Intermission

Sunday, July 28, 2013

And now, a brief Intermission to update all who wrote to express concern over our lack of a washing machine.  They say a picture is worth one thousand words:

We did go to town Thursday, July 25,  and directly to Shelburne Furniture and Appliances LTD.  Our friend and neighbor, Walter owns the place and he not only gave us a great deal on a made in the U.S.A., GE Washer, but he and his brother in law arrived by 3:30 pm, the next day and delivered and installed the brand new machine for us.  I highly recommend Shelburne Furniture for all your furniture and appliance needs.  Tell Walter Nancy sent you . . . :-)

My world has expanded!

Of course, there is always a catch, as the discharge drain was clogged.  Lucky for me Peter decided to climb under the sun room and create a new connection with a new section of pipe and by Friday night we were washing clothes in our cottage.  Another first for Grandview!  

Peter has also been monitoring the well and in spite of the laundry, dishwasher and shower (I took two on Thursday!), the water level is remaining strong and high.  Hallelujah! 

Courage

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Had it not been for the sailboat, we never would have met Rudy.  Rudy has been our friend and Nova Scotia mentor since the beginning.  A Shelburne native and fisherman, welder, gardener, and Jack of All Trades, Jim O'Connor, aka, Rudy is a man of many talents. 

It all started with an  advertisement in the lower front page of Shelburne's weekly newspaper, The Coast Guard.  There was a small photo and the line Sailboat for Sale.  The ad caught Peter's eye and so we made a call to meet the owner and go and see the vessel.  It was moored in a quiet pocket of Shelburne Harbour. 

The boat was a centerboard, Mouette 19, designed by G.William McVay,  made in Nova Scotia by Paceship Yachts, LTD.  It had a bright red hull and aluminum mast. For Peter, it was love at first site and it did not take long to strike a deal.  Now, to get the little red boat to Jordan Bay from Shelburne.  The boat came with a trailer so it was suggested we ask someone with a truck to tow it to our neck of the woods.  This is where Rudy comes in.  

We were told to call Jim O'Connor, but please call him Rudy.  It was suggested that he might lend a hand/truck.  We called Rudy and he invited us for a visit.  We all hit it off and under Rudy's direction we made a plan for the little red boat.  Rudy towed the boat, helped us launch it and he guided us through the somewhat dangerous process of raising  the mast.  All this was done at Lower Jordan Bay, near Locke's Island.  Not only did Rudy help us tow and launch, but he also helped us create a mooring for the boat just off our low tide only, sandy beach. 

Before we could get the mooring in place, there was a list of items needed.  Many necessary parts Rudy found by rummaging in his barn.  The most important part of the mooring was the largest part.  Amazingly, Rudy had a very large anchor in his front yard.   For the missing pieces I was given a list and  the task of finding the necessary parts.  So began my first Shelburne shopping experience.  Much like trying to find that computer part (and I'm still waiting to hear from Sheldon) I got the grand tour of every possible boat supplier in town.  Shelburne may be a small town, but it is an active fishing and boating community.  There were lots of places to visit.  The tour included Bower's Machine shop.  My memory is not sharp enough to adequately describe the interior of this active, ancient machine shop.  Suffice it to say, I walked in was immediately in awe. I have never seen anything like Bower's before or since that day. 

Sadly, Bower's has since closed with the downturn of the economy.  However, Shelburne Shipyard has several large, new contracts to build Canadian vessels and I can only hope that the shop will reopen.  I understand that when the machine shop closed,  Mr. Bower turned off the lights, waked out, locked the door and left everything in place.  

Not to digress, that day, after visiting Bower's I also visited Government Wharf and every conceivable supplier of boat parts, even some that were not immediately an obvious place to stop.  That's what happens when you re guided by the kindness of the Shelburne shopkeepers as to where to go and who to see. You really visit everywhere in and around town.  I was lucky enough to find most of the items on the list including the only two available PFD's for sale, in town. Go figure, I found them at the Garden Center. 

The next day at low tide, Rudy and Peter set the anchor with the bright bobbing orange buoy.  The only thing left to do was to launch the boat, install the mast and sail away from the Breakwater to our new home base on Jordan Bay. 

Maddy's Cove, Jordan Bay

The next morning, we walked/ran to the breakwater as there was no way to retrieve the car once we were on board the boat.  We arrived, donned our lifejackets and cast off.  It did not take long for a dingy to pull alongside and tell us we were headed for some unforeseen trouble.  The fisherman in the dingy threw us a line and towed us to open water where we needed to be to get to Jordan Bay.  We were amazed by his kindness and very thankful for his help.  

We quickly learned that this act of kindness is the norm and not the exception for anyone on the water in Nova Scotia.  Once at sea in Nova Scotia you are part of a brotherhood unmatched anywhere else on the water.  Everyone looks out of you even if you do not realize they are there.  Even if you do not realize you may need help!  In all our years sailing and power boating in Florida and Texas we had never experienced anything like the generous nature of the fishermen of Nova Scotia, Canada. 

We raised the main sail and off we went tacking our way to Jordan Bay.  Upon arrival we moored at our buoy and used a toy inflatable boat our realtor, and friend Joyce, had unearthed from her basement and given to us.  The little inflatable was really meant for a swimming pool, but we managed to get ashore.  Wow!  We had a little red sailboat moored just a walk from our cottage. 

After that there were many sailing adventures on Jordan Bay.  The bay winds are variable and most days we reefed the sails and still were almost knocked down.  It was the most fun we have ever had.  Racing around the bay clears your mind for only the task at hand.  No worries about work, children, or anything else, for that matter.  You might describe sailing on Jordan Bay as a true alive moment.  A small, swift sailboat, close to the water racing along at a high rate of speed is an experience hard to match.  We loved our little boat and so we named it:  COURAGE.  

One evening  the wind was blowing out of the Northwest as we sat in our Muskoka Chairs out on the lawn enjoying a glass of chilled Nova Scotia white wine and the bay view.  Peter suggested we walk down and visit the boat.  So we did just that.  It was a sparkling evening with the wind blowing and the sun slowly sinking orange and pink in the Western sky.  We climbed down the rocky embankment and up onto Queen Rock.  We surveyed the water, shoreline and sky.  We drank our wine and smiled at each other.  Then, we realized something was off.  Something was not quite right.  No, it could not be possible.  Where is the sailboat???  It's missing from the mooring.  No way anyone would steal it.  We scanned the bay and saw something small and red bobbing all the way across almost on Lockeport's rocky coast.  Courage  had slipped the mooring and was about to slam into the rocky shore on the other side of Jordan Bay.  

 

To be continued . . . .

The Well

Thursday, July 25, 2013

After years of putting up with a hand dug, shallow well, at the suggestion of our plumber, we contracted to have a new well dug.  When I mentioned this to our neighbors, Ralph and Brenda Miller, Ralph said about 30 years ago he and his Dad helped Peter Strange, the former owner, with the well one day.  They climbed down in it and found an old corn cob pipe. Ralph imagined that a farmer was drawing water one day and dropped his pipe.  Amazing that it had survived in the well for all those years. 

Summer 1999

When we first arrived here about a dozen or more years ago we wondered about the outhouse.  It's a rather deluxe design with two seats and windows to take in the water view.  One early vacation, we discovered the hard way that having an outhouse was extremely useful.  The weather had been sunny and hot and we had all been out on the sailboat.  I cannot remember exactly, but the first person in the shower was out of water before rinsing off.  The well was dry.  OMG! I remember giving Lisa a broom and asking her to sweep out the outhouse.  In spite of a fear of spiders, she did a good job and the old outhouse was now ready.  This promised to be a new and memorable experience for the family from away.

Lisa on Queen Rock, Summer 1999, age 11

 

Dan on Queen Rock, Summer 1999, age 14

The plumber did arrive and got the water going again, but on and off over the years we could expect the well to go dry.  We instituted a system of bottled drinking water to save on the water level, but with the lack of a good well, we have been lugging  laundry to Carolyn's Wash All in town.  We do have a dryer at the cottage, which is helpful.   I would not mind lugging the laundry except that Carolyn's Wash All, was shiny and new in 1999 and every summer is less and less of a pleasant experience.  Although not my favorite destination, I generally stop there first and have the washers timed to the exact minute.  You can can a lot done during the 40 minute cycle.  

Chris the plumber suggested two different companies to dig the well and one is owned by Rudy's nephew.  Even so, Peter negotiated hard at getting the price of the job to a reasonable number.  On Monday it rained so there was no action on the well.  On Tuesday, the big back hoe arrived and the crew cleared the area around the old well.  Wednesday, the job began.  Peter hung out most of the day to watch the progress with an old man on the job.  Mo, explained the process.  He deemed the depth of the dig to be excellent and that the water would be plentiful for years to come.  Yesterday at 4 p.m. The Well Crew departed for the day and Peter came inside.  He casually mentioned we would not have any water, hot or cold, until sometime on Thursday.  ICK.  No shower tonight, glad I did an easy Yoga session.  
 

Once the trucks had cleared the drive I took off to get the laundry done, pick up a few things at Woodworkers Home Hardware and buy the deep sea scallops we have been dreaming of.  As I left, Peter was at the old well with a bucket on a rope filling empty water containers with water for washing, etc. inside the cottage till the well was connected and complete.   The well guy, Colin told us to call the plumber for a final check of the system before the well was finalized on Thursday.  So, we called, and called, but of course, there was no answer.  This morning I got Chris's wife on the phone and although she indicated he was very busy, she would get a message to him as we did not have water.  Excellent!  And now, as I write, Chris has arrived to save the day.  The well guys are not back yet, but since we have their backhoe, I imagine they will turn up sooner or later . . . 

The only thing left to do now is to convince Peter that today would be the perfect day to go to town and buy a new washing machine! Wish me luck . . . 

White Caps

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

We woke this morning to a roiling bay.  The white caps were are far as the eye could see.  Rain was falling and the fog drifted in and then out and in again.  Obviously this was the perfect day to stay home indoors and snuggle up with a good book.  

I had started Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells last night.  After reading the paper and answering a few emails, I returned to the book.  We spent most of the day like this until I decided it was time to clean more blueberries and make more jam.  After making jam,  we planned to head to the grocery to buy fresh deep sea scallops for dinner.  Just as the final jam jar popped, the rain came pouring down.  The decision was made to cancel the trip to town and survey the pantry.  

After discussing a variety of unusual options for dinner we settled on Pasta and Lentils with Spinach.  If you have never made Lentils, in favor of Progresso Lentil Soup from a can, you are missing a lovely dinner or side dish.  

Sort the lentils looking for small stones or other debris.  Place in a colander and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.  Mince, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots and saute in a pan or pot until soft.  Meanwhile, put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil.  When the vegetables are tender, add the lentils and cover with water.  Season to taste, bring to a bowl then lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.  Chop up some fresh spinach and add to the lentils.  Stir in and let the spinach cook until wilted.

When the salted water is boiling add pasta.  We favor Ditalini, but any type, on hand will do.  Cook the pasta al dente, drain and toss in a bowl or the pot with olive oil.  Spoon the pasta into a dinner bowl, top with the lentils and serve with grated Italian cheese.  This dish is full of vegetables and high in protein.  Super easy and rather quick.  Perfect for a damp, rainy day.  YUM!!

After dinner, clean up, take the dogs out in spite of the rain then put your feet up and get back to that good book.  In spite of the weather it was a great day, after all! 

Wild Blueberry Day

Monday, July 22, 2013

It's such a great day today; sunny and cool.  Perfect for picking wild blueberries.   After Yoga I dressed in protective clothing (wide brim had, overalls, boots, long sleeve shirt and work gloves) and headed out to the bluff with two stainless bowls in search of blueberries.  Everyone that picks wild blueberries has their own different technique.  Our friend Rudy uses a Cranberry rake. Some pick one at a time.  I favor the two bowl technique.  

I pick my spot and place the large bowl at the edge of the field.  Then, with the small bowl in hand I wade carefully into the field of berries.  Looking for large clumps of fruit, I place the small bowl under the berry stem and carefully brush the ripe berries into the bowl.  I do get  unripe berries in the mix, but make an effort to carefully try to leave as many unripe berries as possible on the stem to ripen another day.  

No photograph can convey the pleasure of berry picking on the edge of the cliff  in view of Jordan Bay on a cool sunny day. If necessary, years past, I have picked in fog and rain to get enough berries for jam or a pie.  The berry plants are mixed in with Bayberry plants.  Just touching the Bayberry sets off the sweet smell of Bayberry mixed with salt air.  The background sound is small waves crashing on the rocky coast.  Sea gulls are calling in the distance.   An occasional Loon sounds somewhere on the Bay.  As the berries can be found all over the property, each location is different for a different experience.  Picking by the Roses and Bird Bath is different from the cliff as picking along the driveway is different from the Rose area.  

The best berry spot today was on the cliff side edge of the property.  Using care not to get too close to the cliff, berry picking requires patience and the ability to kneel or squat in the field.  This is were Yoga gives me an advantage.  Once the small bowl is full I wade out and pour the berries into the larger bowl and then place the large bowl at the edge of the field where I head back into the field.  I went back and forth and managed to cover about 500 feet of the property.  The large bowl filled up quickly, or did it take hours?  I have no idea, but when it was full I took a break.  

The next step is cleaning the berries.  Rudy recommended I spread the berries out on a sheet or towel and let the wind blow off all the grass and leaves, then it's time to hand clean.  Generally, I work the berries over at least three times before washing and measuring for the jam process.  

If you have never made jam, it's really easy and fun.  The important thing is to prep all equipment and ingredients in advance.  Measure the sugar with a cup measure.  Clean all the jars and lids and ready them in a line on the kitchen counter near the stove.  I use liquid Certo and follow the directions for cooked jam.   Once I make my jam any berries I pick thereafter, will be for pancakes, pie or cobbler.  Blueberry muffins are great, too!  It's illegal  to bring fresh fruit across the U.S., Canada border, so if I pick wild blueberries in Canada we eat them or I make jam. Since several jars are already spoken for, I hope to make two batches, if I can gather enough wild blueberries for the job.

Indian Basket

Sunday, July 21, 2013

It's our 34th wedding anniversary  today.  The dogs woke us in time to see the sunrise.  It's a clear, breezy day.  The wind is blowing out of the South East.  Jordan Bay waters are flowing toward Blue Island and the Atlantic.  The sunshine is lighting up the water with millions of shiny ripples as far as the eye can see.  

The plan for today is to go to town to investigate the final Founder's Day activities.  I hear there is an older gentleman there making and selling wooden splint baskets like the Mic Mac Indians make.  I will check it out and post an update later today.  

We went and met the Basket Man.  He was seated under a tent with tables of baskets in a long row stretched out to one side. He was not in the Loyalist Encampment, favoring the Indian Settlement side of the festival. 

It did not take long to decide on a large market basket with folding handles.  Practical and perfect for the Saturday Farmer's Market.  Large enough to hold fresh fruit vegetables plus a Growler and a bottle of wine.  Perfect! He kindly signed and dated my basket for me. 

The baskets were originally made by the Nova Scotia native Mic Mac's for storage inside their Tepee.  Cyril said when he was a nine year old boy, he knew a Mic Mac who taught him traditional basket making.  He learned to make baskets for fun as his real interest was wood carving.  He carved animal knife handles then lashed the blade in place.  Over the years, he became more and more a basket maker and less and less a carver.  He did show me one knife that he uses to make his baskets. Each basket is a unique one of a kind piece of practical art. 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Woke late today to a crystal clear sky, spiked with a high puffy clouds.  Jordan Bay is flowing in from the Atlantic and appears smooth as glass.  Everything about this morning is refreshing.  Sleeping in, the breeze and  the view. 

Last night was the full moon.  There will be another full moon on August 21, but we will be gone by then.  The tide was low and the moon light reflected onto the water.  As the moon rose, the sun set pink in the western sky.  

We are meeting with our new lawn guy.  After that we hope to get out on the kayaks.  Blueberry picking should happen this week!   

Saturday Farmer's Market

Saturday, July 20, 2013

The Shelburne Farmer's Market is held each Saturday from 8 a.m til 1 pm.  I decided to skip Yoga this morning in favor of heading into town for the market. 

Jumped in the car and headed up the drive to Town.  Parked on Water Street and walked down John St. toward Dock St.  Noticed a new bakery on the corner of John & Water streets.  Flying Fox Bakery and Cafe.  Opens at 12 noon.  Wifi and coffee plus homemade fudge and bakery items.  Shortly past the bakery I noticed this lovely old house:

John St., Shelburne, NS

 Down on Dock Street the wind was blowing and this Whirly Gig was flying.! 

I walked past the  Joseph McGill Shipbuilding and Transportation Co., Building and then over to the market. It was hopping!  First stop was the local farmer for his fresh grown Swiss Chard, then I wandered through all the vendors.  Met Kathleen K. Tudor (Rebecca Tudor's mom.  Rebecca is a well know tile artist). A former English Professor, Kathleen is a writer and so I bought one of her books:  Deep Roots.  She said she was "Nova Scotia through and through".  Also picked up her CD of short stories, "If it's Not One Thing, It's Another".  I hope the CD is like those old albums from Maine where they tell great old stories in a thick Maine accent.  Kathleen narrated the CD, so we will see. 

Then on to the local Beer seller, the Boxing Rock Brewery.  The Boxing Rock girl explained about buying a Growler.  It's a rather large resealable bottle.  You pay $11 and get your Growler filled with Boxing Rock beer.  There after you bring in your empty Growler and pay $6 for a fill up.  Seemed like a deal to me so I bought one bottle.  Have to say it was a big hit with Peter.  The best beer he has ever had and we do like Keith's Pale Ale, the  Nova Scotia Brewery, a lot. Also visited the LeHave Winery and bought a local bottle of white wine. 

By the time I was ready to head home a Banjo Player was starting up.  Folks were gathering under a couple of giant Maple trees and getting ready for the show.  I could hear the music as I walked back up John Street.  

The Flying Fox was now  open so I popped in and met Jonathan who had decided to move to Shelburne from the Yukon.  He said from the second floor window you can see the Harbour and it's the best place to watch the fireworks.  The Flying Fox had opened at Christmas time last year in a charming old house with local art and lots of little rooms to sit and enjoy coffee and a cupcake, while looking out at lush garden views..  I asked what was the best selling cupcake and ended up with two Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes to go.