After a long and exciting day yesterday that included a helicopter sightseeing tour, some butterflies, and an amazing magic show, I woke up to a grey, cold and drizzly day. But that was not going to deter me from exploring the City of Niagara Falls in more detail. I got up, took a nice long shower and went downstairs for breakfast to the Windows on the Lane Restaurant which is a casual dining restaurant on the main floor of the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel.
Another great purchase for your car is a seat organizer where you can stick books and toys in for the kids as well as diapers, wet wipes, and maps to get to your destination. Don�t forget to pack a towel for brushing off after those trips to the beach as well.I found just such a place just a few minutes drive away from the Horseshoe Falls: Bird Kingdom, one of Niagara Falls�, Ontario, newer attractions. This tropical destination was surely going to revive my chilled bones and it was going to be my next stop on my Niagara Falls discoveries.Stocking UpTomatoes. To create rich, complex flavors in your tomato sauce, use more than one variety. Consider using both red and yellow tomatoes and remember to use cages or stakes for support. Peppers. For bell peppers wait until temperatures are over 60 degrees for planting. Pick while green if that is your preference or leave on the vine to ripen into yellow or red peppers for a sweeter flavor. Onions. Onions should be planted very early in the growing season. Make sure you select a variety best suited to your climate -- short-day onions do best in the south while long-day onions thrive in the north. Garlic. Fragrant, delicious garlic does best when planted in the fall and harvested in the spring and summer. If you can't wait, you can plant it before the last frost date in your area, but the bulbs will be somewhat smaller. Herbs. Basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley are very easy to grow. To encourage new foliage, avoid picking more than one-third of the plant at once.After this overview it was now time for me to hit the road and start my busy schedule of discoveries in Niagara Falls, Ontario. I started my day with a visit to the Skylon Tower, Niagara Fall�s most famous landmarks. Construction of the tower started in May of 1964 and 17 months later the tower was officially opened jointly by the then Governor of New York and the Premier of Ontario. I walked in on the main floor which houses some retail outlets and an arcade and took one of the �yellow bug� elevators to the top. As we moved up from the main level, the falls on both the American and the Canadian side came into view.I went straight up to the top level which houses the observation deck. This indoor/outdoor observatory is the highest vantage point in Niagara Falls, and close to 8,000 square miles in Canada and the United States can be seen. Sights such as the skyline of Toronto and Buffalo are visible from the top and a circular walkway provides a 360 degree panoramic view. Signs at regular intervals identify the various sights surrounding the tower.Start with the Soil. To help an in-ground garden get off to a strong start, first address the soil. Simply remove any stones or debris from the garden area and add a 4-inch layer of Miracle-Gro Garden Soil for Flowers and Vegetables or Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Garden Soil, working it into the soil.What to PlantThe statistics illustrate why Niagara Falls is considered one of the natural Wonders of the World: the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, the most impressive of the three falls in Niagara Falls, have a length of over 670 metres, and their height is 53 metres which makes Niagara Falls the most powerful waterfall in North America. The depth of the Niagara River below the Horsehoe Falls is estimated to be 56 metres. The straight line crest of the American Falls is 253 metres. About 90% of the water of the Niagara River plunges over the Horseshoe Falls while the other 10% make their way down the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls which are separated from the Canadian Falls by Goat Island, an uninhabited island that provides great vantage points of all the cascades.Making MemoriesTreasure Stones
1 cup flour
1 cup used coffee grinds
� cup salt
� cup sand
� cup waterThe summer season is here and along with it comes summer vacation for the school-aged kids. Moms are now responsible for coming up with the ideas and curriculum for their children and I am the first to admit that by the summer my creative juices have just about run out. How can you make summer another time of fun and enjoyment rather than boredom? And just how do you do this on a budget? There are lots of great things that you can do this summer and ways to keep organized when doing it. Here are a few of Mom Advice�s suggestions for summer survival:For some reason many parents tend to go overboard on the summer classes and activities. I remember as a child how much I enjoyed just running around through the sprinklers, getting ice cream, or taking a trip to the park. I do not remember as clearly the classes that I took or the activities that my parents had paid for. It is so important to allow our kids to be kids! Kids really do remember the little outings that you do with them and often these outings and time spent with them have a greater impact then four weeks of camp will.The Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel has also become a popular destination for weddings, especially due to the tropical courtyard and the gazebo in the garden-like bistro that adjoin the pool. Lisa added that this property is particularly popular with same-sex couples who travel from the United States to Canada to get married. Most of her customers come from within a three hour radius and many of them are avid golfers who like to take advantage of the Niagara Peninsula�s plentiful and affordable selection of golf courses.I was to get much more intimate knowledge of Niagara Falls through my next visit: just minutes across the street from the Skylon Tower is the Niagara Falls Imax Theatre, a modern facility that features a truly spectacular IMAX presentation: �Niagara: Miracles, Myths and Magic�. I always love IMAX presentations and was really looking forward to learning more about the unique historical background of Niagara Falls.Duly impressed by this natural wonder, I made my way back up and strolled back along the Niagara River�s edge to my vehicle, which I had parked conveniently at the Fallsview Casino Resort. I was pondering what to do next and because I felt thoroughly chilled I was looking for a nice place to warm up in.Dig In. Check the instructions on your herbs and veggies for proper spacing. Plant in the early morning, dig a hole twice as wide as your plant's root ball, gently place your plant in it, then backfill with soil.To continue with the Niagara Falls historic theme my next visit was to the �Skylon The Falls 3D/4D Movie�, a movie theatre located at the base of the Skylon Tower that recounts the Niagara Falls story from a more fantasy-based angle. Special effects include gusts of air, sprays of water and moving seats that are intended to create a multi-sensory experience of the film.Lisa started giving me a tour through the tropical courtyard and explained that originally the building was a U-shaped motel with an outdoor courtyard. One of the improvements made to the property was the installation of a roof over the courtyard and the creation of a tropical environment, complete with a large heated indoor swimming pool, exotic trees and plants as well as a playground that makes the Cairn Croft a favourite destination for families with young children. The Bourbon Street Bistro overlooks the pool, serves cocktails, snacks and pizza and provides live entertainment on some weekends and holidays.A great way to save time on cleaning up after your meals is by taking advantage of the pleasant weather and dining outside. Our family does a lot of eating outside on our patio furniture which makes for easy clean-up. When it is just my son and I though, we eat outside on a plastic mat �picnic-style�. We love to do this and the mat only requires a quick shake and clean-up is a breeze.
I found just such a place just a few minutes drive away from the Horseshoe Falls: Bird Kingdom, one of Niagara Falls�, Ontario, newer attractions. This tropical destination was surely going to revive my chilled bones and it was going to be my next stop on my Niagara Falls discoveries.
Author: Susanne Pacher
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