August 3-to North Hatley in Quebec's Eastern Townships

After I left Knowlton (or Lac Brome) i went back to the Eastern Townships Autoroute and then onto route 55 and then onto Route 108 and was taken past Hovey Manor on my way into North Hatley.  

Hovey Manor is a a very fancy resort that was once the home of a rich southerner who summered in North Hatley.  It was named after Captain Ebenezer who led a group from New Hampshire to this are in the early 1800's to settle.  And note my great great great great (not sure how many great grandfather was one of the members of this militia.  Ebenezer's wife was a Kezar.)  I have never stayed here but have been here to dine many times.  It has become more famous as the inspiration for the inn in one of Louise Penny's mysteries and last summer Louise Penny mystery fans and now friends, Bill and Hilary Clinton stayed here.  Again I have enclosed this helpful map.  

This is the part of the Eastern Townships that I know best.  I was born in Sherbrooke, lived from age two to eight just outside North Hatley on our family farm, and then moved to Waterville which is just off the map just east of North Hatley.  I had a cottage on Lake Massawippi near Ayer's Cliff and later a cottage near Fitch Bay near Georgeville.  I finished high school and went to university in Lennoxville just north of North Hatley and now officially part of Sherbrooke.

Back to Honey Manor.  A couple of years ago a friend and I had dinner there and the prices had definitely gone up.  It was lovely but I think with one glass of wine it was over $100.  Now they have a less expensive bistro but i didn't have the opportunity to try it this visit.

It is an absolutely gorgeous property.  Long ago one of my cousin's had his wedding reception here.

  

Since a couple of nights here is not in my current budget I stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast I have stayed in twice before and totally recommend, Le Cachet.

It is right in North Hatley, a short walk into the main part of the town.  After I checked in I walked towards the main part of town

and passed this corner that always amuses me as I don't know of a Kezar Street (at least with this spelling) anywhere else.

Sometime ago they rebuilt the bandshell I remembered from my childhood.  There were and still are concerts there.  I think my favourite part was the hot popcorn wagon that was operated by my grandfather's half brother.  That will always be the most delicious popcorn in my mind.

As I walked along here I was kind of flooded with memories.  There used to be a boatyard here where my dad's friend, Bill Ride, had a marino where he used to make and rent and sell boats.  We would rent a boat (can't remember if we had our own motor or probably we rented that with the boat) and have a picnic across the lake where we had friends who had a cottage.  

This is the river that flows into Lake Massawippi here.  When I was in second grade we sold our farm and bought a house in nearby Waterville but we rented our house in North Hatley for two months so I could finish second grade here.  I loved it even if I probably missed my dog and pony etc. who remained on the farm.  But I loved walking to school and playing with my friends and visiting friendly neighbours especially my cousin Bob and his wife Janice and their baby daughter.  I loved living in Waterville as well but there wasn't a lake there.  

North Hatley is charming and you can take endless pictures here.  It became a tourist town in the 1800's after the civil war when it was discovered by rich Baltimorians who would travel here by train. They built beautiful big homes.   Just recently I was contacted by someone who is a descendant who I think still summers here and had fond memories of my half great aunt who worked for his parents or grandparents and married a Baltimore street car conductor.  I never knew her and had to consult the family tree to figure out the connection.  Later well to do people from Toronto and Montreal mainly replaced those southerners.  

 I was actually getting hungry after that early lunch of an ice cream cone, but had to do a little shopping.

and take another picture.

I decided to have lunch by the river at La Chocolatiere, which is a bed and breakfast but has now opened a cafe and although it was perhaps a hot day to be having soup and a grilled cheese sandwich it was delicious.  The view was nice as well

I walked back to Le Cachet enjoying the view

and since it wasn't raining as predicted yet I decided to go for a little drive

and took a picture of the farm I lived in until I was almost eight.  The house was actually built by my grandfather.  It has been owned by the same people almost since we sold it in 1959 (the original buyer only lived there a few months as he died of a heart attack.  They were friends and his widow sold it to other people we knew.  The Cheals have lived there ever since but Mrs. Cheal died I think last year so it probably will be sold.  I have always appreciated how beautifully kept it has been.  

Later I drove into nearby Waterville where we moved and I didn't really take any pictures as it just isn't the pretty town it once was, and I don't like what they did to my house which we sold in 1985, but I do have lots of nice memories.  

The reason I chose this particular weekend to visit the Townships was because it was Lennoxville High School reunion weekend.  We had a very successful reunion five years ago but the numbers for this reunion have proved to be disappointing to the organizing committee.  Lennoxville High School became only an elementary school in 1969 and since I graduated in 1968 from Grade Eleven, my class was one of the last.  A big regional high school was built where students from grades seven to eleven from this part of the Townships would attend.  I went to school in Waterville until 10th grade so I only went there for two years but later went to Bishop's University (where the reunion was) in Lennoxville as well.  Lennoxville is about eight miles from Waterville and about the same from North Hatley.  

So after my Waterville tour I took the back route to North Hatley through Hatley Centre where long ago my father went to school and later had property and put my feet up at the B and B before going to the reunion reception.  I didn't take any pictures but had a great time.  I got to see one good friend I hadn't seen in over twenty years and another friend and his wife came all the way from Peru!  

As you can see it was a busy day!!!