The Right Coast Nova Scotia

Downtown Halifax on Canvas

2011-09-18T19:58:00.001-03:00

This year, I was happy to be invited back to blog about Halifax for the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. Like last year, I was handed a pre-loaded $100 Visa card with three basic conditions; spend the money in downtown Halifax, blog about the experience and keep it legal (love saying that).

There was one other catch - to try something new.

I got to thinking came up with the idea of asking kids to paint Halifax by asking a simple question: "What is Halifax?" Because kids see things differently than adults.

With Visa card in hand, I recruited my creative friend to join me at DeSerres to stock up on supplies. After spending $100.40 we walked over to Grand Parade to meet the rest of the kids and parents.

On the last official weekend of summer it wasn't long before brushes were flying and creative juices were flowing as pigeons and tour groups looked curiously on.

It took a few minutes for the kids to think about what they wanted to paint. They were inspired by such things as:
A Canadian flag on a building nearby.
A street sign.
A boat in the harbour.
The ship mast in Grand Parade.

It was fun to watch their creations take shape.

Here were six kids in the heart of downtown Halifax painting their city. Today they paint it, tomorrow they'll shape it - the future lies with them.

Wouldn't it be interesting to invite the same kids back in 20 years to paint Halifax with their answer to the same question again?

See more pictures from Downtown Halifax on Canvas via Flickr
Thank you Wyatt, Dylan, Lindsay, Emily, Mia, Lauren and Downtown Halifax Business Commission for getting my creative juices flowing again.

My Big Day Downtown at Argyle Fine Art

2010-08-11T15:03:00.002-03:00

This summer I was thrilled to be selected, along some 30 other bloggers, to take part in Big Day Downtown, Downtown Halifax Business Commission's clever new campaign.

I had $100 to spend any way I wanted in downtown Halifax, "as long as it's legal" joked Executive Director Paul MacKinnon.

After some consideration, I picked Argyle Fine Art to slap down my VISA card.

I walked in, quickly cased the joint, then walked out.

Walked out!

Was I nuts?

Let's pause for a second. I resisted the urge to delight my taste buds with the $100 bucks, even passed up the Harbour Hopper (never been) and other fun stuff. Yup, Argyle Fine Art was my pick. So why did I walk out?

I don't know.

It certainly wasn't the friendly assistant (Crystal) who was very helpful and sweet. Even when I was trying to remember the name of an artist from Annapolis Valley (duh, like there is only one!) You see, I felt a bit awkward and decided to come back later.

So I went for a walk around Historic Properties,
passed the ferry terminal,
rounded the corner,
and made a bee line for Argyle Fine Art.

Round two.

As soon as I walked through the door Crystal exclaimed excitedly "Ruth Marsh" Yes! That was the artist!

At this time owner Adriana Afford was in the gallery and brought up an email sent earlier from Ruth saying how she was stopping by the store that day to drop off new sketches. That was it. I had to have anything, something of Ruth's in my possession.

Just as I was mulling over three encaustic tiles (hot bees wax paintings), in walks Ruth with her partner through the door. How awesome to meet this wonderful talented artist! However, things got complicated because Ruth brought the three sketches she mentioned in her email and now it was a toss up between the sparrow, the owl and the rose.

Rock, paper, scissors...Peach Sparrow won (Egg Tempra, Gold Leaf and Encaustic
4" x 6").

As my purchase was being wrapped up, I asked Adriana about her 8 year experience as gallery owner and how she started on Argyle Street then moved to the present location in Historic Properties. This gallery has a lot of activity year round, anything from live music performances, short films to art exhibitions can be found here. With a variety of contemporary art by established and emerging Canadian artists, the walls and shelves make you think you should pay admission.

Some of you may be wondering if I went over the $100. Well, I only paid the $15 sales tax.

I learned that this gallery has hidden treasure troves everywhere. With prices ranging from $100 to 6K, tell them what you have in mind and they'll open up a drawer somewhere and pull out fabulous pieces. Crystal explained that they just can't display everything so it's a good idea to give them an idea of what you are looking for and don't think that what they have on display is only what they have.

I was pleased as punch with my new purchase and my first experience at Argyle Fine Art, topped off with talking to the artist about the meaning behind my painting. This place provides a warm and friendly environment for everyone to enjoy art, learn about art and acquire art.

I will walk in again.

Thanks Big Day Downtown!

Join their very active Facebook page: ARGYLE FINE ART: The ART ADDICTS CLUB

Gallery location:
1869 Upper Water Street, Halifax
902 425 9456 or gallery@argylefa.com

Artist info:
Here's a picture of Ruth holding Peach Sparrow. Ruth's work imagines animals in an idealized form and in a sense of despair to motivate us into action to protect them. By portraying them as saints, they are appealing to us for help.

Read Ruth Marsh's CV.

Elderkin's U-Pick: Strawberry fields forever

2010-07-18T06:00:00.000-03:00

"Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields. Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about. Strawberry Fields forever."
The Beatles.

I was told it was too late in the season for picking strawberries.

I never was all that good at listening.

So my foodie friend Kristen (of With Bite) and I went to Wolfville for the day anyway. After a visit to the Farmers Market, we stopped at one of three u-picks open that day. Our u-pick pick was Elderkins. We went to the store, grabbed our crate and wooden quart-sized boxes and made for the field across the way.

The occasional rain shower was a reprieve from the 30C hot and humid day. Not that it mattered much, those red dots peeking out of the bushes were beckoning.

We picked along, turning back leaves to reveal plump red juicy strawberries. The bigger berries could be found at the bottom due to their weight.

Row upon row...roaming from patch to patch, it didn't take long before Kristen and I were at opposite ends of the field. Once in a while we'd shout out to one another, "oh boy, hit the jackpot here!" or "hello over-sized strawberry, of course you can come home with me!"

I was a good girl, I only popped three in my mouth (sorry Mr. Elderkin).

It was hard to pull away but one hour got us our bounty and the clouds looked like they were going to burst again.

There were still lots of unripe strawberries everywhere and Kristen and I figured there was still at least one week left of picking.

Glad I didn't listen.

See more photos on The Right Coast NS' Flickr page

Wolfville Farmers' Market

2010-07-13T18:50:00.048-03:00

On a grey Saturday morning, with travel mugs perched in their cup holders, my friend Kristen of "with bite" drove highway 101 from Halifax to Wolfville. Valley girls, for the day.

Before passing by Domaine de Grand Pré and the beautiful Victorian homes just outside Wolfville, we made a pit stop at Just Us! Coffee Roasters for a re-fill. This coffee is my fav and there is always a bag in my cupboard.

The Wolfville Farmers' Market is pretty easy to find. Just follow the smells, the live music or anybody carrying canvas shopping bags.

This is a market where fresh produce doesn't have to travel far. It is, after all, the Annapolis Valley, where those apples were picked in an orchard just down the road.

Last week, the Info Booth's featured item of the week was fennel. Fennel was just starting it's first week in season and samples of fresh fennel vichyssoise were available to taste. You could pick up a copy of fennel recipes with an ingredient checklist of items available right there at the market. Clever thinking.

After chowing down in one of the yummy cookies pictured above, Kristen and I watched Chef Michael Howell prepare a fabulous drink called Raspberry Lime Rickey (lime simple syrup, raspberry puree and soda water). You see, raspberries were also in season and a u-pick had recently opened nearby.

I was on a quest to find lavender jelly (August 2008 blog post) since I was down to my last teaspoon but was told the ladies weren't there that week. Kristen started her Christmas shopping at a jewelery booth.

Next, it was time for these two valley girls to find a strawberry u-pick. That blog post is coming up next.

For more information:
* Wolfville Farmers' Market
* Find them on Facebook
* See more Farmers Market photos on The Right Coast NS' Flickr page

About Wolfville:
Wolfville is the first fair trade town in Canada. The town is separated from the Minas Basin (part of the Bay of Fundy) by agricultural dykes which were built by Acadians in the 17th century. Wolfville Harbour is the smallest harbour in the world. It's the home of Acadia University. Go Axemen! (That was tough for me to type because I went to St. F.X.)

BC Brian's visit to Halifax

2010-06-22T18:02:00.038-03:00

In my last blog post, I asked for your advice on how to plan a 45 hour visit for a friend visiting Halifax for the first time.

I asked, you answered. On Facebook, on Twitter, by email and hollering over my cubicle. A page full of your suggestions were printed, folded and tucked in my bag for BC Brian and I to regularly check to make sure nothing was overlooked.

A few hours after BC Brian's arrival, it was time to hit the Halifax waterfront. We were dropped off at the Halifax Town Clock where BC Brian asked if it was a re-constructed lighthouse. This self proclaimed "arrogant westerner" was in for a lesson.

After a stroll along the waterfront boardwalk, being peppered with questions (that sometimes stumped me), we ended up on the patio at the Old Triangle Irish Alehouse. As the evening went on, we continued down the boardwalk to Garrison Brewery where we sampled Jalapeno ale and award-winning Imperial I.P.A. beer. Here we met cruise ship passengers Kelly and Todd of Los Angeles who were staying an extra day due to bad weather elsewhere.

The next morning, after breakfast at Cora's, with the threat of rain showers, BC Brian and I were Peggy's Cove bound. The windy road leading to this classic fishing village just 30 minutes outside Halifax was no stranger to tour buses. Of course, no visit to Peggy's Cove is complete without a visit to the Swiss Air memorial site.

By now, the rain had started and we made a bee line to Pier 21, Canada's Immigration Museum. Having the privilege of working there for 4 years, BC Brian was treated to personalized tour through the exhibits and film, "Oceans of Hope".

The clock was ticking and our stomachs were rumbling so the next stop was John's Lunch in Dartmouth. So many of you suggested this place for making the best fish and chips in town and for good reason. It was really good. Melt in your mouth fish and buttery clams good. All topped off with being treated like family in this 1969 style diner. The friendly service gave no need for dessert, they were sweet enough.

After stuffing ourselves and taking a few snaps of Halifax from the Dartmouth side, we headed back over the Macdonald Bridge.

While seafood was on the brain, I quickly realized that one simply CANNOT come to Nova Scotia and not have lobster and a good feed of mussels. Plus, they were on "the list". I have to admit, it was my very first time cooking live lobster without parental supervision. Hoping BC Brian would not notice, I did the best thing I could think of... offer him a Keith's. You see, that was on the list too.

What wasn't on the list was convincing BC Brian to stay another day. You see, all of you suggested such great things and 45 hours simply wasn't enough time to enjoy them all. Thankfully, BC Brian agreed and changed his flight.

This bonus day was BC Brian's self-exploration day and he made good of it. Visiting the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Rum Runners Rum Cake Factory, Brewery Market and having lunch at the Lower Deck "across from the big cow".

That evening, after lobster risotto, BC Brian, my husband and I went back to the Old Triangle Irish Alehouse to watch McGinty. These songs and others were played (click to listen):
Barrett's Privateers,
Rollin' Down to Old Maui,
Nancy Whisky

That evening at the Triangle, BC Brian just couldn't stop smiling. My highlight of the evening was when BC Brian turned to me and said, "this is just like the Nova Scotia tourism commercials!"

I wish I could tell you at this point that everything on "the list" was crossed off. In fact, we got about half way through. I figure that you have to leave some things to explore next time. BC Brian tells me that he's hoping that there will be a next time, with his wife in tow. I don't think he'll have too much trouble convincing her, after all, he's our newest tourism ambassador.

So my friends, THANK YOU for your suggestions. Also thanks to Tourism Nova Scotia who shouted out to their followers and likers on Twitter and Facebook.

Most of all, thank you BC Brian for visiting Nova Scotia.

See more pictures from BC Brian's visit on Flickr.

Help me plan BC Brian's 45 hour visit to Halifax

2010-06-09T18:22:00.022-03:00

A few weeks ago I got a phone call from my friend "BC Brian" announcing that he's visiting me in Halifax. Hailing from northwestern British Columbia, this is his first trip to the east coast.

After looking at the calendar, I realized that I have 45 hours to give BC Brian a favourable impression of Halifax.

This is where I'm asking for your advice, your thoughts... your do's and don't's.

Here are the deets: BC Brian arrives next Wednesday at 1 p.m. and leaves Friday at 10 a.m. (for Montreal). He's staying at our house during his brisk 45 hour visit.

Let's factor in the 4 hour time difference.

So what would you do if you were playing tour guide?

BTW, I did ask BC Brian what he'd like to do and I haven't heard from him yet so I am taking it upon myself to ask you. Just like the Canadian Tourism Commission's "Locals know" campaign.

Here's BC Brian's persona (not his actual photo):

- Retired
- Male
- City Councilor
- loves nature, red wine and beer

Send me your ideas, I can't wait to hear from you:

Email: maria.mcgowan@gmail.com
Twitter: therightcoastns
Facebook: http://bit.ly/TRCFacebook

I'll let you know how the 44 hours came and went.

Thanks!
Maria

Cape George Lighthouse

2010-04-22T20:31:00.033-03:00

If you were on a boat near Cape George, Nova Scotia in the mid 1800's, you couldn't help but notice the lighthouse. And, if you did, you'd be in a bit of trouble!

In 1861, the first of three lighthouses were built to guide fishing boats around Cape George Point. This first lighthouse was powered with a ten foot diameter iron lantern, with eight sides and cut glass prisms that demanded 120 gallons of oil each year. Glass prisms from the second lighthouse where unique and rare in cut and are on display at the Bluefin Tuna Interpretation Centre, a few minutes down the road at Ballantyne's Cove wharf.

Over 107 years there were four lightkeepers. From the Condon family (1861) to Alex MacEachern (whose annual salary was $450), Charles Falkenham and finally William Clark (1968), they kept the lighthouse lit 24/7. Today, the lighthouse is automated and unmanned. The grounds are kept well by volunteers and there are a lot of picnic tables to eat your lunch, enjoy the view and snap pictures of St. George's Bay, PEI and Cape Breton. Interpretive panels are on site to learn more about the history of the area.

To get there, take route 337 which follows the shoreline through small fishing communities overlooking the Northumberland Strait. It's a beautiful drive.

Area information:

Arisaig: Part of the Mini Cabot Trail

Cape George Lighthouse

The Cape George Hiking Trail offers 33 kilometers of connected loops and linear sections.

Cape to Cape Trail Nova Scotia’s first long distance footpath traveling over 400 kilometers, all the way from Cape Chignecto in Cumberland County to Cape George in Antigonish County. It's under construction.

Arisaig: Part of The Mini Cabot Trail

2010-04-22T18:43:00.028-03:00

On a warm spring day, my sister and I took a mini road trip to the "Mini Cabot Trail". Wouldn't it be cool if we were driving a mini?

The windy road comes to Arisaig (Àrasaig in Gaelic), a small village in along the Sunrise Trail on Route 245. This community was founded ca. 1785 by Scottish immigrants who named it after their former home, Arisaig, on the west coast of Scotland. This was the site of the earliest settlement made in Antigonish County by Highland Scots. Today, those roots are recognized in the highways signs that name each community both in Gaelic and English.

In Arisaig, signs direct you to a lighthouse at the end of a point. At the lighthouse, interpretive signs circle its base that tell stories of the area. Like the 17th century story of "Frenchman's Barn" - when the crew of a French sailing ship thought a massive rock not far from shore was a building and ran aground.

This area is well-known in the province for its fossils. Interesting, eh? Arisaig rocks and fossils were deposited in a warm, shallow sea more than 200 million years - before dinosaurs (and this laptop) evolved! Many of the animals at Arisaig either lived attached to the sea floor or buried in the mud and silt below. There was not much life on land at that time, not even plants. Gosh, that would mean no chocolate either but who can live without chocolate anyway. Good thing I wasn't around. Just sayin'.

The 4 kilometres of coastline from McArras Brook to Arisaig Point, including Arisaig Provincial Park, exposes 47 million years of earth history. This is not much in geological time - the Earth itself is older than 4.5 billion years. (Sorry Earth, I know it's a sensitive topic with you to talk about how old you are. Bad secret I guess.)

If you're Arisaig on a clear night, look across the water and you'll see the lights of PEI (30km across the Northumberland Straight). From that distance, they'd be "mini lights"...sorry, can't help myself.

Check out these links:

Fossils

Arisaig

Sunrise trail map

Wikipedia: Arisaig

Don't hang up those skates!

2010-03-30T07:00:00.000-03:00

Just because we are taking off the winter tires and packing up the winter coat doesn't mean we can't still hit the ice.

For the past month, a friend and I have been skating at the Centennial Arena. From 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. for a $4 admission, you can skate 12 months of the year on Sunday nights. No helmets required.

My skates are old, 23 years old to be exact. They are "figure skates", for those who can do "figures" I suppose. I guess that explains why I could never really skate with them. My friend just bought a fancy pair, the kind that you turn a dial and the laces are tightened. Go figure.

It is here where you can you listen to Wilf Carter, Charlie Pride and Lady Gaga blaring from the same speakers. There is music to please all age groups in attendance. My friend thinks that the exact same music is playing from when she went there as a kid. "Really?" I said, as I clumsily laced up my rusty blades. Lady Gaga was in diapers when I bought them.

Stepping out onto the ice was weird. So used to skating on a bumpy pond surface, it was wonderful and smooth at the arena. Everyone skates in the same direction for about 15 minutes, then switches to the other direction - you can hear people groan as they say "I skate better in the other direction". The majority of people are just doing their best to stay upright. It's a happy, fun atmosphere.

In the center ice area members and former members of skating clubs in Halifax look like graceful swans practicing their jumps and spins. It's nice to watch them as you take a rest in the stands. They give figure skates their name.

Skating among the pack are a few people with yellow arm bands. I wondered if they were members of a singles club but I later learned that they were security. They are good and fast skaters too.

Once in awhile you'll hear a yelp from someone who wiped out and then bashfully stands up, brushes themselves off and then starts again. It's common. It's perfectly okay. I know because every time I've gone, I've wiped out (except last time but we didn't stay the entire 2 hours either). One time I wiped out just after the Zamboni cleaned the ice at the halfway mark. I was wearing grey leggings, not a good idea. I not only "advertised" that I wiped out but I was soggy the rest of the skate. The next week, I wore black.

See you on the ice...in July and August!

Here's more info:

Centennial Arena is located in Halifax, 27 Vimy Ave.

Here are directions

For more information, call Jack at 490-4926

Hiking Cape Split Provincial Park Reserve

2010-03-26T07:00:00.010-03:00

On a sunny weekend last fall, I hiked Cape Split with a bunch of girlfriends. We laughed a lot.

Wolfville was the meeting place before we set off on our amazing adventure but wait...

Since it was:
1. October
2. We were in Wolfville
3. It was Saturday

...The stars were aligned to pop into Farmers Market to stock up on fuel for the hike. Speaking of fuel, we needed that too for the 35-40 minute drive to Scotts Bay from Wolfville. A group photo was taken at The Blomidon Look Off - where on a clear day like ours, you can see five counties in Nova Scotia and Cape Blomidon and the New Minas Basin.

With "Rocky", a part boxer and German haired pointer mix dog as our guide, we set off for the 16 km hike. The trail was a mixed bag of a few bumpy places, one fallen tree to climb over, swampy patches but mostly good terrain. The terrain didn't bother 10 year old Rocky at all.

Conversation and laughter filled the woods as we ventured along, passing hikers on their way from the trail head. About an hour later we started asking every hiker that approached us from the opposite direction with "how much further?" It wasn't like we were bored, we were excited to reach the stunning view ahead (okay, and eat lunch). After about 90 minutes of hiking, we reached the large open area of field and steep cliffs below. We sat and ate our lunches on the west side
slope.

Dozens of pictures of the cliffs and Bay of Fundy and watching Rocky dig a hole to China later, we reluctantly decided to hike back and leave our scenic reward behind. Only 90 minutes (or so) back to our cars and dinner at a trendy gastro pub.

If you are hiking Cape Split, we very careful to stick to the main trail. Read the sign at the entrance of the trail very carefully! We were reminded of this when we met four Acadia students who took a misleading trail from the trail head. They said our laughter helped re-orient them back to the original trail, when they met up with us we provided them with tasty treats to sustain them for the hike back to their vehicle.

So in one afternoon, we hiked Cape Split and then had dinner in Wolfville. Not at the gastro pub but a popular place on Main Street. The drive back to Halifax was quiet, our muscles were aching. Not so much from the hike but from laughing so much.

Links:
Province of Nova Scotia Cape Split link
Location of Cape Split (1.57MB pdf)
Wikipedia description

Join Scotts Bay and Cape Split's Facebook fan page

View more pictures from our hike on Flickr

I'm back!

2010-03-24T21:23:00.009-03:00

Hi everyone,

I've missed writing for The Right Coast Nova Scotia. I have no juicy excuse and get bummed thinking about all the cool things that weren't blogged about over the last few months.

Things like:

Waterfront Winterfest in Halifax
Hiking Duncan's Cove Trail (future blog post, promise)
Pond skating

Hey. Enough self-wallowing. It's spring!

Time to get re-energized, re-charged.

Income taxes are filed. Yours?

Coming up, a post on a hike I did last fall with friends to Cape Split Provincial Reserve. It was fun.

It's nice to be back.

Maria

Friends of Taylor Head Prov. Park Society - Beyond the gate

2009-10-30T08:00:00.001-03:00

Many of you already know that one of my favourite parks in this province is Taylor Head. I am not alone.

Summers were spent there as a kid. I remember when the park was became under provincial jurisdiction. As early as 1975, I remember the community meetings at the church hall, the new gravel road, the new boardwalks, the parking lots (eliminating the long line of cars parked along the road). Finally, this piece of heaven was easier to assess but only when the gate was open.

One time, Taylor Head was only open from May - October. Thanksgiving weekend meant a drive "down the head" for one last time before the gate was locked for the season. One time.

Now the gates to Taylor Head park are now open until early December. Thanks to the efforts of eleven people back in 2007, the Friends of Taylor Head Provincial Park was officially formed as a non-profit society in 2008.

"The society is about making Taylor Head Park a better place to visit and enjoy", says Warren Parsons, President of Friends of Taylor Head Park Society, whose connection to the park also goes back to his childhood. "The Province has been very good and welcomed us as a participant in the future of the park. Our crowning achievement has been the opening of the gate for an extended period of time in the fall."

The friends organize programming in the park during the summer months. From watercolour clinics to guided bird walks to astronomy nights, this dedicated group is creating opportunities to learn more about the park's environment. "We will continue to organize activities and see what works and what does not", says Warren.

It's important to note that the park is not officially open but as long as the friends collect garbage and clean the toilets - the gate remains open.

At this time, the friends are negotiating a long-term agreement with Parks and Recreation on how they can work together in the future. All are hopeful and the friends appreciate the cooperativeness of the Province.

So this fall as you drive through the open gate at the entrance of Taylor Head Provincial Park, it's the result of a dedicated group of people. Thank you!

The friends would like to increase their membership. My family and I attended a membership drive/bbq on Labour Day weekend where they were serving hot dogs and yummy chocolate chip cookies. For a nominal fee, it's $10 for an individual membership, or $20 for a family. Get involved and stay in touch with upcoming events.

Membership form for Friends of Taylor Head Park Society

For further information, please contact Warren Parks(rosalieeast@ns.sympatico.ca)

Location of Taylor Head

Download a Taylor Head Prov. Park brochure

Read my previous blog posts on Taylor Head:

Cranberries and Inukshuks
Swimming at Taylor Head Prov. Park
Eastern Shore boats and buoys

Creepy Witch Fingers recipe

2009-10-29T17:46:00.000-03:00

Here's a recipe post from last Halloween, just have to share it again:

Last night I made Creepy Witch's Fingers, an annual tradition that grosses many people out. They are yummy sugar cookies, with a hint of almond extract.

While you are savouring these cookies, the garlic will help fend off vampires.

Creepy Witch's Fingers

1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 mL) almond extract
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
2-3/4 cups (675 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
3/4 cup (175 mL) whole blanched almonds
1 tube (19 g) red decorator gel (blood for fingers)

Preparation:

In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla; beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remaining dough refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful (5 mL) of dough into finger shape for each cookie.

Press almond firmly into 1end for nail. Squeeze in centre to create knuckle shape; using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle.

Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325°F (160°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up almond; squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back into place, so gel oozes out from underneath. Remove from baking sheets; let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough
Servings: 60

Credit: Canadian Living Magazine

Joe's Scarecrows Roadside Attraction

2009-09-13T20:50:00.000-03:00

So here we were driving along outside Cheticamp, glancing back once in awhile to say good-bye to the mountains in the distance when out of the blue, we see scarecrows. Lots of them. They were hilarious! We actually had to turn around because they demanded our attention.

The place was Joe's Scarecrows just 10 minutes outside Cheticamp in a community called St-Joseph-du-Moine. Here you can meet members of the royal family, political figures, music stars etc They all are dressed up with a caption written on a piece of cardboard that introduces who they are and their name.

There is a table with a donation box set up so you could help the owners dress for next year. Nearby you can buy a burger, fish & chips, meat pies, ice-cream and home made pastries.

Joe Delaney originated Joe's Scarecrows.Mr. Delaney, who passed away in 1996, enjoyed a good laugh. The story of how it all began was back in the mid 1980’s when Mr. Delaney put up scarecrows to keep crows from eating vegetables in his garden. Joe, being a huge fan of Mi-Carême , put up two scarecrows dressed in funny costumes and masks. Right away, this created a road-side attraction that just kept getting bigger. I imagine the idea of having a garden was scrapped because I didn't notice a garden (then gain, I was distracted).

Mi-Carême literally means the middle of Lent; the third Thursday of the forty days of fasting and penance before Easter. This day was reserved to give everyone the opportunity to celebrate and escape their Lenten duties. Brought to North America by French settlers, la Mi-Carême has survived in only four Canadian villages. For over 200 years, this celebration has been kept so strong in the Chéticamp, St-Joseph-du-Moine and Margaree region that instead of one day, people of this area have made it last a whole week.

Today, his family carry on the tradition of dressing up the scarecrows for the thousands of visitors every year who stumble upon the attraction.

Information on Joe Delaney

See more pictures from Joe's Scarecrows on The Right Coast NS's Flickr web album

Map location of St-Joseph-du-Moine

View Larger Map

The Red Shoe Pub

2009-09-08T08:00:00.000-03:00

A month ago, my sister had her vacation and had every intention of going to The Red Shoe Pub but didn't get there. I did the perfect "naa, naa" when I texted her to say that I was there (I know, I am a brat). It was the last day of our family vacation around Cape Breton and we had to put the brakes on while driving through Mabou, Inverness County. BTW, there should be a bumper sticker handed out at Cheticamp saying "I break for The Red Shoe Pub."

Once inside, the place was busy, but then again, it was lunch time and we happened to nab the last four seats. This place is a mecca to The Rankin Family- their career and early family years. Mabou is where this musical family group were raised and is featured in their songs. One quickly realizes that this pub was designed for musical entertainment with a piano, speakers and audio equipment along the middle wall of the establishment. Musical entertainment is every night of the week featuring local artists providing suppertime music and ceilidh's.

While living in British Columbia, listening to The Rankin Family kept me connected to Nova Scotia. Their first self-titled CD (released in 1989) brought me happy memories of "back home". I'm certain that a lot of east coasters living away can relate.

There is a large sign that reads "Beaton Building", this original sign was part of the 150 year old building. After an extensive restoration, it was sold to Rankin sisters Raylene, Heather and Cookie and it's been a popular spot ever since. At the back corner of the pub, I noticed an elderly local man wearing a green hat with a plastic grocery bag at his table. He sat alone. Suggesting to those who walked in the door as to where to sit. Nobody noticed him but I was fascinated watching his quiet gestures. It made me wonder who he was. An old family friend of the Rankin's? A local who liked to people watch? I think people like him add flavour to a place such as this.

There is an interesting story on how the pub got it's name "The Red Shoe". An adventurous shoemaker Angus D. MacEachern of Glendale, Cape Breton had stained his handmade shoes a bright crimson with Sherwin-Williams paint. Johnny Gillis of North East Mabou, came up with the name 'Red Shoe' as a tribute to Cape Breton fiddler Dan R. MacDonald who had contributed a lot to Cape Breton's music culture. Do you know why shoes were painted red?

Enough about that. We actually went there to eat! The food was fantastic. Loved the Nova Scotia inspired menu and beer and wine selection. Particularly how the menu suggested wine pairings. I only wish we were there during dinner time, when there is live music.

If you go:

The Red Shoe Pub is a seasonal operation open from June 1st to mid-October.

Red Shoe Fan Club on Facebook

Skyline Trail - Cape Breton Highlands National Park

2009-09-01T06:00:00.000-03:00

Ever see a TV commercial or magazine ad of Cape Breton and wonder, "where is that place?" Well, I found the place. It's called the Skyline trail.

The trail is #7 on Parks Canada's Cape Breton Highlands visitor map and judging by the packed parking lot at the trail entrance, this 9.2 km (5.7 mi) trail is a popular one.

Since it was 26C, we packed a lot of water for the hike. We stopped for a quick break to see a presentation on moose delivered by two Parks Canada interpreters. This info was helpful because we did encounter a moose on the trail, busy eating grass while hikers quietly watched and kept their distance. While driving up MacKenzie Mountain that morning, we also encountered a moose who was oblivious to the dozens of people with cameras.

As we were hiking along the relatively flat trail, once in awhile you'd get a blast of refreshing ocean air. You could listen to the vehicles climbing or descending nearby French Mountain (455 m).

Once we reached the end, the landscape opened up and we were rewarded to a breathtaking panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. The trail led to wooden stairs - we counted 278 steps to the lower observation platform. As we soaked in the view and were cooled by the ocean breeze, we took a lot of pictures and picked wild blueberries that were growing just a short arms-length away from the platform.

Unfortunately it was time to go and hike back to the car. Although the trail map said that hike was 2 - 3 hours round-trip, we hiked it in 1 1/2 hours.

Helpful links:

Link to all the trails in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada.

Skyline Trail description

Broad Cove Campground - Cape Breton Highlands

2009-08-30T08:00:00.001-03:00

It was 8:20 p.m. when we pulled into campsite #189. We were in Broad Cove and it was the first night of our three day tour of Cape Breton.

Minutes earlier we entered the Cape Breton Highlands Park and paid our family rate (2 adults, 2 kids) of $19.60 / day at the ticket gate. After driving about five minutes, we arrived at the gate for Broad Cove campground where we were pleased that they had one campsite left but (to our kids disappointment) there was no fire pit.

The light was beginning to fade so we quickly set up camp and ate dinner. After quick showers, we crawled into our sleeping bags. No reason to stay up because there was no fire to watch- the kids made sure that we took note of this.

Somewhere between the woodpeckers and the crows my REM sleep was interrupted. I generally don't mind crows but a nylon tent does not make a great sound buffer.

Before packing up to leave we walked down the beach where the kids played in a brook that flowed into a beach. The beach had a couple broken up lobster traps that were left over from a storm. Nearby a man wearing waders fished for mackerel and trout from the beach.

My husband headed back to the campsite while the kids and I explored the brook and beach. When we returned, everything was packed up and we were ready to go. This was awesome and the kids and I planned this perfectly ;)

Next stop? Many. It was the Cabot Trail and who knew what what around the corner.

See photos from our Cape Breton trip on Flickr

For more information:

Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada

Information on Broad Cove and other campsites in the park

Back to the Future at Fortress of Louisbourg

2009-08-27T18:00:00.017-03:00

On a foggy day in Cape Breton, my family and I stepped back in time to the year 1744. Actually, we drove there - to Louisbourg. After parking the car we went to the Parks Canada info centre where we jumped on a bus that took us to the largest re-constructed 18th century town in North America. Our curiosity was piqued on the bus ride for what was beyond the fog and then the town slowly appeared into view.

At the gate, we were greeted by an armed soldier who questioned the intention of our visit. This playful interpreter asked us what was the purpose of our trip, if we were English or French, even if we were spies (I'll never tell). I still think my daughter thought the soldier was serious.

Once on the other side of the gate of the fortress, it was clear that you could spend a day at this impressive site. Friendly costumed interpreters smiled for pictures or said hello as they walked by. They also welcomed onlookers to watch them do tasks such as making fishing nets.

In 1744, the fortress was an important seaport for France. A thriving fishing industry and trade made Louisbourg a stronghold in what is now Atlantic Canada. At that time the soldiers' rations over four days were: 4 oz of salt fish, 4 oz of vegetables, and 6 pounds of bread. These men worked a 24 hour watch (usually without any sleep) and then had 48 hours off. During their free time they'd hunt or fish (probably for more food :)) As many of the soldiers were criminals, Louisbourg was a lot better than prison in France. To these men, life as a soldier was better than prison. At least as soldier they had a roof over their head and food to eat. If they stepped out of line, they had to sit on a wooden horse with their hands tied and sacks tied to their legs. This was a form of humiliation because they'd be in clear view of everyone.

By 1760, Louisbourg lay in English hands and its fortification, destroyed. Fortunately, the French were meticulous record keepers because when the fortress was being re-constructed beginning in the 1960's, there were 750,000 documents to sift through. The re-construction was a massive undertaking which included archeological digs etc to re-build everything as a carbon-copy of the original. Cape Breton miners were enlisted in the project for their valuable skills.

It was time well spent in this 18th century town. By late afternoon we had to jump into the car and set up camp in Broad Cove but we all said we'd like to go visit again someday.

See more pictures of Fortress of Louisbourg on Flickr.

Related links:
- Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site
- The Louisbourg Institute of / L' Institut de Louisbourg de Cape Breton University
- Destination Cape Breton
- Novascotia.com History comes alive

How to pick mussels

2009-08-25T21:00:00.000-03:00

There are many places along the coast of Nova Scotia to pick your very own mussels.

Growing up along the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, picking mussels was one of my favourite pastimes. Some like to keep their mussel patches secret. One wouldn't want to give away too good of a good thing right? So I'll explain the "how to", for now.

Blue mussels can be found in cold and warm waters all over the world, however many of them are found along the coast of Nova Scotia. They are a member of the clam family and are somewhat similar in appearance-except for the blue-black coloring.

Mussels can be picked at low tide. Unlike clams, they grow above the sand amongst seaweed around rocks. One can tell that mussels are in the area by noticing how many empty mussel sheets are lying around. If there are lots of empty shells, then walk to the waters edge, move aside the seaweed around the rocks, and have a look. There is no need to remove the seaweed, it generally stays where you want it to stay. Rocks can be slippery so be careful. If you notice a cluster of mussels, grab one and tug (they can attached themselves firmly to a rock).

In summer-time, mussels' capacity to filter small particles makes them accumulators of the deadly red tide organism, Gonyaulax. Please check with the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture before mussel picking to make sure your area is safe: aquaculture@gov.ns.ca. Don't plan on pickin' until you get the thumbs up!

Once picked, take your bounty home. Wash them well in the sink with cold water and gently tap two together at a time. If they stay tightly closed, they are good to eat. Discard the ones that don't close and stay open. Now, try this fabulous recipe.

The difference in colour of the meat has nothing to do with a difference in taste. I'm told that the orange meat is a mature female mussel, whilst the pale cream meat mussels are males (or immature females). Yummy.

Blue mussell photo is Courtesy of Sean MacNeill.

Here's a yummy Curry Cream Mussel recipe

A & K Lick-A-Chick

2009-08-20T18:00:00.001-03:00

In Bras D'Or (outside Sydney) is a restaurant called A&K Lick-A-Chick. After hearing about this place as the "best tasting fried chicken on the island", we just had to stop in for a bite.

It was lunch time and judging by the number of people waiting in line, my husband and I knew we were in for a bit of a wait. We found a booth and with ticket stub in hand we passed the time listening to the locals, looking at the merchandise (taking note of the hats in individual plastic bags over the counter) and watching the traffic rush by. When our number was called, my husband and kids had to wait another 10 seconds while I took a picture of our delicious crispy chicken and fries. Then we ate like beasts from an episode of "Wild Kingdom."

This place is such an icon that there are over 4300 fans on Facebook. A discussion item on the fan page asks "what is your favourite menu item" and it appears to be a toss-up between the 3 piece chicken dinner and the chicken fingers. A person named Sha wrote that "chickens don't have fingers."

After a satisfying lunch, we were back in the car and on our way to Louisbourg. Thinking that we should've drove across the street to Lick-A-Treat for an ice cream but, then again, we had one earlier that day in Baddeck.

Directions to A&K Lick-A-Chick.

See more pictures from our visit on Flickr

A visit to Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

2009-08-17T06:00:00.001-03:00

It was day one of a whirlwind three day tour of Cape Breton. My husband is one of those drivers who doesn't like to make pit stops at leisure. As a "cultural explorer", it is sometimes painful to drive past something worth stopping for (at least in my eyes).

That being said, imagine my astonishment when I said to my husband 5 km outside Baddeck "hey, let's see the Alexander Graham Bell centre" and he said "yes". As a kid, I always wanted to visit. Partly because growing up, I remember my parents had coasters with an exterior photo of the centre.

The centre is managed by Parks Canada and it is here where you'll find artifacts, audio-visual programs and photographs that tell the story of Alexander Graham Bell. This remarkable inventor and humanitarian, Bell taught deaf people to speak, transmitted sound to graphophones, created man-carrying kites, airplanes and the fastest boat in the world. Oh, and he invented the telephone.

Inside the centre, our daughter was handed a Seek and Find activity where you matched items to those in the exhibit and then circled them. After a 25-minute talk about his life and accomplishments, it was clear that this lifelong learner loved children. In fact, the exhibits painted this family-man as one who was inspired by them. On display were early models of phones, kites, the original record-setting hydro-foil boat (HD-4), and original parts of The Silver Dart airplane.

By this time, my son was intrigued. When asked what impressed him he said that he liked how Dr. Bell experimented with air conditioning. My daughter liked the talking tube. My husband and I liked the tectrahedron (a triangle) that Bell considered the perfect structure. Bell used this shape in his kites and there was an area in the exhibit where kids could make their very own tetrahedron.

Across the Bras d'Or Lake, is Dr. Bell's family estate "Beinn Bhreagh" meaning "beautiful mountain", it was here where Dr. Bell and his wife Mabel spent much of his last 37 years.

Back in the car we went, after stopping for ice cream (our daughter was handed a coupon when she passed in her Seek and Find activity). Next stop, Louisbourg.

See more pictures of our visit on Flickr.

Useful links:
Parks Canada Alexander Graham Bell site

The Flight of The Silver Dart

The Village of Baddeck

novascotia.com

One year of The Right Coast Nova Scotia

2009-08-13T20:00:00.000-03:00

Happy Anniversary!
It's been one whole year since you were created. The name "The Right Coast" was how I described Nova Scotia in Cover Letters to identify that I was a "come from away" applicant. My sister-in-law came up with "the right coast" and it stuck.

I wasn't really a "come from away" but your typical person who, after graduating university, moved out to the west coast to find work. It took 11 years to come home to the other coast.

So, as I re-discover Nova Scotia as a wife and mother a blog was born. You see, since the age of eight I've had a journal. Thus, moving to an online journal, is a natural progression. But this journal would be read by anyone and not hidden under the bed.

To celebrate one year of The Right Coast Nova Scotia, here are a few of my favourites:

My favourite posts:
Lavender Jelly was my very first and favourite post
Between a rock and a soft seat: Economy, Nova Scotia
Paradise, Nova Scotia: This was fun to write, after the sting of paying the speeding ticket wore off.

Most read by readers:
How to pick mussels: Yum!
Canada's Best Smoked Salmon: Willy Krauch's
Making Nautical Wreaths: Recently a reader asked where you could buy one, this stumped me. Anyone know?

Most comments from readers:
Melmerby Beach Provincial Park: A spring time visit got a lot of comments.
Destination Guy's Frenchys
Everything you wanted to know about Nova Scotia

My favourite pictures:
Because I love taking pictures and have a tough time picking which 2 or 3 go into a blog post, I've just started a Flickr account where you can see more. The pictures on Flickr are the more recent ones (July'09 onwards).

Most importantly, thank you for reading this blog and giving me ideas for new posts. Time is short for us all and I appreciate how you take a minute out of your day to read these posts.

I am excited to be a blogger for Nova Scotia's tourism website: novascotia.com and The Right Coast NS is also on Twitter.

Thanks for reading!
Maria

Ferry Boat Tales

2009-08-10T10:47:00.009-03:00

A few weeks ago I met up with a girlfriend for lunch. She works in Dartmouth and I work in Halifax so I agreed to hop on the 12:15 ferry from Halifax to meet her at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth. I had read about a new summer program on the Metro Transit ferry system where actors tell tales of Halifax's rich seafaring history.

So, on a Tuesday afternoon I paid $2.25 (made sure I got a transfer ticket for the trip back) and caught a Dartmouth-bound ferry. It was a beautiful sunny day so I sat on the top deck to soak in the view and the rays. Minutes after leaving dock, out jumps Jack Tar and his friends. Jumping from seat to seat and telling a story about a battle near Sambro, ferry passengers (once the surprise settled in) soon realized that they were in the middle of an reenactment.

Here we were, in the middle of Halifax Harbour receiving an entertaining history lesson where the harbour itself has been the topic of text books, movies, conversation and so on. Another cool thing was traveling on the oldest salt water ferry service in North America.

It was perfectly choreographed and the length of the story was the exact length of the ferry ride. I didn't want it to end but I knew my friend was waiting for me and I was hungry.

Ferry Boat Tales is presented by the Halifax Regional Municipality in association with Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Produced by Heritage Explorers and performed by DaPoPo Theatre.

If you go:
July-August - Tuesday to Saturday

To Dartmouth
(Halifax waterfront at the foot of George Street)

12:15 pm 2:15 pm 7:15 pm

To Halifax
(Dartmouth waterfront at Alderney Landing)
12:30 pm 2:30 pm 7:30 pm

Free with transit fare: $2.25 Adult; $1.50 Senior/Child

See more pictures on The Right Coast Nova Scotia's new Flickr account.

The Whirlygig Factory

2009-06-29T18:08:00.010-03:00

Whirligig.

Isn't it fun to pronounce? Besides that, they are also fun to look at. When you are driving along the Lighthouse Route between Mahone Bay and Chester, you can't help but notice the flurry of whirligig's at The Whirlygig Factory. So many that they'll make your head spin.

As I type, I can't help but wonder why my spell check is picking up whirlygig with a "y". I'll come back to that later but first, what is a whirligig?

Wikipedia describes a whirligig as "wind-powered hanging art"- big contrast for what they were used for in ancient times as spinning torture devices. Now these lawn and garden ornaments is considered folk art. A visit to The Whirlygig Factory is where you can get your fix of these quirky and fun ornaments.

It was here where I met Barry and Kara Coutts, owners and creators everything whirligigish. They'll custom make your piece or choose from many designs either on display or on their website.

When I arrived, Barry was the first person I met. Busy in his workshop, he was working on one of his "Tit-il-ating Mermaids". These lovely ladies make you giggle at first and then you realize that these beauties are works of art. Found throughout the property reading in hammocks or playfully posing in a flower garden. It takes 400 feet of copper wire to make the hair, 5 hours to strip the wire and fashion it to the head. Their jewelery are fashioned from glass beads and sea shells.

The Turner Collection was inspired by Bunny & Pat Turner of Nova Scotia who wanted an old traditional whirligig reproduced. Barry was then motivated to create their own line of true "folk" whirlygigs, the one pictured here is "Musher". Also part of the collection is "Harvey the Hunter", "Wanda the Wash Lady", "Charlie the Chopper", "Peggy the Pump Lady" - all wind powered, colourful and entertaining.

As to why there is a difference between whirlygig and whirligig? A quick phone call to Kara said it's merely for phonetic reasons because that's how most people would spell it.

Helpful information:

Location of The Whirlygig Factory

The 10th Annual Whirligig & Weathervane Festival September 19 & 20, 2009 in Shelburne, NS

The South Shore region

The Lighthouse Route

Swimming at Taylors Head Provincial Park in June

2009-06-19T08:00:00.001-03:00

It was a glorious Sunday morning.

It was the morning after a family gathering where we dined on lobster and potato salad. The sun was strong and the wind was weak. The black flies were either sleeping in or the bug spray was really working.

It was the perfect time to take a drive "down the head" - that's Taylor Head Provincial Park. It's a gem of a park along the Eastern Shore known for it's white powdery sand and scenic hiking trails.

It's also known for it's cold water. In fact, I can only count on one hand how many times I swam in the water as a kid. One time I was told by a camp counselor that helicopters dropped ice cubes into the water. Why? I never asked. Perhaps my lips were shivering too much to ask.

As my father, sister, cousin, and friend where walking along the beach, my sister out of the blue said "I'm going in!" We said in shock and horror "where", she said "there!", pointing to the water. Before you could say "I dare you" she was running toward the water and jumping in. Clothes and all. You know that happened next? We proceeded to jump one by one into the water as my daughter looked on.

You know what? The water was nice. Then again, I was fully clothed.

Additional info:
Taylor Head Provincial Park brochure and directions

Pink Lady's Slippers: To pick or not to pick

2009-06-14T22:30:00.012-03:00

There is a trail behind our house and recently I discovered various patches of Lady's Slippers. Actually, it was a woman taking a picture of these flowers that first caught my eye.

What are these puffed up flowers all about? Well, here are a few interesting facts:

- they are a wild orchid (Cypripedium acaule)
- also known as the moccasin flower
- can cause severe dermatitis if touched
- it's the provincial flower of Prince Edward Island, since 1965
- it is the only flower with a lip (slipper)
- they prefer poor, acid soils (around pH 4-5) and do best in light to moderate shade.
- growth is slow, and it may take several years to flower
- they are fragile and do not transplant well, in fact, it's discouraged
- should not be picked or used in floral arrangements

People tell me that information about Nova Scotia's conservation of the Lady's Slipper is available but I cannot seem to find anything. Send a comment if you know and I'll happily post it.

HRM Bike Week 2009

2009-05-28T07:00:00.000-03:00

I love my bike. Last summer I even did a tribute to "My new love". The challenge of climbing a hill, the thrill of screaming down. Gearing down, gearing up.

Biking to work can be tricky. Halifax streets can sometimes be tough to maneuver but the reward of arriving to work on pedal power feels nice. Coffee tastes better.

So when I heard that HRM Bike Week 2009 is May 29th to June 7th, my pulse quickened like I was biking up Quinpool Road from the Rotary.

There are all kinds of interesting things planned. Like ride your bike to participating small businesses and receive discounts or board any Metro Transit Harbour Ferry or MetroLink bus (certain routes apply) with your bicycle and travel for free during Bike Week. There's even a Family Picnic on the Commons that's free from 12:00noon – 2:00pm for people and kids who enjoy cycling in Halifax and those interested in cycling as a family.

Here's the full schedule for HRM Bike Week 2009.

Watch for the 2009 Edition of the HRM Bike Map - Bicycle Routes and Trails

See you on the street!

NS Eastern Shore boats and buoys

2009-05-19T20:14:00.018-03:00

I grew up in a small fishing village along the eastern shore of Nova Scotia. There where four fishermen in the bay, Guy Boutilier, Jackie Borgel, Guy Power and Peter Connors. Just as the buds on the trees are a sign of spring, so was the launching of the fishing boats in the bay. Men from our community as well from the neighbouring bay were called to help launch the boats from their winter berths to slide down the wooden ramps into the water. Another season had begun.

As kids, we'd set the alarm for 4:30 a.m., head down to the government wharf to meet the fishing crew. My first time was when I was 12. It would also be my last time. I was never so sick in my life. An appreciation for the life of a fisherman was gained that morning as I thought to myself "this must be what it's like to be near death". Guy Power was a kind man who thought if he stopped the boat and let me jig mackerel awhile, that I might feel better. Nope.

Driving along the gravel road to Taylor Head Beach lobster buoys dotted the rocky coastline. Locals could tell which buoys belonged to whom by their colour and number.

Two fisherman have since passed away (the two Guys) and younger men have taken on the livelihood. Now there are only two boats and they exclusively lobster fish.

April Showers Bring Mayflowers

2009-05-13T06:00:00.000-03:00

The Mayflower (Epigaea repens) or Trailing Arbutus, is the provincial flower of Nova Scotia.

Early spring you can find these tiny pink flowers in many areas but they are very hard to find. It seems like you have to know where to look for them and when you do, you need to move away the foliage to see the flowers. My sister and I always go to the same place where we are guaranteed Mayflowers because it was where our mother went to pick them.

As a child, early May meant that Mayflowers would be arranged in a bouquet on the kitchen table. Their sweet aroma can really fill a room. I remember one time my parents heard on TV that Mayflowers were good to eat. Soon after wards, I'd pop a bloom or two into my mouth. One time I polished off an entire bouquet (except the leaves).

The name comes from early American settlers, after their ship which carried them to North America in 1620. It was the first flower of spring to welcome them after a long, cold winter.

They grow along the east coast of North America and I've always seen them in wooded areas or cemeteries.

2009 Summer Camps in Halifax

2009-05-08T20:11:00.042-03:00

Do you have any plans for the kids this summer while you are at work? Are you a bit like me and panic at the thought of "what am I going to do?" Well, since I don't have the benefit of an 8 week vacation, here are ideas I've gathered and am sharing with you. BTW, this format is similar to one I put together for 2009 March Break Camps.

If I am missing any camps, please let me know and I'll add it to the list:

Halifax City Soccer Club
Mini Soccer Skills Camp (U6yrs, U8yrs & U10yrs)
Soccer Skills Camp(U10yrs & U12 yrs)
Full day and half day camps at Wickwire Field
Contact: Halifax City Soccer 453-0741

Canadian Parents for French - Nova Scotia
Camp du Soleil - CPF-Dartmouth
Registration info: campdusoleil@gmail.com
Camp Grenouille - CPF-Eastern Passage / Cole Harbour
Registration info: mattandtesa@eastlink.ca
Camp Lac Chocolat - CPF-Halifax Peninsula & Mainland South
Registration info: ardefen@hfx.eastlink.ca
Camp Joli - CPF-Bedford/Sackville
Registration info: cpf_bedford@yahoo.com
Residential camps are being held out of town.

Halifax Recreation
These camps fill up super fast.

Pier 21
Walking the Line
Choose from morning or afternoon (or both) half day camps. Multicultural crafts, games and activities from the hottest countries near the equator.

YMCA Day Camps
Sports, games, and outdoor activities to creative art and special events. Weekly themes add a special touch
Phone: 902-425-9622 ext. 235

Dalhousie Summer Camps
Their recreational camps have been expanded this year to include a variety of climbing camps in addition to the favourites: Aquatic Adventure, Mini University and Shakespeare by the Sea theatre camps. Spaces are limited.
Phone: 494-2002 or 494-2049

SuperNOVA at Dalhousie
I like how these popular science and engineering camps give you their registration status (i.e. 75% full)

Armdale Yacht Club
Youth Sailing Programs
Phone: 477-4617

Saint Mary's Camp of Champions
Summer Camps for boys and girls
Phone: 420-5429

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Summer Art Classes
Students can attend week-long sessions of full or half-day classes. Organized lunch time supervision at a nominal fee is provided for students attending full days.
Phone: 424-7542

Artech Camps at Dalhousie
State-of-the Art fun and high-tech creativity! For kids and youth from 5-16 years old. Choose from adventure camps, video game design, robot camps, animation/ claymation and Flash animation camps.
Phone:1-877-530-3177

MSVU Athletics and Recreation
From Holiday Hoopla to Ready, Set, Get Wet!
Phone: 457-6420

Unicorn Theatre
Summer Drama Camps
Campers will take part in numerous creative activities, and will perform in one of two musical plays for parents and friends each Friday afternoon.
Located at Head of St. Margaret's Bay
Phone: 857-2121

Discovery Centre
Hands-On Science Camps
Your kids will not only have fun but get a funky yellow bucket hat!
Phone: 492-4422

Mad Science Summer Camps
Calling all Junior Scientists
Phone: 454-0863

Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron Youth Sailing
Junior Sailing Programs
Phone: 477-5653

Bedford Basin Yacht Club
Youth Sailing Program
White, Bronze, Silver Sails
Phone: 832-2292 or 835-3729

Claytime
Summer Camps
Week-long camps include 3-themed ceramic, pottery projects that inspire fun & teach a variety of pottery painting techniques.
Phone: 443-6300

Maritime Conservatory of the Performing Arts
Summer Music Camp
Music Theatre, Young Ensemble, Chamber music, flute, musical mischief, voice, the joy of singing and much more.
Summer Dance Camp
Art and Creative Drama, Dance Intensive, Beatrix Potter Ballet and lots more.
Phone: 423-6995

Camp Fusion
Presented by Green Choi Kwang Do- a self-defense focused martial art. Camps also include swimming, yoga, crafts and games.
Phone: 441-3469

Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development (CEED)
Break Into Business Camps
Held in Hammonds Plains, Cole Harbour Place, Spryfield Library and CEED office, Halifax Shopping Centre
Phone: 209-4504

Alderney Landing
Children's Fine Art & Theatre Camp
Art Camps - The Creative Ocean and Pirate's Week
Theatre Camps-Stage presence, voice props, and all aspects of theatre.
Phone: 461-8401

Euro Futbol for Champions Soccer Camp
An elite soccer training camp in HRM this summer. They are affiliated with the world famous AC Milan soccer club of Italy and their coaches come directly from Milan to deliver their training technique and philosophy to the youth of Nova Scotia.
Phone: 832-1470

Let's keep this list growing, send your additions and I'll add them to the above list. Thanks!

Melmerby Beach Provincial Park

2009-04-24T17:10:00.001-03:00

"The warmest water North of the Carolinas" - Melmerby Beach is located along Nova Scotia's Northumberland Shore. Along the Sunrise Trail and minutes from New Glasgow.

Ever wonder why the water at this mile long beach is warm? I set out to find the answer and after some digging, here's what I found. Wikipedia says that the Northumberland Strait is shallow in depth and that likely explains why water in some areas can heat up to 25C in the summer months. "It's just like bath water," we'd say as kids.

Here are a few pictures from a recent visit:

Jost Vineyards

2009-04-22T17:30:00.001-03:00

"Wine is bottled poetry."
- Robert Louis Stevenson

I love wine. That's why, when my sister suggested that we take a trip to Malagash to visit Jost Vineyards, I got excited. I've heard great things about visiting this winery, especially in the summer when they let you stomp grapes in a barrel. In April though, this visit would be purely sampling wine and visiting their showroom and gift shop. Fine by me.

One time I asked a manager of a wine store in Halifax did he have a wine that was his personal favourite. His answer amazed me. He said, "Any wine made here in Nova Scotia." When I asked why? He said, "Because I can taste the soil, I can taste Nova Scotia." Neat response eh?

I can't say that I've tasted salt water or blueberries but I'll keep trying :)

Back to Jost, since moving to Nova Scotia from Germany in 1970, Hans Jost and his family have been gaining a lot of success. In 1999, Jost's Vidal Icewine received accolades at the All-Canadian Wine Championships as Canada's Wine of the Year. Jost Vineyards was the first winner outside of Ontario and British Columbia since the competition began 20 years earlier. Also, in 1999, the Vidal Icewine won the Andy Brandt Trophy for Best Dessert Wine.

When traveling around Nova Scotia, stop into one of the many wineries and have a taste of Nova Scotia.

Link:
Winery Association of Nova Scotia

Tatamagouche: The day the women went. Part 2

2009-04-16T07:00:00.000-03:00

My last post was about a day trip to the village of Tatamagouche. From holding adorable baby bunny rabbits at the farmer's market to an impulse purchase of earrings at Holly's Jazz and Jewels later, my sister and I stepped into The Chowder House for a quick bite. Judging by the lunch crowd, we thought for sure we'd be in for a long wait but were pleasantly surprised with efficient service.

Before leaving town and onto our next stop, we took a quick jaunt into The Raven Gallery. At the front door we were met by owner/director Sharon McKenna who hurriedly hung up the phone to welcome us. The collection of local art was impressive and Sharon spoke with passion about how, after 6 years of opening the gallery, she is proud to say that 95% of the art on her shelves and walls is from Nova Scotian artists. In fact, Sharon likes to concentrate on works from artisans from the three counties of Pictou, Cumberland and Colchester.

Also impressive was the wall of "Young Artists" who are given prime space near the front of her store. This demonstrates how serious Sharon is about teaching art to budding artists. She said how, as a dyslexic student, her teachers encouraged young Sharon to use art as a way to learn and express herself. As a result of her artistic expressions, Sharon gained a scholarship and formally studied art thanks to resourceful educators. Now, this national award winning artist and book illustrator wants young
children to see art as a communicator and a confidence builder. "I want to give these kids a place to show their work, to be proud of what they've done".

In case you were wondering about her dog, Sharon said it was at the vet.

Tatamagouche: The day the women went. Part 1

2009-04-13T18:50:00.009-03:00

Last weekend, my sister and I decided to take a road trip. Even though we had a day jam-packed full of errands, we wanted to venture along the North Shore and brake for whatever caught our eye. My daughter groaned and reluctantly agreed to come with us.

Tatamagouche is where the hit series The Week the Women Went was taped last summer and aired on CBC-TV this past winter. After stopping for a quick picture of the village sign, we realized it was Saturday morning and the Farmer's Market would still be open.

We entered "Creamery Square", a new heritage development, that houses an interactive heritage centre (re-opening summer of 2009) and the weekly Farmer's Market. Once inside one of the big red buildings, you were greeted by tables of homemade soaps, jewelery, fresh baked pies, meats, clothing and the most enormous brownies I've ever seen. I was told that a local woman combines cake and brownie recipes. As with many Farmer's Markets across Canada, it is a regular meeting place for locals and a place to stock up on tested-til-perfect food items.

After my daughter drew a picture at the kids art table (they gave a prize to each young artist), my sister noticed bunny rabbits near the front entrance. The owner had black, white, and brown bunnies for children to hold gently and pose for a picture. Instantly, what my daughter was convinced would be a boring day, turned into an awesome one.

Kristen's love-affair with Brooklyn Warehouse

2009-03-29T17:00:00.000-03:00

Here's another guest post from my friend Kristen of With Bite:

By now, it's fairly obvious that I have somewhat of a love-affair with the Brooklyn Warehouse. I could say the same old things; food's great, atmosphere rocks, service is fantastic, yada, yada, yada...but the thing that keeps me coming back is the fact that everytime I think about Brooklyn, I remember how much fun I had. This is a great place; it's a neighborhood resto, run by a father and son duo, who really care about the products that go into their meals, quality service and customer satisfaction.

Since I go there somewhat frequently, I've gotten to know George Christakos, and his philosophy on how to run a successful restaurant. It's evident, in watching his interactions with clientele, that lots are repeat customers - and repeats for a reason. Quality and consideration are two ingredients that go into every dish and drink, and for this, Brooklyn Warehouse is truly a winner.

As I write this post, I've just finished the Coast "Best of Food" Survey. Brooklyn Warehouse took top honors in several categories, but most importantly for me - Best Restaurant. After my most recent visit, in which I introduced my sister, visiting from Manhattan, to my favorite resto, Brooklyn took top honors in Best Burger as well. Had Best Caesar Salad been an category, I think it's obvious who would win.

For this meal, my sis and I chose two items that are signatures on Brooklyn Warehouse's menu. My sis also chose the refreshing Green Curry for her entree; a tasty green curry with fantastically fresh veg, but alas, my photog skills failed me for that one. Here, however, are the pics of what I would refer to as the quintessential Brooklyn Warehouse meal:

Caesar Salad

Halved Romaine heart, pancetta, foccacia croutons, caper berry "That Dutchman's Dragon's Breath" blue cheese dressing.

The Brooklyn Burger

7 oz. of grilled, organic N.S beef, Applewood cheddar, double smoked back bacon, served with tomato, onion & pickle, house-made crispy taters and red pepper mayo.

And what a meal this is. The Caesar Salad dressing is rich and creamy, slightly pungent with the blue cheese, but with a touch of sweetness to balance. The addition of grilled lemon adds a freshness that lightens up the dressing while adding a smokey zing. The use of pancetta as opposed to bacon is genius, as the thin, salty slices are just the thing to contrast the crisp lettuce.

The burger...oh, the burger. I ate the whole thing - and it ain't small. The patty itself was flawless, but the addition of sweet, smokey Cheddar and salty back bacon raises the bar. The fries were just how I like- crispy on the outside and soft within, while the red pepper mayo was a great alternative to the usual cup of Heinz.

I'm a big supporter of this resto, and not just because I've grown to know and respect both the owners and staff - but because they do it right, providing a wonderful dining experience at affordable prices in the heart of Halifax.

Take a trip to the Brooklyn Warehouse and see for yourself. Then, cast your vote for Best Restaurant and Best Burger. Early bird voting is open now!

The Coast's Best of Food 2009

Brooklyn Warehouse

With Bite blog

What are you doing for Earth Hour?

2009-03-27T08:15:00.000-03:00

Saturday, March 28th is Earth Hour.
Turn off all non-essential lights at 8:30 p.m. for one hour.

So, for one hour, while a few candles are burning, here's what I'm gonna do:

1. Talk to my kids about climate change...likely with a story that will begin with "when I was the kid, we had a lot more snow in the winter..."

2. Get out the crib board

3. Listen to the wind up radio

4. Have a chocolate fondue

5. Give up on the crib game and play crazy eights instead with chocolate all over my face.

What are your plans?

From Banff to Halifax

2009-03-23T21:07:00.006-03:00

Driving east this summer?

From the top of Sulphur Mountain overlooking Banff, Alberta it's exactly 3,867 kilometers to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Hours of driving?

Guess that would depend on a lot of things:
(a) Type of vehicle
(b) Children
(c) How fast you drive
(d) __________________ (you fill in the blank)

Guest Post: Curry Cream Mussels

2009-03-18T13:29:00.011-03:00

This week I am not on the "Right Coast" but near the west coast (the other right coast), in Alberta. Knowing that I likely wouldn't be as near a computer as usual, I asked my friend and fellow-blogger Kristen to do a guest post.

Kristen is passionate about eating great food and making it. Her blog with bite is about savouring every bite. Kristen is a supports locally grown food, Halifax restaurants and appreciates the art of cooking (and baking).

Here's Kristen's post:

This past Friday afternoon, I was thrilled to find out that Superstore had mussels on sale; 5lbs. for 5bucks! I immediately phoned my best gal Maria to see if she was available to celebrate such a deal. When I got home, 5 lbs. of these tasty shellfish in hand, I decided to make a creamy sauce to coat 'em.

Curry Cream Mussels

Ingredients:
5lbs. mussels, cleaned. Throw away any with broken shells
1 sm. onion or 1/2 large
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp butter
1 c. heavy cream
1tbsp. Curry powder

Method:
In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in butter on med-low heat. Add curry powder and stir to make sure all the veg is coated. Add cream and heat until just incorporated. Remove from heat.
In the same pot, place the mussels and pour the curried cream on top. Cover and steam on Med. heat, about 15-20 minutes until the mussels open. Note: Do not eat mussels that haven't opened on their own!

Gotta love the image of a big pot of steaming mussels!

Read more yummy posts from Kristen's blog with bite

Further info: How to pick your own mussels

Springing Forward: Atlantic Daylight Time

2009-03-05T17:00:00.001-04:00

Fall Back
Spring Forward

Loosing an hour of sleep is something I can live with because it's a signal that warm summer days are ahead. If it means that I can get an extra hour to get stuff done during daylight hours, like biking, then that's okay too.

Which makes we wonder, why do we change our clocks twice a year?

In the late 1700's, Benjamin Franklin suggested the practice but it took a few years to adopt the idea. In fact, it all started in Germany in 1915.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Daylight Saving Time (DST) accomplishes three things:

1. It saves energy. When we're awake, we're more likely to have our TVs, dishwashers, and lights on (among other home appliances). By shifting the hours we're likely to be awake to correspond with the daylight outside, we're less likely to have the lights on, so we use less electricity.

2. It saves lives. When people's waking hours correspond with daylight hours, they're safer. Traffic accidents, for example, are less likely when it's light out.

3. It cuts down on crime. Crime tends to happen after dark. As is the case with accidents, people are less likely to fall victim to crime when their waking hours are synced up with the sun.

Moving clocks ahead in the spring can have an opposite effect. There can be more heart attacks in the week after springing forward — especially during the first three days of the week. Also, with the rise of use in air conditioners, that has to have an effect on things somehow.

In 1984, Fortune magazine estimated that a seven-week extension of DST would yield an additional $30 million for 7-Eleven stores. Slurpee's?

Since 1966, most of Saskatchewan has not observed daylight time and stays on Central Standard Time all year round. Areas of Quebec east of 63 degrees west longitude do not change to daylight time and remain on Atlantic Standard Time year round. Pockets of Ontario and British Columbia do not use daylight time.

Confused between Daylight and Saving?Atlantic Daylight Time is used during summer in Atlantic Canadian provinces (Atlantic Saving Time during the winter). Many other time zones alternate between standard and daylight as well.

I have to admit, I was fascinated with what I found while researching this post. I always thought DST had something to do with farmers. In fact, when Canada started Daylight Saving Time during the First World War, farmers disliked it.

As well as remembering to change your clock on Saturday night, don't forget to change the battery in your smoke detector.

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Halifax Town Clock photo credit: Darrell Theriault via Flickr

Everything you wanted to know about Nova Scotia

2009-02-27T12:31:00.008-04:00

Last week I started a new job. While sitting at my new desk opening up drawers and leafing through binders, I noticed a book sitting on a co-workers desk. I asked her if I could have a peak at it and she said "sure, it was cleaned out from your desk".

The book is called "Nova Scotia Book of Everything" and it's chock full of tidbits, slang words, best beaches, famous Nova Scotian's etc.

Here are a couple interesting things I found while leafing through 176 pages:

* In 1901, Nova Scotia was the first province in Canada to manufacture cars - long before Ontario.

* That lobster was considered a "poor man's food", an everyday meal that children grudgingly took in their school lunches.

* The most winter lightning in Canada occurs in an area just south of Sable Island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Now I'm going to give the book back, it's week #2 and I still have to make a good first impression :)

Feeding Ducks at Sir Sandford Fleming Park

2009-02-22T16:40:00.007-04:00

A day before a snow storm, my daughter and I went to Sir Sandford Fleming Park (the Dingle) to feed the ducks.

I found some seed when cleaning out a closet and thought that, at this times of year, the ducks would like a winter treat.

The ducks were timid at first but as the sea gulls and crows came on the scene, they decided to come closer. Then we ran out of seed and it was time for a quick walk around the park and then go home.

Just as we were leaving, an elderly couple arrived with a bag full of bread scraps for the ducks. Go figure.

Then at the round-about (formerly "rotary") on our way home, we noticed a duck sitting in grassy inner circle who likely stopped a few cars getting there.

March Break Camps in Halifax

2009-02-15T19:08:00.004-04:00

March Break 2009 is March 16 - 20th.

By now every parent is thinking about what to do. Not everybody does or can take the entire week off so they start looking around for fun, safe and entertaining day camps during March Break.

Here are a few ideas I've put together. Please share your ideas!

Artech Studios
Build a robot, design a video game or produce an animated movie.
Mini-Camp (ages 5-7)- Full day and Half day camps are available
Production Studios (ages 8-14) - Full days
Game Designer & Robot Innovation Studios (ages 8-14)- Full days
Teen ONLY Studios (grades 7 and up)- Evening workshops
Located at Dartmouth Sportplex

ViewFinders March Break Camp: Animated Minds
For youth ages 12 to 18. Create a series of stop-motion animation Public Service Announcements or short films. Apply for free registration.

Rec Connect
Some programs still available for registration but it's slim pickings

YMCA Day Camps
Keep checking this website for detailed information.

Pier 21's Myths and Legends Camp
Explore various cultures from all over the world and here in Canada.

Creative Kids Education Centre
Choose from:
BBoying(break dancing)
Rock Band
Young Campers
Break Into Business Camp

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia March Break Art Classes
AGNS is offering a variety of creative and fun Art Camps to appeal to any child. Taught by well-qualified and experienced artists these classes are for kids ages 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and teens.

Ski Martock Day Camp
Ski School program
From 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. daily

Claytime's Rock Star Camp
Daily from 9:00am -noon
Pottery - drum box, guitar tray, microphone, star cup, wall plaque
Fused Glass - picture frame
Crafts - clay star- tambourine

St. Mary's University Camp of Champions
Basketball camps available but this year there is no hockey camp

Dalhousie University's March Break Camps
Basketball Camp (8-14 yrs)
Bouldering Camp (5-12 yrs)
Climbing Safety Camp (7-14 yrs)
Assistant Climbing Leader Camp (13-17 yrs)
Hockey Camp

Ice Men Hockey Kids Camp
Calling Atom & pee wee kids (ages 8 - 16) for their Ice Men tykes program, and also offering an Ice Men Juniors program for players up to 16 years of age.

The Utata Gallery and Art Centre in Windsor are having March Break Programs for children in grades K-6.
From drumming to painting, there is something different for every day.

Crank Your Core Lacrosse March Break Camp (16th-20th)
For girls and boys ages 8-12, this camp is for all skill levels and will be held in the new Caledonia Boys & Girls Club in Dartmouth from 9am-4pm.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special events/Day Activities:

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic's TUGS!
This interactive exhibit opens March 14th

Mooseheads
Friday, March 13, 2009 at 7 p.m. (Saint John Sea Dogs)
Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 2 p.m. (Acadie-Bathurst

Halifax Rainmen
Sunday, March 22, 2009 at 2 p.m. (Manchester Millrats)

AGNS Drop in Drawing
Daily from 2 - 4 p.m. No registration necessary, free with regular gallery admission

Museum of Natural History Exhibit: Ice Age Mammals

Let's keep this list growing, send me your ideas

Running in Halifax: My love-hate relationship

2009-02-10T11:02:00.004-04:00

I believe that running is a love-hate relationship. Actually, more love than hate because I wouldn't be pounding the sidewalk if I didn't get anything out of it. I hate the irritating things like Iliotibial bands and Plantar fasciitis.

In an earlier post I mentioned that I am running in the Hypothermic Half in Halifax. Looking at the forecast for Sunday, the event will live up to its name indeed.

This past week I've been thinking about why I run. Here are my top 5 reasons:
1. Feels good - seriously
2. Before run-"Grumpy", Post run-"Mellow"
3. Weight management
4. Gets you outdoors, even in the dead of winter
5. No gym membership, just need sneakers.

When I'm not running, I obsess about my next run. I try to get out at least three times a week. I am no speedster. I run for me. Though, I kid you not, it would be nice to break my old race times.

I credit the Running Room for changing my life (sounds sappy but it's true). From the Learn to Run to the Full Marathon clinics (I've taken them all), they've taught me how to run properly and helped me feel good about myself.

This photo is me finishing my first marathon, the Bluenose. There was a time when I watched runners outside my window and thought "they're nuts". It is so inspiring to see runners in their fifties and sixties take up running for the first time. By keeping my annoying injuries at bay, I plan to run for a long time.

Looking for a running/walking route?
Gmaps pedometer is amazing and calculates the distance for you.

Upcoming race: The Scotiabank International Bluenose Marathon, the website is now open for registration.

See you on the sidewalk.

The Right Coast Nova Scotia

2009-01-31T12:01:00.000-04:00

The Right Coast is Nova Scotia. "You must mean east coast", someone once said to me. That too but not exactly. Because I like to make lists, I'll explain to you what I mean.

1. Geographically speaking, on the North American continent, there's Canada. Nova Scotia is on the right hand side. You know, the eye naturally falls to the right.

2. I lived on the west coast for eleven years. My husband and I did what thousands of other new graduates do, we moved there to work. British Columbia was beautiful in many ways. Our children were born there, we made lifelong friends who made us part of the family at Thanksgiving, Christmas and other special occasions. My husband and I knew that there was something missing, even with a nice house and really good jobs, our lives were not complete. We realized that we wanted our children to not only see their grandparents and aunt and uncles every two years for a week or two at a time. It's tough to form a relationship that way, yet alone maintain one. While it was a painful decision to uproot ourselves to move east, we made the plunge. And plunge we did. With no guarantee of a job in Nova Scotia, we quit our secure ones, sold our house and everything we owned. We made a right hand turn and kept going until be bumped our noses on the Atlantic.

3. This is home. I grew up in a small fishing community on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. I was envious of those who could watch cable television, hang out at an arcade and do all those cool things that a teenager could do. While my city slicker friends were mastering Pacman, I was jigging mackerel from the wharf. While none of these things are not necessarily better than the other, they are different and years later I realize that cleaning a fish is a good skill to have. My childhood experiences were humble yet rich.

4. The people are "some" nice. On Twitter I asked the following question: What makes Nova Scotia the "right coast" for you to live? Basically all of the responses made reference to the people. Words like "authenticity", "warm, kind and fun to be with" came up. Of course, people are nice wherever you go but it's Nova Scotians who capture tourists hearts and uphold our reputation.

For these reasons, Nova Scotia truly is the right coast for me. What are yours?

Baking Bread, One Year at a Time

2009-01-27T17:00:00.000-04:00

It's been exactly one entire year that I've been baking bread. One whole big fat year of not bringing home the store made stuff. My mother in law taught me, then I was guided along by my father and uncle. I make my bread the traditional way, I don't use a bread maker. I use good ol' elbow grease.

I'm more and more surprised about how many people make their own bread. Once I was told that "men make the nicest bread because they knead it better." Hmmm. Them's fight'n words!

After a year of trial and error, I honestly think my ego would take a beating if I bought a loaf at the store. I take such pride in my bread making. It's usually different every time. A handful of oatmeal or wheat germ or flax seed. Whatever is in the cupboard at the time. I love the creativity and simplicity of bread making.

My grandfather had a bakery near Bedford, Nova Scotia and he was well known for his bread. My uncle, who worked in the bakery alongside him, often gives me wonderful advise. When I was a young girl coming home from school, my father would just be taking bread out of the oven. Despite his warnings to never to cut into a warm loaf of bread, I'd cut into it anyway. Absolute heaven.

As I sit here typing, I have dough rising. In a few minutes I'll put it into pans to and put them in the oven. When the aroma is lofting throughout the house, the kids will appear. My daughter will make the margarine out of the fridge and get the Grohmann bread knife ready. The bread will be minutes old and still warm from the oven when the first slices are devoured. I won't be telling my kids to wait until the bread is cooled before slicing. No way, I'll be sitting in the kitchen eating a slice along with them.

An Early Sign of Spring

2009-01-24T18:59:00.006-04:00

It's late January in Halifax, Nova Scotia and look what I found popping out of the snow yesterday. A crocus. Doesn't it make your heart sing!

I think, just like novascotia.com's annual Fall Leaf Watch updates, where people across Nova Scotia can give daily progress reports on the colours of leaves in their areas, there should also be a daffodil or crocus or tulip watch. Just a thought.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all seasons but a little greenery this time of year sure is nice.

Winter Retreat at Oak Island Resort

2009-01-20T07:51:00.014-04:00

5 women
2 nights
1 chalet
= Good times at Oak Island Resort

On the coldest weekend of the year, we ventured along Nova Scotia's South Shore for an all "girlz" weekend. A couple times a year, my girlfriends and I book a trip away. It could be Montreal, New York, or the Aspotogan Peninsula. We're not fussy, anywhere we go we make our own fun. By the end of the weekend our sides hurt from laughing so much.

The last girls weekend was no different. We checked into a chalet at Oak Island Resort on a Friday afternoon. Cocooned from the -23C temperatures outside. The next morning, we sat next to the warmth of the fireplace, sipped coffee and watched sea smoke billowing beside Oak Island, located off in the distance in Mahone Bay. You know it's darn cold when there's sea smoke. This picture was taken from a chair in our living room.

While some of us had spa treatments, others worked out at the fully-equipped gym to be rewarded later in a refreshing swim in the pool and a soak in the hot tub. The pool and hot tub area is encased in large windows and offers a panoramic view of Mahone Bay and the marina. The sauna room was also taken advantage of, a welcome treat considering the frigid temperature outdoors.

Following our swim and soak, a couple of us stayed behind to read a book or make an earnest attempt at the Saturday crossword. One couldn't help but look up from the lounge chair and out at the gorgeous view. Later, we moved to the large fireplace off the main lobby where we read the newspaper and munched on a plate of sweet potatoe fries. Before sunset, one sole adventurer couldn't resist a walk along the shore and brought back beautiful pictures to our cozy chalet.

Legend has it that there is treasure on Oak Island. The Oak Island Money Pit, "the worlds greatest treasure hunt", is privately owned. For 200 years, men have attempted to dig through the booby traps and unscramble a secret code that leads to the treasure. Some say it's a hoax but others are adamant that there is gold to be found. There is a lot of debate as to how the treasure got there to begin with, yet alone who buried it. Maybe pirates? The islands investors work closely with the Oak Island Tourism Society (OITS), and promote the Oak Island Money Pit as a fascinating heritage site with the aim of 'securing the rights to operate guided tours on Oak Island'.

While the lure of hunting for treasure was far from our minds, we had our very own treasure in the form of friendship. A treasure that is priceless. For that, I am thankful.

For more info:
Oak Island Resort
Oak Island Treasure
Oak Island Tourism Society

Remembering the days of summer

2009-01-13T15:02:00.008-04:00

Sifting through my web album earlier I came across pictures taken during the summer months. Remember summer? It's hard for me to remember complaining about the heat when I'm too busy complaining about the cold. No doubt, before long, those dog days of summer will be here. These are a few pictures of summer to remind you it's on its way. Promise.

10 Outdoor Winter Activities in NS

2009-01-06T14:13:00.013-04:00

It's early January and already I'm shack wacky. Even though I am getting lots of fresh air as I train for The Hypothermic Half Marathon, I still want to "do" something. For the last couple days I've been suffering a mild case of writers block. A few months ago I was bursting with ideas on things to blog about. Now it's January and I'm not even inspired to clean the kitchen floor (okay, I'm never inspired to do that). I blame it on the January blahs. So, to help me shake out of it, I got a hair cut. Somewhere between the pungent smell of hair dye and purring like cat with someone playing with my hair, a thought popped into my head - write about how to get the "ick" out of January.

10 Activities to Get The "ick" Out of January- in no particular order:

1. Outdoor Photography
Yes, at this time of year we curse the ice and snow but before you reach for that shovel and ice pick, discover the beauty in the white stuff. Take a picture of it. Get close-up, and zoom in on an icicle.

The Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia motivates its members and guests with seminars, workshops and field trips for all levels of shutterbugs. Their next field trip is January 25th (Eagle Watching in Sheffield Mills).

2. Eagle Watching
January and February are the best months for viewing eagles and the Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch is where you'll be guaranteed some action. This annual event runs Jan. 24 - 25, 2009 and Jan. 31 - Feb. 1, 2009 and is in its 18th year. Near Kentville, this community comes alive with eagle watchers. There are lots of viewing areas so bring your camera a knock off items #1 and #2 from this list.

3. Snowshoeing
If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Follow these handy tips and get ready to burn a lot of calories with this safe, low impact sport. Thanks to technological improvements from the cumbersome wooden variety, you can choose to do a leisurely stroll or a full out sprint.

Snowshoeing in Guysborough is easy. Just sign out a pair of snowshoes (they're free) from the Guysborough Fitness Centre and then explore around the grounds of the Osprey Shores Golf Resort. I'm also told that snowshoeing is fabulous on Five Islands Provincial Park's hiking trails. While the park is officially closed for the season, no one minds if you strap on your shoes. Be safe!
For more info:
Nova Scotia trails (maintained during winter)

4. Winter Surfing
Watch them, cheer them on while standing firmly with hot chocolate in hand from the beach. This is really something to see and at Lawrencetown beach is where you'll find these brave people. Hot tub dude?
Click on the image to watch a winter surfing video (January 4th, 2009)
For more info:
Scotia Surfer
Surf Nova Scotia

5. Geo caching
Geocaching is an outdoor high-tech treasure hunting game by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches (with "treasures" inside), and then share your experiences online. If you take a treasure, you must leave one for the next person. Did you know that Nova Scotia’s first cache was also the first in Canada? Placed: Jun 18th, 2000. Today, there are 709,820 active geocaches around the world. Wow.
For more info:
Maritime Geocaching Association
Stonehame Lodge and Chalets-Weekend Geocaching Packages

6. Winter Camping
Grab your wool, polypropylene, hydrophobic, Polarguard, Hollofil, Quallofil, Primaloft, Microloft, Thinsulate, pile and fleece and do good research before you set out.
Kejimkujik National Park offers wonderful sites in Jeremy's Bay and has four warm-up shelters. In the backcountry, 8 campsites and 2 backcountry cabins are available. Call the Visitor Centre (open on weekends) for more information and backcountry reservations (1-902-682-2772). Get inspired by watching an episode of Survivor Man.

7. Sliding
I'm usually corrected when I say "coasting" but I grew up saying it on the Eastern Shore. Must be a Maritime saying. Whatever you call it, it really gets the heart rate up. It's self-explanatory, find a hill, get on something that slides and go. While it's not wise to wear suede, it sure is fun.

There are too many hills to name but for a thrill, slide down the steep hills at Fort Anne in Annapolis Royal. What a rush.

Chedabucto Bay also calls tobogganing "coasting" (so there!) and a hill curving down to a dock in Mussel Cove is a local popular spot. No need to bring your own, as a guest at the DesBarres Manor Inn you'll be provided with your own slider or coaster (whatever you call it). Nuff said.

8. Dog Sledding
Long before there were airplanes and snowmobiles, dog sled dogs were once one of the main methods of transportation in the Arctic regions. There is a lot of coordination in dog sledding. All dogs must run approximately the same velocity and be about the same size as the dog to their lateral position. Mushers have to be in good physical shape and carry tasty rewards for the dogs.

Simple sled dog commands:
"Mush!" -- Let's Go
"Gee!" -- Turn Right
"Haw!" -- Turn Left
"Whao!" -- Slow or Stop
"On by!" -- Straight Ahead
Click on the video to see one persons first dog sledding adventure in Cape Breton.
For more info:
Guided dog sledding tours in Cape Breton

9. Skiing
What's your style? Downhill or Cross Country or Snowboard? These activities will get your cheeks red and give you a good nights sleep.

For more info:
Ski Martock
Ski Wentworth
Cross Country Ski Areas in Nova Scotia

10. Ice Fishing
Handy check-list:
Power Auger- check
Fishing rod- check
Fishing hut- check
Fish finder- check (hey, isn't that cheating?)
No matter, there's smelt and trout to be found in the cold water.
For more info
Canada Adventures Guide (they do hut rentals)

More winter activity ideas:
Bay of Fundy Tourism
Winter in Nova Scotia
Authentic Seacoast
novascotia.com Winter Packages

It's your turn, what are YOUR 10 outdoor winter activities!

Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, NS

2009-01-05T14:56:00.000-04:00

Caution: Dog lovers may experience some dog envy.

On a chilly afternoon, we decided to go for a walk around Point Pleasant Park in Halifax's south end. Following along the popular main trail off Tower Road, we turned left and headed down the hill that led us to the outer edge of the park. The outer perimeter of Point Pleasant Park measures 3.2 kilometers, making it a fantastic stroll for walkers or a route for runners. One of Halifax's great civic spaces, the park provides magnificent views of ships and yachts entering and leaving Halifax's busy harbour. Its roads and trails wind through the forest and among military ruins, rocky hills and ravines.

At many locations along the trails you'll come across feeders filled with seeds or oatmeal. Critters such as chickadees and squirrels find some sustenance in these feeders as well as from park visitors. Next time you go, fill your pockets with sunflower seeds. Look for a wooded area, stand really still, extend your hand with seeds and soon chickadees will appear and eat right out of your hand. This time of year is perfect for this because their food sources are low. Squirrels? I haven't tried hand feeding them, yet.

Because of its location, the park is exposed to the harsh elements. Just a week before we visited, there was a bad winter storm. These storms wash up sea urchins, mussels, sea weed etc. It's here where adults and children alike can crunch along as they stomp on shells. Seagulls and crows feast at low tide. It's amazing to watch them put a mussel in their beak, then fly into the air and let the mussel drop onto the ground. Natures fast food.

In September, 2003, Point Pleasant Park was devastated by Hurricane Juan. Nearly three quarters of the park's trees were knocked down and the park remained closed until June 2004. While there are still trees remaining, the park now has a very thin canopy. In some areas where you couldn't see the ocean, now you can. However, in June 2008 over 70,000 Acadian forest trees have been planted in the park, surpassing the number of trees lost to Hurricane Juan.

In the wake of Hurricane Juan, it was realized that a long term vision and strategy was needed to renew the park. A steering committee of volunteers and city staff oversaw an international design competition to set this vision and strategy in motion. In October 2008, the Point Pleasant Park Comprehensive Plan was presented to HRM Regional Council. This plan will assist in the direction, management, and operation of Point Pleasant Park now, and for many years to come.

Useful links:
History
Maps
Prince of Wales National Historic Site
Shakespeare by the Sea

All the Best in 2009

2009-01-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Thank you for reading this blog. I look forward to sharing more stories and adventures in the coming year.

Have a healthy and prosperous 2009,

Maria

Destination Guy's Frenchys

2008-12-30T06:29:00.000-04:00

"I won't buy anything from a bin", this is what an out of province relative said when Guy's Frenchys was described to her. The idea of buying used clothing was not appealing at all to her, in fact it was appalling. The eco-conscious will say it's "recycled clothing", I say roll up your sleeves and dig in.

Recently, I went on a "Frenchys run" where we started in Digby one day and traveled along the Evangeline Trail to the Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Region the next. Through villages such as Meteghan, Saulnierville and Church Point.

6 Guy's Frenchys in 36 hours, a new record.

Here's what I got:
3 sweaters (American Eagle, Banana Republic and Aeropostale),
2 hoodies (both Aeropostale)
1 blouse (Banana Republic)
3 shirts (Banana Republic, Gap and H&M)
= one happy camper who paid a fraction of the cost for gently used clothing

There are so many diamonds in the ruff just waiting to be grabbed. Seasoned "Frenchys" goers have a particular method of how they sort through the clothing. Just like how you may have a strategy for hanging clothes on your clothesline or how you unload your dishwasher. It's fascinating to watch them but then again, there's no time to waste, there are diamonds to be found!

Most of what you sort through will be quickly passed over. Hold tight because every hour, on the hour, there is a new arrival of goods that are tossed in the bins. Clothes, toys and household items are checked over by staff many times for quality. Some items still have the original store tags on them.

What started as a small store in Digby Guy's Frenchys has expanded to 18 stores throughout Nova Scotia and New Brunswick processing thousands of pounds of clothing daily. I've heard that many girlfriends take weekend Frenchys getaways, stopping at various locations along their pre-planned route. Even travel tour companies offer Guy's Frenchys motorcoach tours.

Oh, remember that relative who said she'd never shop from a bin? They say it took her 20 minutes to convert, only after finding a designer cocktail dress. This new convert joins the rest of the evangelists.

Nova Scotia Wild Berry Bushes

2008-12-19T11:39:00.007-04:00

I like to go "au naturel" when I decorate my home for the holidays. Wait a sec, that came out wrong, I am FULLY clothed. What I meant to say is that I like to use natural sources for my seasonal arrangements. My sister calls it "wild crafting" and we've been doing it for years now. My collection method is gathering pine and balsam fir branches and picking red berries from land that is soon going to be developed.

The end result is fabulous. I have to admit to something though. For the longest time I didn't have a clue what the berries that I like to use in my arrangements were called. So, after 30 minutes with Google Search, Detective Maria finally found out what they were. Here's what I found out, they are called Winterberry Holly and Rosehips:

The top two berry pictures are what "Winterberry Holly" looks like. A holly has glossy evergreen leaves, right! No, not always. Ilex verticillata, Winterberry Holly, or Winterberry is Nova Scotia's native, wetland holly that loses it leaves each autumn. This beautiful shrub is a gorgeous burst of bright red colour during the winter months. Watch out though, their berries can easily fall off when shaken. Birds love these bushes and provide the avid bird watcher hours of entertainment.

The last picture are Rosehips. These bushes tend to grow in bunches. If you want to snip off a few of their limbs for their burgundy coloured berries, you practically have wear metal-plated gloves and garden clippers. This plant to thorny and you're guaranteed a few scratches and thorns if you're not careful. Take my advise and don't make wear your favourite down-filled jacket.

Also known as Rosa canina (Dog Rose), Rosehips are very high in Vitamin C and contain vitamins A, D and E, and antioxidants. These babies are sometimes made into jellies, preserves, syrups, tea and even wine. Who knew that something on my doorstep had so many uses.

Cooking with Rosehips

Winterberry Holly Attracts Birds

Canada's Best Smoked Salmon (from Nova Scotia)

2008-12-11T08:00:00.003-04:00

Growing up on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore, I was aware that there was famous Danish smokehouse just up the road. So when time came for me to host a holiday brunch and wanted to make a smoked salmon quiche, there was no choice but to use salmon from J Willy Krauch's and Sons.

So off I went to my trusted Canadian Living website to search for recipes and came across a Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Quiche recipe. This quiche was simple to make but difficult to contain my urge to nibble on the salmon. I went a little overboard and made four quiches but knew they'd freeze well if there were leftovers, there barely were any.

J. Willy Krauch & Son's Smokehouse smokes high quality Atlantic salmon, mackerel and eels in traditional Scandinavian style. Their newest flavour is lemon pepper and garlic mackerel or try others such as Cajun or Maple Pepper. You will find other delicacies such as smoked herring, smoked eels and smoked trout. Their products are available in most grocery stores in Nova Scotia.

Willy Krauch came to Canada from Denmark and began smoking fish in 1956. Willy developed a method that was uniquely his own and using only Nova Scotia hard wood kindling and sawdust. Willy passed away several years ago and the business is now run by his sons. They continue the fine craft of smoking the finest quality fish. In the tiny village of Tangier, Nova Scotia (about 1 hour 20 minutes outside of Halifax) you can see smoke billowing from the smokehouse. Tours are available but I recommend contacting them first.

The local rumor is that they ship their gourmet fish to famous people all over the world, royalty included. If you don't live in Nova Scotia, they'll even ship it to you.

To Order:
J. Willy Krauch & Son's Smokehouse
Tangier, Nova Scotia - Eastern Shore
Phone: 1-902-772-2188
Toll Free: 1-800-758-4412 or 1-800-299-9414
Email: willykrauch@ns.sympatico.ca
No website available

Nova Scotia Christmas Trees, A Tradition

2008-12-03T21:56:00.017-04:00

A few minutes ago I asked my daughter, "what feeling do you get when you see a Christmas tree?" She simply replied, "happy!"

Christmas just wouldn't be the same without a real Christmas tree. Big or small, fat or skinny, with needles or rapidly falling ones - this over-sized air freshener brings the outdoors in and over three short weeks can add so much cheer.

Did you know that Nova Scotia is one of Canada's top three producers of Christmas trees (along with Quebec and Ontario)? Up until this year, 80 per cent of Nova Scotia's Christmas trees were exported to the United States. When I visited a tree lot the other day, a grower from the South Shore told me he cuts his trees in late October to get ready for the season.

Each year, it's tradition that a Balsam Fir from Nova Scotia is sent to Boston to become the Boston Christmas Tree. This tree is a thank you gift from the province to the people of Boston in remembrance of the city's response after the Halifax Explosion in 1917.

How we decorate a Christmas tree, we all know, is a personal choice. Many trees this year will be "green" with LED lights. It'll be a preference between multi-coloured or plain white lights or blue or red. Some trees will be professionally decorated while many will be decorated with heirloom ornaments and dough treasures our kids made in pre-school. Whether your tree is 8 feet or a table top, decorated from head to toe or only the bottom third (thanks to an overzealous toddler), every tree is beautiful. Even Charlie Brown's.

Mine definitely won't have tinsel. "What's tinsel?" my daughter asks.

Happy Christmas.

Beaver makes home in Halifax, NS subdivision

2008-12-03T21:54:00.005-04:00

We have a new resident in our neighbourhood. She's pretty shy but you can't help but notice her presence. A beaver has taken up residence on a small island in the middle of pond here in Halifax. Since last spring, my daughter and I've taken notice of our busy neighbour and have been intrigued since.

Her name is "Hailey", after the pond she lives in. By the way, we have no clue of the sex and my daughter likes the idea of her being a girl anyway. So, Hailey's den (lodge) has really taken shape over the past month as she prepares for her first winter in the pond. What began as a modest mound on the island now has a considerable shape to it. See the den in the middle of the picture on the right?

I think it's fascinating having a beaver nearby. I've read online all about beavers and I'm proud it's on our 5 cent coin. As long as no body gets hurt and she's respected from a distance, I'm okay with Hailey being in the neighbourhood. In fact, a couple landowners have wrapped their favourite trees with steel mesh so they don't fall victim to Hailey's industriousness. To think that this beaver crossed a busy four lane highway from Long Lake Provincial Park to get to this pond, I shudder at the thought of her deciding to return.

Here are some interesting facts I learned about our national symbol:
-It's the largest rodent in North America
-A skillful engineer
-Can live up to 12 years
-They are most active from dusk to dawn

I hope Hailey has a great winter under the ice, we'll miss seeing her glide gracefully across the pond.

And now, here's one of those famous Hinterland Who's Who Public Service Announcements:

Beautiful Nova Scotia Screen Savers and Wallpapers

2008-11-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

If you're like me, you are always changing your desktop background. I like to change things up according to the season and for inspiring images I go to novascotia.com's wallpaper section to see images like this lighthouse Christmas one.

Here's where to look for more nice pictures like the photo above:

Winter Screensaver

Winter Wallpaper

3 Ways to Help a Snowtruck Get Unstuck

2008-11-25T12:07:00.004-04:00

Last weekend we got about 30 centimeters of snow in Halifax. Not a lot of snow considering some parts of Canada but it's plenty for here. Enough, in fact, for the snow plough to get stuck on our street for 30 minutes.

Here are 3 ways to help a tired snow plough driver get out of a frustrating situation:

1. Resist the urge to take a picture (oops)
2. Offer him a coffee
3. Grab your shovel and join your neighbours

Grohmann Knives, Pictou, Nova Scotia

2008-11-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

On a recent visit to Pictou, I just had to take a picture of the knife jutting out of the building at the Grohmann Knives Outlet. Whenever I visit the town of Pictou and drive by this location, my question always is, "who threw this knife?"

Grohmann Knives Limited is a small family-owned business in Nova Scotia. To these guys, making knives is as much an art as a trade. Their top quality knives are produced with as many as 53 steps between starting point & finished product.

When my sister got married and received a set of Grohmann knives as a present, I grew to realize that these are superior knives. In fact, they are the only knives I use in my kitchen. Nothing cuts my homemade bread better.

I often take advantage of the blade sharpening clinics that take place in various parts of the province.

Next time in Pictou, take a free factory tour. It's a "cut above the rest" (okay, I couldn't resist!)

Snowflakes in Halifax, Nova Scotia

2008-11-18T13:10:00.003-04:00

Are you a snow lover? Chances are you either love it or hate it - just like sushi.

Well, I get giddy when it snows.

So today, a snowflake landed on my deck.

I can prove it.

Yes.

It's indeed a snowflake.

Not a present from a sea gull.

This winter, keeping regular tabs on the NS highway cameras is a good way to know how driving conditions are before you head out. BTW, I don't like snow on highways :)

Making Nautical Wreaths

2008-11-09T21:42:00.005-04:00

A few years ago, I took a nautical rope wreath workshop at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The museum holds these workshops every November and if you're interested, you'd better sign up early. This rope wreath is really known as the "Turk's Head Knot".

So, this past weekend, with a good set of instructions in hand and 100 feet of 1/2 inch Manila rope, my sister and I made rope wreaths. I had the rope cut into 25 foot lengths (to make 4 wreaths). This rope smells wonderful but it can give you splinters that's why many people wear garden gloves. Manila rope is relatively easy to find, after a couple phone calls I found it at the Army Navy Store on Agricola St. in Halifax. It was a whopping 26 cents per foot :)

Once you stumble through the first steps of weaving the wreath starts to take shape. These step by step instructions guided us and working on the floor is best so you can spread out. Your knees will likely complain.

After about 15 minutes, here is the end product. I quickly moved on to finish the other three wreaths and then started looking around my fathers garage. I was on a roll. Interestingly enough, my father is sweet on collecting rope. Eureka! I made three more wreaths made from rope that, at one time, was tied to lobster traps. To me, this only adds more character.

Check out this video on You Tube for step by step instruction on how to tie a Turk's Head Knot:

If you live in Halifax, you can sign up for a workshop at the Maritime Museum.

What moves you while driving to work?

2008-11-07T18:00:00.002-04:00

While many of you will reply "my car." I mean, what do you see along your daily commute that wows you?

For me, it's the Northwest Arm. Part of Halifax Harbour, the Northwest Arm (or "the Arm" to locals) measures approximately 3.5 km in length and 0.5 km in width and defines the western side of the Halifax Peninsula.
With the Dingle Tower in the distance and the Armdale Yacht Club to the right, while creeping in traffic along Quinpool Rd, my gaze often veers to the right. It's a good thing I'm the passenger because I'd have my share of fender benders.

Every day is different. In the morning, the tide may be very high or a kayaker will be out for a paddle or you'll see storm clouds blowing out to sea. A couple days last week, a duck has been spotted standing on the sidewalk, people nervously drive by hoping he doesn't decide to make a waddle/run for it and cross the street to get to water. On the way home, and coming from the opposite direction, it's refreshing to see the water as you round the turn going down the hill toward the roundabout (formerly known as the rotary).

What is your "wow" that you drive by every day?

Tidal Bore Rafting on the Shubenacadie River

2008-10-31T10:08:00.016-03:00

A couple weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to go tidal bore rafting.

Tidal Bore Rafting in late October?

Yes! We wore survival suits :)

According to Wikipedia a Tidal Bore is "is a true tidal wave (not to be confused with a tsunami)." This wave comes from the Bay of Fundy (flowing in one direction) and meets the Shubenacadie River (flowing in in the opposite direction).

Picture this, you're in a power boat and you are heading full speed into a 10-20 foot wave STRAIGHT ON. While you're very instinct would be to flee, you are powerless as this giant wave splashes over you. No sooner can you say "let's do it again" the boat operator is turning around to go just ahead of the wave then turn around to ram into it again. Pow!

What is really eerie is just before the wave approaches, you can see and hear it coming like a locomotive up the river. First you see a ripple and then one minute later there is churning water all around you. All this while gigantic bald eagles are watching you from the trees along the bank. Silently laughing at the silly humans.

Before you knew it, it was time to go back to the dock, step out from the boat onto the muddy shore and then tear off the survival suits. The feeling was exhilarating and I can't wait to go back during the summer months on a 4 hour excursion that includes a bbq and mud sliding.

Here's where to get further info:
Shubenacadie Tidal Bore Rafting Park

Bay of Fundy Tourism Information:

novascotia.com

Creepy Witch's Fingers

2008-10-29T18:00:00.000-03:00

Last night I made Creepy Witch's Fingers.

These yummy sugar cookies, with a hint of almond extract, are a hit with any Halloween party.

While you are savouring these cookies, the garlic will help fend off vampires. It's a "win-win"!

Get the recipe from Canadian Living.

Leafing through fall

2008-10-28T18:54:00.002-03:00

There's just something about leaves. So pure, so beautiful.
Here are a few snapshots of leaves in my backyard last weekend:

Though prime leaf watching season is nearly over, you can still see Nova Scotia Leaf Watch updates. A website with posts from people all over Nova Scotia giving updates on the status of leaves.

Donair l'egg roll

2008-10-27T21:26:00.006-03:00

We Atlantic Canadian's have a weakness for donair's. For a select few, especially at 2 a.m. on a Saturday - when any knowledge of Canada's four food groups is kicked to the curb.

Ok.

Wait one sec.

Let's get something straight.

I am NOT up at 2 a.m. (anymore) I'm NOT 19 (anymore). I prefer a stick of celery as a snack (these days).

Not all Atlantic Canadian's even like donair's. Just thought I'd add that disclaimer.

So. Here's an egg roll with a twist. It's yummy and it comes with "donair sauce" to dip them in. What is that delicious white sauce called anyway? Never mind, there are some things one doesn't need to know in life, like what is donair meat made of anyway? Don't matter, it's still good.

Someone told me today I should be a food photographer. I scoffed. Then reached for my bag of celery.

Favourite Food Blogs

2008-10-21T18:21:00.002-03:00

Here are blogs that I love to follow closely:

Sexy Girls Eat
Rochelle Bilow is a student who lives in Syracuse, NY. I adore her writing style and how she tells a story.

with bite
This gal is from Halifax, is passionate about food and it shows in her writing. Watch for this girl someday soon on The Food Network...Rachael Ray, eat your heart out! Miss you K!

Falling for the leaves from the west

2008-10-17T14:44:00.005-03:00

My dear friend from Vancouver Island just sent me this beautiful picture taken from her front yard. Definitely no yellows here!

Falling for the leaves

2008-10-16T18:00:00.001-03:00

When I lived on the west coast, I longed for the bright reds and fiery oranges of fall. Since the leaves there were predominately yellow, a dear friend took pity on me and mailed me red and orange leaves from the east. The thing was, when they arrived in the mail, the leaves had turned brown because they were in a Ziploc bag. Guess it wasn't in the cards for me to see gorgeous east coast leaves that year.

Sigh.

But I get my fair share now!

The French Basin Trail

2008-10-15T20:54:00.013-03:00

It's funny. For the past 5 years my family and I have visited the town of Annapolis Royal and it wasn't until this past weekend that I realized how much there was to explore. Don't gasp when I tell you that I have YET to visit Port Royal National Historic Site. I told you not to gasp!

For the past few years, while driving past the Tidal Power Interpretive Centre, I've always noticed people walking along a marshy wetland. Well, on an overnight trip to Annapolis Royal this past weekend we went on a hike there. It was along this marshy wetland that I discovered its name, the French Basin Trail.

Basically right in the town of Annapolis Royal, the French Basin Trail is a 45-minute walk around a Ducks Unlimited wetland. Home to several species of ducks, at least one pair of Great Blue Herons, a family of muskrats and, if you're lucky, foxes. The well-maintained gravel trail around the marshland leads into an old Dominion Atlantic Railroad line railbed/trail that goes east or west as far as your feet will take you.

Along the trail were decorations hanging from trees or lying on the ground made from pine cones, birch bark and other natural materials that were a hit with the squirrels and birds. I was told later that these were made by art students at a local school.

Next time I visit the area, I am definitely taking along my running shoes. With no hills and lots of scenery, this trail is a runners dream.

To get there: In Annapolis Royal, drive along Saint George Street until you see the set of traffic lights (Historic Gardens will be on your left), turn onto Prince Albert Road then drive 300 meters and turn right onto the gravel parking lot.

More info:
Annapolis Valley Vacation
Annapolis Royal Recreation

SNOWSHOE LUNCH-WALKS
Each Wednesday 12:15pm (January – March)
French Basin Trail
Shoes available
Info: 902.532-3144

OUTDOOR SKATING & WALKING
At the French Basin Trail & pond: watch for the skating sign in the parking area (green indicates skating; red - no skating).

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-10-12T08:00:00.001-03:00

Pomquet Acadian Trails (Sentiers Acadiens de Pomquet)

2008-10-09T18:00:00.000-03:00

Last weekend, my family and I made a quick visit to the village Pomquet. Located on the Northumberland Shore, this area was settled in 1761 by Acadians and it is one of the friendliest places in Nova Scotia.

We hiked a series of trails that led us through the Monks Head Provincial Park Reserve. The trail started just behind Chez Deslauriers, an Acadian historic site overlooking the magnificent expanse of Pomquet Beach. There are five trails starting with the Beach trail and ending with the Coastal trail. These trails (with the exception of the Coastal Trail) shoot off the main trail to their own loop. We decided to hike along the main trail along the coast.

The trail led us through a field, a wooded area and along the rocky shore of St. George’s Bay that offered stunning views of Cape Breton from across the water. Every now and then we’d have an opportunity to look (from a safe distance) over the edge to see the cliffs below. These cliffs are rapidly eroding and many well posted signs reminded us of this.

The only animals we encountered were two friendly red squirrels, very cute to see as they were as curious about them as they were about us. What weren’t so cute were Poison Ivy plants that were scattered along the outskirts of part of trail. As long as you steer clear of them, there would be no problem. We discovered cranberries along the shore were abundant and ripe for picking. Note to self for next fall: bring a bag.

This was a wonderful easy to moderate level hike with amazing views.

How to get there?
Pomquet is a 20 minute drive from Antigonish. Follow the 104 hwy (east)and watch for the large Pomquet sign.
Map

Pomquet Beach

Pumpkin Cookies

2008-10-08T21:24:00.004-03:00

I received these cookies in a basket a few years ago. These beauties are soft and chewy. I add chocolate chips and sometimes walnuts.

Pumpkin Cookies:
1/2 cup margarine (or softened butter)
1 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins)
1 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar together, mix well. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and pumpkin. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake in 375 oven for about 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Then invite me over for tea :)

Annapolis Valley Apple Torte

2008-10-01T17:54:00.007-03:00

This torte cuts into firm slices, each studded with apples, a fresh change from apple pie.

Base
1/2 cup butter 125 mL
1/3 cup granulated sugar 75 mL
1/4 tsp vanilla 1 mL
1 cup all-purpose flour 250 mL
1/2 cup raspberry jam 125 mL

Filling
1 cup cream cheese, softened 250 mL
1/2 cup granulated sugar 125 mL
1 large egg 1
1/2 tsp vanilla 2 mL

Topping
4 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1 L
1/3 cup granulated sugar 75 mL
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 mL
1/2 cup slivered almonds 125 mL

Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla; add flour and mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into bottom and 1 inch (2.5 cm) up the sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan. Spread raspberry jam on the bottom crust. Mix filling ingredients until smooth and spread evenly over base. Toss peeled and sliced apples with sugar and cinnamon and arrange gently on filling. Sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Cool and serve with whipped cream. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Print 4 x 6 Recipe Card (pdf)

To find fall recipes, go to novascotia.com

Next...my pumpkin cookies!

Roses are red. Blueberries are blue.

2008-09-30T18:08:00.002-03:00

Oxford, Nova Scotia

"You ought to have seen what I saw on my way
To the village, through Mortenson's pasture to-day:
Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!"
Robert Frost

Last week I took a side trip to Oxford, "Blueberry Capital of Canada". I dropped into the Wild Blueberry and Maple Centre (which also doubles as a Visitor Information Centre). As soon as I walked in the door I knew what I was having- blueberry ice cream, which I happily devoured on my way out of town.

Between a rock and a soft seat

2008-09-24T18:06:00.002-03:00

Economy, Nova Scotia

Today, I decided to venture off the Trans Canada Highway and meander through the communities of Bass River and Five Islands on my way to Parrsboro. Route #2, "The Glooscap Trail", hugs the coast of the Minas Basin. This area is known for its powerful tides, courtesy of the Bay of Fundy. This is a route where drivers wish they were passengers so they can fully appreciate the scenery.

I knew that I just had to pull over, somewhere, anywhere. So just outside the village of Lower Economy and just before Five Islands Provincial Park, I turned left at Soley Cove Road. This windy gravel road, led past farmers fields to a large guard rail. Now, one knows a of popular spot when you notice the car tire prints from the hundreds of cars who also stopped there before you.

After soaking up the beauty of the Bay of Fundy, I jumped back in my car and drove about 500 meters to a dead end. It was also where a funky coach was sitting in a field. As a friend often informs me, it must've been "good garbage week". Because for someone, this couch would be a real "find".

I like to think this couch is saying, "enjoy the scenery, with the comfort of home".

Paradise, Nova Scotia

2008-09-21T21:15:00.009-03:00

Ever been to Paradise?

Well, I can say that now I've been to Paradise. I was there long enough to snap a picture. I can't say that I felt any different during my brief visit. I didn't feel any sense of euphoria, I didn't burst out in exultation. Certainly didn't hear angels singing. But maybe that was because thirty minutes before I reached Paradise, I got a speeding ticket. Wouldn't it have been interesting to get one in Paradise? I would've framed it.

You should go. Take your time. I know I will.

How to get there: Paradise (Nova Scotia) is on Trunk Highway #1, (Evangeline Trail) about 7 minutes outside Bridgetown. Take exit 20 off Hwy 101 and take a left if coming from Halifax or a right if coming from Yarmouth.

Download: Fundy Shore & Annapolis Valley Driving Guide (4.41MB)

Peggy's Cove in 15 minutes

2008-09-17T20:01:00.020-03:00

Today I had the chance to go to Peggy's Cove for work-related business. Once I finished my tasks, and before jumping in the car for a 25 minute drive back to Halifax, I wanted to spend a couple minutes with "Peggy".

This small fishing village is a photographer's paradise. Every where you turn there's a photo op. Today's blue sky made it perfect but, then again, fog would have added mystique and drama. Even the local fisherman working on their boats while tourists watched were photogenic.

Everything in Peggy's Cove is a stones throw away. You can walk anywhere and everywhere there isn't a "private road" sign. There is a mix of cars and people along the windy paved road leading up the hill and eventually to the rocks.

A fisherman's glove caught my eye, doesn't it look like it's reaching for something? The tide was low during my brief visit and the water in the small cove was calm but just around the corner, it was a different story with wind and surf. So interesting to see how just a few feet away from this protected cove there were white caps.

My 15 minute break is up. I'll start walking back to the car now.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2008-09-16T10:18:00.008-03:00

One early Saturday morning, a friend and I set off to Halifax's Farmers Market. I was on a mission. I had a hankering for fried green tomatoes and wanted to try making them.

After searching for a recipe online, I came across one calling for cornmeal and breadcrumbs. Perfect. So, as I sliced the tomatoes, I talked with a southern accent (like Jessica Tandy from the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes"). This drove my kids nuts. They got more annoyed when my husband chimed in but he sounded more like Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump".

These tomatoes were yummy. Even more so when topped with something tart and that's where I got the idea of adding goat cheese and chutney. Thought of adding a dab of the lavender jelly but thought I'd best save the near empty jar for my morning toast.

York ReDoubt...No Doubt #2

2008-09-10T12:55:00.012-03:00

While on a recent visit to York ReDoubt National Historic Site, I couldn't help but notice a pattern that was emerging as I snapped pictures. Doors kept popping up. I guess it is a fort after all and it's supposed to keep people out.

So, here's my collection of doors. What's behind door #1?

What's behind door #2?

What's behind door #3?

York ReDoubt...No Doubt #1

2008-09-10T12:35:00.026-03:00

As often as we can, my husband and I organize "family days". We like to create adventures wherever we go. Since we haven't been to York ReDoubt, we knew this would be cool place to check out.

So we pried the kids off the computer and followed the well marked signs along Purcell's Cove road to York ReDoubt National Historic Site (which was about 15 minutes from the Armdale Rotary).

Once there, we quickly paired off to explore the rooms of the fort on our own. By the way, this is THE perfect place to play tag or hide and seek!

Built in 1793 by the Duke of Kent to defend Halifax from invasion from the French, the walls of the fort are rock solid. To get to the other side of the fort, you can walk through a long tunnel to get to the other side. York ReDoubt is part of the Halifax defense complex comprised of Citadel Hill, Prince of Wales Tower, Fort McNab and George's Island. I'm told that, back in the day, they all communicated to each other using an elaborate flag system.

After going through a tunnel that takes you to the ocean side of the fort, we discovered many hiking trails. As we walked along, we noticed a cruise ship leaving the harbour, a bunch of blackberry bushes that were bursting with berries too early to pick (darn!) Along the way by daughter collected burrs that, unbeknownst to me, were secretly placed all over my back.

One trail led us to York Shore Battery, an abandoned WWII Command Centre where you can still explore around the rooms and all but climb onto the grass roofs. There is also an informative display panel explaining the role the facility had during its operation. One of them was keeping a watchful eye on German U-Boats that floated just outside the Halifax harbour. A giant underwater gate ran from here to McNab’s Island that kept the U-Boats out and our ships (and city) safe from attack.

The walk back to the car was another adventure. A shortcut to connect onto the path to the tunnel, ended up being a steep crazy climb. We happened to arrive at the tunnel entrance just in time, because the park attendant was about to lock up for the night. I am glad we took the shortcut.

My new love

2008-09-05T09:31:00.003-03:00

I love my bike.

Why? Because it's the nicest bike I've ever had.
Another reason? I love zooming past long lines of traffic on my way to and from work. If you live in Halifax, it's a busy time of year with a lot of cars. Usually I commute with my fellow eco-conscious friends Kim and Frank. Yesterday it took us one hour to get home (usually it takes 15-20 minutes).

So, today I took my bike. It was lovely.

I can't wait to go home.

Cranberries and Inukshuk's

2008-09-04T15:25:00.010-03:00

These are a couple pictures from my favourite Provincial Park in Nova Scotia. It's Taylor Head Provincial Park in Spry Bay, about an 1 hour and 15 minutes drive from Halifax, along the Eastern Shore.

Lately, Inukshuk's have been popping up along the rocks and it's been really nice to see. Cranberries grow like crazy here and if you want some for Thanksgiving dinner, you'd better start picking now.

Pier 21 Canada's Immigration Museum

2008-08-22T10:50:00.002-03:00

A place that is very near and dear to my heart is Pier 21. It's a museum/interpretive centre/art gallery located along Halifax's waterfront. In 2007, it was voted one of Canada's Seven Wonders in a national contest.

It was at Pier 21 where 1 million immigrants, displaced persons and war brides first stepped foot on Canadian soil between the years of 1928 and 1971. To these people, every day was Canada Day. Canada was a country of hope and promise for a better future.

This National Historic Site was lovingly restored and re-opened with national fanfare on July 1st, 1999. I had the privilege of working at Pier 21 for 4 1/2 years. I've never worked in a place where I was so inspired and so moved. It instilled in me a strong pride in my country and it's immigrants. Cause, when you think of it, we are all immigrants (with the exception of First Nations, such as the Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq).

We all have a story to tell and Pier 21 is all about stories. Some are poignant, of surviving the holocaust and weeping for joy when finally arriving in Halifax to start anew. It was always nice to see them, years later, return to the new Pier 21 with their families. The emotions of that day of arrival are still very raw and sometimes there are tears. I recall one day a man stood quietly alone, looking pensive, after a very long time, he knelt down and kissed the floor.

That's my Canada.

P.S. The guy in the photo is our friend Rob from BC. His father arrived in Canada through Pier 21 from Holland.

Teepee Town

2008-08-22T10:16:00.001-03:00

Our house in Halifax backs onto a wooded area near Long Lake Provincial Park and it's where "Teepee Town" is located. Teepee Town was built 2 years ago by my kids and a few of their friends. It's a busy town. It's constantly is going through upgrades, demolitions and additions.

Fallen trees from Hurricane Juan are perfect for building teepees and shelters. The currency there is tree bark and moss. Two slices of bark and a handful of moss will get you a ground floor condominium and a skylight.

There is even a mayor (my son, who appointed himself). Council meets infrequently and a couple times they've come close to a mutiny.

Collecting beach glass

2008-08-14T13:23:00.001-03:00

If you are walking along any shore in Nova Scotia and spot of blue piece of glass, where it's edges is smoothed by the ocean, pick it up. These guys are hard to find. Sure, there is plenty of green, brown and white beach glass to be found but the real find is the blue kind. Let's see if you can find red or pink!

Sand developments not castles

2008-08-14T13:22:00.001-03:00

My kids are world class architects and developers. They create cities, residential areas, freeways and industrial parks. Just add sand and lots of imagination. No tools necessary - seaweed, driftwood and rocks will do perfectly. I am assured they're the greenest of cities, they rely on solar, tidal and wind power.

The beach at Taylor Head Provincial Park is a blank canvas that provides hours of fun. The rise of the tide creates opportunities for these urban planners to erect dikes, bridges or swimming pools. As the tide falls, new building materials expose themselves. Streams and sand bars appear that are in dire need of causeways.

Mackerel Fishing

2008-08-14T13:21:00.002-03:00

No technical fishing knowledge or gear required. All you need is a wharf that you’ll share with the locals. Sometimes, if they are “running” you can catch 10 mackerel in 10 minutes. One time my sister tied a ring on the end of her line and a bunch of mackerel tried to bite it! They'll bite at anything flashy. That's because they are after huge schools of minnows.

Mackerel fishing is one of best childhood memories growing up along the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. It's a social gathering for the locals. They welcome any newcomers, they might even give you some of their catch because their freezer at home is already full.

In this photo, my brother and daughter are showing off their big catch. No exaggerated fish stories here!

The Great Annual Lobster Fest

2008-08-14T13:21:00.001-03:00

Each year my family gathers to celebrate the opening of lobster season along the Eastern Shore. It’s the equivalent of Thanksgiving but with the added mess of eating lobster. We all agree, this isn't the event to introduce the new person you are dating. One is bound to "miss their bib" and it's inevitable that something will get stuck in your teeth. It's best to leave the first impressions for another time.

Dingle Tower

2008-08-14T13:19:00.000-03:00

Take the challenge of counting how many steps there are climbing up to the Dingle Tower. When you reach the top your reward is a panoramic view of Northwest Arm. This park is also known as Flemming Park in Halifax.

Taylor Head Provincial Park

2008-08-14T13:18:00.000-03:00

Taylor’s Head Provincial Park
If it wasn’t located along the Eastern Shore, its sandy white beaches could be classified as a tropical oasis. A kayakers dream, a sandcastle builders mecca and a hikers paradise.

Lavender Jelly

2008-08-14T13:08:00.000-03:00

Every year, my family and I make a visit to Annapolis Royal. First thing on Saturday morning I head over to the Farmer’s Market. It’s an open air market that is bursting with the smells, sights and sounds of the Annapolis Valley. For a few locals it’s a weekly social gathering, for others it’s a plethora of local produce and fresh baked goods that can easily stir you to dizzying heights.

As I was walking past the local town crier who was handing out fliers for that evenings Kings Theatre performance, I glanced at a table of jellies and other preservatives. I never used to like jelly. Don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I’m a messy eater and can imagine the inevitable.

As I handed over the cash, the nice lady standing behind the table must’ve sensed my trepidation when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a jar of lavender jelly.

“What?” I exclaimed, “Lavender jelly?” The lady told me that the recipe was her grandmothers and it’s one of her best sellers. Knowing this, I simply had to give it a try.

Monday morning when the toast popped up, I had the jar of lavender jelly and a knife ready to go. Suddenly, as I opened up the Mason jar a thought came to me. What if I hate it? What if the one thing I boasted about (before even tasting it) is something that will end up in the back of my fridge beside the expired prune yogurt and the baking soda box?

So I slathered it on my toast and took a huge bite. WOW! Thanks to lavender jelly for Annapolis Royal’s Farmers Market, I can enjoy summer from a jar on my toast and am now looking to experiment with other flavours.

By the way, I’m not a fan of marmalade!