Summer Field Trips

At the beginning of spring (was there a spring this year?), M. and I make a list of places we would like to visit, explore, or simply try (read: new restaurants) each summer. Some of the locations are within Winnipeg while others are just outside of the city. One adventure even brings us outside the country.

This year our list included:

• Trip to Gimli/ Riverton
• Bothwell, Manitoba
• Oak Hammock Marsh
• Gunn's Bakery
• Shelmerdine's Green House
• Pine Ridge Hollow Farmers' Market
• A l'Epi de Ble
• Tallest Poppy
• Mondragon (I am reeeealllly embarrassed that I haven't been yet)
• Minneapolis

So far, we have visited Gimli/Riverton (post to follow soon), Oak Hammock Marsh, and Shelmerdine's. 

We went to Oak Hammock Marsh in May for its 20th anniversary. It was really informative and entertaining place to visit, and we even went on a wagon ride around the marsh, taking in the motley sights and cacophony of sounds the animals offered. (Fun fact about the marsh, courtesy of our tour guide: the office building has a unique architectural feature so that the windows do not reflect the sky. This limits bird fatalities.) 

Also, to celebrate this milestone, the marsh had a reptile petting zoo (whose idea was that?! Seriously?!) and they even had a falcon you can pet. I, of course, avoided it all since they scared the heck out of me! I did manage to take a picture of this little guy before I ran away behind M. 

I still get the willies when I see this picture. Ugh!

I also went to Shelmerdine's this past Friday. My friend came along, and we loved the environment. They are having a Farmers' and Craft sale type Market in August that I definitely want to come back and check out. Since I already have my little garden in the apartment, it was more to check out and explore. Well, many people warned me  not to bring any major credit cards with me, and I wish I had listened. I picked up some fake Birkenstocks for $70 (eeep!) and this little guy:

Apparently this cactus ($6.99) will love my very humid, hot apartment. 

The prices I found are slightly more expensive than other green houses but they certainly have more selection. They also have a housewares and clothing section that is also slightly more expensive. For a green house that is located outside of Headingley, it is just a small trip to go out there (hopefully gasoline doesn't spike to the rumoured $1.50 a litre) and you expect to pay a little more on average for all products, but, as I said, they have a vast selection. One day when I have a house with a garden, I will certainly return with more enthusiasm. However, I am very happy that I went and I ended up finding my latest ceramic animal planter ($12.99, gulp!) to join the rest of the family:

SO! To recap, we can now cross off a couple things off the list:

Trip to Gimli/ Riverton

Bothwell, Manitoba

Oak Hammock Marsh

Gunn's Bakery

Shelmerdine's Green House

Pine Ridge Hollow Farmers' Market

A l'Epi de Ble

Tallest Poppy

Mondragon (I am reeeealllly embarrassed that I have been yet)

Minneapolis

Does anyone else have summer wish lists to share?