McNab's Island Adventure

Another weekend. Another island. Another lighthouse.

There is no doubt that Halifax is a military town. Almost everywhere you look there is some kind of fortifcation, either historic or modern. And they're fun to explore! What strikes me the most is that, aside from the Citadel where you have to pay admission to go in and look around, most of the others are open to the public and free (York Redoubt, Fort McNab, and the batteries at Point Pleasant Park). Sadly, and perhaps because they're free, a lot of these fortifications are getting very little attention or upkeep and are at risk of crumbling away. 

Departing Eastern Passage

Well, last weekend, I finally got to McNab's Island. It's not that difficult, really, but you do need to plan ahead a little (Tip #1). As it happened, we really didn't. We called the McNabs Island Ferry about 45 mins before we arrived - fortunately "Captain Red Beard" was pretty accommodating and took us over without any complaint about the last-minute notice.

Captain Red Beard bringing us back

I have to confess, I was a little surprised at the "Ferry". I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't a speed boat. Also, this was the first time I'd been in a speed boat (that I can remember) and the ride was a bit...uh...thrilling. (ie. I was holding on for dear life.)

Captain Red Beard is pretty experienced with taking tourists over to McNabs. He rattled off safety rules, tidbits of history of the Island, and the best route to take, all without taking a breath. If you're not listening closely you could easily miss a lot.   

Tip #2: Get yourself a Map of the Island. Fortunately Captain Red Beard had one to spare and marked out points and a route for us. As we only had less than 2 hours, we decided to keep the route relatively simple (but still managed a couple diversions).

Tip #3: Give yourself a good day to explore. McNab's is a surprisingly big island, and there's a lot of nooks and crannies to explore. We had less than 2 hours, which basically got us a quick look around Fort McNab, then down the Garrison Rd. to the Tea House and back. There's a lot more to see, for sure!



 Tip #4: Don't wait until the last minute to download geocaches. Sigh. For some reason, 10 minutes before I had to leave, I wasn't able to download the half a dozen geocaches on the Island. Next time I shall be more prepared! 

Tip #5: Take binoculars. You never know what you're going to see. Like this pair of deer. Coincidentally, we spotted these deer not a minute after we were wondering aloud if there were deer on the island. Clearly, there are! Also, there's probably some good birdwatching on McNabs.

So, I think it was decided that McNab's Island would make for a lovely fall daytrip, and the plan is to visit again soon, with more time to explore (and geocaches loaded!).
 
And last, but not least.....Look! A Lighthouse! :)


 

Sambro Island Adventure

Did you know that the Sambro Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North and South America? Well, it is. It's been operating since 1758 and has a fascinating history, which you can read for yourself.  Once a year, the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society opens up the island for public tours and this year I finally managed to go! 

 












It takes about 30 minutes by fishing boat to get to Sambro Island, and there's no wharf when you dock so you're basically jumping from boat to the rocks.

 

Dan Conlin from the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic showed us around the island, pointing out the buildings (the Gas House, the Lightkeepers' dwellings, or what's left of them, and of course the Lighthouse), explaining their purpose and a little bit about their architecture and history. 
He also told us about the resident ghost, "Double Alex", guI'll let you look up that story on your own.

I took a lot of pictures and can't help but to share a few more. So, here they are!

 

As you can see, the Gas House (above, right and below) is precariously perched on the rocks. Sadly, this building is falling apart and is at risk of total demise if the Canadian Coast Guard, which owns and maintains the island, doesn't soon do something about it.

Good-bye Sambro! Until next time!

Thank you Queen Victoria!

....for the long weekend!
It was a glorious one! We had perfect weather all three days, and I did my best to take advantage of it.

On Saturday, R. and I went to Mahone Bay. We took the long route, Hwy #3, and made a few stops along the way. As it turned out Mahone Bay was hopping this weekend due to the Mussel Festival (who knew?!), but we still managed to find the a super quiet spot to enjoy a delicious picnic lunch of brie + artisan bread + tomatoes and carrots.

The neighbours were very quiet, needless to say!...but we enjoyed their company, particularly Sophia's.
Mahone Bay really is a perfect daytrip for a sunny Saturday. I wish I had taken more photos. It's such a pretty little town. We wandered through some of the shops. I had gone with an idea of finding a pair of shoes at the Mahone Bay Trading Co., but didn't find what I was looking for. It's a little surprising that in this tiny little town, you'll find a HUGE shoe store. It's largest shoe store stocking Clark's I've ever been in (even in Toronto!). All I bought in Mahone Bay was an ice cream (from a new ice cream shoppe and was having a 2 for 1 sale), and a rhubarb custard square. Yum!
Sunday was an eventful day, not so much for me, but for a dear friend who was running the Blue Nose Half-Marathon. Personally, I can't imagine running 21 km, even if I was being chased by someone/something, so in my mind this is really an accomplishment to celebrate.Her fan club wandered around the city to cheer her on, and after it was all said and done, we enjoyed a feast at the Mongolie Grill where you pick your own ingredients for a stirfry. It's a pretty fun concept and delicious too! Afterwards we went back to my place to relax and catch-up and later enjoy a dinner together. I love having people over because it's so much more fun cooking for other people than for just me. I made a moussaka with Greek salad and served pita & roasted red pepper dip with it. And for dessert, inspired by the treat I had in Mahone Bay, I made super decadent rhubarb custard bars. Wow they were good....but you don't want to eat too many of them, that's for sure. They are rich, rich, rich!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

Base:
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Cold Butter or Margarine

Filling:

2 Cups Sugar
7 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 Cup Whipping Cream
3 Eggs, beaten
5 Cups Finely Chopped Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb, Thawed and Drained

Topping:

2 Packages (3 ounces each) Cream Cheese softened
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Whipping Cream, Whipped

In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Meanwhile for filling, combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 F for 40 - 45 minutes or until custard is set. Cool.

For topping, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over top. Cover and chill well. Cut into bars.

Yield: 3 Dozen

After a game of Dutch Blitz, everyone went home and I went to bed.

And here we are, today, the last day of the long weekend! After such a busy Sat. and Sunday, I was in no rush to do anything this morning. I enjoyed a slow morning with lots of CBC radio and dozing and not much of anything. Stupidly, I saved all the hard work for the heat of the day - and whoa! was there heat! It was 29 C in Halifax (33 w/ the Humidex). But the sunshine was nice, and I'm not complaining. Even when it's hot Halifax is still waaaay better than Toronto in the heat. There's hardly any smog, and being so close to the ocean means that the evenings cool down nicely. I love Halifax in the summertime!

This afternoon I bought some plants and got my patio garden started. I decided to forego with vegetables this year. For the amount of produce my little garden yields, it's hardly worth it. Especially since I can raid my mother's garden for delicious things! ;)





So this year I've decided to go with flowers and greenery. I want a lush, pretty garden this year, rather than practical. The problem is, I'm not sure I know what I'm doing. So today I just bought a few things that looked nice and planted them in my planters. We'll see how they'll do. I did plant a 'salad' box of romaine lettuce and an herb box with parsley, chives and basil.

I still have a little more to do - I want to pick up a hosta and I need to plant another hanging basket, get my scarlet runners planted, and add a couple more plants to my railing planters - but most of it is done now. Soon, I'll be able to sit back and enjoy the greenery and pretty flowers. I hope.

Well, that's it for me. I'm going to sign-off now, and maybe go to bed. The sun and the activity has left me a little wiped.

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend as much as I did!

Sunset at Peggy's Cove

April in Pictures

Because, once again, I don't really have much time to elaborate on all that I've been doing lately.

First, there was a trip to Peggy's Cove with friends to watch the sunset. It was a little overcast, but such a lovely evening to hang out on the rocks. I never tire of this spot - it's one of my favourite in Nova Scotia. And it's great to go before the tourists arrive....
Then there was a trip to Shubenacadie Wildlife Park with the "Little" where we were entertained by various species of foxes...

Some were active...Some were not!

And then there multiple trips to Two If By Sea to indulge in what is possibly the best pastry I've ever eaten. Those pain au chocolat are huge and buttery and delicious, and best enjoyed with friends.

There was also some beach exploration. It's such a treat to have such warm, sunny weather in April - and what a perfect way to celebrate an early spring by going to the beach to watch the waves!

And that's about it. I will try to do better at blogging in May. Maybe.

A weekend in pictures

I went to the Valley this weekend, and enjoyed a 24 hour vacation in the countryside. So much got done in that short period of time: I did a few loads of laundry and hung out on the clothesline, G. replaced my brake pads and rotors, I went to the Wolfville Market with Mom for lunch and got my hair cut (3.5 inches and still most people don't notice it's been cut *sigh*).

I dipped my toes in the brook, which most years has dried up by this point in the summer. As you can see, there's lots of water in it this summer.

I did my produce shopping for the week in Mom's garden: beets, carrots, green beans, waxed beans, kale, Thai basil....did I miss anything?

And then I went up the road and picked 5 pints of raspberries at the U-Pick, and mashed them into this delicious sauce, perfect for my yogurt in the morning!

When I got back to the city, I decided I needed to find my way to Lawrencetown Beach. I've promised a certain 9 year old (The Little) to take her to a beach and I haven't quite decided which one we should go to. Suggestions are welcome. I'm leaning towards Lawrencetown because they waves are just plain fun, but there beach is actually pretty rocky and not conducive to playing in the sand. Queensland or Cleveland Beach might be better for that.

I had fun in the waves while I was there and managed to get soaked. But what would you expect when you stand in the water waiting for waves daring the waves to crash into you! :) I have to say, the water was really cold! It took a little while to get aclimatised (read: numb).

Afterwards I found a spot in the sand and watched the surfers while the feeling came back to my legs.

It was a beautiful weekend. Perfect in almost every way - a good mix of fun and productivity, of exploring new places and visiting the familiar.

Oh, and I'm over my obsession with the "dream house" in Berwick. Having a realtor stand-you-up for a viewing will do that to you. In the end it's probably better this way. The likelihood of loving this house even more after seeing it in person was pretty high, and yet it's still too far away. The message was clear: the house is not for me. I can move on now.

Wool shopping

Last weekend Gaspereau Valley Fibres had a wool sale - 20% off! I picked up enough Lamb's Pride (for $6 a ball!) to make another couple meathead hats.And here are some of the friendly beasts on the farm. Caprice (the Llama), and the sheep (whose name I've forgotten), were our new best friends after the farmer gave us alfalfa treats to feed them.

Oaklawn Farm Zoo

Again, one of the perks of hanging out with a kid, is getting to do things I used to do myself as a kid but don't so much as an adult - like going to the zoo!

Did you know Nova Scotia has a zoo? And I'm not talking about the wildlife parks, like Shubie; I'm talking big cats, and primates and other exotic animals. The zoo is in the middle of nowhere - in the Annapolis Valley. It's Oaklawn Farm Zoo, and it's relatively new (est. 1984).

We saw Zebras and a Zebra colt (and a Zonkey)...

...the backside of a lazy Siberian Tiger...

...a Gibbon mother showing off her baby (see the bald head), only a few weeks old!...

And we saw Rutledge! ... Oaklawn boasts that Rutledge is the world's heaviest lion (a Guinness record), and I have no reason to disagree. We got a wonderful view of him about 20 ft away with nothing but a fence between us. It was spectacular.

One of the best things about Oaklawn are the admission prices! For 2 admissions - an adult and a child, it was less than 10.00! That's incredible. So accessible for families! This is something I'm constantly struck by here in NS - museums, galleries and the like are much cheaper here which makes it so much easier to expose kids to fun/cultural activities.

Wool & Wine trip

Today I bought wool. Lots and lots of wool. It was Gaspereau Valley Fibres' Yarn Yardsale, and I went with a couple friends from work to check it out. I had no idea what to expect -but a trip to the Valley is always worth it, and I just love wandering around this particular wool shop because every nook and cranny is filled with fibre of some kind.

As it turned out, the yard sale was incredible!! Skeins of yarn marked down ridicously low, and bags of wool of every kind and colour going for $1, $2, $8.... I was like a kid in a candy-store, and showed no self-control. I'll post more later about my haul of wool, but I filled 2 bags and was starting on a 3rd before I pulled myself away from the tables.
Here is the complete haul. All three of us did the best we could to make the yarn yardsale a success. I think, in the end, we were glad to get there just a few minutes after the yardsale opened, because once the crowds arrived, it got very busy and things starting disappearing fast! We stayed long enough for most of the initial stock to be cleaned out, and new stock brought out.
Afterwards, to escape the madness, we visited with the farmyard creatures.


Then went to Gaspereau Valley Winery to taste some wine for an up-coming reception. Being a designated driver and a tea-totaller meant that I didn't participate in any tasting, though I did enjoy looking around. So many lovely things to buy, had I not just spent all my money in one place!

From the Winery, we headed up and over the South Mountain to Wolfville to check out the Wolfville Farmer's Market, Eos Fine Foods, and the OddBook. I found a fantastic menu planner book that hopefully will inspire me out of the cooking slump I seem to be in these days.

We ended our day with a delicious lunch at the Tempest. This was my first time at The Tempest and it certainly didn't disappoint. Here's what I had:

Caesar Salad
Our citrus-zesty Caesar salad with romaine hearts,

pumpernickel croutons,
crispy proscuitto and parmesan frico

with Grilled Martock Glen Chicken Breast

Heavenly Tiramisu

The classic Italian trifle with sweet mascarpone,
espresso and kahlua soaked lady fingers

The salad was delicious and a was more than a meal - there was so much lettuce, I couldn't eat it all. And the tiramisu made me very happy - not because it tasted good (though it did!), but because it tasted exactly like the one I had made a few months ago. *Yay for me!*