the Moose Cafe -- more than just a great place to eat

Did you know that there are all kinds of interesting things available for sale at the Moose Cafe in Dwight?





From these gorgeous alpaca scarves and ponchos, through t-shirts, hoodies, even take out frozen ready-to-go meals in the freezer.


And really really good food for breakfast and lunch.  They will do anything on the menu as a take-out as well, and also provide packed lunches if you are heading into the Park.

How Many Kids?

How many kids can 'pile on' one poodle?  Taffy is so good with the kids, and
loves to be snuggled and petted.  Good thing, with these love-bugs surrounding her!

Company in the Bay

We had a lot of company on the marathon swim this morning -- a loon joining the swimmers, a great blue heron flying overhead, and a deer coming out into the cat-tails in the corner of the bay. Couldn't get much in the way of photos, at least not of the wildlife! But I did get these snaps of the swimmers chatting to the loon in passing!

Classic S'more!

how to eat a s'more... Amelia shows the way! #bondivillageresort#familymemories #3generationsatBondi

Cat jail, with benefits

Indigo is in "time out" because she has been hunting the little tiny ducklings waddling across our big front lawn. (not fair to the ducklings to let her hunt them down!) She is spending part of her day in 'cat jail', with food, water, comfy napping spots... and today she had visitation from some of her fan club. She seems quite content in her new daily digs, and comes in of course for the rest of the day/night.

Pony Wednesday

It's a pony parade!  Wednesday afternoons, we take all the young set for a pony ride, on Squeegee and his friend Snowbird

Chipmunk Buffet

Creative crafts! Chipmunk buffets created by Ava and Paulina

Corn and a passing shower at the Cookout

 We've made it this far this summer without having rain at the cookout on Tuesday!  But this week, we had to contend with a brief passing shower.  Mike provided support to Megan, in charge of hot dogs.  Brian, in the background, was serving up our first fresh corn from our gardens. It's late this year!

Tornado Alley

On August 9th, a tornado touched down in the northern part of the Lake of Bays, up towards Limberlost.  It sliced along parallel to the Limberlost Road, smacked East Walker Lake and Fieldale Road, and really trashed the forest adjacent to Carl Fisher Dr.

Brian photograpahed the path of the tornado
across Mansell point and into Rebecca Lake
and onward

But the worst of it struck across Mansell Lane, a private road leading to some lovely cottages that used to be surrounded by mature forest.  The power of Nature is stunning.  It was fortunate that there were no serious injuries, and remarkably little damage to buildings.  But the trees...

At Bondi, we were well away from the strike zone, but we had high winds, which took down trees -- Brian has been busy cutting some off the hiking/ski trails already.    And part of our corn was knocked down by the hail -- only part of it, oddly. Brian and David shored it back up, with stakes and ropes, and you'd never know looking at it now that it was impacted.

on Nancy's lawn -- minor, all things considered

tying up the corn knocked down by hail

Along the private road, Mansell Lane, probably the worst impacted

Monarchy

Look who Brendan Jaekl found on our echinacea August 9th! We are seeing more monarchs this summer, and we are so pleased about that. 

Keep leaving Milkweed in your gardens and hedgerows, peeps!!!

Sheri Robb got this photo down at the dock.

Memories are Made of These

there are so many ways to create great memories with families!   Elizabeth can both pedal and steer, so Dad gets a free ride.   Andrew makes sure Dad gets the bait on the hook just right.  Amelia, Elizabeth and Matthew have an early morning chat with the ducks at their dock.

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Russian dancers on the trampoline!

Alli and Zack last week, demonstrating some of their dance moves on the water trampoline

Besties

Chicken and friend

Sophie with a feathered friend.

A Welcome Visit

I had a rare visit from a three-toed woodpecker  August 3rd. -- she got into my open porch, and couldn't figure out how to get out, so I have her a little assist.

Pretty Special Ponies

"unicorn" riding, and Squeegee too!!! The ponies take our little guests for pony rides every Wednesday. On other days, they get lots of pats and treats and attention. It's a win-win for the ponies, and the kids!  Clare had a passenger along for the ride, her doll Brianna, all decked out in riding helmet and boots!

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Big Day

August 3rd was a Big day today for Clare. Not only did she swim to the point and back --that's a full km! -- but she rocked the ski-board, all the way around the bay. Woot. Woot.

Swimming, After Clam Racing. Canoeing after Swimmers

Taffy organizing some of the swimmers

 The Aug. 4th Marathon Swim had a LOT of folks swimming back from the Island!  19 in fact.


And when we have that many swimmers in the water, the most important thing is that we have enough support boats to 'spot' the swimmers.

Which we had in spades!




It is such a wonderful thing to have the families and friends of the swimmers come out to join our staff boats.  It makes the day magic.

George was the Captain of the Big Boat for this swim!

Dan,

Sheldon

Zack and Bill

safely back at the dock.!

Dave and Jean had to work to keep up with their grandkids in the water

Clams Ran

 Clams came to the post, August 2nd.  They raced overnight, under the torches, on a course patrolled by the ducks...

And in the morning Brian and David measured the tracks to determine how far they ran.

 There is a bizarre science to this, involving a hockey stick with a calibrated wheel on the end, and sharp eyes to determine the start and finish points, and the coiling twisting track in between.













No clams are harmed in the race, although a few never leave the start line.

 Much of the fun comes from the names of the competitors, and this year was no exception.









The winner, setting a New Clam Record, was The Claminator, who ran an astonishing 13' 9".  That's one heck of a dash!  The entry of Steve DePiero.

In second was Mike Bechtel's Clammer and Saw. (7'8")

Gold medal and holder of the Chowder Bowl!

Isabella's clam came in fourth.

Jake Surry scooped the bronze.

Jake Surry scooped up third place with his Alexander Clamilton (7')
And Isabella Auld was fourth with Clamella, (6'5)

Some excellent showings, just short of the top placings, came from Clam-a-rama Ding Dong Gordon Clamsy; Captain and Clamander; Oh Clamada and Barbara Clam Scott.  Among our favourite also ran names we have to include Albert Clamus; Clamwise Gamgee, Can you Dance the Fandango; Str8 out of Clampton;  and my personal fave -- Aw Shucks.