July 31, 2010

a small miracle

okay so what makes this simple lighthouse photo

a miracle?

well...

a sunny saturday at peggy's cove means loads and loads 

of tourists

so 

it was amazing that i managed to get this shot without any people in it.

it pays to shoot low and have all the rocks in the way!!

see what i mean?  loads of tourists!

i managed to get one of matt and emily without any people in it
took a little bit of patience and a hearty smile and laugh to get everyone
to stop walking by for a few minutes!!
but it was worth it!

this is our favorite little 'ledge'

when the kids were small it was a precarious climb to this

spot

but today it was a piece of cake

but we enjoy it because no one is ever there

it is quiet and the view of the sea is so lovely.

we really enjoyed ourselves

climbing and jumping on the rocks,

eating icecream

finding little sea side trails and shops

and of course taking lots of photos.

i took over a hundred today so thought

i would show you a few in the blog....

why not eh?

what is a trip to the sea without a rusty old chain, a lobster trap,

lichen covered bedrock

and a lovely sea breeze.

the best part?

i was a GIANT for the day!

haha.

isn't emily clever to take this photo?

must be in her genes.

July 30, 2010

fletcher lake

today we drove to Fall River to where our friend

dave was building a deck

just to say hi and see how it was going

i was so very tired today

i seem to still be on roatan because lately i am 

going to bed between 1:00 am and 2:30 am

so needless to say i wasn`t like the energizer bunny today

bob and dave worked on the deck together

and talked about chalk lines, angles to cut boards,

nailers, etc

i put my head down on the table and slept

sleep is so wonderful

just that little power nap helped me to make it 

through the rest of the afternoon
i have learned that living in the caribbean:
siestas make the world a better place for everyone...

we  picked up emily and matt and went
to amy and borden`s for dinner:

BBQ spareribs, hamburgers, new potatoes

salad

and for dessert:

homemade icecream with blueberries, raspberries

and BBQ peaches

yes you read that right!

they were delicious!!!

July 29, 2010

fog and rain

some people avoid the beach at this time

i am the opposite

i love the beach when it is like this

i have spent many many a time 

walking along wet rocks to the roar

of wind swept waves
lawrencetown beach

it suits me

don't get me wrong

the beach is nice on a sunny day

but when it is wild, and dark, and foggy

i am drawn there 

i remember once standing on the shore

being so overwhelmed by the power of the ocean waves

that i lifted my arms in praise to God

i quietly began to sing

and then through the fog i saw a stranger walking

towards me

what did i do?

i smiled

and kept praising.

a raging sea makes me realize how small

i am 

the fog makes me realize that i can't see without faith

the wind rattles me to the core

and i leave walking taller

and stronger

and wetter!

:-)

July 28, 2010

nova scotia thistle

whenever i see a thistle here i think about the brooch

the scottish wear on their kilts or the ladies on their sweaters

thistles are synonymous with nova scotia and scottish heritage

i remember the first time we came here back in 1995 i 

felt like i was home

it just felt right

now you might think that is because i am scottish

-- not so --

we have english and german in our background.

i am not sure why i resonate so well with the

culture here, the music, the food, the foggy days by the sea

where the wind would blow away all cobwebs and worries from 

my soul.

we had a golden retriever when we used to live here and i 

would take sandy frequently to the sea for a swim

and the roar from the sea smoothed stones rolling back and forth from shore to sea
would somehow

strangely sooth my soul.

bob and i used to frequent ceilidh's

either on a friday night in halifax

or drive to cape breton for a weekend of music and dancing

it was there that i learned to dance the scottish step dancing

and the iona and inverness style of square dancing.

 it would bless my heart with so much joy to do the gigs!

i was often mistaken for a gal from cape breton

and to me that is the greatest compliment anyone has ever given me

i bought bob a fiddle that once belonged to  an amazing cape breton fiddler

called dwayne cote
but it had a beautiful rich tone to it
dwayne cote
some toe tapping music

 everyday for years at around 5:30 in the evening
bob would practice his fiddle
at first it was a little hard on the ears but after awhile
 the dog and i would find ourselves dancing in the kitchen
i kid you not, whenever sandy heard celtic music she would jump
up and dance.
no lie.
great dog!

the people here are notably more friendly then canadians

in the middle or the west coast

if i were to settle in canada again i would 

find myself drawn to a smallish seatown spot

perhaps baddeck

where people still have time to 

sit for tea,

they make their living simply by fishing at the banks

and find themselves dancing wildly when the fiddle

is 'close to the floor.'

what does that mean you ask?

well there is a certain note that is so deep, like a drone,

that it resonates to the very core and causes one 

to jump up and start to dance without any reservation

or thought.

i want to live close to the floor more often....

July 27, 2010

storm overhead

today bob, emily and i took the ferry over to halifax

to have lunch on the waterfront

i love the ferry!

it is a cheap way to get out on the water.

 bob isn't as serious as he looks

today has been fair to partly cloudy.

i am still accustomed to tropical weather

and have been donning shoes, socks, jeans,

tshirt and a fleece

everyone else is wearing shorts or capris with sandals

i guess for them it is hot summer weather.

oh well

i welcome the cooler change

look at those clouds!

we didn't get rained on

 i did

aren't you proud of me??!

:-)

July 26, 2010

bee yourself

i am finding the longer that i am in canada

the less canadian i feel

yup

it's a little frustrating not only to me but i am sure to our friends

for one:

i don't like to plan

i like things to unfold

but people here are busy so planning is essential

for another:

i don't like to shop

i go into those huge big stores 

whether it is a grocery store or a department store

and i am overwhelmed
i end up buying nothing

i still like to walk by the sea though

that's good

i still like to sit beside a friend and chat the afternoon away

i still like to smile at strangers

although they don't smile back as much

bee yourself

that is a message to myself

and maybe you.

July 25, 2010

nancy's windowsill

some people have a knack for arranging things

in a pleasing and colorful way

nancy is one of those people

i love to go to her house.

i could wander around for quite awhile

taking in glass bowls of sealife, colored glass bottles in shades
of turquoise, sea green or cobalt blue

stained glass sailboats on the large windows that face the sea

the colors are easy on the eye

soft green, varying shades of blue,

sand, and white colored wood furniture

we came here today after church and are going 

to be staying with our friends dave and nancy

for the duration of our time here.

they live in lawrencetown

by the sea

today it is so foggy you can't see the sea

but i believe it there.

yes i do.

i believe.

July 24, 2010

 

bff's

best friends forever

karen and marsha

i first met these two wonderful woman back in 1995

when we moved to dartmouth to help pastor a church

they are truly my dearest friends

sisters

we have weathered many changes and challenges,

walked our dogs (now no longer alive) along

sea swept paths,

made stamped cards together,

had many a meal together,

shared christmas',

and the wonder of His love together, 

worshiped together, 

cried together,

gone on trips together,

shopped together,

watched tv together,

agonized over our kids together,

prayed together,

solved the world's problems together

being with them 

i am a better person

love like gold has been mined in my heart for them

and no matter where i go or live 

they are often in my thoughts and prayers.

precious....friends... forever....