Winter 2022 in Kingsville, Onario

Well, that was quite the experience. We had about two days of continuous rain, snow and heavy winds. The waves were crashing about 30-40 feet high. The tree that you can see on the beach was half way down the hill before this storm hit. We needed to raise the temperature in the house as the wind felt like it was ripping right through and it was getting pretty cool in here. We awoke on the third day to calm mirror like water. It was truly amazing to see the contrast. Fascinating how the lake changes so many times during any day every day. I've loved being here to see all of this.   I am always the trip planner in our family so when Ray announced he wanted to go to Amherstburg I decided to put him in charge of the day. It was about time!!!! More than 50 years!!! He chose this lovely Italian restaurant for lunch. It was excellent, right on the Detroit River, right downtown. Actually downtown is really very small. Some parts of it reminded me of Old Quebec City, stone houses, narrow st...

  Finally I found some live lobsters. What a treat!!! I always try to buy females and although I was told these were females, they weren't but in the future..... I will be able to sex my lobster which is as you know a very important life skill!!!!  The next morning we had sushi for breakfast. Why now??? We occasionally enjoy time spent at a casino. There is a large one close by in Windsor and a tiny one, pictured above, in Chatham which is even closer. We had fun. Ray broke even and I donated which is my style. It is going to rain most of this week so we will probably return for a few slots and lunch.  It is totally amazing how the waters change hourly here on Lake Erie. All can be calm and then the wind picks up and the waves start rolling in. These metal barriers hold our land in place. Among the stones on the beach there are many pieces of sea glass. No doubloons yet but I'll keep looking. Right in front of our deck large boulders have been placed to again help cut bac...

  Colasanti's Tropical Nursery, what a treat!!! Tehya and I had come here last Saturday but I refused to get out the car as the parking lot was jammed full and there were people everywhere. Will we, I hope I'm not alone here, ever get over this, "No way am I going into THAT crowd!!!!" feeling? Ray and I returned on Tuesday to the above crowd. Great. This worked well. Again, this is not a little greenhouse with a few plants. This is like Disney world goes Tropical Nursery. There is gift shop packed with goodies. There is a petting zoo which is missing the animals right now. Probably seasonal. I managed to fill a buggy. Not sure how I'm going to get my new babies home as they will be sharing the car with Max. Gorgeous orchids. Mine at home are still in bloom. Did you know that an orchid will bloom for 6 months. I hope mine at home will hang on until I get there at the beginning of April. There is mini golf which we really want to play but it is only available on the...

  I always tell guests staying in our rentals not to feed the wildlife. After living here for a couple of weeks and not seeing any birds, we are living on a migratory path, I thought they needed some enticement to drop in. There was a new bird feeder inside of the house so we got seed, filled it up and put it out. Within the first 24 hours, we had no birds but slowly they started to arrive. We are now getting dozens a day with at least 12 different species. I was thrilled to see this cardinal and his mate as we aren't blessed with them at home on Deer Lake Road. I think by the end of March we will be getting hundreds of birds a day. I know when you start feeding you are not supposed to stop so I guess we will just have to stay living here!!! Many of the local barns have barn quilts. Gorgeous colours and designs. I'll try to get more pics of them but it is hard if I'm whisking along with some local pick up glued to my bumper, to suddenly stop. Everyone drives a pick up aroun...