Tomatofest

This weekend was Tomatofest weekend in Leamington. While we skipped the obligatory tomato stomp and Miss Tomato pageant, we did go check out some of the events, including the classic car show. A few notable participants:

'66 Chevy Chevelle Malibu SS

'66 Plymouth

'65 Cobra

'67 Pontiac Beaumont

'61 Ford Falcon

'69 Chevy Camaro

Further Tomato Madness!

This week heralded the annual onslaught of tomato season here in the Leamington area. By the end, in about eight weeks, the streets will literally run red with tomato. After all, Stompin' Tom wouldn't lie.

A few action shots from very early into the season:

Tomatoes coming down the main drag

The weigh scale and marshalling yard at Heinz

Ketchup loves Tomatoes

Roma-licious!

Tomato Season in Leamington

With the garden suddenly kicking out tomatoes faster than we can eat them, it was high time to start storing a few away for hearty winter pasta dishes. We stew them, skin and all, then bag and freeze for quick and easy winter pasta meals. We manage to fill a few baskets every two days or so at this time of year!

Jane may be starting to catch on that all the tomatoes are a thinly-veiled excuse for me to consume more red wine.

The veritable fruits of our labour

Stewy goodness

Ready for the freezer bag

Dusk til Dawn

The August long weekend visit to Midland/Orillia gave us the opportunity to re-visit a lost love - the Barrie Triple Drive In Theater. As many wonderful features as southwestern Ontario has to offer....there is a dreadful lack of drive in facilities within striking distance.

We have even talked about inventing our own on the side of the barn. Maybe next year.

For now....the drive in itch has been scratched, at least temporarily.

Waiting for dusk

Previews against the night sky on Screen 1

Darkness descends....bringing popcorn and entertainment

A Year of Beer

OK, so it took considerably more than a year to assemble this vaunted collection of beer containers.....but The Wall of Beer in the man-garage has now officially reached 366 different bottles, cans and jugs, one for each day of the year, even covering leap years.

Next step - line up volunteers for kidney and liver donations. No reasonable offer refused.

Phase I and II

Phase III

Phase IV

Weekend o' R&R

Finally a weekend to stay home and do nothing....no travel, no commitments.

Friday night we headed into Chatham for Ribfest. Yummy.

Today we went into Tecumseh for a cinematic double bill - first "Eclipse", then a short beer and snack break at Boston Pizza, before returning to the Lakeshore for "The Last Airbender" in 3D. The free air conditioning was a bonus.

Tomorrow we are working around yard and garden, before settling in for the World Cup finale between the Netherlands and Spain. I also have homebrew to transfer from pail to carboy.

Oh Canadian, Eh?

Is there anything more intensely patriotic than spending your nation's birthday bottling homemade beer in your kitchen?

I didn't think so.

Empty bottles cleaned and sanitized

Transferring the glorious barley nectar

Full bottles awaiting caps

"45 bottles of beer in the tote, 45 bottles of beer...."