Just arrived back from Quebec, last evening, having been visiting Sharon, Alex’s sister and Ken Schmucker and their family. It was very enjoyable and 
of course the weather cooperated to showcase the beauty of the countryside.
I tried out the MegaBus, that offers inexpensive travel from downtown Toronto to downtown Montreal . It was squishy but adequate and all went as planned.
Ken and Sharon’s second house is nestled north and west of their present farm location across from a lake and among trees, trees trees.
The tiny villages with the church spires are more picturesque than I can describe. Always, with such tidy houses, and as we went on a tour of garage sales, it was a chance to get close to their very very neat homes, some sitting right on the edge of the pavement. Sharon speaks French so that was just as well. I started to recall some of the phrases my sister in law Pauline taught me when I lived in Quebec. I was looking for a book to read on the my return trip, but had no success finding one in English. I am so proud of Sharon, who didn’t even study French in high school, now reads French books, and has no problem with it. It was an enjoyable day wandering through tiny villages, and colorful countryside.
We then drove to Rawdon, to see the falls there. What a treat to see it again after so many years. It is pristine and a pleasure to hike around the area.
Sharon’s family was coming for a thanksgiving feast the next day. We walked down to the lake across from their house, where they keep a kayak and a canoe, which Sharon uses frequently. She wondered if I wanted to go out. I declined, I haven’t picked up the Morrison family’s absolute comfort around water.
She would have jumped into the canoe or kayak without hesitation.
The whole weekend, the Canada geese had a convention on this little lake. I kept my little “french” window open the whole night and I tell you the cacophony and racket they would make at times just caused me to wonder WHAT ARE THEY DOING? Do any of you have an idea? I saw the same thing in Edmonton on a lake where Alex and I used to walk. A group of them would take off and and then land again, and then the loud honking conversation. My theory, I think it is a training time for the young that were just hatched early this spring. What else could drive them to such loud arguing but a bunch of teenagers that won’t take instructions on how to fly in formation, and say,”I am not flying that far away” Something like that, I know the animal world communicates.
Sharon and Ken’s sons and their partners, a delightful bunch, all came for Monday and got right into leaf raking.
Brian and Joele’s boys, Alex and Ben and Uncle Dan.
Brian, was tied up with getting his combine going, so sadly missed the turkey feast.
Thanks Ken and Sharon for a wonderful weekend.
Kathryn Morrison 