Michèle et Denis

Home Archives Links Français

January February March April May June July August September October November December

1 to 15 May 2020 16 to 30 May 2020

Thursday, May 12 to Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A lazy week doing nothing!
Of course, the paperwork continues this week, this time to get the windshield changed on the motorhome. And it is not over yet!
We also took the time to visit the village of Frankford and the area.

Like in any area of Canada, the railroad tracks were removed many years ago. Many communities along the railroad decided to convert the old rail bed to multi-use trails.
We went with our bicycles on the Frankford part of the trail.

You never know what you are going to see when you take a new trail.
A railroad around a flowerbed! Kind of neat and of course a fallen tree, the results of the big wind we got a few weeks ago.

A part not done yet!

With all the rain we got in the past month, the water level is not too high like in other parts of Canada.

Odette, Onyx and Alix came over for a nice meal, a raclette!
We had a good time!

Later in the week, we decided to take a walk in Frankford just to see what kind of stores are in here.
A small river going into the Trent River.

Our finding, Frankford is more like a place for people who work outside the village.
As far as stores go, just the bare minimum, but with nice people.

Thursday and Friday, May 19 and 20th, 2011

Thursday, we are on our way to the Sunset Ceremony at the RMC.
We are stuck in traffic for over half an hour because of construction.

As I was saying, Dave and Shelley invited us to the Sunset Ceremony and the Commissioning Parade of Jeffrey, their son.
The Sunset Ceremony goes back to the 18th century and is an old British military tradition. I will not get into the details of it here, but if you click here, you will get all the information you need on the Sunset Ceremony.

Michele with the Tower of Martello built in 1845 and the city of Kingston in the background. Me, looking the other way where the Saint-Lawrence and the Rideau Canal meet.

The Mackenzie building overlooks the parade square where the Sunset Ceremony and the Commissioning Parade will take place.

At the early part of the Sunset Ceremony, we had the Snowbirds and the SkyHawks doing a little show for us. A very nice performance by the SkyHawks.

A very good parade followed by a "battle" between the "bad guys" and the "good guys" (in red!).
Lots of fun to watch!

We were treated to other performances, but because of the darkness, I could not take very good photos.
But I have to include this one, the piper is at the top of the clock tower on the Mackenzie building. When the RMC band played the bagpipes, it was good, but when the lone piper started to play after, it was great.
It sent chills down everybody's spine... Just Beautiful!

If you are ever in the Kingston area at the end of May, just check if the Sunset Ceremony is taking place and go have a look. It is open to everyone, not just families member and it is free!

Let's move on to Friday and the Commissioning Parade. The official bit.
But first, I am told that Jeffrey and a few friends "built" this "Bubble Canon" earlier in the year but were told by a senior officer to "get-rid-of-it". But they forgot to tell them where! So it ended up at the entrance of the base.
They followed orders. (Harmless fun!)

Dave is very proud of his son Jeffrey!

One of the best parades we have seen so far.

Dave's brother came down from Ottawa for the parade, Fred and his wife Joanne.

Jeffrey getting his commission from General Natynczyk, Chief of Defence Staff.

Shelley (mom) and Samantha (sister), also proud of Jeffrey.

The graduates with swords saluting the first-year cadets as they return the riffles. After, the Graduates are on their way to the Arch.

There are only two times a cadet can walk under the Arch.
First, when the cadets come in the RMC and the second time when the cadets get his/her commission and graduates from RMC.

We are happy to have come to both occasions, the Sunset Ceremony and the Commissioning Parade of Jeffrey.
It is something to watch!

Saturday to Wednesday, May 21 to 25, 2011

The little village where we are now, Frankford, has a River Festival this weekend. Saturday we spent... an hour .... but we had seen everything after 20 minutes!!!
Small, but good for the kids.
Me and my Caddy?

A baby Alpacas, only 3 months old.

Sunday morning I went for a 21 km bike ride. What a nice area the Trent River.
I do not know what kind of bird of prey is in the nest, but it was big...

On my way back, I followed the Trent river and stopped at one of the many locks. This one in Glenn Miller.

Monday is a "not sure" kind of day, Rain or Sun? Ended up being cloudy!
Off I go to the Sager Conservation Area with its 30 meters high tower. This is the highest point in the region.

Good view!

I think it is time some church to moved to the 21st century and update the messages they are trying to give us!

Wednesday morning, I did another little bike ride. This time I went to the village of Stirling, about 20 km return.
Good ride and I love this painting to commemorate remembrance day.

Michele and I spent the afternoon visiting the area around Campbellford. We are the Healy's Falls.

This is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. It is 386 Km long. It stretches across Central Ontario, from the Bay of Quinte (Trenton) to Georgian Bay (Port Severn). Nice falls, but hard to find without any signs directing you to the falls.

We continue our "cruising" to the Ferris Provincial Park with its suspended bridge, 92 m long and 12 m above the Trent River.

From the suspended bridge, we can see the Ranney Falls.

After a good day, a beer, a book and a fire...

Thursday to Tuesday, May 26 to the 31st, 2011

This is just a small update, just to finish the month of May...

I am doing some more updates on our web page...

What a surprise to see that I have more than 5000 hits "

"on our web page since the first one on June 27th, 2010.
A lot more then I expected, that's for sure!

A beautiful Saturday, why not wash the motorhome, but first, a geese family living by the shore, close to the campground.

Washing and rinsing...

We had a nice month of May here in Frankford, next to the Trent river.

Until next time.

Life is good...