Ernest Blair Experiment

This weekend, we visited Heather’s Dad in New Glasgow.

While there, I finished Colm Toibin’s book (see previous post) and picked up Dan Leger’s biography of Stephen McNeil. From Toibin, I gained some insight into the role of religion in Irish culture. Perhaps from Leger, I will gain insight into the role of politics in rural Nova Scotia.

Having read Cronin’s book on Syliboy, I was interested to hear that he had presented a mural to Kings Edgehill School. Heather’s sister (Sandra) is the art teacher at KES. His visit seemed to be well received by both teachers and students.

The return trip to the Valley was idyllic on a blue sky Sunday afternoon. We took a circuitous route.

First, we visited Sandy and Don at their farm, outside of River John. We were surprised by the number of trees down from the Autumn storms. Our return took us through Denmark, Earltown to Truro. We stayed on Highway #102 until Exit #10, Indian Brook. We turned off to go through the Rawdon Hills and ended up at Windsor. From Windsor, Highway #101 to Lawrencetown/Paradise.

The roads were dry; blue skies; the landscape was covered in a fresh snowfall. Depending on the orientation of the road, and wind direction, there were occasional patches of snow on the highway. It was the type of day, where you wanted to make a movie of the landscape, dressed in white, in full sunlight. This is normally a three-hour drive.

Acknowledgements

Heather shared the road trip. We enjoyed Stewart’s hospitality in both New Glasgow and River John.

Edward added the graphics and links.

References.

Dan Leger, 2022, Stephen McNeil: Principle and Politics, Nimbus Publishing.

Colm Toibin, 2023, Essays: A Guest at the Feast, McClelland and Stewart.

This week, we were in Kentville to discuss financial matters.

We took the opportunity to stop at the Half Acre Cafe. I went across to Gaspereau Press to see what new books had been published recently.

As part of the Gaspereau Field Guides to Canadian artists by Ray Cronin, I found #7 Alan Syliboy Culture is our Medicine. Cronin writes an essay on Syliboy’s career. The field guide also includes seven plates, illustrating his work.

Meanwhile, I have been struggling to read Colm Toibin’s essays. In Part one, Toibin describes his experience growing up in Ireland. Part 2 concerns the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican and various Popes. The third Part includes essays on ‘Putting religion in its Place: Marilynne Robinson’. Right now, I am stuck in Part 2.

Wednesday, we gathered at Anne and Bill Crossman’s in Annapolis Royal. Roger Mosher and Keith Egger joined us from Centrelea. It was an opportunity to enjoy Chinese food, and to catch up on our respective lives in Paradise, Centrelea and Annapolis Royal.

Acknowledgements

To Anne and Bill for hosting the get together. Sandra Barry swapped the Colm Toibin essays. Heather, Roger and Keith shared the lunch. Edward, returning from Florida, added the graphics.

References

Ray Cronin, 2022, Alan Syliboy: Culture is our Medicine, #7 A Gaspereau Field Guide to Canadian Artists, Gaspereau Press.

ColmToibin, 2023, Essays: A Guest at the Feast, McClellan and.Stewart.

A few years ago, Heather placed Buddha on her meditation rock, on the slope behind the house.

Over time, he has developed a coat of moss and lichens. Today, in near celebration of Spring (ten degree temperatures) we paid him a visit. Does he still wear the same species?

Yesterday, we made our walking circuit to the Annapolis River. Starting at Lunn’s Mill you can walk through the Lawrencetown Tree Nursery to the river. We returned via the neighbours property (previously belonging to Andrew) and the Hunter orchard.

Later in the day, I wanted to show Heather the low tides on the Bay of Fundy. Walking along Hampton beach, I am always overwhelmed by the variety of size and colour of the beach pebbles.

(“Blue Barrels of Hampton” watercolour by Edward)

Last Fall, we did not prune the hydrangea flower heads (I was in the hospital). Today, with the warm temperatures, it was time to catch up, and fill the ‘green bin’.

This week, we are planning to reduce the number of books on the shelf. There are several that I picked up, but do not remember reading.

References

Isabella Tree, 2018, Wilding: the return of nature to a British farm, Picador. (see post Rewilding the Annapolis Valley)

Peter Wohllenben, 2021, The Heartbeat of Trees: embracing an ancient bond with forests and nature, Greystone.

Acknowledgements

Heather rediscovered Buddha in the woods. Edward added the graphics.

Postscript

I have returned The Road Here to the Library.

For your “Winter enjoyment”, here is a link to “Anne & Edward Wedler Fine Art Newsletter XXXIII”

From Emergence Magazine, an interview with David Hinton starts with the Chinese poem, Egrets.

Robes of snow, crests of snow, and beaks of azure jade,
They fish in shadowy streams.
Then startling away into flight, they leave emerald for lit distances.
Pear blossoms, a tree-full, tumble in the evening wind.

The interview is a forty minute podcast.

This week, I plan to visit Integrity Printing in Bridgetown. They have created a printed volume of my blogs. The year 2022 will be Volume 7. This blog represents #456.

This week, too, I plan for lunch with Heather, Rocky and Debby Hebb at the Ebb Tide cafe. Today, I stopped at the Winemakers Tavern. It is now under new management, as the Bee’s Knees General Store and Bakery.

It is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm. This represents a re-invention of commercial activity in the Village of Lawrencetown. If we can recruit a family doctor for the community, in combination with educational initiatives at COGS, there will be the Hope of Geography.

From my conversation, recently, with Brian Arnott in Lunenburg, this energy may also extend to the Annapolis County exhibition and the surrounding agricultural community. Here’s hoping !

Acknowledgements

Rocky and Debby Hebb joined Heather and myself for lunch at the Ebb Tide cafe. The fish burger was excellent, and at a good price. Brian Arnott provided an update on the Annapolis County exhibition. Edward added the graphics.

Reference

Emergence Magazine, February 12, 2023, An Ethics of Wild Mind, Interview with David Hinton, Podcast.

We have returned to our rural home on Highway #201 in Paradise.

The cost of the condo at Bishop’s Landing was becoming prohibitive. But more critically, we needed to develop an understanding of the health services in the Annapolis Valley, and the best approach to transitioning from the services in Halifax. (Spring is coming !). In the five months in the city, we were able to address a number of concerns, related to hearing, swallowing, and memory. How do we ensure continuity of health services through the Primary Care Clinic in Middleton? Without a family doctor?

Maintaining two residences, Paradise and Halifax, means maintaining two sets of infrastructure: computers, TV, telephone, heating, etc. Fortunately, we have our trusty iPad and mobile phones.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I walked down to Lawrencetown. I wanted to meet our new librarian (who replaced Jackie Fraser) and check out the interlibrary loan. I wanted to make sure that our mail was no longer being forwarded to the condominium. I also wanted to see if the Ebb Tide Cafe (previously Firehall restaurant) was open. The note on the door says Monday, February 6th.

At the library, I picked up one of Jim Lotz’s books: The Gold of the Yukon, and one by Harry Thurston, The Sea among the Rocks.

What will we miss from Halifax?

• Convenient walks through treed neighborhoods
• The harbour boardwalk.
• Easy access to food stores, coffee shops
• Book shops.
• No need to drive a car.
• Public resources – Halifax Library and the Public Gardens.

To-Do items?

• Leaving the car behind
• Electric cars.
• Electric bicycles.
• Charging station.
• More solar panels on the roof.

We look forward to reconnecting with our community in the Valley. We look forward to recording the changes (e.g. new bookstore in Annapolis Royal, See earlier blog post HERE).

Acknowledgements

To all our Valley friends who have kept us in mind. Edward for his ongoing contribution.

References

Jim Lotz, 2012, The Gold of the Yukon, Pottersfield Press.
Harry Thurston, 2002, The Sea among the Rocks: Travels in Atlantic Canada, Pottersfield Press.