Strawberry Social at Toronto Islands

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On Sunday June 15, Donatello, Tomiko, our mom, and I took a boat to the Toronto Islands for the Strawberry Social and the Blessing of the Boats and Bicycles.

St Andrews by the Lake is a tiny church that has been holding the blessing ceremony for several decades (centuries even?). The tradition originally started when the fishing boats were blessed, hoping for a good catch and a safe return home. Nowadays, most of the boats out in Lake Ontario are recreational sailboats. We sat on chairs on the lawn of the church, barely even able to see the Toronto skyline. It made us feel as if we were in cottage country! The various yacht club commodores received buckets of water and cedar sprigs, and they proceeded to walk around and sprinkle the bicycles and to the moored sailboats (and anyone standing nearby).

After the service, we sat on one of the many picnic tables that were bedecked with gorgeous tussie mussies (bouquets). We ate adorable tea sandwiches (mine were egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, peanut butter and banana, and roasted veggies). The non-vegetarian sandwiches had smoked salmon, shrimp salad, ham and cheese, and crab salad.

There was also a delicious lemonade rum punch, tea and coffee.

Finally, the moment we were waiting for: the strawberries! We had a big slice of white chocolate cake, a few glistening Ontario strawberries, and a dollop of real whipped cream!

The whole affair felt like it was right out of Anne of Green Gables, where the church would organize community events and everyone would go to catch up, gossip, have fun and eat. Almost everyone was dressed for the occasion: pretty dresses and skirts, white or linen pants, navy blue blazers, and straw hats. This is just another historic but quaint tradition of the Toronto Islands. I will also live here some day!