Five days ago we were experiencing record heat with humidity and temperatures that were in the normal range for mid-July. Canadians do spend a lot of time discussing weather. While there are places a lot hotter and other places a lot colder, we experience remarkable fluctuations and varieties of weather conditions, often within a short period of time. Today was a day for winter coats as a strong north west wind blew off Lake Huron creating big grey, rainless clouds and plenty of chill. Sand Land brother in Dubai says he misses seeing clouds so the first picture is for him.
We went to the farmer's market in the afternoon and it really felt like a fall market today. Sam and his younger brother Jesse came along with their little dog, Max. The market is plenty big enough to get lost in and in the first five minutes we lost their dad. So we waited while others searched for him. (I always had a rule for our children that if they got separated from us, they were to stay in one spot.)
This was the Old Order Mennonite section of the market. A little girl was helping her family sell apple cider. I bought two pie pumpkins here and a young boy needed a little help counting my change. He thanked me shyly for my assistance.
This young man had decided that using his head was the best way to get the big planter of fall flowers to the parking lot. You have to walk a long way to your car here, and it is especially noticeable if you are carrying a large bag of apples and a couple of bags of other purchases.
This rooster had flown the coop and was hiding behind a shed while pecking in the dirt. I am glad I didn't have to catch him. I haven't seen a rooster since I was last in Mexico. We keep our poultry well hidden away in factory farms here. He was quite magnificent.The air conditioner is now off and the furnace is on. And the wind whispers that snow is coming soon.
My pet rooster looked just like this guy! His name was Fatso, and I saved him from becoming our Sunday dinner.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet that cider was soooo good that they were selling. What a very neat marketplace.
ReplyDeleteWinter is a coming to Canada! The sky says it all:)
ReplyDeleteCome back & see our menagerie - when I take our fruit and vegetable scraps. At present count - 3 roosters, 6 hens, 6 geese, 15 ducks, 2 male turkeys, 3 female turkeys all chasing me for food. Ducks like fruit - geese like vegetables.
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Africakid- The rooster is too beautiful to eat for sure. I am sure Fatso earned his keep somehow.
ReplyDeleteJayne- Apple cider is so good, but it needed to be served hot to warm our fingers.
Jean- Those skies are so telling for sure!
Mom- Does Philip ever eat his birds? Sounds like the crowd is bigger than when I was there.
Hi Ruth,
ReplyDeleteDoes the market end for winter, or just go indoors somewhere?
That was a pretty rooster. When I was a little girl we had banties and I had a pet rooster that kind of looked like that also.
I like winter, and also enjoyed visiting Canada a few times.-Although, I don't think that some of the Quebec citizens liked the fact that I couldn't speak much French-when I visited Quebec.
ReplyDeleteRuthie- The market goes on twice a week year round. A few hardy vendors stay outdoors and sell produce from trailers. There are two large buildings that house many vendors who sell meat, cheese, breads and sweets, fish, crafts, and many more things. And the food court is always busy.
ReplyDeleteLarry- Quebec is closer to you than Ontario. Yes, the French are passionate about their language. My daughter is going to a convention in Quebec City next week and is brushing up on her French phrases.
That area is well known for markets. I vaguely remember being at a big indoor one many years ago when I was still a student at U of G.
ReplyDeleteAC- From your Flickr comment, I take it you were here around 1969. That is the year I moved to Kitchener from Toronto. This market has really grown in recent years. The downtown Kitchener market was in its heyday then, but has declined sadly compared to the Waterloo markets.
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