This past September marked the 19th anniversary of our decision to retire and move north to Elliot Lake. It's not quite in the centre of Canada, and some folks might regard it as being in the middle of nowhere, but its close proximity to two of the Great Lakes is pretty awesome to our way of thinking.
Often referred to as the "Jewel in the Wilderness" it continues to captivate and inspire and with each passing season and year we realize how incredibly fortunate we are to live in this beautiful part of the country.
As I've mentioned ad nauseam, September is my favourite month of the year and having missed it last year I was determined to embrace every moment of it in 2021. So far it's been pretty impressive. Just take a look as these fall colours in town.
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| Esten Street South |
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| Hwy 108 heading into town |
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| Almost there! |
Even our property is a visual delight, including the fence between us and our neighbour, Bob.
Although we haven't spent the winter months in Elliot Lake for a few years, Bob assures us the birds snack on these berries all year long. That's almost enough to tempt me to stay until the snow flies...the key word being almost!
John was fortunate to have a gorgeous sunny day to take down the gazebo and with hardly any breeze to complicate matters he did it in record time.
Next on the list was stripping the shed bare of all its embellishments.
Still, the bush behind our property makes up for the loss and with no bugs we've been grateful to savour the view from the deck as often as possible.
John's also been busy transforming the space between our fence and driveway and we're both looking forward to next spring when Sweet William flowers and garlic will grow. (Yes, it's a weird combo, but in our eyes it'll be magical!)
The changes are subtle at the front of the house as well. The coleus is spectacular while the herbs continue to embellish our meals. John's planning to take them to Ottawa and has his green thumb and fingers crossed they'll survive until we return them to Elliot Lake next spring.
Meanwhile, the hostas have already begun to get ready for the arrival of colder weather.
Of course, it's not been all work and no play. We had a lovely visit with good friends Dave and Flo from London who stayed with us for three days. First thing on the agenda were hugs (we've all been double vaccinated) followed by a great all-evening catch up chat. The next day we went for a stroll along my favourite Lake Huron beach.
John also went kayaking whenever possible. Three recent destinations were Dunlop Lake, Flack Lake and Endikai Lake. And the fall colours were exceptional.
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| Dunlop Lake |
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| Flack Lake |
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| Endikai Lake - before paddling |
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| Endikai Lake - after paddling! |
The drive north of town to reach Dunlop, Flack, or Endikai Lake is always impressive, but especially so at this time of year.
Last, but not least, one evening just before sunset we ventured up to Rooster Rock on Quirke Lake. It's been years since we've been there and it has been on my list of must-sees the entire summer. I honestly think our timing was spot on. The views were breathtaking.
Have I mentioned that September is my favourite month of the year?! And it's hard to beat the Jewel in the Wilderness when it comes to breathtaking scenery. Life is Good...especially in September. 😉
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