Central Nova Scotia

Thanksgiving Weekend - a tale of two rides

2010-10-12T15:35:10Z

Saturday: Wagon ride at Balmoral Grist Mill

It is always fascinating to see how flour was originally milled instead of a loaf just appearing in the supermarket. The sound of the waterfalls and waterwheel made for a great noisy arrival and backdrop for face painting, balloon animals, barbeque and wagon rides. The horses Lady and Kate pulled us on a tour around the fields and back to the mill.

There has been a mill here since 1825 with the current mill built in 1874 and operated until 1954. Restored in 1966 it has since been in continuous operation again - the Grist Mill flour chocolate chip cookies were gorgeous!

Check out the Balmoral Grist Mill website for more information.

Sunday: Sky-ride at Ski Wentworth
This is the only weekend that Ski Wentworth opens its chair lift to provide spectacular views of the Fall colour. It is always a thrilling sky-ride with occasional stops, bumps and wind-rock creating screams and shouts - fun!

You can walk down any of the ski runs though some are too steep even to try. Collecting pine cones, moss and leaves on the way back down made for a lovely day out, even though our Indian Summer has made Fall very late this year with much colour still to come.

Ski Wentworth is going to be one of the venues for the 2011 Canada Games and work towards the upgrades for this event are ongoing. A magic carpet was one of the new fun installations. I will be there and blogging about the Canada Games in February!

(Spectacular Autumn colours in the Wentworth Valley and a view from above of Ski Wentworth in Nova Scotia.)

Tatamagouche Oktoberfest

2010-10-04T12:40:00Z

It is impossible to describe Oktoberfest. To some it is a night to dance and sing, to others a fancy dress parade with men outperforming women in feathers and leather, and to others still, a chance to indulge in piles of German meats washed down with the best from Bavaria.

From 18 to 80 they crowded in, dressing up, dressing down, singing, clapping, dancing to the music, no need for encouragement - everyone was there to enjoy. Even after, in the silence of the empty hall, you could feel the spirit of fun and laughter dancing amongst the debris of popped balloons, the scent of hops and beer still heavy on the air.

Sold out weeks before, I was lucky to purchase a returned ticket at the door for my mother visiting from the UK. Recently bereaved, I was uncertain if she would be able to fully enjoy herself but with pink hat and feather she was soon Oom-pah-pahing with the best of them. And that is Oktoberfest - an escape from reality to a different time and place, one of good cheer, where nobody cares, where cool or uncool is left behind, where "eat, drink and be merry" is the understatement.

Atlantic Canada's greatest Oktoberfest has been running for 31 years. Each September the village of Tatamagouche takes on hints of Bavaria in anticipation of the two day event. It is held from Friday evening through to 2am and Saturday afternoon and evening on the last weekend of September.

Take an Adventure 300 Million Years in the Making at the Joggins Fossil Cliffs

2010-10-04T11:54:39Z

Nestled along the shore of the scenic Bay of Fundy and about 30 minutes from Amherst or Parrsboro is the Joggins Fossil Cliffs: Canada's 15th UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008 for its unrivalled record of fossils dating to the Carboniferous "Coal Age" Period in Earth's history (over 300 million years ago), the 15km stretch of protected beach contains fossils of Carboniferous plants and animals ranging from microscopic organisms to large predacious amphibians and reptiles. Preserved in situ, large trees stand where they once grew, footprints of animals are preserved where they once walked, and the earliest reptiles are found entombed in their hollow tree dens. Studied by Sir William Dawson, Sir Charles Lyell, and discussed in Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species, nowhere other than the Joggins Fossil Cliffs can you find a more complete fossil record of life on Earth over 300 million years ago.

Constructed in 2008, the state-of-the-art Joggins Fossil Centre is one of the greenest buildings in Nova Scotia. Capable of generating more than 60% of its own electricity via solar panels and a wind turbine, the Joggins Fossil Centre demonstrates a change from the dependence on fossil fuels, which were formed during the Carboniferous (Coal Age), to an environmentally friendly carbon-neutral present and future.

The museum at the Joggins Fossil Centre is fun, educational, and interactive and has some of the finest examples of Carboniferous fossils ever discovered. The Joggins Fossil Institute provides 0.5 to 4.0 hour tours of the World Heritage Site (the Cliffs), museum tours and green building tours. The Institute can also accommodate large groups, including school group visits, and have a wide range of educational activities for participants of all ages. The Centre can also be used for hosting special events that can be catered within the spacious multi-purpose room overlooking the World Heritage Site and the majestic Bay of Fundy.

Although a bit off the beaten trail, it is well worth the trip to the Joggins Fossil Cliffs UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can take a trip back in time to see what life was like over 300 million years ago. For more information about the Joggins Fossil Cliffs and Centre, visit www.jogginsfossilcliffs.net.

Whisky Galore

2010-09-15T19:03:29Z

Last November the group tasted a whisky from the only single malt whisky producer in North America , which just happens to be right here in Nova Scotia. Glenora Distillery at Glenville, Inverness County, Nova Scotia was established in 1990 on a 300 acre site. It produces over 250,000 litres of whisky using the traditional copper pot stills and only three ingredients: Barley, Yeast and Water to make their rare single malt whisky. It cannot be called 'Scotch' unless it is produced in Scotland, hence here in New Scotland it can only be called Canadian Single Malt Whisky.

It was our first tasting evening and what fun! Over a lovely themed five course meal and an evening amongst serious enthusiasts and great company, we tasted Old Pulteney, Ben Raich, Sheep Dip and Glen Parker single malts and a mystery whisky that turned out to be oriental in origin rather than from the glens. Known as Yamazaki from Japan it nearly turned the seasoned Scots tasters Kamikaze!

This was the Sixth Tasters of Tatamagouche single malt tasting experience and there will be many more but perhaps none so surprising. I can't wait!

The Welcome Garden Visitor

2010-07-20T12:19:00Z

One of the most welcome visitors to our garden is the Hummingbird. They are such a delight to see and are fascinating creatures with their speed, high energy, diminutive size and colourful markings. They will venture very close to the house and even with people around, will fly to window boxes and the feeders set up for them each spring.

This year I decided to make my own nectar for the feeders to avoid any chemicals like food colouring in the food from the stores. I boiled up one part sugar to four parts water to make my syrup, placed it inside the feeders and put them in place outside. We seemed to be waiting days before any sign of the first hummingbirds of the spring arrived, but soon the first one showed up.

It is so exciting to see them return and know that they will be around all summer. I began to wonder it they would ever feed from my feeders and that they did not like my homemade food, because they spent a couple of days just flying up to the feeders and taking a closer look and then flying away again. I was about to refill them with the store bought food that I had used the year before, when I noticed one fly up to the feeder and take a sip. I was not satisfied that they were actually taking my food until after a few days the level of syrup in the feeder had dropped.

I believe that it is the Ruby-throats that are visiting my feeders, both male and female. The males are more colourful than the females with the ruby throats. Here is a description of their plumage.

Adult male: Emerald green back, iridescent ruby red gorget (throat) that may appear black under some lighting conditions, gray flanks, forked tail with no white. Smaller than the female.

Adult female: Emerald green back, white breast and throat, rounded tail with white tips. Larger than the male, with longer bill.

The average length of this hummingbird is 3.5 inches and they can reach flight speeds up to 68 mph (101 kph) and it is thought that Ruby-throats live as long as 12 years, but the average is probably 3-5 years. Ruby-throats breed throughout eastern to midwestern North America, from southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Most winter in Mexico, Central America, and on Caribbean islands, although a few remain in the Gulf states and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Most researchers accept a remarkable non-stop crossing of the Gulf, taking 18-20 hours. They arrive at the coast in late February or early March, and follow the development of spring flowers northward. They arrived here this year around the end of May. By mid-November the fall migration is essentially completed throughout North America.

The Glooscap Legend of Five Islands

2010-07-07T12:12:14Z

If you've ever driven the Glooscap Trail in its entirety, you've definitely passed through what I would call one of the most photogenic places in Nova Scotia. I'm talking about Five Islands. My favourite view of Five Islands would have to be from the descent of Economy Mountain when the islands and Minas Basin comes into view. The view from the look-off at Five Islands Provincial Park is nothing to scoff at either as Moose Island, the largest of the five, dominates the landscape.

The area surrounding the Glooscap Trail is steeped in Mi'kmaq legends and Five Islands is no exception. I spent a good portion of my younger years in Five Islands with my grandparents and I remember my grandmother telling me of the Mi'kmaq's interpretation of how Five Islands came to be. I have heard different variations of the legend but the version that I was told went as follows:

Glooscap was a giant god-like man who lived in Cape Blomidon, overlooking the Bay of Fundy. He was created by Gisoolg, the Great Spirit Creator, from a bolt of lightning. A giant beaver, one of Glooscap's enemies, had built a large dam which caused the flooding of Glooscap's garden in Advocate. Angered by this, Glooscap threw handfuls of mud at the beaver in order to break his dam and drive him away and these handfuls became the five islands: Moose, Long, Diamond, Egg and Pinnacle. It is also believed that the water released from the dam created the historic Bay of Fundy tides.

Five Islands has been a bustle of activity and development recently due to Dick Lemon's presence in the community. Since his arrival in Five Islands in 2003, he has done wonders for the community including but not limited to; the development of a retreat on Long Island, which has purchased; the Five Islands installation of Masstown Market; and Mo's: a sort of cafe/hostel/restaurant/art gallery among other things. He can also be credited for initiating "Not Since Moses": a charity run which in previous years has consisted of a course around Long Island at low tide. This year, however, the course has been changed and will commence and end at Five Islands Provincial Park. "Not Since Moses" helps raise money for local charities and proves to be a fun day for everyone.

There's plenty to see and do in Five Islands! Whether you're out for a scenic Sunday drive, got a hankerin' some fresh seafood, or just need to get away for a while, Five Islands has an experience in store for everyone.

A Taste of the Caribbean

2010-06-28T13:34:44Z

Who would have thought there was an island as good as any in the Caribbean right on my doorstep?

Pictou Island sounded as far from Tortola as the North Pole to me but their website, www.pictouisland.com, and photos persuaded us to take the short boat ride and we are so glad we did.

We arrived at the ferry port in Caribou and were able to park next to the small boat that would take us on the 45 minute trip. We climbed aboard the Pictou Island Ferry with an assortment of visitors, tourists and residents and we soon learned much about the island. No stores for shopping, no restaurants, no transport - what were we doing?!

The unspoiled beauty is what makes the island a real treasure with nature everywhere - butterflies, birds, wildflowers, shellfish and sea glass, shells and sand dollars to collect. The beaches are wide with pure white, clean sand and the air, clear and fresh. There is no power so the residents live completely off-grid and in a great degree of luxury.

What a great example of being able to live an eco-friendly life in a true island paradise!

A. Alarcon's Comment Response: Photos from the North Shore

2010-06-23T13:03:07Z

In response to a comment from A. Alarcon requesting photos from the North Shore, I have uploaded a couple of my favourite pictures in this post because they cannot go in the reply box.

It was difficult to choose just two, but here are a couple of pictures taken along the North Shore last summer. One is of a colourful sunset out of many I have seen and even fewer I have captured on film. The other is of the Tall Ships and Theodore II visiting Pugwash Harbour where we had a chance to have a sail and to take a closer look.

Dhyan Keeble-Morris, author for Central Nova Scotia Blog

2010-06-10T14:38:10Z

My partner, two daughters and I moved to the gorgeous North Shore of Nova Scotia five years ago. After spending three weeks touring and exploring some of the highlights of Nova Scotia we made the decision that this was where we should be. We were looking for a more balanced lifestyle and one that was closer to nature and the ocean. We wanted to leave the hectic existence we had back in the UK as soon as possible and by the following winter we had made the move.

Nova Scotia far exceeds our expectations both in lifestyle and beauty, so much so that I had to quickly upgrade my camera to enable me to capture as much as possible what my eyes were seeing. Unfortunately even the best camera would never be able to do justice to the beauty all around us. Even the same landscapes never look the same at any given moment because of the changing lighting. I find the light is very different here than in the UK and the sunrises and sunsets are especially wonderful. My camera is constantly by my side and especially on our travels and adventures around the province. I am always sending my own personal "Postcard from Nova Scotia" back to friends and family in the UK. I would love to share some of these with you.

Tidal Bore Rafting: What a Rush!

2010-05-28T13:06:49Z

Last summer, I went Tidal Bore rafting for the first time in Maitland. I had heard how much fun it was but, myself not being the strongest swimmer in the world, I was a little hesitant. The waiver didn't help my fears any which is strange because I have been skydiving before and most people would consider Tidal Bore rafting a little less extreme than skydiving. I think it was just the water factor that was freaking me out.

Anyways, my fears were somewhat calmed as everyone was kitted with life jackets before we walked down to our 8-person zodiac. We spent about 15 minutes bobbing around waiting for the tide to come in while the tour guides joked back and forth between each other: "Good luck on your first tour", one guide said to ours from another zodiac. We all laughed...slightly uneasily.

After the tide began to come in, our guide got us landed on this huge sand bar in the middle of the Shubenacadie River. As I began to walk around on it, I started to think, 'Ok, why are we here? Get to the rafting!' But soon enough, I knew why. Within a matter of about 45 seconds, the huge desert of a sandbar was covered in inches of water. I knew that the Tidal Bore was a powerful phenomena but this blew my mind! If I remember correctly, our guide told us that the amount of water that comes in is equivalent to filling an Olympic-sized swimming pool every 1.3 seconds! Wow!

We quickly got back into the zodiac as our time here was obviously limited and we were off to find some waves. We didn't have to look too hard as the rushing water created swells that seemed to be between 6 and 10 feet tall. We were told that on a full moon in the spring and fall, the waves can get much higher. Our guide was not shy about giving us our money's worth as he launched the zodiac off the tip of one swell and into the wall of another totally drenching us with salty sandy water. Adrenaline soon replaced any fears I had had and I found myself looking for the next big waves for us to conquer. After about an hour of bouncing around from one wave to the next, I could tell that the waves were getting smaller and the window for Tidal Bore rafting was closing. After the water calmed down, our guide encouraged us to jump out and experience the powerful undertow. I did so and before I knew it, the undertow had carried me quite a piece down the river without me even knowing it. I got back into the boat and as we crossed under the Gausse Bridge, I knew that my rafting adventure was coming to a close.

Back at the lodge, we were all smiles as we talked about who almost went overboard and who had the most sand in their hair. Although we all agreed that our bodies were a little sore from riding the waves, the fact that our faces were sore from continuously laughing so hard made up for it.

Tidal Bore rafting: quite possibly the most action-packed adventure that the Bay of Fundy has to offer. But don't take my word for it, go try it yourself!