Ontario trip

We left Fort St. John on a sunny March morning

and flew over the magnificent Rockies.

I bought pussy willows in St. Jacob’s, Ontario,

took sunny walks beside apple orchards,

and posed with another Lucy Martin in a picturesque church in Baden.

We told stories, laughed, and cried with the ladies at Oasis Mennonite Church at a little day retreat,

drank fancy coffees made by pretty girls who looked like they were 25, but had children at home,

ate pretty cupcakes,

and took pictures of buggies.

We ate corn salad and sausages and played Apples to Apples with the Jantzis.

My kind and generous hostess Danette took me to a beautiful little Mennonite cafe with a good breakfast bowl and friendly veiled waitresses.

Later we tramped through a maple forest to a quaint cabin
and traded boots when we got blisters.

I had coffee in the sweetest shop in Stratford with the warm and smiley Brenda,
walked with her beside the Avon River,

and ate delicious Indian food with the nicest Connie you can imagine.

Then we got Starbucks and boarded a plane.

Not pictured:
me talking Danette and her husband Ken’s ears off because they asked such good questions and listened so well,
speaking jitters,
post speaking angst,
Oasis church on a Sunday morning,
driving a strange van in a snowstorm, visiting the apple retail store on Martin’s Apple farm, with everything from apple lip balm to apple mugs,
more tea, conversation, and friendship than any woman could ask for,
little Old Order Mennonite children at recess time,
“in east” versus “out west” discussions,
and prayers prayed.
Thank you, God.
And thank you,
Waterloo.
You were
such a treat.