Category Archives: History and culture

Downtown Halifax on Canvas

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This year, I was happy to be invited back to blog about Halifax for the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. Like last year, I was handed a pre-loaded $100 Visa card with three basic conditions; spend the money in downtown Halifax, blog about the experience and keep it legal (love saying that).

There was one other catch – to try something new.

Halifax on Canvas 018I got to thinking came up with the idea of asking kids to paint Halifax by asking a simple question: “What is Halifax?” Because kids see things differently than adults.

With Visa card in hand, I recruited my creative friend to join me at DeSerres to stock up on supplies. After spending $100.40 we walked over to Grand Parade to meet the rest of the kids and parents.

On the last official weekend of summer it wasn’t long before brushes were flying and creative juices were flowing as pigeons and tour groups looked curiously on.

Halifax on Canvas 023 It took a few minutes for the kids to think about what they wanted to paint. They were inspired by such things as:
A Canadian flag on a building nearby.
A street sign.
A boat in the harbour.
The ship mast in Grand Parade.

It was fun to watch their creations take shape.

Here were six kids in the heart of downtown Halifax painting their city. Today they paint it, tomorrow they’ll shape it – the future lies with them.

The Artists Wouldn’t it be interesting to invite the same kids back in 20 years to paint Halifax with their answer to the same question again?

See more pictures from Downtown Halifax on Canvas via Flickr
Thank you Wyatt, Dylan, Lindsay, Emily, Mia, Lauren and Downtown Halifax Business Commission for getting my creative juices flowing again.

Back to the Future at Fortress of Louisbourg

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IMG_4224On a foggy day in Cape Breton, my family and I stepped back in time to the year 1744. Actually, we drove there – to Louisbourg. After parking the car we went to the Parks Canada info centre where we jumped on a bus that took us to the largest re-constructed 18th century town in North America. Our curiosity was piqued on the bus ride for what was beyond the fog and then the town slowly appeared into view.

At the gate, we were greeted by an armed soldier who questioned the intention of our visit. This playful interpreter asked us what was the purpose of our trip, if we were English or French, even if we were spies (I’ll never tell). Fortress LouisbourgI still think my daughter thought the soldier was serious.

Once on the other side of the gate of the fortress, it was clear that you could spend a day at this impressive site. Friendly costumed interpreters smiled for pictures or said hello as they walked by. They also welcomed onlookers to watch them do tasks such as making fishing nets.

In 1744, the fortress was an important seaport for France. A thriving fishing industry and trade made Louisbourg a stronghold in what is now Atlantic Canada. At that time the soldiers’ rations over four days were: 4 oz of salt fish, 4 oz of vegetables, and 6 pounds of bread. Fortress Louisbourg National Historic SiteThese men worked a 24 hour watch (usually without any sleep) and then had 48 hours off. During their free time they’d hunt or fish (probably for more food :)) As many of the soldiers were criminals, Louisbourg was a lot better than prison in France. To these men, life as a soldier was better than prison. At least as soldier they had a roof over their head and food to eat. If they stepped out of line, they had to sit on a wooden horse with their hands tied and sacks tied to their legs. This was a form of humiliation because they’d be in clear view of everyone.

By 1760, Louisbourg lay in English hands and its fortification, destroyed. Fortunately, the French were meticulous record keepers because when the fortress was being re-constructed beginning in the 1960’s, there were 750,000 documents to sift through. The re-construction was a massive undertaking which included archeological digs etc to re-build everything as a carbon-copy of the original. Cape Breton miners were enlisted in the project for their valuable skills.

IMG_4243It was time well spent in this 18th century town. By late afternoon we had to jump into the car and set up camp in Broad Cove but we all said we’d like to go visit again someday.

See more pictures of Fortress of Louisbourg on Flickr.

Related links:
– Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site
– The Louisbourg Institute of / L’ Institut de Louisbourg de Cape Breton University
– Destination Cape Breton
– Novascotia.com History comes alive

Ferry Boat Tales

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Ferry Tales 038A few weeks ago I met up with a girlfriend for lunch. She works in Dartmouth and I work in Halifax so I agreed to hop on the 12:15 ferry from Halifax to meet her at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth. I had read about a new summer program on the Metro Transit ferry system where actors tell tales of Halifax’s rich seafaring history.

Ferry Tales 030 So, on a Tuesday afternoon I paid $2.25 (made sure I got a transfer ticket for the trip back) and caught a Dartmouth-bound ferry. It was a beautiful sunny day so I sat on the top deck to soak in the view and the rays. Minutes after leaving dock, out jumps Jack Tar and his friends. Jumping from seat to seat and telling a story about a battle near Sambro, ferry passengers (once the surprise settled in) soon realized that they were in the middle of an reenactment.

Ferry Tales 027Here we were, in the middle of Halifax Harbour receiving an entertaining history lesson where the harbour itself has been the topic of text books, movies, conversation and so on. Another cool thing was traveling on the oldest salt water ferry service in North America.

It was perfectly choreographed and the length of the story was the exact length of the ferry ride. I didn’t want it to end but I knew my friend was waiting for me and I was hungry.

Ferry Boat Tales is presented by the Halifax Regional Municipality in association with Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Produced by Heritage Explorers and performed by DaPoPo Theatre.

If you go:
July-August – Tuesday to Saturday

To Dartmouth
(Halifax waterfront at the foot of George Street)

12:15 pm 2:15 pm 7:15 pm

To Halifax
(Dartmouth waterfront at Alderney Landing)
12:30 pm 2:30 pm 7:30 pm

Free with transit fare: $2.25 Adult; $1.50 Senior/Child

See more pictures on The Right Coast Nova Scotia’s new Flickr account.

NS Eastern Shore boats and buoys

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IMG_0006I grew up in a small fishing village along the eastern shore of Nova Scotia. There where four fishermen in the bay, Guy Boutilier, Jackie Borgel, Guy Power and Peter Connors. Just as the buds on the trees are a sign of spring, so was the launching of the fishing boats in the bay. Men from our community as well from the neighbouring bay were called to help launch the boats from their winter berths to slide down the wooden ramps into the water. Another season had begun.

As kids, we’d set the alarm for 4:30 a.m., head down to the government wharf to meet the fishing crew. My first time was when I was 12. It would also be my last time. I was never so sick in my life. An appreciation for the life of a fisherman was gained that morning as I thought to myself “this must be what it’s like to be near death”. Guy Power was a kind man who thought if he stopped the boat and let me jig mackerel awhile, that I might feel better. Nope.

Driving along the gravel road to Taylor Head Beach lobster buoys dotted the rocky coastline. Locals could tell which buoys belonged to whom by their colour and number.

Two fisherman have since passed away (the two “Guys”) and younger men have taken on the livelihood. Now there are only two boats and they exclusively lobster fish.

April Showers Bring Mayflowers

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The Mayflower (Epigaea repens) or Trailing Arbutus, is the provincial flower of Nova Scotia.

mayflowers in Nova ScotiaEarly spring you can find these tiny pink flowers in many areas but they are very hard to find. It seems like you have to know where to look for them and when you do, you need to move away the foliage to see the flowers. My sister and I always go to the same place where we are guaranteed Mayflowers because it was where our mother went to pick them.

As a child, early May meant that Mayflowers would be arranged in a bouquet on the kitchen table. Their sweet aroma can really fill a room. I remember one time my parents heard on TV that Mayflowers were good to eat. Soon after wards, I’d pop a bloom or two into my mouth. One time I polished off an entire bouquet (except the leaves).

mayflowers in Nova ScotiaThe name comes from early American settlers, after their ship which carried them to North America in 1620. It was the first flower of spring to welcome them after a long, cold winter.

They grow along the east coast of North America and I’ve always seen them in wooded areas or cemeteries.

Springing Forward: Atlantic Daylight Time

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Fall Back
Spring Forward

Halifax Town ClockLoosing an hour of sleep is something I can live with because it’s a signal that warm summer days are ahead. If it means that I can get an extra hour to get stuff done during daylight hours, like biking, then that’s okay too.

Which makes we wonder, why do we change our clocks twice a year?

In the late 1700’s, Benjamin Franklin suggested the practice but it took a few years to adopt the idea. In fact, it all started in Germany in 1915.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Daylight Saving Time (DST) accomplishes three things:

1. It saves energy. When we’re awake, we’re more likely to have our TVs, dishwashers, and lights on (among other home appliances). By shifting the hours we’re likely to be awake to correspond with the daylight outside, we’re less likely to have the lights on, so we use less electricity.

2. It saves lives. When people’s waking hours correspond with daylight hours, they’re safer. Traffic accidents, for example, are less likely when it’s light out.

3. It cuts down on crime. Crime tends to happen after dark. As is the case with accidents, people are less likely to fall victim to crime when their waking hours are synced up with the sun.

Moving clocks ahead in the spring can have an opposite effect. There can be more heart attacks in the week after springing forward — especially during the first three days of the week. Also, with the rise of use in air conditioners, that has to have an effect on things somehow.

In 1984, Fortune magazine estimated that a seven-week extension of DST would yield an additional $30 million for 7-Eleven stores. Slurpee’s?

Since 1966, most of Saskatchewan has not observed daylight time and stays on Central Standard Time all year round. Areas of Quebec east of 63 degrees west longitude do not change to daylight time and remain on Atlantic Standard Time year round. Pockets of Ontario and British Columbia do not use daylight time.

Confused between Daylight and Saving?Atlantic Daylight Time is used during summer in Atlantic Canadian provinces (Atlantic Saving Time during the winter). Many other time zones alternate between standard and daylight as well.

I have to admit, I was fascinated with what I found while researching this post. I always thought DST had something to do with farmers. In fact, when Canada started Daylight Saving Time during the First World War, farmers disliked it.

As well as remembering to change your clock on Saturday night, don’t forget to change the battery in your smoke detector.

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Halifax Town Clock photo credit: Darrell Theriault via Flickr

Everything you wanted to know about Nova Scotia

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Last week I started a new job. While sitting at my new desk opening up drawers and leafing through binders, I noticed a book sitting on a co-workers desk. I asked her if I could have a peak at it and she said “sure, it was cleaned out from your desk”.

The book is called “Nova Scotia Book of Everything” and it’s chock full of tidbits, slang words, best beaches, famous Nova Scotian’s etc.

Nova Scotia Book of Everything

Here are a couple interesting things I found while leafing through 176 pages:

* In 1901, Nova Scotia was the first province in Canada to manufacture cars – long before Ontario.

* That lobster was considered a “poor man’s food”, an everyday meal that children grudgingly took in their school lunches.

* The most winter lightning in Canada occurs in an area just south of Sable Island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Now I’m going to give the book back, it’s week #2 and I still have to make a good first impression 🙂

The Right Coast Nova Scotia

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The Right Coast is Nova Scotia. “You must mean east coast”, someone once said to me. That too but not exactly. Because I like to make lists, I’ll explain to you what I mean.

Fishing buoys in Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia1. Geographically, if you’re looking at a map, Nova Scotia is on the right hand side of Canada. BC is on the left hand side. You know, the eye naturally falls to the right.

2. From west to east. I lived on the west coast for eleven years. My husband and I did what thousands of other new graduates do, we moved there to work. British Columbia was beautiful in many ways. Our children were born there, we made lifelong friends who made us part of the family at Thanksgiving, Christmas and other special occasions. My husband and I knew that there was something missing, even with a nice house and really good jobs, our lives were not complete. We realized that we wanted our children to not only see their grandparents and aunt and uncles every two years for a week or two at a time. It’s tough to form a relationship that way, yet alone maintain one. While it was a painful decision to uproot ourselves to move east, we made the plunge. And plunge we did. With no guarantee of a job in Nova Scotia, we quit our secure ones, sold our house and everything we owned. We made a right hand turn and kept going until be bumped our noses on the Atlantic.

3. This is home. I grew up in a small fishing community on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. I was envious of those who could watch cable television, hang out at an arcade and do all those cool things that a teenager could do. While my city slicker friends were mastering Pacman, I was jigging mackerel from the wharf. While none of these things are not necessarily better than the other, they are different and years later I realize that cleaning a fish is a good skill to have. My childhood experiences were humble yet rich.

Fishing buoy and wharf in Peggy's Cove Nova Scotia4. The people here are “some” nice. On Twitter I asked the following question: What makes Nova Scotia the “right coast” for you to live? Basically all of the responses made reference to the people. Words like “authenticity”, “warm, kind and fun to be with” came up. Of course, people are nice wherever you go but it’s Nova Scotians who capture tourists hearts and uphold our reputation.

For these reasons, Nova Scotia truly is the right coast for me. What are yours?

Winter Retreat at Oak Island Resort

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5 women
2 nights
1 chalet
= Good times at Oak Island Resort

On the coldest weekend of the year, we ventured along Nova Scotia’s South Shore for an all “girlz” weekend. A couple times a year, my girlfriends and I book a trip away. It could be Montreal, New York, or the Aspotogan Peninsula. We’re not fussy, anywhere we go we make our own fun. By the end of the weekend our sides hurt from laughing so much.

Sea smoke in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia CanadaThe last girls weekend was no different. We checked into a chalet at Oak Island Resort on a Friday afternoon. Cocooned from the -23C temperatures outside. The next morning, we sat next to the warmth of the fireplace, sipped coffee and watched sea smoke billowing beside Oak Island, located off in the distance in Mahone Bay. You know it’s darn cold when there’s sea smoke. This picture was taken from a chair in our living room.

Jacuzzi hot tub at Oak Island Resort in Nova Scotia CanadaWhile some of us had spa treatments, others worked out at the fully-equipped gym to be rewarded later in a refreshing swim in the pool and a soak in the hot tub. The pool and hot tub area is encased in large windows and offers a panoramic view of Mahone Bay and the marina. The sauna room was also taken advantage of, a welcome treat considering the frigid temperature outdoors.

Winter coastline at Oak Island Resort in Nova Scotia CanadaFollowing our swim and soak, a couple of us stayed behind to read a book or make an earnest attempt at the Saturday crossword. One couldn’t help but look up from the lounge chair and out at the gorgeous view. Later, we moved to the large fireplace off the main lobby where we read the newspaper and munched on a plate of sweet potatoe fries. Before sunset, one sole adventurer couldn’t resist a walk along the shore and brought back beautiful pictures to our cozy chalet.

Pirate guarding Oak Island's TreasureLegend has it that there is treasure on Oak Island. The Oak Island Money Pit, “the worlds greatest treasure hunt”, is privately owned. For 200 years, men have attempted to dig through the booby traps and unscramble a secret code that leads to the treasure. Some say it’s a hoax but others are adamant that there is gold to be found. There is a lot of debate as to how the treasure got there to begin with, yet alone who buried it. Maybe pirates? The islands investors work closely with the Oak Island Tourism Society (OITS), and promote the Oak Island Money Pit as a fascinating heritage site with the aim of ‘securing the rights to operate guided tours on Oak Island’.

While the lure of hunting for treasure was far from our minds, we had our very own treasure in the form of friendship. A treasure that is priceless. For that, I am thankful.

For more info:
Oak Island Resort
Oak Island Treasure
Oak Island Tourism Society

10 Outdoor Winter Activities in NS

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It’s early January and already I’m shack wacky. Even though I am getting lots of fresh air as I train for The Hypothermic Half Marathon, I still want to “do” something. For the last couple days I’ve been suffering a mild case of writers block. A few months ago I was bursting with ideas on things to blog about. Now it’s January and I’m not even inspired to clean the kitchen floor (okay, I’m never inspired to do that). I blame it on the January blahs. So, to help me shake out of it, I got a hair cut. Somewhere between the pungent smell of hair dye and purring like cat with someone playing with my hair, a thought popped into my head – write about how to get the “ick” out of January.

10 Activities to Get The “ick” Out of January– in no particular order:

1. Outdoor Photography
Yes, at this time of year we curse the ice and snow but before you reach for that shovel and ice pick, discover the beauty in the white stuff. Take a picture of it. Get close-up, and zoom in on an icicle.

The Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia motivates its members and guests with seminars, workshops and field trips for all levels of shutterbugs. Their next field trip is January 25th (Eagle Watching in Sheffield Mills).

2. Eagle Watching
January and February are the best months for viewing eagles and the Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch is where you’ll be guaranteed some action. This annual event runs Jan. 24 – 25, 2009 and Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, 2009 and is in its 18th year. Near Kentville, this community comes alive with eagle watchers. There are lots of viewing areas so bring your camera a knock off items #1 and #2 from this list.

3. Snowshoeing
If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Follow these handy tips and get ready to burn a lot of calories with this safe, low impact sport. Thanks to technological improvements from the cumbersome wooden variety, you can choose to do a leisurely stroll or a full out sprint.

Snowshoeing in Guysborough is easy. Just sign out a pair of snowshoes (they’re free) from the Guysborough Fitness Centre and then explore around the grounds of the Osprey Shores Golf Resort. I’m also told that snowshoeing is fabulous on Five Islands Provincial Park’s hiking trails. While the park is officially closed for the season, no one minds if you strap on your shoes. Be safe!
For more info:
Nova Scotia trails (maintained during winter)

4. Winter Surfing
Watch them, cheer them on while standing firmly with hot chocolate in hand from the beach. This is really something to see and at Lawrencetown beach is where you’ll find these brave people. Hot tub dude?
Click on the image to watch a winter surfing video (January 4th, 2009)
For more info:
Scotia Surfer
Surf Nova Scotia

5. Geo caching
Geocaching is an outdoor high-tech treasure hunting game by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches (with “treasures” inside), and then share your experiences online. If you take a treasure, you must leave one for the next person. Did you know that Nova Scotia’s first cache was also the first in Canada? Placed: Jun 18th, 2000. Today, there are 709,820 active geocaches around the world. Wow.
For more info:
Maritime Geocaching Association
Stonehame Lodge and Chalets-Weekend Geocaching Packages

6. Winter Camping
Grab your wool, polypropylene, hydrophobic, Polarguard, Hollofil, Quallofil, Primaloft, Microloft, Thinsulate, pile and fleece and do good research before you set out.
Kejimkujik National Park offers wonderful sites in Jeremy’s Bay and has four warm-up shelters. In the backcountry, 8 campsites and 2 backcountry cabins are available. Call the Visitor Centre (open on weekends) for more information and backcountry reservations (1-902-682-2772). Get inspired by watching an episode of Survivor Man.

7. Sliding
I’m usually corrected when I say “coasting” but I grew up saying it on the Eastern Shore. Must be a Maritime saying. Whatever you call it, it really gets the heart rate up. It’s self-explanatory, find a hill, get on something that slides and go. While it’s not wise to wear suede, it sure is fun.

There are too many hills to name but for a thrill, slide down the steep hills at Fort Anne in Annapolis Royal. What a rush.

Chedabucto Bay also calls tobogganing “coasting” (so there!) and a hill curving down to a dock in Mussel Cove is a local popular spot. No need to bring your own, as a guest at the DesBarres Manor Inn you’ll be provided with your own slider or coaster (whatever you call it). Nuff said.

8. Dog Sledding
Long before there were airplanes and snowmobiles, dog sled dogs were once one of the main methods of transportation in the Arctic regions. There is a lot of coordination in dog sledding. All dogs must run approximately the same velocity and be about the same size as the dog to their lateral position. Mushers have to be in good physical shape and carry tasty rewards for the dogs.

Simple sled dog commands:
“Mush!” — Let’s Go
“Gee!” — Turn Right
“Haw!” — Turn Left
“Whao!” — Slow or Stop
“On by!” — Straight Ahead
Click on the video to see one persons first dog sledding adventure in Cape Breton.
For more info:
Guided dog sledding tours in Cape Breton

9. Skiing
What’s your style? Downhill or Cross Country or Snowboard? These activities will get your cheeks red and give you a good nights sleep.

For more info:
Ski Martock
Ski Wentworth
Cross Country Ski Areas in Nova Scotia

10. Ice Fishing
Handy check-list:
Power Auger- check
Fishing rod- check
Fishing hut- check
Fish finder- check (hey, isn’t that cheating?)
No matter, there’s smelt and trout to be found in the cold water.
For more info
Canada Adventures Guide (they do hut rentals)
Pond skating in Nova Scotia, Canada
More winter activity ideas:
Bay of Fundy Tourism
Winter in Nova Scotia
Authentic Seacoast
novascotia.com Winter Packages

It’s your turn, what are YOUR 10 outdoor winter activities!