Ralph Experiences a Fresh Water Cottage For The First Time

The five of us set out into the unknown with a canoe, two vans and lots of games, to spend the first week of July at a cottage on Berford Lake, just north of Wiarton, 10 minutes from the Bruce Peninsula Trails, 20 minutes from Sauble Beach and an hour and a half from Tobermoray. The Lake was shallow but rocky, pretty and weed free.





Dubbed "rustic dream" the cottage turned out pretty much as advertised. There were lots of windows, mould and bugs. The decor featured a coffee table made from an old Bob sled with a steering wheel from a Model T Ford. Our friend Gail Kelly joined us for a few days and spoiled us with her delicious treats. The weather was cold and rainy most of the week but a pleasant time was had by all.

Some highlights from the week were:

• getting lost in the mosquitoe and poison ivy infested woods
• pulverizing an ancient croquet set from the cottage
• Miranda, Amber and Ralph in a canoe taking on water
• Amber and Miranda paddling all around the lake and having a picnic lunch

watching swooping birds, dragon flies and hearing the magical sound of loons on the lake

learning two new games: sequence and pass the bomb

getting Ralph to play games inspite of himself and getting blitzed by Amber in Dutch Blitz

a trip to Tobermoray where we took a boat cruise in the Marine park and saw two shipwrecks under the glass bottomed boat and beautiful Flower Pot Island

a vigorous swim in big waves at Sauble Beach; Ralph found it quite different from the ocean

finally seeing Wiarton Willy in his special house in the middle of town

celebrating Canada Day at a fireworks display - NOT

watching old videos on a bug infested TV screen; killing them three at a time

seeing Indian and Inglis Falls and the Tom Thompson Art Gallery in Owen Sound

wonderful look outs over Georgian Bay, caves and lots of poison Ivy in the Bruce Trails

visiting Shirley and John Reaburn in their lovely new home on Georgian Bay

eating lovely meals outside, junk food, ketchup, Timmy's "Iced Cappuccino" and too many delicious home cut French Fries

Arthur waxing poetic on the "Niagara Escarpment

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