Bob Bent, local author, recently published a novel Spy on Ice. It is the story of a Canadian hockey player who is recruited by the Ottawa Senators to spy on a Russian player whose father is Head of Russian Intelligence.
This week, we picked the last Nova Spy tree in the orchard. Afterwards, we sent a selection of apples to Andrew and family in Iqaluit.
Thinking about the Nova Spy, it seemed like a good idea to seek out heritage varieties in the Annapolis Valley. I found one example on the West Inglisville Road. Interestingly, these four large trunk trees stand on a property, once owned by Bob Bent.
I recall writing a blog in November 2017 Apple Pressing and the Ghost Orchard. It contains references to the writing of Tom Burford, Julian Gwyn and Helen Humphreys. It concludes with a Robert Frost poem, ‘AfterApple-picking’.
Perhaps there is a novel in The Nova Spy, based on the search for heritage apple varieties in rural Nova Scotia.
Postscripts
Through inter-library loan, I received Antony Berger (Ed.) No Place for a Woman: The Life and Newfoundland Stories of Ella Manuel. Heather and I both recall visiting her home above Woody Point in 1975. Heather was working at Gros Morne National Park. I was teaching at Memorial University and supervising Biogeography graduate students on the West coast.
Blessings, A visual journey through the Irish landscape, Emergence Magazine.
Acknowledgements
Edward for encouraging the link between Ice Spy and Nova Spy. Jaki at the Lawrencetown library for the inter-library loan service. Heather continues to pick MacFree in the orchard. Perhaps, we can conduct an organic cider taste test, using all three varieties.
References
Bob Bent, 2020. Spy on Ice, Nevermore Press.
Antony Berger, 2020. No Place for a Woman, Breakwater Press.
(LINK to Book Launch)
Ernest Blair Experiment 
Who’s up for the challenge of adding content to an Annapolis Valley communal spy story “The Nova Spy”?
The Nova Spy (a story about an undercover Russian spy, masquerading as an apple farmer, who is out to steal intellectual property secrets from the Canadian agricultural industry). There may be a connection to a secret, sleeper spy cell operating out of Lawrencetown. Perhaps COGS acts as a training facility and AGRG as a facilitating unit. Three times in my past remote sensing career I have been approached by … (these stories remains hidden). CFB Greenwood may be involved with clandestine meetings at the Green Elephant in Kingston and what appear to be benign trips to the Research Station in Kentville. Units of spies canoe the Annapolis River, in the guise of GIS conference attendees with breakout “educational sessions”.
Maybe we can invite contributions from readers to add to this intrigue. What secrets does Agriculture Canada hold that is so valuable? How far does this spy ring extend? Who has been compromised?
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Edward:
I can imagine a writing challenge on this theme.
Perhaps hosted by the the Ernest Buckler Literary Event Society (EBLES),
sponsored by AIRO.
Any interest ?
Bob
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There is a writing group that met weekly in Middleton, a member of the group who wrote mystery stories.
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