spent

A favourite way to spend a summer night in our newly landscaped backyard! We just didn't do this often enough!

Hot dogs taste best cooked over an open fire and eaten outdoors – slathered in condiments!

Heading to New York – via Amtrak (my favorite way to travel!) – to visit my sister Loreen on Long Island, and drive to Washington, DC with her for the weekend.

The Library of Congress in Washington was on our list of things to see in Washington.

There are lots of profound quotes on the walls in the Library of Congress. This was one of my favourites.

A fellow tourist pressed up against the fence in front of the White House in Washington, with camera at the ready, was sure she saw Obama walk in front of one of the White House windows. I was pretty sure it wasn't him.

The Washington Monument at dusk, seen during our After Dark Tour of the national monuments.

During our whirlwind weekend trip to Washington, we drove out to Mount Vernon to see George Washington's house and garden, but while waiting in line to buy our admission tickets, we decided it was just way too hot and humid to be outside (the Washington area was experiencing record-breaking temps that weekend!). So we hung out in the air-conditioned gift shop for a while, and visited George's estate and house in cool comfort via the gift books and postcards.

On the way back from Mount Vernon, we stopped in Old Town Alexandria where we enjoyed a delicious crab cake sandwich platter at The Fish Market while it poured rain outside.

After watching the play Half an Hour (it was about 35 minutes long!) at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, I enjoyed afternoon tea at the Prince of Wales with my sister-in-law Connie and niece Karly who were visiting from Winnipeg.

The inaugural meal (brunch!) with the new patio furniture – on the new deck.

First time at the Rogers Cup in Toronto with friends Lee and Maddy from Fredericton. We were there to see Rafa Nadal.

What do you do with last few chocolate chip cookies and a few spoonfuls of chocolate chunk ice cream? Make ice cream sandwiches!

Making pizzas (ham and pineapple, and fresh tomato, basil and feta) with Becky, another niece from Winnipeg who visited this summer.

Another trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake! It was a cool, windy day, but Becky and I were determined to carry on with our plans to have a picnic by Lake Ontario.