Category: History

Gaspereau Trek

Archeaology, Beauty, Canada, Folklore, Genealogy, hiking, History, Knitting, Minimalism, Photography, Picnic, self care, Travel, Wellness, Wolfville

Wandered down the White Rock Trail this morning with my pal lulu belle.  The trail runs along the Gaspereau River.  This trail is centuries old, first traveled by the  Mi’kmaq people.  It is one of the most beautiful trails in Nova Scotia.  If you ever have the opportunity to go it’s worth the trip.  

Such a smart hiker, my dog totally navigated our way back to the car.  Like my little GPS.  But so much more adorable!  Who needs cell service, bring a smart dog and leave your smart phone behind;)

http://walkaboutns.ca/routes/gaspereau-river-trail/

Maudie

Art, Canada, History, Knitting, Life lessons, Minimalism, Movies, Museums, Photography, Stage, Wellness

This movie was awesome!  I laughed, cringed, and cried.  Ethan Hawke (Everett Lewis) and Sally Hawkins (Maud Lewis) play the lead roles.  Sally Hawkins obviously put a lot of heart and soul into the role.  Ethan, I haven’t watch him in many roles, Dead Poets Society probably was the last one I saw.  I’m totally in his fan club now!  The Cinematography was beautiful.  Shot in NFLD but resembled Digby and Marshalltown N.S.  I was impressed.  

Nerd Quest

Antiques, Archeaology, Books, Bucket list, Canada, Folklore, Genealogy, Halifax, History, Knitting, Museums, Photography, Vintage, volunteering, Wellness

Today The NSArchaeology society gathered a group of members to tour the provincial archives.  I was beyond excited.  I fondly remember spending hours going through rolls of microfiche researching my ancestors.  So much fun! That building is jammed packed with historical items.  Vaults of treasures. The Archivists preserve the past events of the province.  Trying to preserve the present for future generations.  I’ve always been aware of the historical importance, I never realized the importance of present day collection of important information.  

There are many types of photographics. Here’s the different types through the ages and when it was most popular. 

Daguerreotype 1842 – 1856 

Ambrotype 1855 – 1861 

Tintype 1860-1870

Carte de Visite 1860 – 1888

Cabinet Card 1875 – 1900

Churro

Food, Gardens and parks, History, Knitting, Life lessons, Resolutions, self care, Travel, Wellness, World

Story time…The first time I had a churro I was in Rome.  A street vendor happily served up this delicious fried pastry at a green space beside the ruins of the Roman Forum.  It was a beautiful sunny day, a holiday for the natives.  Quite a backdrop for my first experience.  I tasted it and was totally in love.  That trip woke up the food adventurer in me.  From there I had pizza topped with anchovies and black olives in a Venice take away.  In Florence I tried my luck with squid and octopus, served by an Asian waitress who didn’t quite know what to make of my exuberance.  Today I’m grateful for that experience, traveling abroad has a different vibe now for me. With terrorist threats and decreased mobility across borders.  It’s not the same freeing experience.  

Love your neighbor, try adventure!

The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys 

Books, Canada, Gardens and parks, History, Knitting, Wellness

Just finished this book. A quick read at 212 pages, it took me ages as I was reading another novel at the same time.  This book was super easy to get back into.  I found it comforting when I was settled back into the story of woman thrust into a job during WW 2 leading a group of land army girls.  Planting and growing crops for wartime.  The story focused on mostly love and loss as there is so much in war.  Finding solace in everyday labours and routines sometimes saves us and sometimes nothing can save us.  This isn’t Canadian author, Helen Humpreys’ first novel but reads like a first novel with all its heart and soul.  

Nice one!

Podcasts I ❤️ 

Antiques, Books, Collections, Fashion, Folklore, History, Knitting, Life lessons, Minimalism, Podcasts, Resolutions, Uncategorized, Wellness

So I’ve been listening to some fabulous podcasts in the new year. A good friend M got me hooked.  I’ve found Lore, about folklore.  So awesome for a history nerd like me.  I’m a fan of true crime and forensic evidence, so Detective is fascinating.  Someone knows something is keeping me on the edge of my seat.  My New Years resolutions are getting kicked in the butt by The Minimalists.  These guys are so inspiring!!!
I went from this x 3…

To this…


A mess of yarn and books to this..

I like seeing the yarn.  Before I had a mess of colours and weights in plastic bins.  

Woman’s march and Maud

Art, Canada, Halifax, Hand crafted, History, Knitting, Life lessons, Museums, Poetry, Wellness

I had a large day today.  Woman’s march in Halifax and I visited The Art Gallery of NS.  I’ve always admired Maud Lewis and it was a perfect day to learn a little more about her art and life.  

The Halifax rally was a great experience with amazing speakers like El Jones and Rebecca Thomas. Both accomplished poets with inspiring words that brought me to tears.  

After the rally I took a tour through the gallery…

I remember this house when I was a child driving through Marshaltown, NS.  I’ve always been fascinated by her life.  So simple a life but she made such an impact.  She shone through her work.  I have prints of her work around but seeing it in person you can see the true colour and brightness.  Her voice is evident, she painted her grim world beautiful.  She makes me feel we all have that ability to create hope and spread it around.  My own attempts at formal “Art” has helped me learn the amount of energy that can go into something creative.  You can feel it when you see it, the energy remains forever in that piece.  Even when I create a knitted piece I feel the energy in it.  

I stopped by Argyle Fine Art also and the PreShrunk show is happening.  These little felted pieces caught my eye.

Love these crows…

I actually stepped aside to avoid falling into this well…haha…so real…

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Books, History, Knitting, Wellness, Wolfville

I’ve read similarly themed books about the perspective of a mentally ill peraon.  This was a bit different, I think to the average reader without knowledge of mental illness it may not resonate with them.  She wrote from the perspective of a woman who was suffering, with clinical “lack of insight” into her own illness.  Which is interesting because it’s part autobiographical.  So when it was written was she suffering from lack of insight or had she gained enough to write the story clearly from a perspective of wellness?   Very intriguing.