Pretty much every province or state has an area tourists flock to during the warmer summer months and long weekends. You know what I mean. A town or place where travelers arrive to put up their feet and let their hair down for the holidays. In my home province of Ontario in Canada, we have plenty of those nostalgic vacay spots. Towns swell to almost ten times their size when the kids get out for the summer until they return to reality at the beginning of September. However, there’s one town that’s near and dear to my heart they’ll never find on any map or GPS system: Fairy Falls—the setting for my teen psychic mysteries series.
I actually envisioned Fairy Falls from
what I remembered of a tourist town during the early 1970s, while we were
visiting a friend’s cottage. This town has since grown, but some small cottage
towns never grew much, and when major highways were built to take on more
traffic, these towns were bypassed, and much of their economy suffered. Call it
the pros and cons of progress, but I think much of the innocence was lost to
those quaint, tourist towns when change was forced upon them.
I didn’t want to lose that ‘small, tourist
town feeling’ when I created Fairy Falls. True, change is good, but there’s
something about going to a tourist town and connecting with the people living
there that somehow leaves you feeling better than you did before you arrived. I
also wanted to be realistic in the fact that growth is a necessary part of
life, and Fairy Falls will have to deal with all kinds of challenges that will
create conflict and divide the residents, believing that they are doing what’s
best for their hometown.
So what would I recommend tourists see or
do in Fairy Falls? When we used to live in cottage country, we’d visit the
local bakery in the tiny town five minutes south of us. The smell of fresh
baking does something to a body. Sometimes it takes you back to when life was
simpler. The downtown core of Fairy Falls hosts such a bakery, and is situated
so you can sit at one of the ample tables beside the Vista River and enjoy your
sweet treat, while watching the boats slowly putt by. Or better yet, book a
boat tour to go on a three-hour cruise that takes you through a lock system,
and into Blueberry Lake. Don’t forget to wave at Gertie Ellis if you catch a glimpse
of her on the shoreline while she’s inspecting her blueberry bushes.
Other draws to this tourist haven include The Court Jester, the local bar and
grill, serving up down-home, mouth-watering food that you can’t get anywhere
else. I suggest you try their Jester Burger, topped with a slice of Canadian
back bacon and pepper jack cheese, piled high with onions, garlic, and
mushrooms, all fresh from the Fairy Falls Farmers’ Market. Add a pint of
locally brewed Blackfly beer, and this meal will bring tears of joy to your
eyes! Sit on the patio and enjoy the view of the Vista River where it may
transport you to back to those good old days, and happy childhood memories. Oh,
and make sure you don’t forget to stop by the Fairy Falls Farmers’ Market on
Saturdays to score a deal from one of the crafters, produce, or food stands.
Tell them Sharon sent you…
Before you go, I’ve got
a bonus treat for you that you can enjoy for the rest of the summer and beyond.
Most of the ingredients can be found at any tourist town farmer’s market, but
trust me, Gertie Ellis’s maple syrup and blueberries are to die for! Plus, the
fact that fresh fruit is in season makes this tasty delight a lot easier to
create. Happy holidays and enjoy wherever you vacation!
Maple Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup blueberry yogurt
- 3/4 cup low-fat milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
Materials:
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Blender
Directions:
In a blender, combine the yogurt, milk, syrup and cinnamon. Add blueberries and blend until smooth. Garnish with fruit. Cheers!
Mysterious
Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mystery Series:
Lost
and Found, Book One Buy Links:
MIRROR
WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES
& NOBLE
׀
Blackflies
and Blueberries, Book Two Buy
Links: