Trying to Cool Off

It has been a hot summer in Ontario. Toronto was sweltering. Even by the lake in the Scarborough Bluffs we thought we might melt. So we packed up the van trying not to sweat on our stuff too much and got out of town a day early. We ended up camped at Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park in Pointe au Baril on Georgian Bay. It was a couple of degrees cooler by Lake Huron and of course we could swim.

Sturgeon Bay, ON

By 5:30 the next morning we were off again to Manitoulin Island. There we would spend a few days with my 92-year-old mother and attend her art show.

Of course Ron always finds photo subjects on the Island.

Misery Bay Provincial Park, ON

Female Goldenrod Crab Spider

Misery Bay Provincial Park

Misery Bay Provincial Park is a wonderful park on Manitoulin Island that protects rare Alvar habitat.

Misery Bay, ON

Doreen Bailey, a staunch advocate of Misery Bay and one of the founders of the Friends of Misery Bay Provincial Park died this spring (April 2016). But Doreen’s legacy is everywhere you look at Misery Bay. Because of her there is a road into the park and an Interpretation Centre.

Misery Bay Interpretation Centre

Doreen was Ron's and my personal tour guide the first time we visited the park back in the 1990’s. She was the one that really showed us a pavement alvar explaining its features and vegetation, and what is special at Misery Bay. She showed us our first Ram’s Head Lady’s Slipper – a rare orchid.

Ram's Head Lady's Slipper

She also introduced us to Lakeside Daisy, a Canadian Threatened species, which is so plentiful in Misery Bay and Manitoulin’s south shore that on the island it is called Manitoulin Gold.

Manitoulin Gold

Doreen was an avid birder so she also taught us a lot about birds and birding as we explored various types of alvars together.

Doreen’s passing is more personal to me than her championing of the park and the passing on of her love and knowledge of nature. She was also my brother-in-law’s sister, my Mother’s friend and the only public school principal I would ever have. She has taught me a lot. She will be missed but remembered fondly