The Travels of the Agnew Family

Another storm front passed through Ontario on Wednesday the 24th. An F0 tornado touched down outside of Cambridge and Burlington lost a number of big beautiful old trees. When I was in Burlington on Thursday mom and I went for a walk along the beach front and saw a lot of the damage. I'm always amazed at the destruction a storm can do.

We haven't known Alyssa very long, in fact we have only met her a few times but we've know John since he as born. It seems like only yesterday that John was toddling around home. we're very happy that he has found someone as nice as Alyssa to spend his life with.


Alyssa opening one of her gifts.


John and Alyssa cuddling under the decorated umbrella.

It's been very dry in Walkerton this summer .... not in anyway nearing the drought Texas is feeling but still quite dry for us. Ed managed to avoid mowing the grass for six weeks. Finally on Saturday the 20th we got a good downpour, at least an inch and a half and on Sunday it rained a bit more. Unfortunately, about an hour south west of us a tornado hit with the rain and thunder storm. The quaint downtown of Goderich has been forever destroyed by a F3 tornado (strong for Ontario). On Monday the 22nd the opposition leader for the government died from cancer. Jack Layton was not someone I would vote for but he did make a huge mark on Canadian politics. The reason it really hit home was Jack Layton was six months younger than Ed.

On a happier note we went to visit our friends Anne and Victor. I helped Anne harvest her potatoes and came home with enough potatoes to last till we head south --- thanks Anne.


Anne's garden doing very well this year. She planted the sunflowers to help hide the storage containers --- think it worked.

We arrived home safe and sound after a pleasant 4 1/2 hour drive. On the drive we discussed things we want to do to the house. Next years big project will finish off the basement, a few more outside walls insulated, an interior wall rebuilt, a unnecessary bulk head removed and some new storage cupboards. The down side is my bedroom furniture is pushed back another year.

Enjoying another day with Colin and Margaret.


It's a shark!!!! no it's a Zaphod swimming....


I'm being told to throw another stone. Zaph enjoys swimming to the spot where stones hit the water. I don't understand the game but he does.


The "boys" hard at work installing the trolling motor. When they were done we started to get ready for our boat ride and it started to rain. Went back to the cottage to wait for the rain to stop.


McKenna trudging up the hill with her "brella"


Rain sort of stopped so we got our boat ride after all. The cottage as seen from the water. Margaret is working hard chinking and staining.


Captain Colin.




Zaph enjoyed his ride though I think he would have preferred to be swimming.

Colin, Margaret, Ed and myself decided to take the Five Rapids Cruise and Hike. The cruise portion was done on this pontoon boat.


Some people used other transportation to get to the rapids.


One set of the rapids.








Colin, Margaret and myself checking out some of the rapids.




The above two pictures were taken at the same spot with different shutter speeds.

This morning we said good-bye to Michigan and headed north to Sault Ste Marie and Ontario.


John and Carol's home.


Ed was right at home in John & Carol's quest room.


John restored this old farm wagon. An old sled and other farm implements adorn their yard.


A seven hour drive took us to Monetville and the log home of our friends Colin and Margaret. Their daughter, son-in-law, two daughters and two dogs were also visiting. Bailey was showing Zaph the best swimming spots.


McKenna was having fun combing her mother's hair and Ed, believe it or not, was holding Kinley.

Gaylord, just south of Wolverine, has a herd of Elk in a compound opposite the Elk's Lodge.There is a herd of approximately 70 elk that started from three elk 14 years ago.


Ed forgot that he had put the camera in manual when he was taking the hummingbird photos so not the best elk pictures.


Ate pasties in the park looking out at Lake Huron or maybe the Staits of Mackinac.


The Mackinac Bridge is currently the third longest suspension bridge in the world at a length of 8,921 feet.


Kaity and her stick


Zaph chasing a stone. He has now been swimming in all of the great lakes.


A view of the bridge from the Lake Michigan side.


McGulpin Point Lighthouse


It was a little crowded on Carol's side of the truck.

Rainy day today so our plans of visiting the beach were traded for a quiet morning than a visit to the shops in Petoskey. Petosky has great views of Lake Michigan and nice boutiques. Went into one store that sold flavored oil and balsamic vinegars .... want some blueberry vinegar? Ended up leaving with Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar. Hope they taste as good at home as they did in the store.


Buddies --- as usual Zaph has captured all the balls and Kaity would like one.


One of the marinas in Petosky




John and Carol have a couple of hummingbird feeders by one of their living room windows. At one point we saw 7 hummingbirds at the feeders.

Yesterday Ed, Zaph and I piled into the car and headed south and a little bit west then north a little more than we had driven south. Would have been a lot shorter if Lake Huron wasn't in the way. You never know what questions you'll get when you cross the border and today was a perfect example.

Border guard: Where are you going?
Ed: Wolverine, Michigan
Border guard: How do you know someone in Wolverine?
Ed: Texas
Frances: Winter Texans
Border guard: oh....

Wolverine is just off I75 about 36 miles south of the Macinack bridge. If you drive east you will run into Lake Huron, if you drive west you'll run into Lake Michigan if you drive north you run into the Straits of Mackinac join Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. Today we toured west. Harbor Springs has a lot of expensive beautiful old cottages and lots of boutique stores.


St. Ignatius Church in Middle Village. The church was built in 1889


A real fixer upper.



The Legs Inn in Cross Village. The roof edge is lined with stove legs.

The inside is filled with many types of art


The restaurant is known for it's superb Polish food. We had the "lunch platter" which included three types of pirogies (best I've ever eaten), a cabbage roll and some Hunter Stew. If you ever find yourself near Cross Village stop and have a meal at the Legs Inn.


The Legs Inn is also know for it's gardens and view of Lake Michigan.


Just down the road from the Inn is this stone church.

After having a lot of success with the smoker, Ed decided it was time to try a brisket. The local meat market provided us with a nice looking six pound brisket. After marinating all night, the brisket was put on the smoker at 8:30 am by a grumpy Ed ... no coffee yet. Blending a couple of recipes we ended up with a very pretty and very tasty brisket.

Six pounds of meat required more than two eaters so we invited friends Rob, Ellen, Anne and Victor. After seeing Ed in his cowboy hat Rob went home and got his .... doesn't have a lot of chances to wear it. We shared out hats with Anne, Victor and Ellen.


The brisket .... mighty tasty.

Walking with Maggie is always fun especially when you are near a river. Zaph loves the water but Maggie loves it even more. Zaph will come out of the water and walk on the trail with us but Maggie likes to follow her own water trail.


Maggie found this large wrap around stick in the water. She brought it ashore.


and ran around showing it off.

Sue didn't have much luck with the stick. One throw got the stick stuck in a tree --- Maggie managed to get it out. Another throw got the stick stuck in a tree hanging over the water. Maggie couldn't reach it so I lassoed it out using Zaph's leash. After Sue promised not to throw the stick into any more trees she managed to get it into one more tree. This time Maggie standing on her tippy toes managed to get it out. After all the stick rescuing we decided Maggie could take her stick home.

After my mom and brother headed home, Ed, Zaph and I wandered over the the neighbors with a bottle of Blackberry Merlot. Rob and Ellen had returned from a friends cottage and were happy to sit and unwind after the long drive and we were happy to sit and unwind after three sets of company.


My boys waiting for the smoker to heat.