July 20 2020 - Today's Exciting Activity

Do you think that going to the coffee shop and writing poetry is one of the 101 exciting things for kids ages 9-12 to do?   Do you think that making a map of your house or apartment is a fun thing for a 5-8 year old to do? When do we stop 'entertaining' and expect people to take care of their own enjoyment?  From the search results, perhaps it is age 20.  So what is something a 20 year-old might have on their bucket list?  Skydiving!  Yes - it is there.  Some of the others seem more like advice in how to grow up to be mature. There's a bucket list for kids to do before they're 12.  This was published in the Globe and Mail in 2012.  The list is HERE. It has things like climb a tree, roll down a really big hill, and so on.   One right at the end is try abseiling - the sport or activity of descending a rock face or other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point. I expect it is at the end in case the 12 year-old child doesn't survive, so everything else on the bucket list has been completed, This is a picture of the Toronto skyline from the Toronto Islands and is such an illustration of the height of the CN Tower. The CN Tower is very convenient for anyone wanting to know where they are.  We went across the highway north of Toronto on Saturday and the CN Tower stood out on the distant downtown horizon.  Here a cloud has snuck across the sky, obscuring part of it.

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There in the Heart of Niagara

We continue on the Heart theme for February.  Is there a 'heart' of Niagara, as in: 'located in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula?' The West Lincoln Chamber of Commerce considers itself 'In the heart of Niagara' and is known as the "Hub of the Niagara Peninsula'.  West Lincoln consists of 'a number of hamlets and provides quaint settings for residential and small business development. The hamlets are Abingdon, Allen’s Corners, Attercliffe, Basingstoke, Bismarck, Boyle, Caistor Centre, Caistorville, Elcho, Fulton, Grassie, Kimbo, Port Davidson, Rosedene, Silverdale, Smithville, St. Ann’s, Vaughan Station, Warner, Wellandport, Wilcox Corners and Winslow'. That seems like a sprawling group to be a 'heart'.  We could consider a number of other claims for the 'heart of Niagara': Legends Winery - on the lake in Beamsville Foran's Marine - on the lake in Grimsby Ball's Falls - in the 'heart of Niagara's Greenbelt' - in Vineland off Victoria, with an historic village Peninsula Lakes Gold Courses - in the 'heart of the Niagara escarpment' - Pen Lakes is known as the 'jewel of Niagara' St. Catharines considers itself in the heart of Niagara Numerous airbnb listings in the 'Heart of Niagara' This seems like a common expression, and yet there doesn't seem to be a heart of Ontario, or heart of Quebec, or a heart of Canada (there is - but it's a poem).  One of our national heroes is listed as: 'Terry Fox:  Running to the Heart of Canada.' Or what about 'Discovering the heart of Canada in Ottawa', a sort of 'thought of heart.' Heart of America is a strong brand name for many things - movie title, charities, a beverage company, medical centres, etc.  The Boy Scouts of America are listed under the Heart of America Council.  The American Red Cross is listed that way as well. There is even a Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.  And where is the heart of America located?  Kansas City has made this claim. So our images today - the first shows the view of Hamilton from the Legends Winery.  The second shows the view of Toronto from the Mike Weir Winery (which claims the best view of Toronto).

The wonder that is Toronto

Isn't the Toronto skyline wonderful!  And yes, this is taken from the Toronto Islands - on Ward Island.  I was lucky to be on a garden tour for the Garden Bloggers Fling participants.  The Toronto skyline image seems to be one picture and the garden in the foreground another one.  It was quite an amazing experience.  The haze in the air turned into a thunderstorm at the end of the tour, as we waited for the Ferry.