Touring Grey-Bruce

It's a frigid sunny day on May 3rd. Zero degrees Celsius when we got up. Yikes. The tulips in the beds were very droopy from the hard frost over night. Hope they bounce back today.

Over the last couple of days, we've put our new hybrid car through its paces. Friday, Rob and I did a road trip to Southampton and yesterday, sister Sandy, niece Rachel and I went on a Grey County capture cruise. That's a thing that Sandy does when she wants to go to a whack of different places on the way to and from a destination. It's fun!

Here Sandy and Rachel are when we stopped at the new Kimberley Café midway through the cruise. Note the winter gear. On May 2nd. We got fancy hot beverages and treats after chowing down on a scrumptious do-it-yourself salad lunch at the Concious Market in Eugenia. The chai latte and butter tart I had were yummy.

Our goal was the spring market at Kimber Valley Farms. The ladies who own the place put on a big market twice a year in their big horse barn for local vendors from far and wide around the the area.

Dozens of folks were selling everything from garlic, veggies and flowers to honey and baked goods to jewelry. I snagged myself a ring made from a vintage spoon handle circa 1920-something. I just love art deco design. Not so much the wrinkly old hand. It goes well with my worry ring and the Celtic ring I picked up in Pitlochry Scotland a hundred years ago.

We also hit the new Utopia Market near the Thornton's house, the Rusty Star emporium and Maxwell's Meats to browse and shop. Rachel chauffeured and we had a blast.

Our Friday trip was centred on the Southampton Arts Centre. I was curious to see what they had on display.

It's housed in the former Town Hall, right in the middle of everything. In the entryway is this beautiful mural with an explanation of how it came about. Luminaries of the Canadian art scene in the middle of the last century were involved in setting up the art school there. Cool, eh?

It did not disappoint. Tons of acrylics and water colours as well as pottery, mosaics and jewelry were on display. We were quite taken by the mixed media work of Debbie Schenk.

So much so that we took two of her pieces home and hung them in a pride of place in the sunroom, where we can enjoy them all the time. Fantastic.

And so the day tripping around our beautiful region begins. Here's hoping the next one is a bit warmer. Until next week.

Gratuitous horse photo courtesy of George, who came over to say hi when we got back to the Thornton ranch.