Buy a Lily

If you have two loaves of bread,

sell one and buy

a lily.

Buy a lily.

Feed your heart

and your eyes.

Feast!

If you have two loaves of bread, 

sell one and buy a lily. 

(An old proverb)

Gagetown Ferry NB

At the Gagetown Ferry,

long-horn cattle wade

to stay cool

and ignore the ferry 

with its picture

snapping passengers.

The humidity, the heat

hold the river and the land.

Even a sunny day

is hazy.

A red dragonfly rests.

The calm river

is not peaceful.

Engines and shouts of laughter

break the quiet

rock the water meadows.

The photos and words are mine. If you want more information, click on the coloured words to go to another site.

What's Left?

After the petals fall 

from the clematis vine,

what's left?

What's left is changing,

rearranging 

in its quiet, 

spectacular way.

Kayaks on the Bay of Fundy

We spent a day wandering near Fundy Park. 

While lunching at a picnic table 

near the Molly Kool Centre in Alma, NB, 

we watched a "how-to" lesson on kayaking, 

across the river from us.

After they got into the kayaks, 

they had to stay close to shore 

and learn left-turn, right-turn.

This is the building where they first learned 

to work life jackets and paddles.

It took some time to get organized, to make sure everyone was comfortable, could paddle, 

could stay in the kayak.

They were supposed to line up single file to exit into the Bay. 

Not everyone understood the concept of single file.

Eventually, they were one behind the other ... nearly.

We left as the cluster of kayaks sat in the foggy 

Bay of Fundy, waiting for the stragglers.

I hope they had fun and made it back safely.

Photos are mine. Words in coloured print will take you to another site for more information, if you click on them.

To Bike or Not to Bike

To bike or not to bike? That is the question.

Gary has had motorcycles off and on, all his driving life. Fifty years of riding and now, after a shoulder injury, and a decision to downsize, the Harley sells to a new owner ... today.

The decision was and continues to be extremely difficult. 

There's nothing like driving by the fragrance of fields of clover in summer, the breeze, warm as a massage, feeling every nuance of the road. Nothing like the scent of moisture in the wind, the sudden downpour and sitting it out under a highway overpass or beneath a cluster of maples, just talking until the sun dries the road.

Selling the Harley is rough for each of us but particularly for Gary. Driving is Gary's favourite form of meditation. He forgets his worries and the to-do's, the bills and the challenges when he is on the bike.

Gary went out for a ride yesterday. These pictures are of him getting the bike ready and leaving the driveway. He enjoyed the time by himself, one last trip.

But, it's time. "Not to bike" is the answer.

It's been a good run.

Golden Garden Spider

A golden garden spider (argiope aurantia) drifts on a breeze-blown string, drops to the deck; a surprise too large to ignore.  

Legs, mostly black turn red near her egg-shaped body, golden yellow markings on her shiny black back, carapace covered in short, silvery hairs ... she holds herself motionless.  It is impossible to stop looking at her one-inch body and elegant legs. 

Soon, she climbs a strand of light, returns to her web under the leafy shadows.

Lady's Mantle

Lady's Mantle 

(Alchemilla mollis)

A cloak of tiny chartreuse stars

wraps round, downy grey-green leaves

bejeweled by rain.

Alchemy,

beauty's miracle.

Deer are Nibbling my Hostas

The white tail deer explore the yard and nibble our hostas like salad greens.  They prefer the smaller white and pale green plants.  Why can't they eat the gout weed?  It has the same coloration.  

I had healthy hosta plants, now I have chewed stems. And they've moved on to the less favoured all-green hostas.  

These deer are no longer endearing visitors. They've become pests who are stripping the gardens.

Do you have any suggestions?

Daylily 2014

Daylilies bloom.

  

Over-the-top luscious; 

they throw everything they have 

into their brief lives.  

How wise.

Clematis Vines in Bloom 2014

The clematis vines are in bloom on trellises around the house; profuse blooms, nodding riots of colour.

Big Tancook Island, Nova Scotia...more

We had frequent visitors at the cottage we rented 

on Big Tancook Island.

The neighbour's cat...

the neighbour's hens...

each wandered through exploring

and ignoring us.

This is the view from the cottage 

on Southeast Cove, Big Tancook Island.

The first piece of land, the darkest to the left is

the other curve of Southeast Cove.

Behind that is the tip of Little Tancook Island, 

and behind that again

is Blandford on the mainland.

On clear nights, 

we could see the light at Peggy's Cove

sweeping the sea.

This is the evening sky 

on our last day at the cottage.

There the night sky was free 

from light pollution so the stars

were visible, incredible,

overwhelming. 

There was so much more to do and see

than we had time to explore,

both on the island and in the Chester area.

  

We'll have to return.

I'm hoping 

soon.

Words in coloured text will take you to another site 

with additional information, if you click on them.

I've written so much lately about the cottage and the Tancooks 

that people have asked if I was advertising for them.  The answer is no.

I've received nothing for the writing.

I enjoyed the island so much, it is difficult to stop talking about it.

Go, see for yourself.

Foxgloves in my Garden

Whenever foxgloves grow in my garden,

I think of my childhood.

They were fairy hats,

or dresses for tiny folk.

They were signs of magic, 

always a surprise,

always welcome.

Mysterious.

Big Tancook Island, Nova Scotia

Southeast Cove, Big Tancook Island

A week ago, we left our car and cares on the mainland in Chester, Nova Scotia, and hopped aboard a whale watching boat to make a windy, wet trip to Big Tancook Island.  The property managers for our vacation rental met us at the dock and drove us to the cottage.  It was hardly a "cottage", outfitted as it was with every convenience and recently re-finished.  We were the first to rent this modern three-bedroom home.

Views toward Ironbound Island and a neighbour's dock

After we got ourselves settled, we sat out on the deck near the water (the fire-pit area) to acquaint ourselves with the scenery and to breathe summer, relax.

The ferry was down for repairs to a cracked propeller and was fixed by the next day.  The whale watching boat was faster but the ferry was dryer and could easily hold more passengers and supplies.  Both were intriguing ways to get on and off the Island.

Aging dock at bottom of the property

I'll be writing more about Big Tancook Island in the next few blogs.

We've been home for 2 1/2 days, and I miss the Island very much.


Words in coloured text will take you to another site with additional information, if you click on them.