Wordless Wednesday ( until I have time to add some words!)

By the pricking of my thumbs, something stormy this way comes!

I am very thankful that usually when we get a big windy blast of tropical weather, it usually happens on the weekend!  That way my husband can be home, though the power has gone out at his workplace and he may have to go in and ride out the storm there.  Today we are taking the brunt of tropical storm Arthur, the first named storm of the season, and pretty early in the hurricane season for us. Hurricane season is June to November here.

  Strawberry farmers, especially,  are worried as this is the peak of their season, and after the battle most growers had with a strawberry virus last year, this storm could not come at a worse time.  Too much rain will make the strawberries mushy, and they won't be able to sell them.  I am still hopeful I will be able to get some flats to make jam this summer, but wishing them all the best.  Being a farmer is such a difficult job!

The rain has started, but we are more on the wind side of this storm. The boys and I spent yesterday putting away lawn furniture, staking tall plants (my comfrey is bashed down, but it will grow tall again before fall), filling the bathtubs with water ( we are on a well, so no power = no water), making sure we have enough canned and non perishable food handy and making sure we have candles and batteries at the ready.  At least this storm isn't hitting in the dark, that is even more ominous when you can hear the wind and the trees whipping around but you can't see anything.

We are hoping to take a drive along the coast nearby to see the surf coming in.  I love to go into the beach, but if the gate is closed we will stay away.  It is unbelievable how many people we have seen take risks by going out on the rocks at Peggy's Cove, or other places.  Despite the signs posted at Peggy's Cove, that say that people have lost their lives on the rocks by taking chances just to see waves coming in, people die there every year. This is peak tourist season as well, and many people who have not been near the ocean before often mistake the raw power and strength of the sea.  The ocean is beautiful but it unforgiving and shows no mercy if you don't respect the power of the wind and the waves.

Here is a wobbly video out my window in my neck of the woods this morning.

Canada Day

Yesterday we "celebrated" Canada Day, by really doing a whole lot of nothing! We didn't have any huge plans, but the boys wanted to go out somewhere, but not far enough away that we couldn't see the fireworks in the evening. We would have loved going for a stroll along the Halifax Waterfront, but not with the throngs of people down there with the same idea we had!  I really do not like crowds, I get tired and anxious and cranky. We thought about going to Peggy's Cove, but that would also be swarming with people, so many that I start to feel sorry for the people who actually live in the Cove, you can't even drive through there some days!  We thought we could go to "our" beach, Crystal Crescent, but it was so hot and once again....we had the crowd thing.  I much prefer going there when it is quiet and calm, early in the morning is great!  In the end, we decided to head to Terence Bay, which is one of my very favourite spots to visit.  It is not far away, and the beach is small and protected. 

By the time we got there, it was well after 3:00 PM and there was only a handful of people there.  I was pretty excited the tide was out, so I thought perhaps we might have some success with sea glass collecting, as long as the other sea glass lovers had not beaten us to it.  I was not disappointed, a found some big pieces by my chair and then this one caught my eye.  Heart shaped pieces are my very favourite!

 

We saw quite a few fish jumping, and there were also many schools of tiny long silvery fish, they looked like eels, but were an actual fish.  We decided that since no one was swimming, we would try some fishing and both Mike and Jeremy caught several large pollock.  We don't eat these, so they were released.  Devin and I did not catch any, but it was relaxing trying!  The one thing I love about ocean fishing is you can never be sure what you are going to actually catch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We unfortunately lost a couple of lures, but they were in very deep water, with lots of seaweed, so I don't think anyone will step on them.

 

It was nice to just sit and take in the sea breeze and do nothing.  Well, I worked on writing a letter, and thought about composing a list of blog posts, but you know, I like to blog about what comes into my mind as it sort of happens. 

 

 

Chilly water!!  Okay......icy cold, feet numbing water!  But here in this bay, it is a little warmer than the open ocean.

 

Perfect day for a sail!

 

Flowers Devin picked for me!  I was also given a couple of blue flag iris growing on the beach to bring home.

 

Devin took this, he thought it was so pretty!  Sometimes the weeds are incredibly beautiful if you take the time to stop and look at them really closely.  Hmmm.. a lot like people really! You can find the most incredible things in people if you take the time to look.  Sometimes you need to get past many thorns to find the true bloom.

 

We left the beach sandy, sun drenched and covered in salt spray and tiny bits of dried seashells. That is impossible to get off!  ( Here's a hint for you...always take baby powder to the beach with you, rub it on your sandy feet and the sand will wipe off, so you don't drag it home with you!) We were all tired out by the time we got home, the sea air will do that to you.

 

We stopped for pizza on the way home and then came home to get ready to go and watch the fireworks.  We have a spot we found in the city, it is on a high hill looking over the harbour.  We weren't the only ones who knew of this place, many other people meandered by and stopped.  And we waited.  At 10:00 PM, we waited.  10:10 PM, people were getting restless.  We heard the fireworks in Bedford booming and echoing off the harbour.  And then people made a mass exodus and bee lined it out of there.

 

We saw several small displays going off, but knew we couldn't have missed the really big show.  We drove up the road and came back, and waited.  And then they started!  They were very low and very quiet, the wind I supposed played a role in this.  They were a bit of a disappointment really, compared to some years.  But the night was cool, and slightly foggy and we were out and sitting together looking over the lights of the city and harbour.  It was not a day full of parades and barbecues and games, or a lot of people over.  But it was quiet and beachy and wonderful just the same.