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Teresa and I went on a hiking adventure in the Tobermory, Ontario area. We hiked 12km in total over some rough terrain in the Bruce Peninsula National Park and on Flowerpot Island, plus Singing Sands Beach & Trails. The Georgian Bay and Lake Huron waters are super pretty up in Tobermory. They remind me of the Florida Keys - absolutely crystal clear, in shades of blue, teal, turquoise and green. Beautiful and unforgettable.

We stayed at Big Tub Harbour Resort , which we recommend. It was our second time staying at this property. Our room was clean, appeared recently renovated and had modern furniture, was reasonably priced and the staff are friendly and helpful. The beds and linens are comfy, the TV is big with a decent selection of channels, and there's a nice new deck out in the back. They sent us several texts to keep us in the loop as we were traveling up to their property. Excellent service! It's less than 5 minutes to the village. If you manage your expectations -remember you're not in a fine city center hotel- you'll be thrilled with Big Tub Harbour Resort!

We always choose the most difficult trails because we like the challenge and exercise, plus they're usually more scenic. You have your choice of difficulty at Bruce Peninsula National Park. To see the Grotto and Indian Head Cove, we took the Horse Lake Trail in, which is rated 'Moderately Difficult', but changes to 'Difficult' and then 'Very Difficult' as you get closer. We took the Marr Lake Trail out, which is rated 'Difficult' most of the way, then merges with the Georgian Bay Trail which is rated 'Easy'.

Rattlesnakes are fairly common in Bruce Peninsula National Park. We saw this 2-1/2 foot Massasauga rattler on the Horse Lake Trail, rattling away because I almost stepped on him (by accident). They won't jump out and attack you, but if you step on one there's a good chance you'll receive a bite, and without antivenom you would find yourself in a medical emergency with no help for an hour or more. If you're bit by a rattlesnake, call 911 and do not move! Moving spreads the venom faster! I saw 3 rattlesnakes. Teresa only saw this one, because I didn't tell her about the other two. We also saw garter snakes - they aren't dangerous, but they will bite you if stepped on, and while it doesn't hurt more than a bee sting, you could get infected. I won't even mention the monster wolf spiders I saw. I didn't tell Teresa because she would want to go home immediately :) We wear thick leather Zamberlan hiking boots to protect against these sorts of things.

Our adventure in Bruce Peninsula National Park took us through Boulder Beach, the stunning Indian Head Cove and The Grotto, among other sights. I saw two big rattlesnakes on Boulder Beach but didn't take pictures because my balance was off due to the large rocks literally everywhere. Didn't tell Teresa because I didn't want her to get freaked out, but if I saw two they're probably everywhere under those rocks. This is where I saw a group of people struggling to navigate the boulders inappropriately dressed (i.e. flip-flops and sandals).

We didn't swim, but a few people were in the (very) cold water. Just an absolutely gorgeous area, and we had perfect weather to enjoy it. If you're in the Tobermory area and haven't seen Indian Head Cove, you must make an effort to go. So pretty.

The Grotto for us is about taking in the beauty of the overall area, since we don't climb down into the actual grotto cave. We find the water is just too cold for that. But if you're in Tobermory you're probably there to see the Grotto, and it's a truly spectacular sight to see, even if it's only from above. Highly recommended experience!

Later, we hiked (actually 'walked' would be a better verb) another park nearby called Singing Sands Beach, which our $36 park pass to hike to the Grotto entitled us to. Apparently, if you must pay for parking at Singing Sands it's expensive (I heard $25 but don't quote me), and I'd be disappointed if I had to pay that much to hike this place, frankly. It's a beautiful, peaceful place, but it's underwhelming after trekking through Bruce Peninsula National Park.

A nice place to bring children, because the water is so shallow and you can walk out a very long way, but a boring hike in our opinion. It's very flat and the trail through the woods is no different than any other walk through the woods in the GTA, where we are from. Maybe we didn't see anything really interesting because it was off season in September?

The sand dunes were sort of interesting, though they had it blocked off from the walking trail with a wooden fence. I didn't go into the dune for this reason, but I did stand on the edge and shoot a panorama. It is very similar to the sand dunes you see in places like St. Pete Beach, Florida.

After hiking around Bruce Peninsula National Park and Singing Sands Beach, the next day we cruised out to Flowerpot Island with Bruce Anchor Cruises for another great day of exploration in absolutely perfect weather again. Our captain was excellent - very professional and skilled. Our tour guides on the boat were really good, too. Highly recommended tour.

We saw both 'flowerpot' rock formations, large and small, and beaches that looked like they were straight out of a travel magazine. Just stunning. We are so lucky to have such incredibly scenic places like this in Ontario. My photos do not do it justice!

Flowerpot Island was a fun adventure. There are bathrooms and benches near the dock and the difficult trail will give you a very decent workout.

When we were back in Tobermory village we enjoyed haddock and fries at Shipwreck Lee's , which was good. Friendly server - I can't recall her name, but she is awesome. We also ate at Pharos and had a high quality pizza. Both places had reasonable prices. Pharos has the cutest little Italian or Greek lady working; she helped me skip the long lineup so I could order takeout without waiting. The chef passed me on the way to the kitchen, obviously in a hurry, but still asked how I was doing with a smile on his way by - true old-school friendliness that I haven't seen for a long time. Reminds me of my hometown Port Perry.

There’s a coffee shop by the ferry -whose name I won’t bother to mention- that charges the most outrageous prices I’ve ever encountered in any tourist town. Honestly, even Niagara Falls looks cheap in comparison. Two medium coffees and two microwaved breakfast sandwiches cost us...$36!

And finally, Stella's Gelato and Cafe is nothing short of fantastic. Coffee lovers and gelato fans, do yourselves a favor and stop by. My Americano was outstanding, and Teresa said the gelato could justify our four-hour road trip by itself (lol). The café is gorgeous, and the young women running it are just as delightful. Hats off to you, ladies - you nailed it. We’ll be seeing you again!

My nephew got married this past weekend, and what a beautiful day it was! After shooting over 300 weddings professionally, Teresa and I loved being able to just sit back, enjoy the day, have conversations and take in the celebration - no schedules, shot lists or heavy camera gear to haul around this time. Shot a few snaps on my phone that I couldn’t resist taking from my seat!

The ceremony was held outdoors on the bride’s parents’ property. We were lucky with the weather ~ the sun poked in and out of the clouds, and the rain held off.

One of the day’s highlights was Eric and Julia’s gender reveal for their twins. They popped two giant balloons bursting with colored confetti ~ one blue, one pink! A boy and a girl are on the way, and the ceremony erupted with joy.

The reception took place in a large barn, which was completely transformed into an enchanting event space. Even though I didn’t see it before the makeover, I know what barns look like from growing up on a farm, plus I’ve shot plenty of barn weddings ~ and this barn space was like no other.

The walls were decorated with Eric & Julia's impressive engagement photo print enlargements shot by their talented photographer, Summer Eyres , along with rustic mirrors and other unique accents that gave the space a cozy, personal feel. They even replaced the old floorboards, added area rugs under vintage tables, strung up twinkling lights, and hung a wagon wheel from the beam above ~ a fantastic touch!

It was also fun reconnecting with old friends ~ Mark and Christine, Bill and Tammy, and Rob and Laura. Meeting Laura for the first time was a treat; her classic 1940s style, bright personality, and deep knowledge of classic cars made her unforgettable. She knows more about cars than most car guys I’ve met ~ and I say that as one of them! Even my dad was impressed, and there's not many who know more about automotive than him.

The father of the groom, Kevin, entertained us with his live music during dinner ~ a cool surprise and such a welcome change from the usual DJ playlist. It set the perfect tone for the evening, adding a touch of elegance and warmth.

Busy behind the scenes, Gail, my mom and the Grandmother of the Groom, and Colleen, my sister and Mother of the Groom, put in countless hours creating beautiful and meaningful reception deserts. Their care could be seen and tasted in the delicious butter tarts, carrot cakes, cookies, marshmallow square and mini cheesecakes.

These are just snapshots with my terribly outdated phone. I am looking forward to seeing the professional photos!