Week 19: A Taste of Summer

Debby

I asked my grandchildren what they considered the taste of summer. I thought they might say chips from a roadside chip truck but their answer was a resounding ICE CREAM! So we ventured downtown to the ice cream shop where they serve Kawartha Ice Cream, the best tasting ice cream in Ontario, in my humble opinion.

The flavours in the photo are, a very obvious Blue Bubblegum, and Moose Tracks which had swirls of chocolate, peanut butter and tiny peanut butter cups. It was all delicious.

Carol

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of a taste of summer is vegetables fresh from the garden. In some ways I think I was spoiled as a kid. Although we lived on the edge of town we had a huge vegetable garden, and besides making jams and jellies, my mother also made relishes, pickles, and chutneys. I used to love putting the tomatoes, onions, and peppers through the meat grinder.

I’ve had a couple of failed attempts at vegetable gardens in the past, but my next door neighbour has great success and loves to share her bounty. I was going to post a picture of the cherry tomatoes that my husband and granddaughter planted (they’re covered with tomatoes) but my neighbour sent her granddaughter over with a much larger selection.

The only thing better than fresh produce is a neighbour who likes to share. :-)

Week 10: Mailboxes

Debby

My grandmother loved red birds, and created a garden that was a haven for them. When she no longer had a garden, I gave her back her cardinals, of some sort every Christmas.

I would search to find something different, that could find a place in her small space in the retirement home. There was a stained glass bird she hung in her window, then the ceramic tabletop Christmas tree with birds instead of ornaments. I found her a white sweatshirt with cardinals embroidered across the front. Then I sent her a mug, and last, a switch plate for the switch by her door.

They say, that when you see a red bird it’s a message from heaven. I like to think my grandmother is watching over me, but I also like the memories that seeing a red bird brings to mind.

When I saw this mailbox, along the side of a country road, it had to be a message from above. Miss you Baba.

Carol

I have to confess to almost causing several fender benders checking out mailboxes when I was driving around town this week. And the sad part is, it was all for nothing – most of the mailboxes I saw were basic black, with the odd brass coloured one popping up here and there.

There was an interesting looking one in my daughter’s neighbourhood, but between full time babysitting and getting ready for a trip, I just didn’t have the time to go back and get a picture. And then Debby sent me her picture early and hers was pretty much the same idea.

So I decided to go another way.

For the last couple of years there have been rumours of our door-to-door mail service being replaced by neighbourhood mail boxes. My picture is of one of these neighbourhood boxes that was set up for a small row of townhouses. I haven’t seen many more of them around town, and I have to admit I’m glad.