Sea to Sea Connector

We are feeling right at home. This morning, we awoke to find a deer munching on an apple tree in the backyard. For our early walk, we took the Belcher Marsh Trail - a little like the path around Swan Lake. The award-winning Halifax Public Library was our next stop. What a resource! Two coffee shops, rooftop seating, an auditorium open to the general area and an entire wooden pretend kitchen for the tots. Following the library, we visited Dalhousie and the University of King’s College ( est. 1789). It is the oldest chartered university in Canada, and the first English speaking university inside the Commonwealth, outside of the UK. But, it can’t all be fun and games, so we returned home and did the laundry. And, Doug squeezed in a swim at the nearby Kearney Lake. It is a sultry day that feels like rain, but it hasn’t.. ( Saving that weather for tomorrow) About "Comments" - A few of you have mentioned that the blog won't let you comment. I am " a bear of v...

Doug, Natasha and I took ourselves downtown to the Nova Scotia Art Gallery. While the Victoria Art Gallery currently hosts its own travelling Maude Lewis display, we were intent on seeing her tiny home inside the walls of this provincial building. It did not disappoint. The collection of this talented, driven, diminutive Folk Artist was fulsome and iconic. But, to see her home, ( 300 square ft?) was to see her major work of art. No heat but a wood stove, no running water or electricity - every inch of the building and all its furnishings, plastered with her celebrated, colourful renderings of birds, flowers and deer. She lived here from 1938 until her death in 1970. We exited with a certain pride and hope in our hearts. If the story of Maude Lewis is new to you, definitely watch the movie “Maudie”. It is excellent and the actress, Sally Hawkins, was nominated for an Academy Award. She did not win, which is a travesty - but there is no accounting for taste. I also visited th...

We arose to a changed weather scene: warm but not humid; clear, but not harshly sunny; still, but with the tiniest hint of a breeze. Hey, that sounds like Victoria! While we waited for David and Natasha to join the wake-up world, we decided to get our drugstore shopping done. And, we included our morning walk at the Bedford Basin, along a pretty walkway called DeWolfe Park. DeWolfe, on case you don't know, was a native son of Bedford, left his home at 15 for Esquimalt, to eventually become vice Admiral and Chief of Naval Staff. Once everyone was up and ready to go, we drove to Africville. The little museum - a church - was closed ( Sunday), but the park was open for picnics and strolling. Doug and I will return at a later date to tour the display. The whole thing seemed very understated for such an important and tragic event. Does the Halifax community not want us to see it? We were a little shocked that the Feds/ Province/ Municipality had not sunk more money into it....

August 27 was warm and humid with clouds and sun. After a slow start, we managed to pile into the car and drive to historic, downtown Halifax, where we joined scores of tourists on the Harbourwalk. I forgot my sunscreen! Before I was scorched, we headed into the safety of the Pier 21 Museum, Canada’s national museum of immigration. This is a sensitive, informative look at the 1.5 million immigrants who passed through this gateway to our country and the role they have played in shaping Canadian life. Our entry ticket allows us to return, free of charge, to use the museum’s genealogical services, where we can research our personal histories. Did my maternal great great grandfather, Patrick Morin, begin his new life on these shores? Or, did my paternal grandparents, Peter and Martha, more recently, travel from Halifax to Medicine Hat? I will investigate!

This is a day of comings and goings. We got Rick and Anna to the airport at 4:30am, destined for our home, Victoria. David and Natalia are due to arrive tonight at 8 pm. This ETA keeps moving later and later- and with it our dinner plans. Pizza is on the menu, and we will order as soon as they are in the vicinity. Jet lag and arthritis have slowed me down. I may have conquered the sleep issue with a life-giving nap this afternoon. The humidity is aggravating the arthritis and pills are the only remedy. Let’s hope they work their magic - I am truly hobbling around! After breakfast, we drove to Old Town Halifax and ambled along the Halifax Harbourwalk. Lots of touristy shops side-by-side yachts, sailing ships and marine transit, plus very historic buildings. Update: the “kids” finally found us. It is wonderful to see David after our long Covid separation. And, to meet his Natalia. Later today, we will go to the Pier 21 Museum.

We have spent our first day in Halifax. It is warm and a little more humid than we are used to. My hair is twice its usual circumference. Imagine Ethel Merman. Giving Anna some space to pack and get organized, Rick took us for an extensive car tour of the Halifax region. Everything from Citadel Hill to Dalhousie University to Dartmouth. Halifax is much bigger than I remember- more like a major city than one that is only 50,000 more people than Victoria. Whilst tripping around the area, we stopped to retrieve granddaughter Hannah from Wall Climbing Camp and to meet her dog, Marcus. For dinner, we went to the Pleasant Street Diner for halibut tips and clams. There is a shambolic atmosphere to this culinary experience, but when those clams skid onto your table, it is heaven. And then to Leonidas for a mini- dip ice cream cone. I had mine dipped in dark orange Belgian chocolate. It leaves DQ in the parking lot. Tomorrow morning, Rick and Anna leave for the airport at 5am - Do...

Plane ride…uneventful, in so many good ways. I was quite worried that my pinched femoral nerve problem would make the ride unbearable, but for once, my back cooperated. I was comfortable for a change! Who knew that being squashed in an airplane seat was the physiotherapy I needed? Our seats were right in front of the bathrooms, which has its own advantages, too. But the highlight of the trip, definitely, was the in-flight entertainment. I watched the best movie, which I will highly recommend to all the film buffs.( And, a big thank you to Lucy, who mentioned it on Facebook) It is called The Duke, starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. I haven’t enjoyed such a good flick in ages ( and I could only hear half of it because if the ‘in-flight’ noise). I won’t bore you with details, but run out and find it in a theatre near you. ( It was playing at the Vic Theatre, which is near us, but we were too busy to go!) Now we are at today(Wednesday) and yesterday is another country......

We staggered through Security at YVR . My very heavy carry-on bag tethers me to the earth …at least until the wheels part company with the tarmac. We left the house in pristine condition - new shower curtain, new microwave, clean cupboards, no ants. It’s a bit of a shame that we can’t stick around and enjoy this transformation. Are we missing a massive opportunity to live in our home, when nothing is spotted or sticky? It’s never happened before. I have a memory of my first plane ride, from Montreal to Winnipeg in 1959. My mother, wearing a dress and high heels, my younger brother was in a miniature suit, and I, wearing a ludicrous hat, with a ribbon down the back and attached by an elastic chin strap. Doug and I are not similarly attired. Think elastic waists and fleece.

Thanks for taking a peek at my blog! I must admit that I am not at the top of my craft in this medium. I have struggled with weird layouts, dumb posts, and giant images. i will beg for your patience, while I make an effort to get the hang of Blogger. Maybe my angst can be blamed on age. It has been several years since I have messed around like this. But, be assured that I will try to get something online every few days. Or, feeeling brave and confident this very minute, I will say I will try every day...maybe.