Avery House B&B

08/24/2026

What have guests been raving about? The burger at Keystone Alley. The duck at Bijou at the Church. And the great selection of chilled white wine at Ripy & Vine.

08/15/2026

Earlier this month Perth County Tourism posted about walking the trails at Sawyer Preservation Woodlot Association. I wasn’t familiar with it so I have been eager to go adventuring! Today I had an afternoon without check-ins. I loaded Minnie into the car and off we went. It’s an easy 30 minute drive from the B&B past corn and soybean fields.

A few thoughts: nice trails - hiking boots not necessary although I think it would be a bit of a slog in sandals; the walk would have been way more pleasant with ‘squito repellent; go with someone taller than you and have them lead the way - the trail I took wasn’t heavily used - the number of spider webs that stretched across it - let’s just say I contemplated crawling in some spots as I felt guilty knocking them down.

There are some picnic tables near the entrance if you want to have a picnic in the woods. No facilities so plan ahead.

Out that way is Black Donnellys Brewing Company. It looks like a fun place to stop. Since I don’t drink beer I’m hoping one of you can chime in with your favorite Black Donnelly’s brew that I can share with others.

07/29/2026

This morning I had an appointment in New Hamburg. Knowing I would be pressed for time after my appointment, I spent the early morning running around getting chores done so I could leave 30 minutes early and squeeze in a brief walk at WetlandsWilmot. Since my detour today was brief, here are some photos from a prior visit. The highlight of my walk was seeing a host of chipping sparrows. I’m actually glad I was rushed because that lead me to turn around and head back the way I came instead of completing the loop. It was when I backtracked that I could clearly see their distinctive chestnut caps. If you decide to head here for a walk, consider allowing extra time to shop for some yummy treats at The Garden Stand and a visit to historic Castle Kilbride.

07/25/2026

So excited to see what HFN has planned for this winter season. Ruby and the Reindeer last year was fun and festive.

Celebrate Christmas in July! Purchase your tickets to The Gift Exchange today (July 25) and you'll automatically be entered into a draw to win an exclusive, in-person behind-the-scenes experience.

Get an insider's look at the making of the show with a special backstage experience, explore what happens backstage, and get an insider's look at how we create the magic of theatre and meet some of the artists bringing The Gift Exchange to life!

And don't wait to book! Last year's holiday hit, Ruby and the Reindeer, sold out completely, so secure your seats now before they're gone!

🎟️ https://vist.ly/5cg8p

07/16/2026

“I must say, I've fallen in love with the musical genre. It's the art-form of the common man. If you want to communicate something with the proletariat, cover it in sequins and make it sing. It's noisy, vulgar and utterly meaningless—I love it!"
— Darren Nichols, Slings & Arrows.

If you recognize that voice, you’re in for a treat.

We did a post about a Slings & Arrows prequel reading a month or so ago, but the Festival has just announced some more details that make this an absolute must-see.

The reading of The Amateurs—a new project from the original writing team—has officially blossomed into a full-blown reunion. We’ll see a whole bunch of the original cast gathering on the Festival Theatre stage for a first look at the writing team's latest work, including:

• Paul Gross (Geoffrey, unwilling AD of the fictitious New Burbage Festival, a thinly disguised version of the Stratford Festival)
• Martha Burns (Ellen, the brilliant leading lady)
• Stephen Ouimette (who we have loved in dozens of productions here at Stratford. In the series he stars as the flamboyant ghost, Oliver, famously hit by a ham truck)
• Mark McKinney (Richard, aka Big Dick; series' co-creator)
• Bob Martin (Terry, the accidental actor who discovered his inner artist in the "Corporate Shakespeare" workshop; series' co-creator)
• Susan Coyne (Anna, the administrative assistant amidst the madness; series' co-creator)
• Don McKellar (Darren, our favorite musical theatre visionary)

Directed by the amazing Chris Abraham (Artistic Director of Crow's Theatre and a frequent director here at Stratford Festival), this one-night-only event on July 26 offers a rare sneak-peek into the creative process. The script promises a hilarious origin story of the New Burbage Festiva; it will be a ton of fun to see the super-talented cast back together, live on-stage.

If you’d like to brush up on your Slings & Arrows lore, the entire series will be available on the Stratfest@Home streaming service later this month.

Hope to see you here at Avery House this season. Find a link to our website in the comments.

07/15/2026

A colleague shared how much fun these new tulip chairs are so Minnie and I set out early this morning to see for ourselves. Minnie was shocked when I paused to sit and spin in one as that’s not what I typically do on our pre-breakfast walks. 😂 🌷🪑Thanks, Elena for flagging this fun addition to Lake Victoria.

07/14/2026

What were folks raving about last week? Garlic Bread at and White Asparagus at and Whipped Hummus at .restaurantstrat Yum!

07/10/2026

Many of our guests will know that we are huge fans of SpringWorks. Their upcoming World in a Weekend: International Puppet Festival (July 30 - August 3) is their flagship event. Definitely worth checking out!

The festival brings internationally celebrated artists right to our doorstep, offering bold, experimental, and thoroughly captivating shows for adults and families alike. It is a world-class affair; in fact, Stratford is the only English-speaking city in the world invited into AVIAMA, an elite international network of puppet-friendly cities! As festival founder Eileen Smith explains, "Once one is invited into this amazing, rich and complicated world of puppets all you want to do is share the magic."

A few highlights:

🚂 The Debut of The Phoenix: A striking 12-foot giant parade puppet inspired by Stratford’s historic railroad steam locomotives, celebrating our town's legacy of reinvention and culture.

☀️ Riverside Culture: Sunny afternoons spent watching free outdoor performances along Veterans Drive, maybe pair it with a picnic by the Avon River.

⏳ Evening Artistry: A whole bunch of night programming, from live sand and shadow art to a late-night Silent Dance Party at Grayson Mills - Weddings & Events

Check out SpringWorks: indie theatre & arts festivals page for more info, the action-packed schedule (free and paid events), and tickets.

The International Puppet Festival is another great reason to visit Stratford this summer. We hope we'll see you here at Avery House. Link to our website in the comments!

07/08/2026

Yesterday: waiting... for the show to start.

Stunning production. Stellar casting and performances. as Pozzo was just pitch-perfect.

Still ruminating and reflecting on the play. Found this quote: "Godot is a blank slate. He represents whatever a person uses to justify putting off their life until tomorrow—whether that is a religious savior, a better job, a political revolution, or simply the illusion that things will make sense in the future. By keeping Godot off-stage and undefined, Beckett forces the audience to look at the waiting itself, rather than the entity being waited for."

Short run, wraps at the end of July. Go if you can.

Stratford Festival