Cat problem

Nova Scotia’s Litters ‘n Critters has one.

Litters n’ Critters, a non-profit agency, fosters animals until permanent homes are found for them.

Ms. Cunningham said her heart sank when she got the call.

“I thought, ‘What are we going to do with 28 cats? How do we find homes for 28 cats?”

“We’ve had three cats in rescue now for almost four months that we can’t find homes for. It is very, very, difficult to find homes for cats. There are so many cats out there.”

Nevertheless, Ms. Cunningham and other volunteers have stepped up to the challenge.

The cats and kittens are all in good health but their previous owner was unable to afford to look after them, Ms. Cunningham said.

“It is what happens when you don’t spay or neuter your pets.”

The Dread Crew: Pirates of the Backwoods by Kate Inglis w/ illustrations by Sydney Smith

Published October 2009 by Nimbus Publishing

ISBN: 978-1551097374

The Recommend:

As quoted from the backcover, highly “recommended for antsy boys who long for glory, for spritely girls inclined to reach out for adventure, and for good-humoured grown-ups who like the smack of Limberger and devil’s club sandwiches with a dash of June bug pepper.”

This pirate tale is it’s own booty.

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About Monique Trottier

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Monique Trottier (@somisguided) is the blogger behind SoMisguided.com: Plain Words, Uncommon Sense on books, writing, perfumery, technology and other amusements.

She’s a writer, editor, internet marketer, point-and-shoot photographer, web-aficionado and book reader. She’s also the owner of Boxcar Marketing, a boutique internet consultancy.

She has too many favourite books to mention in such a small blurb.

You might actually be able to find a villa for rent, cabin for rent or even vacation resorts that will be easier to rent especially if you are looking for a warmer climate like Florida. There is also the option of finding an owner with a vacation rental home that is available in the area in which you like to spend your vacation. You can also join some type of vacation club where people buy into a vacation space and help each other pay the rent through the year and then each choice the dates in which you would like to stay.

Let’s look into a few different cities where a lot of different people actually take their families and find places for rent like villas, vacation homes, cabins and even different vacation resorts. One place that seems like a nice place to go but very expensive would be Italy or Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia has a lot of different villas for rent that overlook the mountain side and the fields of Nova Scotia. These villas are all so beautiful and traditional in the Nova Scotia scenery.

If you are more of an outdoor person find cabins to rent is something all together different and sometimes harder to finder. Cabins are becoming distinct because of people trashing them and also because the owner just don’t want to put the money into keeping them up. Usually if you find a cabin rental then it is up in the mountains and sometimes has no running water or anything of that nature. You usually have to bring in water. This is what a true outdoorsman would like and enjoy or if you are teaching your children and/or other family members about nature and living in the old days.

If you are looking for something that is great for everyone then finding a nice vacation resort would be the best for everyone. Try Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This area has quite a few different vacation resorts along with different villas for rent, houses for rent by owners due to knowing that a lot of people go to this area for vacation. And last but not least there are regular vacation homes that you can acquire.

As stated previously there are a lot of people that try to look in many places to rent some type of vacation spot, whether it be a cabin, villa or a regular or resort. Finding nice ones are the hardest part. This is mainly because previous people that have stayed there have trashed the place and instead of bringing everything back up to the way it was companies just do the bare minimum because of the expense.

If it wasn’t for the people that do care of their vacation spots there probably would not be any at all. Just remember no matter where you, please treat your vacation spot with the respect you would treat your own house. This will ensure that everyone not only will have a great time on vacation but you will be able to go to different places in the future.

I haven’t written in a few days.  I’ve been sick for one week now with the worst sore throat I have ever had.  I’ve been coughing (up), and trying to get better but I’ve even lost my voice two days ago and it hasn’t returned yet.  I have a throat infection and an ear infection and tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  We had plans for supper at Josh’s brother’s house with his family, and then church with my family, and a rappie pie get together afterward.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we will be able to do either since I’m sick.  It bothers me very much, to be honest.  But what can you do, right?  I am taking antibiotics that so far are not helping, and I can’t stay up long at a time without feeling miserable. 

I am trying to stay positive, even though being sick over Christmas has put me down in the dumps.  No one will visit because I’m sick, I’m sure.

The blog will be quiet over the holidays as I try to get better, and celebrate the holidays (as much as I can) with my family.  I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and best wishes for 2010.  We have so much to look forward to in the next year!

Until then….see you next year!

If you have a real Christmas tree in your home this holiday season, it’s likely a Balsam Fir. Although these beautiful evergreens can live to be up to 200 years old, those cut down as Christmas trees are often no more than 10 years old. They’re preferable to spruce and pine due to their long-lasting dark green needles, refreshing fragrance and easily decorated boughs.

These days, most Christmas trees are harvested on tree farms in such a manner that they are now a more ecological choice than artificial trees. While 80% of artificial trees are made in China, real Christmas trees are grown all across North America. Daily, the trees on each acre of one such farm creates enough oxygen to support 18 people. Balsam firs are native to Nova Scotia and Eastern and Central Canada.

In the forest, mature balsam firs can grow to 70 ft in height and have a distinct church steeple shape.  Their foliage is eaten by moose, deer, snowshoe hares and grouse, while red squirrels, porcupines and chickadees enjoy the seeds. 

Lower branches touch the ground, providing excellent hiding places for hares and grouse.  Each tree possesses both male and female parts, the larger cones being female.  Although adaptable to a variety of soils and climates, balsam firs thrive in moist, cool areas.  They are very abundant here in Cow Bay.  Unfortunately they are shallow rooted and cannot withstand the heavy winds that often blow along our coast. 

Almost 165 years ago, Hans Christian Andersen of Denmark wrote a story about the life of a Christmas tree, called ‘The Fir Tree.’  It impressed me greatly when I first read it as a child and can be found here in its entirety. 

“I know nothing of that place,” said the fir-tree, “I know the wood where the sun shines and the birds sing.” And then the tree told the little mice all about its youth. They had never heard such an account in their lives; and after they had listened to it attentively, they said, “What a number of things you have seen? you must have been very happy.”

“Happy!” exclaimed the fir-tree, and then as he reflected upon what he had been telling them, he said, “Ah, yes! after all those were happy days.”

~ From ‘The Fir Tree’ by Hans Christian Andersen

MC300-MS15 York-Sunbury Historical Society Collection Description (page 130)

If you are interested in any of these files then please contact the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

“This series contains the research notes and compilations of G. Harold Markham, of Saint John, who is numbered with those New Brunswick historians of the mid-twentieth century such as Maxwell and Manny who contributed so much to the preservation of the history of the Province.  The items here reflect a great deal of meticulous research as well as writing, and establish Markham as one who could vie for the title “New Brunswick’s Military Historian”.

Markham’s biographical notes on the New Brunswick Fencibles and the 104th Regiment should be of particular interest to genealogists, while his work on the regiments, their activities, quarters, and history should be of use to the military historians in general.  This series measures 25 centimeters.”

1  Typed manuscript of “The New Brunswick Fencibles” by G.H. Markham, (398 pp.); November 9, 1955.

2  Lists of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the Kings New Brunswick Regiment, the New Brunswick Regiment Fencible Infantry, and the 104th Regiment in 1812.

3  Biographical notes, lists, and historical sketches of the Officers of the New Brunswick Regiment of Fencible Infantry of the 104th New Brunswick Regiment.

4  Additional biographical notes, lists, and historical sketches of the officers of the 104th New Brunswick Regiment.

5  Book of “Biographical Gleanings” of the 104th Regiment.

6  Biographical notes and historical sketches on the 104th Regiment including extracts from official records.

7  Casualty list of the 104th Regiment for March 5, 1813 to November 18, 1814.

8  Extracts from the pay list of the 104th Regiment from September 25, 1812 to March 24, 1813.

9  Biographical notes, lists, and historical sketches of the Kings New Brunswick Regiment (The New Brunswick Fencibles).

10  Biographical notes, extracts from official documents, and historical sketches on the Kings New Brunswick Regiment.

11  Biographical notes, etc., on the New Brunswick Fencibles.

12  Miscellaneous notes on the New Brunswick Fencibles.

13  Extracts of the official correspondence of the New Brunswick Regiment of Fencible Infantry.

14  Index of the military officers from the Royal Kalendar of 1789.

15  Index of the military officers from the Royal Kalendar of 1807.

16  Index to the army lists in the Royal Kalendar of 1817.

17  Addenda and errata for Service of British Regiment In Canada and North America by Charles H. Stewart, 1964.

18  List of Commanders-in-Chief of the British Army, 1674-1842; and of British Secretaries-at-War, 1661-1846.

19  List of the staff of the British Army in the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and their dependencies including the islands of Newfoundland, Cape Breton, Prince Edward, and Bermuda, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, 1814-1815.

20  A list of His Majesty’s Forces serving in Upper and Lower Canada from the Quebec Almanack and the British American Royal Kalendar of 1815.

21  Letter from Mrs. Wales C. Brewster to G.H. Markham containing genealogical information on Dr. Charles Earle and the Earle family; January 1956.

22  Papers on General Francis Cockburn and the Cockburn Family including letter on the General from the Phillimore & Co. Ltd. Record Searchers, chronology of the career of the General, a historical sketch of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Cockburn, and a chart of Cockburn genealogy.

23  Papers on Lieutenant-Colonel William Drummond of Keltie including extracts from A Genealogical Memoir of the…House of Drummond by David Malcolm.  1808; a letter from the Registrar of Births, Edinburgh, 1954; a letter from Phillimore & Co., Records Searchers, 1939; and various other notes on the Lt.-Col. Drummond.

24  Papers on Captain Noah Freer and his family.

25  Papers on Captain John Jenkins, which also includes excerpts from Sir George Head’s Forest Scenes and Incidents in the Wilds of North America.

26  Papers on Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Moodie and his family.

27  List of the officers of the 104th Regiment.

28  List that compares the 104th Regiment with the St. John Militia giving biographical detail on many of the men mentioned.

29  List that compares the 104th Regiment with the grantees of Kings County.

30  List of the recorded desertions in the 104th Regiment for 1815, 1816 and 1817 giving place of desertion, date, name, commander’s name, and rank.

31  Extracts showing payments made for deserters and for recruiting of the 104th.

32  Annotated copy of the petition of Daniel Haycook and ten others belonging to the late American Legion asking for a grant on land on Grand Bay; April 22, 1785.

33  Copy of the petition of Corporal George Perkins of the Kings New Brunswick Regiment concerning land title withheld from him by David Moore; August 4, 1796.

34  Annotated copy of the petition of George Hardaker of Newcastle Parish, Northumberland County, asking for a grant of land; May 28, 1819.

35  Article on “Shiphouse Point, Smallest Naval Base” [New York State, War of 1812-1814.]

36  Article on Sacketts Harbour, New York State, includes a map.

37  Typescript of a letter from Colonel A.W. Playfair to the British Standard describing the general conditions endured by the 104th Regiment of which he was a member on their march of 1813; Bathurst, January 20, 1862.

38  A comparison of the march of the 104th Regiment and other troop movements over the same route during the “Trent Affair” of 1861-1862.

39  Note on the uniform worn by the 104th Regiment on the 1813 march to Quebec.

40  Letter from G. Harold Markham to Dr. G. Alvah Good discussing the march of the 104th; Saint John, August 8, 1957.

41   Extracts from Recollections of the War of 1812 by Surgeon William Dunlop of the 89th Regiment of Foot.

42  Unidentified extract on the battle of Lundy’s Lane.

43  Letter from G. Harold Markham to Dr. Lilian Maxwell (on a letter to him) discussing his research on the War of 1812; Saint John, October 10, 1951.

44  Manuscript plans of the battlefield and notes on the battle of Lundy’s Lane by G.H. Markham.

45  Article from the Niagara Falls Evening Review, September 11, 1941, entitled “Canadians at Lundy’s Lane” by Ernest Green.  This article was read before the Royal Society of Canada in May 1940.

46  Notes on the military quarters at Sydney, N.S.

47  Excerpt from John Stewart’s An Account of Prince Edward Island, 1806, on the defenses of Charlottetown.

48  Transcript of a “Report of all the barracks, batteries, block houses and other government buildings in the Province of New Brunswick in the year 1825″.  From Rev. W.O. Raymond scrapbook, vol. 7, page 150, in Saint John Public Library.

49  An account of Fort Ingalls at Cabano, Quebec, by Leo Bigue.

50  Transcription of “The Old Garrisons at Presqu’Isle and Grand Falls” from Rev. W.O. Raymond’s scrapbook, vol. 3, p. 247, in the Saint John Public Library.

51  Notes on the quarters of the 104th Regiment after the War of 1812.

52  Transcripts of the Regimental song, “A Soldier’s Ambition”, of the 104th Regiment written by Rev. Jonathan Odell and set to a score by David Garrick.

53  Excerpt from J.W. Lawrence’s The Judges of New Brunswick and Their Times, concerning the Trafalgar Ball given by Maj.-Gen. Hunter at the Province Hall, Fredericton in February 14, 1806.

54  Chronology of events in New Brunswick history, 1785-1851.

55  Article by G.H. Markham entitled “New Brunswick and the Gold Colony”.

56  Excerpt on the Quebec Bank, Quebec, for Mrs. Daniel MacPherson’s Old Memories, Amusing and Historical.

57  Clippings and notes on military fortifications, uniforms, personnel, and routes.

  a  Clipping re. “Sword for Col. Fowler of 104th; 1915.

  b  Christmas card with color print of “Officer of the 10th Hussars; 1835.

58  Research notes, letters, and lists on the 104th Regiment and other military subjects related to the War of 1812.

59  Letter to Lillian Maxwell re. 104th Regiment; Thomas Leonard, Sproule, and Moodie Family genealogies; 1941.

60  Pictures, photos and postcards re. March of 104th (all from Prov. of Quebec).

Just in case you hadn’t noticed… Winter is here. It has settled into the landscape, sunk its claws into the earth and won’t be leaving any time soon.  Its presence means more clothing, more work shoveling and scraping off the vehicle, higher home heating costs and more dangerous driving conditions.

By this first day of winter, wild animals have either already migrated south or found a place in which to live out the worst of winter’s fury.  Hopefully, the geese above didn’t encounter any stormy weather in their flight south on Saturday.

Yesterday, Nova Scotia was beset by a winter storm that left many of us with the work of digging ourselves out this morning.  Many folks feel that our Nova Scotia winters are not as bad as they used to be, and that nowadays, plans are too quickly cancelled due to inclement weather.  I’m sure our perspective on the situation is likely affected by the length of our driveway and the cost of the home energy bill.

Though it’s often said that every cloud has a silver lining, sometimes golden linings are also waiting to be discovered in the harshest of situations.  Winter is not without its charm, especially during the Christmas season.  In Canada, the presence of snow at this time of year is expected, like icing on a birthday cake.  I see it as a visual reminder to slow down a bit during these dark days and to take extra care to stay warm and cozy. 

It’s no doubt the cold and darkness at this time of year that originally inspired folks in Denmark to practice hygge,  the art of creating coziness and warmth through the use of placement, lighting, and special foods and drinks enjoyed with loved ones.

One kind word can warm three winter months.
~ Japanese proverb

It wouldn’t hurt for us to all be kinder  to ourselves and one another at this time of year, if only to ease the effect of the cold.

As of December 13, the 2009 hiking schedule still included Hardwood Lake, Kings Co., with the official hike being set for December 19. I wanted to quietly go up ahead of the group hike and scout out the landscape and trail conditions (carry out a ‘recce’ of the place), and because Tammy and Mellissa would not be able to attend the hike on the 19th, all three of us ventured up to Hardwood Lake on the morning of the 13th.

My goal for the group hike was to walk around the entire lake, or follow a couple of established trails. I estimated the complete distance around the lake to be approximately 8-10 kms – an easy 2-hour walk under normal walking conditions, but a lengthy endurance contest when trailblazing and hurdling downed trees, trudging through snow, and so on. I figured it was essential to see the place first before leading a group there.

So, the three of us piled into the Mountain Goat (2001 Kia Rio) and off we went to the South Mountain. After 20+ kms of driving partially snow-covered roads, we passed the Lake Paul fire station and found Hardwood Lake Lane a short distance past it on the left. Following this completely snow-covered dirt road for 2-3 kms, we parked near the locked metal gate that blocks vehicle access to the Girl Guides camp. The camp is a combination of buildings and tent sites on the western end of the lake, administered by Nova Scotia Girl Guides and is available for rent by non-GG organizations (washrooms, showers, kitchen, canoes, beach all available); for more info, please visit:

http://www.nsggcamping.ca/camp-details.php?id=84

We trekked in past the camp buildings, noting the many animal tracks in the snow along the way. Immediately past the beach – with the empty lifeguard’s chair standing watch over the deserted lake – we found the trailhead for the path that leads along the north shore to another, natural beach. We weren’t far along this trail when we heard coyotes howling in the woods; it was hard to determine how close they were (didn’t see any coyote tracks, though). Continuing onward despite the howls, we stepped over, around and under some downed trees, and crossed semi-frozen wet areas that will undoubtedly be very soupy come Spring. The trail was well-marked with tape and ribbon. After 40 minutes, we arrived at the natural, sandy beach up the lake, where we took a number of photos; the sun shining on the ice made a great photo op. I was a bit tired already from the exertion of walking through snow that was deep enough to require more effort, but not deep enough for snowshoes. I realized that it was completely unfeasible to lead a group around the entire lake, at least at this time of year when the daylight disappears quickly, and if we had to trailblaze most of the way, it would be completely exhausting. So, I decided to postpone the Hardwood Lake adventure until Spring (or perhaps Summer), when the days will be long enough to attempt either a complete loop, or at least a long hike along one side. Renting the camp for a weekend is also an option I’m considering.

We made our way back to the car, and set off for the next stop on what had become a winter photo junket. We turned off the main road from Lake Paul and followed North River Road past Lake George and Aylesford Lake, back to North Alton. Following Route 12 north towards Kentville, we turned east onto Highway 101, crested the first hill and pulled off the highway at Moores Brook. The brook was flowing quite well, and the water combined with ice and snow formations presented more photo ops. Taking the tunnel beneath the 101 pavement, we then followed Moores Brook downstream (north of the highway) to the top of the big waterfall; fortunately, Mellissa had her rope with her, which we tied to a tree and used it to scale the rockface down to the base of the falls. Without the rope, it would be extremely difficult and treacherous for anyone to descend to the bottom this time of year, as ice is abundant. The waterfall itself was iced over; in warm weather, the water tumbles over a steep, 20+ ft rockface; on this day (and likely for the rest of the winter), the water tumbled over and behind a thick, bumpy wall of ice. Great for photography, but quite wet for ice-climbing.

Having made extensive use of our cameras here, we then climbed back up out of Moores Falls and proceeded to our final stop of the day – the Kentville Research Station ravine trail, in the hollow between Kentville and New Minas. This trail is typically an easy walk through towering pines, other evergreens, and hardwoods; mostly level but with a slow incline up to the waterfall at the end of the trail. From the parking lots adjacent to Highway 1, south to the waterfall, is approximately a half-hour walk. The lower part of the trail – the meadow close to Highway 1 – is often flooded out; on this day, it was an expanse of ice.  After crossing this, the level part of the trail through the shady ravine itself was a better walk, but the incline up to the waterfall was again a bit tricky due to ice. More photos were taken, then it was time to call it a day. Tammy and Mellissa took lots of great shots, and I’m sure there will be many more opportunities for us to engage in winter photography. Hardwood Lake, however, will be a warm-weather group event.

one of the camp buildings on Hardwood Lake

taking photos on the natural beach

another scenic view on Hardwood Lake

walking the trail back towards camp

our group photo at Moores Falls, North Alton

Kentville Research Station ravine trail waterfall

Last night I had a few beer and decided to do a quick little commentary on last years epic Deathbox Productions holiday special “The Super Special After Christmas Special”

I then went to the bar with the doc crew, got tossed out, and ended up talking with a homeless guy outside McDonalds but that is a whole other film.

Enjoy the re-run of The Super Special After Christmas Special.
I hope you have as much fun watching it as I did making it.

If you would like to watch the original Super Special After Christmas Special filmed over the 2008 holiday season:

Haven’t had enough? Watch these deleted scenes:

Happy Holidays.
DEATHBOX IT!
-Matt

Urim and Thummim

I wasn’t sure when I would officially end this particular journey; My last farm? After exactly 6 months? Moncton? Arriving in Avonport?

Then I remembered my rocks. I collected them from the beach in Victoria, after leaving my two rocks from Newfoundland there. The idea was to bring them all the way back across Canada, and at times when I was unable to make a decision I could pull either the light or the dark one out of my pocket and act accordingly. However, just like in the Alchemist, I found that I was able to make decisions without them and for the last 4 months they have been carried in my purse instead of in my pockets.

I had thought that I would deposit them close to my former home in Grande-Digue, but today, when Melanie (my new housemate) suggested we took a walk on the beach, I realised that this was the final resting place for both myself and my rocks. Well, until the next time…

Goodbye Friends

I am now installed in my new home, overlooking the Bay of Fundy, but from the other side. Melanie is the Head Gardener at the Harriet Irving Botanical Garden at Acadia University. I am the bum who lives in her spare room and doesn’t ‘do’ anything. Hopefully that will change soon.

I went to the Wolfville Farmers’ Market today and reconnected with some farmers and inspectors that I have known for some time. This evening there is a party and then another one tomorrow night and another one the night after. Apparently it isn’t always like this…

Melanie dancing by her sparkley Christmas Branch

So ladies and gents, the fat lady has sung and all that is left to do is clear away the chairs and tables and stagger home merrily singing. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

Melanie, Zephyr and our little house to the top right

Can you see the little ermine in the picture above?  Its sparkling eyes rival the sparkles on the fresh fallen snow.  It caught my eye this morning as I was walking at sunrise along the Salt Marsh Trail.

In the winter, the stoat’s fur changes from brown to pure white, except for the very tip of its tail, which remains black.  During this phase, the stoat is known as an ermine.  To see this elusive creature is considered good luck by the Japanese.  They are mostly nocturnal but sometimes will show themselves at dusk and dawn.

This ermine had the typical long skinny body of its species and moved very fast.  It’s also supposed to be an excellent swimmer.  Stoats or ermines are carnivores and would likely find a plentiful supply of food in the marsh: voles, red squirrels, snowshoe hares, birds and fish.  They are capable of taking down prey larger than themselves.  Stoats are preyed upon by coyotes and foxes.  They may be killed by domestic cats if they dare to venture into residential areas.

The tracks above were photographed near the spot where I saw the ermine this morning.  This is the first time I’ve seen this little creature in the snow.  Seeing it put a sparkle on the whole morning walk.

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MC300-MS12 York-Sunbury Historical Society Collection Description (page 127)

If you are interested in any of these files then please contact the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

“Benjamin Atherton was born December 9, 1736, at Lancaster, Massachusetts.  As a young man, he enlisted in the British Army, sailed from Boston in 1755 on the sloop “Victoria”, and served for a year in Nova Scotia under Colonel Winslow.  According to Lilian Maxwell’s History of Central New Brunswick, Lieutenant Benjamin Atherton took part in the expulsion of the Acadians.

In 1769, Atherton arrived in Saint John and became a fur trader with the firm of Simonds, Hazen, and White of Portland Point.  Atherton was placed as manager of a truck-house at St. Anne’s Point, in competition with John Anderson, who was established at the mouth of the Nashwaak River.  He refused to join the rebel movement in Maugerville during the American Revolution.  After the War, he served as Clerk of the Peace, Registrar, and later coroner for Sunbury County.  In 1788, Governor Carleton purchased land from Atherton as part of the property for Government House–land that Atherton had owned for almost twenty years.  Atherton died July 17, 1816, at Prince William, York County.

This small series encompasses the period 1771 to 1785 and provides information on Atherton’s business dealings and official duties.  It measures .5 centimeters.”

1  Invoice of goods on hand at St. Ann’s Sunbury County, Nova Scotia; October 31,1771.

2  Bill for consignment of goods shipped to Benjamin Atherton & Co. aboard “Polly” from Boston and Newbury; November 2, 1772.

3  Bond of guardianship of Samuel Peabody, John Smith and Alexander Tapley with James Simonds, Judge of the Sunbury County Probate Court, for Francis and Oliver Peabody, sons of the late Francis Peabody; June 23, 1773.

4  Invoice for fur pelts sent to Mr. Simonds; May 19, 1773.

5  Invoice of goods sent to Benjamin Atherton via Jabez Nevers from Simonds & White; October 21, 1774.

6  Affidavit of inquisition held at Maugerville before Coroner Benjamin Atherton into the death of Robert Lewis formerly of the Queen’s Rangers.  The twelve-man jury was composed of George Ormond, John Atcheson, William Desmund, Jeremiah Tracey, William Read, Benjamin Rix, Samuel Rix, William Broawn, Abraham Buscork (?), Jacob Barker Jr., Henry Link, and Benjamin Broawn; October 5, 1784.

7  Affidavit of inquisition held before Benjamin Atherton, Coroner for Sunbury County, into the death of Thomas Sever.  The twelve-man jury was composed of Jared Betts, Abraham Vanderbeck, John Gibson, James Taylor, William Bill, John Bailey, George Webb, Luthren Morris, Isaac Smith, Abraham Rottan, Ruloff Jacobus, and Thomas McEnnelly; March 26, 1785. 

Three Fathom Harbour

I’m staying with Colleen just outside of Dartmouth in Three Fathom Harbour. It’s a beautiful, windswept place with the best surfing beaches in Nova Scotia. Last night we went over to Colleen and Sheldon’s neighbours for a meal and I was asked how Colleen and I knew each other. “Well”, I said, taking a deep breath “I was the evil woman that Colleen was supposed to apprentice with for 6 months, who then just disappeared in the middle of the night”.

Apparently I beat myself up about the events in May of this year a little too much. It all worked out for the best in the end. Carolyn and Colleen were able to stay together. I found them a new mentor in Andrea Berry of Hope Seeds and Perennials who was thrilled with her luck because she had just lost her own apprentice. They, no doubt, learned a huge amount from her and now Carolyn is working for a seed saving organisation in the States and Colleen feels like she could farm if she wanted to. They got what they needed and I did too. Though I often think about what would have happened if the three of us had stayed together for those 6 months.

Colleen works for Environment Canada so she and Sheldon went off to work this morning while I updated my blog, fired off some emails, updated my finances and then decided to take a walk along the shore. I was getting a bit peckish so I ate a piece of cheese before I went out but figured I’d wait to heat myself up some lasagna until I got back.

The landscape here is beautiful. Very rugged, wild and Scottish. I spent a good hour and a half wandering trails and photographing leaves, rocks, bark and water. I’m fascinated by textures and patterns in nature and a lot of my photos were in sepia, so that the eye doesn’t get distracted by the colours.

The Shore

I got back to the house just as my blood sugar was beginning to drop a little and I muttered to myself about taking better care. I’m hypoglycemic and can bet a bit bonkers if I don’t eat at regular intervals. I’ve made that clear at each of my host farms, but I still don’t take enough care with myself.

Sheldon had left me with a key, various comupter cables and codes and clear instructions on everything, except the fact that I had the key for the deadbolt. When I had left for my walk the alarm started making funny noises, so I slipped out the door as fast as possible, locking the other lock in the process. I had a key to the right door, but to the wrong lock.

It was nobodies fault, but it didn’t alter the fact that it was -11C out with a wind chill of -20C and they weren’t going to be back for at least 2 hours. I had cleaned out my pockets of all the junk I had in them the night before so I had no money, no credit card to try to break in, no telephone numbers and no idea about what to do next. On the positive side I had a new super-warm coat, scarf, fleece and boots from Bonnie and gloves from Alison so at least I wasn’t going to get hypothermic too quickly.

Then I had a brain wave. I would go over to Colleen’s neighbours place. Debbie would be at work but Ian might be home. Or at the very least, their house might be easier to break into than Colleen’s (which is like Fort Knox). I started off down the drive then stood there at the end of it with no clue whether I needed to turn left or right. I had a feeling that it was left, but it was pitch black when we’d walked over there so I had no landmarks for guidance and was relying totally on my sense of direction. I tried looking at the house from different angles; I’d seen the number of the house illuminated by a torch at some point, but was that when we got in back from the neighbors or when we’d arrived from the bus station? The more I played scenarios through my head the more they got confused with my memories and in the end I decided to just try walking in one direction until I saw something that made sense.

For some reason I chose to go right instead of left, ignoring my gut feeling. After 15 minutes of wandering I was still totally lost. I considered doing the same in the opposite direction but unless someone turned out the sun, it was never going to look like it did last night. I could have walked right past Debbie and Ian’s house and I would have no idea.

Also, my blood sugar was plummeting and I knew that I needed to reduce my activity levels if I was going to make it until they got home. I tried to get into their workshop but that was locked up solid. Then I tried the greenhouse. It wa a bit warmer there, under the glass and out of the wind, but after 30 mins of reading Canadian Gardener Magazine and jiggling around to keep my legs warm, I realised that I couldn’t keep it up any longer. It was time to start banging on doors.

The first house I tried was empty. I had the feeling that this was a bedroom community for Dartmouth and that everyone might be at work. I was beginning to shake a little and my concentration was going. I dug through my pocket again just in case there were a few crumbs or bits of chocolate or an old wrapper I could lick just to keep myself going for a bit longer.

In the left pocket of my new coat I found some cat treats. I’m still not sure what they were doing there, but let’s just say, they aren’t there any more. If anyone ever asks me what the weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten is, I’m going to be able to respond ‘chicken feathers and ground up carcasses’.

Over the brow of the hill I spotted smoke rising from a chimney so I headed in that direction.

The trail to Steve's house

By 5:30 when Sheldon and Colleen got back from work, Steve and I had discussed everything from climate change, to intentional community to favourite places in Canada. They have been neighbours for a number of years now, but neither Colleen nor Sheldon have ever needed to bang on Steve’s door to ask if he wouldn’t mind if they warmed themselves up by his fire. When Colleen arrived to pick me up I very sincerely told Steve that I was actually quite glad that I’d gotten locked out.

During the course of our conversation, he had offered the use of his land for Colleen to use for vegetable production and it was really evident that they would get along extremely well. It’s so ironic that two neighbouring households, who both relish the thought of intentional community, had not managed to connect until the day I got myself locked out of the house.

It seems that everything really does happen for a reason.

It’s not unusual to find tangled seaweeds and seagrasses on Nova Scotia’s beaches.  Irish moss, sugar kelp, rockweed and eelgrass are all common finds.  Loosened from their strongholds, they are often washed onto the beaches by the waves at high tide, appearing either individually or with others in the strandline.

On this small stone beach in Cow Bay, there is often a narrow strip of seaweed.  However, what I found this week was far from ordinary.  A massive heap of seaweed consisting mostly of the brown variety lay in a distinct mound on the shore.  The heap appeared a few feet high in some spots.  Thrown onto the beach during our recent stormy weather, this is the thickest stack of seaweed I’ve ever seen over my years of visiting our local beaches. 

Though seaweed is growing in popularity as a health food in the western world, and has traditionally been used by gardeners for fertilizing the soil, this mound will likely be on the beach for some time.  As it’s so thick, the seaweed probably won’t have a chance to dry out during low tide.  Despite the cold weather, kelp flies were swarming around the already rotting mass when I took these photos on Wednesday.

Seaweed scattered along Conrad Beach near Lawrencetown in November

Last month, Em of Diabetes Dialogue, offered some excellent information pertaining to the health benefits of seaweed:

“As I understand it, all seaweeds are edible, but they must be gathered from pollution free waters. http://www.ryandrum.com will give you good information and Dr. Ryan Drum, PhD is a professional person who is well acquainted with both coasts.

The Maine Sea Vegetables link on my post will also be helpful for you, as what grows in the Bay of Fundy likely grows on Nova Scotia’s eastern shore, at least to some degree.

Ryan says that not all seaweeds taste good, in the sense that some are very strong textures. The ones eaten by Native Americans, Europeans and Asians tend to be versions of the same species. Interesting, eh?

But, as I understand it, barring any natural or man-made pollution, you should be safe in collecting fresh seaweed — now, navigating the coastal rocks is another matter!

Ryan explains how to “harvest” and not kill the plant, which is critical as, evidently from about the 1980s onward, commercial businesses have been using Norwegian mechanical harvesters, all over the world, to indiscriminately “rape” the ocean. Whole species have “disappeared” and are at or near extinction just in order to show up as “organic” and “regular” fertilizer or be used in Caribbean natural-Viagra drinks (these species were over-harvested by hand). How incredibly maddening!

Dr. Drum says we need to demand laws to stop all this over-harvesting and to encourage marine farming of seaweed, as is done in parts of Japan, on strings or on matted net.

Why can’t business use the less-invasive technology, first?! I hate to think how much damage these companies have wrought, unabated. So Drum says that Maine is threatening a 5 year moratorium on all seaweed harvesting, which would be devastating to the responsible hand harvesters, who in a year probably don’t take as much as a mechanized harvester does in a day or so.

Anyway, as your estuary and possibly coastal area, seems quiet, maybe you can learn more and safely harvest your own.

As far as health is concerned, the more I read, the more I see that this primal plant, which has supported all Life, from it’s inception, is truly the most nourishing plant we could use everyday.”

For more information on using seaweed for fertilizing gardens, see Anne’s post on Winter Gardening at Nova Scotia Island Journal.

I type this in a café in Thunder Bay, Ontario. I don’t live in Thunder Bay, or any part of Ontario, but I am here now. It’s one of the stops on my trip across Canada. This trip has been a dream of mine for some time and I’m having fun. On a deeper level though, I am fulfilling a lifelong dream to travel and see the vast country that I’ve spent my entire life on only one side of.

Travel is a very strange beast. Most people talk about wanting to voyage off, whether for a week long family vacation to Disneyland or a year long backpacking trek across Europe. For the Disneyland type vacationers, travel is usually a treat for someone else (their children, I would imagine) and is made to be as predictable and planned out as possible. It is hoped that this preparation will create an experience that contains the least amount of stress and surprise as possible. Backpacking is quite the contrast to this, and is where my story takes us.

For the backpackers, travel can best be described as a pilgrimage. Usually they are trying to “find themselves”, or create memories and stories they can look back on wistfully in their dotage. A backpacking excursion is a wild, unruly thing; full of unexpected twists and desperate, dangerous situations. This is how the backpacker likes it. No one wants to find themselves, grey haired and retired, telling their grandchildren about “that one time everything went right and we had a good time”. Adventure! Excitement! Near death experiences! These are the things great stories are made from.
So, we backpackers let most events fall as they may. Itineraries are vague, timetables loose and changeable. If a backpacker feels like staying an extra week in Bruges, that’s not only acceptable, it’s encouraged.
Don’t think that these brave men and women have put no planning into their travel though. Oh no, there is much preparation that has to be done to maintain this much freedom.  Money, of course, must be addressed.

To take a year, or even a couple of months, off of work is hard enough. Add on top that you need to somehow come up with the money to both feed and entertain yourself, for the entire journey, and you really start to feel the pinch. Combine these with the expenses of getting to and from where you’re going, whether that be by plane, train, automobile, or (as in my case) intercity bussing, and things are looking pretty ugly.

So, the backpacker has to spend what often equates to years of their lives saving up the money, sometimes during their travels. Usually they work more than one job, both of which paying only slightly above minimum wage. They may be fortunate enough to live by the graces of Mum and Dad, and not going to school. More often than not though, they are students living with a group of their peers, cramming into any dorm, home or apartment they can afford together. This means they probably already have debt. In short, money is tight.
Money isn’t the only issue. As you might imagine,

it takes a huge degree of will power to go as long as is necessary
to gather together everything that’s needed on top of a couple of jobs and school. Sacrifices must be made,

and that means no social life for our poor valiant backpacker. It also means being constantly vigilant about things like food and cell phones. Little by little is the only way for someone like the backpacker to make their trip possible. And then, just when the money is coming together, just when their willpower has gone unbroken for two or three years, and they don’t think they can go another week living off of no-name macaroni, they have to figure out some way to get OUT of their multiple jobs. They must find some way to take the necessary time off of school without falling forever behind in their quest for a degree. They must find some way to leave an apartment or dorm, leaving the already desperate people like themselves behind to pick up the slack in the rent.
All this lie in the wake of a backpackers departure.
Family must be left behind. Boyfriends and girlfriends may need to be let down gently, and the idea that you will be broke, again, for years after your return, must become a reality you no longer fear to face. In short, it is a devastatingly stressful position to be in, far from the Disneyland travel cruise.

Why then, would anyone in their right mind decide to do this to themselves? While the possibility that they are not in their right minds mustn’t be overlooked, I have another theory. This is based on personal experience, and is twofold.
First, travel is important to the backpacker on a very personal level. It’s not just about a vacation, or even about the stories they can tell afterwards. It’s about learning for yourself about the world around you, putting yourself in situations that are unfamiliar. This way you can be prepared for those situations when they matter, avoiding that sad, all to familiar sensation of “what if”. The sensation that many people who have lived the same way in the same place all of their lives have experienced.

My second theory on why people take on this daunting task is that it’s easy. Now I must clarify that easy does not mean effortless. The effort is herculean. Once your mind is made up and you take the first step towards going on your trek, (a step where you simply decide) all of the effort becomes secondary. The most difficult boundary to cross is the mental one that has you looking at the effort involved and discourages you not to do it. I’ve seen this manifest in many ways. Some people run into trouble, and convince themselves that some entity or God, Nature or Fate, has decided that it “wasn’t meant to be”. Some decide they will explore at a later date, that there’s always more opportunities to come. — And some just give up without excuse. These are all cop-outs. The truth of the matter is, if it is important to you you will do it, and you will do it as soon as possible.
I had it relatively easy. I lived at home, and only worked one job. I’m not halfway through a degree, and thus not worried about loosing momentum in school. I didn’t even have a girlfriend to dump before I left. However, I still had to raise the money, and sacrifice the time, and most of all overcome that mental hurdle of can I or shant I.
I disclose this because even to me this lends a nasty edge of hypocrisy to my theory.

I’m in a position of relative privilege, how dare I say that those of less means than myself are “copping out”? And yet, I have no qualms expressing my opinion on the matter. This is because I recognize that most people are, in essence, equal. Not all, but most. Even poverty, in Canada, can be escaped from if the will is there. Not like in some nations where there is no wealth to aspire to have, and school is not mandatory, it is non-existent. And you need not be a perfect physical specimen to travel, Terry Fox proved this impressively by going distances that seem, to me, impossible; with one leg less than I have, and cancer. In short, the average person is just that, average; and capable and without excuse.

Travel is not important to everyone. In fact, many people see it as a ridiculous waste of time. To them, all of that effort for something intangible, something that doesn’t last past the arrival home, makes no sense. This doesn’t make my theory any less important. Travel is only my example here, but that first hurdle, those illogical excuses; they exist within all that is important to each of us. It seems that in order to make any effort, to reach for what is important, we must first overcome ourselves.

Today’s guest post is by Wayne Bell.

When I look back on my many recreational involvements over the years, it seems that I always gravitated towards those that offered a “mental barrier to cross.”  Rock climbing led me to become a mountaineering instructor. I enjoyed being pushed to the limits of my endurance and welcomed the challenge of dealing with unknown factors such as avalanches and the weather.

The Mountain required something of me that many people today just don’t want to give. I don’t know if they think that they don’t have the time, or are just unwilling to make the commitment. Maybe they don’t think it’s worth the effort, or that comfort is more important. Maybe they just don’t realize how great the reward is that awaits those who can complete or even set out on the journey.

Yes, the Mountain demands more than what is expected on a day-to-day basis. The route to the summit must start within, through trails seldom, if ever used in the past. Physically you have to endure and push yourself past the preconceived limits that you have held to be true up until this point in your life. You feel discomfort and sometimes pain, but still, you keep going.   Overcoming preconceived limits is never comfortable, but possible if you don’t allow them to limit  you, regardless of what these obstacles may be. Regardless of their physical nature, your preconceptions are the real barrier preventing your advance.

While climbing, you mentally face the fear of cold high places and learn to perceive gravity differently. However, the greatest fear is when you look into your own soul and find it looking back at you. Your frailties provide an excuse for you to surrender, but the Mountain waits and watches. Will you surrender to yourself?  Or will you ignore the lie that you cannot do more than what you have done in the past?

During the climb, what you learn most about is yourself and the type of person you are. Commitment, fear and the unknown must become fellow travelers on the journey.  They are part of the what-is and must be accepted, or you will fail.

When you succeed, you are ready for life. The view from the summit is just a small gift the Mountain gives you for your willingness to listen to a voice greater than yourself.

Mountains don’t have to be physically large.  Sometimes hiking up a hill or just walking on a flat path may be enough of a challenge.  There are also many journeys in life that are similar to climbing the Mountain: dealing with a young family, an aging parent, or a personal sickness. Although the journey you choose to take may be difficult, be committed to it. At the summit, you will find peace and satisfaction.

Although there are hills and rocks in Cow Bay, the only mountains that truly exist are those we perceive in our minds.

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HALIFAX, NS – Propeller Brewing will be releasing the 2010 edition of their winter seasonal Revolution Russian Imperial Stout this coming Friday December 18th.

From the press release:

Propeller brews this unique ale true to its traditional roots; in the 18th century the English sent their brews via the Baltic Sea to the court of the Czars, to reduce the risk of spoilage Russian Imperial Stout was brewed to very high gravities and allowed to ferment on the long voyage. The result? A dark, strong and bracing brew. Propeller’s version weighs in at a whopping eight percent alcohol content, with a deep, rich, black colour. The taste of alcohol is well masked by the intense hop bitterness, extreme roasted malt and dark fruit notes.

Propeller Revolution will be available at the brewery’s retail store, as well as select private liquor stores in Halifax.

I’ve been thinking of music lately.  For the wedding, that is. 

I’m wondering if it’s appropriate to use ‘Lucky’ by Colbie Caillat featuring Jason Mraz at some point during the ceremony?  We both really like that song (Hello! It’s Mr.A-Z!) and it seems fitting.

If you’ve never heard it, you’re in luck:

We’re entering the darkest week of the year in Nova Scotia, when each day is less than nine hours in length.  This morning, the sun rose at 7:45, almost two hours after I set out for a walk along the Salt Marsh Trail. 

I often walk in the dark with the intention of seeing the sun rise while out in the middle of nature.  If you’ve never risen early and braved the elements outside in the pre-dawn light, you’re missing a wonderful experience.  It’s one that engages all the senses. 

Too often, we really only on our eyesight.  We only trust what we can see directly in front of us, and fail to engage our other senses when confronted with the unknown.

Walks in the darkness make us perk our ears more.  The scent of trees in the mist and the sounds of waking birds and rushing tide waters all add to our perception of place and time. 

Even on moonless nights, white objects stand out in the darkness.  I wondered what creature attacked this seagull when I came across these feathers on my walk yesterday morning.  A coyote?  Not knowing what’s lurking in the darkness is part of life’s adventure.  The challenge of facing our fears, whether real or imagined, shouldn’t prevent us from moving forward along the trail.

On this morning’s walk, the light drizzle soon changed to pouring rain.  The droplets were caught by the flash of the camera and capture a bit of the magic that is felt at this special time of day when most are still asleep and warm in their beds. 

The quotation below is from Canadian portrait photographer, Yousuf Karsh. Although digital photographs no longer require darkness for their development phase, his words still hold true.

Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness.
~ Yousuf Karsh

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Kaizer Meadow Environmental Management Centre in Chester, NS ( http://www.kaizermeadow.ca/ )  handles 1,000 tons of garbage every week from 14 Nova Scotia municipalities. It was opened in 2006 and is the first facility of its kind to use a wastewater-treatment system that keeps effluent out of waterways by fully treating leachate, a liquid containing contaminants that typically drains from landfill sites.  

Septic waste is treated using a leading-edge mobile de-watering system which increases the trucks capacity by ten times per load (the majority of septic waste being liquid) by removing the water on site. The truck is manufactured by ABCO in Lunenburg, NS.

http://www.kaizermeadow.ca/our-centre/waste-management-facility.html

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The Kaizer Meadow Eco Park is being developed as a location of choice for green business.

The Eco Park helps tenants improve their bottom line and shrink their environmental footprint by sharing environmental expertise, assisting tenants to safely and efficiently deal with waste, reuse  water, and developing clean, reliable energy sources.

Benefits of locating in the Kaizer Meadow Eco Park include:

• Unparalleled access to waste management facilities and expertise
• Managers who are well-equipped to handle the needs of green industry
• Proximity to excellent transportation links
• Ability to locate near like-minded, industry-leading businesses
• Social benefits including schools, culture, way of life

HALIFAX, NS – Garrison Brewing have brought back their Grand Baltic Porter for a second winter, this year adding dates as well as molasses to the recipe to enhance the flavour. Here are the notes provided by Garrison:

Coffee-black in colour. Aroma of molasses, nuts and caramel. A complex blend of dark malts, molasses & dried fruits (dates & prunes) create a rich, malty sweetness dominated by licorice and caramel notes.

Garrison Grand Baltic Porter is 9.0% abv, and is available now in 500 ml bottles at the brewery.

How to Cook Nova Scotia’s  Lobsters

I rely on the advice from Nova Scotia’s local fisherman and many years as an experimenting crazy lobster lover.

Think steam, never boil a lobster. This still creates controversy and the debate rages until the first time you eat a lobster that has been steamed.

Cover the bottom of a pot with 1 to 1 ½ inches of water, add 2 tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of vinegar and bring it to a boil. 

In go your lobster, cover and steam for 15 minutes for one-pound lobsters, add 5 minutes for each pound with larger lobsters.

Being careful not to overcook as it destroys their delicate flavour.

To test doneness, force open its curled up tail and straighten it out, release it quickly, if done the tail will snap back with a sharp “clack”.

Serve with lemon & butter.

 *Vinegar not only improves the flavour, it makes the shells a beautiful brilliant red.

 Save your lobster shells place in a pot and cover with water, simmer for 1 hour, discard shells, save stock for chowders.

 Leftover lobster meat can be made into chowders, hot or cold sandwiches and extravagant dips.

Whoever you are, would you please just stop it!?!  Stop littering and stop throwing your garbage in wild areas.  Be forewarned.  If I see you doing it, I will throw it right back at you.

If I sound like an ‘Upper Canadian with an attitude,’ then that’s too bad.  Ever since I’ve moved to Nova Scotia, I’ve been shocked by the littering behaviour exhibited by some (not all) residents of this beautiful province. 

In the twenty years I’ve lived here, I’ve seen so much disrespect shown to the environment that I often wonder if anything would surprise me anymore.   Well, I was surprised this morning as I entered the parking lot of the Salt Marsh Trail.  This is what I saw:

A boxed Christmas tree was one of the items left…

Home renovators are often culprits for this type of dumping.  I can’t tell you how many mounds of roofing shingles I’ve found in the woods over the years.  But litter doesn’t have to be big in order to be an eyesore on the landscape…

Tim Hortons coffee drinkers are among the worst offenders.  If they’re not allowed in our green compost bins, they’re certainly not as biodegradable as some people seem to think they are.  They’re frequently found in the woods and ditches along our roads along with their plastic lids. 

Plastic cartridges are commonly found in the marsh.  They’ll be around a thousand years after the hunters that left them ate their last duck or goose.

Likely thrown from a boat, the carcass of this large canine was found half out of a green garbage bag along the shore. 

Why do people dump stuff in our collectively owned wild areas that they would never think of dumping in their front yards?  This type of action comes down to a lack of respect, not just for the environment and its wild creatures, but that which we  own together as neighbors. 

It seems to me that the province or the municipality should try to do something to educate young people about the ethics of caring for our environment.  Growing up in Ontario, I saw this message presented over and over again in the media.  I grew up thinking it was totally unacceptable to leave anything in the wilderness or a public place that should be placed in a garbage receptacle.  Ontario license plates drive the message home:  ‘Ontario – Keep It Beautiful.’  I just don’t get that same sense of awareness in Nova Scotia.  Unless we start working towards changing this littering-is-acceptable mindset, maybe our license plate slogans should read Canada’s Dumping Ground instead of Canada’s Ocean Playground.

Note:  In Nova Scotia, ‘Upper Canadians with an attitude’ are typically people from Ontario who seem to think that they know better than Bluenosers (Nova Scotians).

There’s a place outside of Hantsport that I’ve known about for quite some time, but never took the time to visit – until yesterday. Ominously-named ‘Demon’s Point’ (and I have no idea who named it that, or why), it’s a picturesque, tree-covered headland on the Halfway River, jutting out into a large ‘pond’ held back by a concrete dam installed by Minas Basin Pulp & Power years ago. The pond is a well-known swimming hole, frequented by youths in the summer who swim from the Point across to the cliffs they use as a diving board.

Armed with a few directional tips provided by my stepson, who has visited this place before, I pulled over at the parking area next to the trailhead. Gearing up first with my small backpack, large knife and hiking pole, I then easily picked up the trail entrance at the edge of the woods on the right side of the parking area. Despite the coating of snow, the trail was visible and I had no problem following it down to the bottom of the ravine; the snow made things slippery, however, so trees came in handy for support. When standing on the ravine floor, if you look to your left you’ll see a boarded-up house, and next to that is the dam (keep in mind this is all private property; I didn’t see any No Trespassing signs, but enter at your own risk and respect the property). The next step was to cross the small stream at the bottom, climb the steep embankment on the other side, and pick up the trail again. Upon doing this, I walked through the woods for no more than five minutes before emerging onto Demon’s Point.

The first thing that caught my attention was how strong the wind was blowing through here, and how bitterly cold it was. The second thing was the tent. I was surprised to see it anchored there, but I walked past it without saying a word, not sure if it was occupied or not. Being whipped by freezing gusts of wind, it was difficult to hold the camera steady to get scenery photos, but I managed. I explored the Point for a few minutes, seeing the rocky ledge at its base and the diving-board cliffs across the pond. On the way back to the trail, I paused at the tent and called out several times to see if anyone was in there. I didn’t want to just walk away without checking first to see if someone needed help. After getting no response, I took a look inside – empty. Satisfied that there was nobody home and with a clear conscience, I set out to follow whatever trail there was along the right (west) side of the river.

Rather than walk along the water’s edge, I kept to the high ground above the river; the trail took turns alternating from foot path to ATV road. I veered from the path when I wanted to check out an overlook, and again when the path took a right turn deeper into the woods and I preferred to keep the river in sight. The woods provided a nice break from the wind, and in roughly half an hour I emerged into a clearing where some farm and logging equipment was parked; from here, I followed a woods road down to the river’s edge, to a spot full of cat-tails and reeds where the pond became more of a narrow river. This was far enough to go for today, as it was mid-afternoon and daylight fades quickly this time of year, so I set out on the return trip but this time stayed close to the water’s edge for a while for a different perspective.

Several stumps were sticking up out of the water, wearing caps of ice; as was pointed out to me, there are tree stumps all over the pond floor, visible when the pond is drained. Once they were trees growing along a much lower riverbank, until the dam was built and the water levels rose. Within half an hour, I made it back to the Point, took a few more pics, noted a few broken beer bottles,  graffiti on the rocks, and several plastic bottles floating in the little cove next to the point. Then, made my way back to the ravine, and trudged up the hillside to my car. Mission accomplished. Unless Scotian Hiker group members want to visit this place on their own, I’m willing to bring a group here after the snow is gone in 2010. To find it: from downtown Hantsport, follow Holmes Hill Road south out of town, across the Highway 101 overpass and turn right on Old Post Road. Drive for less than half a km and you’ll see concrete barriers on your left under power lines that run down over the hill; park here. Trailhead is at the edge of the woods to the right of the concrete barriers. Private property, at least partly owned by Minas Basin Pulp & Power, I imagine.

parking area on Old Post Road

tent amidst the trees

diving-board cliffs across from Demon's Point

scenic overlook along the trail

where the river narrows, upstream from the Point

the view from Demon's Point