A Rest is as Good as a Rest

No one can deny that great things happen in our lives all the time. A new baby arrives, you get the dream job, the house renovation goes perfectly. But awful things happen too, and though we wish they wouldn't come along, or that we could somehow minimize the collateral damage, usually we just have to get through those times and keeping putting one foot in front of the other.

This year, 2017, has been fraught with blows, one after the other. Unbelievable as it seems, a total of ten of our friends and family have passed away this year. Still reeling from one shock (losing my mom in January), the next ones hit without even time to regain  my footing.

It was definitely time for a rest.

So in September my husband and I went to Quebec. The weather was perfect, full-on summer the entire time we were there, with just a dusting of fall colours in the red maple leaves.

We stayed with my sister and brother-in-law, and toured here and there in little day trips to see the sights.

The photo above is in the the town on Knowlton where author Louise Penny lives and where she fashions her mysteries in Three Pines.

So many things are old, like this little covered bridge built in 1861. I've lived in western Canada my entire life, except for a short stint in Europe, so I'm not accustomed to my neighbourhood being more than 150 years old.

All the villages are charming and pretty, and stone churches and graveyards show up around nearly every corner.

This lovely Presbyterian church is literally out my sister's back door. It's a nice little commute across the lawn on Sunday mornings.

This antiques and craft market, held in a farmer's field, attracted lots of visitors. What a temptation these beautiful cushions presented, but alas, my luggage was full.

Notice the crabapple tree, above, loaded with fruit shading the displays.

This area of Quebec, near the New York border, is apple growing country and what a perfect time to visit! These beauties were ready for picking and guess what—the next day they were gone, loaded into crates and on their way to markets.