Blame it on the Sun

We have been here for 51 days so far and it has rained on only 8 of those days.  Well, 4 of those days were just sprinkles and the other 4 qualify as real rain.  To say it is dry would be an understatement.  I don't remember a drier summer in a very long time.  Along with the sun comes the uncontrollable urge to seize the day and be outside which is not conducive to blog posting, sorry.  Blame it on the sun.  We need a rainy day just to catch up on our lives.  Kind of like a forced "time out".  So, you guessed it, it is raining today!  Our dry sunburned skin is thanking us for the break.  Sometimes you just need a rainy day.  I hope I am not regretting this post in a week when we have been cooped up inside because of all the rain.  Sometimes it goes that way, you know?!

First candle sunset I've seen, it was very cool!

Life has been very busy since the last post.  It's just that time of the summer.  Lots of cousins at the shore to play with and visit, The Games weekend and all of my children and their children and spouses have been here.  I have been hard pressed to pay attention to everyone here at the shore much less sit for a while and create a blog post with coherent thoughts.  Happens every summer!  We live for this one week and when it gets here we wish we could add a few hours to every day and have super human powers that allow us to do everything our heart desires in those hours.

My intention was to post pictures of the past week but due to technical difficulties my SD card is currently at the photo shop hopefully having all the pictures recovered.  Those precious moments have all been mysteriously erased from the card!  No pictures of the entire family in front of the farmhouse, the grandsons playing on the beach, the sandcastle contest, Daniel winning his "first medal ever"!, lobster dinner, and all that sunshine!  I sure hope they can work a small miracle and recover the pictures.  Technology....

One thought that crossed my tired mind the other day, while I was wondering why I was so tired was....doing stuff up here seems to take two or three extra steps.  Example:  laundry.  To do a load of laundry I first go upstairs and gather the laundry in the basket, then go into the basement where the washing machine is and load it and come back upstairs to wait and get a few other things done.  Once the clothes are washed it is another trip to the basement to put some of the clothes in the dryer and then take the rest up and hang them on the clothesline.  After they are dry it is back down the steps into the basement to get them out of the dryer, get the ones off the line, fold everything and then upstairs to put them away. That is about seven or eight sets of stairs just for laundry.  Don't even talk to me about mowing the grass.  How many calories do you burn doing laundry?  Is it worth a glass or two of wine?  How about an ice cream?  Surely the extra steps are helping me break even on the butter consumption.  No? 

Since we have so much time on our hands (I crack myself up!) we decided to build a gigantic deck at the cottage this year.  TJ has ambitious goals and has been known to overestimate his family's building dedication and capabilities a time or two.  "We can knock this thing out in a day or two", he said....a week ago.  He forgot to factor the labor force he was dealing with when he made this proclamation.    We are nearing completion or at least partial completion but it wasn't easy!
Deck building 101

What we have been doing instead of sitting on the beach and visiting, at least one of us is smiling....

If you build it they will come!  Especially if you have chips!

Things are getting a little quieter lately as people head back to real life.  I don't feel like I have been fully engaged in the shore life this summer, I am usually much more socially "out there".  Not sure why this has happened, but some of it may be because there are a few of my favorite hanging out buddies/sisters who were not here this year, it just does not feel the same without the usual suspects.  Not to discount the crowd that was here at all!  There were some good times!  Who does not love a good disco party?!

One of the "best costume" winners!  Stayin' Alive!

I am sure the next post will be full of inspiration and great recovered pictures.  Right now though, I need to go down to the basement to put the clothes in the dryer!  Later!

This Is Not "Real " Life

Tonight we had a book club meeting and at one point a few of us realized there are a lot of things about this place that would never happen in "real" life.  The conversation that prompted this realization was about a wallet that apparently had  been missing since the weekend but went unnoticed until today, two days later.  In "real" life none of us could get through a day, much less two or three days, without missing our wallet.  Life is like that up here...unreal.

In what reality can you go to a book club meeting with people from as far west as Calgary, as far east as Halifax, as far south as Houston and as far north as.....Edmonton? and all points in between?  There are so many aspects to life in this place that just are not "real" life.  Multiple generations sit on front porches every afternoon and just visit.  A busy day consists of mowing three yards, walking the dog on the sandbars, attending a margarita party, playing a little sandbar golf, sitting on the beach and visiting with friends and relatives, eating dinner and then attending book club until almost midnight, oh and throw in a load of laundry just for good measure. Then fall asleep with the windows open and the curtains blowing in the breeze and sleep like a baby!  This certainly does not happen at home in "real" life.

In "real" life there are not things like the Mini Olympics.  The mini Olympics began in 1976 when the Olympics were in Montreal and in the spirit of the games the people of the shore decided to start some games of their own.  It is one of the few times in the summer that being a Brown or a Christie does not matter.  Three kids between the ages of 6 and 16 form teams and compete in games such as the basketball free throw contest or the spoon and golf ball run or broad jump or other random but fun games.  There is a very nice engraved trophy to which the winning team gets their names added, for posterity.  I think even a few of my kids have their names on that plaque! There is a lot of history there!  This is not "real" life!  It is our own little idyllic environment, our own Camelot.



This year's winners holding the plaque...future Olympians?!



It has always been a challenge to describe this place to people who have never been here.  What is it that makes it so special?  Is it the people or is it the place?  Probably a little of each and then add some trust, respect, laughter, intelligence, activity, energy, history, family, freedom, creativity and sheer joy.  It is like living in a huge commune.  We watch each others children and feed the ones who happen to be with us when it is time to eat.  The children grow up trusting everyone and having unusually wide boundaries and independence that would be unheard of in "real" life... because it is just too scary and dangerous.  There is something to be said about being able to spend several weeks in an environment that is safe. 

This place has seen babies take their first steps, children have their first sleep-overs, young boys and girls share their first kiss, young people drink their first beer....  best friends for life have been established here.   

Just a short list of "things that would never happen in real life"  and then I am opening the floor to my readers to add to the list!  Send a comment of something that happens here that would never happen in "real" life!

-saying something to someone at one end of the beach and hearing it again by the time you make it to the other end of the beach!

-driving a golf cart down to the beach or to a friend's house or wherever you are going (Ok it happens in places like Florida...in retirement communities but this is no retirement community!)

-living in a house that about ten other people around you say they lived in at one point or another

-going days without seeing someone using a cell phone!!!

-seeing half of the people you know in the grocery store on a rainy day

-when the sun comes out after an entire day of rain and knowing that the sunset will be spectacular!

-forgetting what day it is much less what the date is

-sunny days mean laundry days

-kids just playing all day...every day

Let the summer commenting commence.  This is not "real" life, it is better!

Life, Just a Different Location

How many of you out there think I am on a three month "vacation"?   I would have been tempted to agree with you, until  last week.  Some time between the several drives into town to take care of business (i.e. pay bills, fight with the tax office)  and the hours I spent riding a lawnmower, I realized this is not really a vacation, it's just life in a different location.  My suspicion has been confirmed today as TJ is working in the home office and my list of things I need to do gets a bit longer.  The wind is howling and the sun is shining and we are inside "working". 

Owning a property up here comes with it 's own blessings and curses. Mostly blessings. This year a good friend, I'll call her Curling Queen, became a home owner up here. She previously rented a place every summer and had lots of free time because she did not have to do all the jobs that come with owning a property.  "Who cares if the garden is not weeded and those walls need to be painted?...it's not mine...I think I'll go read a book on the beach." This year is an exciting year for her family as they make their new house a place they will enjoy for years. First, there is a lot of fixing up to be done though. Fixing up time conflicts with sitting on the beach time. Fixing up time also makes us very tired and consequently conflicts with going out at night time. Fixing up time can take over what used to be vacation! I have fallen victim to this same phenomena ever since we started working on the farmhouse.  Fixing up time can also be very rewarding though!

Curling Queen and her daughter are smiling because they are enjoying a little down time instead of shoveling or painting!

There are people who come up here for a week or two, rent a place and aside from a few mundane chores they spend most of their time sitting on the beach,  reading, playing golf and hanging out with friends and relatives.  They leave their responsibilities for a bit and go on "vacation"!  Before I go on too far,  I am not complaining!  You would know it if I were complaining!  There are times up here that seem more like vacation than others.  The next few weeks will seem like a stay-cation!  After a month of relative quiet and plenty of time to get those annual fixing-up-things-without-missing-too-much-fun done, we are entering the busy time at the shore.  The fixing up will just have to wait a couple of weeks. 

This candidate for "deck of the month" will have to wait until the Games are over for it's facelift.

On a completely unrelated note, this summer has been a summer of wildlife and I'm not talking about staying up all night drinking and dancing.  Along with the skunk, fox and racoon sightings on PEI I have seen a bear crossing the road and a deer right next to the road (alive) so far.  There was one unfortunate wildlife sighting in my yard this summer.  A baby deer (dead) was deposited in my yard by some mean animal.  It was a very small baby deer and I did not have the fortitude to remove it myself so I decided I needed to find a man!  This proved to be harder than I expected.  I must be losing my touch!  I had to call three! men before Georgia John came to my rescue. He removed the baby deer and drove it back into the woods and dropped him into the cirlce of life.  I have been relatively unsuccessful in luring the elusive yellow finches to my bird feeder but the hummingbirds are zooming in and out gulping the sugar water in the feeder on the window.  Sadie continues to stalk the squirrel that lives in the tree next to the shed.  They hold daily staring contests.

This is what Sadie does all day!

This is what the squirrel says all day...."You will never get me, sucker!"

Crafty Beer Business

Have you ever wanted to start your own business?  Known someone who started their own business?  I lack that entrepreneurial spirit but I do know people who are brave enough to go out on a limb and start their own business.  I admire them but I don't want to emulate them.  First of all, I am not really that creative.... the kind of creative that is part stroke of genius, part unique idea, part hard work and part passion.  Some people have both great ideas and the courage to market their great idea.  One of those people just happens to be my daughter. 

Take a girl who loves beer, loves to knit, has a bit of courage and a creative flair and what do you get?  A unique creation called BeerSox.  She has been knitting these for a while and now has decided to launch her own business. Which apparently takes a little money and a lot of energy!

BeerSox by The Caged Yarn

I will get to see the first major launch of the BeerSox in Denver this fall, exciting stuff.  Before this all happens though I guess she has to get the business to sprout wings and fly!  Since I can't offer any creative input I will do my part by getting the word out to the tens of people who read this here blog.  Check out her website   or her Esty website and enjoy the pretty colors and witness a small business beginning. 

They are great if you enjoy a good beer or even a nice glass of wine...like me!  Check it out!  I'll stick to writing and leave the knitting up to her!

The Dirt on Garbage

I had reason to celebrate on Monday....my trash did not get rejected!  No orange stamp of shame on my bags sitting on the side of the road for me!  If you think this is a small accomplishment then I have news for you.  Trash sorting up here is a serious business.  I have at least three written fliers explaining the trash sorting, classifications and schedule for the summer. 

Just a few rules to follow here when throwing things away

It seems that every year the regulations get more and more specific.  We arrived this year to a new green bin, or "bin of joy", as TJ fondly refers to it.  This lovely, expensive (I'm sure) bin is for compostable waste.  Things like leftovers if you ask me.  Used tissue and paper towels, paper plates, and the stuff we usually would put down the garbage disposal but we don't have one here so it goes in the "bin of joy".  Since we live on a farm, sort of, we just use our compost bin next to the garden for most of the fruit and vegetable waste, of the earth/back to the earth theory. 

Then there is the recycling which should be pretty simple by now.  We have been doing this for a long time, it hasn't changed much.  We are pretty good little recyclers and hope to stay that way.

Then there is the garbage situation.  They have required everyone to use clear plastic bags....so they can spy on your garbage and bust you if a tea bag sneaks into the garbage and they are in the mood to slap one of those orange stamps of shame on your garbage.  The garbage category seems to be getting smaller and smaller every year.  Pretty soon they will allow one small zip loc bag for your two week pickup, clear of course.  

What does everyone do with the stuff they don't allow in the garbage, recycling or compost?  Well, here in Nova Scotia they have the great trash extravaganza in July when you get to throw away just about anything.  The road is littered with toilets, old sofas, broken down bbq pits, carpeting, appliances, building materials, junk, more junk and more junk!  The road looks like a garage sale nightmare gone horribly wrong for about 2 weeks.  That is when the scavengers come shopping.   You think I am kidding?  I am serious!

Just doing a little roadside shopping?

I guess none of this is compost....?

So, every week I tentatively put out my clear bags for inspection and pickup and hope they take my garbage and I don't have to fish out whatever contraband is lurking inside. If I happen to fail garbage sorting, I get to hang onto my rejected trash for another two weeks until they come around and pick it up again.  I seriously think we need to make a new event for the games this year, Sort This Trash!



Mayberry North

Andy Griffith died....but Mayberry is not dead.  It exists in a small town in Nova Scotia.  After Andy's recent death the paper and the computer have been full of  scenes from the Mayberry shows from days of yore.  Many people comment that they miss the good old days of sitting on the porch, fishing with your buddy and your son, homemade pies, open windows with a fresh breeze, and knowing everyone... and everyone's business in town.  It occurred to me that I spend my summer in a place very similar to Mayberry. 

Canada Day was Sunday...and Monday (the Federal holiday).   I love this week in Canada!  First, I get to witness and participate in  Canada Day festivities and then a couple of days later I get to celebrate the 4th of July.  The week is full of fireworks, patriotism, parades, pot luck suppers and flag flying.  It would be hard not to get caught up in the celebrations!

On Canada Day I went to Pugwash for the parade and the Gathering of the Clans.  This was my first year to attend but it won't be my last.  The parade was a delight.  There were five, count them...5, Pipe Bands!  There were antique cars, floats, fire trucks, tractors and silly cars and horse drawn carriages.  I am sure the population of Pugwash doubled that day.  You really must see, so here is a little photo journey for you! 



Happy Canada Day!



Pipe Band from Dartmouth...helping make my day!

See?  Mayberry North!  I love the church in the background,.

It was a beautiful day for a sail, if you aren't into piping, highland games and dancing.

I wonder if Ontario Sailor heard this young piper playing from the shore... how perfect is this???!!!

Every time we saw something new I was taken by how scenic and iconic the entire day was!  The carnival atmosphere, the vendors selling hot dogs and kettle corn, the kids running around with hard earned stuffed animals, families out for a day of fun, music in the air and it was an absolutely perfect day weather wise.  There were bagpipers playing in competitions around the picturesque Cyrus Eaton house.  Each corner had a judge and a piper playing his or her best.  It was nothing short of a perfect setting for the competition.  I had no idea this kind of stuff happened anywhere other than movies and my imagination. 

He is being graded by the lady sitting at the table while the little boys in the window look out curiously

The view a lone would be something to toot about!



 There was also a highland games competition or in other words, large-men-in-kilts-throwing-heavy-things competition.  Yes, there was a lot of tartan and wool in Pugwash for Canada Day.  The games defy gravity and logic if you ask me!

Glad he remembered to wear those shorts!

 After we celebrated Canada Day for two days it was time to celebrate the 4th of July.  There are enough Americans here to coordinate a golf scramble and a pot luck supper for the day.  And not to be outdone by the Canadian holiday we will celebrate for two days as well!  Fireworks and BBQ tonight after the day of celebrating yesterday. 

I would say both countries have been honored and celebrated in style.  I think Andy would have liked it.

Gratuitous sunset shot!  Because you can never have too many sunsets.

It Was "The Best Day Ever"

After three days of rain in a row the sun finally came out on Monday!  I guess all that praying we did in church on Sunday worked!  I decided that it would be the perfect day to visit Prince Edward Island with Marathon Girl and her mom who will hereby be referred to as The Bag Lady (the kind that you sew and embroider).  It was not going to be a real beach day at the shore and while they are in Canada we might as well add another province to their travel log.  It turned out to be "the best day ever"!  Feel free to use this as your unofficial Prince Edward Island tour guide in the future and you too will have the best day ever!

We started off by doing something I have always wanted to do but was never in the car with anyone else willing to pull over. 
Not that.... this!

take pictures of the Confederation Bridge!

Once over the bridge we stopped briefly at the tourist info center and gathered our maps, so old school.  The information gal highlighted a path for us to take on the map and we proceeded to go in the exact opposite direction.  It paid off!  What does she know anyway, she only works there.

We are going rouge and heading left instead of right on the map, so rebellious!

We headed to Summerside.  We visited the College of Piping and found a very helpful lady who directed us to the perfect lunch spot and mentioned that if we came back around 1:30 or 2 we could sit in on rehersals for a while since there was no performance that day.  We had a great lunch at Miss Daisy's Bistro.  It was just too cute, we felt like we had gone to a friend's house for lunch.  A friend with a quaint house who can really cook!

We are smiling because we are about to have some delicious food....and the sun is shining!

The College of Piping did not disappoint.  What can I say?  I love bagpipes!  They stir something deep inside me. 

Our own private show....without costumes.

After our private concert we went in search of the Bottle House so we could check off another one of the 1000 things to see before you die.  I had always heard of this house but once again never had a willing participant to visit but with MG and BL as my hostages I was pretty excited.  It was super cool!  Not nearly as hokey as I expected either. 

Great way to recycle those old bottles!

On our way to the bottle house, in the middle of nowhere, we passed a massive church.  It was just so out of proportion to it's surroundings and begged a photo shoot.  We obliged.

Notre Dame du Mont Carmel

Sometimes when you go off road you are rewarded.  Here are pictures of a few of our off road rewards!  It was just one beautiful thing after another.  We were looking for the beach with the rocks.....because none of the beaches around here have rocks....hahaha!  But we were looking for one particular location and we sorta found it. 

One postcard view after another on PEI!

Luckily we did not run over Mrs. Stinky and her baby hiding underneath all that fur!

We found the most amazing lupin field in North America on our trail!

We found a very picturesque oyster farm.  I think whoever runs this place is very orderly! Everything was so tidy.

We did yoga on a rock

We did not run over this family of foxes but did stop traffic to take their pictures!

We finally ended up at one place the information gal highlighted, Cavendish Beach.  So different than the beach we are used to or the beach with the rocks. 

So peaceful

Our final destination was Charlottetown and the Gahan House.  We sampled some of the beer, had a yummy dinner and headed back to reality....well not reality, the farmhouse.  We did not run over the family of racoons on the road home either, unfortunately we did not get their picture because it was so late and so dark, but they were there!  It was "the best day ever"!

Cheers to a great day!  We came, we saw, we enjoyed!