foot bridge to another small area. Into this comes 3 fire trucks, an emergency van, a large pick-up and an OPP SUV. Everyone got out and surveyed the situation.

The still burning boat was now slowly drifting to the east away from the beach. There was talk of taking a ride in one of the local boats and hooking a line on it and dragging it back into range. But, some thought they could reach it with the hose on the pumper. That was tried but wasn't overly effective. Then the other pumper pulled in closer and they refilled the first one with water.

By that time a Coast Guard  and an OPP boat appeared on the scene. We're up to about 15 men in uniform now. The Coast Guard pumped water on it and got the fire out. Then they dragged it in to the little bridge and the firemen with grappling hooks dragged it under the bridge and up on shore. Little kids in bathing suits and bare feet hovered around as did adults with cups and glasses in their hands. They were all gently admonished to clear the area a few times and finally did.

They dragged the hose over and doused the boat some more because it was still smouldering. Bolt cutters were sent for to cut the line from the fuel tank. I was surprised that it hadn't blown already.

At that point they were putting tape across the road since the scene would be turned over to the OPP for investigation. I said I wouldn't mind leaving so they lifted the hose up so I could drive under it and moved one of the trucks so I could get past.

 I collected Jackie who was checking the sand for beach glass and we continued home.

Never, ever leave home without it!

Now after all that I have to stick in a couple of photos.

Our gazebo

Looking up the road around the corner from us. Notice the tall hedges to the right. There are a lot of long narrow fields lined with them in the area.

 

 

FRIENDLY FACES IN THE GARDEN

THUR 21 JULY 2011 12:15pm  Woke up for the second time around 11am. Woke up for the first time at 4, got up and had breakfast at 5:30. Did some reading somewhere in there. That's been my day so far. Had to close the windows last night to keep out the skunk smell, we nearly died from heat. J left for her classes early. It's so humid I feel like the world is moving in slow motion. I can't even consider doing anything. Microwave oven wasn't working this morning. I think I'm going to push myself and make a pot of coffee.

2:34pm  Mission accomplished. A fine pot of coffee if I do say so myself. J got back from her lessons and now is off for a coffee with Jan our neighbour. I'm occupying the gazebo trying to get some writing done.  The humidity has lifted enough to be tolerable. Thank God for small mercies, as my mother used to say. The cat is in heat so I put her in her outside home, it's cool under the trees. Now everyone is safe and accounted for so I will concentrate on writing. Wish me luck.  

4:30pm Wow, I've been writing all this time. Flowed nicely, tales from my past which I hope to fictionalize to make a bit more exciting. But, getting the basic story down first is probably a good idea.

VISITORS TO THE PORCH

My sister Helen enjoying summer on the porch.

We're not exactly over-run with visitors out here in the wilds of Norfolk, but my sister braved the ride from Barrie and we had a good 2 days of catching up. Strolled the pier in Burwell, played numerous games of Crokinole,  ate at ME & Suzies, had a marathon Mr. Bean watching, but mostly sat and enjoyed the quiet. A good time all around.

Earlier, Father's Day, in fact, Matt & Vanessa and the kids came for the day, and Michael was here, so we were all together for the first time in a long while.  It was also Matt's birthday.  We put up the little white tent as a sitting area, with the sun shining, the bugs tolerable, cold beer and coolers, quite summery all around. The kids enjoyed walking the paths and seeing the sights. We kicked balls and batted birdies, rode tricycles and wooden horses. Old fashioned fun. Our neighbours, Celine & Ivo, dropped in for a beer and chat. One of the best days I've enjoyed in a long time.