This empty bowl and crispy cone once filled with a blend of maple whisky ice cream, dotted with chunks of sweet dark chocolate, and rippled with streams of black cherry, is the end result of a yummy summer treat to celebrate Canada Day.
The carton is now a little less than full.
Invented in the small town of Bobcaygen, this delightful treat evolved from a unique collaboration between The Tragically Hip, one of Canada’s greatest bands, and one of Canada’s favourite ice cream producers, Kawartha Dairy.
The ultimate ice cream cone.
“It was in Bobcaygen
I saw the constellations
Revealed themselves one star at a time.”
The Tragically Hip
Swirls of black cherry, chunks of dark chocolate, all tucked into a creamy blend of maple cherry whisky ice cream.
And the greatest thing about this all Canadian treat is that a portion of the sales are being donated to the Breakfast Club of Canada.
Located in the center of the village square, in the village of St. Antonius, Noord Brabant, this beautiful church featuring a medieval tower is it’s oldest building.
The monumental part of the church and the tower date back to 1477. The tower has an octagonal spire and is an example of Medieval village Gothic architecture.
The crucifixion of our Lord
This beautiful, medieval, wooden cross pulls our eyes past the art depicted of the stained glass windows.
The cross dates back to around 1480 and is the work of the famous Late Medieval sculptor Master Arnt.
Stained glass windows
The beautiful stained glass windows of the church were designed by the artistic priest-poet Jonas van Delft who served as pastor of St. Antonius from 1927 to 1957. They were completed before World War 2, and stored for safe keeping during that time.
The oak pulpit from which many sermons have been preached
This oak pulpit, dating back to 1694, features the writers of the Holy Gospels. Their symbols are depicted as: Matthew with the angel; Mark with the lion; Luke with the ox; and John with the eagle.
St. Antonius Abbot
The wooden statue of St. Antonius is from 1850. The artist is J.F. Beuijssen from Boxmeer.
The Baptismal Font where my mother was baptized. Where my parents knelt on their wedding day.
The Madonna, holding baby Jesus in her arms, are adorned with silver crowns. The artist was the renowned Boxmeer silversmith Rabanus Raad. Dated 1749.
White crosses, secured against the side of the church, in the graveyard of the St. Antonius Abbot.
The four white crosses are for four British soldiers who died in St. Antonius during the liberation of the Netherlands at the end of World War 2. The unit that they were a part of is the same unit that our son-in-laws father served in.
Art on the outside wall of the church
The wear and tear on this beautiful piece depicting Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem does not at all interfer with the message being conveyed.
Kerk H. Antonius Abt Brink 10
Touring this amazing square with it’s beautiful churchwas an emotional and moving time for me.
Sharing this time with my cousin Toos and her family, as they toured myself and my family through the village where our family has it’s roots was, I think, my favourite day in the Netherlands.
Traveling the narrow streets of Noord Brabant, through the towns of St. Antonius, Oploo, Lierop and Nuenen, we can feel the brushstrokes of Vincent van Gogh’s paintbrush as he captures and transposes the images of the countryside onto his canvases.
Roads we have traveled. In the van Gogh museum in Nuenen Windmill in the tulip fields of KeukenhofTulepvelden, from the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Waterwheel in Oploo Waterwheel in the van Gogh museum in Nuenen
van Gogh’s The Reaper, in the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. A print of The Reaper, hanging on my living room wall.Modern version of The Potato EatersThe Potato Eaters from the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam
Tracing the steps of one of the great master, walking the same streets, the same roads, prehaps under some of the same trees felt so unreal, like anything and everything is possible.
Blow, blow,thou winter wind, Thou are not so unkind As man's ingraditude: Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho: unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning,most loving mere folly: Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This life most jolly.
Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot: Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As friend remembered not, Heigh-ho: sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly
A very small selection from the 90000 works on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
I think, my very favourite artist, perhaps.The colours, the colours, the colours!So much character, so much interest. Definitely one of Canada’s greatest. I feel a personal connection to the artist after taking watercolor classes in her childhood home.A part of the Group of Seven works of art.A Canadian artist in front of a wall of art from our Group of Seven.Hi, how are you? Fine, how are you? Said a chamomile ginger tea to a vanilla earl grey latte. What a perfect ending to a wonderful day!
Groovy Tales of a Well Adult 