The Keeper

This poem is dedicated to the Keepers in my family, Pvt. Vernon Treen, F/O Donald Nelson, P/O John Edwin Bragg, Pvt. Leonard Treen, Pvt. Leo Dowd, Sgt. Joe Harrigan and S/L Rusty Bragg.

And to family members who paid the ultimate price in war:  Sgt. Beldon Treen - killed at Vimy Ridge; Lance Corporal Burton Treen - gassed at Hill 70; Pvt. Stanley Treen - killed at Amiens; and P/O Douglas W. Peers - killed in action over Germany 1944.

The Keeper

The old man stands there wizened and bent

And watchs through tears as they play the lament.

I am the keeper, he says in his mind.

I am the one he left behind.

I am the keeper of memories

When others seem to forget.

I am the one who remembers

As though he is living yet.

I see his face and remember his jokes.

I see the sadness as he speaks of the folks.

I see the fear in a best pal's eye.

I hear him hide in the dark and cry.

I see him die in the blood and the gore.

I see him fall to fight no more.

I stand at his grave in the cold smoky air.

And promise I'd always be there.

We were just young boys back then

And ready for a laugh.

Now I'm keeper who stands alone

And cries at the Cenotaph.

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN, RIDITY JIG!

Yesterday was a very angry day - dark clouds, rain and wind that I thought would knock me off the road - and so it seemed fitting that last night I camped in a town called Milestone.  Indeed, it was.  Time to look forward but also a time to reflect on the past 10 weeks.

After 13,644.8 km; one amazing encounter with a humpback whale; 30 cemeteries; a carriage ride through old Lunenburg; 26 very high bridges - and the Confederation Bridge (13.1km) both ways; 9 ferry rides; 1 flat tire; 6 weeks of fun with my best friend; 2,650 new ancestors; too much lobster (well, not really); 10 border crossings; tea at Rita McNeill`s; getting to know my cousins much better; a trip on the Cabot Trail; a visit to Green Gables and a thousand other adventures, I`m home.  No traffic tickets; no major plumbing problems; 2 tornadoes; and heat that would melt tar.

Highlights were:

1. First and foremost, spending so much `quality` time with Ann.
2. Meeting my cousin, John for the first time and spending a day journeying back into the Bragg family history.
3. Green Gables
4. The whale
5. Rita`s Tea Room
6. KOA Kampgrounds
7. The Lobster Man
8. Outlet stores

Some disappointments were:

1. The Trapp Family Lodge
2. A seafood dinner one night in Amherst
3. Lavender scented kitty litter

The trip was really a feast for the senses:

• We saw magical golden sunsets over the Northumberland Strait; velvety, red sandy beaches on PEI; dark, cool pine forests of Maine and New Brunswick; Lupins and daisies and black eyed susans in the ditches; a fat little baby bear; tall ships; quaint little postcard villages; Peggy`s Cove and Digby Neck.

• We were treated to fresh cut clover and lobster steaming in sea water, soft ocean breezes.

• We heard bagpipes; scrappy little black birds; fiddles; and yes our ukuleles.

• Everywhere we turned was a new vista to  proclaim over and our language often failed us. 

The kitty`s survived - still riding under the bedclothes while we were rolling down the road, but quite at home in the motorhome when we stopped.

I discovered a lot about my family roots while I was away, as well.  Who knew we were Swedish.  Now I have to study up on the Salem Witch Trials, the Boston Tea Party, the Puritans and the Presbyterians.

A wonderful summer - the best ever.  Can`t wait to see what comes next!

The End!

ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS (THANK GOODNESS IT'S NOT A BRIDGE)

So here I am in Minot, North Dakota. One final chance to hit the Target (so to speak) before crossing the border. It's been a naturey kind of day. I started out in Grand Forks this morning in a raging rain storm. The sky was black and there were streaks of lightening hurtling across the sky. But, as in Saskatchewan, just wait an hour and it could all be different – and it was. Within an hour I drove out of the storm and into clear blue prairie skies. The road from there to here is pretty flat, almost empty and an invitation to a wandering mind. Fortunately, North Dakota has some of the best rest stop areas I've come across. There seem to be an extraordinary number of very large dragonflies about. Itty bitty little helicopters flying in formation beside me as I roll down the road. The first part of the trip today was through vast – hundreds of miles of marshland teeming with waterfowl. Perky little ducks splashing away and having a great time. Later I drove through the most incredible fields of nodding, golden sunflowers. I wanted to stop and see if they all followed the sun across the sky. Finally I ran into a plague of little white butterflies. There were thousands of them over several miles, accompanied by Kamikaze barn swallows swooping down in front of me to catch them in mid air.

  

I drove through Rugby today, the geographical centre of North America and remembered that in Stewiake, Nova Scotia I had passed through the latitudinal centre of the continent.

 

Gas prices are all over the place in this state. From a high of $2.89 a gallon to the lovely little independent I bought gas from yesterday for $2.66 – I haven't seen better than that since.

 

Don't you just love cucumber sandwiches?

 

How do I know I'm getting close to home?

 

1. People have stopped saying “Boy you're a long way from home”.
2. People have actually heard of Saskatchewan.
3. I'm listening to CBC Regina on my computer in the evenings.
4. I saw my first flock of migrating Canada Geese this morning.
5. I'm almost out of American money.

 

 One nice thing about driving through North Dakota is that I don't have to argue with Miss Hathaway so much. She signs on in the morning with a “Drive 357 km” and then goes back to sleep for the rest of the trip.  Have you heard the song "Shut up and Drive"?

 

 

 

To be continued........

AC, SALEM AND MY BEGATS

The thermometer hit a glorious 97 degrees today, so it was a perfect day to be inside my lovely air conditioned bubble, rolling along the empty highways (and very good highways they are) and enjoying the scenery of northern Minnesota.  I'm back at the home of Paul Bunyan, Bemidji and after setting up, I took advantage of the cool and refreshing pool and then came back to the bubble for a little nap.  AC, I love you!

As you know, the original purpose for this trip was to dig further into my family roots  and that was why Ann and I tripped through all those cemeteries in Nova Scotia, swatting black flies and taking pictures of anything that vaguely resembled a tombstone.  In Pugwash, I found several thousand new family members at the Historical Society and then as I studied the material I found that my family tree really reads like an Edward Rutherford novel.  One of my ancestors was an Examiner at the Salem Witch Trials, another was on the scene during the Boston Tea Party and during the American Revolution the family was split down the middle with some members remaining loyal to the British Crown while others were staunch patriots.  I have always said we should count our toes because in those early days there was a lot of inter-marriage in the small populations.  I found Abigail Kendall Reed who had an extra finger on each hand and an extra toe on each foot - Uh Oh!

One little book I found in Nova Scotia is called The Valley of the Remsheg.  It chronicles the Loyalist families who left New York to settle in Cumberland County.  I call it my "book of begats" because it is a 350 page genealogy of theses families and because of the aforementioned inter-marriages, am descended from at least half the Remsheg Grantees.  The Remsheg, by the way, is a river on the Northumberland shore of Nova Scotia. Last summer, the town of Wallace celebrated the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the Loyalists and I'm sorry I missed it.   As I wade through this awesome book, I can't help but think of the lives lived by these early ancestors.  Each one of them has a story and I wish I knew more about them than just their vital statistics.

As I seem to be looking back on my trip - getting closer to home every day- I am remembering some of the people who made the trip such a great adventure.  Of course, there is Ann - who made me laugh 'til my sides split and who was the best travelling companion one could imagine.  There was the Lobster Man from Bar Harbor, who lives in Florida and comes back to Maine every summer to cook fresh lobster for the campers at the Bar Harbor KOA.  There was the young lady who took us for a carriage ride through the streets of old Lunenburg and her horse, Ricky.  She was a most entertaining guide!  There were the two sisters who were the guides on the whale watching boat near Digby and who were as excited about seeing the whale as we were.  There was my little friend, Helen, from Waterfalls Lodge at Blind River, who made me breakfast and packed me a little lunch the day I left.  There was the group of garage guys who fixed a flat tire for me - I wasn't aware it was a 4 man job - but, hey, they're the experts.  There was Brian from the service station in Lake Placid who cut himself badly trying to fix our step, and then insisted he was OK.  And there was my family - Charlotte who I've come to know so much better during our visits in Nova Scotia and John who let me ride in his Lexus convertible and who introduced me to more of the Bragg history.  Good people all - thanks guys!

To be continued........

OH NO, DOROTHY - NOT AGAIN!

Well wasn't that fun!  Last night just as it was getting dark it started to rain - and I mean RAIN!  Thunder and lightening, pounding hail - the works!

Next thing I knew there was a knock on my door and one of the staff from the campground informed me that there was a tornado warning issued for the area and that we were all to leave our campers and go to the campground office. We expected to see the Wicked Witch of the North fly by on her bicycle at any moment.  We were there until about 3 am when the weather bureau finally lifted the warning.  We spent the time drinking coffee and chatting, with everyone's eye on the windows.  Fortunately for us, the twister touched down elsewhere and ripped a farm apart.  No one was injured, but it was definitely a night to remember.  And so, there went my worst nightmare of ending it all in a trailer park in a tornado. (Again - we weathered a tornado at Goderich, Ontario last summer).  Needless to say, my cats were glad to see me when I waded back to the camper.

So, after a sleep-in I am spending the rest of the day doing a cleanup.  Since I'm in the "Martha" mood, I'd like to pass along some tips for those of you who may want to take a trip like this:

1. The perfect bath mat for a bathroom as tiny as mine, is a place mat.  They come in all sorts of colourful patterns, are easy to shake out and a snap to wash.
2. Swimming noodles are great for keeping things stored in the underneath compartments from rattling together and making a lot of noise on the road.
3. Velcro dots are a great way of hanging photos and other decorative wall art.
4. Rubber shelf liner has many uses:
1. They make a great bathtub mat - to keep from slipping.
2. They are great under the cat dishes to keep them from sliding around the floor.
3. Little squares between the dishes keep them from rattling.
4. Of course, lining the cupboards and drawers keeps things in place.
5. Velcro strips are great for keeping stuff from sliding around:
1. Put strips on the bottom of the radio so it can sit on the fridge without moving.
2. Put strips on the broom so it will sit against the wall without flying around
3. Strips on the bottom of plastic containers to hold books, CDs and tapes.
6. Plastic dish washing tubs are a great way to keep the sewer hose separate from everything else - just put a bit of bleach in the tub after each use.  I also use one for the clean water hose to keep it clean.

So now everything is ship shape and I am back on the road tomorrow.

To be continued......

WHAT IS FUNGUS FEST?

I tell you folks, as of today I have seen it all!!  I was driving through the lovely little city of Chrystal Falls on the north shore (or the UP (upper peninsula)) of Lake Michigan today and all of a sudden  I spotted a banner over the street welcoming me to Fungus Fest.  I couldn't resist - I had to find out what it is all about.  So...

What is a Humungus Fungus you ask? Several years ago a "humungus fungus" (a GIGANTIC mushroom) was discovered in the Crystal Falls area. It weighs roughly 11 tons and covers 37 acres. This makes it the largest mushroom (fungus) in the world - it's hard to believe this monster mushroom is growing in Michigan and not Texas! Based on the average rate of growth through the soil, the Humungus Fungus is probably more than 1,500 years old.

Now all I need is a REALLY bit steak!

Tonight I'm in Minnesota, just outside Duluth.  As I drove along today I was nostalgic for home when I saw thousands of Canada Geese in the parks, golf courses and, obviously cemeteries.  Only down here they call them Canadian Geese and I think it's because they need someone to blame for all that poop all over the place.

So how do you know when you're in America?  Here are some of the ways I know:

1. Today I saw a public rifle range right beside the highway.
2. My wallet is full of $1.00 bills
3. I'm tooling along the highway at 55 when I realize I should be reading the little numbers and am only going 30 miles an hour.
4. When I say I'm from Saskatchewan, many people give me that blank stare, as if I think they should know where I'm talking about.
5. There is no Tim Hortons and Dunkin Donuts' Ice Caps suck!
6. There is a John Deere dealership on every corner - just like Starbucks in Vancouver.
7. The fact that Proposition 8 is the top story on every newscast (as if it should even be an issue).

I've seen a lot of shut down businesses along this trip - mostly motels and it seems to me that they would be great for temporary shelter for those who need it.  What a shame that people are sleeping in the streets when all these buildings meant for sleeping in, lay empty.

Off to the pool for a pre-dinner swim.

To be continued.........

FAERIES???

Yesterday, my new friend from Waterfalls Lodge, Helen, made me a beautiful breakfast of bagels, cheese and fruit and coffee to start me on my way.  It was very thoughtful of her and was much appreciated.

I drove as far as Sault Ste. Marie and decided to stop for the day.  It was raining and I still haven't decided whether I'm going to head back through the states or continue on up over Lake Superior.  The KOA here is really pretty, set in a little glen surrounded by forest and alive with wildflowers and birds.  As I finished hooking up, it began to rain again - a soft quiet curtain falling gently through the already saturated air.  Can the humidity get higher than 100%?  I settled down with my coffee and set out to finish the Edward Rutherford book, The Forest, that I have been working my way through all summer. 

At some point, I realized the sun was breaking through and I looked out into this magical scene.  Tiny little rainbows arched over the puddles, like bouquets of  posies and the big fat drops of water in the grass sparkled as they fell to the ground.  It looked like a thousand faeries dancing on the wet lawn.  Maybe I'd fallen asleep while reading, but if so, it was a great dream sequence.  Oh, and the faeries were really gigantic mosquitoes.

My cats love to sit at the screen door and watch the birds and animals in the various campgrounds.  Yesterday, at Waterfalls Lodge they were riveted by Lake Gulls and Crows - black and white TV, you might say.  We bought some peanuts to feed the chipmunks at Lake Placid, so I put some out on the picnic table to see who might come along.  Over the next couple of hours, the kittys got to watch Bluejays, Cardinals, Yellow Finches, a few chipmunks and a chattery red squirrel - an upgrade to coloured TV.  Yay!

I have to say that the best deal so far on this trip is the propane.  We've showered, laundered, washed dishes, and kept warm with the furnace for a little over $30.00.  Can't beat that.

I'm going to take a look around the Sault today and than back on the road tomorrow - and into my next Edward Rutherford book.

To be continued.....

After my aqua-cycle lesson was rained out this morning (I don't get it, I would have gotten wet anyway), I decided to drive into Eliot Lake to take a look around.  After picking up a few groceries, I headed back and then FINALLY - after 9 weeks on the road, through forests and fields - I spotted a pudgy, little black bear on the side of the road.  He seemed to be trying to catch a butterfly and was totally oblivious to my approach until I was right beside him.  Knowing his Mom was nearby, I snapped this photo through the window and continued on my way.  As I drove off, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw that he had moved to the middle of the road and seemed to be waving me goodbye.  It reminded me of the many road trips we took as kids where our parents kept us occupied by watching for bears in the woods.

Every campground has its particular characters and this one is no exception.  Helen, a 70 something widow is tiny and looks a lot like a little dragonfly.  Like the busy bug, she flits from campsite to campsite, carrying stories, gossip and making sure everyone is OK.  She brought me a cup of coffee this morning (long before I was ready to get up, however).  She is a seasonal camper - all the way from Eliot Lake (33km away) who has been coming here every summer for 27 years.  If you need to know anything about this place, ask Helen.

CBC Radio has a tag line at it's station identification every hour that says "You're listening to CBC Radio One in (name the city).  Canada lives here!"   Having crossed this country twice, that line gets me every time, no matter where I am.  Canada lives in the silky soft red sand of a PEI beach.  Canada lives in the foaming, crazy waterfall beside the highway near Spanish, Ontario.  Canada lives in the Knuckle (pronounced K nuckle with a hard K) company's bright red sheds on the Lunenburg docks.  Canada lives in a sleepy little churchyard in Oxford Junction, Nova Scotia; and in Tim Horton Ice Caps; and gas prices that go from 93.9 to 1.11 in just a few miles; and in a breaching humpback whale on the Bay of Fundy; and in the lupin and daisy filled ditches of New Brunswick; and at Ann's house; and at Anne's house; and on ferries; and on bridges and on all those little twisty country roads.  As I've said many times, it is a feast for all the senses.

Off to the Sault tomorrow and getting closer to home every day.

To be  continued.........

IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER!

Well, I guess that guy who's out there looking after me, was on the job again today.  Not only did I get a camping site on a long weekend but I got the one I wanted.  After passing hundreds of "Campground Full" signs, my confidence was a bit shaky, but not to worry.

I'm at Waterfalls Lodge, about an hour west of Sudbury - on the shore of Georgian Bay.  I found the place quite by accident on my way east and really liked it.  Today, I was welcomed with open arms - like the returning hero and then I remembered this was the place where all the ladies were so amazed that I was taking this trip on my own.  They are the ones that started the "Good for You oo!" They all have been here since I was through in June and wanted to hear all about what we did and where we went.  I realized how lucky I was to actually take the trip and not just envy someone else taking it.

This place is actually a resort on the lake shore.  It has only 16 RV sites and most of the people here are adults, so it's very quiet.  There is a 9 hole golf course but they specialize in hunting, fishing and lots of water sports.  You can take out a canoe, kayak, aqua-cycle or small motor boat. They have a nice sandy beach (my plan for tomorrow) and a lodge where there is a full dining room so that I can have a meal there if I don't feel like cooking.  I'm staying for a couple of days, so tomorrow I'm booked on an ATV tour through the woods to the waterfall.  Best of all there is free and good quality wifi.

In my struggle with bridges I have done pretty well, so today when I saw a sign for the French River Suspension Bridge, I thought I'd take a look.  It was pretty high (not Capilano high) but off I went and it was pretty spectacular.  The bridge is anchored into a Northern Ontario rock face and the water below bounced and bubbled over the rocky river below.  I'm glad I did it - or I would have missed another great experience.

We have been laughing about the motorhome being like a turtle, and last year, after dropping Ann off at home, I retreated back into my shell for the first few days, because nothing seemed to be as much fun with no one to share it.  This time, I've made up my mind to  STOP THAT!  Hence the bridge and the ATV ride.  True, it wasn't as much fun but I am still on vacation and as Yogi Berra said so eloquently It ain't over 'til it's over! 

To be continued........

WHERE'S MISS PATTY ANN? - DIGIT AND NOSEY

After a bittersweet farewell to Ann this morning, I am off on my own again for the first time in 6 weeks. 

It was a warm (not humid, for a change) day and I drove the byways through some lush and rolling country from Sharon to Parry Sound, stopping off at Gravenhurst to pick up some history books in my search for the Dowd relatives from which my maternal grandmother, Nana, descended.  This is such a beautiful area with lakes and rivers abounding.  There are still ponds of blooming water lilies along the way and I passed a perky little waterfall just before arriving at the campsite for the night.

Saw a "Turtle Crossing" sign by the road today and am hoping the little suckers are looking both ways - for a long way since the speed limit is 110. (Ah, it's nice to be back in the land where I can read the big numbers on the speedometer again!) 

I hope that guy who's been looking out for me all along this trip keeps it up.  Being a lady of leisure, I don't pay too much attention to dates or time and so, imagine my surprise to find out that we're heading into a long weekend.  All of a sudden the gas prices shot up 6 cents a litre, and this campground is fully booked for the next three nights.   I'm keeping my fingers crossed that as I get farther north (more than a day's drive from Toronto), the pickings won't be so slim.  Otherwise I may be boondocking it at the Walmart for the weekend.

Miss Hathaway (the GPS) was giving me grief today - probably in payback for some of the nasty things I said about her yesterday.  Somehow she got me into this very remote cottage area where the roads (so-called) were muddy, bumpy and full of twists, turns and steep hills.  It was a real maze and at one point I made a 34 point u-turn in a 27 (the motorhome is 23 feet and then has a generator hanging off the back)  foot space with a cliff in front of me and a rock wall behind.  Not only that, but once I was in there, she couldn't find our way out.  Thank goodness I finally spotted some joggers who pointed me in the right direction.  We just  can't keep arguing this way, it's hard on my nerves.


Off on a new adventure tomorrow.  To be continued......

LIFE ON THE ROAD - ANN STYLE.

I've probably mentioned it about a hundred times so far, but life on the road with a friend is the best!  Today will be the six week mark since we left Ann's home in Sharon and started our epic journey.  And believe it or not two women can live together in 200 square feet and nary a cross word spoken.  As we settled into our adventure there was always the risk of undoing a 16 year friendship with too much togetherness - but it didn't happen.  We each have complimentary skills and abilities.

I, for instance, am a bit of a control freak, so I drove and pushed all the shopping carts.  Ann did most of the cooking and dishes and organizing of our limited storage space.  I was the teckie when it came to all our electronic gear and did much of the navigating.  Ann was the manager of backing into campsites and making u-turns.  I looked after turning on the propane while Ann plugged in the power each day.  I fixed stuff - WD40, my multi-tool and double sided tape were my favorite tools.  Ann managed the finances and the todo lists while I was the barbequer.  Ann was the ironer, however we tried to avoid clothes that needed ironing as much as possible.  I swore at Miss Hathaway while Ánn swore at her Mah Jong game.  I watched the gas gauge and Ann did most of the gas pumping.  It was the perfect match. 

To say she has been a trouper, is putting it mildly.  Having put up with snarly cats, the litter box, a dripping roof, dumping the sewer tanks, an overly sensitive smoke detector, she has been game for any adventure and always ready for a good belly laugh when things struck us funny.  It's not often, two people have this chance to get away, have so much fun, see so much of the country and remain the best of friends. I am truly grateful!

To say that someone up there is looking after us, is an understatement.  Yesterday in Lake Placid we encountered the remnants of the Lake Placid Iron Man competition that had taken place the previous day.  Thousands of people in Iron Man 2010 T-Shirts were limping around town and the traffic was almost gridlocked.  As we were driving along the main street, we suddenly hit something and then we realized that we had forgotten to put our steps up and they were sticking out about a foot.  We had hit a car, right in front of a gas station, so we pulled in to check out the damage.  Brian, the service station guy tried to fix the step which was bent out of shape and he also went next door to find the car's owner.  While fixing the step, he managed to gouge his finger (a cut that would require a couple of stitches).  The car's owner, a young guy with neon yellow hair, came along to see what had happened.  Fortunately, for us, he had been hit the day before and after taking a look, concluded that we had done no further damage to the vehicle.  Whew!  Thanks - whoever you are for watching over us.

Today, we're heading back to Canada through Kingston and then tomorrow we deliver Ann back home.  This leg of the journey will end, but we have soooo many great memories to enjoy and a whole new set of jokes that no one else will get - or even think is funny.  How lucky are we?

To be continued.....

THERE'S A MOOSE BEHIND EVERY TREE!

You have to love a police department with a sense of humour.  This is the scene outside the police office in Carroll, New Hampshire.  Obviously, we were in the mountains where every store is stuffed with moose - everything.  We thought this was the best!

We started out in New Hampshire this morning and drove all the way through Vermont and are now in New York. - back at Lake Placid.  To get here, we drove through the beautiful mountain area of both states, crossed Lake Champlain on the ferry and then through the very picturesque upstate New York.  The Black-eyed Susans have replaced the Lupins along the highways but the ferns are still as thick and lush as on the way through in June.  We were imagining what this area would look like in the fall.

Back to the ferry, though!  We have become quite adept at getting on and off the ferries we've encountered along the way.  The first picture is of the sister ferry to the one we were travelling on.  The second picture is our view off the front of the ferry, because, as usual, we were loaded first.  Some ferries are free and some cost a bit.  This one, however was nearly $20.00, but the ride was almost half an hour so I guess it was worth it.

Von Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT

This afternoon we visited the Trapp Family Lodge at Stowe, VT.  It is in the most beautiful setting you can imagine and as we drank coffee on the deck we enjoyed the view of the Appalachian Mountains around us.

The Lodge is set up very high so you can see for miles and it was a cloudy/sunny day so the sunlight hit some places of our vista, but not all.  Lodge is big and imposing and sits at the top of a very narrow, windy road, but was busy  with sightseers like us and Lodge guests.

When we were in Bar Harbor, Ann went into a store that sells all kinds of products that change colour in the sun.  One of the things she bought, which was pretty neat, was a set of nail polishes.  I tried the pink polish that was supposed to change to purple in the sun and Ann tried the blue that turns to green.  That was two nights ago, and because of the overcast weather and rain we've been experiencing, it wasn't until this afternoon that we could really see them change.  As they say here, "Wicked cool!"

To be continued......

GOOD GRIEF! - ANOTHER CEMETERY

As we drove through the northern forests of Maine and into New Hampshire, we were struck by the size of the cemeteries here.  Either they really look after their ancestors over the centuries, or a lot of people come here to die.  The cemeteries in Nova Scotia are cozy little places about the size of someones back yard and generally hold the remains of one or two families.  They are definitely more difficult to find but I discovered a website that listed their GPS coordinates so that helped a lot.

Glad I wasn't looking for all my relatives in any of these 100 acre woods.



10 uses for a Multi-tool - on a road trip:

1. Use the small pointy knife for cutting hose washers from their neat little pack - to stop the outside hose from dripping down the side of the motorhome.
2. Use the hacksaw to cut off the top of the silicone caulking tube the place inside the motorhome where the aforementioned drips were getting inside and onto the bathroom floor.
3. Use the philips screw driver head for fixing the lifters on the cupboard doors which saves you from being bonked on the head every time you try to put something away.
4. Use the large knife for cutting rope to make a clothes line - to save on the laundromat bills or when you just run out of quarters.
5. Use the pliers to loosen the hose connection - Have I mentioned, we've had just a bit of a water leaking problem?
6. Use the bottle opener to open the blueberry ale, I'm enjoying right now - weak American style ale - but good on a hot day all the same.
7. Use the flat screwdriver to keep the table from rattling - unfortunately - a loose screw was not the problem.  WD40 to the rescue.
8. Use the multi-tool in its pouch to hold down one corner of the tablecloth on a windy day. - 'splains itself.
9. The hacksaw is very useful for opening that insufferable plastic packaging the cannot be opened any other day.
10. The scissors work well on the cat's claws.

Thanks for the gift Bill, when all else fails - turn to the multi tool.

I have to say a word about the highway construction areas we've come across on our travels.  Since my plumbing incident last year (my plumbing fell out) on a bumpy road, I'm a little sensitive to the smootherity of the roads.  When you enter a construction zone, you drive through potholes big enough to swallow a volkswagon, and then they have a BUMP sign at that gentle rise from grade to new road.  I don't know - what gives?


New Hampshire is really lovely.  Close your eyes and imagine a place where there is blue sky, cascading waterfalls, vast mountain views and this is it!  We're staying on Mount Jefferson tonight which is part of the White Mountain range. Every mountain here is named after an American President.  The air is fresh and piney, the water sparkling and clear and there are thousands of hiking trails for people of every ability.  AND - we have a swimming pool not 20 feet from our campsite.  Off for a dip!

To be continued.....

CHARLOTTE - HAVE WE LEFT ANY LOBSTER UNEATEN? NO!

After overnighting in Sussex, New Brunswick, we crossed the border into Maine and ended up back in our favorite campground in Bar Harbor to visit our friend, the Lobster Man.  We feasted on lucious, crimson, sea water steamed lobsters, corn on the cob and cole slaw last night and went to bed very content.  Our trip took us through the piney forests of the upper part of the state and then back down to the ....WHAT???  ... Bay of Fundy?  That's right!  After visiting Digby Neck last Sunday on our whale watching adventure, we drove the Annapolis Royal to camp; then to Truro; on to Sussex and now to Bar Harbor and we are now 20km across the channel from Digby Neck.  Someone should run a ferry!  Oh, wait, they did but it was closed down this season for lack of governmental support.

As we finished our magnificent meal last night we could hear the pitter patter of a lovely soft rain on the roof.  Over the next hour the storm intensified into the most amazing light and sound show.  The rain pelted down and the sky turned white with lightening flashing out over the bay.  Thunder cracked and popped and rumbled slowly off into the mist.  It was nature at its most majestic self.

Today we hit the LL Bean factory outlet store again and I scored some great bargains!  We stopped and had some breakfast mid afternoon and then got caught in a downpour, however the sky has cleared and it promises to be a lovely evening.

We have discovered the cat naps are addictive.  A quick snooze after a day on the road is just the thing to put us back on track until at least 9:00.  It is suggested, however, that these cat naps not be taken while driving - especially in Maine where the roads tend to be a bit twisty and turny.

Travelling in the motor home requires some skill in order to prevent the rattles and squeeks as you roll down the road.  One particular rattle has been really bothering me - and I have rearranged things 50 different ways to try and stop it.  Today we finally got it fixed with a piece of rubber drawer liner, some double sided tape and WD40.  Quiet as a Mercedes now.

Having decided to stay here a couple of days, we plan to spend tomorrow in the town of Bar Harbor and the Chamber of Commerce generously provide free shuttle buses from all the major sites on the island to all the others, so we will be travelling that way in the morning and the cats can stay home and mind the motor home.

Going through New Brunswick was an interesting trip.  After my time in Nova Scotia, I discovered that a whole new branch of my family came from just west of Moncton, so we drove through the area to see the place.  Lots more genealogical research to be done there.

Time for my nap.

To be continued.........

FAREWELL TO NOVA SCOTIA - AGAIN!

On the 29th of June Ann and I along with the two cats crossed the border from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia.  Since then we have seen almost every little nook and cranny of the province, including places most people don't get to see.

Today, as we rolled up the highway from Hilden and passed the turn off to some of those places, my thoughts again returned to my family roots.  In Truro and Stewiacke, there were the Johnsons. In Bass River, Economy, Portaupique and Londonderry, there were the Gambles, the Beatties, the Cookes and the Campbells.  In Pugwash, Wallace and Wentworth, there were the Swallows, the Teeds, the Peers, the Purdys and the Treens.  In Oxford and Collingwood, there were the Braggs, the Thompsons, the Rogers and the Carters.  During our trip, we explored all these places and found out so much more about our early kin.  Our roots are strong and solid thanks to their descendants who still live there and to those who wish they did.

Nova Scotia was a different experience for me this time.  Much richer and fuller and I quite frankly have run out of adjectives to describe it all.  It was a sensual experience with the soft smell of the salt air, fresh cut clover, pine woods; with the sight of a breaching whale, miraculous sunsets over the ocean, guardian lighthouses on wave lapped beaches, pretty and fragrant gardens and picturesque homes, the muddy red flats of the Bay of  Fundy when the tide is out, cattle peacefully grazing in kelly green fields.  It was the sound of a fog horn on a cool morning and Rita McNeil singing "She's called Nova Scotia" on the stereo.  It was a carriage ride through old Lunenburg and another type of ride in the Lexus convertible through the Cumberland countryside.  It was the food, the wonderful lobsters, clams, oysters and scallops,the chowders, cucumber sandwiches and a cold beer on a hot day.  It was sharing it with a best friend who enjoyed it just as much as I did.

To say I have partaken in a feast and enjoyed every morsel would be just about accurate. And I WILL be back!!!

Tonight we're in Sussex, New Brunswick and tomorrow, he head back to Maine for one last shopping trip to Target, a final lobster dinner and a chance to get rid of our American money.

To be continued.......

THE FRONT FELL OFF!

As things go, I figure I've done pretty well on this trip facing my fears and then going for it.  Not only have I crossed several enormous international bridges, I did the 13k trip across the Confed to PEI.  During the time away, we have now crossed 6 bodies of water by ferry and that again was a challenge to be faced and conquered.  Yesterday on our way whale watching we had to cross this little channel - a trip of about 5 minutes. Remember it was a foggy morning and as luck would have it, I was first in line. And when we were loaded the guy who was directing us kept waving me forward, forward, forward.  As my front wheels crossed the hinge between the boat and the front ramp (which was up) all I could think of is "What if the front fell off?" For those who haven't it, this little video is the inspiration for that question.

http://www.break.com/index/the-front-fell-off.html

This morning, we drove from Annapolis Royal  along the Evangeline Trail.  We stopped and had a lovely lunch at Wolfeville.  As we drove through the town we came across the Blomidin Inn, a lovely old hotel and restaurant.  It was once co-owned by a cousin of mine and we had to stop in and take a peek.  What a grand old lady she is!  The gardens are a feast for the eyes with masses of old shrub roses and splashing fountains.  It was a hot afternoon and the little seating areas among the trees looked very inviting.  We had a good look around the gift shop and found some unique and fanciful items on sale.  Much more of a boutique than the typical tourist and souvenir shops we've come across.  Wolfeville is one of those picture postcard Victorian towns with gingerbread and turrets and stained glass and wonderful cool porches and massive gardens and every house a unique colour combination such as grey with navy trim or burgundy with cream trim.  Breathtaking!!!

After a long drive we are now back at Truro in the same little campground where I spent 5 weeks last summer.  I have a bit more genealogy work to do tomorrow and then we're heading on to New Brunswick.  So far we've had an amazing trip with incredible high points, but as in all good things, it's time to start thinking of turning west.

Having Ann along to share this adventure - whale watching, Ann of Green Gables, a ride in the Lexus convertible, a million photographs, almost as many tombstones - has been such a treat!  This has been such a special time for us and we will have lots to look back on and laugh about for years to come.  Ann's husband, Clark, has been our big supporter in this trek.  Everyday, he wants to hear what we've been up to and where we've gone.  He really doesn't know what a gift he's given us both.

To be continued.........

HIGH SEAS ADVENTURE

Every time we think we have had the ultimate in adventures something more wonderful happens, as was the case yesterday.  And YES it was the Whale Watching cruise we took at Pirate's Cove near Tiverton on the Digby Neck.

It was a very foggy morning and we had had an early thunder storm that woke us and got us going.  The drive had us going into and out of little fog banks and at times we couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of the motorhome.  However, with perseverance, we finally arrived at the East Ferry and boarded for the 5 minute trip to the island.

They held the boat for us, so after leaving the ferry, we quickly grabbed our stuff and went on board the Fundy Whaler.  Our guides were the two aunts of the skipper and were more than entertaining and knowledgeable. 

After about an hour, heading out to sea - still in the fog, we spotted some porpoises swimming nearby and were repeatedly followed by a flock of Great Shearwater birds.  They look like gulls, but are brown and white.  They flew along side us hoping to grab any sea life we stirred up as we went along.

Because we were in the fog, and couldn't see much, we had a chance to get to know the other cruisers.  The world was pretty much represented - England, Australia, South Africa and a guy with a big drawl from Johnsonville, Tennessee.

Finally, after stopping and listening on the hydrophone, someone shouted "Whale!" And there he was about 100 feet in front of us.  A magnificent 30 foot Humpback Whale in all his glory.  He came head first out of the water, rising and then rolling backward so we could see the white underside of his fins.  He proceeded to frolic and play - breaching and rolling through the waves as if he wanted to give us a really good show.  Finally, he dived and we thought we had seen the end of him, but as we turned to head back to land, our friend swam lazily along side for quite a distance, moving with all the grace and majesty you can imagine.

The crew were so excited since this was their first Humpback of the season and we felt privileged to have seen him up so close.

After an afternoon on the sea, we enjoyed a wonderful supper of the famous Digby scallops and then slept like logs.

What a day!

To be continued.....

SIGNS OF THE TIME

We've seen some very interesting signs along the way.  For instance, here's a great selling feature for a cemetery. It's called Lake View.  Who enjoys the view?  And then there are the restaurant names:  The Old Fish Factory.  Is it the fish that are old or the factory?  How about Good Luck Chinese Take Out. Or the best one yet, a Maritime franchise called Lick a Chick.  Ugh!

Yesterday we visited Mahone Bay and would have loved to stop and browse through the shops.  Unfortunately, we were out and on pretty early and nothing but Tim Horton's was open at 7:30 am.  It is such a pretty place - quaint in the very best sense and maybe we'll have a chance to pass through that way again as we leave the Annapolis Valley.  We've certainly travelled through church country the last couple of days.  At every turn and sometimes even side by side there are little white churches - most with black trim - and a historical plaque by the front door.

We also went to Peggy's Cove where Ann got drenched by climbing down the rocks to the water.  The waves can sneak up on you when you're not looking.  It is a stark and beautiful place.  Just after this photo was taken, a lady came along and sat right by the lighthouse door and began to sing and play her accordion.  I'll never think of Red River Valley in the same light again.

We visited the spot where the Swissair Flight 111 memorial stands - remembering the more than 300 people who went down very near by.  Later, by coincidence, we listened to a radio documentary about the same accident, suggesting it was a deliberate act, not an aircraft failure that caused the crash.

Today we're in Annapolis Royal, right on the shores of the Bay of Fundy and spent a great day touring Port Royal.  It is a recreation of the original Champlain settlement from 1605 and has been accurately copied from books and drawings of the time.  It was inhabited until 1613, when it was burned to the ground by the British from Jamestown.  Each room is complete with furnishings, tools, clothing and utensils and each tells a very vivid story of life 400 years ago.

We spent much of the afternoon exploring the town of Annapolis Royal.  It, too has a very old feel to it, with a touch of the hippy and I can imagine that 40 years ago, every would be potter, artist and artisan set up shop here looking for the simple life.

Tomorrow, we head up the coast to Digby where, come hell or high water, we're going whale watching.

To be continued.....

THE LUNENBURG BUMP

Today we stepped back into the 18th Century with a visit to Lunenburg, home of the famous schooners, Bluenose and Bluenose II.  This village of 2300 souls and about 10 times the number of tourists has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and that means that all the old homes in the central part of town must maintain their original character - some dating back to the 1760s.  All the houses are painted vivid colours and the funny gable at the front of the house is called a Lunenburg bump.  It was where the wives of the fishermen watched for their men to return from the sea.  In this climate, it was considered more practical than the "Widow's Walk".

To fully appreciate the ambiance, we took the tour in a horse drawn carriage with full commentary from our hilarious driver and a few tricks from our horse, Ricky.  He stops at all stop signs and then looks both ways before proceeding through the intersection.

Afterwards we had a seafood dinner at an outdoor cafe, right on the harbour. We watched the sea birds swoop over the bay, diving into the water after their prey.

We're staying in the Board of Trade campground right in the centre of town and just a couple of blocks from great shopping, restaurants and yes, finally - the Whale Watching Tour.

It was a long drive today and a busy day planned for tomorrow so I'll leave it there for now.

To be continued........

HIGH (TEA) and LOW (TIDE)

I'm going to start with the high today - High Tea, that is.  We stopped in Big Pond for tea at Rita McNeil's Tea Room and found it a warm and gentle respite from the weather.  We had homemade everything - tea biscuits, Cinnamon rolls and matrimonial cake with Devonshire Cream and freshly made strawberry jam.  The restaurant itself is decorated in chintz, with custom "Rita" china and a lovely view of Bras d Ór Lake.  It is set in the trees and the outside veranda would be a great place to lunch on a nice day. 

We continued on through Port Hawkesbury and are staying at a lovely waterfront campground just a few clicks down the road. 

The low today is that we had been planning to head up to Pleasant Bay at the far tip of Cape Breton to go whale watching, but found ourselves in a typhoon - or as close as you can come to one in these parts.  Unfortunately our much anticipated visit to the Cape was marred by heavy rain and wild winds and so our touring was a bit limited - Sobey's and Shoppers.  We did, however, get the motor home ship shape to the point where NOTHING was rattling as we rolled down the road today.


This evening the sun is trying to shine and forecast promises better weather to come.

Campgrounds tend to be a microcosm of society and so you meet all kinds.  Last night some poor soul from Alabama got cornered by the guy beside us who was travelling in a little grey trailer that looked a little like a large dog carrier.  It was called the Hobby Hobbit and the windows were held open with bunjy cords.  This guy could talk your ear off - and he did to this poor guy from down south.  Eventually, we could just imagine everyone in the place cowering behind their closed doors while Mr. Hobbit (in shorts, suspenders and the obligatory black sox) roamed the park looking for someone to talk to.

Tomorrow, we're off to Lunenburg and then the Annapolis Valley (and hopefully more beach weather)  before finally bidding a sad farewell to Nova Scotia.

To be continued.......

BRAGGS - THE BEGINNING!

On Thursday we met John Bragg, my second cousin and spent the day with him touring the seat of the Bragg Family History.  We had a look inside the old Anglican Church at Oxford Junction where all the Braggs were christened, married and buried from.  The church is in remarkable condition with the old organ still in place.  Using your imagination, you can picture them sitting in the wooden pews and see the children running around the beautiful grounds.  You want to whisper for fear of disturbing their prayers.  The church yard is the resting place of 5 generations of Braggs and is a wonderfully spiritual place with it's magnificent view down the River Philip.

We visited Windham Hill where John Bragg, a young blacksmith and seaman from the Taunton area in Somerset, England arrived in the early 1800s.  Having worked his way across the ocean, he left his ship at Pugwash and followed the River Philip up to the settlement.  With his only possession, his axe, he climbed Windham Hill and built a life.  John became a leader in the community, serving as magistrate and he provided education for his own children and those of his neighbours.  It is said that the character Sam Slick the Clock Maker from the Thomas Chandler Haliburton book was based on John Bragg.


Pidgeon Hill was home to Charlie Bragg at one time and it is now a beautifully preserved park with lovely little brook that travels beside the road as you drive through.

We went to Collingwood Corner and toured Charlie Bragg's old home which sits at the hub of the community.  The graceful old house was home to generations of Braggs and sits next to the site of Charlie's General Store.  Charlie was a lumber merchant, an entrepreneur and at one time served in the 5th Cumberland Regiment - I believe during the Fenian Raids.  We saw the home of Walter Bragg, across the road.

We spent a wonderful evening with John and Judy at their summer home in Fox Harb'r, joined by cousin Charlotte and her son Graeme.  John has a passion for family history and has done an amazing job of preserving the places that are so much a part of the Bragg legacy. John passed along some very interesting documents, found in the family bible and I want to thank both him and Judy for their wonderful Bragg hospitality.  And Ann says thanks for the ride in the Lexus.


To be continued.......