Ernest Blair Experiment

On Wednesday, February 18th, Heather and I attended a community workshop titled ‘Avoiding Scams and Phishing’ at Granville Ferry hall at 2 pm.

It was hosted by Stoney Beach Computers from Annapolis Royal. Three employees attended the Social Engineering workshop. There were ten attendees, likely, mostly ‘seniors’.

Heather and I made the drive from Middleton. We arrived early, around 1:30 pm. Based on our experience at other events at the Lower Granville hall, this seemed reasonable. As we waited in the parking lot, by about 1:50 pm, we wondered whether the event was a scam. Fortunately not, Stoney Beach Computers arrived to set up the projector by 2 pm..

Living in rural Nova Scotia, having worked and lived with computers for decades. Today, without access to technical support staff , there is a sense of vulnerability. We did pick up a couple of useful handouts.

Next month, Stoney Beach Computers is offering a workshop on ‘Understanding your Smart Phone and Tablet’ same location : Granville Ferry Hall on Wednesday, March 18 at 1:30 pm.

This happens through community halls through the Annapolis Valley: Centrelea, Granville Ferry, Lower Granville.

The technology is one component. The other component is the human network. At the Scam workshop it would seem useful for the organizers to request names, email addresses of attendees. This would have helped build that network. The same would be true of the presenters from Stoney Beach Computers.

This week, through Edward, I have been investigating the services of Gemini AI.

Here is the challenge. I have been writing the blog ernestblairexperiment for over ten years. Thus, I have over ten years recording our activities in the landscape. In fact, we have lived on and off in the Annapolis Valley since 1980. Now, I want to summarize my thoughts into book form, rather than online blog format. A blog is a chronological stream, but a book is a thematic journey.

The strategy is to classify each blog into a series of ten (or more) themes.To date, Edward has been my interface with Gemini AI.

The idea of using AI was suggested by my son, Andrew. As I make this journey, there will be occasional reports.

AI suggested the following themes :

1. Maker Geography
2. COGS legacy
3. Plein Air art
4. Connecting the dots
5. Community Mapping with Purpose
6. Ernest Blair philosophy
7. Creative Rural Economy
8. Technology and Ground Truthing
9. Reflection on Climate Change
10. A Shared Journey

I can go through all the blogs and see how they fit the ten themes. Not a small task. And I will likely find additional themes.

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Meanwhile yesterday, Heather and I were entertained by our wildlife friends: the squirrels in the oak trees; the blue jays at the neighbour’s feeder ; the deer foraging in the lower field along the Annapolis River.

This morning, we went to Bridgetown Watch and Clock Repair. My watch had stopped on my birthday (ominous). David Beckner replaced the battery. Ready for the next round.

On Saturday, we decided to head down to Nova Scotia’s South Shore.

Our first stop was Kejimkujik National Park. We thought it was time to check out the Peter Point trail (see post Giving Thanks). We were surprised to find the Visitor Centre closed, and the roads somewhat ice-covered.

Instead, we made our way cross-country to Bridgewater. The roads were dry and clear. The sky was blue. The fields were white with the fresh snow.

We decided, since it was my birthday, that it was in order to stop at the bookstore, Lunenburg Bound (see To The South Shore).

As usual, I was overwhelmed by the selection. First, I found ‘She is Hope for Wildlife’, written by Wanda Baxter. Wanda is a name from years ago. The book would be suitable for my granddaughter, Isla Rose.

Second, was Robert MacFarlane, ‘Gifts for Reading’. I recognized the cover but I had not read the short story.

“In this luminous essay, Robert MacFarlane reflects on the unique emotional resonance of books given and received – and how such gifts have shaped his own life’.

Third, I noticed a second hand copy of New York Review Books (NYBR) classic: Friedrich Nietzsche ‘Anti-education’. I could not resist.

Finally, the debut book from the YouTube sensation and all-round cartographic nerds, The Map Men: Mark Cooper-Jones and Jay Foreman , ‘This way up: When maps go wrong (And why it matters)‘.

The first two books are a quick read. It is perhaps time to meet ‘The Map Men’. Likely, suitable for the COGS library.

We completed the drive,’directisimo’ from Bridgewater to Middleton on Highway #10.

References

Wanda Baxter, 2024, She is Hope for Wildlife, Nimbus Publishing.

Robert MacFarlane, 2016, The Gifts of Reading, Penguin Random House Canada

Friedrich Nietzsche, Translation 2026, Anti-Education. New York Review Books.

Mark Cooper-Jones and Jay Foreman, 2025, This Way Up: When Maps go Wrong and why it matters), Hanover Square Press (Harper Collins).

Acknowledgements

Heather shared the journey.
Edward added the graphics and links.

Edward Wedler and myself share the same birth date. February 14th. We were both recruited to NSLSI by John Wightman. Edward was hired to teach Remote Sensing, I was hired to teach Scientific Computer Programming (SCP). This occurred in the early 1980’s.

Today, we can look back on almost fifty years of collaboration. Through my blog posts at ernestblairexperiment, we can use the date February 14th to see what has changed over time.

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Today, Heather and I celebrated my birthday with lunch at the Green Elephant Café in Kingston.

It has been a difficult week. We have listened to the news of the Tumbler Ridge shooting in Northeast British Columbia. We have watched the Winter Olympics from Milan, Italy.

On Thursday, February 12, we had planned to attend “Love where you live: community mapping with purpose”, hosted by Ed Symons at CORAH, NSCC, Middleton. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Instead, we shall have to wait until next month, March 12th.

Postscript

In the GrapeVine, February 2026, Jane Baskwill ‘New Gathering Places: Cafes and everyday corners’. p.9

The three cafes are : Bees Knees in Lawrencetown, Aroma Mocha Café in Bridgetown and The Green Elephant in Kingston.

Acknowledgements

Thank you Edward for your artistic talents. It really makes the words ‘come alive’.

After the last Winter storm, it was time to put on the snowshoes.

This gave us the opportunity to look back at our house from the banks of the Annapolis River.

If the snow stays around, we can obtain some excellent exercise from our own backyard.

Inside the porch, orchids and basil continue to grow throughout the Winter months.

At the COGS Industry Expo, there were presentations on both AI and GIS. These two technologies form a significant part of the curriculum in Lawrencetown. In my mind, it raised the question whether the human resource and technology was being shared with municipal government and businesses in the Annapolis Valley. I had noted that Adam Kemp, Valley REN presented at the Expo.

Meanwhile, Edward Wedler has been having a chat session with Gemini AI on the value of having a Nova Scotia conference on Geospatial AI for RENs and Counties in Nova Scotia.

Edward also shared a link to an Esri video on Geospatial AI.

The next steps.

Are the COGS faculty and students interested in hosting a conference on Geospatial AI for the RENs and Counties in Nova Scotia? Are the RENs and Counties interested in attracting businesses to the region, and accessing the human and technology resource at COGS?

The answer to these questions lie with the NSCC (COGS) and the Valley REN. My role, here, is as an engaged, somewhat informed (on GIS) citizen.

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This week I picked up tickets to the Banff Mountain Film Festival at Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal. Because of the weather, it has now been rescheduled to Sunday, March 1st ,2 pm. C’est la vie!

Yesterday, Heather and I extended our walk around Middleton Riverside Park to include the rails to trails loop back to Highway #1. Fortunately, the occasional snowmobile has compressed the snow on the trail.

Acknowledgements

The knowledge of AI from Edward Wedler is critical.

Reference

Esri video on Geospatial Information Systems, including commentary from visionary leaders, such as economist, Columbia University professor, and former Director of The Earth Institute, Jeffrey D Sachs.

POSTSCRIPT SUMMARY FROM AN ONLINE INQUIRY INTO COGS AND AI

The Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) in Lawrencetown is increasingly integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its specialized geomatics and geospatial training programs. As Canada’s largest geomatics-focused institution, COGS is adapting its curriculum to include machine learning, remote sensing, and advanced data analytics. 

Here is an overview of AI at COGS and within the broader Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) system:

AI in Geomatics at COGS

Industry Connection: COGS hosts industry expos and partners with organizations that are increasingly leveraging AI in GIS, such as Esri Canada. 

Integrating AI with Geospatial Data: Instructors at COGS are exploring the potential of AI, particularly concerning geomatics and geographic sciences, to enhance analysis of geospatial data.

Programs: The Geospatial Data Analytics program focuses heavily on modern data, and students may work with AI-related technologies.

Projects: Students and faculty are looking into “geospatial moonshots” where AI is used for analyzing and interpreting complex geographic information.

NOTE
Artificial Intelligence is making GIS more powerful, transforming operations, decision making, efficiency, and growth. Check out this short Geospatial AI introductory video from Esri.

Today (Monday) was the first day of the Industry Expo. This is normally a two day event. First day, includes presentations from industry employers, and Day 2 is for the industry representatives to interview current students.

It is an excellent opportunity to obtain an update on the Geomatics industry needs in the region, as well as to hear about changes in technology and teaching at COGS (see Industry Expo posts 2025, 2024).

Today, the weather intervened. Rather than presentations in the AV room, presentations were online, using the Microsoft Teams environment.

I was able to stay home in Middleton and hear the presentations from Caltech, UNB, Mitacs. In the afternoon, I enjoyed the keynote ‘Charting Career pathways in GeoSpatial Artificial Intelligence’ by Steven Edwards, COGS faculty, and two guests from Esri Canada.

The biggest challenge for me was my lack of familiarity with the Microsoft Teams software. This served to illustrate the changes in the learning environment. It also illustrated that keeping on top of new educational tools, on the fly, is not the best idea for a retired Geographer. Perhaps the presentations can be provided in a simpler, more accessible format, after the event.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Monica Lloyd and David MacLean. Without their support, I would have felt quite lost on a Winter storm day. Good luck tomorrow to the current students in their interviews. Edward, thanks for the video link etc. It’s very powerful.

POSTSCRIPT
An introductory video on a career in Geospatial AI

Today ( Friday), we were able to return to our CORAH classes: Men’s strength and fitness for me, and Chair Yoga for Heather (check out previous post A Geographic Proposal and Community Mapping Plans).

Checking my calendar, I realized that the last class was on December 5th. The NSCC campus in Middleton was closed over Christmas and New Year. It is unfortunate that these classes are not available over the holiday. I can feel the difference.

The upside is that I was able to pick up the program flier for February. I found three talks of interest.

1. “Love where you live: community mapping with purpose“. This is hosted by Ed Symons Geomatics instructor and his students, and includes mapping local resources and identifying local challenges.
   
2. ‘New Year, New Page : an Intro to Bullet Journaling“. This interests me because I am curious how it overlaps with blog writing. Offered by Elizabeth Garcin.
   
3. Deb MacBean offers “Wired Wisdom: Tech Talk Trivia“. This is of interest because changes in technology occur all the time. Without institutional technical support, there are endless small changes that arrive on your iPad or cellphone.

The CORAH message is that WE ALL NEED TO BELONG TO A COMMUNITY.

Access to these educational resources is critical to quality of life in rural Nova Scotia, especially within the context of “rural aging and health“.

I also noted that Howard Selig of Valley Flaxflour Ltd. (see Buy Local and Support Local) is giving a talk entitled ‘Nourish and Flourish : delicious healthy cooking, for one or a few“. Sounds good !

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jaime and Jennifer at CORAH. They offer an efficient, empathetic learning environment for everyone. Edward added the graphics, the map and the links.

POSTSCRIPT

Check out the CORAH-NSCC Participants & Communities map collaboration showing CORAH participant numbers throughout Nova Scotia. Middleton is pinned in the image below, for example.

This morning, I received an email from Digby Print and Promo (see previous post A Drive to Digby). They had produced Volume 10 – 2025 of my blog. It provided the opportunity to make a return trip to Digby. There was snow on the wind. The drive simply reinforced how infrequently we take Highway 101, beyond Annapolis Royal.

With my blogs in a hard copy format, I can reflect on previous blogs from one year to the next. For example, January 8, 2025 ‘Home Place’.

‘Moving onto this week, the media has been full of Justin Trudeau, Donald Trump and Elon Musk. I tried to turn it off by watching ‘North to North’.

Here we are, it is January 21, 2026.

‘Ultimately, life is about landscape, and how we share it with friends and family; embedded within the local geography: climate, ecology. Unlike the newsmaker/politicians, it is not a resource to be traded for personal gain.’

The book remains on the shelf.

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Donald Trump and Mark Carney occupy the airwaves today.

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Acknowledgements

Thank you Edward, for providing technical support and collaboration for the last ten years

One of my favourite cafes, up the Valley, is the ArtCan Kitchen and Studios Cafe in Canning.

In particular, I enjoy the drive across the dykes from Wolfville. Even though we checked the open hours online, we discovered they are closed until March.

Given early January, we were able to pickup the Grapevine, January 2026, Issue 23-01. It includes a short feature on Community Halls: the heartbeat of rural life, by Jane Baskwill. She focuses on Paradise, Centrelea and Inglisville.

Afterwards, we took a stroll down Main Street to the Merritt Gibson Memorial Library. It was open. We were able to sign out books for three weeks.

My choice was Rebecca Stott’s “Darwin and the Barnacle“. Heather’s choice was Gerald May’s “The Wisdom of Wilderness“.

We shall have to return before January 31st for our next selection.

Acknowledgements

Heather shared the drive. We took a slow drive back to Middleton, via Berwick, Aylesford, Kingston, along Highway #1.

Edward added the graphics and the links. Thank you.

References

Jane Baskwill, 2026, Community Halls: the heartbeat of community life, Grapevine January 2026, p.5.
Rebecca Stott, 2003, Darwin and the Barnacle, Faber and Faber.
Gerald G. May, 2006, The Wisdom of Wilderness, Harper Collins.