Haliburton Friendship Force Club

We hitched another ride with Sue and Rob for an approximately 4-1/2 hour trip northeast to the lake area of Haliburton.  We arrived at the home of our hosts, Mary Lou & Bob Macklin, who have a gorgeous lake home.  We were housed in the "Bunkie" - Canadian term for the upstairs garage apartment with its own bathroom.  Very nice!   We stayed a week with this wonderful Friendship Force Club (June 21-28).




With our Wonderful Hosts, Bob and Mary Lou at Wintergreen for Welcome Breakfast 

 

Cottage Road

 

Bunkie over the garage where we stayed



Great welcome BBQ

Lake below Cottage

The next morning our group was treated to a Welcome Breakfast at Wintergreen.  This place was really cute.  It looked like an old-time cabin in the woods featuring a lavish breakfast with homemade maple and other flavored syrups. 




Sampling syrup flavors with Owner Operator 




Wintergreen Restaurant, Wedding Venue, Maple Syrup Producer and Possum Brotherhood Headquarters 

We traveled to a fish hatchery for a tour, then onto a Sculpture Forest Tour (fantastic sculptures in the woods) and finally, our group of 20 were treated to a Welcome BBQ at the Macklin's cottage.  They have a very active group (about 50 in the club) and it seemed that most of them were there to welcome us.

 




Fish hatchery Tour



With Jack at the local radio station




Meeting one of the Disc Jockeys

Ice Cream in Haliburton courtesy of Jack




The Curling Club



Before Breakfast at the Legion



Downtown Haliburton







Peterborough Lift Lock on the Trans Severn Waterway, Highest in the World



Canoes and boat dropping down



Hundreds of canoes celebrate Canada's 150 birthday!



Close up of canoes transiting lift lock

Geocaching at Kinark Outdoor Centre, a Camp for Autistic Children & Their Families 

On Friday, we went geo-caching at Kinark's Outdoor Center and were hosted at a lovely salmon dinner at the home of Paul & Jan Mutter.  Saturday's agenda was a trip to Petroglyphs Provincial Park, a Canadian Canoe Museum Tour and for us, the highlight was viewing the canoes transiting the Peterborough Lift Lock, the largest lift lock in the world on the Trent Severin Waterway.  Sunday's highlights were the Camp Wanakita Strawberry Social and a Voyageur Canoe Ride.  Monday incorporated a Visit to the Wolf Center where we saw baby wolves nursing (many of our Canadian friends had never seen this).   We then had a lovely tour and lunch at Abbey Gardens, Tour of Haliburton Wind & Solar company and their Brewery and Tasting Room.  We had a delicious ham dinner that night at the home of members, Joan & Jim Cochlin.  On Tuesday, we toured the town and had a rousing Farewell Dinner at Peppermill Restaurant.  As with Stratford/St.Mary's, it was difficult to say goodbye to these great Canadians! 

Baby Wolves nursing

A GREAT looking group after Sculpture Garden Tour

On the Voyageur 3 Canoe paddling along on a wonderful Sunday afternoon

More Friendship Force Canoers

Richard, Joanne, Sue and Rob enjoy the visit!

Petroglyphs

Joanne LOVES Canada!

Stratford & St Mary's, Canada

Our awesome hosts, Colin and Gweneth

We were on the road again, this time about 3 hours north to the town of St. Mary's, Canada.  Rob and Sue drove their van all the way from Punta Gorda and we were lucky to get a ride with them for our week with the Friendship Force Club of Stratford/St. Mary's (June 14-21).  We arrived at Rose & Ken's house where their club had an afternoon Welcome Party in a gorgeous backyard setting.   They divided us up with the Canadians and we had a fun quiz on Canadian Facts.   Of course, a wonderful chicken dinner followed with salads and an array of Canadian desserts that featured homemade butter tarts.  Yum!



Our host's lovely home in Woodstock, Canada

We stayed in the town of Woodstock (~40 minutes away) with our hosts, Gweneth & Colin.  They recently joined the club and we were their first guest ambassadors.  Colin recently fell off his roof while cleaning leaves off the gutter.  Unfortunately, he broke 2 bones in his leg and was on crutches.  We admired his stamina and willingness to participate in many of the activities, even though he had to be in some pain.  Gweneth was a great host and their home was filled with treasures of the many trips they have taken around the world. 

We enjoyed meeting Kingston

Travel has always been important to them as they took advantage of their summer breaks (as teachers) to see the world.  They even took their 2 children with them to give them a broad world view and experience other cultures.

The Stratford/St Mary's Friendship Force club kept us busy with a wide array of activities.  The following day we toured backstage viewing the costumes and props of the Stratford Theater and even learned a dance routine.  That night, we attended the musical Guys and Dolls.  It was an enjoyable production in this Festival Theater. 



Canadian Tire is a must to see - tires, hockey sticks...you name it!

On Friday, June 16, we participated in a Car Rally followed by a fun dinner with a singer and lots of dancing.  Saturday featured a Warehouse and Chocolate Trail Tour.  Later in the week we went on a boat tour, the Hansall Co-op Tour and really had fun on an Ice Sculpture Tour.  The week flew by and before we knew it, we were saying farewell to this great club.






Hansall Co-op produces beans distributed to a world-wide market (collage picture)

 

Joanne poses along side a ice sculpture



Our group dons heavy coats to visit the Ice Sculpture Tour












An amazing all ice bar complete with flowers frozen in a serving bowl - awesome!

Strafford Warehouse Tour 



End of Road Rally Party
 



Great Farewell Party in Barn

Collage of Farewell Party FUN



Our President, Sue, with First Man, Rob



Game Time!



Headed for the End of the Rainbow