A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Our first night in PEI was really just getting settled in and finding a place to eat dinner. We explored the island the next day. PEI is a very pretty island. It’s mostly agricultural and because it’s an island, it is surrounded by water.

Fall is a big deal on the island. They like to make things very festive and really get into celebrating the season. I like this very creative hay bale art.

Our adventures today were mostly driving around the island, but with scenery like this I don’t mind one bit.

We went to the PEI lighthouse too at East Point.

Our hotel/cottage offered a very good breakfast, which we ate early and then headed out. So after touring around the island and taking in the sights, we were starting to get hungry. We ventured off the coast and more inland, since we weren’t finding a lot of coastal restaurants that were open.

We tried to go to the Beaconsfield House, but it was closed too. The town was hosting a scarecrow festival and everyone was definitely getting into the “spirit” of the season.

We had to make a necessary stop at the Visitors Center, so we strolled around through the shops and had some fun while we were there.

Larry and I had to take a picture of this sign, since we have 2 very lovable beggars at home. We were missing all of our fur babies. 🙂

More touring around the town. Everything was closed, but we got to at least see things from the outside. Once again, the church has a large influence on the area. This time, with most of PEI being of Scottish descent, the religious influences were more Anglican and Protestant than Catholic.

Another fun scarecrow creation.

PEI is a very pretty island. Everywhere we went, we felt like we were very welcomed by the small town warmth and graciousness.

Even though I am sharing all our Canadian adventures with you right now, life here at home still goes on. I have been super busy with all kinds of things since we’ve been home, and that includes taking my nice long walks too. I try my best NOT to overwhelm you with a bunch of posts in one day, but I just had to share this one with you.

I just got back from a nice, long walk at Metzger Farm. I saw a couple of coyotes today, but the one that really got me excited was the one down at the water’s edge.

This is the first one I saw. He was quite a distance from me, and this was the best shot I could get. But I was happy for the opportunity all the same.

But as I was headed back top my car, I saw this one. My camera was clicking away until the coyote headed to the reeds and left. There was a turtle and a few ducks in the pond that he/she might have been after. He definitely looked like he was on the hunt for something.

Life is full of surprises, and you just never know what surprises are in store. Have a great day and make everyday great. Always be prepared for the unexpected. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

PEI is known for its potatoes and for its seafood. Larry and I love both. We asked the concierge at the cottage about a good place to eat, and she recommended the Lost Anchor. So that’s where we went. Unbeknownst to us at the time, PEI is very seasonal, and we just happened to go to The Lost Anchor on the last night it was open for the season. The place was hoppin’ too.

Milos, Larry and I all enjoyed some seafood chowder before our main meal. It was some of the best seafood chowder I’ve ever had. It was loaded with all kinds of seafood, from mussels to sea scallops. Larry and I ordered a big bowl and split it, though I could have easily just had just the chowder and would have been extremely happy.

Then we all got other things as well. Larry and Milos both ordered some fish tacos.

Maureen ordered a burger.

And I ordered a steak sandwich.

And we all had some form of PEI’s famous potatoes too. After a full day and full, happy tummies, we headed back to our little cottage. It was time to for more games.

Good friends, good food and good times; that’s what life is all about and things we thoroughly enjoyed this whole trip, and there are still lots more good times to come.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Our next Canadian adventure led us to Prince Edward Island, aka PEI. We headed out to PEI after our trek to Hopewell Rocks. Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province. It’s famous for being the birthplace of Canadian Confederation, the setting for Anne of Green Gables, and for its agricultural and culinary scene, particularly its potatoes and seafood. The island is also known for its scenic landscapes, including red sand beaches and the Confederation Bridge. Most of the PEI residents are of Scottish heritage, with one of the most popular names on the island being MacDonald, though the French explorer, Jacques Cartier originally discovered the island in 1534. He described PEI, formerly known as Isle St. Jean, as “The finest land ’tis possible to see. Full of fine meadows and trees.”

Crossing over Confederation Bridge to get to PEI. Originally we were going to take the ferry across but it was canceled due to high winds. No problem. We took the bridge over instead, but we could we really feel the winds blowing hard.

These cormorants were on the rocks at the foot of Confederation Bridge.

This was where we stayed while on the island. It was an adorable little cottage, that was part of complex of cottages. Before heading off once again, we enjoyed a glass of wine by the firepit. We played a lot of games down in the basement/conference area after our daily adventures too.

The hydrangea were in full bloom all over.

The sitting area in the main cottage.

The Gable House, from Anne of Green Gables fame authored by L. M. Montgomery, was right across the field from our cottage. It was a short two minute walk from our cottage. We didn’t take the tour, but we walked around the grounds after hours. None of us have read the books and we didn’t know the stories, so we didn’t feel it was necessary to take the tour. The grounds were very pretty though.

The gardens of Green Gables.

After touring the Hopewell Rocks, driving to PEI, getting settled and exploring the Gable House, we worked up an appetite, so it was time to find something delicious to eat. We didn’t have to look too far for good food. We’ve enjoyed good food the whole trip. 🙂

While in New Brunswick and Moncton specifically, we visited the famous Hopewell Rocks, also known as the Flowerpot Rocks or simply the Rocks. They are located in the Bay of Fundy. They are natural rock formations created by millions of years of tidal erosions. The tides vary from day to day, but they are some of the most dramatic tidal changes in the world, going from very low, where you can walk all around the rocks to very high, at about 16 meters or 52 feet. They are some of the highest average tides in the world. These tides can change in about 30 minutes, so it is best to always be aware of the times you are visiting. One minute you can be walking all around the rocks, and the next, you will be swimming or canoeing in pretty deep waters. Definitely wear comfortable shoes though, and shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty and muddy.

Once you enter the park there is a nice little hike that takes you to the rocks and the viewing deck, with about 99 stairs that take you directly down to the coast. You can also take a short little golf cart ride if you prefer.

We went at low tide. These rocks are truly spectacular to see. We felt very dwarfed standing beside these spectacular rocks. God and Mother Nature sure do make a great team and produce some mighty beautiful works of art.

Larry is very tall, but he doesn’t look so tall standing beside these giant rocks.

Milos and I look like little people here.

The weather was warm, sunny and breezy, but very comfortable.

Here are some pictures from the museum showing the difference between low tide and high tide.

I highly recommend seeing the Hopewell Rocks, or the Flowerpot Rocks, when in the area. They are truly a sight to behold.

From here, we were headed to Prince Edward island, or P.E.I.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Be adventurous, but stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Our long, beautiful day of driving from Quebec City to New Brunswick was also mine and Larry’s 22nd wedding anniversary. We had a destination in mind for where we wanted to celebrate too. The Keg.

The Keg is a famous Canadian steak house chain of restaurants. We’ve been to them before, so we knew how good they were. Ironically, we even have one here in Colorado, about 30 minutes from us. There are a few other locations in the States as well, but they are mostly in various parts of Canada. We all enjoyed a great steak dinner and celebrated in in great taste.

In 1971 our founder George Tidball opened the very first Keg under the name Keg n’ Cleaver in North Vancouver. He did so with one simple formula in mind – elevate the every day for our guests by surrounding great food with good times. After more than 30 years of business, The Keg opens its 100th location. Reflecting on our history of giving back to communities across North America, The Keg Spirit Foundation is formed, focusing on charitable giving towards youth and development programs. The Keg retail products are also launched, allowing guests to enjoy some of The Keg experience at home. Now The Keg is been in business for over 50 years and is still growing and better than ever.

Our server was great. She was fun, friendly, and very attentive. Maureen told her it was our anniversary, so The Keg gave us a piece of their famous miner’s pie for dessert. One was DEFINTELY more than enough for all of us to enjoy.

Happy Anniversary Sweetie. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Before heading to The Keg though, we had to experience Magnetic Hill, right by our hotel. The Magnetic Hill is a Canadian gravity hill, a type of optical illusion created by rising and descending terrain. It is located at the northwestern edge of the city of Moncton in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

We had yet another deliciously fun day, filled with good friends, lots of laughter and good food, and of course, the stunning scenery.

Restez a l’ecoute. J’en aurai beaucoup plus a vous proposer bientot. Stay tuned. I have a lot more coming your way soon.

Passez une bonne journee et faites en sorte que chaque jour soit formidable. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

After Quebec City, we were headed to the Province of New Brunswick. It was another long driving day. New Brunswick is 374 miles or 602 km from Quebec City. Without stops, it is about a 6 hour drive. Of course we stopped along the way, making our drive even longer, though it was a very beautiful drive.

New Brunswick is best known for the Bay of Fundy, home to the world’s highest tides, and its natural beauty, including Fundy National Park and the unique Hopewell Rocks. It is also Canada’s only officially bilingual province, with a diverse culture influenced by Indigenous, French, Acadian and British heritage. It is also where the great actor Donald Sutherland was from.

Crossing the border.

Look at these AMAZING colors!!!!! We saw this all the way.

The hills behind the trees is Maine. Larry and I came back through Maine, but we still have a lot more of Canada to cover first. 🙂

We kept seeing moose signs, and when we stopped there were two hunters who said they had seen a few moose earlier that morning. We were looking for them, but the only moose we saw were the man made ones. 😦 Ironically, as Larry and I were watching the news this morning, there was a baby moose trapped in a ditch here in Colorado, and it was rescued and returned to its momma. So We can see the moose here at home, but not in Canada. HMMMMM!

Next stop, Moncton.

Restez a l’ecoute. J’en aurai beaucoup plus a vous proposer bientot. Stay tuned. I have a lot more coming your way soon.

Passez une bonne journee et faites en sorte que chaque jour soit formidable. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Chateau Frontenac is the life of luxury in every way possible. It’s beautiful and has a rich, full history. It has served and cared for the rich and famous from all over the world ever since it was built.

We had reservations, but we were early, which allowed us to look around before arriving at the restaurant.

This was a really cool chair that was also a table. The back flipped over to make a table. Very creative.

Sitting in the table/chair.

Some fun inside one of the shops. It was a shop that sold Scottish wool. Can you tell? 🙂 All I bought was a post card. I didn’t need anything else at the time.

Elegance was in every ounce at Chateau Frontenac. Even the letter box.

There was a tour of the hotel. Had we known, we probably would have taken it too. The tour guide was in character and allowed me to take one quick shot of him before he had to move on. He was very colonial looking. We’ll take the tour next time. 🙂

Inside the Restaurant. We were seated at a table that was overlooking the St. Lawrence River. We had the perfect view of the river.

We watched the boats on the river while we dined.

And our lunch arrives. It was a feast for sure. Maureen ordered bread for the table.

Her main lunch was French onion soup and a green salad.

Milos ordered a chicken club sanadwich with fries.

Larry ordered the rack of ribs.

And I ordered the seafood cassoulet.

It was a delicious lunch and the view – PERFECT! We rarely dine like this, but every now and then it’s fun to see how the “other half lives”. 🙂

Once again, we were very full after our lunch, so walking around some more was a very good thing. We needed to walk off the calories. Plus we needed to get back to our car. 🙂

Larry on the wall.

The wall around Old Québec City is a fortified 4.6 km rampart system, making it the last remaining fortified city walls in North America. The current walls were constructed primarily between 1745 and 1748, with additions and repairs continuing until the 19th century. Early fortifications: The first walls were built in 1690, but the current stone walls were constructed over a 25-year period starting in 1720, and were nearly complete by the time the British captured the city in 1759. British additions: The British continued to improve and expand the fortifications after taking control of the city, adding new gates like the Hope Gate in 1786. Completion: The walls were not fully completed until 1871, but they were no longer necessary for defense after the Confederation of Canada in 1867. Now it is part UNESCO and is a part of history.

Au Revoir Quebec. Until next time. We’re moving on. There is still so much to see and do. Too many things to see and do and far too little time in which to see them all. Next stop – New Brunswick. Back to English once again.

Restez a l’ecoute. J’en aurai beaucoup plus a vous proposer bientot. Stay tuned. I have a lot more coming your way soon.

Passez une bonne journee et faites en sorte que chaque jour soit formidable. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

We had another full day in Quebec City, but this time, very little rain, so we could enjoy some outdoor tours. We switched days of our Old Quebec City tour, so we were able to really enjoy it without the rain. So glad we did too. It was yet another very interesting, very informative tour.

We met at the famous fountain outside of the Parliament House. This is the same fountain that is in Boston, only this fountain has frogs in the water. One of the things we learned on our tour is that a lot of these fountains, structures and even old buildings are found in multiple locations around the world. The fountain was a gift from someone in Paris to Quebec City. The Parliament House is a replica of the Louvre in Paris too.

We were busy taking pictures along our walk to the meeting spot at the fountain, the Parliamentary gardens and the surrounding area while we were waiting for our tour guide Samuel to show up.

The 3 famous Suffragettes.

The modern mixed with the old, traditional.

Chateau Frontennac. The history of the Château Frontenac began with its 1893 construction by the Canadian Pacific Railway to promote luxury train travel, as conceived by William Van Horne and designed by architect Bruce Price. The hotel, named after Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, has been expanded multiple times, most notably with additions in 1899, 1908, and 1920-1924, and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981. It has hosted numerous dignitaries and served as the venue for pivotal World War II meetings. World War II conferences: The hotel served as the headquarters for two crucial conferences between Allied leaders.

First Quebec Conference (1943): U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met with Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King to plan the invasion of Normandy.

Second Quebec Conference (1944): The leaders met again to discuss postwar plans for Germany and the atomic bomb.

Samuel, our tour guide.

King Louis XIV

Yet again, we walked all around, up and down very steep hills and lots of steps. When Samuel said there was another way to get up the big steep hill, Maureen and I jumped at the chance. We took the funiculare while the boys braved the steps. This is where the tour of Old Quebec ended. But we still did a lot of touring around. There was so much more to see. We stayed in the surrounding area because we had reservations for a late lunch at Chateau Frontenac.

I love all the personality that abounds all around the city.

There are beautiful churches, cathedrals and religious statues and tributes all over. The Catholic religion still has a very strong and large influence on the Quebecois people.

I just love all the exquisite art and craftmanship in all these old churches. These pictures are just a small sampling. Again, I took a ton of pictures, but to really, fully appreciate all the beauty, you have to experience them on your own.

It was time to head back to Chateau Frontenac for lunch. So I will leave it here for now. I highly recommend taking these historical tours of the cities. You learn so much and see so many different wonderful things you might miss on your own.

Restez a l’ecoute. J’en aurai beaucoup plus a vous proposer bientot. Stay tuned. I have a lot more coming your way soon.

Passez une bonne journee et faites en sorte que chaque jour soit formidable. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Even though it was raining off and on for our first day in Quebec City, we still saw and did a lot, and we hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. We did a search and found an interesting restaurant called La Buche, or The Log, such as in a log cabin. La Buche is a rustic restaurant that looks like an old fur trapper’s cabin. It was very cute and quaint and very inviting.

After a long day of touring the city, Milos was ready for his beer.

While Milos enjoyed his beer, I enjoyed a hot Frangelico Coffee.

Then we all ordered our meals. Milos ordered Steak Tartare.

Larry and Maureen both ordered the Tourtiere, or the Quebec version of a meat pie, filled with venison, pork and beef.

I ordered the pork chop with a maple syrup and Dijon sauce and pureed carrots.

Once again, we were all very satisfied with our meals and the service.

The bathroom was very colorful and unique too. You don’t find an old bath tub, used as the sink, in a restaurant on a regular basis. This is a pretty unique feature indeed. 🙂

After leaving the restaurant, we got caught in a torrential downpour. We were drenched by the time we got back to the car. Our only other plans for the evening we to go back to the hotel for another round of game night, so no problem. We just needed to dry off a bit before letting the games begin. 🙂

Restez a l’ecoute. J’en aurai beaucoup plus a vous proposer bientot. Stay tuned. I have a lot more coming your way soon.

Passez une bonne journee et faites en sorte que chaque jour soit formidable. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.