You are here: Home / Archives for Wellington County / Adventures

Elbows Up

by Leave a Comment

 

Canada is a country in North America, my country and never have I been prouder to be Canadian.  We live in the best country in the world.  Its border with the United States is the world’s longest international land border.  Sadly we are in a place were the relations are not as neighborly as they once were with our southern border.

I took this photo of a recent visit whilst in Vancouver, British Columbia several years ago.  My family and I bicycled around Stanley Park on Canada Day.  It was one of the most fabulous routes I have ever taken.  I love renting bikes when travelling with the kids and biking around to explore new places.

Since it was Canada Day, I brought Canadian flags with me that day and for fun attached them to the bike.  I witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets which is forever etched in my memory.  I can only imagine how festive this year will be in many parts of the country.

I am so thrilled to see so many Canadian flags flying in my neighborhood in Wellington County.

I am sure by now you may have heard the term, “Elbows up”, it is a Canadian phrase primarily used as a rallying cry and a way to express national pride, particularly in opposition to perceived threats or insults.  It originated from ice hockey, when legendary player Gordie Howe, known for his aggressive play and use of elbows coined the term.

“I believe the world needs more Canada.” – Bono

 

Talk Soon,

 

Nancy

 

 

 

 

ELORA MILL ADVENTURES

by Leave a Comment

Wellington County is such a wonderful place to live, work & play.  My Daughter’s friend was visiting us this past weekend from out of town.  We wanted to make her feel special so what better way than to take her for a meal at the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa.  It was her birthday and we went for a breakfast at the fabulous Elora Mill, they presented her with the yummiest fancy breakfast pancake.

The Elora Mill is a historic mill turned luxury hotel and dining destination located in Elora, Ontario, Canada. Originally built in the 1830s, the mill has been beautifully restored and transformed into a boutique hotel, featuring upscale accommodations, fine dining, and event spaces.

The hotel offers stunning views of the Elora Gorge and the Grand River, providing guests with a picturesque setting for their stay. The dining experience at Elora Mill is known for its culinary excellence, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and innovative dishes.

We were so lucky to have a little tour of the Penstock Lounge wine cellar area.  There is this amazing little private wine cellar which we found taking the winding staircase downstairs to this magical private event space, the windows like the other areas of the dining room had the amazing views of the Grand River which were simply breathtaking.

In addition to its hotel and dining offerings, Elora Mill Elora Mill Hotel & Spa – Anything but Ordinary also hosts weddings, conferences, and other special events, taking advantage of its charming ambiance and scenic surroundings. Overall, it’s a popular destination for travelers seeking a unique and luxurious experience in Ontario’s countryside.

Driving home from our little adventure in the beautiful downtown Elora, my Daughter’s friend Kaileigh said to us, “I feel like I am on vacation.”  I told her, “it’s amazing what a couple of days away does for the soul!”  So if you are looking for a little vacation you don’t always have to go far, sometimes all you need to do is enjoy “Adventures in your backyard!”

Tall soon ~

Nancy

Is the Wellington County Museum Haunted?

by Leave a Comment

It is the eve of Halloween evening.  I sit here and reflect of all things that are spooky and go bump in the night as this time of year with all of the ghosts and goblins blowing in the wind.

My mind is wondering if there are really ghosts?  I think there is, and have encountered those shadow figures in my past walks in different locations.  If you have seen them, you too may know what I mean.

I have always believed the stories about the Wellington County Museum and Archives being haunted.  

This memory has been with me from a young age driving along the highway between Elora and Fergus and people saying, “that building is haunted you know!”

 

The building which is now the Wellington County Museum has not always been a museum.  It was a House of Industry and Refuge for persons who didn’t have anywhere else to go and had little monies or may have been abandoned.  

The grounds of the museum are home to a cemetery of many of the past people who lived there at one time.  It was referred to as the, “Poor House” of industry and refuge.

If you have never visited before I highly recommend you check out the display of the many photos, and stories on a permanent display.  They pay tribute to the many who did not have a place to live who may have been abandoned due to not having any other place to go, often the poor and neediest of the population.

The Museum often has ghost walks, tours and even had the Wellington County Paranormal Society.  Yes we have a group in Wellington County who investigate paranormal activity.   

They say yes it is true there is indeed some activity which has taken place at this and other locations in Wellington County.  Check out their link for information about their visit, https://wcpi.ca/

Talk soon ~

 

Happy Halloween, Nancy 

 

 

5 Things to do in Wellington County

by Leave a Comment

WHAT GOING ON IN WELLINGTON COUNTY THIS WEEKEND?

 

 

 

 

 

5 Tips for Your Toronto CN TOWER VISIT

by Leave a Comment

 

  • Make sure you charge your phone, and check that it is working well before your visit.  You can capture the most amazing photos of the City, or take a selfie with the Toronto skyline.   Take tons of photos if you can, (my phone which was having technical issues at the time, sighh).  
  • Take a backpack with some water and snacks.  Or if you are like me and didn’t bring any snacks and beverages with you, check out the new Bistro with food and drinks.  We had a chance to sit down at the new bistro and watch the world go around, it was fun.  Last time we were there, we dined (burgers) at the 360 restaurant experience, it was great and not too expensive.
  • Buy an Express Pass for the Elevator – It will cost you $7.00 per person, but it was well worth it.  Our wait times went from 1.5hr to 30 minutes.  I really liked this option, we thought it was great value.
  • Go as early as you can, (they suggest before noon is the less busiest time of the day).  
  • Have FUN, walk across the glass bottom floor if you dare! My kids ran across, I was a little nervous and did not.  Walk all around the observation decks, both indoors and outdoors.  Wear comfortable shoes!

 

Here is the link to purchase tickets and to check out more information about the CN TOWER, https://www.cntower.ca/en-ca/plan-your-visit/tickets.html  Maybe take the new Edgewalk?

 

Talk soon ~

 

Nancy

 cn6toronto

cn1CN

A Birds Eye View of Toronto

by Leave a Comment

Toronto a City of almost 3 million people, just 1 hour West of Wellington County is a great City to go day tripping.  We finally had the opportunity to take the amazing hop on hop off City SightSeeing Toronto bus tour the other day with a friend and our kids. 

My 12-year-old daughters dream of riding a double-decker bus had finally come true!  We hopped on the last ride of the day at the habourfront pick up point at 249 Queens Quay West.

toronto3

What a view, if you have never had the opportunity to go on an open air double-decker bus it is highly suggested from my daughter Meaghan!  Our travel friend Dawn always takes the bus tours when traveling, and knew the City of Toronto well.  It is always great to go with someone who can add their favorite comments about your travels.

The bus departed and we were off!  The tour of the City, took us about 2.5 – 3 hours (normally a 2 hour tour), to take the whole tour and it was well worth the ticket price. 

It also includes access for 48 hours and a boat tour.  The boat tour is so amazing, we set sail from the Toronto Harbourfront around the Toronto Islands.  The photos we took from the boat tour on the Serendipity Princess Cruise added to our wonderful memories of our day in the City!

boatcruise

Having taken the tour, which included a commentary it allowed us to walk away with much more knowledge of this amazing City.  Here are my 5 things I learned on the tour.

toronto2

 

  • Toronto has 140 ethnic neighbourhoods in the City.
  • The St. Lawrence Market has been a culinary focal point since, 1803.
  • The Distillery district has no car access, looks like its own little Village.
  • John Graves Simcoe moved the capital of Upper Canada to Toronto, which he named York, not wanting an aboriginal name.
  • The R.O.M. Royal Ontario Museum, only has 5% of their collection on display, with the other 95% at a secret underground location.

toronto1

 

We got to see sights and sounds you wouldn’t normally be able to see driving on your own.  Such as when the bus stopped we all watched a band play in front of the Eaton’s Center. 

It was an amazing way to just sit back and relax and not worry about the crazy rush hour traffic.  It was a beautiful warm sunny day, however there was a lovely breeze to keep us cool as we drove along the scenic streets.

We got to see all of the major sites in the City which included a little history about each of the sites.  I loved all of the architecture and the different ethnic communities we traveled.  Here is the link to the tour, https://citysightseeingtoronto.com/

Talk soon ~

 

Nancy

toronto

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Adventures In My BackYard

by Leave a Comment

falls

Grand River

With the official kickoff of Summer happening tomorrow June 21st, many of us are busy planning our summer vacations.  What plans do you have this summer?  It is such a short season, and we have had alot of rain and not as warm as usual.

Some of us will be jumping on a plane and travelling to far away distant lands.  For others like myself, we will be staying around locally and discovering the many hidden “adventures in my backyard”.

Sometimes you don’t have to travel far to feel like you are in a far away land.  Often times just travelling around the neighbourhood can feel like a new escape.  It is all a mindset, or perhaps taking a different road on your daily commute.  We are so lucky to have so many beautiful places in this little part of the World.

Elora, Fergus, Elmira, St. Jacobs and Guelph are just a few of the great little Towns and Villages to go exploring this summer.  Pack a picnic, test out the local cuisine, farmers markets, jump in the local Lakes, or take in an event there are hundreds and watch the world go by.

Here are some great links to place in the area to discover, https://www.wellington.ca/en/business/EDVisitWellington.aspx.  Follow us this summer as we go exploring discovering new places and people this season!

Talk soon,

Nancy

Summer Trail Adventures

ADVENTURE AWAITS

5 Reason’s We Need Little Breaks

by Leave a Comment

ADVENTURE AWAITS

Lets face it, this life can get really busy at times.  Being a Mom to young children can get really crazy at times, busing the kids around to their various activities, packing the lunches, bathing them, washing the clothes, making the meals, shopping.  Oh my, I didn’t realize how glamorous all of the motherhood duties sounded until I wrote them down. 

I don’t know if you are like me?  Sometimes I have to admit, I am not always excited about making their lunches day in day out, or sitting in a cold arena watching my son’s hockey game, as I hear other parents screaming at their kids to do better. 

I have to admit I like to daydream of far away places at times, and think of perhaps the last time I treated myself to vacation or a girls night away.  OK maybe I do indulge in a few girls night’s away.  I must say I am rather lucky to have a wonderful support system for my kiddies.  I know lots of women with or without children, who could certainly use a much-needed break from the everyday demands of living in this fast paced world.

Don’t get me wrong, I am in love with my 2 little people, and I LOVE THEM TO THE MOON AND BACK!  But being an older Mom, I truly appreciate “little breaks” and some time off from my duties to recharge and relax a bit.

Here are 5 reasons we all need a little bit of a BREAK.

1. Recharge your Batteries

2. Perspective

3. Gratitude

4. Take Care of Yourself

5. Have Fun

 

These are my top 5 reasons why a little break from the ordinary is needed.  What are your 5 tips for taking a break from reality, I would love to hear your tips.  Stay tuned I am in the process of creating some cool excursions to help busy people like yourself take a little break, and have a little FUN!

NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST

 

Talk soon ~

 

Nancy

Adventures In My Backyard

by Leave a Comment

adventuresbkyd

Why do I sometimes think I should travel far & wide to discover more about myself?  With the end of the school year upon us and the kids beginning their summer holidays, I pondered this thought.  I was brought back to reality when after the kids were safely on the bus, I stepped out onto my backyard which has a forest like feel & look to it.  It is in on the outskirts of the City limits and we are moving shortly to a new home.

I know already how much I am going to miss this fabulous backyard, but thinking of the new place, it does have a pond close by and I have always wanted to live close to the water.  I am getting closer I guess, although it is an irrigation pond and it located by the kids playground area.  I did discover one of my favorite birds flying overhead as I was walking around the pond.  It was the Blue Heron(s) who were flying back and forth and may live in the vicinity. 

Summer officially began yesterday, (June 21, 2018) and with that came the longest night of the year.  My mother was eager to inform us,  that yesterday had 15 hours and 36 minutes of daylight.  She then said, “After today the days are going to get shorter”.  OH no, not shorter days already, we just had winter with blowing snow and cold.  OK back to today, it was a gorgeous summer day and night!

I sat on the sidelines of the CW Sportsplex along with my parents cheering my 11-year-old daughter, who truth be told needs a few soccer tips.  I was a proud Mom, as this is the first sports team she has ever wanted to join.  She is building her confidence and is blending into the group nicely. I am becoming a sports Mom cheering her on the sidelines. She is getting a little older now and when we arrived she immediately got out of the Jeep and went over to her team, not even a see you later.  It seemed as if she didn’t want us to even be there, but we had to say a few cheers when she kicked the ball.  We tried to respect her coolness factor and not make a spectacle out of her or us. 

Her grandfather and I chuckled and I understood how she must have felt, I was that preteen girl not long ago.  Ok maybe it was quite a long time OK, but who is counting?  That one who when I got dropped off at high school dreaded the thought of my father and brother blowing the horn and yelling out the window “Bye, Have a Good Day at School Nancy!” 

AHHH….summer so darn short and sweet, the sky looked like a photo from a postcard by the end of the night.  The thought of wanting to travel to far away lands disappeared because when I looked around I realized I had everything I needed, right in my own backyard!

Amazing what a little perspective can do, and sometimes it can be a little more economical than booking an airline ticket.  Although they just introduced a new economical airline flying in Canada this June.  That’s another story.

Talk soon ~

Nancy

JUST GIVE IT ALL YOU HAVE!

by Leave a Comment

2ae2c3c95b757beb435d32695a9c72c2bullseye

Sometimes in life your kind of cruising along, then you hear something that just sticks with you.  You know that light bulb kind of Eureka moment?  

I was out with an old friend last night, which I had not seen in a while.  You know the one who shares the ups and downs on this road called life!  We went to the https://medieval.academy/ in Guelph, as I had heard how much fun it was to throw AXES and KNIVES around.

I must admit I was feeling a little nervous after we had signed the waivers; especially when they reviewed things like,  “Don’t swing it this way, because if you do……”.  Well I will not go in to details, but you can imagine?  We had these metal pointy things in our reach, I took the smallest one in my hand,  I was a little shaky.   I could smell the newly greased edges on the blades and watched them glisten in the light with marks left from past patrons. 

I glanced at my friends face and her eyes where lit up and she squealed with delight, “I really like this!”  She had just thrown this huge metal object at the bulls-eye marker, and she had struck it right in the middle of the marker.  I think she found a new favorite sport, or as they say properly “Activity”.

What happened for me last night, was a light bulb moment of sorts.  I looked at her as she swung the axe and asked her,  “How do you do that?”  She said, “JUST GIVE IT ALL YOU HAVE!”  MMM… isn’t that just so true.   I took the big axe in my hand as she suggested big is better and I swung it like it was the last thing to do before I took my final breath.  You know what? That bloody thing hit the mark. 

Just like that, I was in the moment AXE in hand and just, “GAVE IT MY ALL”; man what a freeing feeling!   At that moment nothing else seemed to matter.  You know those things like laundry, work, aging parents, kids, and the everyday aches and pains of life. 

Who knew throwing these weapons could be so bloody freeing.  I joked with her, “this is better than therapy?”  We both laughed and nodded at each other.  It was the kind of nod only shared with an old/new kind of bonding experience of hanging out on a Saturday night without any expectations.

We knew then, (or maybe it was just me who finally figured it out), that this life stuff is better when you share,  not only your tears but also those cool vibes with your tribe.

Sometimes it isn’t those big things in life, but rather those quiet times, that just kind of make you smile, and you know in your heart, “THANKS, I get it now!”

PS. Thanks Kim, for braiding my hair at my grade 8 graduation, and being that sister I never had xxx.

Talk Soon ~

Nancy