Contemplative Monday

Most of us can find peace in a special place that we reserve 

and seek out when the need arises.

It may be a church, temple, synagogue, shrine, backyard, forest,

room in the house, and countless other places.

I find peace near water.....ocean, river, brook/stream.

I know where to go.

How about you?

Do you have a special place where you can relax and just be?

One of many massive windows in the Anglican All Saints Cathedral in Halifax.

Eclectic Tastes

This is a local Halifax duo that is making it's presence known.
I like their 'sound'.

Have a great Sunday everyone.

Saturday Morning Post

From Ducks to Sombreros........

Sophie making her way to the river.

Two, matching mid-20th century tables I bought this week.

Sir Robert Burns in Victoria Park in Halifax.

This retro chair was also purchased with those tables.

Main entrance to the Halifax Public Gardens.

 Got this Mexican Boy Scouts hat/sombrero at an estate sale this week.

The fellow having the sale told me he traded at an international Scouts Jamboree

in Ontario in the early 1950's.

It is in excellent condition.But doesn't fit my BIG head!!

At the river one morning in the fog.

'The ducks are on the pond'.

I had a high school vice principal who said this to us students

on a very regular basis.

Strolling along the river and beach.

 MacDonald House.....

Well hello there!

Alyce in 'Wonderland'

A couple of days ago, Ron and I visited a friend in Halifax 

who had recently moved into her new'home'.

Her name is Alyce and I have known her since the late 60's.

At that time I dated her daughter and was always at their place.

Alyce is from Halifax and grew up as a child in the area she has just moved into.

Due to health issues over the past year, 

she has had to give up her beautiful condo overlooking Halifax Harbour.

So this move was a difficult one for her.

Alyce is a sweetheart and she hasn't changed all that much over the years.

She is still feisty and actively expresses her opinions on everything

like she used to years ago.

Myself and Alyce

It was a surprise visit and luckily she was home.

She took us on a tour of her building

which looks like the inside of a fancy resort villa.

Everything she would ever need is there.

I asked what she thought of the place and she replied

that she liked her home a lot better.

We totally understood.

We had a few laughs and solved a few 'world problems'

and agreed to come back and try out the restaurant's menu.

I tell you, the place is unbelievable.

Ron and Alyce.

We had lost touch over the years and by chance met Alyce and her daughter

a few years ago at a restaurant. We all get together when the daughter is in town.

And hope to next month when Alyce will be celebrating her 90th birthday.

Be

Walking by the Public Gardens in Halifax the other morning,
I came across this fellow holding a Tai Chi pose
(at least I assume it is a Tai Chi pose).

I stopped and looked through the old wrought iron fence
and took this photo.

It was to remind me to take a few pauses throughout my day.
To just be.

Free Time Troopers

Visited Halifax's new Central Library yesterday morning.

Click the above link and take a look/tour of this incredible building.

We had most of the day off yesterday as Sophie had dental surgery.

We dropped her off at 8 AM and picked her up at 5 PM.

She got through things very well and was a trooper through it all.

So, we had a chance explore city centre, have a great breakfast 

and visit a good friend of ours, Alyce, who is in a very posh

and new senior's residence. It is unbelievable!

We both want to be her room mates there!!

It was good to have some 'free time'.

I just couldn't control myself when I saw this photo of the library.

It SCREAMED to be edited!!

Would make a nice hooked rug or 'painting',

don't you think?

Someone Who LOVES What He's Doing

Sometimes the speed with which the tide changes can catch one unawares.....

as evidenced  by Ron yesterday when he was engrossed with a close-up shot.

Sophie just stood there and watched as Ron got hit by a small unsuspecting wave!

Oh, his shot was well-worth it!

Contemplative Monday

The following is from 'The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh' (click)

and published by 'Shambhala Pocket Classics'.

"In Buddhism, we have the practice of  apranihita, aimlessness.

If you put an aim in front of you, you'll be running all your life,

and happiness will never be possible.

Happiness is possible only when you stop running

and cherish the present moment and who you are.

You don't need to be someone else;

you're already a wonder of life."

Eclectic Tastes

One of Bob Dylan's classics.
No video needed for this one, just turn up the 'radio'.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone.

Saturday Morning Post

Here, There, And Everywhere This Past Month.....

An Anglican 'church kneeler' I found in an antiques shop in Port Williams, Nova Scotia.

It is in the shop now.

THE best fruit crisps/crumbles and pies in all of Nova Scotia

 can be found here in Grand Pre, Nova Scotia.

We've been going here for years.

A very lonely Tiger Lily growing near our driveway earlier this summer.

The MacDonald House as seen from Stoney Beach in Lawrencetown, N.S.

The 'Look Off' in King's County, N.S.

It is said that five counties can be seen from this location.

At Scott's Bay, N.S a few weeks ago.

It was the first time we were here. It was covered in very small rocks.

Sophie LOVED swimming here.

 This cute little place is down the road from about 10 km.

It has since become 'the Krooked House Art Shop'.

It is in Seaforth, N.S.

Queen Anne's Lace and Bumblebee...

River grass along the Lawrencetown River at dusk.

These three 'rock hunters' were at Scott's Bay when we arrived 

and were there when we left a couple hours later.

They were looking for the semi-precious stone called Agate

which is very prevalent in this area.

Found this lobster trap and hull of a row boat

at the Acadian Cafe in West Chezzetcook, N.S.

just down the road a ways from us.

A better view of the row boat. Just look at all the coats of different paint

this had had over the years.

From Shore to Shore

The South Shore of Nova Scotia is speckled with little fishing hamlets

like this one below.

Yesterday we headed 'south' to find a few.

Do you have a favourite place to go during the summer

that is in your province or state?

To Think Or Not To Think....That Is The Question

I have always been told that I think too much.

I could never understand this.

It is just the way I am 'made up' and is mostly beyond my control.

I do, however, understand this a little more when I am standing on this hill

and looking down at this scene.

What's there to think about?

Just allowing it to envelop me.

What is your way of relaxing your mind and just letting things go?

Inseparable

These two make me CRAZY when they are together.

A picture is worth a thousand words.....

L'Acadie, L'Acadie

A large number  (300,000 to be exact) of Maritimers, 

(those who live in the provinces of Prince Edward Island,

 New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) have Acadian ancestry.

I do.

What is an Acadian you may ask? Well, an Acadian is one whose ancestors

originated from France and came to the 'New World' to settle in the 1600's.

They settled all over the Maritimes when the French were in control of this region.

After a few back and forth battles between the French and the English,

the Acadians found themselves at the mercy of the English.

They were asked to swear allegiance to the throne of England.

Most didn't want to do this and promised to stay neutral as best they could.

This didn't last long....as their lands were given to the English 

and they were given very poor scrub land that was impossible to produce any crops.

So they started to rebel. They lost this effort.

And they were expelled from this region starting in 1755 by the ship load.

Most settled along the eastern seaboard of what is now the United States.

Some chose to go back to France but this failed as they had become

accustomed to life in the 'New World'.

These Acadians left France, again, and settled in Louisiana.

As I mentioned above, I have Acadian ancestry on both sides of my family.

On my mother's side it was found that a few of her Scottish ancestors

married Acadians in Prince Edward Island.

On my father's side, his great-great grandfather, Theodore Cuvelier,

arrived in New York harbour in 1850 aboard a ship from Paris.

I consulted a local geneologist and he said that my g-g-g grandfather

 would be considered a 'late Acadian', as he did eventually settle in Nova Scotia.

All this ancestral history of mine was triggered recently because

National Acadian Day  (click if you wish to learn more)

 is celebrated every year on August 15th.

We have a local Acadian community just 10 km down the road from us.

So we had lunch yesterday at the Acadian Tea Room  (click) in West Chezzetcook.

I had my favourite Acadian dish...Tortierre....

while Ron had his favourite....fish cakes made with salt cod.

I am very proud of all my ancestors but have a particular 'soft spot'

for my Acadian links.......maybe because of the struggles they had endured.

How about you? Do have a 'soft spot' for any of your ancestors?

All photos were taken at the Acadian Tea Room yesterday.

Contemplative Monday

The following is from 'The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh'
and published by 'Shambhala Pocket Classics'.

"Being compassionate does not mean allowing other
people to do violence to themselves or to you.

Being compassionate means being intelligent.
Non-violent action that springs from love 
can only be intelligent action."

A Change Is As Good As A Rest.......They Say

The 'change' being a rest from the blogger world.

But now I am back!!

And it being Sunday here,
 I always like to start the coming week off with some music.

This piece came out the year I graduated from high school....

So maestro, if you would: