Ernest Blair Experiment

On Sunday, we decided to check out the Clarence Country Market. This was prompted by our reading of Ida Red. We were pleased to see Bob Bent manning a stall of his books. We picked up some postcards, as well as a map of Nova Scotia country markets. The postcards were produced by Woodshed Press in Port George. They were a quality product, which we sent to the children, as a reminder of our life in the community.

To remember the geography, we went up the Station Road, down the Fitch Road, and finally along the Mount Hanley Road. Passing through Clarence, we caught a wave from Vicki Barteaux. We stopped for a chat, and reconnected with Jeannie (her daughter) and her husband. Jeannie was a baby-sitter during the period 1981-87. She subsequently has had a career in Health Research at UBC and Dalhousie University.

This led to conversations about Ernest Buckler, and Graeme Wynn, Professor of Geography at UBC. I now have some homework; to re-read Wynn’s book The Nature of Canada. I also have to remind myself of the research by British geographers: Doreen Massey and Raymond Williams.

My last connection with UBC was Brian Klinkenberg. He was also a graduate student of Professor Michael Goodchild at Western University (UWO) in the early ‘70’s.

Saturday evening at John Wightman’s in Bridgetown, John passed me a salvaged copy of Acadiensis. It contained two items of interest.

John Wightman and the War of 1812. by GB Manzer.

The Mayflower. A poem by John McPherson

Acknowledgements

Heather joined me on the trip through Clarence and at the Country Market. Jeannie Barteaux identified the UBC and UK Geography connections. John Wightman discovered the back issue of Acadiensis.

References

Acadiensis 1908. Volume 8 Number 2. A Quarterly devoted to the interests of the Maritime Provinces of Canada.

The Mayflower. Verse 1 of 5 by John Mc Pherson.

Sweet child of many an April shower,

First gift of spring to Flora’s bower,

Acadia’s own peculiar flower,

I hail thee here !

Thou com’st, like Hope in sorrow’s hour

To whisper cheer.

Colin M. Coates and Graeme Wynn (Ed’s).2019. The Nature of Canada, UBC Press.

Doreen Massey. 2005. For Space. Sage Press.

This week, I received email from Jeff Wentzell. Jeff worked with me at AGRG until 2011. He is now back with the provincial Department of Agriculture, as the RALP Coordinator. Resilient Agriculture Landscape Program (RALP). Programs for this year include reduced tillage equipment, pollinator strips, riparian and shelter belt development and water capacity through ponds.

This raised a number of questions in my mind. At AGRG we were strong proponents of GIS and other geographic technologies. With the RALP initiative in Annapolis County, I can imagine these technologies providing opportunities for detailed land use mapping and monitoring. I can also envisage these results being combined with data from a network of meteorological (weather) stations.

With the College of Geographic Sciences (COGS) in Lawrencetown, students and faculty could demonstrate /facilitate leadership, working with the farming community, within the context of a Resilient Agricultural Landscape.

Yesterday, Heather and I returned to the Gardens in Annapolis Royal, enjoying a light breeze on the dyke walk. Afterwards, we went over to Parker’s Cove, and then the Crow’s Nest at Hillsburn for a chowder lunch. The fog over the Bay of Fundy was a welcome relief.

Postscript

This is my 500th blog.

Edward and I had planned a celebration however he is somewhere, painting plein air with Anne, in Ontario. We will get together later in the Summer.

At the Lawrencetown library Caleb found the book on West Dalhousie, edited by Rachel Brighton.

From Atlantic Books, an interview with Sheree Fitch who received the Order of Canada.

Acknowledgements

Jeff Wentzell provided details on the RALP program.

References

July 2023. Atlantic Books newsletter. Sheree Fitch puts Canada in Order.

Rachel Brighton (Ed.) 2010. Out Home : a step back in time.

Lawrencetown Library (971 633 Out). I expect also, Bridgetown Library.

Saturday was a very ‘bookish’ day. After finding it hard to read in these difficult times, I was determined to finish Whit Fraser ‘Cold Edge of Heaven’, in advance of the EBLES event at West Dalhousie next Saturday (15th.). Besides the story relating the relationship of the RCMP and the Inuit on Devon Island in the 1920’s, I was intrigued by the reference to artists (AY Jackson) and scientists (Banting) in our understanding of Canada’s Northern Geography.

Part of our day was to follow up on door prizes for EBLES. We have had generosity from the nursery community (Bunchberry, Thexton’s and Neily’s) as well as the bookstores (Baintons, Endless Shores, MareGold and Gaspereau).

In Annapolis Royal at MareGold courtyard, there were over twenty authors. Many of them I recognized. The temptation was great. At the end of the day, I came away with Bob Bent’s book Ida Red, describing life in rural Clarence in the 1980’s. This was a time when Heather and I lived with three young children between the vanRoestel’s and the Elliot’s in East Clarence.

My second purchase was Geoff Butler’s latest book A Troubadour’s Journey from medieval times to the present day and age. Geoff is a resident of Granville Ferry, but was born on Fogo Island, Newfoundland. In 2012, he was artist-in-residence on Fogo Island courtesy Fogo Island Arts and the Shorefast Foundation. I have been following Zita Cobb at Shorefast as a model of community economic development that may be applied to the Annapolis Valley.

Returning home, after a stimulating day, I received an email from Edward from Footsteps East, including a couple of videos, as well as an update that they can now reclaim their camping gear. The impact of a severe storm in Quebec.

Acknowledgements

To Russell at MareGold for hosting the first Authors’ Market. It will be repeated in August. His bookstore is a dream for those of us who enjoy non-fiction. It complements the fiction across the road at Baintons.

References

Bob Bent. 2023. Ida Red.A love story. Self-published.

Geoff Butler. 2022. A Troubadour’s Journey from medieval times to the present day and age. Self-published.

Whit Fraser. 2022. Cold Edge of Heaven. Boulder Books.

Postscript.

Special kudos to Geoff Butler who combines art, poetry and music.

On Sundays I receive the Marginalian by Maria Popover. This week ‘How people change, Herman Hesse on wonder and how to be more alive, a tender modern fable about reversing the Anthropocene’.

Today, we experienced a change in weather. After several days of rain, we had a hot, humid day. We escaped from the Valley and took a drive along the Bay of Fundy shore from Hampton to Margaretsville.

In the Reader (July 7), I noticed that the County of Annapolis are seeking citizen interest in the new Climate Change Action Plan review committee. From my perspective, as retired Research Scientist attached to the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS) and the Applied Geomatics Research Group (AGRG), we have excellent Resources in the region..

Here are a couple of examples.

1. David Colville has established a network of climate stations in the Valley region (Southwest Nova). Interestingly, in the latest issue of the Bras D’Or Lakes Biosphere Reserve, there is a template of the value of this type of network.It was only a couple of years ago that David and Sally O’Grady hosted a display on climate change at ArtsPlace in Annapolis Royal.
2. Tim Webster at AGRG has been applying numerical models to sea level rise across the Maritimes, including the Bay of Fundy and the South shore.

Hopefully, this citizen science perspective, in conjunction with COGS, will be available to the Municipal Review committee.

Finally, Edward Wedler, and his wife Anne have started their plein air trip exploring the eastern Canadian landscapes that inspired Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven. As a result of the hot and humid weather in La Baie, Quebec they are awaiting access to their campsite. Yet, another example of climate change.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the contribution made by faculty and students at COGS and AGRG, monitoring the climate of Southwest Nova.

Reference

Bras D’Or Lakes Biosphere Reserve Newletter. Summer 2023.