#24 BARB'S REFLECTIVE 150-ALGONQUIN PARK ONTARIO

Every camper has memories of their favourite place.

Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario is 250 km north of Toronto. Created in 1883 as a watershed for Southern Ontario it is a camper, canoer, lodger, fisherman paradise. Used to be logging companies along with the recreational features. Camping or staying at one of the pricey lodges is available.
Algonquin Park

Going through the Eastern gate on Highway 60 one entered the greenery of the park. During many years of my childhood, Algonquin Park was a summer home. Our family would secure a spot on Rock Lake, our usual spot in late June and usually stayed until early August. Our Dad would come back and forth on his days off from work. Sleeping in a tent on a air mattress if lucky was the norm.

The Natural museum had many artifacts and information about the Park's history. Algonquin an authentic Canadian word after one of the many Frist Nations tribes that used the park. Many canoe routes were established generations ago.There is a Logging Museum too.

Lots of wildlife. It was not unusual to see a deer at the side of the road.

The Western Gate had staff greeting the many car loads of people.
Hiking trails were established and could be enjoyed.
To day the vast majority of the Park's land is not accessible by car. As can be seen by the map, the highway goes through the southern tip of the Park.
I even joined a group on Facebook called Memories of Algonquin Park. I may upload some photos from those earlier times.
The last time I camped with my husband and friends on Lake Opeongo was August 1974. Ocassionally I meet people who have just returned from a stay in Algonquin. Not much has changed. It is still a haven for Canadians and others from around the world.
#Algonquin#campers#lodgers#canoe#tents

CANADIAN SUMMER MEMORIES-ALGONQUIN PARK

As work mates head out for their vacations, there is often a reminder of past events. One person loves to camp in Ontario. As a child our family camped in Algonquin Park for weeks each summer. Our favourite spot was Rock Lake. There were two campgrounds- we always stayed in a spot on the north end campground. I loved it as it was one of the spots the Algonquin Indians would use on their canoe routes. Subsequently walking along the natural beach over the years I would find pieces of flint and even a small whole arrowhead. My siblings found items too which my mother said should be donated to the Park natural museum. The museum had its share of stuff.  I never donated mine but kept them. Some of my little treasures to this day. Tha last time I stayed at Rock Lake was 1973. We don't camp anymore but it sure would make a nice little trip to revisit some of those spots- staying in a lodge or motel! The parks in this country are bountiful. Camping and camp gear is  a major industry! Do you camp? Come to Canada and discover its beauty!

Do you like the cards from an earlier post on Algonquin Park? I like them because they are from my childhood. Look at the campground one and try to identify how old the car may be!

The other wonderful adventure in camping is interacting with the wildlife that can be found. I remember stopping on the side of the highway to take a picture of a deer! Do you have similar memories? You can visit my post from June 26, 2011 for more details.

CANADIAN THOUGHTS AND PLANNING FOR A FUN FILLED SUMMER

May arrived with the trees budding and flowers popping up in the garden. The birds are busy singing, courting and building nests. The garden centres are busy with spring shoppers planning their "landscape masterpieces"! The long weekend-the Victoria Day weekend- is the rule of thumb about planting annuals ! The last fear of frost learned by our ancestors. There is a tradition not to wear white before that time as well! Since our warm seasons seem shorter than the long winter, plans for not only May and June but vacations in the summer months. To travel to Europe, go south, rent a cottage, go camping or a fun packed staycation. Coordinating with work colleagues about coverage and who wants what week or month. Perhaps getting the house ready for summer guests travelling from away! For busy parents-what camp-art, computer, math, physical activities, what lessons-swimming, soccer, baseball or tennis with some little ones taking golf! Painting a room, new outdoor furniture, stocking the freezer! There is always a need to plan, plan, plan! Why? The real urgency is to know what is happening so when the time arrives- the need is to relax, swim, fish, days on the boat if you have one, picnic and well-lay back and enjoy! May allows the luxury to start to research and decide what the next few months can entail. If your camp site is not booked in advance, then you could miss out! Finding the ideal cottage location or if a family has one-who goes what week can take good scheduling! Rome? Paris? London? Or a last minute- Jamaica, Mexico? A well developed garden in May and June allows for good sitting with a favourite beverage to enjoy looking at it! The hurry up and plan- go, go, go becomes the - get my favourite book or crossword with some music in the background and enjoy. Dinners on the deck!  Long walks, boat rides, car trips with no particular hurry can be the reward for all the preparation! We Canadians know how to do it right! I hear the discussion right now  happening from British Columbia to New Brunswick with some talk in Manitoba about "what do we want to do this summer"? Yes-the nice May weather gives us a chance to start to get into that mode! So how are your plans going? Do you have your travel books out? The maps or are you just a GPS user? Checking the budget? So what are your thoughts, eh?

ARE YOU READY FOR SUMMER?

Recently I have written about parents preparing for summer, school ending, the garden and in the Spring wanting to go on some road trips. Well here we are at the end of June. All the preparation, organization, wishful thinking, ideas and family plans are about to begin. For many though there is a transition time. Children moving to a new class. Lessons over for a season. School routine replaced by a camp routine. There is summer traffic that gets replaced by Construction! Along with the "yeah" summer is here, there is also some sad moments- saying goodbye to a teacher or principal moving away. Friends going to a different school next year. At work, people going on vacation so the workload doubles to cover for that person. For me, I often remember summers from the past. Camping and cottaging with family! The water sports- skiing and canoeing- are done sporadically now. It was such a part of my daily life as a young person! Now I have some Stat days and a week's vacation which I try to pack as much summer living to the point it almost exhausts me. For the last few years I was on pins and needles worrying about the folks out west and always keeping weeks of vacation in my vacation bank! Ready to fly west at any time! Different this year with Mom passing away in February and Dad secure in a safe nursing home setting. The old worry creeps up sometimes but then I remember, no it is over! I can concentrate on my family and myself! What will this summer bring? I am sure there will be some surprises- good ones I hope? Then I remember good summers, indifferent ones and painful ones! Adolph's folks both died in the summer months- one in August and the other in July, many years apart. A beautiful grandson was born in the summer! One of my trips to Italy was in the summer! One daughter married in the summer! Hot summers! Rainy summers! Cool summers! All shapes and sizes! Although the months are the same length as other months, summer always seems to go too quickly. To answer my question, I am ready for summer. A couple of road trips, big family barbecue day, trip to a friend's cottage, small barbecue for Canada Day and watching my grandchilren in August to let my daughter and son celebrate their anniversary are planned. The rest of the time I think I will roll with my mood, attack my pile of books for reading, work on a writing project or two, of course exercise more but otherwise do as little as possible if that mood hits me too. Benefitting from my husband's hard work in the garden with many veggie dishes to enjoy!  " Summertime and the living is easy "strikes me as my mantra this year! So are you ready for summer or are you just going to roll with whatever comes your way? Whatever you plan to do, make it a good one!

A POSTCARD FROM LAKE LOUISE ALBERTA CANADA

Lake Louise in Alberta Canada is a beautiful and wonder location in this country that attracts visitors from not only Canada but from the world.
Many years ago when I was a teenager in 1960's my cousin Linda sent me a postcard.

Linda wrote on August 4- " Aug. 4. Hi Barby, We just started our holidays today. We stopped here for a couple of minutes to have some pop. It's a beautiful spot. The lake is a lovely light blue and freezing. You could not swim in it because it's icy water from mountain streams. Will be moving on tomorrow to Vernon. Write soon, Love Linda."
She mailed the card from Golden, British Columbia.

Lake Louise is about 65 kilometres from Banff in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. I actually visited there in 1957 with my family when we went on a cross country road trip in our old red and white station wagon. The Chateau on the grounds is rather pricey so a lot of people visit the grounds and move on. Many people camp in the area which is more affordable.
If you want a postcard featured here, email me at abdm@rogers.com and I will send you my address so you can send me a postcard.

A POSTCARD FROM ALGONQUIN PARK ONTARIO

A camping trip to Algonquin Park was a major part of my childhood- late 1950's to the last trip in 1973 with Adolph. We camped at Rock Lake which was several miles from main highway- 60. We would stay for 4 to 6 weeks, usually leaving a few days before school ended. Some summers we took friends for part of the time.The mosquitoes and especially the black flies would be ferocious in June but became manageable in July. Mom would stay with us kids while Dad went back and forth to work. When he would arrive with fresh fruit and goodies, it was like a care package. Canoeing, sleeping in a tent with a sleeping bag- on the ground, using the campfire along with the Coleman stove everyone had, hiking, Campfire singsongs- a couple of summers with my brother Ron and his friend playing their guitars- and swimming every day whether the water was warm or cold. Rock Lake was a campground that had been a canoe route for our Native Canadians- the Algonquian. My finds of flint along the shoreline were always exciting. One day I found a whole arrowhead that must have been used for birds. My mother made my siblings donate their finds to the Nature Museum in the Park but I kept mine and still have them to this day- a real childhood treasure! Wildlife abounded. The favourite for all the campers were the deer that grazed along the highway. It was always exciting to see a baby fawn. Hikes in the woods could result with encounters with not only deer but racoons, squirrels, chipmunks, fox, and even a black bear. No one would keep food in their tent as the Black Bear was notorious for coming to the campground at night. A simple canvas wall would not keep one from ripping open a tent for food. The same problem with racoons! There were wolves in the park but they were smart and avoided people! A special outing would be the annual visit to the Logging Museum! One summer I had gone home early. My brother Reed sent me a postcard-" Hi Blondey, Have the lawn weeded for when I get back, or you'll get a shot in the left eye, both of them. Wheather's lousy, water cold, no dear to see and the kids are running Marg and Howie up the wall (tree). See you soon. Reed. "The year was 1962 and postmarked from Whitney, Ontario- the little town to the east of Algonquin Park. My postcards in my collection show a history. The earlier ones with the cars from the 50's! Have you been to Algonquin Park? Is there a favourite Park in Canada you know well? Do you camp or like the convenience of staying in a Lodge? Camping has changed but the feel and smell of the great outdoors has not!

If you want to have your postcard featured here. Email me at abdm@rogers.com and I will send you my address.