Jo-Anne Smith-Belleville, Quinte and Prince Edward Region Real Estate, Ont.

I recently came across a very interesting book called '1000 Places to See Before You Die' by Patricia Schultz and although I'm not sure whether or not Toronto Island made her list, it certainly should be there.

In early August a friend and I decided to sail over to Toronto Island and spend a few days exploring. Although I've lived in Ontario for most of my life and have visited Toronto many times, I had never been to Toronto Island before and now, after our recent visit there, I see that I've been missing out on one of our provinces most intriguing places.

While moored at Toronto Island, we were in awe of the fact that downtown Toronto was so close, and yet we felt as though we were on a distant island paradise of forests, beaches and trails.





















Toronto Island has an intriguing history extending back to the days when aboriginal people called it home. They saw it as a place of great spiritual mystery and magic and often took vacations there from the mainland.

























Over the years Toronto Island became the playground of the wealthy and eventually the City of Toronto began to develop it into a place that preserved the natural beauty while still providing features that appealed to all ages and income levels.



































Today thousands of people from all over the world take a ferry over to the island and spend the day exploring the many trails, attractions and beaches.





























It's one of the few places in Ontario where an official 'clothing optional' beach can be found and even though the day we visited was windy and cool, some visitors there were oblivious to the weather as they bared their all to the elements.
































During our stay there we took the Hanlan Point ferry over to the mainland and did some exploring of Queen's Quay in downtown Toronto.
The South-east Asia festival was on and we were treated to a show by colourful and talented Tibetan dancers.
























Taking cover from a storm, we came across a cosy auditorium where East Indian food was being prepared by a master chef and as curry and rice scents drifted through the air, I couldn't help but be enamoured at the wide variety of visitors from so many different cultures and backgrounds.



























I truly love it in that area of Toronto. The energy level is amazing and everyone is friendly.

Again, there is so much to see and explore, you would need to spend many days there to see it all.

As soon as there was a break in the weather, we headed for the ferry that would take us back home to the island.








It was a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend the day and we arrived back at the boat just in time to miss a major downpour.






















The evening saw a clearing in the skies and a great peace took over the Toronto harbour and the island inlet where we were moored.

I can't even begin to describe the magical feeling I felt as I gazed across the water to the lights of the beautiful Toronto skyline.















Tourboats run day and evening from the Toronto harbour and in and around the many inlets of the island, offering tourists a comfortable and exciting way to see the island for themselves.

We were only moored at the island for two nights and did not have enough time to explore all the places that I wanted to see and the weather was touch and go with many thunderstorms and downpours during our stay.










I've made a vow to myself to visit again, soon, and this time explore more completely since the little that I saw was very beautiful and intriguing.
As you can see from the following slide show, an abundance of new experiences awaits you when you come to the Toronto waterfront.

I know it would take many visits there to see everything and I've put this on my list of the thousand places I want to see 'again', before I leave this fragile blue planet we call home.

©2008JoSmith

The Lion's Park on Station Street in Belleville, Ontario is testament to how well nature and mankind can work together to create a place of halcyon peace and beauty.
It encompasses part of the Riverfront Trail and a visit there will stimulate so many of your senses, you'll want to visit again and again.

The park has a different and more lush feel this year

than last, due to the immense amount of rain we've been experiencing this summer.
This year, unlike last, the river is rushing rapidly downstream.
Last year many sections were completely dry.

To see the difference between last year and this, make sure and view the pictures at the bottom of this post which show the same view of the Moira River taken in August '07 and August '08.

Poet Hannah Moore once wrote "all the peace which springs, from the large aggregate of little things" and nothing is a more fitting description of Belleville's beautiful Lion's Park which rests serenely on the shores of the Moira River in Belleville.

The park was built by the Lion's Club of Belleville as a part of the beautification of the Moira River Riverfront Trail that meanders through Belleville.

There are quiet benches hidden in peaceful corners amongst the gardens where a visitor may take in the surrounding beauty while listening to the sounds of the river as it makes it's way towards the Bay of Quinte.

A beautiful pergola is the centrepiece of the park.
Vibrant gardens surrounding it lend privacy and a peaceful feeling to those who stop to rest on one of the strategically placed benches to be found within the courtyard.

Built into the banks of the old Moira River, the site lends itself to beautiful, terraced, limestone rock gardens and many levels.

Wayne Wallans memorial at Belleville Lion's Park.































The pedestrian bridge connects the south and north sides of the Moira River and is well used by bikers, rollerbladers, walkers and runners.

Fishermen/women also love to try their hand at fishing from the bridge.













The gardens and walkways overflow with a myriad of flowers and beautiful trees to delight your senses.
An Ontario native wildflower, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), is widely known for it's medicinal uses in boosting the immune system.

Colourful Daylillies, one of my favourite perennials for northern gardening, may be found sprinkled here and there amongst the walkway gardens.

A lone Red Hot Poker (Torch Lily) catches the eye in all it's glory.

Stately White Coneflowers lend their unique beauty to the cacaphony of riotous colour.

Pink Hydrangeas quietly ask you to pause for awhile.

Friends take respite from the day on sun-baked limestone in the Moira River.

A waterfront park would not be complete without a gull standing watch over all the comings and goings.

The inner courtyard of the Lion's Park pergola. Pinnacle Street Bridge over the Moira River in the distance.

The Moira River is once again mighty with the abundant rains we've been experiencing this summer. Compare this photo, taken recently (August '08) with the one below taken the same time last year when we were in a drought situation.

The Moira River in August 2007. A lack of rain saw the river almost completely dry up. Quite a difference from the extensive rainfall we've been experiencing in 2008.

The Lion's Park in Belleville can be found by taking the Highway 62 south exit off the trans-Canada (Hwy 401) into Belleville. Travel south along Hwy 62, which is known as North Front Street where it runs through Belleville, and take a left onto Station Street after you go over the Moira River bridge. The Lion's Park can be seen just past Meyer's historic mill on your left.

Enjoy your visit!

©2008JoSmith

The sun is beginning to peek over the billowy grey-white cumulous clouds that are swiftly moving across a deep blue sky as I write this. Summer is less than a month away. We've had quite cool weather here lately and summer clothes have been tucked back away temporarily. Everyone bemoans having to turn their heat on in the morning to take the chill off of the previous night's air.

The weather has followed my mood somewhat for the past week and a half. I've been a bit mellow and contemplative as I settle into the fact that my dear Uncle Bear is gone. He's my first Uncle/Aunt to pass away and I will miss him greatly.

An avid outdoorsman, he and my Dad were my co-teachers on the road to becoming a fine fisherwoman. In addition to his regular job, he often worked as a guide on Lake Nippissing for the numerous Americans who came up to fish for pickerel (walleye).
He knew that lake like the back of his palm.

During the many lake crossings I took in his boat, when headed to Sandy Island for holidays, I was never afraid; no matter how rough the lake became. He could handle a boat on rough water better than anyone I've ever known and he had a 6th instinct for the waves and the wind and could find his way through thick fog long before modern GPS systems became available.

I recall many times sitting beside him in his small sunporch, at his cottage on Sandy Island, watching for loons and passing boats.
He could spot a loon instantly and seemed to know them all as individuals. He would hand me the binoculars and point in the direction where he'd last seen the loon and a gentle peace would encompass us as a loon call echoed across the lake, seemingly in his direction.
He knew every boat that crossed the Nippissing and he would announce who was arriving at the island as the boat slowly came into view.

When I was young, I couldn't wait to get to my Aunt and Uncle's on our trips north to Sturgeon Falls every summer and sometimes during holidays.
Immediately after receiving one of my Aunt's warm and welcoming hugs, I would wait for my Uncle to sit down knowing that if I stood in his vicinity, he would swoop me up and sit me on his knee and then talk like Donald Duck while I sat enthralled in a child's heaven.

His ashes now lay scattered across his beloved Sandy Island and as his spirit gazes down upon the many generations of his family, the loons will call to him and remind him that all of the universe is one and no one is ever lost to anyone else, as long as we have memories and keep love in our hearts.

On the 5 1/2 hour drive home from Sturgeon Falls, where his memorial service was held, I drove through Algonquin Park.




There, near the side of the road and a small wetland, was a great and peaceful creature. I thought of my Uncle when I spotted her and stopped to take a picture.
Moose are quite prevalent in Algonquin Park, however not every trip through the park yeilds such a magnificent view as this.

The north feels like home to me and it's where my heart always longs to be.
My soul feels completely content and in total peace when the pine needles crunch beneath my feet against sandy soil and lichened granite. At night the lonely call of the Whip-Poor-Will carries out across the tall treetops seeming to pause when a lone wolf howls in the distance.

The north is made of hardy landscapes that stand out against the test of time and, much like my Uncle had done, they follow the seasons closely, adapting as they go.
Each season has it's beauty, each creature has it's uniquely beautiful contribution to make to the song that is the north, and each person who's heart abides there, leaves a piece of themselves that can never be forgotten.

~Jo

Flowers are blooming and the sound of birdsong carries over the soft evening air. Spring has arrived and love is in the air with the hope of new generations and the continuation of life's longing for itself. This is the time of year couples everywhere are dreaming of a special day where vows are shared in the presence of family and friends.

If you are contemplating an upcoming wedding and the details of planning such an event seem overwhelming or time is of the essence, don't fret as professional and expert help is close at hand.

Heather Mack, owner of Quintessential Parties, is a Certified Bridal Consultant and fully trained event and party planner.
Heather's skill and passion for planning is a natural match for her 'love of romance and weddings'.

Heather has always enjoyed entertaining and helping to plan parties.
When visiting her niece one evening along with her Mother and sisters, they sat in discussion of an upcoming wedding. As the evening progressed and Heather contributed her ideas for the wedding, her family recognized Heather's natural gift for planning weddings and encouraged her to think of becoming a bridal consultant.
At the time she didn't think too seriously about it, however her Mother and one of her sisters persisted in pointing out her talent in this area and Heather began to think about a career change.

Heather, a Mom to three girls herself, has always loved throwing parties and helping others. Her love of romance ties in perfectly with wedding planning and so began her research into becoming a trained and certified bridal consultant.

Heather enrolled in a school that offered a certificate program and covered everything from general knowledge on flowers and fabrics to more indepth subjects such as the differences in weddings that co-incided with varying cultures and religions. Heather also was able to learn the day to day functions of running her own business through the program.

After completing the program in 5 months with near perfect marks, Heather graduated as a Certified Bridal Consultant and joined the Association of Bridal Consultants. She then opened her business, Quintessential Parties.

Quintessential Parties is mainly a wedding planning business, however Heather also offers planning for events such as corporate functions, baby and wedding showers, anniversaries, birthday parties, retirement parties, reunions and more.

Heather participates in various bridal shows and Quintessential Parties is listed in the yellow pages so that more people who require her services will be able to find her.
She offers a wide range of bridal consulting packages in order to meet as many desires and budgets as possible.
Heather offers customized quotes for her wedding and party planning and would be pleased to talk with anyone who is planning a wedding or event.
She offers the highest level of professionalism and adheres to the Association of Bridal Consultants Code of Ethics and business practices.

Heather is a pleasure to work with and I've known her for many years.
She is very creative, organized, professional and would be of a great asset to anyone who has a wedding or event looming on the horizon.
The Belleville, Quinte and Prince Edward areas are extremely fortunate to have such a talented, creative and dedicated Certified Bridal Consultant and party planner in their midst.

To contact Heather, please visit her website, www.QuinteParties.com.

©2008JoSmith

Jo-Anne Smith, BSc
Sales Representative
Royal Lepage ProAlliance Realty, Brokerage
613-922-5978 Direct
613-966-6060 Office/Pager

On a quiet, east-end, Belleville street, lives one of the area's finest artists, Joyce Empey Smith.

Joyce, a retired teacher, grew up on a dairy farm east of Napanee and took art lessons from her Grandmother, Martha MacLean, beginning at the age of 9 for 4 years. Joyce's paternal Grandmother was an art instructor in the Kingston area and gave oil painting lessons in a studio in her home.

Joyce remembers her Grandmother working on 5 paintings at a time due to the long drying times. Her Grandmother supplemented her living by selling her paintings, which were mostly sceneries.
Joyce's Grandmother saw great promise in her young Granddaughter and had endless patience with her as she taught her how to paint.

After finishing high school in Napanee, Joyce attended Peterborough Teacher's College and then taught grades 1-8 in a rural school for 3 years. During that time period she continued to paint with oils.

In 1964 she moved to Belleville and painted mostly scenery from calendars and photographs for 4 or 5 years. While she was in her 20's she sold quite a few of her oil paintings.
Once Joyce's two sons, Rick and Brian were born, Joyce was very busy with teaching and raising her sons and did not have time to paint.

At 50, Joyce decided to try her hand at watercolours and began to take lessons from Donnah Cameron, Sr.
Donnah held lessons in her garden on Rednersville Road during spring and summer and the students could be found painting beautiful Irises, Poppies and Geraniums.

Through Donnah Cameron Sr., Joyce met her daughter, Donnah Cameron Jr., who taught her how to paint on silk when she was 52 years old.
Joyce has sold many of her colourful, beautiful silk paintings and scarves over the years.

During this time period, as well as a full teaching schedule, Joyce pursued her other creative pursuits. She has been creating lovely stained glass windows, lamps and ornaments for 27 years and has also been a skilled woodworker for 10 years. The beautiful cabinets in Joyce's cottage kitchen, on Moira Lake, attest to her fine workmanship and skill.

For the past 8-10 years Joyce has been painting entirely in watercolours and taking lessons from Sharon Bower and more recently from Donna Bonin. In April of 2007 Joyce traveled to Sicily with Donna Bonin and a group of artists to paint the enchanting scenery of the mediterranean villages and landscapes.

In September of 2007 she traveled to Algonquin Park with a group of artists to capture the peaceful, natural beauty of the lakes and forests.

As well as taking lessons from many local instructors, Joyce has taken many art courses at the Ontario College of Art, Loyalist College and also from Queen's University.

Joyce has sold many of her watercolours to fortunate buyers who spot one of her works and fall in love with the halcyon beauty and subtle colours and lines.

Through the Quinte Arts Council, Joyce has sold 5 of her paintings that hung in the halls of the Quinte Healthcare Corporation hospital in Belleville. Her work can also be seen at Fabulous Finds and she has sold 8 paintings there in the last couple of years.

Her paintings can presently be found at the Quinte Healthcare Corporation hospital in Belleville, the Ramada Inn's Windows On The Bay Restaurant, the Belleville Art Association Gallery on Front Street and at Fabulous Finds.

Joyce had 15 of her paintings chosen to be on display at the Bayview Medical Centre in 2007 for one month. In the month of November '07, she was the featured artist with three paintings on display at Barrett's Stationery.

Joyce's paintings were chosen on 3 separate occasions to be displayed in local law offices. One of them remained on display for 9 consecutive months.

Paintings from artists who are members of the Belleville Art Association can be leased on a monthly basis by either private homes or businesses.

In October-November '07, Medieval Wash House-Cefalu , Sicily (seen to the left), Steps of Sicily and Log Barn on Crookston Road, 3 of Joyce's lovely paintings, were chosen for a juried show, Up, Up and Away, at the John M. Parrott Art Gallery in the Belleville Public Library.

Steps of Sicily was chosen from amongst many to be on display at the Windows On The Bay Restaurant at the Ramada Inn in Belleville and is currently there for a 9 month period.

One of Joyce's paintings, Nature's Garden, a mixed media painting, was chosen for the juried show 'Expressions' which is currently being held at the Belleville Public Library.
Joyce explained how 'Nature's Garden' came to be painted~

"Every year, my family spends two heavenly months at our cottage on Moira Lake, Madoc, Ontario.
While sitting in my Adirondack chair I came to realize all the many types of flowers, weeds and nature's twigs and trees that made this view so beautiful. Using paint, pickling salt, seeds, glue and many types of paper, I created a mixed media picture. I am calling my picture 'Nature's Garden'."

During the 2nd Annual Lilac Tea and Art Show (a juried art show) which is being held at the Tyendinaga Township Public Library on Sunday, May 25th from 1-4pm, four of Joyce's paintings will be on display.
The following were accepted into this juried 'Art For Literacy' show:
Pansies, Moira Lake-Stoney Island, Stride and Glide(seen to the right) and
Market In Sicily

Joyce is now branching out into the painting of people and animals and I've been totally enchanted by two of her more recent works:

Majestic Beauty
With regards to 'Majestic Beauty', Joyce says , "In December of 2007, I was reading a newspaper article on the 300 pound Siberian Tiger that escaped it's pen at the San Francisco Zoo. This tiger killed a man while free. There is an air of mystery about the tiger. He appears suddenly, dramatically, then melts away into the cover as secretly as he came.
I have tried to capture the breathtaking power and the beauty of the elegant striped tiger by using bright colours and using a 'wet on wet' painting technique. In my watercolour picture he rests contemplating in
the wind-whisper of movement in the pale green grass."

Age of Innocence

In addition to choosing her own subjects and scenery to paint, Joyce also does custom paintings for clients who wish to have a painting done from a photograph. Her paintings are a unique and wonderful gift for a special occasion or loved one.
Visit this link for a complete list of Joyce's paintings that are currently available for purchase.

Joyce can be contacted by email at jempey@sympatico.ca

©2008 JoSmith