This week, we had to drive from New Glasgow to Antigonish. It was surprising to see the twinning of Highway #104. As part of the construction, this leads to significant removal of forest cover.
From England, I received the PLANTED newsletter, including an interview by Sam Peters with Nick Hayes on his book, The Book of Trespass. Hayes describes the lack of access to the English landscape, and makes comparisons to Scotland and Scandinavian countries. This also contrasts with the situation in Canada, and Nova Scotia in particular. Here, we have protesters in the courts for challenging the clearcutting of crown land in Digby County.
It seems such a long time ago. In 1964, after a summer working in Labrador, I returned to Montreal where I bought a Greyhound bus pass, $99 for 99 days of unlimited travel. This allowed me to travel down to Mexico, across to the west coast, California, before heading North to Victoria, BC. I caught the airplane home to England from Montreal. Later, I recall discussing the trip with a school friend, Roy Peters. He made a similar trip the following year. His son, Sam Peters is the Principal at PLANTED.
I also recall the days of hitch-hiking in the United Kingdom. We would take off on long weekends to go caving (spelunking). From the University of Birmingham, this included the Peak district, Derbyshire, the Mendips in the Southwest, and also Lisdoonvarna, on the west coast of Ireland. It’s hard to imagine this freedom, especially now in these COVID-19 days.
While in New Glasgow this week, I finished reading Harold Horwood’s Dancing on the Shore. It represents excellence in Canadian nature writing.
”The tides sweep over the clam flats in a great flood twice daily. The migrants sweep through the sky in great flocks twice a year. These vast rhythms, so visible in such a small space, seem very like the heartbeat and the breathing of a living planet.”
Postscript
Bloom where you are planted
— Raymond Hunter, an early organic farmer in the Annapolis Valley, cited on the Ironworks Hunter Brandy bottle.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Roy Peters and Andrew Ronay for the connection to the Planted newsletter. Heather shared the drive to Antigonish. Edward for his graphics.
References
PLANTED unearthed. Series 2, Episode I interview by Sam Peters with Nick Hayes. YouTube video.
Nick Hayes, 2020, The Book of Trespass: crossing the lines that divide us, Bloomsbury Publishing.
Harold Horwood, 2010, Dancing on the Shore: A Celebration of Life at Annapolis Basin, Pottersfield Press
Ernest Blair Experiment 
Bob
Thanks for this — I am going to forward to Zac at Hooke Park in Dorset as this is a book that would resonate with him.
Also, you should know that Hwy 103 is similarly being developed/twinned from Tantallon to Hubbards (nearly finished) through to Mahone Bay (well underway.) NS is pending $1B on highways in 2020 and 2021.
Big snow here overnight.
Brian
Brian Arnott Principal Novita Interpares | Leaf + Branch
novitainterpares.ca >
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