R&R

I wanted to get out of town for a few days, somewhere not too far or expensive but completely new. I ended up in Prince Edward County. My digs are a lesbian-owned B&B in a sprawling Victorian house with a big blousy garden and ancient sculptural trees.

Yesterday was a gorgeous fall day so I explored the countryside. On isolated Prince Edward Point I unexpectedly encountered deep relaxation on the first day of retreat. No one was around. I lay down on the dock, pulled my scarf over my eyes, felt sun on my forehead and opened arms to embrace the sky. For several minutes I lay listening to the complicated harmony of wind in my ears and the trees and on the shore.

Then it snatched my favourite Aussie hat into the frigid harbour. The water didn't look deep, so I rolled up my jeans and climbed down the side of the dock hoping to wade. My leg sank to the knee: nothing there. I probed with a long stick: nothing there. That soft bottom I saw was the upper surface of weeds or algae. No hope that way. For an hour I watched and paced, hoping wind or current would draw my hat closer to shore or the dock. It circled teasingly and tipped from brim to crown in a lazy, singsong Ophelia kind of farewell, before vanishing forever into green depths.

Today's rain calls for less adventurous indoor pursuits. The area boasts an emerging wine industry, although only the largest wineries are open for tasting this time of year. The environment seems to favour Baco Noir and Pinot Gris, although this morning I tasted an exciting Riesling.

The central town of Picton, population 4,000, has a terrific yarn store and an amazing bookstore. Linda Swain at Rose Haven Farm Store knows what yarns are good for weaving (such knowledge seems rare in retailers, who are more oriented toward knitters), so with her advice I stocked up on basic warp yarn. Books and Company is so big, bright and spacious it looks like an old department store. The shelves display used books alongside new ones. Connected to it is Miss Lily's Café, offering wifi and a wide range of gluten-free goodies. Biscotti? I haven't had that in ages!

I mustn't forget Black River Cheese. In business since 1901, this year it won the Dairy Farmers of Canada award for best mild cheddar (only 100% Canadian cow's milk allowed, no modified ingredients). I also like the maple cheddar.

Locals say the wineries have attracted some money and a few good restaurants. The pretty village of Wellington alone must have one bed and breakfast for every 100 of its 1,900 residents. But the art studios and antique dealers haven't yet fled before a wave of overpriced boutiques. Point Petre and Prince Edward Point are great places to spot migrant birds, but birders are notably parsimonious travellers. The landscape is more bucolic than breathtaking, unless you happen to catch the mesmerizing gold of an October morning off a restless bay. I hope Prince Edward County doesn't lose its out-of-the-way sideroad patina, because I'll be back. For now I'm here until Friday morning.
( two more photos )