We’re back in lockdown here in Ontario so all family visits are discouraged. I have a bag full of chocolates and eggs for the Easter egg hunt I had planned and I purchased more decorations and some wooden bird houses for a painting activity that I wanted to do with the family. My husband is trying to make me feel better by saying that none of that stuff will go bad so we can do this in May.
The one bit of good news that I got today was that I can get the vaccine on April 11. Yahoo!
Another trip to a conservation area with a waterfall.
Last week we took a drive to Halton Hills. We had to make a reservation and we were quite surprised at how many cars were in the parking lot for a Wednesday afternoon. The hike started with a steep climb up a rugged path but this was the most difficult part of the hike. After that the paths were wide and relatively smooth.
It didn’t take too long before we heard the sound of rushing water.
As the sound got louder the we noticed that the water moved quickly and before too long we found ourselves at the top of Hilton Falls. This waterfall is 10 metres high and at the base are the ruins of a 19th century sawmill.
The conservation area also has great picnic sites right by the falls and when COVID is over the fire pit will probably be open to the public again.
After our lunch we headed back on the path that we came on but there was a fork in the road and we headed toward the reservoir.
All in all we had a wonderful day. On the way home we took a side road instead of the highway and were impressed with the beautiful countryside so close to the city.
“Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
I love this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. During COVID so many of us have had more time on our hands because commuting was no longer necessary to get to and from work because we were able to work from home but how many of you made use of that extra hour or two to do something for yourself. I’m painfully aware of this after I spend too much of my day binge watching TV.
One of the best things that my husband and I have done since January is to put aside one day a week, in the middle of the week, get into the car and drive somewhere where we can be in nature and go for long hikes and not worry about crowds of people. We’ve had a wonderful time and each week we become a little more organized. This week we even packed a picnic lunch and some weeks we had dinner cooking in the slow cooker so that when we got home dinner was ready.
Here are some of the wonderful places we have visited since January. These are our ‘brightest gems’ in our lives this year.
Mama Cormier 