it's that time of year

it's that time of year

a middle tennessee garden blog


finding beauty in the natural things around us makes for one happy self and a lovely life. ~marmee

dash home farm, leiper's fork, tennessee

Monday, July 5, 2010

beyond my boundaries

there is something amazing about staying on the water.
it is serene, beautiful, fulfilling, magical...so many things
rolled into one.


it makes me feel complete.
my family and i just got back from discovering beauty
in my hubby's home country...canada.


we stayed in the muskoka area on the lake he went to cottage
as a boy with his family....lake stewart.


the lighting is always different on the water with the reflection.


it gives off the most beautiful amber glow.


we have enjoyed many wonderful vacations
and family visits to canada and this was no exception.

this was a restful time to be together and do nothing or plenty.

so we took plenty of photographs.
did a lot of fishing.


many beautiful flowers were in bloom while we were there.

there was also lots of down time to just sit...relax...talk...observe nature.

plenty of time was spent in the water...


canoeing

watching sunrises...
more fishing...

observing the natural beauty and wildlife around us...
playing in the sand...

and watching sunsets.
we did our share of exploring local places.
here we were checking out one of the charming local towns...bala.
there are so many lovely old churches
and quaint places to shop.





keeping an eye on nature was one of our favourite past times.

we took buster along and since he is a chesapeake bay retriever
he felt right at home in the water.

this is just a peek into our weeks on vacation.

many days were spent at the cottage playing games, swimming,
telling stories, reading....well you get the idea.
we picked plenty of wildflowers too.

spent time around the firepit talking, roasting marshmellows
playing cards.
we did lots of jumping...well at least the kids did.

canada is a beautiful place to spend some much needed
down time with the family.


abbey made friends with this little guy at a garden in toronto.
all in all we had a lovely time away from the real world
in our own little paradise on the lake in the cottage.
i love being at home but if you have to go somewhere
canada is a beautiful place to spend some restful days with
your family.

i am glad to be home but am off again on wednesday for a week to
see the gardens in buffalo with meems.
happy july everyone.


9 comments:

Unknown said...

That sure is a beautiful collection of pictures.
Thank you for sharing them with us today,
I centrainly enjoyed them!
~Brooke
http://creativecountrymom.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/WebGarden/261885457648?ref=ts

Rose said...

All these scenes look idyllic, Marmee. Looks like you and your family had a wonderful time. As much as we like to be home, it's always good to get away for awhile and recharge our batteries. I didn't know, though, they had mermaids in Canada:)

Darla said...

beautiful scenery, precious mermaid...

Roses and Lilacs said...

What a lovely place. Love the lake photos.

The pictures of the shops look interesting. I always enjoy finding unusual little stores especially ones that have antiques, garden things or wonderful food:)
Marnie

ShySongbird said...

A wonderful collection of photos to remember your trip by, Marmee. It is clear you and the family had a great time. It really looks and sounds idyllic and the lake scenes have such a sense of tranquility.

I loved seeing your own little mermaid and beautiful Buster Brown :)

joey said...

Loving lake life, so enjoyed catching up with your memorable family vacation ... fun is the sand is an award winner! Happy remains of July :)

Q said...

Looks as if everyone in your family had a wonderful time. It is always good to have a break and enjoy the laughter of the day.
Hot and humid here, Canada is a grand place to visit in the summertime! Mermaids and wildflowers and dragonflies all so fun.
Blessings to you and your family.
Namaste,
Sherry

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos. Glad you had a wonderful time. I loved meeting you in person.~~Dee

Jan said...

You take the most beautiful photos, Marmee! Of course, it's a lovely place to begin with...but your skill with the camera really captures the essence and 'feeling' of each scene.
We were in Maine at my husband's family cottage, where we go almost every year. We both probably had similar weather...perfect for outdoor activities. Even cold, rainy days are nice on a lake...there's just something magical about the water, I agree. I feel complete on the water, as well. Thanks for such a sweet blog-I need to stop by more often for a 'fix' of 'serenity'.