OK, so I know this is a lot in one day, but let me remind you, I won't get another opportunity for quite some time.  So, our summer trip continues . . .  we leave our family behind in Bayfield, Ontario, Canada, and drive to Niagara Falls, Canada!

We stayed at pet-friendly Sheraton Hotel right on the Falls.  Directly across the street was an outdoor ampitheater:

JP with the dogs in the park across from the Niagara Falls.

Benny looks at the USA Niagara Falls!

Benny sits on the couch at the Sheraton on the Falls!

Vixen says goodbye as we head out to see the Falls. 

We did the Fury(video intro,) Maid of the Mist and the Journey Behind the Falls.  The dogs had to hang out at the hotel while we toured Niagara Falls.

JP and I (he doesn't want his picture taken) at Niagara's Fury, a 4-D preview the night before we did the falls.

That night, we watched the moon set over the falls and headed back to our room.

Benny eyes the "Sheraton" bed . . .

Vixen rests his head on the "Sheraton" bed.

And thus we went to bed ourselves, and awaited our visit under the falls the next morning.  To be included in the next post . . .

Bayfield, Ontario continued

A few weeks before we went to Bayfield, my parents did.  They experienced a super heat wave (while we had one here in Raleigh.)  Now, a heat wave at a beach (it may be a lake, but it looks like an ocean) would be OK in my book- lots of swimming!  But, when we got there, we instead got a "storm-wave" instead.  Lots of overcast skies and a lake that was wavier than an ocean- literally, should have brought a surfboard!  So, we did some Main Street shopping (we have some great new wall art in our house, and, most surprisingly, a kitchen hutch- you'll have to ask if you want a pic or more details about that one) and some book reading, and we visited a Mennonite Farm, and the "city" of Goderich, and we hung out, played games, and Ava practiced her photography.  I have lots of pictures, so feast your eyes . . .

Benny and Vixen lounging around the cabin, with Brendon in the background!

 

Brendon could at last use his Canadian umbrella hat!  There's a reason to like rain!

 

 

 

 

This one's for you, Karen, a face only a mother could love.  . . just kidding, my adorable niece passes the time! (Looks kinda like me, doesn't it?)

 

 

 

 

We found this "Canada" shirt at the store, and thought maybe it will fit Ernie . . .

While you're feeling either happy or sad for the kitten in the Canada shirt, you can also see the screened-in dining room overlooking the grassy yard and Lake Huron (those chairs in the distance is where you sit to watch the sunset.)

The busy screened-in front porch: Jackson, Benny, Me, JP, Brendon- screened-in porches overlooking lakes in cabins with no air get lots of action!

A picture of yours truly; I don't like pictures of me, but this one is courtesy of my favorite photographer, Ava!  But, as a note, I am wearing NO makeup, have been swimming, and taking walks (and not showers due to the limited well-water,) and the bump on my left cheek is actually a scar (where I had skin cancer removed- another of those if you want more details, please write to me and I'll be happy to share more.)

And my photographer, my niece, my favorite little girl, Ava!  This photo was totally her idea- taken through the open window over my bed in the cottage!

Benny finds himself a comfortable spot in any bed!

Vixen awaits the sunset (you may notice that we got the three boys matching bandannas before we went to Canada, from our Christmas in July sale!)

The boys watching the sunset over the bluff!

The sun sets on another vacation day in Canada.

Oh Canada

Once we got back to Detroit, it was back in the car and off to the main part of our vacation- Canada!  And the best way to get there (after driving a couple hours that is) is by ferry!

Benny and Vixen are officially world travelers- or at least have been out of the country!!

And, if you're interested in taking your dogs to Canada, it was easy!  We just handed over our passports and their proof of rabies vaccination (paperwork only, we don't know where Benny's tag is.)  The "Bounty woman" asked us to roll down the back windows, patted Benny on the head, and that was it!  But, we also went to a very small border entry.  You had to get there by a ferry which could hold, at max, 9 vehicles, but we rode next to a semi-truck which took up an entire row, so we had even fewer cars on our ferry, and really no wait! 

So from there, we drove about two hours through corn fields, to our somewhat main destination, Bayfield, Ontario.  And since I have tons of pictures to weed through for that part of our vacation, I will make that the next post.  (See, aren't you glad I don't do this everyday?  Or maybe if I did, the posts wouldn't be so long, but I didn't take my laptop to Canada!)