Is It Time To Leave Yet?

Life has slowed way down since we arrived back home from our Nova Scotia adventure. So much so that I have taken up trapping as a hobby. Well, it started out as a hobby. It quickly became a mission. I'm talking about all out war on the moles that have invaded our yard!

Step 1 was to get the proper equipment. I started out with a trip to the local hardware store where I purchased a box of Motomco Mole Killer worms. Supposedly you drop these worms into the path of the mole with the thought (hope) being that they eat them and die! They may work for one mole but who has just one mole?

Step 2 was to get out the trusty old mole trap. You know the spring loaded kind that when tripped sends six pointed spears down through the mole pinning him to the ground until he gasps his last breath. Well moles are smart. They simply burrow around the trap and keep going. The only one speared is me while trying to set up the trap!

Step 3 on the advice of my neighbor, was to spread a fertilizer type substance across the lawn that kills the grub worms that the moles feed on. He says he hasn't had a mole all year since treating his lawn. OK. Back to the hardware store. Purchase. Apply. Wait.

WMD's (weapons of mole destruction)
Turns out waiting is the hard part for me. Every morning I get up and look out over the yard to see if any new mole trails have appeared overnight then go out and stamp them down. While doing my stamp dance in the yard one morning I noticed the ground moving at the end of a mole trail. Ah Ha! My mind races. Do I go back into the house and put on my camouflage? Do I get the gun? Where's that old fish spear I had when I was a kid? I have to act fast! Then it hits me. The trap with six pointed spears. Like lightning I spring across the yard and pull it out of the ground setting it off as I pull. Now I slowly work my way back to the spot where I saw the ground moving. Good! He's still working.  I align myself at the proper angle. Get a firm two handed grip on the trap and lunge at the spot where he's working. The ground stops moving as the points penetrate whatever is beneath it. Did I get him? For good measure I'll let the trap stay here for a few hours.

Demonstration photo of proper spearing technique.
Well my spearing was successful! One down. Many to go! Now I have the solution, although Pam thinks I'm obsessed.

Is it time to leave yet? I think I hear Tourist calling.

Last Day in Lunenburg

For the past several days we've been going to go to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic but always turned away because of the crowds. Always busloads of tourists pulling up and unloading right at the main entrance. Now I know how the other folks felt every time I pulled in somewhere when I was driving a bus!
Sunday came and since it was our last day in Lunenburg we had to hit the museum no matter what. Suitcases packed and full tummy's thanks to Marilyn, we headed over to the museum. Buses! But only two. Admission was paid and in we went. Through the aquarium and several other exhibits. At one point Pam tried to take over the shucking demonstration but couldn't get the guy to move out of the way.

Pam trying to take over the shucking.

After viewing most of the exhibits inside we went out to the wharf to view the ships. My favorite was the Theresa E. Connor. Built in 1938 and used into the 1960's the Connor was a sailing ship with a single diesel engine. Her hold could accommodate 425,000 lbs. of fish layered either in ice or salt to preserve the fish until it could be off loaded back in port. Walking through the hold you could still smell the fish almost 40 years later. Those sailors must have had every cat in town following them when they came into port!

Theresa E. Connor

Officers quarters. Bunks are behind the curtains on either side.

Sailing excursion from the museum.

The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic (www.museum.gov.ns.ca) was a very informative and worthwhile stop and a must if you ever find yourself in Lunenburg. We spent several hours strolling around looking at boats and exhibits. And surprise! They even have a gift shop.

Back to Donnie & Marilyn's to get our bags and take one last picture before heading to our airport hotel.

No Pam, you can't take Chloe with you!

They say time flies when you're having fun and that is so true. All too soon it was time to head out. Donnie, Marilyn, & Chloe are great hosts and hopefully we didn't overstay our welcome. Lunenburg and the surrounding area is a must see destination. Pam & I can't say enough about the hospitality shown us by everyone we met. Thank-you to all, especially Donnie & Marilyn for their generosity and for sharing their part of the world with us. See you in Florida!

Our flight home was smooth and only a few minutes late. The only annoyance was the lady sitting behind us who sounded like Julia Childs and never shut up the entire time!

More Scenes Around Lunenburg

My favorite perch while visiting was in the front window looking out over the harbor. Sometimes however I had to share my vantage point with Chloe. While I was watching the boats coming and going, Chloe was keeping an eye on the squirrels and birds that would sneak into her yard.

Chloe keeping vigil.

While travelling around town we went past one of the oldest Anglican churches in North America.

Lunenburg Anglican church built in 1753.

We also drove past the Lunenburg Academy where Donnie went to school and which is still in use today. We drove past since it sits atop the highest hill in town and I'm too lazy to walk that far just for a picture!

Lunenburg Academy built between 1894 & 1895.

We did walk past this old French cemetery. Fortunately no one rose up to greet us.

One of the last nights we spent in Lunenburg Marilyn made scallops on the half shell. Words can not describe how good these little morsels were! I'm still drooling just remembering them.

Upper photo; Chef Marilyn serving the goodies.
Bottom Photo; Scallops on the half shell before being devoured.

Around Lunenburg

A few pictures from the Lunenburg area.

Pam & Marilyn with a section of the Berlin wall. How many people looked at that wall and wondered what life was like on the other side?

Unemployed lobster traps.

Fish shacks.

Road along the coast.

Red house used in filming Jesse Stone series which starred Tom Seleck. (Personally I've never seen the series so I have to believe our guides on this one!) Lunenburg has been in many movies over the years often portraying a New England fishing village.

Lobster boat waiting for the season to open.

Another fish shack.

Lunenburg waterfront.

Everywhere you turn it's like a scene from a movie. Pop over a hill and you see water. Open the car window and you can smell the sea. Stop and listen and you can hear the gulls and the water crashing against the rocky shore. Something for all the senses to feast on!

Cross Island

One evening Donnie got a call from Wayne, a good friend who had stopped by earlier to chat. Wayne wanted to know if we would like to go with him to his cottage on Cross Island the next day. Is the Pope Catholic? Of course we said yes!
Morning dawned with a fog hanging over the harbor. Somewhat normal for the first few days of our stay. Not prepared to go to sea I had to borrow a sweater and jacket that would fend off the water that may get splashed along the way. When we arrived at Wayne's the fog was still present and I expected him to say we wouldn't be going. I was wrong! Into his truck we climbed and off to the boat we went.

Wayne & Donnie loading the boat. Notice the absence of electronics!

It wasn't long before we were motoring past moored lobster boats and fish houses making our way to the open sea. That's right. Cross Island is roughly four miles from Wayne's dock across open water.
Unfortunately due to the fog and salt spray I wasn't able to take pictures on the way out or back.  Wayne navigated the course through the rocky outcroppings twisting and turning at points only he could see from 30 plus years of going back & forth. It wasn't hard to determine when we hit the open water of the North Atlantic as the boat started to rise and fall over the ocean swells. While we travelled along I couldn't help but wonder which way I would swim if we had to abandon ship? There was no way to know where the closest land was due to the grey/white fog surrounding us.
A few minutes later Wayne announced that we should be coming up to his buoy marking the start of his route around and through the rocks to his cottage. Bingo! Right on cue a floating marker appeared out of the fog.
We twisted and turned through the rock ledges sometimes barely missing them and then we arrived. Even in the fog words cannot describe the beauty of this place. It's easy for me to see why Wayne keeps coming back.

Wayne's little piece of heaven.

Other cottages further in the cove.

Wayne has all the comforts of home in his cottage. Heat (wood & propane), electricity (solar, battery, & inverter), refrigeration (propane), and stove & oven (propane). The main house even has indoor plumbing for sink, shower, & toilet. Freshwater comes from barrels that collect the rain water and any other water comes from the sea via electric pump. What we take for granted in our homes has been carefully thought out and implemented by Wayne into his hideaway. He even has an electric winch in the boathouse to retrieve the inflatable.

Wayne retrieving the inflatable.

Wayne & Donnie walking on Cross Island. Notice the rocky composition of the island.

Looking out to the Atlantic during a brief respite from the fog.

Interior shot of the cottage. Simple but functional. Sleeping quarters are upstairs.

I enjoyed lunch at the cottage listening to my two companions exchange tales of their past encounters. It's a wonder their wives's still let them play together!

All too soon it was time to go back to the mainland. All it would have taken to stay would have been to open a bottle of rum. Who knows. We may still be there if that had happened. Sometimes being responsible sucks!

Before we got back to the dock we took a detour and headed over to an area called the Back Harbor. A much shallower bay that lays just over the hill from downtown Lunenburg.

Passage to Back Harbor.

Before long we were back at the dock securing the boat. My thanks to Wayne for the unexpected privilege of his company and being able to share a little piece of his world. A great day, with great people, in a beautiful part of the world.

Lunenburg

Did I mention the lobster was Delicious? We each had a 2 pounder. Yummmm!
Wednesday we decided we should walk downtown to check out the shops and to work off the lobster from the previous night. Lunenburg was settled in 1753 by the British. The plans for the city were drawn up in Jolly Old England and brought to the site that was to be the town. What they did not take into account was that the area is not flat. Due to the shortsightedness of the English we were forced to stop along the way and recharge our batteries to complete our walk!

At one point Donnie had to take a rest.

Still full, we resisted the temptation of Large Marge's Diner.

We walked past Camp Norway which was set up in 1940 to house Norwegian sailors who couldn't return home because of the Nazi occupation.

We strolled the streets.

And headed to the waterfront.

We checked out the Fisherman's Memorial which was designed by a close friend of Donnie & Marilyn's and contains the names of all the men and ships that have sailed from Lunenburg and have not returned.

I may have forgotten to mention that Donnie & Marilyn live directly across the harbor from downtown and can keep an eye on all the activity in the port. While there my favorite spot was sitting on a chair looking out at the harbor. Beautiful!

The view from their house.

Lunenburg is rich in history beyond what I can describe. Check it out at http://www.explorelunenburg.ca/

Nova Scotia

Last Monday Pam & I jumped on a plane and headed to Nova Scotia to have a look around and visit our friends Donnie, Marilyn, and Chloe. Our flight got in quite late so knowing Donnie's curfew was early we got a motel and arranged for them to pick us up the next day.

The next morning greeted us with fog so thick you could barely see the highway outside our motel. In spite of the fog our hosts showed up right on time. Following several rounds of hugs, and several kisses from Chloe we climbed in the car and headed toward the Halifax waterfront. Our view of the harbor was pretty good considering the thick fog hanging over the area. It wasn't long before we made our first big decision. What to eat that night! Along our route was Clearwater seafood. (http://www.clearwater.ca/) A quick stop was made and four live lobsters were picked out of the tank for us.

Picking the lobster as Donnie & Marilyn look on.

Preparing the lobster at home that evening.

I hope those claws don't scratch!

Wine goes with everything!

Our hosts.

The carnage.
Almost forgot to mention that we saw some fantastic scenery on our ride to Donnie & Marilyn's house in Lunenburg.