I saw this guy on Austin City Limits a little while and instantly bought his album. Great tune, great performance. This was the closing number. Later, I read his Wikipedia page and found out he was one of the Tony’s from “Tony, Toni, Tone.” If you listen closely, you can kind of hear his voice singing “It feels good….”
If you’re not feeling good by the end of this song, you should talk to someone.
Thank you all for the support with my book!! Click HERE to buy it on Amazon.
I recently realized that my dream of having a photography web site with all my pretty pictures is dead. There’s plenty of reasons as to why and I’m going in deep on all of them next week.
So this week I figured I would post a handful of pictures from the rural wonderland that is Prince Edward County. We were up there during harvest time, after peak foliage, so the sweeping views of color burst through the lens just did not happen. I was still able to capture some colorful pics. I hope you enjoy them.
Tune in next week to find out why no one will ever pay money for these pics and why I’m ok with that.
Keep on rocking in the free world, everyone!!!
Don’t forget to buy the “Firecat Central Annual Report” by clicking on the link in the previous post. Thank you very much to everyone!!!
Hello Everyone! I’m here tonight to announce the release of the “Firecat Central Annual Report!” Now available on Amazon, you can purchase a compilation of the best posts from the first year of this blog.
Click HERE to order the book ($5.99 paperback, $2.99 Kindle).
Here I am celebrating Movember and my book release at the same time.
I am excited about this release and am grateful for everyone who has read what I wrote over the first year. The book is organized by subject matter, and was really fun to put together.
So my appeal to all: Share this through Facebook, retweet it, forward it on in emails, and please please pretty please write a review on the Amazon page.
Thank you all again for reading, and thank you all in advance for your support, shares, and tweets.
Keep on rocking in the free world!!!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 13, 2013, the “Firecat Central Annual Report” will be available for purchase. Details, pricing, order info, etc. will be posted tomorrow. Get your ordering shoes on and check back soon.
Stay tuned… Big announcement coming soon!!!
Whoops, I thought this posted on Sunday, but I guess the effects of the Canadian power-outage were still being felt. High winds were knocking down power lines, Molson Goldens, and Rick Moranis everywhere you looked. Crazy.
Note: Get ready for an announcement about the completion a project I’ve been working on later this week.
Here is a piece I wrote and tried to shop around as my first attempt at “freelancing.” Obviously it didn’t get picked up first time around, but I’m ready to try again this winter for spring publishing, and I’ll be better prepared this time around. So if anyone out there is an editor, or knows an editor, of a publication that could use a piece like this, let me know. I know it needs to be shortened a bit, but I will take this down from here to do so in a heartbeat.
Prince Edward’s Vineyards
By Jonathan Sadowski
When most New Englanders here “Canada” and “Prince Edward” in the same sentence, they instantly think of waves crashing on rocky shores and ferries from Boston Harbor. A little known fact is Prince Edward not only had an island north of the border named after him, but also a peninsula. Located 450 miles northwest of Boston, Prince Edward County, in Southern Ontario Province, offers as much wine, art, and relaxation per square mile, excuse me per kilometer, than anywhere else on the map.
One may not think Ontario and wine together, but the peninsula has a unique and inviting mix of beach-going, artistic, and agricultural flare that offers an exciting stay no matter who you are. There are countless art, music, and maple syrup festivals at different times throughout the year, but there is a nonstop celebration of the areas vineyards in the tasting rooms throughout the county. With a map, a car, and a cleansed palette, visitors to the area can embark on quest to over 30 restaurants and wineries in search of the perfect setting to fit their food and drink tastes.
The late 1990’s and early 2000’s saw an explosion of new vineyards begin to sprout up throughout the area. It’s weather is tempered by the Lake and helps create a marvelous climate for growing fruits, vegetables, and hay. Situated two and a half hours east of Toronto and a four hours west of Montreal made it the perfect setting for entrepreneurs to a) get away from the big cities, and b) sink their roots into the labor of love that is wine making. While still in their infancy, wines from “The Country” are already gaining international acceptance and winning awards along the way. “What makes wine from this area special,” says James Lahti, owner of Long Dog Winery in Milford, Ontario, “is the richness of the soil. Everything grows well in this soil because it’s made mostly of ground up, fossilized seashells. The vines draw up all that calcium, giving our wines a unique minerality and acid structure.” Most vintners agree, creating a sustainable and profitable business is a twenty year process, “10 years for the vines, 10 for the reputation,” according to Lahti. Most of the wineries in PEC are a little over a decade old. Visiting the area now allows a view into an evolving and growing industry, a chance to meet vineyard owners who will be grateful for your visit, and a certain degree of self satisfaction 15 years from now when Prince Edward County wines are everywhere (“Yeah, I helped that/those company(s) out when they were just starting out.”).
Following the wine tour map to all or most of its 32 destinations will allow guests to ride through historic country roads and view scenery not easily found in New England. The land is much flatter than that of the Northeast US, which provides sweeping views and slightly longer days, allowing time to sneak in that last tasting at that last vineyard. The area is also home to many historical landmarks and classic country homes. A proud “Loyalist” territory, The County was a refuge for subjects loyal to the crown, Quakers, and other groups who set out off the US shores of Lake Ontario to escape the ire of the rowdy revolutionaries we all know and love. The sense of history is prevalent throughout the county and adds to the je ne sais quais that makes a trip to The County such an enjoyable experience.
Although wine making is an up and coming industry / attraction in PEC, there is also plenty to do for those not interested or not legally allowed to sample wine. Visitors typically use the town of Picton (population 4,370) as their hub when visiting. It’s bustling, historic downtown area is home to plenty of hotels, motels, and B&Bs, three grocery stores, a movie theater, and numerous gift shops, art galleries, and coffee shops. A short drive from the center, Sandbanks Provincial Park is a sprawling beach with ample, accessible parking and clear water free of heavy surf, making it the perfect spot for the family to spend the day frolicking, catching some rays, or building sandcastles (a VERY common activity for locals). A visit to prince-edward-county.com will show just how easy it is to fill up a week with bike tours, art studios, golfing, bird / butterfly watching, diving and boating, farm tours, and of course lounging on the shores of Lake Ontario.
With so many recreation and libation choices and such little time, caution is needed to avoid missing what Lahti touts as the area’s biggest attraction. “The roads and the people. Just pick a road and start heading down it. If you like the looks of a house, pull over, the people living there will probably invite you in,” and with the ever-growing likelihood that house will be in the business of making wine, that suggestion is very tempting.
Wine. Beach. History. Recreation. Culture. People. Each one would be reason enough to visit some places. With all that and more on a 405 square mile peninsula, Prince Edward County is a great bet for whatever you’re into.
Where to stay:
The Waring House, Picton, ON – With four and five star accommodations 2 miles from downtown Picton, guest can enjoy their stay in cozy, classic rooms, or quiet, Quaker cabins located on the property. It is also home to two restaurants, a cooking school, and an artist in residence.
The Calramont Inn & Spa, Picton, ON – Massages, mud masques, and culinary delights await all who visit this restored colonial mansion on Main St. in Picton. The antique décor and views of Lake Ontario offer guests an unforgettable stay.
Jackson’s Falls Country Inn, Milford, ON – See the countryside in all its glory in this Bed & Breakfast located in the village of Milford. Enjoy days soaking in the clean crisp air and bucolic scenery, and unwind at night in the common area, which was formerly a schoolhouse built in 1870.
How to get there:
There are numerous flights from Boston to Toronto, with easy access to rental cars. Two and a half hours east on route 401, following the signs to Prince Edward County, will get you there.
Driving directions:
Take I-90 W to Syracuse, NY. Merge onto I-81N and follow to the U.S. – Canada border. Follow signs to Route 401W. Exit 566 to rt 49 will lead right into Picton Center (approx 8 hrs. drive time)
Thanks for reading everyone!! Happy Halloween!!! Happy Sox Parade Day!!
The name is a little different but the idea is the same. To start things off, because I’m writing from Canada, let’s start off with the best song to come from Canada EVER!!
Here are a list of five different items that have occurred to me over the last four and a half years of being a Dad. These tips might be helpful to some of you out there, others might say, “Yeah, no kidding,” and others may have something else to add. Any input is welcomed in the comments section. Disclaimer: these tips are not based on science, expert opinions, or in-depth research, just things that have worked for my family. Enjoy.
1) Judge your kids diet by their poop– a parent can go crazy worrying about getting their kid all the nutrients on every list of every “expert’s” book/blog. A stool with the consistency of peanut butter (either chunky or smooth) in a toddler shows a healthy digestive tract, which means everything is a-ok with the belly. Parents will definitely notice a change in the frequency and quality of their kids’ output when there is too much of one thing or not enough of another. If everything is running like the Jiffy train from Geneva, there shouldn’t be much concern little junior isn’t getting enough riboflavin, cobalamin, or LDLs.
2) Try to get your toddler to like soy milk – WAIT! WAIT! DON’T SKIP TO THE NEXT ITEM!! I’m not going to just go on and on about how soy milk is “better” than regular milk. Soy milk does not spoil as quickly, and can be consumed at room temperature. Giving it to your newly-mobile toddler will minimize the amount of beverages dumped because somebody left a cup in the play oven for three hours.
3) Buy a ton of the same loud socks – Few things are as frustrating as being held up on the way out of the house due to missing footwear. Buying 47 pair of purple polka-dot* socks will end the frustration of having seven different individual socks, thus making it necessary to pray to the heavens as a pile of clean laundry is fished through to find that ONE FREAKIN” SOCK!! Buying the same loud sock will make them abundant and easy to find. After proof-reading this paragraph, I realized this could be good advice for adults, too, but we are less likely to put one sock on a doll and the other in the dishwasher.
4) When nursing an infant, keep formula in the house – I’m no lactation consultant, but I do know that over-tired, stressed out moms combined with super-hungry, crying babies produces a situation where one feels feeding the other is necessary but physically not possible. Having a can of formula in the house is a signal to Mom that her baby’s survival is not ALL ON HER. Sometimes just knowing this allows enough relaxation to occur so Mom and baby can nurse together, or maybe Dad has to crack the can at 2:45am so Mom can get enough sleep to recharge. Either way, the cost of having some around is much less than the stress of not having it. And trust me, your baby will be fine if some formula crosses you’re his/her lips, even if those bullies at La Leche League will have you believe otherwise. **
5) Don’t travel with white shirts – Stains on a toddler’s shirt are inevitable no matter where you are. When you’re on vacation, doing your laundry is an inconsistent proposition. Machines that are less efficient than at home, well water heavy in minerals, and limited access laundry services may make getting intense stains out impossible. Darker shirts can hide that stuff (and the stains can even act as a cheap souvenir) if one of the above problems gets in your way. There is no hope if a white shirt is muddied while hiking a mountain or playing an impromptu game of “pickle” with the cousins from Scottsdale on the second day of a 2 week trip. Black, purples, and dark greens will hide any but the most drastic stains until you can get back on home turf.
* I just learned that this is the correct spelling of “polka-dot.” I always thought it was “poka-dot.” I could look on Wikipedia to see the word has anything to do with polka music and dancing, but I think I will resist the urge, and just tell myself the two are related.
** My wife is insists I add that this tip also makes the Dad feel helpful. It is our (men) way of using the “hunter-gatherer” mentality to provide for our babies.
This is my favorite jazz album, and this is the best track off of it.
Firecat Central 
