It was a Sunday morning just a few weekends ago and the weather was glorious.  We travelled to Bath to visit their Sunday morning market and bought locally made banana bread, rhubarb pie and goats milk cheddar.  From there we followed the lakefront to Adolphustown to join in the celebrations of the 225th anniversary of the Loyalist Landing.  The park looked beautiful.  After a tour of the new exhibits at Allison House Museum we walked through the grounds down to the beach to watch the launch of three bateaux on the calm waters of the Reach then wandered through the well organized re-enactor encampment.  Having recently learned of a UEL ancestor in our family we made sure to visit the Loyalist memorial and cemetery.  The new found connection made for a special day.”

– Kathy Medd, Napanee

I fell in love with L&A County over 40 years ago as a child and felt that if I could eventually live here would be a dream come true.  Last year, my husband and I made the final move to L&A.  When our car pulled in the driveway of our home, I stopped, put my arms around the post on the front porch and smiled. My dream of living here was now a reality.  That was my best day in L&A.  There is something special about L&A.  The people, and the heritage that shaped the beginnings of a new country called Canada for generations to come, make this area so special to me.

– Eugenie Graham, Napanee

"One of my favourite things to do in the Land O' Lakes in Lennox & Addington is going swimming in the evening. When its pitch black out the stars shine here like nowhere else. Floating on your back in Skootamatta Lake and looking up at the night sky is an incredible sight. It's so quiet and so dark you can see thousands of stars - what a heavenly sight!"

– Ken Hook, Skootamatta Lake

“My best day ever in L&A County was the day I took my three children for a picnic at Beaver Lake Park in Erinsville. We packed a lunch and a bucket with some nets and spent the morning catching frogs, tadpoles and minnows in the creek leading to Beaver Lake. My children had so much fun seeing turtles, minnows, tadpoles, fish and even frogs the size of softballs. It brought back great memories of when I was a child growing up in Eastern Ontario.”
 
– Tracey Snow, Tamworth

If a picture can say a thousand words, then this describes "our best day ever!"...This photo of Locksley and his freshly picked carrot says it all. My husband, Brian, and I find it most rewarding when children come to our five acres of organic gardens during planting and harvesting time. "Plant, grow and eat fresh local food" from our little ambassador.
– Brian and Marilyn McGrath, Cedarwood Farm, Erinsville
6.    “My friend and I decided to explore the villages and back roads north of Bath and we came across the Book Store Cafe at Camden East. After a great lunch, we poked through the various rooms of the antique shop and to my delight found four crystal goblets exactly like the ones my husband's mother had given us long ago. We’d been looking matching ones to add for our set for many years.  It was a great day.”

– Diane Nolting, Bath

“On Canada Day at the Fairfield-Gutzeit House ( c.1796 ) in Bath, young people take the King's Shilling and learn what life was like in the King's Army during the early 19th Century in Upper Canada. One parent stopped me a week after last years festivities and asked "How do I get my Son to stop saluting." I responded with ‘Why would want to?’”

– Cpl. David Smith, Latham's Coy, Canadian Fencibles, Bath

“I organize a cycling club for “social” cyclists. We are not so much interested in speed but in enjoying the surroundings while biking and then sharing a great lunch at a local spot.  One of my favourite places to bike is just a little north of Napanee. The roads are quiet and well marked….perfect for cycling. In May our group, about 40 people, met at the Smiling Wilderness in the morning for our start. Off we went north of the 401 and towards Camden East. Most of the group are keen to get the ride done and return for lunch but it was such a beautiful day that I thought that I would just take my time and “stop and smell the roses” along the way. Another cyclist, Gina Brennan, rode with me that day. We stopped first at McCormick’s Country Store in Camden East. Not only do they sell gas but amazing bedding plants too. We picked up tomato plants and Gina was able to balance them in her bike bag. Riding on, we passed a wonderful woman, 90 years young, tending to her garden. She welcomed us to take a look at her rhubarb. “Take as much as you like”, she encouraged. We stuffed as much in our bags as we could. That night I made a terrific rhubarb custard pie. On our last leg of the ride we saw a field with grazing llama. We watched them for a while and then continued back to the Smiling Wilderness for a terrific lunch. After lunch, Gina and I started back to Belleville but before leaving Napanee I took her to some of the lovely shops downtown as she had never been there before. We made a few purchases and then drove home. Just another wonderful day in beautiful Lennox-Addington County.”

– Bev Hanna-Jones, Belleville

“My wife June and I moved to L&A eleven years ago from Montreal and can honestly say we haven’t regretted it one bit. I’m a photographer and landscape watercolor artist. I love to take my camera along with me when I ride the trails on my ATV. Every season has something special to offer. I have sat beside lakes and ponds that reflect mirror images of the far shoreline and have been on the top of high parts of the Cambrian Shield looking over the vast unblemished countryside. To top it all off we both love the friendliness of the people that live here. What more could we ask for?”

– Barry Lovegrove, Erinsville

"My best ever experience in the Land O' Lakes in Lennox & Addington was canoeing down the Skootamatta River launching from the village of Flinton. Together with a good buddy in the bow, we navigated the windy river on a warm day in July. Every corner yielded a new view - a heron, a beaver, cardinal flowers and a bit of whitewater on the gentle rapids. It was so secluded and private and yet so accessible. What a great day- this year we hope to continue on even further!"
 
– Ken Hook, Skootamatta Lake

“My best day ever in Lennox & Addington is every day. Talking to the people who live all over the county, young & old, long time resident or new comer. The residents of Lennox & Addington are a diverse lot and each is an interesting individual. Friendly, loyal, open, giving and trustworthy the whole county seems to create a kind of country community that you won’t find too many other places.”

– Robert Storring, Tamworth

"Ten years ago I spent a glorious season at a cottage near Cloyne with my young son Jake.  During our stay, we made a cross country tour to visit friends near Kingston. We passed through Tamworth because on the map it looked like the shortest route. Upon arriving in Tamworth, the village looked unlike any other I had seen in the region.   I made a note and vowed to return.  The beautiful summer was winding down and dispair of moving back into the city was growing. Our best day ever came during that August when I woke up and said to Jake, "we're going to find a new place to live".  We journeyed back to Tamworth and effortlessly secured a perfect little white house to rent.  That day was a real turning point in our lives, one of the best decisions I've ever made."

– Carolyn Butts, Tamworth

“We’ve had many “best days” in L&A.  Some of our favourites have been:  enjoying live music while relaxing under the shade of a big old tree in Napanee’s downtown waterfront park; swimming and picnicking with friends at this area’s hidden gem – the UEL Heritage Centre & Park; skating on the Newburgh canal; early morning walks along the waterfront boardwalk; exploring the Napanee and Salmon Rivers by canoe and attending a folk concert in an Amherst Island church and gazing up at a starlit sky on the ferry ride home.”

– Kathy Medd, Napanee

“Friends and I decided to meet at the half way point for everyone – I am from Prince Edward County, one girl is from Belleville and the other from Kingston.  Napanee was the logical choice for an afternoon of catching up and shopping. When we arrived in town we had smoothies and coffee on the patio at Coffee Cravings – the perfect spot to take some candid photos to post on Facebook. Then we took a stroll down Dundas St. taking more photos with cute downtown backgrounds, we found Starlet and Starlet Shoe. We’ll definitely be back. After strolling up and down the main street and looking into windows, and through a lot of stores we went to the Loaf & Ale for dinner and had a couple of beer to catch up on old times before our respective trips home. Next time we will try Season’s for lunch. That is my best day in L & A!”

– Sheena Williams, Picton

My husband and I moved here five years ago, and one of the things about the area that we love is the easy access to wonderful walks by water.  We spent many afternoons by the Napanee River, or by Beaver Lake, or in Finkles Park on Lake Ontario in Bath.  The best day, though, was the time we walked by the river and saw turtles sunning themselves, a beaver slapping his tail, fish leaping up the falls and a heron trying to catch the fish - all in one short walk!

– Sara Beaumont, Napanee

“My children grew up near Buttermilk Falls in Forest Mills.  On warm summer days we would pack a lunch and bicycle to the falls.  You could actually sit on rock ledges and have the warm water pound on your body.  In certain spots you could stand under a ledge and have the water fall in front of you.  The river current was very strong and it would take all your effort just to swim to the rock ledges.  When you did float and let the current take you down stream, you ended up on flat rock in water that was only about a foot deep which was great fun for younger children.  As summer progressed, the water level in the river would get lower and you could actually picnic on the large rocks.    My children are now taking their children to enjoy the swimming at Buttermilk Falls.”

– Glenda Hudgins, Selby

“My best day ever in Lennox and Addington started off one morning while biking to work, it was a perfect day for my ride and as I started on my route, not too far from home, I was lucky enough to see a doe and fawn grazing in a field, thinking this was pretty good I made my way on further, enjoying the morning air and feeling good about actually getting some exercise, I turned a corner and couldn’t believe my eyes, a whole family of foxes were crossing the quiet country road in front of me. They, too were enjoying their morning and having themselves an adventure. This was great, plus I now had a hill to go down, less pedaling involved. Two bonuses. I am now entering the last leg of my bike to work and running a bit behind due to all my nature watching, pedaling pretty hard, I am concentrating on getting there so my focus has changed a bit when all of a sudden I look up and there is this big black thing in the middle of the road. I hadn’t seen a dog in this area before and as I got closer my curiosity as to what this animal could be was soon satisfied, a bear was sauntering along eating whatever he could find. Needless to say it was my main objective not to become its next snack. I pulled off to the side of the road and wisely waited until it moved along. When I finally did get to work that morning I was a bit late but totally energized and full of stories. What I did learn was not to leave without my camera because you never really know what you will see on a simple little ride. Stone Mills is a wonderful place to live and work enjoy nature. I feel very fortunate to say I had the opportunity experience this all in one day, my best day ever in Lennox and Addington.“

– Darlene, Erinsville

On Canada day Randy and I decided to have a quite day. Yes there was many things going on in Napanee but we opted for a moment of calm. After gathering a few things and our girls(Morgain and Shannon) we started  our walk.  First we ate at the chip truck by the tracks and then went down the board walk.  We always meet someone we know, which turns out great! We finished the day with watching the fire works once again they were great, short of the bugs of course. The nice thing is we can do this any time and it was free.  A walking tour of the historic homes and buildings may be our next walk!

– Paula Brooks, Napanee

We had a great day in Lennox and Addington County in early March 2009. My wife’s brother, wife and a few friends rented snowmobiles from Ursella Nussberger at Quality Homes in Northbrook, and we all spent the beautiful day snowmobiling all the way to Denbigh, the northernmost village in L&A. The machines were top notch and the trails were in excellent shape. My favourite part was “Letting ‘er rip” on the 2 lakes we had to cross, Story Lake and Denbigh Lake. Once in Denbigh we had a delicious lunch at the Swiss-style restaurant there. After lunch we rode back in warm sunshine and did a few “Doughnuts” on Story Lake….What a hoot!”  We rode a little over 200 kms., got back just before 5p.m. and saw some amazing scenery along the way. The business owners and fellow snowmobilers were all very friendly, and we are looking forward to doing it again this year!  Perhaps making it a 2 day event and staying overnight in one of L&A County’s quaint motels.”

– Larry Pealow, Northbrook

“Listening to a friend tell about her “best day ever in Lennox Addington County” sparked a fond memory of my own.  My husband and I are new to the Bath area and have been enjoying new experiences and discoveries every time we venture out.  What made this particular day so memorable was the company of our good friends, Sally and David Golding and a tremendous amount of good luck!

Last summer Doors Open included the entire Loyalist Parkway and the four of us decided we should take advantage of all this hospitality to see our own neighbourhood.  Over cappuccinos and muffins we planned our strategy.  Little did we know what a great day was ahead of us as we drove down Hwy. 33 for our first stop at Thirty Three Vines.  Paul and Marilyn Minaker were officially opening their doors to the public for the first time that day.  Inside the lovely “caboose” we sampled wines and purchased the first bottles of wine ever sold at the winery.  After getting our picture taken by the Minakers in honour of the occasion we embarked on a personal tour with Paul who shared his plans for future development of the vines, the barn and the patio area.  It has been lovely to see that some of their aspirations have already been completed in just a year. 
 
After such a wonderful start we made several more stops learning about the history of some of the rural churches and museums.  An encampment of period costumed soldiers greeted us at United Empire Loyalist Park in Adolphustown.  We took advantage of the U.E.L. Heritage Centre housed in an historical home located in the same park.  The story of the family who lived there brought to life an exciting and colourful past when ships would unload foreign cargoes and reload with Canadian lumber.

Getting hungry by this time we turned the car back toward Bath.  Before we could locate the church offering lunches we saw a set of balloons and a sign at the end of a driveway reading, “Lunch On The Porch”.  What a surprise to find it was being offered at the  house we had all admired every time we traveled toward the Picton ferry.  You can’t miss it…..it’s the one with two storeys of wrap around verandahs complete with white railings and sun rooms.  We were escorted through the back door to the main floor verandah and seated overlooking Lake Ontario.  Such an unexpected bonus to the day.  Lunch was delicious and a conversation with the owner informed us that he had retired from R.M.C. here in Kingston.   The couple were trying it out to see if it was a feasible idea.  I am disappointed to report that we have not seen any evidence as yet that it might become a reality.

As for what remained of the afternoon it would take too long to report on all of the stops we made.  But our very last one is worth mentioning as it included the Masonic Hall right here in Bath.  Members described all the work being done on the building and then a short flight of steps upstairs brought us to the private members meeting room on the top floor.  Since we have always thought the Masons cloaked themselves in a shroud of mystery we felt privileged to be invited inside.

The whole day had flown by so quickly.  When we returned home we reflected on our day with a glass of newly purchased wine.  The consensus was that we had had a phenomenal day, full of firsts and great impressions of this county we choose to call home.”

– Sheri Wenzl and Sally Golding, Bath

My work in L&A used to take me from Napanee north to Denbigh on occasion.  One day in early fall I was driving north on 41 just passing Ashby Lake Road where the highway turns east and climbs a large hill.  In my rear view mirror I could see the hill to the west of the highway which was a bright flame orange colour with a few evergreens for contrast.  I stopped the car and got out to admire the view. In a County with a lot of bright fall colours that one location still stands out and when the leaves are changing colour I look for any excuse to drive that section of highway again.

– Jim Sova, Odessa

My husband, my two children and I live on Beaver Lake, and we love every moment of that time. Beaver Lake has the best sunsets that I have ever seen. On one quiet evening when the lake was so calm it looked like glass, my husband took our children fishing to give me some time alone. He used the electric motor so the only sound the boat made was the sound of rippling water. I sat on a rock near the shore and soaked in the warm evening air. The sky started out as a brilliant red and orange, and then soon turned a vibrant purple. Against the colourful sky, there was the black silhouette of our boat and my family fishing. The silhouette of cat tails to the right and to the left were two baby loons swimming along as their mother (or perhaps they were fishing with their father also) dives to bring up fish for them to eat. A very large turtle slowly crept out of some bushes and started to dig a hole in the gravely dirt to lay her eggs. I could hear nothing but nature and the sounds of my own children asking their father what lure should be used for what fish, and my husband's gentle voice explaining in detail the difference between spinner bait and a popeye, or a dippzy diver. At that moment, I realized I was the luckiest women in the world.  A couple times I thought it would be nice to travel overseas, or to a tropical island but if I had to make a choice I would take a quiet evening with my family beside a lake somewhere in Lennox and Addington County any day.

– Nancy Lee, Beaver Lake

Many a trip has been made to Napanee in the course of the last 5 years since my daughter and son-in-law moved there.  It is such a historic and friendly town - we enjoy every minute we spend there. Travelling down Highway 41 the excitement builds as we see the Lennox and Addington County bill boards. My best day story - and there have been many great moments - was being invited to watch the National Women's Under-18 Hockey Championship this past November. Watching the girls play and the excitement within the Strathcona Paper Centre sent chills through my whole body. The best perk to being invited to this spectacular event was watching that precious little girl drop the puck - my granddaughter Meghan.

– Julie Masson, Callander