Zoo-ology

Just after I posted last, our family left on vacation for two weeks. We had a fabulous time but re-entry
into every day life has been rough and the days have flown by without time for me to write. Our vacation was a much needed time of rest and we just spent it together as a family. One of the things I love about living in Southern Ontario, is that we don't have to travel very far to get away from it all. So we hitched up our tent trailer and headed about five hours north.

We landed at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park. We chose this park because we studied Voyageurs this year for Canadian History, and this park has a museum devoted to voyageurs, some fabulous programs and a Voyageur canoe trip. So we thought that this would be a fabulous way to end off our study. We were right. We could not have asked for a better trip. The park is slightly east of North Bay and about 10 kilometers from a small town called Mattawa. After a great drive, through northern Ontario, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, we finally arrived at our campsite. Our site was fabulous and once we got set up, (which took some maneuvering), we decided to explore the park. The park itself was fairly quiet, as many people seemed to headed out as we were headed in! This was a nice bonus and no one was camped near us so our campsite was even more private then we expected. With just forest behind us, it was only a two minute walk to the beach and the lake. The kids had fun playing on teeter totters, swings and skipping stones into the water.

The kid's tree pose and Daniel's falling tree!

Looking at clams in the lake

Daniel skipping stones


Beautiful Moore Lake


TJ at the park

Our days at this beautiful provincial park were spent exploring God's beautiful creation. There were wonders everywhere. Incredible birds like wood peckers, spunky nuthatches, loons and soaring vultures. There were wonderful fauna and flowers and towering pine trees that were so straight and tall that they reached up into the misty clouds of the morning. Our hikes were awe inspiring although I was terrified on one but that is story for another day. Let's just say I did not think a "moderate" hike would include sheer drops, where I could loose my children or myself off the side of the trail!

The kids halfway up a very steep cliff!

Taking a rest - Guinness and I needed a lot of them.

Frogs were everywhere at this hidden lake

Mushrooms and Fungus we learned so much about them

Life on the forest floor

Roots so strong they pulled up boulders

Finally, the our Voyageur Canoe trip had arrived! It was just our family who signed up for the adventure and what an adventure it was. Our brave French Canadian guides Pierre and Robert met us at Long Lake and the fun began with Voyageur games. Then we were not allowed to board the canoe without getting on our time period outfits. Once we were dressed we off to sign french songs, learn about trading beaver pelts and experience just a taste of what life would have been like at this important time in Canadian history.