Author: Adventure For Two

I am from Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada and I'm back from traveling with my husband on an expat assignment to foreign lands. 2011-2012 we were in Shenyang, China. Spring 2012- Spring 2013 we were in Resende,RJ Brazil then back to Shenyang, China in July 2013 until the end of July 2014. Expat life WAS amazing! Adventure abounds no matter where we travel to. We really enjoyed the amazing opportunity to live and experience culture and tradition in these places. BUT now we are finished and adjusting to life in our small town in Canada. Our days of travel and adventure are not over.

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!

Old Town, Off roading and Oxner’s Beach

Today was so great! Usually Monday is a slow start. lots of coffee and cleaning. Today I was off and running…meeting my friend for a day of shopping and adventure. You just never know when we’re together. It’s so much fun!

First stop, West LaHave and a peak at her new home with the most awesome view of the water. I could sit there for coffee everyday. Love the wharf and buoy’s hanging…

Then off roading with faithful Bessie on the back roads to Old Town Lunenburg to browse the shops and a bite to eat. We both love shopping and are a dangerous combination. Lunenburg is a great spot to pick up special one of a kind Christmas gifts and I will definitely be stopping back for a few things.

Wanda is so creative and wanted to show me where her creativity begins…

Haha, lots of fun pics 🙂

A new beach for me…Oxner’s beach to pick up some drift wood and interesting things. Lots of inspiration to create!! What a great day, a PERFECT start to the week. And only one thing missing…

LONG…. wǒmen xiǎngniàn nǐ

Pray for Paris

My heart breaks reading the news, thinking of my French friends living there…

Paris has been on my mind and in my heart lately. I have been actually doing a bit of research because it is the next “big” trip we hope to do after the wedding in April. I have wanted to go to the “city of LOVE” for a few years and in July it will be our 30th Wedding Anniversary. So I have been reading and researching.

The attacks last night on this city are senseless…the world is in shock by what has happened and our love, prayers and support are with Paris and France. Pray for the city…more importantly PRAY for the People.

The bins are out…It’s begun

I know I know…all the opinions are out. When to, when not to, after this day, before this day, not too soon…

But honestly, it is REALLY up to each individual what and when they choose. I don’t mean any disrespect whatsoever. I am so very thankful and feel blessed to live in Canada where brave men and women fought for our freedom and I am thankful that we do remember , pay tribute, and celebrate that every November.

And for me, I do usually wait until after Remembrance Day only because it’s closer to the middle of November and usually by then it’s a bit colder and most of the signs of a beautiful Autumn have disappeared and it just “feels” more like Christmas. I know even the words “feels like Christmas” is up for debate. In Canada, for me Christmas feeling and mood is… cooler weather, crisp frosty mornings and powdery light dustings of snow. However when we lived in Brazil, it was hot, sometimes rainy, beach weather with powdery white sands. It was a real effort to get in the mood of “feeling like Christmas” that year. But fun to decorate and not worry about snow affecting the decor on my patio! haha

So today…the bins are out and I have begun. Just a little, taking my time, enjoying the Christmas music that is now once again added to my Playlist for the next 6 weeks or so, and cleaning my house well, room by room and adding touches here and there that will make things look and feel like Christmas. It will take a few days because I’m not doing it all in one day but I’m enjoying it.

My first baking was done yesterday ( gotta get the fruitcake done early)as I watched the Remembrance Service in Ottawa. And I even did a little shopping online to be delivered in the next few weeks. And so little by little Christmas merrymaking has begun.

Isn’t it just the most wonderful time of the year? Brr…and today “feels” chilly, it “feels” like that time of the year 😀

We Remember…

Sometimes…it’s all ya need

No words needed. Thanks girlfriend!!!!

It’s time for bed…

It’s getting colder. The leaves have turned from red to gold and are now falling quickly from the trees. LOTS and LOTS of raking and clean up to do. YES, it’s that time again, it comes too quickly, but it’s time to put the gardens to bed! Cold and Snow will be here before we know it!

But yesterday was a gorgeous day. Sunny and warm ( at least 15 degrees) and a perfect day for cleaning and organizing the shed, putting away garden furniture, raking and fixing the gardens, mowing and fertilizing and even…yes even putting up a few Christmas lights. The hardest ones because it was so nice and I really don’t like doing this when it’s cold and my hands and fingers are cold. It’s hard to believe that it’s soon that time again.

And after all that hard work and fresh air, I was ready for bed early!!! What a great day!!!

Midnight Visitors

I’m not often awake during the wee hours of the morning but because of jet lag, my schedule is still all over the place. Last night I was awake for a little while…and had a couple visitors.

They stopped in briefly, they must have been hungry for a garden salad, a floral bouquet. This time I was awake to catch them in the act!

It’s a good thing that I will be putting my gardens to rest for the winter very soon, otherwise I might not have been so happy to see them!

But a moment in history…

Today is a significant moment in Canadian history. Our 23rd Prime Minister was sworn in today! Justin Trudeau, liberal candidate for Prime Minister won by a landslide on October 19th with a majority of votes in his favour. Yesterday was Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s last day, and today at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Justin Trudeau became Canada’s new Prime Minister.

He is a young man (43) with a young family( 3 small children) but not the youngest Prime Minister for Canada. Joe Clarke became Prime Minister at 39, the day before his 40th Birthday. Justin is the only Prime Minister who’s father was once a Prime Minister too. Pierre Trudeau was Canada’s 15th Prime Minister from April 20, 1968 – June 4, 1979 when Justin was but a young boy.

So today history is written. Let’s hope for good things for Canada and from this man that will lead our country!