Three Days in Nova Scotia

October 4, 2017

We went to Nova Scotia last week. It was a speedy five day trip, we left Saturday, spent three days being together - hiking, working, going to the beach, making and eating food - and then drove back Wednesday. It's not a short car drive. It's a solid 12 hours. And when you add stopping for gas, tea, and pee breaks it makes for 13 1/2 hours in the car.

driving early Saturday morning out of Montreal

We've built up our road trip stamina over the years. Now it's just something we do. And after our trip this summer, one whole day in the car is nothing compared to the four we spent driving home from Edmonton to Montreal. Check Google maps if you like, it's a long drive.

We made this particular trip to pick up Laurent who had been staying with my parents for the last month. He flew from Edmonton to Halifax at the end of August, the day before the rest of us left on the long drive home. He went to Nova Scotia for September to work with my dad who is a builder in the Lunenburg area. This is Laurent's third time away from home working with my dad.

We miss him so much when we's gone but it's a good opportunity for him; building relationship, learning skills, earning money and spending time in beautiful, natural Nova Scotia. And it's training for me in eventually letting go.

Laurent showing us the drywall he hung

I wrote about going to Nova Scotia, and thoughts on relationship, home, and belonging in my most recent weekending email.

This is something I'm trying out right now. If you're subscribed to receive my blog posts via email, you also receive a Saturday update. These emails are a short story from the week, maybe a recipe, links to books I'm reading and podcasts I'm listening to. I did this about four years ago but stopped when it got unsustainable for me. We'll see how long this lasts.

working in my mom's office

Right now it's fun so I'm doing it. If you want to receive these emails you can sign up using the form at the bottom of the page. (Like any sign-up you can always unsubscribe if it's not working for you.)

I wrote a bit about our trip to Nova Scotia in that weekend update but I wanted to share the photos here because my blog is as much a chronicle of my life as it is a place to work through my thoughts.

If you go

My parents live outside of Lunenburg, NS - a treasure trove of natural beauty, maritime culture, and history (Old Town Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). My favorite thing to do when I go to NS is to hang out with my parents in the beauty of their home and enjoy the woods and clean air as much as possible. But the area is full of historical touristy things to do.

I recommend the following:

• Hiking Gaff Point at Hirtle's Beach (or just hang out at the beach)
• The Barn Coffee & Social House in Mahone Bay
• Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail for long day hikes or backpacking

plaque by mb art studios

Blast from the Past

Autumn trips to Nova Scotia are a somewhat regular occurence in our lives, in part because of Canadian Thanksgiving, but also it's just a beautiful time of year to visit. Here are a few posts from the archives:

• From Nova Scotia with Love, in 2010 the kids and I visited while Damien went backpacking in Wyoming. On that same trip I wrote about my parents building their house and living in an RV in Papa Builds a House and Nana Makes a Home.
• In 2011 we lived with my parents for 6 months after moving back to Canada from Maine. The Beach (Some Kid's Books Too) features beach books for kids.
• In 2013 we went backpacking with my parents at the aforementioned Bluff Wilderness Trail, that story in A Week of Rest.
• After we finished the AT we went to Nova Scotia For Thanksgiving and to celebrate the completion of our hike. (And for me to spend time with my parents while I processed some of my pain.)

my mom's dahlias were alive with butterflies

morning coffee and pastry run for the boys at the job site
The Barn Coffee & Social House

Good bye summer, good bye Nova Scotia

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