Vacation

Sun and shadow shroud the cliffs of the Grand Canyon as a

   Condor soars on air currents high above the Colorado River.

The San Francisco peaks are on the horizon but you cannot

   hear clanging cable cars, 

      see the Golden Gate Bridge or

         feel the ghosts of Alcatraz in the same-named city.

Pacific waters ripple over my feet in British Columbia, Ventura,
   and remote Mexican beaches with pelicans.

Cold Atlantic waves chill me in Newfoundland, Fundy, Rhode Island, 
   and New York City by the Statue of Liberty.

I stand atop Sulphur Mountain, Mount Washington, and float in the fault that

   holds the Dead Sea.

We cross Canada by land and sea from Victoria to Cape Spear, 
   over mountains, through prairies and forests, 

      and hear a loon laugh, the moon mirrored on a quiet lake. 

I listen to music in concert halls, on streets, in the hum of markets
   in Boston, Vancouver, Jerusalem, Guadalajara,

      and at home.

I ride a camel, travel by air, ocean liner, train, bicycle, bus 
   and drive California State Route 1.

History beckons from castles, cathedrals, communities, 
   and the Alamo.

Our world is large, yet closer, smaller and more

   accessible in modern times.

I watch a bright yellow Goldfinch tentatively

   remove a seed from a dead flower in my garden and

      wash it down with a sip from the bird bath beside me.

The search for beauty, relationship, rest, holiness,

   amidst the clamour of life brings

      a holiday for my soul.

Summertime

Lake Manitou, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada- view from our cabin

My childhood summer memories are spread across two hemispheres and much travel. I was born during a summer thunderstorm in January and my Christmas break from school was also our summer holiday. I remember trips from Durban to northern, higher, cooler altitudes during the hottest season as well as weekends at the beach on the Indian Ocean. I had no sense of seasons in South Africa.

In Canada, I enjoy the marked change of seasons but prefer the transitional ones, fall and spring. My perfect calendar would include two months of May and two of September, sacrificing November, December or even July. Some of our best holidays have been in September and October.

Lake Huron at Goderich, Ontario

I love the months we can sleep with the bedroom window open and when going outdoors is comfortable and convenient. Canadian winters are beautiful, treacherous, long and unpredictable. In our area of Ontario, summers are hot and humid and mosquitoes and other biting insects keep me away from my favourite trails. We have stayed in summer cottages in central Ontario where mosquitoes, black flies and deer flies have left us with scores of welts and sleepless nights as whining insects buzz in our ears.

Common Loon on Manitoulin Island

In my opinion, the only place to spend an Ontario summer vacation is on a LARGE body of water where insects are kept away by lake breezes. I love the beaches on Lake Huron and we vacationed at Southampton for several years when our children were small. Now, we usually spend a week on Manitoulin Island, the world's largest freshwater island in Lake Huron. The sound of waves, the call of the loon, the full moon on the water at night all speak the best of summer to me. A Muskoka chair, a good book and a cup of tea at the water's edge is a picture I keep in my mind on stressful days at work.

Inukshuk on the shoreline of Lake Huron at Goderich, Ontario

One thing I would advise my 20-something year old self would be to settle and work in a community on one of the Great Lakes. We are within 1 to 2 hours driving distance of Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron but I would love to experience their moods every day, not just in the summer. Perhaps that will still happen. 

Travel Misadventures and Lessons Learned

Tea at Pearson Airport

My recent trip to Mexico started out as routine as any trip can be. I am aware that flight changes, misdirected luggage and weather delays are not unusual occurrences for the average traveller. I know the procedures at security and immigration checkpoints and my travel documents are organized and readily available. I once lost my boarding pass at the security area of the Las Vegas airport and after getting another one printed at the airline desk, found it in the sleeve of my coat. The taking off and putting on of shoes, jackets, belts, scarves, laptops, loose change and cell phones at assembly line speeds is confusing enough even if you are not selected to go through the full body scanner.

Regional Mexican Airline

Last month my brother and I landed in Mexico City and went through immigration and customs. Before we entered the non-secured area of the airport to get our next plane, we had to go through a final security check. We were last in line and put our carry on luggage in the grey bins to be scanned. My brother was questioned by one of the four or five employees there about something in his bag and had to open it up for further inspection. I was watching him, my attention diverted as I waited for my things to come through the scanner. We were finally cleared and less than five minutes after leaving security, I noticed my passport was missing. I quickly got permission to re-enter the security area and re-traced my steps with a supervisor. I realized that I had my passport up to the time I was at the security scanner. The supervisor told me with finality, “Your passport has been stolen.” I felt sick but there was nothing more I could do. 

Fortunately I was able to get onto the regional flight using my drivers license as photo ID. I emailed the Canadian Consulate in Puerto Vallarta that night to report my missing passport and to ask direction about what to do next. 

Canadian Consulate Puerto Vallarta 

The staff at the Canadian Consulate were very, very helpful and friendly. It takes four weeks to get a new passport in Mexico but a one time use Emergency Travel Document can be issued in two days with the appropriate documentation which includes:

• a police report
• four passport photos
• a completed passport application 
• four references
• $87.00 - the price of a new passport
• photo-ID, in this case my drivers license which had to stay at the consulate

All these things had to be taken in person to the consular office and then I had to return the day of travel to pick up my papers. I was told that it is not unusual for travelers to lose documents at the Mexico City airport. In fact, all the security police there had been fired in August 2012 because of corruption and drug trafficking. I am not sure who was hired in their place! The consular staff recommended that I change my return flight and leave from Puerto Vallarta rather than going through Mexico City again. 

Driving back to Tepic with my nephew

I am very thankful for family who were ready and able to help me travel to Puerto Vallarta twice, a 6 hour return trip by car from their home. My nephew drove us in my dad’s car and was my translator when we had to get the police report and photos. He knew his way around Puerto Vallarta well and we made good time. My brother kindly changed his return ticket too which cost us both an extra fee. The entire process would have been very stressful if I had to use buses and taxis to get to the necessary appointments. I am also very thankful for the people who acted as references for me. I chose people who would be easy to reach by telephone but I did not expect that they would be asked to provide a physical description of me including my eye colour, age and height. 

 My brother and nephew. Why did I leave my purse on the car when I took this picture!?!!

My papers were ready the day we left and I was very happy to make it back to Canadian soil. But in every airport, Puerto Vallarta, Chicago and Toronto, I was removed from the regular immigration and security lineups to have my documentation verified which took extra time. I applied for a new passport right away when I came home and received one in five days. I was warned though that if I lose this one, I cannot get another until after April 2015 which is when my stolen passport would expire. 

I had one other problem arise. My credit card was cancelled because the issuer noted an out of country transaction and we hadn’t informed them of travel plans. I never contacted our credit card issuer about travel plans for our last five trips and had no problems. 

What did I learn, and what will I do differently?

• I had my passport number (and all other important numbers) in Dropbox but I will make sure I have a scanned copy of all my documents in the future in cloud storage.
• I will have the phone number/email of the nearest Canadian Consulate with me
• I will hold my travel documents in my hand when I go through security. 
• I will ensure that my wallet is in a zipped inner section of my handbag. My passport was in an outer pocket of my handbag and was easily accessible.
• I will be alert for diversions that take my attention away from by belongings
• I will have two pieces of photo ID besides my passport. I had no photo ID during my stay in Mexico as my drivers license had to be turned in at the consulate
• Keep your clothing and luggage simple. Traveling with a tablet rather than a laptop computer is better in security as you can leave a tablet in your bag. 
• Technology make things easier! Internet access is vital if you have a problem like this. My nephew tethered my iPad to his iPhone to get me internet access in Puerto Vallarta. If he had not been there, I should have purchased a SIM card for Mexico. My brother had international cell phone access but I did not. If I travelled alone I would make sure I had phone/internet access at all times. 
• Install Skype on your mobile device. I was able to call a Canadian 800 number free of charge on Skype to get my credit card reactivated. Canadian and USA toll free numbers cannot be accessed by land line in other countries. 
• If you ask friends to be references for a travel document, do them a favour and remind them of your eye colour, height, workplace and age. 
• Inform your credit card carrier about your travel plans. This can be done online. 

View from the Consular Office in PV

Mexico gets plenty of bad press and is infamous for corruption. But theft can happen anywhere. I read a similar account of a passport theft in security at Heathrow Airport in London England. In the big scheme of things, my lost passport was a minor inconvenience. Dealing with an accident or illness, or losing all your ID and luggage would be far more difficult and stressful. It is best to be prepared for the worst scenario and to have a backup plan before you leave. 

A New Place

The past few weeks have been full of activity and change, good and bad. We visited Ottawa last week and enjoyed breath-taking Canadian autumnal beauty. The entire five hour trip was along “streets of gold” but the view from the Gatineau hills in the province of Quebec across the Ottawa River valley was beyond description. 

We took our dog, Raven, for her first long road trip. She has outgrown her car-sick ways and adapted well to staying in our daughter’s new home. She is only a year and a half old but has grown very accustomed to our house and daily routines. Raven watched us closely day and night the first couple of days in Ottawa, never sure if we were going to pack up and go somewhere else. But she came to trust that we would not abandon her and we were able to leave her and visit The Canadian War Museum one afternoon. 

Today was my last vacation day and I got up early to visit Ruthven Park for fall bird banding. I arrived as the sun rose and was fortunate to see a Saw-whet Owl caught in the first net run of the morning. It was a fine fall day to walk the trails along the river, woods and meadows at the park. There have been record numbers of birds moving through the area over the weekend as shorter distance migrants are making the push south. It must be terrifying for the birds to be caught in nets not knowing they will be handled benevolently and then released.

Like Raven or birds in the mist net, we may find ourselves in a new place where we are not in control. Fear of abandonment and an unknown future bring anxiety and we may not recognize that someone is caring and watching out for us all the time.  

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? 

Yet not one of them will fall to the ground

apart from the will of your Father. 

Matthew 10:29

Spring Eggs, Birds, Flowers and More

It wouldn't be Easter weekend without colouring eggs even though there are no small children in the house to help me. I have wanted to try natural dyes for a long time and finally got around to doing it. The results were worth the effort. Here is the method for each colour.

Yellow- This was the fastest and easiest to do. Boil 2 tbsp of turmeric in 2 cups of water, let it cool and add 1 tbsp of white vinegar per cup of liquid. The eggs coloured up in less than 5 minutes. Be careful with this colour as turmeric stains everything it comes in contact with.

Blue- Boil one cup chopped purple cabbage in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drain liquid, cool and add 1 tbsp of vinegar per cup of liquid. The eggs took at least 20 minutes to colour and apparently if you leave them overnight, they will turn a darker blue.

Orangey/brown- Boil one cup of yellow onion skins in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drain, cool and add 1 tbsp of vinegar per cup of liquid. This worked quickly and coloured the eggs in 5-10 minutes. I liked this colour best. You can get a different colour with red onion skins.

Pink- Boil 1 large cut up beet in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drain, cool and add 1 tbsp vinegar per cup of liquid. This took longer to work and the pink was quite pale.

I went for a walk in the woods today and came across an American Robin who was missing some colour. This leucistic bird was with a mate who had normal feathers.

I found many spring wildflowers blooming well ahead of their usual May appearances, particularily in protected areas with a southern exposure. The temperatures have been more seasonal lately but we have had no significant precipitation for weeks. 

Wild Ginger in bloom

The leaves on the forest floor are very dry and I noticed a lot of rustling as I walked along the trails. Numerous garter snakes were about doing their spring business which was the same business the birds and flowers were engaged in...reproduction.

 

I used to run when I saw a snake, but running is no longer something I do easily. So I have to stand my ground and take a deep breath to deal with my serpent-generated adrenaline rush. And they were kind of pretty in their own way too.

Island Warblers

A dirt road ran behind the camp and across the way was an abandoned farm, the land now owned by the owner of Bass Creek Resort. Besides a decaying house, barn and rusted pieces of old farm machinery, there was a creek through the property, long lines of log fencing and large patches of dogwood bushes. This was a birder's paradise.

American Redstart (male)

If you stood still for thirty seconds you would be sure to see a new warbler moving in the leaves of the trees and bushes. I nearly made myself crazy trying to get pictures, and then decided to spend most of my time with the binoculars instead.

Common Yellowthroat (male)

There are so many yellowish warblers! I had to keep my field guide handy as I tried to identify them. In a recent post, Larry admitted it was difficult for him to identify some warblers, so I felt I could risk some errors here. Here are a few pictures with the ID's I felt were best. Please correct me if I am mistaken.

Yellow Warbler

I still have a number of fuzzy or backlit photos to try and identify. I have pictures of at least two kinds of flycatchers and may never determine what they are for sure. I saw many new birds, but was also surprised by the birds I did not see. Cardinals and chickadees were nowhere to be found. I did not realize that cardinals have moved north to southern Ontario fairly recently and they are not found on Manitoulin Island.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (thanks Larry and Tom)

Our Rose of Sharon shrub in our yard did not survive the winter. I think I will replace it with dogwood as it seemed to be a bird magnet up here. The flowers, berries and red branches are lovely to look at.
Warblers are like jewels, an unexpected blur of bright colour and a sweet sound in the trees. I will have to study them over the winter and try to identify more that are peeking through the leaves on the island next year.

Claiming the Rock

Cormorants claim the rock in the afternoon

Midway between our camp and the point of land across from us on Lake Manitou was a rocky shoal. We could not get too close to it in the boat, but through my binoculars I could see a variety of birds perched and feeding in the area. When we were here last September, there were hundreds of cormorants in the area, in fact, I saw few other birds on the water. Last week there were fewer cormorants and a number of other waterbirds were competing for the best fishing spots.

Ring Billed Gull, female Mallards, female Common Merganser

Mallard ducks were plentiful, but the males were lacking most of the feathers of their bright green heads. For a while I thought they were teal ducks until I saw the patchy green heads and orange feet. Female Common Mergansers were seen frequently, but I never recognized a single male. The gulls made themselves comfortable with every group of birds.

Caspian Terns, Black Terns, female Common Mergansers and Mallards claim the rock in the morning

I loved watching the terns. Black Terns and Caspian Terns are seen in fewer areas in Ontario now due to loss of habitat and increased competition with gulls. The Black Terns reminded me of swallows in flight. In the evenings they performed their acrobatic flights near the shore while fishing for minnows.

One cool morning we left the dock around 8:00AM as the fog was lifting from the warmer water. The sun seemed to be burning off the moisture and we moved away from the shoreline. Unexpectedly, the fog descended again and we lost sight of all landmarks. My husband turned off the motor and we drifted in the stillness waiting for the fog to lift again. Minutes later, a few terns appeared close to the boat and we could hear more of them in the distance. Morning was the time the terns claimed the rock. We had a compass, and using the terns as a "landmark", we were able to head in the right direction to the camp. There was no need for panic this time, but the incident gave me greater respect for the potential danger of fog.

Common Loon

This last bird would have no part of the rock culture. I have never seen a loon out of the water. This one was diving for fish and it was fun to guess where he might reappear. In my estimation, there is no more relaxing sound than the yodel of a loon across the water.
And yes...there were fish for our dinner too.

Manitoulin Island

Swing Bridge on only road to Manitoulin Island at Little Current

This post may sound like a geography lesson but then, I always loved geography at school. We spent last week on Manitoulin Island, a large island at the top of Lake Huron, a seven hour drive from home. Driving north from Toronto, one passes fertile farmland, the Holland Marsh at Bradford and then the lakes and rocks of the Canadian Shield change the landscape beyond Orillia and Parry Sound on Georgian Bay. We drove on to Sudbury, the mining city and historical Nickel Capital and to Espanola where native Canadians sold wild blueberries along the roadway.

The road turns south and is cut through metamorphic rock as it descends to the first islands of the North Channel of Lake Huron. There is only one road from the mainland to Manitoulin Island and it is shared with boats. Every hour the bridge swings to allow marine traffic to pass through from Little Current. The only other access is by the ferry which travels to and from Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula and South Baymouth.

Manitoulin Island is part of the Niagara Escarpment (marked in red)

Manitoulin is part of the Niagara Escarpment so in spite of its latitude, belongs geologically to southern Ontario. Towering limestone cliffs rise above Lake Huron and over one hundred smaller lakes are found on the island. The vegetation is different than what is found on the rocks of the Sudbury area. There are farms on the island, many abandoned, but the soil is productive enough for crops and cattle. There are miles of meadows, creek beds, marshland, shoreline, cliffs and mixed forest making a haven for many, many birds and animals. If you miss the warbler migration in the spring, you can get a warbler fix all summer up here! Groomed trails pass through level terrain or the challenging rocky heights of the Cup and Saucer Trail. There are caves and fossil remains in the cliffs of the escarpment.

Cup and Saucer Trail

There are six Anishinaabe First Nation reserves on the island and aboriginal settlements have been present here for thousands of years. The name Manitoulin means "Den of the Great Spirit Manitou". There is also interesting history involving Jesuit missionaries, mariners and fur traders over the last few hundred years. Each tiny community has its own stories and legends with old buildings and tiny museums to explore as one imagines life in this remote area in the past.

Lighthouse and Anglican Church at Manitowaning

We stayed at Bass Creek Resort, a fishing camp on the shores of the largest inland lake, Lake Manitou. The word "resort" is used very loosely, but we did have running water, a shower and electricity in our tiny cabin. My husband was happy because he could fish, I was happy because there were miles of easy exploring in the vicinity, and we were both happy because there were very few biting insects around. In the afternoons we drove to some new trail or community on the island.

Bass Creek Resort

Without television, internet, fast food restaurants (not even a Tim Hortons), or any city life, it was easy to settle into a slow island pace. The days were longer by at least an hour with a spectacular sunset at about 9:30 each evening. Night time allowed for clear star-gazing, if you could stay awake after a day of fresh air.

The context for a few more posts has been set.

Bridal Veil Falls at Kagowan- an escarpment waterfall

Victoria Day

Erected by the Imperial Order
of the Daughters of the Empire
Princess of Wales Charter
Berlin 1909

Our downtown city park is named Victoria Park after the long reigning monarch, Queen Victoria. Her stern, regal, matronly likeness dominates the park entrance. This community began when Mennonite settlers arrived from Pennsylvania. Afterwards, many people of German origin came and established a number of successful manufacturing operations in the area. The town of Berlin was incorporated as a city in 1912 and was considered to be Canada's German capital. After the start of the First World War, there was pressure to change the name of the community. In 1916, Berlin was renamed Kitchener, after Lord Kitchener who was killed in 1916 when his ship was sunk by a mine. In spite of the strong German heritage, there was obvious affection for the British monarchy.

Queen Victoria was born on May 24, 1819 and reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901. The Industrial Revolution was at its peak during her rule and Britian was the global power of the time. Her birthday was a national holiday and has remained so in Canada to this day. Victoria Day is celebrated on the Monday before May 25th and is the unofficial start of our summer season. It is the weekend that gardens can be planted as the risk of frost is supposed to be low. (We have had a few night time frosts this week though!) Our provincial parks open for the season for the many campers who wish to brave the usually cool night time temperatures.

We enjoy our beautiful downtown park. In past generations it was the gathering place of the community, with ice skating in the winter, live bands and dancing in the bandshell in the summer and canoe rentals on the small lake. Stately old homes surround the park and the style is definitely Victorian.

My mother's ancestors were Empire Loyalists who moved to Canada during the American Revolution, and the family has remained royalist. Mom was a few years younger than Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth, and shared her name, growing up with her as a role model. The Royal Family has always had a scandalous side, but they are a long-lived institution that has provided a common link for members of the British Commonwealth.

So Hoorah for Queen Victoria, who has given us a holiday today.
Long live the Queen!

Victoria, Queen, Empress
A Model Wife and Mother Beloved, Admired, Revered,
She shall live the hearts of her people