My welcome to Nova Scotia has been hot, wet, and humid. It's the hot part that's hard to take, temperature's above 80 would once have been considered extreme especially for June. Heat like that combined with high humidity.... ?
I'm getting to know my youngest niece as an adult. We've gone to Sobeys to shop, mowed her lawn, toured her new home, gone swimming at a local fresh water dam, had local pizza, and strawberries. Was served waffles made on the new Cuisinart Griddler I gifted the newlyweds.
Highway 14 from Windsor to Chester is newly paved save for the last 5 rough miles. The rain followed me as I drove the 103 to Lunenburg/Bridgewater. Visited the Cemetery in Midville Branch and the barely recognizable home I grew up in along with the new owners and a few neighbours who moved in since I left home in 1967.
The early-season staff at the Lunenburg Board of Trade Campground didn't seem to know what they were doing, couldn't find anything, and had to be reminded I'd asked for 4 not 3 days camping. The water is soft, the internet works and so does the electrical hookup so all is not lost. After the heat-wave that greeted my arrival in Nova Scotia we saw some sun on Tuesday the eighteenth but matters cooled off significantly on Wednesday as the rain returned. Thursday night a sou'wester blew in overnight raising the temperature by 15ยบ F and bringing gusting winds and bands of heavy showers that will stay with us into Monday July First, Canada Day. Pity the people in a tent on the lower campground here. As I write this a tattoo of rain drums on my roof vent and upper windows and sluices down my windshield. The fog that came in yesterday afternoon has the harbour entrance fog horn going off every 90 seconds. Welcome to Lunenburg. All my windows are fogged over and nothing dries.
Spent yesterday, Friday, visiting with my 94-year-old Aunt catching up and being pumped for gossip. Tough when everyone you once knew has passed on and you have no one to talk to from your generation or even those younger. She got out to the beauty parlour on Thursday in preparation for an event at St Paul's Bridgewater Sunday honouring their 20 members over 90. Entertainment is watching the hummingbirds at her feeder and 20-odd American Goldfinches in her backyard, reading the Chronicle Herald--the Halifax Paper and the weekly Bridgewater Bulletin. The obituary section is of great importance. I hope I can still cook and do my own washing at a similar age.
Walked uptown early this morning for the $7.50 breakfast on offer at the local Royal Canadian Legion Hall. Discovered after walking a mile round trip that the sign I've been looking at for the last two days was facing the wrong way. Guess they didn't want out-of-towners to find the place. Everything else was closed at that hour.
Zion Lutheran, Lunenburg is between pastors so I plan to attend the historic St John's Anglican rebuilt exactly after the fire of Halloween 2001. Expect I'll take the tour after service. My cousin showed me the family pew complete with gate back in the 60ies. And so I walked out to St John's Anglican Sunday Morning in the rain stopping to look at the Legion I'd missed the day before, taking a look at Central United Church, and picking up a bulletin at the Lutheran Church. The Church was a beautiful as I'd remembered and the organ well-played. The hymn-tune Down Ampney gave me opportunity to sing with gusto. The rector, Micheal Mitchell walked down to greet visitors before service. The congregation still uses the common cup for communion. Lemonade, cakes and sweets on the parade after service, then a tour of the building complete with a look at the burial ground under the church home to 20 deceased.
On the advice of a local walked down to the Savvy Sailor on Montague and ordered Eggs Benedict with home-smoked bacon, coffee and peach crumble dessert. Walked over to Central United for a concert by the Mahone Bay girls choir, Tea and Biscuits accompanied by guitar, piano, double bass, flute, violin, and drum kit played by an adorable urchin with thick black eyebrows. Amid passing showers walked down to the railway wharf which hasn't seen tracks in many decades and took in the harbour sights. Stopped to sample the wares at the Ironworks Distillery--rum, vodka and eau de vie with a pear grown inside the bottle. Had a pleasant chat with the young man doing the sampling.
The last time I visited Foodland in Lunenburg a crew was outside painting the exterior. I paused to admire the pastel mural that now graces its front. Inside I looked for fish cakes unsuccessfully and found nothing else I needed. Settled in once I got back home for the evening.
Monday Morning I struck out for Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore around 7:30. First up was a heavily wooded route past the road to Second Peninsula after passing the Lunenburg Academy. Eventually one comes out on Mahone Bay with what, on a clear day, would be an ideal view of the town's famous three churches in a row today partially hidden in fog. One passes those churches and drives a few miles past town before accessing the 103 to Halifax. Around Tantallon the world disappeared completely in dense fog. At that hour traffic in Halifax on a Holiday Monday was non-existent and I found my way to A Murray MacKay Bridge dropping my looney in the fare basket on the Dartmouth Side. From there joined Hwy 107 through Cole Harbour headed North East. Stopped for gas at Canadian Tire blessing the pump for stopping at $100.00, then for not stopping the second time when the tank was full. Early on a Holiday Monday nothing was open so I drove up the foggy coast to Murphy's Cove, turned onto Murphy Rd, and drove to the end of the line at Murphy's Campground where Mrs. Murphy signed me in.
Nothing special about the sites here among the rocks, trees and hills on a winding road betimes rocky and muddy. Managed to get a site facing the bay which has been shrouded in fog since my arrival. I have had some fun talking to the neighbours. This campground is truly a family-run operation. Coffee is on every morning and campfire with boiled mussels every night. Canada Day fireworks and flags for July First.
Drove on to Sherbrooke Tuesday Morning stopping at Ships Harbour for Groceries and a bottle of wine later near Sherbrooke. Was amused to pass Mailman's Point just east of Town. Calling Riverside Camping along the St Mary's River a campground is a stretch and the owner demanded cash. It does have electrical hook-ups and water taps, a
bathroom and laundry sharing space with 2 'cabins', but that's about it. Walked into town and had an over-priced grapenut ice cream. Wandered through the Coffee shop, the cafe, the library, Foodland/Pro Hardware, the Royal Bank, Shoppers Drug/Sears, the Post Office and that was it. Stopped to look at the Mill and Lumber Camp on my way back. Got home just before it started raining again.
Woke early Wednesday Morning and saw dawn break over a mirror-smooth bay, was about to go out and greet it when it started raining so I went back to bed. Spent the day catching up online and writing until late afternoon when I made a trip up to Foodland to go shopping as they don't open until 9 in the morning. Got cash on my interact purchase. Suddenly I've gotten a whole pile of neighbours including a couple from Chester. The sun finally made an appearance and shown in my windows as it was going down.
Thursday morning the adventure begins. Located my paperwork for Stanfest and will soon be off. After I've finished up online though I may have another nap first. Just getting to Canso this morning will be an adventure.
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