Senses of Nova Scotia

Looking back on the bests of the best of our visit to Nova Scotia this summer it all comes down to this:

Gamble Lake

Sounds of this summer in Nova Scotia:

• Bagpipes.
• Lapping waves.
• Scotty McCreery songs.
• Ann shouting "Cemetery!!!"
• A mellow voice singing along to a guitar in the campground.
• Crackling campfires.
• The swoosh a marshmallow makes when it goes up in flames.
• Happy birds and hawking crows that seemed to follow us through cemeteries.
• Gut splitting, glorious giggles.
• "I'm related to them."
• Cats sitting by the treat drawer, begging Ann for "just one more".
• Cameras clicking
• Bear poop with berries still in them.
• Thousands of dead porcupines on the roadside
• Ann, "I know where we are going - east, right? "  Marilyn, lifting her eyes to the sky,  "Dear, Lord - I'm glad I'm navigating!"
• Make a U turn! Make a U turn!  Drive 47 km and then make a U turn!

Charlie Bragg's Store

Sights of the summer:

• Photos of my grandmother as a young girl found in an obscure country museum.
• Castlereagh and Gamble Lake
• The old Loyalist Cemetery at North Wallace
• "Pavement ends" signs
• "Rough Road Ahead" signs
• The old church at Oxford Junction.
• Fox Harb'r Resort
• Tim Horton's for a cruller and ice cap.
• The red mud of the Bay of Fundy at low tide.
• The red roads made up of that mud!
• Lupins of every colour lining the highway.

Gambles one and all!

The Scents of Summer (sorry you missed most of them, Ann)

• Lavender - not a favourite!
• Unfortunately - the litter box sometimes.
• The sea
• Freshly mown grass
• Bacon cooking on a cold rainy morning.
• Finesse hair spray
• Bug Spray
• Suntan lotion spf 30

The People of the summer.

• Charlotte Bragg - We meet every summer in Nova Scotia and don't see each other out west.
• Mary Lee Bragg and Colin - for the tour, the tea and the books.
• John Bragg and Judy - for helping us maintain our connection to Nova Scotia
• Clarke Taylor - our labour coach
• Kim McCallum (our landlord in Truro)
• Kim McCallum's mother who is related to me and such a delight to talk to.
• Fonda Gamble Smyth for hooking me up with all the Gambles
• Clay Gamble - for the use of his pickup to visit Castlereagh
• Debbie Gamble Fulton - for her insight into the Gamble family
• The Mitchells who gave us a great taste of the Scottish side of life.
• Judy Lewis who is the backbone of the Bass River Heritage Centre
• Shirley - at the Cumberland County Museum and Archives
• Mary - at the Malagash Miner's Museum - who is related to me twice over.
• Carolyn - for staying in touch and "liking" my blog.
• And, of course, Ann!! Forever my best friend; my kindred spirit and laughing buddy - and step mother to my cats!

Bests and Worsts

Campgrounds:

Best: - Scotia Pines Campground at Hilden

Worst: - Seafoam Campground near Tatamagouche

Meals:

Best: Lobster at the Old Fish Factory at Lunenburg (or the Fox Harb'r fish chowder)
         Fish Cakes at Whirligigs in Wallace
         Fish and Chips at the Masstown Market

Worst: The Mushroom Soup at Grass Greener, Water Flowing in Tatamagouche

Scenery:

Best:  You can't beat the ocean, but if you could it would be the Stewiacke Valley.
           Pugwash Harbour
            Sunset over the Northumberland Strait

Worst:  Must be somewhere outside Nova Scotia

Wild Blueberries - Everywhere