As for yesterdays tragedy… I ask that you take a moment to consider the lives and families of those folks who put their life on the line, every day they go to work, so that you and I can live our own lives in relative safety. Please say a prayer, in what ever form you choose, for the family of Constable Rick O'Brien. Rick lost his life yesterday serving the citizens of Coquitlam BC. May he rest In peace and may his fellow officers, also injured, make a full recovery. Thank you to all first line responders who serve on our behalf.
Saturday, September 23, 2023
The amazing east coast… and a tragedy in Coquitlam.
As for yesterdays tragedy… I ask that you take a moment to consider the lives and families of those folks who put their life on the line, every day they go to work, so that you and I can live our own lives in relative safety. Please say a prayer, in what ever form you choose, for the family of Constable Rick O'Brien. Rick lost his life yesterday serving the citizens of Coquitlam BC. May he rest In peace and may his fellow officers, also injured, make a full recovery. Thank you to all first line responders who serve on our behalf.
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Rain? What rain? I can’t see a thing.
So there you are, hurtling through space (except you're on a highway in a strange to you country (Nova Scotia) in your, new to you, little red rental 'sports car'. It's not really a sports car (it's a Hyundai) but it has a roaring six cylinder in it and you've had occasion to prove it can go from 0 to 80 in a matter of seconds (desperate times call for desperate measures).
But today is different. The highway lanes are narrow and the traffic is moderate. The speed limit is 100 kmh and most of the drivers think that's what they're supposed to be doing, even though it's bucketing down with the heaviest rain I've seen. So, back to where I (not you this time) was hurtling along the highway. I was only doing 80 or 90 (trying to stay out of the way of the lunatics) which was plenty fast enough for the conditions. We were doing Ok until a couple things happened at once. First, I realized there was a structural problem with the highway. Ruts had formed where the car tires tracked; ruts deep enough to collect a lot of water - enough water to cause cars to lose steerage and deep enough to set off waterfalls of water that flew up and over, landing on the windshield of the following vehicle. THAT's when control of the car became a problem. But the last straw was when the rain was coming down so hard the windshield wipers, on their fastest speed, couldn't clear the window. I couldn't even see my own hood. And THAT's when I slowed down even more and bailed off the highway onto a back road before something worse happened. Time, lives, whatever… are not worth the pace.
The last hour of todays drive was along a beautiful country road, decorated on both sides by colourful Nova Scotian homes sitting pretty on rolling, lush, green, freshly mowed lawns that went on for acres. That’s when the rain backed off and the sun began to peek out … and we crept into Antigonish, our destination for the day. We arrived in one piece with a shiny clean car, exhausted. Tomorrow's a new day and a much shorter (hopefully drier) drive to Pictou. Hope all is well with each of you and your highways don't have ruts. CJ
But today is different. The highway lanes are narrow and the traffic is moderate. The speed limit is 100 kmh and most of the drivers think that's what they're supposed to be doing, even though it's bucketing down with the heaviest rain I've seen. So, back to where I (not you this time) was hurtling along the highway. I was only doing 80 or 90 (trying to stay out of the way of the lunatics) which was plenty fast enough for the conditions. We were doing Ok until a couple things happened at once. First, I realized there was a structural problem with the highway. Ruts had formed where the car tires tracked; ruts deep enough to collect a lot of water - enough water to cause cars to lose steerage and deep enough to set off waterfalls of water that flew up and over, landing on the windshield of the following vehicle. THAT's when control of the car became a problem. But the last straw was when the rain was coming down so hard the windshield wipers, on their fastest speed, couldn't clear the window. I couldn't even see my own hood. And THAT's when I slowed down even more and bailed off the highway onto a back road before something worse happened. Time, lives, whatever… are not worth the pace.
The last hour of todays drive was along a beautiful country road, decorated on both sides by colourful Nova Scotian homes sitting pretty on rolling, lush, green, freshly mowed lawns that went on for acres. That’s when the rain backed off and the sun began to peek out … and we crept into Antigonish, our destination for the day. We arrived in one piece with a shiny clean car, exhausted. Tomorrow's a new day and a much shorter (hopefully drier) drive to Pictou. Hope all is well with each of you and your highways don't have ruts. CJ
Sunday, September 17, 2023
A quick note
Just a quick note to remind those of you who are receiving the blog posts by email… don't forget to click on the 'read more' button and move yourself to the actual blog where the photos and colours are much better. Thanks. This is the third of three posts sent out this morning. Enjoy.
PS: the ‘best’ view of the blog post is on your computer or iPad :-)
PS: the ‘best’ view of the blog post is on your computer or iPad :-)
Some adventures just can’t be planned…
> A friend of mine recently suggested perhaps we planned this adventure so as to actually experience, first hand, a true hurricane. I saw the humour in the suggestion. I also recognized the hints of reality and truth in it. Of course we did not hear about Lee and then decide to journey east. This trip has been planned since pre-COVID. While there was a whisper about a tropical storm developing, there was no certainty about where, when or if it would continue; and so we carried on with our preparations and trip. After responding to my friends email I decided the 'story' was worth sharing. It went like this…
> Hi there… thanks for the chuckle. Well, you’re a little bit correct. Some thought we should cancel the whole trip. Others didn t even know about the hurricane, and a few thought (even after all the planning, effort and cost to get here) we should turn tail and skidaddle on home. None of those options appealed to us so we worked out a plan that would see us as safe as family + geography + weather forecasts could make us. When Kathy's cousins (Sally and Jim) offered us the old home to hunker down in… the plan was set and here we are; safe and sound, catching up on our reading, travel log notes and storm watching 😀
>
> I must confess, having a view of the ocean (from our hill top) that goes all the way to the horizon… and being able to watch the waves as they are first blown away from the shore and then, as the wind clocks around - just before dusk - they are being blown towards the beach… is fascinating. I've even been able to keep an eye on the fishing boats tied up in the small harbour below our hill and, as far as I can tell, their breakwater has protected them well. There's also a bench on the veranda we can sit on (mostly protected from the wind) and watch the scene unfold before us.
>
> I have also been fascinated with the clouds throughout this 'adventure'. It seems to me this past year has seen many different and spectacular cloud formations; yesterday was no exception.
>
> The wind did pick up last night and it blew fairly hard but our wonderful heritage home stood strong and didn't appear to mind at all. Everything remains in tact and, while the power did go out at one point, it was back on within the hour. Not bad service for being out at the end of Mabou Mines Road.
>
> I've just checked our weather source (Windy) and the winds here are currently about 25-30 km (less than some we had to deal with sailing down the coast). Lee is moving north - up Nova Scotia and Cape Breton today and 🤞will be history tomorrow (Monday). The storm damage you are seeing on TV is mostly in the Lunenburg/ Halifax area as well as up the Bay of Funday. We are north of there and on the north western shore of Cape Breton. We are fine and hope to continue our exploration of Cape Breton tomorrow. Our plans will firm up once we're sure Lee has moved on.
TTFN from beautiful Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. CJ
> Hi there… thanks for the chuckle. Well, you’re a little bit correct. Some thought we should cancel the whole trip. Others didn t even know about the hurricane, and a few thought (even after all the planning, effort and cost to get here) we should turn tail and skidaddle on home. None of those options appealed to us so we worked out a plan that would see us as safe as family + geography + weather forecasts could make us. When Kathy's cousins (Sally and Jim) offered us the old home to hunker down in… the plan was set and here we are; safe and sound, catching up on our reading, travel log notes and storm watching 😀
>
> I must confess, having a view of the ocean (from our hill top) that goes all the way to the horizon… and being able to watch the waves as they are first blown away from the shore and then, as the wind clocks around - just before dusk - they are being blown towards the beach… is fascinating. I've even been able to keep an eye on the fishing boats tied up in the small harbour below our hill and, as far as I can tell, their breakwater has protected them well. There's also a bench on the veranda we can sit on (mostly protected from the wind) and watch the scene unfold before us.
>
> I have also been fascinated with the clouds throughout this 'adventure'. It seems to me this past year has seen many different and spectacular cloud formations; yesterday was no exception.
>
> The wind did pick up last night and it blew fairly hard but our wonderful heritage home stood strong and didn't appear to mind at all. Everything remains in tact and, while the power did go out at one point, it was back on within the hour. Not bad service for being out at the end of Mabou Mines Road.
>
> I've just checked our weather source (Windy) and the winds here are currently about 25-30 km (less than some we had to deal with sailing down the coast). Lee is moving north - up Nova Scotia and Cape Breton today and 🤞will be history tomorrow (Monday). The storm damage you are seeing on TV is mostly in the Lunenburg/ Halifax area as well as up the Bay of Funday. We are north of there and on the north western shore of Cape Breton. We are fine and hope to continue our exploration of Cape Breton tomorrow. Our plans will firm up once we're sure Lee has moved on.
TTFN from beautiful Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. CJ
Friday, September 15, 2023
On the eve of Hurricane Lee
Hi everyone. We've had several inquiries as to how safe we are and I just want to reassure you we have a plan and expect to be safe and secure. As the rule goes… if you don't prepare, bad things could happen… so in true Capricorn fashion we have (likely) over-prepared. Hurricane Lee is weakening and the area we are in, and the area we are going to hunker down in, should enjoy a much weakened wind event. There will be rain of course and there is a chance we may lose power for a day or two but please be assured, the old Beaton homestead is safe and standing proud (having endured many hurricanes). Sally and Jim have been wonderful and have invited us to come back and stay there will Lee passes by. What better place to hunker down with good books (and flashlights, a small camp stove to augment the BBQ if power does go out, a fridge and freezer full of food and permission to help ourselves and a water system that keeps on running even when the power goes out. So there you have it. Worry not.
You may not hear from us for a few days but we'll be fine.
We've been travelling the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton these past few days. Even though heavy mists have enveloped the park we have seen some amazing beauty provided by Mother Nature and some grand land and sea scapes. We have lots of photos and will put a showing together for our next post (after Lee has passed). We hope all is well with each of you and your hatches remain battened down whenever necessary. TTFN. CJ
PS: the Beaton family home is in Mabou Mines (in case you're looking for it).
You may not hear from us for a few days but we'll be fine.
We've been travelling the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton these past few days. Even though heavy mists have enveloped the park we have seen some amazing beauty provided by Mother Nature and some grand land and sea scapes. We have lots of photos and will put a showing together for our next post (after Lee has passed). We hope all is well with each of you and your hatches remain battened down whenever necessary. TTFN. CJ
PS: the Beaton family home is in Mabou Mines (in case you're looking for it).
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Mabou and family
Kathy and Sally on the front lawn
The front of the old family home
Kathy and Jim on the beach in front of the home
Hope all is well with each of you and your winds and rain continue calmly. CJ
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