Woke early to see snow falling over the yellow canola fields. I was the first to get up, and surprised the sleepy dogs. Nico, the larger one, nudged me towards the door and when I opened it four or five disgruntled and snowy cats filed in.
As Joan got up, the house sparked into life. Cats and dogs were fed (having failed to brainwash me to comply) and coffee and toast appeared. Dick said that it was very unusual for snow to be falling at this time of year.
Joan drove Romy, Toby and me off to nearby Walter's Falls where we took a short walk in a wood alongside the waterfall and marvelled at the ugliness of the new hotel that had been built overlooking it. My Tilly hat proving effective in keeping icy rain off my face.
Then back to the farm for sandwiches and tea and then to commence another huge game of Settlers of Catan that stretched for hours over two sessions and several tantrums from Toby.
Later Toby and I went for another walk skirting the canola, across the wet fields and back into the forest, all of course without seeing anyone-else. Talking about Ontario being long way from North London or Guernsey as we avoided groundhog holes at the edges of fields and looked at a big turkey vulture stationed in the sky near us.
Reading Tua Forsstrom's poems still. She is magical.
More great food in the evening. Joan roasted pork, potatoes and yams (all of which I ate disgraceful amounts of) and prepared a sinful pudding with chocolate and cake and raspberries and ice cream. Somewhere between this, and some heart to heart conversations with Joan there was a euchre rematch; Toby and me against Joan and Romy. This time we were thrashed soundly and I could imagine my grandfather David's mock disgusted look. This was the first time I'd played euchre since I was at Deviation Road two years ago. It is the acme of card games.
After a little TV where in between episodes of A Touch of Frost, which Joan enjoys, there was a short and tasteful film of a Canadian poet reading a poem. Great that they should be making such things here, shame the poem was obsurantist tosh.
Sloped off early to bed, tired but very relaxed. Below Walter's Falls and low sun catching the trees before sundown.
As Joan got up, the house sparked into life. Cats and dogs were fed (having failed to brainwash me to comply) and coffee and toast appeared. Dick said that it was very unusual for snow to be falling at this time of year.
Joan drove Romy, Toby and me off to nearby Walter's Falls where we took a short walk in a wood alongside the waterfall and marvelled at the ugliness of the new hotel that had been built overlooking it. My Tilly hat proving effective in keeping icy rain off my face.
Then back to the farm for sandwiches and tea and then to commence another huge game of Settlers of Catan that stretched for hours over two sessions and several tantrums from Toby.
Later Toby and I went for another walk skirting the canola, across the wet fields and back into the forest, all of course without seeing anyone-else. Talking about Ontario being long way from North London or Guernsey as we avoided groundhog holes at the edges of fields and looked at a big turkey vulture stationed in the sky near us.
Reading Tua Forsstrom's poems still. She is magical.
More great food in the evening. Joan roasted pork, potatoes and yams (all of which I ate disgraceful amounts of) and prepared a sinful pudding with chocolate and cake and raspberries and ice cream. Somewhere between this, and some heart to heart conversations with Joan there was a euchre rematch; Toby and me against Joan and Romy. This time we were thrashed soundly and I could imagine my grandfather David's mock disgusted look. This was the first time I'd played euchre since I was at Deviation Road two years ago. It is the acme of card games.
After a little TV where in between episodes of A Touch of Frost, which Joan enjoys, there was a short and tasteful film of a Canadian poet reading a poem. Great that they should be making such things here, shame the poem was obsurantist tosh.
Sloped off early to bed, tired but very relaxed. Below Walter's Falls and low sun catching the trees before sundown.
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