Becoming A Tourist In Ontario
I didn’t grow up in Ontario. I grew up in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. Part of my family now resides in British Columbia and my husband’s family is mostly in France. My husband and I have lived together in Nice (France), Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. Seeking novelty and variety in daily life, even in small ways is a good way to stimulate the brain and stay young at heart.
Exploring Southern Ontario – Become A Tourist In Your Own Backyard
Ann’s and Sherry’s weekend adventures inspired me to take some day trips this summer to discover more of what Ontario has to offer. We have lived in the Greater Toronto Area consecutively for over fifteen years apart from my husband’s recent two year stint living abroad in Hong Kong.
On the weekend we visited Sparta, a quaint historic farming village founded by Pennsylvania Quakers around 1820. The original founder was Jonathan Doan who fled the United States after the American Revolution and originally settled in the Niagara region. With the war of 1812 on the horizon, Mr. Doan feared losing his property and bought land around Sparta. He encouraged other Quakers to move to the area. He and his family set up a grist mill, a saw mill and a tannery in the community.
It’s around a two hour drive south-west from Mississauga, the GTA where we live, to Sparta.
We booked high tea at the historic Sparta Tea House so I wore an appropriate tea dress.
The magical gardens at Winter Wheat in Sparta are filled with enchanting folk art sculptures created from discarded items.
I highly recommend visiting Winter Wheat if you get a chance. This isn’t a sponsored post
, it’s just a very unique, cool spot to visit.Robert bought a bird house by the artist that creates them when we were there.
Isn’t it cool that he used a real old car door handle on this?
I love it when we can support local artists and help the environment at the same time. #winning!
As we were only a ten minute drive to neighboring Port Stanley we popped over there for a bit as well.
*Warning!*
If you are adverse to seeing a woman over the age of fifty showing some serious chesticles (aka natural cleavage) please avert your eyes now.
Port Stanley boasts one of the prettiest sand beaches on the shores of Lake Eerie and the King George VI lift bridge, the oldest mechanical bridge in Ontario.
They also have an old railway that is still operational dating back to 1850’s.
We really enjoyed this little day trip. Next weekend we’re heading to Paris!
What did you do this past weekend?
Linking up with Visible Monday, Turning Heads Tuesday, Fancy Friday, and Spy Girl
Fabulous photo-journal of what looks to be a memorable day, you two! Love your vint-y dress and all the Southern Ontario sights. Paris next! That is exciting.
You and I should go to Paris when you’re here ; P
Cool stuff! As you know I love travel and these places and pictures are catnip. Because of where you live now, I pay extra attention to bloggers who talk about interesting areas near to you and often read about possible trip-destinations. Ontario seems full of fertile travel ideas.
Lots of places to visit and loads of people on motorcycles too!
What a quaint town! And I adore that tea dress. The pix on the yellow train car are fab! I spent my last weekend in Portland, Maine, which is a very cool little city by the sea. Plenty of vintage shops, great places to walk and tons of excellent restaurants. I really enjoy finding interesting places to visit in New England that I overlooked when I lived here years ago. So many lovely destinations can be found without travelling a long distance.
I’ve heard loads of good things about Portland Maine but have never been. I really want to visit now after your glowing endorsement.
It is such a good idea to explore your own area, Suzanne, I totally agree. I’ve seen and learnt more about the county where I live in the past five years I’ve walked with my group than in all years I’ve lived here – 38 years in total!
I can understand you not visiting so many places as Canada is such an enormous country but I loved where you did visit on your weekend trip.
Loved your sundress and understand the comfortable Clarke’s shoes 100%.
The birdhouse is ace!
I’m hoping to be walking in London this weekend….
xxx
38 years in one spot! Wow!
I’m sure you get to see things from a whole different perspective when you’re walking rather than driving. You can really soak in the details.
Enjoy your trip to London!
What a fun day out! I love being a tourist in my own area, too.
Port Stanley and Sparta – (two names I’m familiar with only the one’s I’m familiar with are in Greece and the Falklands!) look brilliant, loads of history, excellent displays and amazing stuff to buy – that birdhouse is amazing!
What old shoes? I was too busy admiring your pretty dress and impressive cleavage (if you’ve got it, flaunt it, sod the haters, they’re just jealous!!) xxx
Yes…sod the haters! : P
Love your mini travelogue, Suzanne. Being a tourist in your own backyard can be very refreshing, and surprising! I’m loving the sound of Sparta, which is just the kind of thing we would have chosen to visit. Especially if High Tea is involved 😉 Your dress is gorgeous, and for me, nothing beats a good pair of Clarks shoes. They do not even need breaking in, but are even better when well-worn. Love Robert’s doppelganger and the crafty sewing machine table horse! The Winter Wheat gardens look truly magical, and Port Stanley looks like a lovely place to while away the time. Love that last picture! Can’t wait to hear about your trip to Paris, which I’m guessing will be Paris, Ontario? xxx
Nothing gets past you Ann! You’re the only one that guessed which Paris I’m writing about.
I loved seeing every single photo–you and Robert playing with trains and in gardens, the whimsical art at Winter Wheat, Robert’s super cool birdhouse, the blue skies you had for the day. What a lovely experience! You painted such a picture that I almost felt I was there with you. And now I feel so relaxed.
Thank you for taking us on the journey with you. I look forward to your Parisian post in the future!
Hugs,
Sherry
http://www.petiteover40.com
Oui Oui ; P
Forgot to mention: thanks for the shout-out! xxx
No worries!
I love the name of that village. “Honey, let’s go to Sparta!” And off you go. Looks like a fun day of nibbling and poking around shops and doing the tourist thing of looking at trains and boats in Port Stanley. Exploring the neighbourhood looks like fun. I look forward to hearing about Paris. I went to summer camp there once. Don’t ask. Hahaha!!
I’m hoping it wasn’t like my experience at summer camp. I’m still trying to get over it.
The lake was full of slime (not kidding)
We were feasted on by mosquitos the size of small cars and every night we had to do a “tick” check by flashlight.
The toilets were about a kilometre away down a dark road and half of the people in my cabin had diarrhea. You had to take your own toilet paper to the outhouse.
A girl broke her leg after falling down a steep embankment in the pouring rain right in front of me. I can still see her bone sticking out and the leg facing the wrong direction.
Every day I wrote home to beg my parents to come and pick me up. They never came.
Fun outing! Always great to be a tourist in your backyard,
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
I think being a tourist more locally is such fun, looks like you had a great day out! Your ‘chesticles’ description made me laugh. Enjoy Paris! Xx
Sparta looks charming and not at all what the name would suggest.
There’s an antique shop here that takes pieces too damaged to sell and repurposes them. So a sewing machine becomes a lamp, old tools become a table. It all could work in an industrial/steampunk décor. I’m more into Louis XVI myself…they have that, too.
Your dress is the perfect mix of retro chic and summer cool. The story about it is hilarious. Something I learned at the fabric store here: “tirer un fil”—they pull a thread out. It slides right out and gives them a straight line for cutting the fabric. But not on a bias 😉
Ah ha! I’m totally going to try out your suggestion of tirer un fil la prochaine fois. Well, sans the bias.
Like my Franglais? I’m terrible now and my husband isn’t much better.
Sparta looks absolutely charming . The Winter Wheat gardens and their joyful touches of whimsy look such fun. Playing tourist in your own backyard so often reveals long forgotten treasures. Enjoy your next weekend trip.
Thanks Jill : )
I was just in Port Stanley last week! It is a nice little beach town with some lovely restaurants and shops. I have been to Sparta once, several years ago, to see the lavender farm. I’m sorry it was too late in the season for you to see it – the smell was heavenly! I think we often bypass what is close by in favour of exploring the distant and unfamiliar. I enjoy day trips around Ontario with friends who have a car.
We just missed each other ; P
We have another lavender farm much closer to us. I need to remember for next year to visit at the right time.
I applaud your joy at squeezing all the charm out of your own province before moving your adventures to distant continents. It’s clear that you and Rob enjoyed your weekend thoroughly!
It’s weird when I see other people call my husband Rob. It’s totally natural for Americans and Canadians but it’s something I’ve never done. I only pronounce his name how I learned it, Robert, with the French pronounciation. If I married a Frenchman I wanted him to stay French. LOL
We did enjoy our time together : ) Thanks Jude.
This is exactly what we love to do lately. Especially now that we are retired!! It’s amazing what is right in our back yard. Sure we still like to go other places, but there is beauty and fun everywhere.
XOOX
Jodie
PS…love the cleavage! I’m finally getting more comfortable showing mine too!!
That’s great Jodie! We’ll never be as young as we are today.
what a lovely place to visit, and so fun that you decided to become tourists in your own surroundings!
You look gorgeous in your tea dress, and really sensible to wear a hat and comfy shoes (they look nice too).
Not having any problem about ladies of any age looking comfy and fabulous in their summery clothes, showing cleavage, arms, legs or whatever they want. You totally rock indeed!
besos
such a fun trip! and so much to discover near the home…. you look fab in your tea dress – beautiful clevage btw! that beach looks very inviting and i like old trains.
last weekend i volountered at the bar for our summerfest – me & others are a little group that tries to bring some culture & events into our tiny sleepy town……
xxxx
Hi Suzanne!
I’ve never been to Ontario, only Toronto, when I was a kid. I love to support local art too, and do so in Asheville, when we went. Looks like a great day trip, I need to do high tea somewhere! It looked like a lovely place. Your outfit was perfect for the day outing and comfy shoes a must! let’s see, we had my niece over , she’s 8, and have been enjoying the pool, and local spots around town.
thanks for linking!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
If you’ve been to Toronto Jess you’ve been to Ontario. Ontario is the province where Toronto is located. I live in MIssissauga which is a suburb of Toronto.
this is a lovely post Suzanne. I missed a lot of your posts because your email doesn’t arrive anymore. All of a sudden I thought “hey what? where are Suzanne’s posts?”
I will go through the ons I missed and register again for email.
sorry.
Greetje
I just had a look into this Greetje as I wasn’t aware. It seems that you are right, it hasn’t updated since June. I’m hoping I have it fixed now. It’s possible that quite a few posts will come this week to make up for all those that didn’t arrive. Thanks for letting me know!
Got your email now.
What?? You are in Paris now? How lovely!