CAMPING IN FUNDY NATIONAL PARK

Well everyone, I'm sure you were wondering where I've disappeared to for a week. I've been on the road camping in Fundy National Park. I had thought they had internet there, and they did, just not at our campground, and that was good. It felt nice to disappear from society and what was going on around the world for awhile. But now we are on Prince Edward Island, enjoying the amenities of an actual home, with electricity, internet and real beds, before heading back to reality, school, and everything else that comes along with it.

New Brunswick was our replacement trip for Newfoundland which had to be cancelled for quite a few reasons, but remains on my Bucket List for another time. But a fine replacement it was. The towering rock formations created by the highest tides in the world made for an amazing backdrop to beautiful, sparkling waters, cliff sides and scenic drives. We went to a music festival, did The Fundy Trail Parkway, went hiking every single day, and swimming in the Saltwater Pool located in the park, with amazing views of the water. We visited Hopewell Rocks where you can walk on the ocean floor when the tide recedes, and wander amongst the towering rock formations that are sculpted by the millions of years of tides sweeping back and forth twice a day. Absolutely awe inspiring.

The Fundy Shore is only a small part of New Brunswick, and it has made me long to discover more of this beautiful province. It's rolling hillsides, lush green landscapes and friendly people leave much to be discovered. I will certainly post more on this in the future. Now I must relish in a morning cup of coffee on the front porch of a home that has been here for over a hundred years and gaze out over the glistening waters of  PEI, my favorite island in the world. Its peace and magic work wonders, and all who come here are forever changed. It is the location of the famous novels by Lucy Maude Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables. When I read this as a little girl, I longed to see the red dirt roads, and champagne beaches, and to be here now as an adult, and know that all the magic created in the books is real, is such a treat.

LIFE'S A BEACH

It is no secret by now how much I love the beach. I love the sand between my toes, the salty smell in the air and the way my hair feels after its been blown around in the salty wind. When I'm away from the ocean for any length of time, I crave the sound of the waves, whether crashing to shore with ferocity after a big storm or the gentle lapping of the waves on a calm day. There is nothing better than standing in the surf as the waves pull in out, the sand disappearing under your feet, the cold of the water making your toes ache.

No matter what my mood might be on a given day, when I go to the ocean it washes everything away, and brings me the kind of peace that I can only find there. I can walk for miles along the sand, the wind and sun in my face as I look out over the shining sparkling waters. But I also love the kinds of days where the gentle, silent fog rolls in and wraps you in its cloak, making you invisible to the rest of the world as you walk through its mysterious mist, the wetness clinging to your hair as a fog horn drones its mournful sound in the distance.

And I love the beach at all times of the year. From summer, where you screech as you run over the hot sand burning the bottoms of your feet, to the winter, when you snuggle in to a cozy sweater and fuzzy toque as the wind whips its ice pellets and spray from the waves in to your face. Then when you've had enough you go to a local café and sip a hot coffee and enjoy a steaming bowl of seafood chowder, your hair a mess, your skin red and stinging from the cold. Really, it doesn't get better than that.

And I love how the sea leaves treasures, as its immense tides roll in and out twice a day. Many hours can be spent admiring the bountiful rocks and shells and seaweed that gets left behind for us to find.

I really don't think I will ever be able to live far from the ocean. It is just a part of me. It's vastness, power and beauty invoke in me a feeling of freedom and peacefulness, and to be far from that for any length of time would leave an empty place inside. I guess that's why I chose to live in Nova Scotia where there is 13 300 kilometers of coast line to explore. From the rugged beauty of The Bay of Fundy, to the white sands of the South Shore, there is endless opportunities for exploring. In Nova Scotia, Life's a Beach.

18 YEARS

When I was at the lake the other day, I saw a lovely young couple there. They were about 18 or 19 years old, and completely in love. With them, they had their little 6 month old baby boy. He was sitting in the stroller, wide eyed, watching us, kicking his chubby legs and smiling. I observed the couple as they took care of their little one, and took turns swimming and having fun. So young. So much responsibility. I looked at my husband and he looked at me, and we smiled. We were that couple almost 21 years ago. Young, hopelessly in love, and in way over our heads with responsibility. The thing is, everything turned out ok for us. We worked hard at life, and we worked hard at our relationship. Parenting isn't easy, no matter how old you are, but the rewards are bountiful.

When I look back to those years of being a young family, I realize how much we struggled to make it. Some people treated our situation like it was a "mistake." Something that had to be dealt with. When I watched the young couple at the lake I realized how far from the truth that attitude was. My little one was never a "mistake." Surprise? Yes. A big one. But looking back now at our happy family of 5, I know that every sacrifice and every hardship was worth it.

Yesterday was our 18th wedding anniversary, and we have been together almost 24 years in total. Amazing. I love him now more than I ever did. And that's not to say there were never bumps in the road, and that our lives were perfect. There have been times when I feel like jumping in my car and driving away. Didn't matter where, just away. But that's normal, and you work through those times. I am very lucky to be married to my guy. He is faithful and loving and a great father. Is he perfect? No. Am I perfect? Well yes! Just kidding.....far from it. But knowing our shortcomings is important in making a relationship work. Being able to say sorry, and know when you're wrong is essential to a long lasting marriage.

People have often asked me that if I could go back and change anything, would I? Well, no. If I changed one thing about my life, I wouldn't be where I am today. And I'm pretty happy with who I am, where I am, and who I am with. And for me there isn't anywhere else in the world I would rather be than with my husband and kids. They are my everything.

Happy Anniversary to the man of my dreams. I love you.



Our anniversary supper
 

SEPTEMBER COUNTDOWN

So I decided to sit down this morning and write my blog, but the kids were running around screaming at each other. Then an entire bag of sugar exploded on the stairs, and more crying and screaming ensued so I put the lap top away.  I decided I would write my blog later. Well, later is now, my inspiration from the morning is long lost in my mind, and the kids are screaming and fighting once again. The laundry I forgot on the clothes line last night got rained on, my vacuum is clogged and the couch I'm sitting on feels sticky. I won't even try to begin to imagine what that might be. It's August. Only 3 weeks left until the little darlings go back to school.

That said, having the privilege of having this summer with my kids has been amazing. I love them dearly and I know I will miss their screeching and hollering, wrestling and fighting so much when September roles around. I know when they hop on the bus that first day of school, with their new backpacks loaded down with supplies, new shoes and clothes and a healthy lunch ( because its always the perfect lunch the first few weeks ) I will shed a tear and long for these days of summer. I will wish for more swims at the lake, catching waves at the beach, and the ice creams melting all over my car seats on the way home. I will miss the car rides where we crank up the music with the windows rolled down and sing along, nothing on our agenda but sand and sun.

But I will also rejoice in my moments of renewed freedom. Solitude, and walks on the beach, all the sand pails, and boogey boards put away for the summer. It will once again be just me and the sandpipers enjoying the peace and tranquility of the ocean. The beach mine once again.

CHORUS OF DAWN

I awoke this morning with the first hint of light. I blame the Owl. He was hooting and screeching, making such a racket, it roused me from my sleep with a startle. I then cozied back under the covers to try to resume some semblance of sleep but it just wouldn't come. So I lay there for a long time, listening to the quiet of the house and letting some of my thoughts run through my head, as they will when all is silent and there is no interruptions.

I decided at this point to get up and enjoy the solitude that comes with early mornings. I crept downstairs and put the kettle on, ensuring that the whistle was disengaged. I went out and picked blueberries to go with breakfast, and startled a few robins that had the same idea. Hummingbirds were zipping around my head and my dog was sniffing around my feet, helping himself to the blueberries on the lower branches. But the world was anything but silent. The symphony that was taking place around me was breathtaking. There were birds everywhere, and they were giving their grandest performance. It was so beautiful, I started to cry. Not tears of sadness, but ones of joy that I am so blessed to be alive one more day. They say that the chorus of birds at dawn is to attract their mates and to defend their territory. My romantic theory is that they are welcoming the light, and singing their joy of the day. I don't care if my theory is unscientific, it makes me happy.

I came back in and made my husband a steaming hot cup of coffee with freshly ground beans. I scooped up a bowl of cottage cheese and sprinkled on the blueberries. I crept back up stairs and woke him up with a smile. The steam from the coffee wafted around him and he stretched out, his face breaking out in to a smile of his own. I told him to listen, and he did, to the chorus that was still in full force, and when I saw his face, I knew he felt just as I did. It is a great day to be alive.

PICNIC FOR SUPPER

Tonight we decided to have our supper at a local park. It was such a beautiful day and it seemed a waste to spend it at home. After having a somewhat rough weekend, I decided just the thing was to head out, food in the cooler, kick boards and water noodles in the trunk and head down to the local lake. As soon as we pulled in, we jettisoned everything from the car and set up at the picnic table. Then it was into the water for a refreshing swim. What a rejuvenation it is to cool off in the water, then relax and enjoy some wonderful food.

I feel very blessed to live in a place that has so many wonderful swimming lakes and beaches for our enjoyment. The mere sound of water lapping against the shoreline fills my soul with peace and tranquility. My kids splashing around in the water, giggling and laughing with happiness fills my heart with joy, and makes everything well again. I constantly learn the lesson that being in nature brings everything around and whole again, no matter how hard some times might be, are how bad a day may get. Trees, sun, water and fresh air somehow cleanse the body.

So after our fun evening at the lake we finished it off with a walk that began with this sign at the head of the trail. I really couldn't have said it better myself.

HALIFAX AND BACK

So it has been a few days since I have written. I needed to go to Halifax, NS for a last minute appointment and forgot my trusty lap top. While there we had a lovely visit with wonderful friends, and then came home to a yard full of chores that have been put on the back burner due to the rainy season we have had. The weather is lovely now, and suddenly there are a thousand beans to pick, weeds to pull, lawns to mow and gardens to spruce up.

Anyhow, enough whining about all the things I had to do this weekend. As always, I enjoy the outdoors and we did fit in some time to relax in the gazebo and maybe have a sip or two of wine.

Now, I always enjoy my trips to Halifax. Its about a 3.5 hour drive from my home and there are lots of wonderful places to stop along the way. There is Shelburne, Lunenburg, Liverpool, Chester, Bridgewater and Mahone Bay to name a few. All quaint, beautiful locations that one could spend a whole day exploring. This time however it was straight to the city. After getting the appointment out of the way, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and then made our way to the Public Gardens in the city. It is truly a beautiful park, with fountains, flowers, old trees, some geese, ponds and many benches to rest a while. The Public Gardens attracts people from all over the world, and it was nice to see everyone enjoying the amazing weather. There were those on their lunch break, those on tour groups, joggers, couples and Mom's with their little ones feeding the ducks. It truly is a place to find a little bit of peace in a hectic world.

The thing I love about Halifax is it's energy and feel. It is a friendly city, full of tree lined streets that shade us from the afternoon sun. It is a place that has held on to its past, and there are rows on rows of century homes in a myriad of colors.

I always have so much fun when I visit this city, and this time was no exception. If you ever have the chance to visit this special city, make sure you take a couple of days to explore. It has so much to offer, you won't be disappointed. Except maybe when its minus ten with a wind chill of minus 25, and snow. But even then, I have been know to have a grand old time.