EMANCIPATING

It's a holiday weekend in most of Canada --- and only mid-summer despite all the Back To School sales! Up on the hill the blackbirds have been flocking and flying low in huge numbers, maybe 100 or 200 at a time, like the ones in the horror movies. The gardens are providing fruit and veggies daily. Trees and brush on the steep driveway are being pruned for the first time in at least 33 years, like a recluse getting a haircut. And more birds have been ricocheting off the window than usual --- attacking their own reflection? This young oriole is one of many revived by being wrapped in a warm towel.

But before the weekend crowds we took a roadtrip to the beauty spots of Ontario's lakes district. The scenery truly sums up Canada --- waterfalls, ancient Precambrian shield of rock, and the rusty railroad bridges that tied the nation together. Cottage country is now year-round living. There's even bocce ball courts in the sand!

My life has been anchored in three cities --- Windsor, Toronto, and Owen Sound. Coincidentally, each of those has a huge part in celebrating Emancipation Day this weekend. (History lesson: Emancipation Day marks the August in 1833 when the British Empire declared that all people in the British Colonies are free men and women.)Toronto is hosting North America's biggest Caribbean Carnival with a million people jumping up and steel-drumming. But Windsor and Owen Sound were the terminals of the Underground Railway that brought freedom --- "emancipation"--- to escaped slaves from the U.S. Today, descendants and American visitors pay homage to those dark days, when ultimately black lives mattered.

These days streams of refugees, or whole countries, yearn for emancipation. Will history repeat itself, or is it all water under the bridge??

BRASS ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE

Let's get the work out of the way first. It's been near-record heat but the gardens are remarkably OK --- must be the clever planting of drought-resistant native plants? The daily crop of raspberries end up on cereal or ice cream but also in tarty tarts. The hill had to be lined with old split rails to keep the new shoulder rocks from going over the edge!

But the big event this week was the prestigious arrival of the Horseless Carriage Club of America for the annual regional tour, called "Chasing The Goose Around Grey Bruce". 62 beautiful cars from the brass era, 1902-1916. Do the math --- all more than 100 years old. Perfect weather, period costumes, full media coverage, and flat roads to cruise on!

Not my sweet spot era but you can't help being impressed by these rolling works of art. Lots of Ford Model T's but also long-gone Packard, REO, Studebaker, Buick, and Benz. My Best-In-Show? This sporty blue 1912 Flanders 20 Roadster (as in 20 horsepower --- a pure speedster for the time!).

The detailing is amazing. Blinding brass, hooty horns, licence plates that match the car's year, skinny tires, fat upholstery. Full-attention driving required, no self-driving possible! Wow, wow --you won't get that in next year's SUV's!

But it's also those lazy hazy crazy daze of summer. Cruising in our own classic, there's beauty spots for anyone to chase chase the goose around Grey Bruce. Lion's Head is a throw-back beach village with crystal waters and friendly Saturday market. There's even the annual sighting of the elusive hummingbird moth darting in the lavender.

Oh, and those brass beauties aren't trailer queens; they are licensed and driven often. Dozens of them cruised right by our place for a honk and a wave. Pat's Best-In-Show is this gorgeous cream-and-burgundy 1914 Pierce Arrow. Will your car look that good in 2114?

THYME IS ON OUR SIDE

Finally got to a good car (and aircraft) show this season --- Wings 'n Wheels at the Owen Sound Airport. Over 300 cars and dozens of classic propellers on a sunny day. Home sweet chrome! Pat's Best-In-Show was this pretty yellow '59 Ford wagon, imagined full of kids like her memories of Sunday drives. Mine was this full-fin '57 Plymouth Fury. Made in my hometown when cars reached for the sky.

Back home, something smelled! It was either this skunk that has been marking the turf (literally). Or the no-see-um bats. We know they're in their house because the droppings are obvious on the greenhouse. How many bats in this belfry??

It's been the best year yet for the gardens, and especially the raspberries. The wild ones spread along the old split rail fence and are blackish. The domestic variety planted around the deck is spreading through the stairs and the fruit is more typically red. Poppers!

But the big event this week was the passing of thyme. It was thyme to get some at the nursery. Then the thyme-keeper loosened up the thyme zone. Then it was thyme for layers of newspapers and compost. And during Daylight Savings Thyme, topsoil went down in no thyme.

I don't know what thyme it was, but 50 of them showed up. No thyme to waste as the holes were dug thyme-and-thyme again. For the umpteenth thyme, the gravel was raked so no thyme would be wasted. As thyme ran out, the job thymed out perfectly.

And we'll never be late because the Thyme Keeper is always checking the thyme! As you can tell, it's thyme for puns --- you got any more??