We recently returned from a vacation that had something for both Kay and me. Kay had her five plays at the Shaw Festival and I had my gardens, wine and food. I do have to admit that I cheated a bit. I also had the plays. However, I did not shortchange Kay either, she had the food, a bit of wine and the gardens as well.
Not being much of a wine drinker, Kay only sampled one of the wares at our winery tours. The wineries at Niagara-on-the-Lake, where the festival took place, are noted for their ice wines. I could not resist their lure. Or even some of the other types. They have come a long way from the time oh so many decades ago when we lived in Buffalo and sampled the poor excuse for wine that was produced at that time. We even had a fine dinner at one of the wineries, Peller Estates.
The community of Niagara-on-the Lake in the Province of Ontario, is heavily oriented to tourism, but in a nice, subdued way. The Shaw Festival complements the local ambiance. The streets are bedecked with flowers everywhere. There are so many cities in Canada that have broad displays of flowers that I wish were emulated more widely in the states.
Niagara Parks has done a magnificent job on a stretch of land from Niagara Falls, Ontario and on down the Niagara River. Beds of flowers abound everywhere, not only in the Botanic Gardens. Kay and I have visited this area many times and have not tired of it at all. I most especially am fond of the conservatories, perhaps because they are a year round display of lush growth. In winter they offer an escape from the harsh reality outside.
The newest addition to the Parks is the Butterfly Conservatory. Not only are there luxuriant tropical plants, but swarms of butterflies flitter everywhere. One of my dreams is to posses a large, tropical conservatory.
It is not easy to photograph a butterfly on the fly. They generally keep flapping their wings making it difficult to focus. There are so many in the Butterfly Conservatory that the opportunities abound and one can be successful a number of times. Rejects are easy to discard with a digital camera.
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