A Weekend in the Eastern Townships

Photos: August 3-5, 2018

Sometimes one just needs to get out of the city and walk among the trees. Despite the heat it was good to walk along a dirt road and enjoy the wild flowers.



The cultivated flowers were pretty too. It's always a pleasure to see the colours and, in many cases, to see bees enjoying the pollen.

One reason for our weekend away was a concert at l'Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac. Les Boréades did an all Bach concert in the heat - not the best weather for baroque instruments. While we were in the abbey, a thunder storm passed through adding a little percussion to the music.



The main chapel is fairly modern, having been completed in 1994. Exposed metal beams stand, an internal skeleton holding everything up.

I liked the rhythm of this passageway which was closed to the public.



The abbey is located on Lake Memphremagog - a beautiful setting.



On Sunday we took a short hike in Parc Mont-Orford - the hot, humid weather really affects the energy level.



Still - it was lovely to be among the trees, to see the lake and the peaceful waterlilies, to hear the birds and to smell the many forest aromas.

Sultry July

It has been a hot July with humidity making it feel even hotter. There have been a number of days with temperatures over 30°C (86°F) but feeling like closer to 40° (104).  Thank goodness for air-conditioning. Though we did often enjoy suppers on our balcony. I don't know how those without AC cope.  Some rain towards the end of the month greened up the grass again. But often, it only increased the humidity.



This pond is shallow. Even the ducks looked for shady spots to stay cool in the water.



Moving slowly, stopping to enjoy their antics, parking oneself on a bench in the park under a tree - all strategies to stay cool and still get outside.



Flowers, too, were a reason to stop on a walk. Just be in the moment and forget about the heat.



When the mornings were cooler I managed a few long walks up the hill in Westmount where I was rewarded with a view over part of the city out to the river.



While this sunflower stood up straight...



Others, like me, had had enough of the heat.



One can always cool off in a museum (though not this one! - The Redpath Museum was built in 1882 and there is no air conditioning). I went to hear Lynn Kozak, a McGill classics professor, do a one woman (with a little help) show of part of The Iliad. She has been doing a serialized performance of the complete Iliad over 30 weeks. You can see videos here.



And so July has gone, but the hot weather remains. I will venture out to check out the ducks, linger near flowers, to run a few errands, to return home to a cold glass of water and a feeling that I have not yet let summer get the better of me.