Wonderful Winters

Judy and Mark's gorgeous home.

Well I suppose that title could be misleading as you may think I am writing about a season.  As I have said before that friends can be seasonal, geographical or forever.  Well the Winters in this case, are good family friends.  Forever friends.

Judy and me. We don't look any different than we did when we were in our teens. I mean it!

On the weekend, my Mum and I went up to where our old farm used to be, up in the Singhampton/Feversham area, to visit the Winters, friends that we established back in 1974 when we first got the farm.  And although we are all a little older, and there are new additions to the families, it was like time had not passed.

Jack, Mum and Marg at the Sovereign.

We went to Creemore to have dinner at this restaurant called the Sovereign, which by the way, is an excellent Hungarian restaurant located in this lovely old building that was constructed in 1878.  I highly recommend it.  I just love it up in that area.  There are all these great little small towns with little gems like the Sovereign.  And it is only about 1 1/2 hours north of the city.

Me and Mark, Judy's husband.

It is all farm land up in that area.  A lot of the land is being bought up by the Mennonites and it has changed a fair bit from when I was a kid living there, but Jack and Marg Winters are still there as are their two children Steve and Judy.  And they have settled on their original property and adjacent properties (more or less).   Jack no longer practices farming as is the way farming has gone in Canada, that the smaller individual farmer can’t make a living at it.  Instead he has now started a small quarry – Beaver River Stone.  This is great actually because currently not too far from that area, a huge foreign owned quarry is being planned that is highly protested.  Locals are trying to ensure that it is stopped.  And ideally it should be.  Quarries are needed, but the type that Jack has developed – locally owned, small, employing local people, and not having nearly the same environmental impact as a mega quarry.  And adding insult to injury, that mega quarry will eat up vital prime agricultural land.  And do you think the American company that is behind it cares?  What is worse, is that it seems that the Canadian government doesn’t care either – they’d rather have the money.  What a sham – but I will stop going on about that now.

Well this is just the waiter but I thought it was a funny shot - that is a really big bottle of wine he's holding!

What is really great visiting the Winters is getting up to speed with all the developments that have happened since we sold our farm in 1987.  Our farm is now owned by a fairly famous chef called Michael Steadlander.  It does not look at all like the same place as when we owned it.  I guess everybody has their own approach to things.  In fact the turn of the century barn, which my father meticulously repaired, cleaned up and which I spent many a weekend cleaning and tidying, burnt down last month.  A sad loss to us, but I am not sure that the current owners would feel the same.

So I didn’t go by the property this time but instead enjoyed the time at Judy’s new home.  And what a gorgeous timber frame house made of timber from the region and carefully designed and crafted by local artisans.  Jack has also helped with a lot of the landscaping having helped to more define an existing pond which now provides summer swimming for the kids.

The gorgeous pond in Judy's backyard - with the requisite tikki hut!

Judy and I used to hang out as kids and it was pretty hilarious to hear Judy’s recollection of our childhood.  Mum of course had been a pretty strict Mum and didn’t let us (my sister and me) go out with Judy as much as we probably wanted to in the early days.  But we still managed to have fun and get into lots of trouble.

Chef Judy cooking up a storm - yummm

What was amazing growing up in that area, was that during the weekdays I lived in the city and lived a suburban life, but on the weekends and holidays we were up at the farm, mucking out stalls, haying and strawing, doing chores and living a healthy country life.  That experience has given me so much dimension that a strictly city child would not have.  I am so grateful for that.

My brother Mark (his back), Mark and Jack

So I could go on and on here, but really I just wanted to post about great friends, great visits and great food (thanks Judy for the AMAZING brunch you prepared).  Oh and great times of course.  Being back in Ontario has been a positive exercise in reconnecting with so many childhood friends.  Having that connection to the past makes for lots to talk about and a solid foundation.

So hang onto your hat Judy, I will be back to terrorize you!  :o)