Hear the Beat

It is a good week so far. I can feel a rhythm to life. We are moving in and out of our days with ease, a walk most afternoons, making lunch together, table time around the books, read aloud during nap time which happens to be when the sun hits the couch, lots of playing. Self chosen projects are on the go, old toys have come out, new games started, cooking happening in the kitchen. Day in, day out. A steady, enjoyable rhythm. Its good. It has been a long time- 6 months- where our days are scattered, rushed, unpredictable, unintentional and just crazy. I guess a move does that to you.

So, while not much exciting has been going on, it is kind of a new, welcomed, kind of week.

The Perks

Having the pond all to ourselves, hockey to play, routines to practice, trains to make. Some days, not sharing is nice.

Among Men

At the winter carnival, there were snowshoe races. Elias and Ben wanted to participate, but we had missed their age category. The coordinator invited them to join the 18+ age group, which to my total surprise they choose to do. So side by side other men, they raced the course. There was no pity given to them for their size or age. In fact, Elias was trampled at one point, completing the course in fourth place while carrying one snowshoe! Ben came in second place after being neck n' neck for awhile. It was quite the race.

Winter Carnival

We attended a really great and interesting winter carnival this weekend. There were all kinds of activities and not an overwhelming amount of people (small, small, village). There was a junkyard symphony Aria participated in, a 'wildlife caller' who came with all kinds of gadgets to call different kinds of animals (very cool), a karaoke, soap stone carving, log house building demos, clay sculpting, minnow (as in the fish) racing, chainsaw carving, llamas, free hot air balloon rides, skating and more! The kids loved the mini snowmobile rides. These were real gas powered snowmobiles, kids (even really really young kids) got a chance to drive them around a track. The volunteers had a tricky job of making sure the kids handled the vehicle properly and that they didn't get hit! My guys went twice!

Later on, Chris used the ATV to return the movie at the corner store. Starting to think we might be becoming 'country folk'.

Cranberry Festival

I was really very excited to find out that a small town near us has a Cranberry festival every year. The town is flocked by literally thousands of people (which I found out later!) to shop the craft booths, eat fries from chip trucks and tour Johnston's Cranberry Marsh. Had I know better, I would have just gone to the site of the Cranberry Bogs (I won't forget this for next year!) because the crowds, crafts and chip truck really weren't a draw for us-lol!

The Marsh is still run by the founding family and it is one of the only two cranberry marshes in Ontario. Cranberries are native only to North America and early settlers originally called them 'crane berry' because of the shape the flower takes.

The berries themselves are beautiful, the shades of deep reds in the autumn sun- stunning. Our tour first took us on a wagon through the marsh area where the berries grow. They explained how this perennial plant grows, the need to flood the marsh three times a year, the wildlife that visits there and the bears they keep out. It was interesting to learn cranberries don't grow in water. They are planted on a peat moss bog and it sits on top. It is then flooded for different reasons, at different times. At the end of the year the fields are filled with water so that the berries will float, allowing the raking machine to easily scoop them up without hurting the plants.

We then moved on to where the berries are processed. We watched the berries go through conveyor belts, where they were separated from any debris, graded and sorted into different bins for different purposes. They are then hand picked over and sorted again. Then they were packaged. We drank some cranberry cider, bought a twenty pound bag of berries with which we later cooked with and some we froze to string this Christmas.

It was a very interesting afternoon, its marked on the calendar for next fall.

Remembering

We got more snow today....and it is still snowing. It looks beautiful, and I am thankful to say I am not feeling the February blues, perhaps it was that beautiful sunshine that refreshed us, or the extra space. Regardless, the kids and I have been taking about plans for outside in nicer weather; tree house, garden, sculptures, chicken coop, chickens. We have also been talking about the outdoor spring/summer adventures we'll have. We loved the lake we stayed at, jumping off the dock, tubing with neighbours, digging in the sand, being in the sun all day.

Out of the Wood Work

The sunshine didn't just bring all the people outside, it brought out all the deer. The snow is currently crunchy and easy to walk on which helps them (and us) get around. Over the past few days we had a mama and baby come munch on our trees, two young deer sleep under our large pine, two large deer greet us at the mail box, and groups of 2-5 deer spotted in the woods on our hikes. Amazing.

Natural Wonders

Glass. Opaque Toffee. Ice Curtains. Popsicles. Delicate. Thick and strong. Beautiful. Scary. Caves. Gates. Another World. Swords. Wands. Real. Make believe. Smooth. Rough. Ridges. Waves. Glistening. Crystals.

Ragged Falls iced over

This is a trail friends took us on when we first visited, and we have been back many times, although this was the first time in the winter. Wow. I think I loved it more in the winter than the fall, which is crazy because I love the fall. It was a gorgeous day, that sun ( I just can't say it enough) was amazing. As soon as we got there the kids took off on their own trails, exploring the rocks covered in thick ice, sliding down ice covered hills, following tracks and tricking other hikers with their bird calls.

The actual falls still raged under the 3-5 foot thick ice which we could watch at different points. At other areas we were able to walk right across. The trees surrounded the falls were covered in frost and icicles. I am sure we will be heading back soon.

On the Pond

Sundays at the pond the town organizes some family activities. We have missed a lot of them because we haven't been around. The sunshine, crisp air and a free day just called for us to be on the pond. There was a game of casual hockey anyone could join, soccer balls to 'kick' around, hoops to roll and chase and parachutes with harnesses. The kids tried all of it, the parachutes being the favorite though. Shai loved the ride in the toboggan, being wiped around. Before we get some more snow this week we plan on visiting the pond again.