Tuesday, August 17, 2021

The Drive Down and Home

The drive down to Conn is one we enjoy because it's all on back roads, and we even take some 'backer' roads than most.  And we worked in a short visit with bloggers Bill and Patsy Richards on the way which was memorable.

On our way down, just south of our previous home, we stopped for a moment beside a beautiful field of sunflowers, all turning toward the road for their picture1

And shortly after we got to Bill and Patsy's.  We're blogging friends, and I started following Bill's blog, 'On Our Way' first, but as I told Bill, he doesn't post nearly often enough.  Patsy posts on her blog, 'ChillinwithPatsy' every day and I really enjoy keeping up with her daily life.  They live in their big RV full time, and normally head for Arizona in the winter.  Last year they were faced with staying here and found a small apartment to rent in Paisley.  

You'll see that Bill took up my challenge and posted 'For the Furry Gnome: Part One' the very next day.  He has a fascinating hobby, building remote-controlled model airplanes and flying them, so I'd like to hear a lot more.  His latest one has a fifteen-foot wingspan!  Patsy's is one of the best daily blogs I read.

I'll never forget them visiting me in the rehab hospital in London.  They were the only people who came to see me who I had not actually met in person until then.  I was out in the garden, and when I looked up and saw them I was totally astonished!

After our visit to Conn we drove north through our favourite road in the woods.  Just one concession long, this road has no homes, so it's not maintained in the winter, but it's beautiful the rest of the year.  

Here we're driving into the shaded heart of the woods, and on through dappled sunlight.  It's not actually a road entirely in the woods, but the road allowance is completely forested, so it feels like a drive through the woods.

We always drive slowly through here and really enjoy it.  Eventually we drop down over a rise and come to the end, out into the sunshine again.

Then through the hamlet of Swinton Park where we pass the architecturally interesting Swinton Park Presbyterian Church.  We were inside for a Strawberry Social a few years ago.  Besides the bell tower, (with a bell still up there no less!) the inside is square in shape, and all wood finish.  We thought it was quite beautiful.  Once the heart of the community, which also had a general store, this church now faces a bleak future as do most small rural churches.




20 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. What a fun drive! And such nice people. I'll have to check out Patsy's blog; you make it sound like a must see. :-)

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  3. I would call that a great day. Beautiful scenery and a visit with friends.

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  4. gorgeous views, spectacular sunflowers!! nice to meet up with blogging friends. i am going to check them out. if you enjoy them, i'm sure i will as well!!

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    1. the links did not work?? were they suppose to be links??

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  5. Spectacular sunflowers. There are a lot of small country churches that are gradually falling into disrepair as their congregations dwindle -- the same as many of the small towns in which they stand.

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  6. Your friends sound like lovely people. How kind of them to visit you in hospital. Those sunflowers are fabulous!

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  7. Those sunflowers are quite something, there's a field of them near me but they're yet to come into flower. It's an unusual crop for these parts. I've always preferred the back roads too.

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  8. There have been some accessible sunflower fields near us but not in the past two years. Too bad. I mean, the fields are there, but the sunflowers are not.

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  9. That Elizabeth John person is posting that same comment all over the place. I think it's a scammer.
    We went in search of the sunflower farm in our county. Unfortunately it is ready for harvest. The majority of the flowers have lost their petals and the heads are hanging. The sunflowers in my yard barely have buds. I doubt if we will see any blossoms.

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  10. Sounds a lovely day, the scenery is beautiful and always nice to meet up friends.

    All the best Jan

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  11. We enjoy taking the back roads too.
    Love all those sunflowers.
    Bill and Patsy sound like special friends!

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  12. That road through the woods looks so peaceful and inviting. I had to look up just how long a concession line is. It's a term new to me.

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  13. Wonderful day, with lovely scenery and a great visit with friends.

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  14. What a lovely treat for you. I've met a few fellow bloggers, not many.
    We love those backer roads, too! Happy trails.

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  15. you have gotten out and about really well! It is fun and interesting meeting up with Bloggers. I have done it a few times and never been disappointed.

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  16. Gotta love those forested back road drives.

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  17. Your backroad resembles our Heritage.e roads. And autumn is on the horizon…

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  18. I always enjoy your day trips. Love the sunflowers. The church building is really a special design. I would ask them to ring the bell.

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