Colourful Cabot Trail

October 15, 2016October 15, 2016 / edebock / 7 Comments

Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail is a scenic roadway measuring 298 km in length that forms a loop around the northern part of Cape Breton Island and passes through Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Prior to this trip, we had driven the Cabot Trail twice before, both times doing the entire loop in one day.

The first time was in 1991. We were traveling with our young children and had the privilege of doing the drive with a colleague who is a native Cape Breton Islander. He was home on summer vacation and acted as our guide for the day. It was bright and sunny and we were awed by the beauty that surrounded us. Stops along the way to enjoy the views, eat a picnic lunch and take a swim made it a long, but very memorable day.

Our second trip around the trail seven years ago was somewhat disappointing. It poured rain much of the way and we crossed the northern highlands in dense fog barely able to see the road let alone anything else! We made very few stops.

This time we spent three days on the trail! We stopped at many viewpoints, or lookoffs as they’re known in Nova Scotia, to soak in the beauty and take a multitude of photos.

That’s the little Hyundai Accent rental that’s been our wheels for this entire trip.

We enjoyed a traditional community breakfast with the locals at the Southwest Margaree Parish Hall and spent a couple of evening hours listening to local musicians in a Cheticamp pub.

We walked rocky beaches

and sandy ones.

We hiked the Skyline Trail and explored out of the way places like this one near Cheticamp where we stopped to find a geocache.

We took side roads to places like Mary Ann Falls

and everywhere we went, we marvelled at the amazing colours.

Yes, the Cabot Trail is beautiful anytime of year, but in autumn it’s absolutely spectacular!

Hiking the Highlands

October 14, 2016October 15, 2016 / edebock / 1 Comment

Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Highlands National Park boasts more than 20 trails ranging from short easy walks to spectacular hiking expeditions. We chose one of the most popular, the dramatic Skyline Trail on the western side of the Cabot Trail, for Wednesday’s hike.

As we approached the trailhead, we could see the tiny silhouettes of hikers against the skyline on the ridge high above us. Soon we would join them!

The Skyline Trail offers two options. Many choose to stay on the well groomed path that takes them directly out to the headland cliff overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This out and back route is 7.5 km long. We chose the longer 9.2 km loop.

The back side of the loop, the road less traveled, crosses a high plateau. The trail is rougher and some sections were muddy as a result of the horrendous storm that swept across Cape Breton two days earlier.

Once we reached the far side of the plateau, the views were gorgeous.

Sometimes we just had to sit and soak them in.

Nothing prepared us for the spectacular views from the headland, however! There, a wooden boardwalk and a series of steps took us down the middle of the cliff. The open ocean was far below to our right and a deep ravine to our left. We watched eagles soar below us and vehicles winding their way along the Cabot Trail looked minuscule.

Strategically placed by Parks Canada so that it isn’t visible from the highway below, the boardwalk protects the fragile headland plants from trampling and also gave me a sense of security as I crossed the ridge.

Once we tore ourselves away from the the amazing vistas spread out before us, the most used and best maintained portion of the trail took us back to the parking lot. There was a small change in elevation along this portion, but it was very gradual.

Is it any wonder that I’m overwhelmed by the beauty of Nova Scotia?

Don’t get your knickers in a knot!

October 14, 2016September 25, 2016 / edebock / 6 Comments

If you’ve known me or followed this blog for very long, you know that I’m a self professed word nerd. It may be quirky, but I love words. Who else do you know who would watch a lecture series entitled The Secret Life of Words: English Words and Their Origins while walking on a treadmill?

So, it only makes sense (to me, at least) that a word nerd with an interest in fashion would be fascinated by some of the words used in the fashion business. Today I’m focusing on fashion words that are used differently in different countries. For me, they add to the fun of reading fashion blogs from around the world.

When I was a child, I often wore a jumper to school, but did I wear this

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or this?

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Here in Canada, as well as in the US, the first picture is a jumper, but in the UK and Australia, a jumper is what we in North America would call a sweater! The jumpers that I wore are known as a pinafores in the UK.

While we in North America understand the meaning of trousers, that’s not a word we’d likely use. Instead, we’d talk about our pants. That could be confusing if we were in the UK, however, where people would be embarrassed if anyone saw their pants. There the term is slang for underpants!

Depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on, you might not want to get your knickers in a knot or your panties in a twist! Knickers is the British word for a lady’s underpants while here in North America, we usually call them panties.

Of course, men have different underwear words too. Some British men wear y-fronts, those old fashioned underpants with an inverted y shape in front. North American men usually refer to their underwear as briefs, shorts or boxers depending on the style they prefer.

Even babies get in on the underwear confusion. British and Australian babies wear nappies, but in North America, they wear diapers.

What do you call these?

coveralls

Here in North America, we call them coveralls, but in the UK they’re overalls. Here, overalls are bibbed pants/trousers held up by over-the-shoulder straps. In Britain, however, those are dungarees.

Are you confused yet? Can you think of any other examples?

Hiking Kejimkujik Seaside

October 9, 2016October 9, 2016 / edebock / Leave a comment

Nova Scotia’s Kejimkujik National Park is actually one park divided into two completely separate areas. Thankfully, locals refer to it as Keji because I’ve had a terrible time getting my tongue around that name! The meaning of the Mi’kmaq name is uncertain, but the park’s official stance is that it means “tired muscles”. Yesterday, we spent several hours hiking the beautiful Seaside portion of the park; 10.7 km in all and I’m proud to say that my muscles are just fine today!

The hiking trails ramble through coastal barrens and bogs, around rocky headlands and along cobbled and sandy beaches offering views that are breathtaking. The trails are well maintained and there’s very little change in elevation, but if you go, you’ll definitely want good footwear for the rocky sections.

Come along on a virtual hike with me.

In the past, sheep were grazed on the barrens. Here are the remains of the shepherd’s home; definitely a room with a view!

Wildlife share the park with hikers. A sign at the entrance warned that bears have been sighted. Thankfully, we didn’t see any, but there was plenty of scat along the trail. The only wildlife we saw was birds, a squirrel and this harbour seal sunning itself!

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Colourful Lunenburg

October 9, 2016 / edebock / 2 Comments

Old Town Lunenburg, Nova Scotia is one of only two urban communities in North America to have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s also considered to be the best surviving planned British colonial town in North America. Its harbour-side streets are lined with well preserved and colourfully painted historic buildings.

This colourful section of King Street is known as the UNESCO Fresco!

Canada’s Maritime provinces are dotted with old wooden churches, none more beautiful than St. John’s Anglican Church in Lunenburg.

Visible for miles around, Lunenburg Academy, built in 1895, dominates the hilltop. Imagine going to school there!

This stately giant stand nearby.

Though we’d visited before, we thoroughly enjoyed wandering the streets and busy harbour front again.

I loved the name on this fishing boat!

Searching for colour and finding history

October 9, 2016August 20, 2018 / edebock / 2 Comments

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We knew from our previous visit with Ronnie and Myrna, the dear pen pal that I inherited from my mother-in-law, that they enjoy sightseeing drives through the lovely countryside around Mahone Bay. Like my own father, however, Ronnie has macular degeneration and is legally blind. He still has some sight, but not enough to drive. When we suggested taking them for a drive to look at the fall colours that Nova Scotia is famous for at this time of year, they jumped at the opportunity and off we went!

With Richard behind the wheel and Myrna navigating, we headed inland toward New Ross. Sure enough, though many of the trees were still green, others were aflame. For those of you who are accustomed to the wide range of reds, oranges and golds of autumn, our delight might seem odd, but where we live in Alberta, we don’t experience the same array of colours in the fall. Most of our trees just turn shades of yellow.

We saw much more than trees, however. Soon Myrna was pointing out the house where she grew up. It was here that she wrote the first letters to my mom-in-law over 75 years ago! Obviously well cared for, it has new shutters, windows and front door since the last time she saw it.

Along the same road, we saw her uncle’s old horse barn

and the one room schoolhouse that she attended.

At 16 years of age, with a grade 11 education, Myrna became a teacher in a similar school! She taught for five years before she and Ronnie married.

Nova Scotia has been changing before our very eyes with more colour every day. Here are just a few more sights from that day’s drive.

Mahone Bay… a little piece of paradise

October 8, 2016October 9, 2016 / edebock / 6 Comments

Though I love to travel, life is really about people, not places. If the weather had been horrible and the view boring, our time with the Hs would still have been wonderful! The relationship between our two families goes back 77 years and we felt so welcome. Add to that the indescribable beauty of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia and the most amazing fall weather imaginable and I think we’ve been in paradise for the past few days!

The Hs live at Indian Point, a tiny community on the shore of Mahone Bay about 7 km from the town itself which is best known for the three churches located along the edge of the bay.

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Every morning, we woke up to views like this one.

Words aren’t adequate to describe the beauty that surrounded us, so I’m simply going to share a few photos. Several of them were taken from the water while we were out on Lindy H’s boat.

This is Ronnie and Myrna H’s house where we spent lots of time visiting.

What do you look for in a fashion retailer?

October 7, 2016September 25, 2016 / edebock / Leave a comment

Several months ago, one of my favourite fashion bloggers, Pam Lutrell at over50feeling40 wrote an article for Midlife Boulevard entitled “What Retailers Need to Know From The Midlife Woman“. It was a great conversation starter and it certainly got me thinking about what my preferences are when I shop for clothes.

What do you look for in a fashion retailer?

Quality and price are always my first considerations. I like to shop for clothing that’s stylish and up-to-date without being too trendy. As a woman in my 60s, I’m not trying to look like a teenager, but I definitely don’t want to look matronly either.

I like a store that’s clean and well lit with attractive displays and not overcrowded. I rarely shop for clothing in department stores because there’s just too much to choose from. The racks are usually overfilled and customer service is almost non-existent.

I like to be greeted by staff who are friendly and helpful without being pushy or overbearing. I don’t want to hovered over, but neither do I want to feel invisible. If the sales associates spend their time standing behind the counter talking about last night’s date, I probably won’t hang around long. I also expect to be treated with respect and as a valued customer regardless of how much or how little I spend.

Dressing rooms are an important part of the shopping experience. They should be well lit, large enough to move around in and have somewhere to put my purse and belongings. A three way mirror in a well lit spot near the dressing rooms is absolutely essential.

Lastly, music that’s loud and intrusive is definitely a deterrent. I want to be able to hear myself think! Something quiet and relaxing in the background creates the kind of atmosphere that I appreciate in a clothing store.

What do you look for in a fashion retailer?

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Peggy’s Cove

October 6, 2016October 6, 2016 / edebock / 2 Comments

Peggy’s Cove, a quaint fishing village on the eastern shore of St Margaret’s Bay, about 45 km from Halifax, Nova Scotia, is probably one of the best known and most visited locations in Canada. Though we’d been there twice before, we couldn’t resist stopping at this picturesque spot again as we made our way from Halifax to our next destination at Mahone Bay.

The iconic lighthouse dominates the rocky point overlooking the crashing waves below.

Though it’s the lighthouse that attracts the most tourist attention, I love walking around the village photographing the colourful boats and the houses that cling to the rocks around the cove.

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Also of interest is the Fisherman’s Monument carved into a 30 metre granite outcropping by artist, William Edward deGarthe, who emigrated to Canada from Finland in 1926 and settled in Peggy’s Cove in 1955. The sculpture depicts 32 fishermen, their wives and children, a guardian angel with wings outspread, and the legendary Peggy of Peggy’s Cove.

Halifax Seaport

October 6, 2016 / edebock / Leave a comment

We spent most of our weekend in Halifax exploring the harbour area. Our first stop was the newly renovated Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Canada’s last standing ocean immigration terminal. It was here that a great many of the immigrants who arrived in our country between 1928 and 1971 first stepped onto Canadian soil. As well as offering a fascinating step into the past to experience what it was like to immigrate through Pier 21, the museum showcases the vast contributions that newcomers have made to Canada’s culture, economy and way of life. I was particularly touched by the wall of testimonies written by previous visitors to the museum. Here are just a few of them.

As we explored the Halifax Seaport, a vibrant waterfront area and a popular destination for both locals and tourists, we passed “The Emigrant”, a beautiful bronze and marble monument depicting an emigrant leaving his home country to start a new life in Canada. The piece was designed, sculpted and donated by artist, Armando Barbon, himself an immigrant who wanted to say thank you to his adopted country.

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In addition to being the place where many new Canadians first stepped onto our shore, the Halifax harbour was also the location where thousands of First World War soldiers last stood on Canadian soil. A trail of footprints burned into the wooden boardwalk traces the path of the long-gone fighters to a memorial arch bearing the words “The Last Steps”.

The Seaport is also home to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There, I found the exhibit devoted to the 1917 Halifax Explosion most interesting. On that darkest day in Halifax’s history, at 9:06 a.m. on December 6, a dreadful miscommunication between two ships in the harbour resulted in an explosion of cataclysmic proportions. 2,000 people were killed and 9,000 more injured. It was the largest man-made explosion in history prior to the first nuclear blast.

In addition to exploring local history, I loved just walking the boardwalk and enjoying the harbour sights.