Our Mini Vacation Day 2 Continued

Yesterday when I finished my post, we were just getting on the little steam train that ran in the Huntsville area from 1904 to 1959.

As the train rounded the first bend, we saw a beautiful view of the Muskoka River.
And from another point it was just as beautiful.
Then we went up a hill and around a bend and (now Pea, this is especially for you) Fairy Lake. There was also a Fairy Street in Huntsville.

Then the train stopped at a depot and they allowed us about 15 minutes to learn more about the train, watch the brakeman switch the track for the return trip and to take photos.

The conductor's name was Bob and I guess he thought I should have some fun as well. He took off his hat and plunked it on my head. Then he offered to take a photo of the three of us. This will make a nice memory for Brandon.

After we return to the main depot, the little train backed down the track where we got a front view.

Then we drove up a very steep hill to the lookout. Brandon thought these rocks were quite unique.

Brandon and Great-Grandma taking in the scenery. That is Fairy Lake from a higher view.

Brandon and I having a little fun. I was trying to stand on the rock so I would look taller than him and he insisted on standing on the higher side. He is quite proud that he is the tallest in our family. Yes, he is taller than his father.

A man came along and offered to take a photo of the three of us, which was very nice of him.

This is a view of Fairy Lake from the lookout. Notice that little island. That's where I want to live.

This is a closer view. This was just breathtaking and would be at any time of year.

From the lookout. Fairy Lake is in the background. This area was ablaze with color.

Mom thought this little house was very unique sitting amongst the maples and surrounded by color.Another view of Fairy Lake. It is a beautiful place to visit. Pea, you have to take time to stop one of these days.

From the lookout you could see downtown Huntsville. Brandon could pick out Zellers and a lot of other businesses.

While we were enjoying the view, two bluejays swooped and played nearby. I was able to capture one of them.

We left the lookout and headed back downtown to pick up my meds. They weren't quite ready and I had to wait about 15 minutes.

Outside the drugstore at the end of the parking lot was the tree above. Notice the bird's nest. It was huge and shaped like a cornicopia. Brandon said his teacher had described a nest like this and he thought it was a weaver's nest. I'm not sure. If anyone knows, please let me know.

After picking up the meds, we headed to Highway 11 South. We saw this beautiful gateway back into Huntsville.

After getting onto the highway, it only took us about a half hour to get to Gravenhurst. This is a smaller town than Huntsville. We stopped to browse in Stedman's and stretch our legs.

Right next door to Stedman's was the Goofy Moose. The moose is wooden and a lady told us it draws a lot of comments.

Across the street from Stedman's was this small building that was decorated with cornstalks, mum plants and a beautifully colored maple tree right out front. The photo doesn't do it justice.

These cornstalks with the ribbons were at every lamp post. They certainly added to the autumn atmosphere.

We returned to the car, went for a bowl of soup and a sandwich and then found a motel for the night. It was the same price as the night before, but we got an entire suite. One bedroom with two beds and in the living room was a pull-out couch. Brandon and I spent an hour or so fishing off the dock, but didn't catch any fish. However, the scenery was quite nice and it was enjoyable spending time in the great outdoors.

Have a great weekend. Enjoy the sights, sounds and fragrances of Autumn. Tomorrow I will be posting about a surprise I received in the mail. ~Blessings, Mary~

Our Mini Vacation Day 2 Huntsville, Ontario

Well, after a night of tossing and turning for me, Brandon and Mom were up before I was. I heard her tell him that I hadn't had a good night. When I got up and around, Brandon told me that he had the car all packed. Yes, he had taken Mom's and his suitcases out to the car and had it packed nicely. Once I was ready, he took my suitcase out and we were off to Huntsville. We followed Highway # 35 right up. The scenery was breathtaking but the road was windy and the shoulder too narrow to stop for photos.

It took about an hour to get to Huntsville and then we stopped at Tim Horton's for a coffee and some pumpkin doughnuts. Mmm! They were delicious.

Above is the view from the Tim Horton's parking lot. I though it was beautiful. I would love to live there.

Next we went to Shopper's Dr*ug Mart to ask them to have my meds transferred there. They were very cooperative and told me it would take about 3 hours. So we decided to go to the Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway. This is a historical Railway that ran through the area between 1904 and 1959. It delivered to the logging camps and took passengers and mail to destinations throughout the area.

We had about an hour to wait before the train left, so we decided to take some photos of the area.
The colors were quite nice and it was a pleasant day. The sun was shining and the Muskoka River ran through the area.

Here is a glimpse of the Muskoka River right next to the Railway. Such pretty scenery. We all enjoyed it.Brandon took a few minutes to check out the arena. The Railway and the arena share the parking lot.

There is also a playground there to keep the kids busy while they are waiting for the train.

Brandon asked me if we could sit on the swings while we waited and we did. We had a swing too.

Then he asked Mom to have a swing with him. Mom didn't swing very much, but Brandon enjoyed seeing both his Grandma and his Great-Grandma on the swing. We had a few laughs here.

By this time the brakeman had arrived and opened up the station, so we went in to investigate. The potbellied stove was a beauty. Mom told Brandon that when she was a girl her grandfather had a stove very similar to this.

There was information about the early days of logging in the area and it was quite interesting.

Now the conductor and engineer has arrived. The brakeman is in the jeans and jean jacket. They were all very nice to Brandon. These men are volunteers and I commend them for taking the time to talk to the kids and answer all of their questions. Brandon is a train buff and he had a million questions about the train.

This was an interesting display. Brandon couldn't believe that the women of that era wore these skirts and long-sleeved blouses. He looked at the trunks and the baggage carts. It was all very interesting.

The conductor got Brandon outside and asked him to be Assistant Conductor. Brandon wore the hat for a while and I tried to talk him into doing it but he said, "Grandma, you know I don't like to be the center of attention." I told him if he didn't want to, he didn't have to. I would never force him to do something that would make him feel uncomfortable.

Above is the water tank where they get the water for the little steam engine.

It is quite a beauty and well-maintained and cared for. This is the same train that drew logs, passengers and delivered mail between 1904 and 1959.

This little guy is posing with the conductor. I asked his father for permission to take the photo and most graciously consented. He was a fine Assistant Conductor.

Well, I'd best leave the rest of Day 2 until tomorrow. I didn't realize I had taken so many photos and our day had been so busy.

Enjoy your Friday. Yes, the weekend is here and this weekend it's Canadian Thanksgiving. Saturday dinner will be at Mom's and we are having turkey. Whoohoo!! That will be an opportunity for more photos. ~Blessings, Mary~

The Muskoka Mystery

Today I thought I'd do something a little different and tell you a story about beautiful Muskoka, Ontario. Muskoka is a beautiful area at any time of year, but especially in autumn. Forests stretch for miles, loons call from a lake and moose, black bear and other wonderful animals live there. It is a remote area with small villages and towns and very friendly people. Now, to the Muskoka Mystery.

Muskoka is a beautiful scenic area north of Toronto, Ontario. Here is a map of the area.

I've visited Muskoka several times over the years and would visit again in a minute. Crystal clear, sparkling lakes that are great for fishing and lovely to photograph, thick, dense forests and wonderful people make the area feel like home.

Earlier this year, the TV program, W5, aired a segment called, Mystery of Muskoka. It seems that four seniors disappeared from the area between 1998 and 1999. All of the seniors shared a common thread - all suffered from mental illness and were pretty much alone in the world. Not a trace of any one of them has ever been found.

All four of these seniors had one other thing in common. They were all connected to a family named Laans, who ran Christian senior residences in Huntsville, Ontario. Three of the seniors, all men, lived in one of these homes. The one woman of the group lived in a garden shed on the Laans property. She was well known in the area as the Cat Lady. It seems she took in and fed dozens of stray cats.

The names of the missing are as follows:

Joan Lawrence aka the Cat Lady - age 77

John Crofts - age 70

Ralph Grant - age 69

John Semple - age 89

It seems the Laan siblings liked money. In 2003 and 2004, they were convicted for embezzling money from the seniors they professed to help. When seniors died, the Laans siblings continued to deposit their pension checks into their own bank accounts. They also deposited checks for Crofts, Grant and Semple into their accounts and never reported them missing.

After all these years, the whereabouts of the four seniors is still unknown. What happened to them? How could they vanish off the face of the Earth without someone knowing?

As I stated earlier, there is lots of thick, dense forests in the Muskoka area. Did all four of these seniors wander into the bush never to be seen again? Did they die of natural causes and if so, what became of their remains? Were the seniors killed and if so, who killed them?

So many questions and no answers in sight. The Ontario Provincial Police have been looking for these answers for almost a decade. What dark mysteries does the Muskoka wilderness hold beneath all of its beauty? Will it one day give up the answer to all of these questions? For the benefit of the seniors' families, I certainly hope so.