Just "Beet" It

 This is the first time I've really been able to be free and enjoy time off this summer. I'm not taking any courses, Duncan is out of daycare and at a great age to take off on daily adventures. Oh yeah, the Tour de France is in full swing. We're all fanatics. Here, Duncan models his new hat and t-shirt. I could go on, but my sense is that most people don't share my passion, so I'll move on...

 Last week I bought beets at the East York farmer's market. I phoned my mom who quickly rattled off the ratios of vinegar, sugar, and water needed to pickle beets. Voila - here are my lovely beets. Please forgive my crusty ring around the burner!

I've also taken up fishing again. This week, Ontario folk were allowed to fish without a license, so we bought some bargain rods at Canadian Tire and hit three locations: Grenadier Pond at High Park (above and below photos), the Don River (which we biked to), and Newcastle. Sadly we didn't catch any fish, but we had fun. I don't recommend fishing at Grenadier Pond. It's full of weeds. Duncan spectacularly fell into the pond and managed to pull himself out, which is lucky as he just started swimming lessons. While he dried off, we were entertained by a yoga group - "Pull the energy up out of the earth. Scoop it with your hands." 

Duncan in his Jaws-meets-Daryl-Sheets-From-Storage-Wars shirt. It's a lifestyle. 

I hadn't been to the local Value Village in some time, so I stuck my head in this week. They had completely moved things around. The place looked cleaner, but lacked the overstuffed charm of previous years. I did find this crazy Made in Japan palmistry dish. It looks like it could be an ashtray, which would be pretty funny. I don't believe in palm reading, etc. but I like the artistry of the mystical hokum. 

Today, I took Duncan to Kensington Market. I collect Mexican folk art and couldn't resist adding another piece to my collection when I stepped into Courage My Love. I like this humorous scene from a wedding.

 View from above.

Duncan chose four Mexican wrestlers. They cost $1 each, which I thought was good value. After that, we grabbed some tacos from a take-away and ate our yummy food in a sketchy local park. It's all part of the colour that makes the city great. I hope to do some thrifting out of town soon. We'll see how it goes. 
Bye for now!