We haven't been sitting around waiting. (Part One)

Just because we have been waiting to hear from the powers that be in NZ, does not mean we have been sitting around on our hands.  Although the time has frequently dragged, there are still many things to do and places to go. Events in the parish have kept me occupied and Mike and I have been sampling some of the entertainment that Ontario offers.

Doing my parish rounds, I get to go to interesting and exotic places.  Newbury is home to one of the hospitals, Four Counties General, where I sometimses visit parishioners. As you can see, it is "In the Heart of Skunks' Misery".  The area of Skunks’ Misery is "of the most significant remnant forests in the Carolinian Life Zone and is noted for its diversity of upland and wetland plant communities (some globally rare), as well as its animal and plant inhabitants."  For a quick read of its history, and supposed source(s) of its name, I recommend you read the brief article found at www.ttlt.ca/skunksmisery/SkunksMisery-Volume-One.pdf.pdf
On my way to the Church of the Redeemer, Highgate.  I take the road through Moraviantown, a First Nations reservation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_47,_Ontario.   Due to the high 'sin tax' on cigarettes, some members of the First Nations have begun to sell cigarettes from the protection of the reservation.  I particularly like the ingenuity of Honest Ed  in accepting the other well-recognized, if not legislatedly legal, tender of Canada.

During March we took the opportunity of a deal offered through the King Edward Hotel in Toronto for a two night 'getaway'.  It was super--included with the price were two tickets to see the King Tut display at the Art Gallery of Ontario.  We took the opportunity of going to see the musical 'Jersey Boys' as well.  It was a great evening there, and the weather was unnexpected balmy--high 'teens and low twenties for the week.  We wandered around Toronto without jacket or sweaters, what a treat for March. 

We stopped first to see Yvan and his housemates, including 'Kali" who thankfully has her own Terrarium.

The weather was so fine, we got off the bus early and walked to the Gallery, finding all sorts of interesting things as we ambled.  We found a pavement labyrinth beside the playground.

The Back of the AGO

The Sharp Centre for Design (The Ontario College of Art and Design)

After lunch and a browse through China town, we went back to the hotel for a nap, watched a film crew working there, then went out for dinner with Benny Boo who had been one of our two exchange students from Belgium several years ago. 

The next morning we had lunch with a long-time friend, (who was still jet lagged from returning the day before from a business trip to Japan) and returned to reality in Petrolia.

The following week the weather, although cooler, was still very Spring-like, so Mike took the opportunity to dig up the parsnips he had planted the previous season.  Although there were a lot of them we shared them with family and friends, and they certainly did not hang about long.-- We had parsnips baked, boiled with carrots then mashed, in curries and in stews.