November 2015 – Just An East Coast Girl

More than just trees from Lunenburg County

It’s Christmas Season and in Lunenburg County it means Christmas trees and wreaths. The smell of balsam fir delivered to homes all over the world.

One farm in particular…DeLong Farms and owners James(Jimmy) & Tina DeLong are very busy this time of year sending a little bit of Lunenburg County to various regions around the world.

Unfortunately I decorate too early for a real tree, but…I make sure I have a real wreath or two… love the smell (reminds me of my childhood)

And…there’s MORE than trees this time of year….

It’s OFFICIALLY Lobster Season. Atlantic Canadian Lobster is considered one of the world’s premier seafoods and is consistently in high demand. Canada currently supplies more than half of the world’s supply of hard-shelled Atlantic Lobster. The very nature of the harvest, where seasonal and regional fisheries dictate a fluctuating supply, means that there are times of the year when the product is a little bit harder to source than others. The lobster season in Atlantic Canada peaks twice year, once in the spring (April-June) and another now in December.

( Photos courtesy of Tourism Nova Scotia) 12314201_10153272132878519_7298897027833694956_o 11224416_10153266611133519_1002757909682827650_n fmshikujplghmjozhyd8

My favourite time of year to eat Lobster is December, but really I love it and will have it anytime. So these days as we are all thinking Christmas, some of the local boys are out Lobster fishing. Stay safe guys!

I just love where we live!

Folklore from days of old…it’s a childhood fantasy land

Father Christmas often appears as a large man, often around seventy years old. He is dressed in a red suit trimmed with white fur, often girdled with a wide black belt, a matching hat or hood, often long and floppy in nature, and dark boots. Often he carries a large brown sack filled with toys on his back. It has been said that the red suit only appeared after the Coca Cola company started an advertising campaign depicting a red suited Father Christmas in the 1930s.

The Father Christmas Festival in Mahone Bay is this weekend and next, and I love all the different Father Christmas figurines.

David having a little chat with Norman the Gnome
It has become a somewhat new tradition for me to visit Mahone Bay for this festival and…pick up my new Amos pewter ornament. Living away makes you really appreciate local and what your community and neighbouring communities offer. I love Amos pewter things and have decided a few years ago to collect these special ornaments.

Each year the Amos Pewter company create a new collector ornament. This year is the Winter Blossom. Each has a lovely inscription about the ornament …” There is a beauty in the cycle of the changing seasons. We wonder at the uniqueness of each softly falling snowflake, joining with others to blanket the earthen a magical whiteness. As the days become longer and warmer, each melting snowflake helps to foster new life that grows, transforms and ultimately fills summer with bursts of blossoms and butterflies. Change is the hope for newness and transformation. Nourish your dreams you embrace the changes in life’s seasons.”

For the last few years at the festival the image of Father Christmas has changed. This year’s 2015 “signature” Father Christmas is Della Robia. He has a gentle face and an Old World European look.

And a new feature this year… The Nutcracker Fantasy. It was my favourite. The creativity and the detail. I am AMAZED that every year there is something new that tops the year before. I could spend hours wandering around here…

And David’s favourite…

Mahone Bay is definitely ready for Christmas and after this weekend with all the specials my mood is very festive, It really is a wonderful time of the year!

Who doesn’t love a parade complete with fireworks

The town of Bridgewater kicks off the Christmas season with it’s annual parade and fireworks! I just love this tradition…even on a cool rainy evening.

Such a wonderful evening. Thank you Town of Bridgewater for an awesome event!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…with Pirates!

Have you ever tasted roasted chestnuts? They are good. Not as good as one would think listening to the famous song…”chestnuts roasting on an open fire jack frost nipping at your nose, yule tide carols being sung by a choir…” I love that song and this time of year! It’s about a month til Christmas now and it is when all kinds of wonderful, special things happen around town.

Tonight…in Lunenburg, NS, the lighting of the fishing vessels down on the waterfront. Hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, a few of the shops open later, Christmas music playing, carollers singing …and PIRATES!!! I didn’t expect pirates! We enjoyed a nice dinner ( our favourite apps at our favourite place) ahh…it’s a great start to the weekend!

BUT we still have BLACK FRIDAY sales!!!!!

Today is American Thanksgiving. It is not in Canada. I guess it’s RED THURSDAY, so they say… the day before BLACK FRIDAY.

Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. But, why then? Why doesn’t Canada celebrate Thanksgiving the same day as the United States?

Basically, Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks and is not based on a historical date like Christmas. So, the entire world does not celebrate Thanksgiving and even those that do, frequently celebrate on different dates than the United States. Canada is a perfect example.

Canada’s Thanksgiving is based on a bountiful harvest and not on the Pilgrims and the New World like the Unites States holiday. The reason it occurs earlier than the US Thanksgiving is that Canada is north of the United States and because of this the harvest season occurs earlier during the year. It only makes sense for Canada to celebrate its fall harvest during their fall and harvest time! It’s actually a very beautiful time to celebrate and be thankful.

The First Canadian Thanksgiving?

The first Canadian Thanksgiving goes back even further than the United States. Back in 1578 an English explorer named Martin Frobisher was trying to find a northern route to the Orient. He was not successful in his quest, but he did end up establishing a settlement somewhere along what is Newfoundland today. Despite not making it to the Orient Frobisher was thankful the journey had been safe and decided to have a day of thanks. This resulted in the first Canadian Thanksgiving.

During this same time frame many French settlers were making their way to the area and also began having days of thanks during the harvest time. They, like the American Pilgrims, invited local Indians to take part in their feast.

This is how the Canadian Thanksgiving started and why Canada doesn’t celebrate on the same day as the United States. BUT…

we still have BLACK FRIDAY SALES! Although I’m not sure why considering it’s a US marketing ploy…EVERYONE wants a good deal!

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So..Happy Thanksgiving to our American Family & Friends. May you have a wonderful day.

Time to light things up!

It’s one month til Christmas and time to light things up! I have had some of my inside lights on for the last week or so. We will decorate our Family tree this weekend ( a little early) because David will be away with work. But it’s time to have the outside lights on!

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Haha, no snow yet…just some flurries. BUT it’s looking VERY Christmasy!

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Just one month!!!!

I made my own

Hmm…yum!

Don’t you love those tasty treats once and awhile to enjoy with your coffee? I like the gourmet cranberry bars that are at Starbucks this time of year with my coffee. However the nearest Starbucks is 45 minutes away…

My solution

I made my own!!!! Sooooo….good!!

Just a little taste of what’s to come. Next week I will start my Christmas baking.

better rain than snow

Looking out my window this Sunday morning. Better rain than snow…

TRUTH

But…oh so much rain. Rain for days….

too early?

decorations-early-

I don’t think so.

I was talking to some friends in China last night and they asked what I’ve been up to. I said well…not a lot but I am thinking about EVERYTHING Christmas these days.

Decorating, gift buying, what to bake…all consume my thoughts. I told them I have my home pretty much decorated for Christmas. ( Just the Family room left to do, which I will do today)

Isn’t it a bit early they asked? For Christmas?

Not for me. I asked if they remembered when I was in China, and how my apartment looked in November and December? I LOVE the coziness that Christmas decorations bring. The lights are just so wonderful. They bring a warmth and coziness, almost magical atmosphere to this dark grey time of year. Darkness falls so early and the evenings seem long and the lights and a nice scent simmering on my scentsy burner just really help. I love it!

So…is it too early? I don’t think so. I am enjoying it and besides there’s only 5 weeks left til Christmas! It’s time to deck the halls!

5 wk to xmas

A gift for friends

Such an important annual tradition!

In December 6, 1917 a huge explosion rocked Halifax.

The SS Mont Blanc, a French cargo ship fully loaded with wartime explosives, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin. A fire on board the French ship ignited the cargo causing a cataclysmic explosion that destroyed the Richmond district of Halifax. About 2000 people were killed by debris, fires, and collapsed buildings, and another 9000 were injured. A huge disaster for Nova Scotia and it’s capital Halifax.

South of the border in Boston authorities learned of the disaster via telegraph, and quickly organized and dispatched a relief train. A winter blizzard following the explosion delayed the train, which finally arrived in the early morning on December 8, and immediately began distributing food, water, and medical supplies. Numerous personnel on the train were able to relieve the Nova Scotia medical staff, most of whom had worked without rest since the explosion occurred.

In 1918, Halifax sent a Christmas tree to the city of Boston, A gift, a thank you , a remembrance for all the help that the city of Boston provided immediately after the disaster.

In 1971 this gift of a Christmas tree was revived by the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers and later taken over by the NS government. Knowing the symbolic importance the tree represents to both cities, there are specific guidelines for selecting the tree. It must be a balsam fir, white or red spruce that is 40 -50 feet tall with a beautiful green color. The trees are often chosen from open land privately owned by local ordinary people. People that love the tradition of this gift and are truly honoured that “their tree” for Nova Scotia’s gift to Boston.

This year’s tree was cut TODAY! This morning at 10:30. And then tomorrow there will be a special send off with love and special wishes from Grand Parade square in Halifax

Bill and Andrea MacEachern of Lorne, Pictou Co. are the donors of the 49foot White Spruce that is approximately 72 years old. The tree will be delivered to Boston city to it’s place at the Boston Commons to be lit at the tree lighting ceremony on December 3.

Merry Christmas Boston…and THANK YOU!