This my attempt to trade a meal with Morgan.
I will trade one fritata with zucchinis fresh from the garden, fried new potatoes, panchetta, garlic, small new onions topped with cheddar and fontina cheeses for:
One black paella with cuttlefish and artichokes.

The hot red peppers are doing very well this year and very soon I will be able to harvest them.
The zucchinis are starting to produce. A few grew quite big while I was away and we have quite a few which will be just the right size by next week.
My butternut squash is growing flowers but so far, there is no fruit. Soon I hope.

The garden is overgrown as usual. It always gets like this late summer. I have no discipline for these things but...We have eaten spinach, beets, lots of onions, lettuce strawberries and of course, used lots of herbs. The cats appreciate the catnip.

As usual as well, we have a few random sunflowers and lots of weeds.

Our beans were showy but have yet to produce an actual bean and yet to harvest we have carrots and lots of tomatoes. We are getting a few ripe grape tomatoes but everything else is green

After Quebec we stayed with my friend Albert in Knowlton over night than drove on to Wolfe Island. We stayed with Sandy and Barbara at their Button Bay B&B.
It is lovely
From Wolfe Island it was a 4 day drive home via Cleveland, Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, Fargo, we skirted Winnipeg then home.
Exausted

I always loved Quebec City.

We stayed at the Hotel Belley - Une Hotel Particular. It is a small funky spot near the old port. The sort that has regulars sipping beer on the terrace and playing boules in the evening and another group having espresso and croissant in the morning.

I'd love to live in the city for 6 or 8 months, it is a great spot but more that a bit crowded with tourists in the summer

After Ottawa we drove down to Montreal and picked up my mother and drove north to her cabin deep in the woods of Quebec.
We spent four days doing minor repairs, swimming, paddling, lazing around and eating well. Chris and Brittney spent an amazing amount of time in the water. It is so cool, clear and refreshing.
My mother was out paddling the canoe which is pretty good for an 85 year old.
The weather while we were there was great except that it poured rain the morning we left so we all were pretty damp during the drive to Montreal and on to Quebec City.

After three days of driving over 920 km a day we reached the Ottawa Regional Campground about 6:00. Ottawa meant a rest and we were glad of it.
Once the tents were up and we were reasonably happy that we were settle in we decided to drive into Ottawa and experience a change of pace from drive, eat, sleep, drive.
We drove in by the Experimental farm and over and downtown along the Rideau Canal. The Byward Market area was full of people and after walking around smelling all the good cooking smells we settled into the Highlander Pub for eats. It wasn't bad at all.
They claim to have over 200 scotches which, if I wasn't driving I'd have made some attempt to sample. Well, at least a few.
Yesterday we drove back in and took in the Museam of Civilization which is always a treat. We coukld have spent the day. We grabbed a bite then went back acrioss the river to Ottawa. Chris and Britney walked up to the Parlement Buildings and I hung out at the market.
Today we drive to Montreal, pick up my Mum and head north to the cabin

This is the first day of our trip east. We droce 920 km from Regina to an Ontario Provincial campground called Blue Lake. It is about 10 km north of the highway, about 35 km west of Dryden.
It is a great spot. Lots of Manitoba families.
Tomorrow we will drive to Agawa Bay south of Wawa.

Christopher is a changed man. What a difference.

We have been spending our day packing the van for tomorrow's departure. Figuring where to put everything is always a hassle the first day particularly with three bikes.
We plan to get an early start . We want to drive into Ontario, east of Kenora.

We had a lovely evening last night. Ann and Dave came over and we had paella. We ate outside on the patio. It was lovely and warm.
Chris made a big move and decided to get his hair cut today.
More on this later

Another warm day!
Chris and I finished laying the floor today. It looks great. There is just some trim to work on but I'll do that after I get back from Eastern Canada.
We will have beets from the garden and lettuce as well. The strawberries are pretty much finished and the raspberries are just about ready.
The flowers in the front are coming in to their own. Things look good.

I am back in Regina after a quick but productive trip to Vancouver.
I was amazed, it was quite hot while we were there. Mid 30's which is very hot for Vancouver which is usually cooled bu the ocean.

After a couple of wet cold days it is nice again.
I fly to Vancouver this afternoon for a couple of days, back Friday morning.

Ho hum, another beautiful day on the prairies. Not as hot as yesterday. High 20's is fine for me.

I went down to Lumsden to try and find the Trans Canada Trail to do a bik of biking but it isn't well marked and at some point what I thought was the trail ends up on private property.

On the way back into town. I stopped at the go-cart track to see what was going on and took a few pictures

Another hot day - great! I got all the jobs I had to do finished up early and lazed around enjoying the heat.

Last night's floor hockey was fun but hot. A real sweat fest

I am very happy with the garden so far. Our crop of strawberries for example is so much better that last year.

Vance came over for supper around 7:00 and we hung in until midnight talking. he is doing well.

Today is a little warmer than I like. Tough to move fast in this weather.

I suspect it will only be the hard core floor hockey players tonight with an emphasis on beer rather than exercise.

The whole weekend is supposed to be like this. early morning will be the only reasonable time to get any work done.

It continues to be hot. It is great weather.
Saskatchewan is such a contrast these days with the yellow canola fields, the deep blue of the flax and the deep greens. It is very impressive particularly early evening as the sun gets low.
We ate outside again today. Great weather for it.

Yesterday afternoon I drove to Saskatoon for an 8:00 pm meeting then drove back arriving home at around 11:30. I had forgotten the 9:00 dental appointment this morning. Gurrr
Things are still quiet at work. Everyone is in summer mode
The weather is great, warm (hot) and mostly sunny. The fish are loving it.
Friday they are predicting 35 degrees. It will be a hot night for floor hockey

This is really a test to try the concept of updating my blog by e-mail, in this case, using my Palm Treo. The photo was added later using a computer.
It is a beautiful hot summer day. We should see 30 degrees by late afternoon. Annie had a pool day much to her delight. Ginger as per usual was only mildly impressed.
My hand is improving so I will do a bit of work in the garden.

Here it is Canada Day, hot and dry, the way it is supposed to be.
My "wound" looked pretty good today but was still sore, like a sprain. Mid morning I decided it was swollen and went to see the doc. A tetanus shot and some anti-biotic later I hope it is on the mend. It sure has cut into my work plan though. I had a nap in the hammock this afternoon instead.
Chris and Brittney spent the afternoon at Wascana Lake and will go back tonight for the fireworks.