Trip to Nova Scotia, Day 12

Happy Independence Day! It’s Fast Sunday, and we attended church in Kentville. After church, we headed over to Hall’s Harbour, a place where you can see the dramatic effects of the Bay of Fundy tides. From Hall’s Harbour, we headed over to the Grand Pré National Historic Site, famous as the place about which Longfellow’s poem “Evangeline” was written. In 1755, the Acadians living in Nova Scotia (or as they called it, Acadie), were deported to other British colonies in the Americas by British soldiers. Some of these outcasts made their way to Louisiana, where they are known as the Cajuns. Some Acadians managed to remain in the general area, and some have returned, so there is a significant Acadian influence in parts of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Maine. From the Grand Pré area, we went to the home of a member family in the Kentville Ward, visited with friends, had dinner, and reminisced about Hallie’s time as a missionary. After returning to the Burstalls and putting Landon to bed, the four of us adults had a good time solving all of the world’s problems. The world might be a very different place today had some key historical events not happened in the way they did. It’s interesting to get a Canadian perspective on what happens in America. I’m not convinced that any of us has all the information we need to understand things as they currently are or why, from a gospel perspective, the world looks the way it does today. I hope that I get a chance to see the whole stories of history from the perspective of those who lived them.

Tired Landon after church.
Hall's Harbour at low tide.
Flags flying at the wharf.
View of houses along the beach.
At high tide, all this land will be submerged.
This dock shows the extremes of the tide.
Hallie and views of the coast.
The Hall's Harbour Lobster Pound.
Another view of exposed land that will be totally submerged at high tide.
Holiday greetings from Grand Pre!
The church at Grand Pre and the Evangeline statue.
Another view of Evangeline.
Another view of the church.
Stained glass above the main doors of the church.
This very friendly, very cool cat looks after the church and grounds.
Archeological excavations around the church. When we were here nine years ago, these excavations were just barely started.
Us with another family touring the grounds.
The Deportation Cross along the Minas Basin. It it believed that the Acadians from Grand Pre were removed from Nova Scotia here.
A dairy farm near the Deportation Cross. This is one of the many farms where Farmer's Ice Cream comes from!
Acadia University in Wolfville.
The Carwarden Bed & Breakfast, where we stayed nine years ago.
At Morgan's house with friends. Landon took the candids.

Self portrait.

Trip to Nova Scotia, Day 11

No photos today, just stories. We spent most of the day around the Burstall home. In the morning, Marie and Hallie went to Wheaton’s furniture store for their annual yard sale. Brad and I went after they had come back. Marie, Hallie, and Landon met us back there with the intent of all of us going to the nursery, but then Landon had a dirty diaper, so I had to go back home and watch the Argentina-Germany soccer game. In the midst of that and after everyone else returned, people set about preparing a meal for guests coming in from New Brunswick and the two sets of missionaries serving in the ward (which, by the way, covers an area of about 3500 km² or over 1300 square miles—compare that to Simi 3^rd Ward at maybe 3 square miles, or even Belle Isle at maybe 60 square miles). After it became clear that Argentina was going to break Mike’s heart (don’t cry for me—I’m German on my mother’s side, so it’s all good, kinda), he joined in the festivities, which by this time had amounted to 15¾ people. We had burgers, hot dogs, salad, and strawberry shortcake (with strawberries fresh from the local U-pick farm). After the elders left (the sisters did not arrive until around 5 PM), the rest of us went for a swim in the backyard pool. Landon really enjoyed swimming around, and once again he showed unusual skill for a kid his age. We even managed to get him to paddle on his own (with Mike holding him up by his tummy). Eventually everyone else save Marie, Brad, and us had gone, and we spent some time relaxing by the pool. However, the pleasant afternoon had to end, so we came in. The sisters came and we visited with them, then Marie hopped into the shower. As she was finishing, the hot water would not shut off! No burns or anything, but we did have a water problem on our hands. Brad was able to shut off the hot water, but we had to rush up to the Home Depot (a half-hour drive) quick before it closed. We found the part we thought we needed, but it didn’t solve the problem. So, we have limited access to hot water for the next little bit (on the plus side, the Burstalls may move forward with a potential bathroom remodel they had been contemplating). We drowned our collective woes in Farmers Heavenly Hash ice cream and watched mystery shows on TV.

Trip to Nova Scotia, Day 10

We spent our first day in Berwick (pronounced “Berk” by the locals) with Mike grading papers and doling out final grades while Hallie ran into town to run a few errands with Marie. Work done, we went down to New Ross to the Ross Farm Museum with Brad, Marie, and the kids Marie looks after. Later on, we went to Jonny’s Restaurant for huge ice cream cones and yummy fish and chips (sans chips). Landon had a good time both at the farm and with his ice cream. Beautiful sunny day with the promise of more to come.
Outside the farm.
Some fields with growing crops.
Taking a walk along the nature trail.
Learning about ox shoes from the blacksmith.
Landon hanging around with a newborn calf.
Waiting to take a ride on the wagon.
Learning lessons at an 1840s schoolhouse.
Making hay while the sun shines.
Baking bread for the workers and the tourists.

Heeeer'e's Jonny's! Many of the better places we've eaten at are housed in smallish buildings like these. That's authentic road food for you.

Trip to Nova Scotia, Day 9

Canada Day in New Germany = Awesome! Bright and early the Doreys and we headed down to where the YM and YW set up their cookie mix booth. Blue skies and cool breezes made for a perfect outdoor day. Several other people had set up booths with food and activities, but the festivities really started to get underway when the ox pull started. We watched a few teams of oxen pull their heavy weights on flat boards (it kind of reminded us of what ox teams might have had to do when bringing stones for the Salt Lake Temple down from the quarry. From the ox pull and the booth area, we walked down to the main drag and to the elementary school where the floats, performers, and vehicles were getting prepared for the parade through town. Landon even got a chance to sit in the cab of a brand new International big rig. We walked back to Kathy’s mom’s apartment and staked out a viewing place for the parade. Before too long, we began to hear the police cars and fire trucks sound their sirens, and the parade was under way! Landon stood transfixed by the large vehicles, and he got really excited when kids started handing out candy and freeze pops! Once the parade ended and the streets cleared up a bit, we headed back to the booth area and Landon took a couple of turns in the bounce house. We wished we could stay longer, but we were due in Berwick for the second part of our Nova Scotia stay, so we said, “So long,” to the Doreys and our other Bridgewater Ward friends and took to the road. The Doreys were the best, and we will miss them now that we’re heading to the Valley. We arrived in the late afternoon at the Burstall’s in Berwick. Landon played some before we put him to bed and visited with Bro. and Sis. Burstall into the evening. Happy Birthday, Canada!
The Doreys and the Owens.
Grandma Kathy and and Grandpa Neil.
Outside the Royal Canadian Legion in New Germany.
At the booth area before the crowds came.
Setting up the cookie mix booth.
More set up.
The cameraman who ended up taking footage of Mike and Hallie.
Landon among the oxen.
The ox pull area with grandstand, announcers, and spectators.
PULL!
Landon taking in the event with friends.
The shade is nice, but I'm not so sure I'd want to be sitting there.
Down at the school among the floats.
Landon in the International big rig.
The parade. Here's the veterans' float.
Local firetrucks.
"Landon's" truck.
A pirate float.
More of the float.
Marching band.
The Shriners' float.
Kiddie train.
Country band.
Backside of the Michelin float.
Cars making up the tail end of the parade.
. . . and one last float.

Landon at the bounce house. So long, New Germany!

How's This for Random?

So we're in New Germany for Canada Day celebrations (more on that to follow), and Mike notices a news van and cameraman taking shots of the goings on. Apparently he was there to get footage for how the community was coping with a shooting that had gone on the day before in town (How random is that? Gun violence in the town we're visiting as opposed to the town we live in.). Guess who ends up on the six o'clock news?

(A link to the broadcast is available here. We're about 3 1/2 minutes in.)