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        On a road trip intended for Cornwall and turning into a run to Alexandria, thru Vankleek Hill

and Casselman, and eventually Preston Street in Ottawa, lunch turned out as a wonderful treat.

As we discovered on this outing, a number of locales we've enjoyed in the past are gone,

windows covered and the lights out. Victims of current political solutions some may say. 

        We eventually landed on Preston Street in Ottawa, having read of a number of new openings there. Entering Del Piacere at 416 Preston St., guided to our table, we shared a Caprese Salad

beside an Antipasto di Mare, supported by a Peroni (beer for me) while Sonja sipped a glass

of Prosecco. Both very fresh and delicious dishes, backed by fresh baked

bread slices with a small bowl of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

        Two servings of a very good Tiramisu and a  serving of Cappuccino settled the visit

beautifully. We recommend visiting this location. You may even run into us there . . .

hopefully looking a little more awake than in the above photos . . .

Travellers and locals looking to fill their gas tanks in Cardinal on Monday were surprised to witness

this vehicle straddling the service island after destroying the pump and shutting everyone out.

Cardinal's Fire and Emergency crew were on hand to oversee and control any dangers

while a number of areas were without power following the mishap.

Nothin' like a 'Freezie" to satisfy a thirst following a Monday night workout at South Dundas'

Waterfront Park ball diamonds in Morrisburg. Over the coming several weeks the Seaway Surge

and House League ball teams play regular season schedules in both Morrisburg and Williamsburg's

Johnny Whittaker Ball Park, drawing crowds and staging excitement for strong followings . . .

These photos were captured at Morrisburg earlier this week.

South Dundas' Canada Day celebrations, staged in Morrisburg's Earl Baker

and Waterfront Parks, presented day-long entertainment to a huge crowd of locals

and welcomed community visitors. The annual event, spear-headed and presented by the

local Lions Club and backed by a number of generous sponsors offered a bit of

fun for all age groups, and the attending crowds showed their support.

Mother Nature rolled by the municipality's waterfront as the celebrating wound down,

magically waving off the wind and rain while playing a not soon to be forgotten light show

as a backdrop to a spectacular fireworks event for those who braved

the threat of continued unsettled weather. 

And it was a great day to be from South Dundas . . .

Thursday, July 2nd - The Beaver Club is the hottest new show to hit theatres this season. A popular new comedy is scheduled to run Thursday, July 2nd thru Sunday, July 26th at Morrisburg’s Upper Canada Playhouse. In fact ‘hit’ seems to describe just about everything about this must-see production with its fabulous performances, inspired direction and innovative design, engaging story and unforgettable characters.

        Playwright Barb Scheffler’s all Canadian crowd-pleasing play has literally taken theatres by storm and The Playhouse can’t wait to treat its audience to this hilarious and heartfelt experience. Like all terrific comedies, the characters are all people we know, their stories are entertaining and captivating and the laughs are plenty. The Beaver Club is all of that and more. Audiences will join four hilarious ladies as they pile into an old car and head out on a riotous cross-country road trip from Toronto to Dildo, Newfoundland. It’s a raucous journey filled with chaos, confessions, old memories and new beginnings where secrets are spilled, boundaries are tested and laughter erupts at every turn.

        The play has been described as a hilarious love letter to Canada. It’s truly a Canadian adventure as the members of the Beaver Club deal with their past, present and future and discover that life is better facing the world together. The Playhouse welcomes audiences onboard to enjoy this fresh and funny addition to their summer comedy season.

        The Beaver Club is directed and designed by Jesse Collins who  helmed the Playhouse’s season opener Danny & Delilah as well as the theatre’s past productions of The Affections of May, Bedtime Stories, Halfway There, Moving In, The Ladies Foursome, Doris and Ivy in the Home, A Woman’s Love List, Hurry Hard and more.

        Collins also brought his original musicals Dean & Jerry: What Might Have Been and The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt: What Might Have Been to the Playhouse audience. His television and film work is extensive, including an Emmy Award nomination for Zoboomafoo for PBS.

        The Beaver Club cast also features familiar faces for Playhouse audiences including Linda Goranson in the role of Yvette. She was last seen in such shows as Leaving Marjorie Bliss, Drinking Alone, The Great Kooshog Lake Hollis McCauley Fishing Derby and Steel Magnolias to name a few. She also starred in the iconic Canadian film The Rowdyman and in the Oscar nominated Live Action Short The Painted Door.

        Ms Gorason is joined by another Playhouse favourite, Alison Lawrence, who plays Karen. She actually appeared in The Playhouse’s first season in its current venue. Past performances include The Affections of May, Wife Begins at Forty and most recently in A Christmas Carol. She can be seen as a continuing character in the Amazon Prime series The Lake.

        Local actress and familiar face on the Playhouse stage is Kathleen Egan Veinotte playing the role of Eunice and was last seen in Maggie’s Getting Married. She has also starred in such productions as Steel Magnolias, Lunenburg, The Affections of May and Having Hope at Home among many others.

        Newcomer to Playhouse audiences is Robin Clipsham playing Radiance who has enjoyed an impressive career at Theatre Muskoka, Gravenhurst Opera House, the Stirling and Haliburton Festivals, Theatre Collingwood and others in such productions as Doris & Ivy in the Home, Shirley Valentine, The Ladies Foursome and more.

        Audiences are invited to make the great escape and join The Beaver Club on the funniest trip they’ll take this year!

The Beaver Club

Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun at 2:00 pm

Thu/Fri at 7:30 pm

Tickets: 613-543-3713/877-550-3650

uppercanadaplayhouse.com

Recent high winds have taken a toll on the aging and massive maples through the

South Dundas community. One of those belonging to neighbour Peter McGregor,

one that split and dropped half the giant on his front lawn. Peter had no

choice but to call in friends and professionals for a clean up . . . 

A replica of the early 1800's war ship Niagara that took part in the war of 1812 motored past South Dundas

Tuesday, June 23rd in the a.m. The ship is a training vessel today piloted by a crew of 23 instructors

and student and calls home the Erie Maritime Museum, Pennsylvania, USA.

Great weather translates into great photos,

especially with the variety of South Dundas backdrops available

almost everywhere one glances in our community. This shot, captured at

Mariatown Park early this week, was only lacking a few viewers taking up the chairs,

although it was quite early and quite crisp on this morning . . .

An overcast day on the river . . . 

When the sun sneaks into the mist on a very cold St. Lawrence River morning,

Boxing Day2025 at Morrisburg

Relax (meaning): See above . . . 

It is indeed a spectacular stroke of good fortune that our community can so shout out such

natural appeal.  Last evening at 6:59pm the Captain Henry Jackman moved into the spotlight

that was the setting sun, around the point at Mariatown. I had just set our dinner plates

on the table when she passed our frontage, excused myself, grabbed the camera

and raced to the waterfront a bit west of our place. We've seen this set-up

every fall since we moved to our current home. These sunsets and these

ships will recreate this scene time and again before the St. Lawrence

Seaway closes for the season. And you're welcome to visit anytime!

Bring your camera, take in our updated restaurant scene, and

chase the big gals climbing the waterway to inland ports . . . 

There are few  locations in Eastern Ontario that can provide exposure to the natural beauty

and diversity as well as does the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary . . .

The Algotitan running into an afternoon Fall storm east of the Iroquois Lock, South Dundas . . .

The last of the fall colors captured while on a road trip thru

Williamstown and the Long Sault Parkway . . .   . . .

Every once in a while we find captures that we've set aside for editing 'later'!

According to the camera data we set this one aside years ago. The camera used in the shoot is gone!

The data provides model info, dates, gps locations and more, like July 25th, 2019 at 7:21:10 a.m.

And we were using a Canon camera with a Canon 24-105mm lens.

Our parks along the river are something so special . . . 

The Trillium Class CSL Baie Comeau slips past our front yard, highlighting the last

of the fall colors and dragging the cold temperatures of the Great Lakes

into the  eastern ends of the St. Lawrence Seaway . . .

The sun had just dipped below a building cloud bank on the western horizon

when the Algoma Innovator slipped quietly by Mariatown's Duncan Park,

making her way to the Iroquois lock and then on to Cleveland, Ohio.