There have been a few requests to defer this walk a week as these people are keen to do it but away for the earlier proposed date. Shall we say Sunday December 8 then? According to the website, the Winter Market will be on starting at 11, so we can time our arrival and walk beforehand and nab the best parking. Carpooling is still recommended is possible.
Photo from the Evergreen Brickworks site.
Weekly Walks
Unfortunately, rain appears to be in the forecast for Saturday morning. Sunday seems better. Choices: rainwear, Sunday, or sit in Tim’s and chat with friends. 🤔 hmmm…
To Ruth, who we may even see in person Saturday, all the best!
Thanks to Our Gracious Hosts
It was a great party with a lovely space and great company. Tasty food too! Thanks to Gerry and Arlene for hosting. Hope you got your security deposit back…🙃
Weekly Walks
Another cool and sunny day is forecast for Saturday. Maybe a good day for the boardwalk? Rendezvous at L@8, and unless there are objections, gather at Tim’s after with a coffee from your preferred provider.
Next Offsite Walk
From the Brickworks: either November 24 or December 1. These are Sundays. As posted last week, the pace will be more leisurely, and this would not replace the Saturday walks. Please comment as to your preferred date if you think you’d like to try this option. Let’s see how it all works out… Possible brunch locations following are plentiful.
It appears we have a good gathering for this Saturday at Arlene’s staring at 6. Helen will have the calendars for those who ordered and have not yet received theirs this week. Let us celebrate our friendship, and perhaps drown our sorrows a bit too.
Birthday, Birthday!
Libby celebrates her special day this coming Tuesday, so all the best say all of us!
Spec-tacular!
Inspired by a need to purge, I looked into eyeglass donations and it turns out the optical shop at Loblaw’s accepts used glasses. It is one of the official depots for the Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre which provides recycled eyewear free of charge to people in developing countries. I will bring my collection this Saturday morning, so maybe a photo op if a few of us do the same? They open at 9:30 and I confirmed they currently accept donations there.
Weekly Walks
Lest We Forget
This Saturday morning’s forecast is sunny but nearing the freezing mark, so bundle up. Don’t forget your poppies!
Perhaps we can all confer ahead of the walk and decide beforehand where we will meet for coffee to avoid people seeking everyone else out at the end? Should head back at Tim’s as the acoustics are more conversation friendly and there is plenty of flexible seating for a group? Please discuss…
Next Offsite Walk
There has been a request for an offsite walk starting from the Brickworks. No date is set, but tentatively late November is possible. By consensus, we will trial shifting those offsite walks to Sundays. The pace will be more leisurely, and it would not replace the Saturday walks. So you could do one or the other or both. Sunday also benefits from less traffic so we could more quickly and easily travel further afield if we wished and have more options for destinations. We’ll see how that works…
Happy birthday to David on Sunday this weekend. If the planets align, we may cross orbits on the boardwalk this Saturday!
Spooky Gardens
The crew at Rosetta McClain Gardens has gone all out (and even inside out) to make the beds (and perhaps what lurks beneath) extra fertile in frights.
Here you have the daytime shots, but for a full atmospheric immersion, check it out after dark when the special lifting and for machines are turned on starting on the 29th through to Halloween night, hence the early blog posting.
Weekly Walks
On Wednesday (October 30), our midweek walk will be from Ethio Natural Coffee, Danforth Avenue just east of Pharmacy. Parking is available on the side streets. Meet is at 9:00 am.
Saturday is at the usual.
Creature Feature
Barb was able to catch this shot of this hawk with its lunch-to-go on Danforth near the TTC bus barn. Rare to see them on the ground this close.
And speaking of meals, don’t forget the annual potluck is on November 9 at Arlene’s.
Hey Stacey way down east PEC way! Happy birthday on Monday and hope to see you in town soon!
Rouge Walk
Saturday is showing as cool but sunny for our walk in the Rouge Valley. By now, you should have all received the email and/or seen the details on WhatsApp. There’s looks to be enough parking for all, but if you are considering pooling for economy, please get in touch with others asap and let the group know:
You’re coming so we don’t head off before you arrive at the park, and who you are pooling with;
You prefer to go to Loblaw’s instead so you have company;
If you are bringing shareable treats or coffee for after;
If you are running late, or unable to make it last minute.
Preference is for the following trails as they are achievable for all, and either done one-off, or one after the other if you want more distance:
Vista Trail
Cedar
Glen Eagles Trail and Beare Wetlands
Weekly Walks
For a mid-week walk, Lou-Ann suggests we could meet at 9 (TBC) this coming Wednesday at Ethio Natural Coffee on Danforth east of Vic Park instead of Tims2, then walk through Warden Woods Park Trail. There is street parking on Wanstead right next to the café. Excellent on-site roasted coffee and some pastries too.
Annual Potluck Gathering
Helen is hard at work on the calendar, and still hoping for more photos. Please get in touch if you have any to contribute. Basic details of the party are in last week’s post linked here if you missed it.
Let’s all wish Deanna the very best for her birthday this coming Monday!
Annual Shore Things Potluck Gathering Saturday November 9
Please mark your calendar for November 9, as we gather once again to review the year, and talk of future possibilities.
A quick reminder if you’ve missed or forgotten from Helen: she needs photos for the calendar — please let her know as well if you want one, so she can have in time for the gathering.
We are changing venue this year and will gather at Arlene’s. For privacy, the time and location details will be sent directly by email (check your spam folders) and posted on WhatsApp.
We hope we can continue our recent year tradition and bring our own wine glasses, plates, cutlery, etc. There is a dishwasher on site, but it may be more efficient to hand wash as we go. The oven only be used for reheating previously cooked food. Some cleaning supplies are available on site as well. Extra dinner, size plates and smaller dessert size plates are available should anyone not be able to bring their own, as well as three large serving bowls, but no serving platters. Lots of cutlery as well as some serving spoons and a limited number of wine glasses.
The party room holds a maximum of 50 people. Based on previous years, that should be adequate. Parking is limited so carpooling or Uber/Lyft/taxi may be better options.
Weekly Walks
A quick reminder our Rouge offsite walk is scheduled for Saturday October 26. Details should follow this week by email and WhatsApp.
After a refresher (ha!) on cool weather, this Saturday is warming up nicely—18°C in the afternoon— but not so much in the morning , at only 7°C but sunny at least. L@8, the usual time and place.
Creature Feature
More than a gaggle, an armada? Marita Payne Pond, VaughanMore for context.
After consultation and a rough guess as to when the Fall colours might be at their best, the Rouge walk is now pinned down for Saturday October 26. This will give people time to get over the excitement of weddings and shake down the Thanksgiving turkey.
Hopefully we will see a hint of colours like this on the 26th – this past weekend in Agawa Canyon Park
Weekly Walks
If anyone is interested in a walk along the Meadoway on a weekday, let us know in the comments or on WhatsApp. No date planned yet, but if we can determine who’s in, we can arrange then. Either Wednesday or Thursday would work best.
Or Thanksgiving Monday? Either way, a walk on Monday is likely too. The default is Tim’s 2 at 9.
Saturday is the usual L@8, with a cool but sunny forecast for the morning.
Val the gal that keeps on going is celebrating her birthday on Thursday of next week! Boldog születésnapot!
Offsite Update
We’re looking tentatively at October 19 for our Rouge offsite walk. Plans include bringing thermoses of coffee and treats for after walk sustenance. Due to travel time, let’s say we meet at the park at 8:30. I’ll look into parking and send details closer to the date.
A note of caution though: like with all nature trails, precautions should be taken to avoid ticks, like we have before at Colonel Danforth Park: stay in the path, use an insect repellent containing DEET, closed shoes and socks over pants, inspect carefully after the walk. More here.
Too Soon?
Leslie Lookout Park: Check!
Creature Feature
Not bashful (last Saturday on Martin Goodman Trail). Perhaps not a good thing…
Weekly Walks
We are entering cooler morning times, so jackets and long pants/leggings I guess, but it will be sunny on Saturday. L@8 .., again!
Leverne has suggested the Rouge National Urban Park has a good destination for our next exploratory wander. The link above takes you to the list of trails and it’s looks like there are distances to suit everyone. We could follow it up with a picnic lunch. This could happen in time to coincide with fall colours so it should give us plenty of time to figure out where we stashed our Thermoses.
Weekly Walks & Happy Birthday!
If you come down Saturday to L@8, you can wish Helen a happy birthday in person! 🎂🎉🥳
We’re hitting the ground running (or better yet, walking) with Nikki’s special day Saturday. Hope to see her out that morning for in-person best wishes.
Creature Feature
Norwegian hare, photographed in the hills outside Oslo. They grow BIG here!
Weekly Walk
This will be the last remote post as Helen and I are back Sunday. We’ve had great weather and seems like it’s been lovely back home too. It continues Saturday according to the forecast, so it’s L@8!
Leslie Lookout Park Now Open
We’ve walked by many times on our way to the Spit, but it seems it’s now open so maybe check it out this Saturday?
We are the Shore Things 