Summer sights

With the beautiful summer (hot) weather upon us, it is a perfect time to meet up with friends and spend time walking their garden, bursting with an abundance of blooms and whimsical art.

 There was even time to take a trip across the border to our favourite small village on the south shore of the 1,000 Islands, Clayton, NY.

No visit is complete without a stop at Bella's Restaurant

Chicken & cranberry panini

Lobster roll with pasta salad

 Just look at the view from their deck!

 While visiting the marina, you could just feel the love this mama had for her ducklings....giving them enough space to have a nap, but keeping a close eye on them!

It was a wonderful day out with my family too!

More summer indulgences to come.....

Clayton New York - 1,000 Islands

Living along the St. Lawrence River has many advantages.  We are minutes away from The 1000 Islands. There are many quaint towns dotting the St. Lawrence, both on the Canadian and US side.

One of our favourite places to go for a day trip is Clayton N.Y.

There are 2 ways to get to Clayton from Kingston, Ontario.  One is to take the Wolfe Island Ferry:  meander the island's roads all the way to the south side, then hop onto Horne's Ferry to Cape Vincent.  Then it is a short drive east to Clayton.  This would be the more scenic, leisurely route, but even though the distance is not far, it can be longer than you expect, as you need to time both ferries. 

The other quicker route is to take the The 1,000 Island Bridge over to the United States. That was our choice for our last visit.

Clayton's downtown has a 'small town feel' with quaint shops and painted murals depicting a by-gone era.

It is a walker's paradise with plenty to see

No visit to Clayton is complete without a lunch time stop at
 Bella's bakery and bistro

It is our favourite place to eat, and has a
fabulous patio overlooking the St. Lawrence

 The specials of the day were supurb;
 bacon grilled cheese and fish tacos

To be honest, I am not usually a fan of American beer, but I was tempted by a craft brew from
Flying Dog Brewery called (excuse me) Raging Bitch.
 It was slightly sweet and delicious!

After a satisfying break, we continued our stroll down the waterfront, visiting shops and meeting up with The Muskie!

I could have spent the whole afternoon sitting in an Adirondack chair just gazing at this perfect view.
Clayton is definitely worth the trip!

Concours D'elegance, Clayton NY Boat Museum - Part 1

We were recently invited to participate in the 'Concours D'elegance', being hosted at

 The Antique Boat Museum 

in Clayton New York.  

Given that we were bringing a 1957 MGA, 

we decided to come the day before.

Our favourite restaurant  Bella's, has a charming balcony overlooking breathtaking views of The St. Lawrence river, 

so it was a must for dinner.

It's menu is well thought out, with perfectly executed dishes that show off the chef's creatvity.

It was a perfect evening to enjoy the warm sunset and watch the boats glide over the shimmering water.

This year's car show was highlighting British cars, however many different kinds were in attendance.

This one caught everyone's eye!

But, my personal favourites were the Mercedes gullwings!

A bonus to the event was being able to visit the museum and take a trip back in time with the antique boats

I even was invited to take a ride in one! 

The event had many dignitaries, some who even stopped for a pose!

Stay tuned for part 2 - a vist to La Duchesse, the houseboat owed by George C. Boldt.