Dollars for Donuts

Wake Up on the Bright Side Something about donuts.  There are line ups at the Tim Hortons here for coffee and donuts.  So you can imagine the line up here in St. Catharines at Beechwood doughnuts.  Well, I can show you the line up and show you the donuts.  Fragrance fills the air around the donut shop, and people spill out the front door waiting to place their orders. Here's the website and Facebook page for this VEGAN Donut Shop. And if you are in the area they are located at 5 James Street.  However, if you are in the area, you likely already know about Beechwood and have checked it out.  St. Catharines has evolved since its settlement at the end of the 1700s when it started as a farming community with fertile soils and permanent streams (it was originally known as "The Twelve" after the major creek). The Welland Canal runs through St. Catharines so shipping and ship building have been a significant part of its history. Manufacturing became important in the 1900s with GM and other automotive companies moving in.  However, those days have finished and GM is closed. The historical buildings and vibrant downtown St. Catharines that I remember from my childhood fell into disrepair and poor redevelopment.  Recently, Brock University set sights on the downtown and built its large school of fine arts and performing arts in the old haircloth factory.  We went to the opening in the fall 2015.  Things are picking up and there are many restaurants for young people.  It seems there is a large vegan crowd at the university as there was a street vendor selling vegan hot dogs yesterday.

How Many Welland Canals?

How many Welland Canals are there?  These pictures show the Port Dalhousie entrance - part of the remains of the third Welland Canal which was built in the latter 1800's.  I am familiar with the fourth Welland Canal as we lived on Scott Street at the canal and it was part of our daily lives. As one drove down Scott Street, one could see the ships tied up waiting for their turn in the locks. The fourth canal was completed in 1933. So there was a first, second, third, fourth and feeder canal.  There are some remains, like this entrance, to these canals.   "A history of the Old Welland Canals would not be complete without addressing the current legacy of the First, Second and Third Welland Canals and the Feeder Canal. You may be wondering what happened to them and how much of them are left? The answer to these questions may surprise you. Although obsolete and no longer in use the majority of the canal infrastructure was left alone." To find out the answer, go to this site: http://oldwellandcanals.wikidot.com/history

Niagara Water is Green

Marilyn's Photo of the Day  Niagara's Winter Scenes

What the Lake Views are Like There's nothing like winter water and particularly Niagara water, full of those minerals so that it is very green.  Port Dalhousie recognized this and painted the walk way bridge a matching green.  This is the scene of our first picture.  From inside Pier 61, our favourite restaurant in Port Dalhousie that sits on the bank of the old Welland Canal entrance (I think). The water is Twelve Mile Creek flowing into the Lake. The second picture shows the bridge that crosses over the small, almost frozen falls.  This is the one road into Port Dalhousie, and there's one road out. Perhaps that is what makes it such a quaint little seaside town still.  We were lucky yesterday as there was a pair of swans that came through for a while.   Our third picture shows at all the people fishing on the other side of the water. We haven't seen this many people since before Christmas.  I wondered if there was a fishing contest or festival. Our final picture today is what I think of as the backside of Jordan Harbour Bridge. The frontside view is from the QEW.  It is such a scenic view with the massive Jordan Valley in the foreground. I haven't been able to get to the eastern side to take photos.  Houses line both sides and the roads in are private - all the way from the main north/south road.  I did find this empty lot with a for sale sign.  What a view this monster house will have as it joins its fellows on the east bank of the Jordan Valley.