Homeward Bound!

So Long!

As the "Welcome to Nova Scotia" sign receded in the rear-view mirror this morning, it was a time to think back on an amazing eight weeks.  Our last stop, as always, was at the tiny cemetery at Oxford Junction where our great great grandfather, John Bragg, is buried beside his lifelong companion and wife,  Jane Rogers.  It was an emotional moment as I sat and tried to absorb the scenery and the spirits of those resting there.  This little piece of ground, I feel, is the spiritual centre of the Bragg Family and from its core radiates the 60,000 or so individuals I have come to know as kin.

John and Jane Rogers Bragg

John Bragg was an apprentice boy from Somerset, England who set out to sea in search of adventure.  From the early days when his only possession was his axe, he built a thriving farm, raised a family of seven children, provided an education for his own and his neighbour's children and sat as a Justice of the Peace at the County Seat.  He showed us that anything is possible if you live right, help your fellow man and set a good example for your sons and daughters.  Quite a role model!



So it was time to say good bye:

Good bye to the picturesque Great Village with it's church spires poking up out of the trees.
Good bye to the Bay of Fundy with its rippled red sandy beaches.
Good bye to Fonda, my Gamble cousin who is as crazy about family history as I am. Such a treat to spend time with her.
Good bye to all the men and women out there who take such wonderful care of the cemeteries.  It is a mark of such great respect to honour these ancestors with their hard work.
Good Bye to the great folks we met at the various little museums we visited.  They are such a dedicated bunch and so generous with their help and resources.
Good Bye to Whirly Gig's in Wallace Bay - great place to stop for lunch.
Good Bye to Kevin at Home Hardware who "invented" a new part for the motor home so we could use the awning.
Good Bye to the Stewiacke Valley with it's majestic vistas and to Folly Lake.
Good Bye to the Ice Cream stand at Bass River that serves delightful (and inexpensive) cones of Oxford Blueberries, Sticky Bun and Grizzly Tracks.
Good Bye to the "not for motor homes, please" roads we found ourselves on as we searched for the Isgonish Burying Grounds and Economy Falls.

Shep Scott

Good Bye to John and Judy Bragg and thanks for a lovely evening at Fox Harb'r.
Good Bye to all the wonderfully polite Nova Scotia drivers - Saskatchewan will be a rude awakening for me.
Good Bye to Charlotte.  We really must get together out west sometime.
Good Bye to Shep Scott who taught us that, at 99 there's still a lot of life to be savoured out there.

Of course the trip would not have been nearly as fun or exciting without my directionally-challenged but very very best friend in the world.  With way more perseverance and dedication that I would have, she trod through one cemetery after another, carefully cleaning and photographing the tombstones.  I think we have about 2,000 photos and most of them were hers.  She was my daily source of giggles and my inspiration to keep on with my project and my encouragement to get into mischief at every possible opportunity.  Ann - one in a million!

So our Nova Scotia journey has ended for this time.  We're in a lovely campground at Grand Lake, New Brunswick; the weather is perfect and it promises of be a gorgeous sunset.  While our time together is coming closer to ending, Ann and I intend to make the most of the next few days - see what adventures we can still pack in before arriving at her front door sometime next week.

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