Mid-morning today as part of our routine purgation we initiated the galvanizing flavour of motion and travel by conducting a regimental 4 Km cycling drill along Spring Street and back adjacent the Mississippi River. This athletic endeavour hastened the fulfillment of my recurrent afternoon vehicular outing. This time however I determined to extend the jaunt beyond the extremity of the car wash in Stittsville.  I directed the snout of the trusty Aviator northward along Hazeldean Road onto HWY#417 parallel the Ottawa River towards Arnprior to the hinterland of Braeside/McNab Township. It was an ideal day for a country drive on a sweltering summer afternoon in July with the temperature peaking at 32°C. Nonetheless I drove with the windows open.  I wanted to feel the soothing air!

My motor vehicle tour (which began in Almonte along Paterson Street then onto the Appleton Side Road) took me past the Mississippi Golf Club in the Village of Appleton. On the ouskirts of Carleton Place while streaming along the wending ribbon of highway I drove by Canadian Golf and Country Club . In Arrnpior I passed notification of Madawaska Golf Club. Between Arnprior and Waba (near White Lake) is the Mountain Creek Golf Course. I did not go as far as the Ironwoods Golf Course in the Village of Calabogie. On the edge of the Vllage of Pakenham is the Pakenham Highlands Golf Club.  Just outside of Carp not far from Almonte is Greensmere Golf and Country Club.

Though it wasn’t an objective at the outset, I toddled off the highway when approaching Almonte and diverted down Strathburn Street. Strathburn Street in my opinion is the most exceptional street in Almonte.  It is very short going just from the east end of the Mississippi River to Hwy. No. 29. Without exception the street is bound by magnificent homes, some of which are ancient, others modern. These elegant properties have been owned by some equally brilliant talent; military superior, Canadian government employee, engineer, banker, architect and art dealer.

Now as I sit at my desk, sipping strong black coffee and gazing onto the meadow before the river, the rain pours down enlivening the face of the river and casting a blur of wind and rain onto the distant corn crop. Lightening flashes.