It's a gorgeous day at the farmette. We're getting ready to go to Stratford for a lunch out and an afternoon of mayhem watching a live performance of Julius Caesar starring Seana McKenna. Can't wait.
Last weekend, we were lucky to have our friend Jane visiting, which gave me an opportunity to explore some of the areas we've yet to get to after six years in Grey County. Funny how you think you need to take someone from out of town to check out the sights and sounds of your own surroundings...
Anyway. We embarked on a mini tour of some of the many water falls that line the Niagara Escarpment, which cuts a path right up the middle of our area.
Right in Durham is McGowan Falls. We arrived at noon, just as the families and dogs and kayaks and rubber dinghies were setting up for the day. I actually had no idea we had a lovely beach and public washrooms and even a picnic area available only a couple of kilometres from the farmette.
Pretty, too, don't you think?
The falls are named after the gentleman who built the first dam to run his mill, which was established by a back in 1847 - a few years before the farmette was built.
We then drove along Highway 4 to Hogg's Falls. The road sign pointing to this place has intrigued me since we started making the trip to my sister's home in Feversham. It's actually located just east of Flesherton, not far off the main highway.
It's named for the fellow who built a sawmill in the 1870s on the Boyne, which is the river that flows over the falls. Today, people come to cool off and wade in the clear pools below the tumbling water, as you can see.
Finally, we drove south on Highway 6 to the Holstein Dam, which is a bit more out of the way, but still a lovely conservation area. In fact, it had a whole acreage filled with a baseball diamond, community centre, lots of picnicking space and great shade (it was a bloody hot day, just as most of them have been this summer).
It's so great to know (finally) that there are tranquil spots like these that we can enjoy practically in our own back yard.
Until next week.