Dog days of Summer? Hot and sticky, high humidity!!! ugh…not fun. Today is raining so hopefully it will clear the air a bit.
In other dog news…
August 26th is National Dog Day! A Holiday to Honor Dogs
Fishing. Lobstering. It used to be a way of life for many East Coaster’s, and still is. It’s hard work, not the life of leisure some imagine. It’s interesting that equipment that is old or worn or rusty can make such beautiful photos. I enjoy meandering around these little villages, poking my head in old fishermen’s workshops and boathouses.
What do lighthouses see as they spend their days staring at the sea? The stories they could tell. I sit for but a moment and wonder…
Lighthouses…so beautiful. Navigational beacons and protectors, and this one in particular I never get tired of photographing. It doesn’t matter the weather or the season. Nova Scotia’s iconic lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove.
So many people from all over the world come to Peggy’s Cove. The lighthouse, the rocks, the sea…all amazing! Unfortunately a few, ignore the signs, important signs placed for visitors protection, and they go a little too close. Wanting to see the sea and the waves and swells…they dare to go on the dark rocks…so beautiful BUT so dangerous.
Please enjoy the amazing views, they’re spectacular!!! BUT best at a safe distance. ( NEVER on the dark rocks)
Do you like puzzles? How about mazes? What about life-size mazes that you walk through?
Sunflowers. I LOVE them. With their sunny heads greeting, they make me smile. AND…in the Annapolis valley there are fields of sunflowers!
and one farm even advertises a Sunflower Maze.
I got thinking about sunflowers when a memory popped up on my Facebook newsfeed. 4 years ago living in China and a Saturday outing to the sunflower field. Sunflowers in China are shy though, and were never facing the camera for photos. This was funny and so unlike China culture.
So…another weekend adventure, off we went to the Sunflower field!
Sunflowers make me smile! Have a great day!!
Another weekend…another race!
This time it’s a foggy morning at the wharf in Lunenburg where Canada competes against the USA in international dory racing competition!!
What is a dory, you ask?
The dory is a small, shallow-draft boat, about 5 to 7 metres long. It is usually a lightweight boat with high sides, a flat bottom and sharp bows. Dory boats are easy to build because of their simple lines. For centuries, dories have been used as traditional fishing boats, both in coastal waters and in the open sea.
And how did dory racing begin?
In 1951, Lloyd Heisler of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia and Tom Frontiero of Gloucester, Massachusetts, met in a bar in Lunenburg. They began a conversation that turned into a debate about which dory rowers from which fishing town were the superior rowers. They decided that the only way to settle the matter was to challenge each other to a race. Tom took the idea of this challenge with him back to Gloucester and the process of the International Dory races had begun.
In June of 1952, Lloyd and his dory mate arrived in Gloucester, Massachusetts to settle the bet. Although the race did go to the Canadian team, the competition and comradery that developed between the two fishing towns could not be forgotten. Every June since 1952, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia sends their best teams of rowers from each category to race against their American counterparts in Gloucester, and every August since 1952, Gloucester teams take their turn coming to Lunenburg to race in Canadian waters. This year will mark the 63rd anniversary of dory racing and the tradition is still going strong. These past 63 years has continued to strengthen the bond between these two fishing towns, and every year we once again look forward to some fun and competition with our American friends. Dory racing is a part of our heritage and we hope to continue this tradition many years into the future.
Today on the Adams & Knickle wharf, Canada meets USA again as is tradition, and this time we were there…
An overcast, foggy, misty morning… typical Lunenburg. 5 races. Juniors. Mixed. Women’s. Over 50. Seniors.We didn’t know what to expect. Believe it or not we never watched these races before. Let’s just say TODAY in Lunenburg, Canada that the Canadian Dory Teams didn’t disappoint. They WON ALL 5 races!!! Wow!!
And that’s it for another year! It was so interesting and so much fun!!!
An old-time rival of the famous Bluenose is in Lunenburg. The Gloucester fishing schooner Columbia was launched in August 2014. This replica was built in Panama City, Fla., by Eastern Shipbuilding Group.
BluenoseII ( not my photo)
Columbia ( not my photo)
The Columbia and its eight crew members are spending a few weeks here. The Columbia schooner was built from original Bluenose blueprints and will be here to get a few repairs and adjustments as well as enjoy some sea time along side her rival Bluenose. Many of Columbia’s parts were built in Lunenberg and then shipped to Florida.
While it would have been nice to see the Columbia along side of the Bluenose ( we still might get chance) the Bluenose is sailing along Nova Scotia’s coast to Cape Breton stopping for visits in Sydney and Port Hawkesbury and won’t be back in port until later in the week when the Columbia is scheduled to leave.
Who doesn’t love a stroll around a beautiful park and a chance to admire some flower gardens. Halifax’s Public Gardens have been open since 1867 and are Victorian formal, a popular setting for wedding and prom photos.
We used to take our kids all the time when they were little but it’s been a few years since we were there.
Here are a few pictures from our walk on the weekend.
…it’s time for ART!
Or rather, grab the camera and lets take some photos of the art!
Today is the Annual Clam Harbour Beach Sandcastle Competition. 37th year this year. Just 2hours from home, a drive to Clam Harbour Beach on a lovely Sunday afternoon sounded perfect!
We’ve seen some amazing sand sculptures and art in Rio when we lived in Brazil, so it was fun to see what the creative, artsy people of Nova Scotia could do. Let’s just say…there’s skill!
The competition opened at 9am and I am sure the beach was packed!! There is a 10km road down to the beach and when we arrived at 4pm, there was still a lot of cars parked along this stretch of road and no parking at the beach parking lot. There were so many people.
There were so many amazing creations. How to choose? After all, it is a competition.
…Sailing…take me away ⛵
It’s race weekend!
This has been the biggest week of the summer for sailing enthusiasts in Nova Scotia.
Chester Race Week is Canada’s largest annual keel boat regatta and the little South Shore village of Chester is bursting with thousands of participants and onlookers from all along the Eastern seaboard and Europe.
Pictures in the local paper and on news links for the event are amazing!!! Of course, you NEED to be in a boat and on the water if you want to capture these kind of photos. Here are two from Tim Wilkes the event photographer. I even think you can purchase prints of various event photos and particular boats if you’re wanting to add to a collection.(Photos here used from local media)
Even though we weren’t on the water sailing we enjoyed a lovely lunch on the waterfront at the yacht club. It was a perfect day for the event.
Ahhh….summer!
…bring your friends in one by one 🎵🎵
Summertime is packed full of kids programs…soccer, swimming lessons, learn to sail, kids clubs, church camps and VBS ( Vacation Bible school)…SO MUCH for kids to do these days!!
This week I have been helping out in the kitchen during “Journey Off The Map” VBS. We’re making and providing fun and interesting snacks each night. 72 kids the first night and 90 by the end of the week. It was lots and lots of fun!!!
Thursday night was a real favorite…
Tomorrow night is the closing with a BBQ. What a great WEEK it’s been!!
Just An East Coast Girl 