A Weekend at Portage Lake

We came to the

camp on Saturday and have spent the weekend. It is wonderful to be back to a very special place. Fearing the black fly plague, we have been pleasantly surprised that the wind and a fire in the fireplace have kept them away. Bugs have not been a problem.

Yesterday Ralph and Sharon came up to spend the day with us. We had a great time visiting, eating lunch, and enjoying the outdoors together. We have a couple of pictures of their visit.

Gary has been busy doing chores around the rock wall, raking the beach to get rid of the shells and broken glass, and generally tidying the place.

Louise has been on a knitting frenzy. In this one weekend she has completed a sweater, a pair

of men's socks, a baby bonnet,

and a pair of mittens. She has other projects underway and is pleased with all her progress.

We share some pictures of the camp, hoping they bring the sense of peace and beauty that the real place

brings to all who come here.

Weekend in Portland

The Coles took the weekend off and went south. We visited with Jon and Erin and had a full two days of adventures. Friday night we ate out at Becky's Diner right down by the fishing boats. Saturday we started the day at the Farmer's Market in Portland. What a treat to see so many plants and seedlings. We found

some plants to make hanging pots, the supertunias. Jon also found one of the everblooming lilacs for us to take home. We sat out in the sun and did some shopping on Saturday. We celebrated an early birthday for Louise. The pictures clearly show

what was on the menu! We completed the evening by going out for ice cream, even if it was cold enough to need fleece jackets. It was a wonderful weekend with visiting, laughter, good food, and a great time.

Busy Days in May

The time is flying this month as we engage in lots of activity. For the past two weeks Matthew and Mark have been tearing out our bathroom and replacing it. We can't show you the transformation yet, but we have a sneak peek at the floor. The tile work they have done is amazing. There is lots more to do, but it is a work of art.

We also have a photo of the tulips and bleeding heart. Despite the cold weather, the flowers are blooming heavily. We transplanted tomato plants again today, hoping that soon we can set them outside.

The Growing Season Begins

As we approach the month of May the pace of life grows faster as the dormant winter has ended and new growth begins. This week we have done some gardening. Looking back at last year and the tomato plants that were climbing up the windows, this years production seems pretty tame. We do not intend to get so carried away with gardening this summer, so our projects are more modest. As we surveyed the progress of spring around us, we have photographed a daffodil, a red tulip, the bleeding heart, and buds on the lilac bush. We also have a photo of Portage Lake

without any ice. We have our tomato plants, small but healthy. We have planted cool weather crops in one of the raised beds, and we have a whole bed of lettuce plants enjoying the cool weather. What salads we will

have, despite the snow that fell a couple of days ago. A new season of flowers and gardens is upon us.

Back to the Beach

We have been to Portland a couple of times in the past two weeks, and this last time we drove to Old Orchard to visit the beach. We will always associate this beach with a trip we took many years ago with five children and a babysitter. The story of Jon getting lost is part of our family history. It was a peaceful day at the beach as a few people were ready for summer as they walked along the beach and one brave soul was even trying to get a tan.

Gary spent the weekend with Ryan while Louise went away (to Portland, of course) on a knitting trip. Here you can see a great degree of concentration as Ryan builds his cabins.

Old Sturbridge Village

We have returned home from a lovely weekend and want to share some pictures of a trip we took yesterday. We went to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. It was such a warm and sunny day. The new lambs were seen in the barns, and early spring work was beginning on this village. Here we have a picture of Gary, Louise, and Bob standing beside a stone wall, a picture of two of the lambs, and a couple of scenic views of the village.

Weekend Adventure

The Coles have gone south for the weekend. We spent Friday visiting with Jon and Erin in Portland. Here we have a picture of us posing at the Portland Head Light. We had a lovely time visiting. On Saturday we went to Massachusetts to visit Bob and Gina. We share a great picture of Bob and Gina in front of their home. The weather was so glorious it was in the 80s. The forsythia was in bloom and the lawns were green. We spent Sunday with Gina's family having an amazing Easter dinner with very warm and welcoming people. This was spring at its best and a great adventure.