Posted in Event Review

Canning trip

Posted on by maherrv

In the June 2021 issue of the Grapevine (p.12) there was a notice of a retrospective exhibit of the work by Dick Groot, photographer at the ArtCan Gallery in Canning. It ends on July 3rd and is open Tuesday- Saturday 10 am – 5 pm.

We took a run up to Canning on Saturday morning.

Dick Groot’s exhibition is titled ‘From Kodak Brownie to Smartphone’. “Dick has been working out of his studio in Wolfville since 2002. His work ranges from tidal landscapes and abandoned mills to street scenes and portraits.”

Dick trained as a survey engineer in the Netherlands. He emigrated to Canada in 1967. He worked at the GSC in Ottawa and later at the ITC, Enschede. As you might imagine our paths have crossed a couple of times, when I was at COGS (1980-88) and later at AGRG (2000-2011).

It was an absolute delight to stop at the ArtCan Cafe ‘Sketch or write in your journal with a drink and dessert’. Browse the books for sale. I could not resist ‘As the twig is bent’ by Russell Elliott. The story of growing up in the 1920’s and 1930’s in rural Nova Scotia (New Ross).

Afterwards, we stepped outside to enjoy Bruce Spicer Park and the Habitant River.

From the Centre of Local Prosperity News, ‘Climate-induced societal and ecological breakthrough in Atlantic Canada’ a report on the First Dialogue, hosted by the Thinkers Lodge.

“Everything at its core happens locally. And yet all of us live in the same planet. So we must simultaneously be planetarium perspective as well as local perspective. What can we do to facilitate greater engagement by all localities everywhere is to support localities everywhere. So our locality should support your locality, and vice versa.” Scott Leckie.

Acknowledgements

Dick Groot captured the demise of Britex (Centrelea), Minas Basin Paper Board Mill (Hantsport), Windsor Wear Mill (Windsor). Gregory Heming chaired the First Dialogue. Heather and Siqsiq enjoyed the Canning trip. Edward provided the graphics.

References


Dick Groot, 2021, From Kodak Brownie to Smartphone: My Journey in Photography, Gaspereau Press.

Russell Elliott, 1999, As The Twig is Bent, Gaspereau Press.

Centre for Local Prosperity News, First Dialogue June 23,2021, Scott Leckie, Gregory Heming, Rankin MacSween, David Orr.

The Grapevine, June 2021, Issue 18.05, Visually Speaking : sixty five years of Dick Groot’s photography. p.12.

Postscript 1

Alexander Pope (1688-1744) ‘Tis Education forms the common mind. Just as the twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.’

Postscript 2

Stories behind the lens (Dick Groot)

12A Agricultural Fair (Lawrencetown)

”The Valley has a number of agricultural fairs that are very photogenic. There is a lot of activity with shows of horse pulls, riding shows, show off competitions between youths of their sheep, cows, horses, etc. Though these are all very entertaining to watch, it is sometimes as entertaining to watch the audience. I think the portraits speak for themselves.”

Posted in New thinking

Historical GIS

Posted on by maherrv

Wednesday morning I walked along Highway #201 (Carleton Road) from our house to Lawrencetown Lane. I noticed the change in civic addresses at the Paradise/Lawrencetown boundary. In Paradise, they are four digits e.g. our house is #6326; in Lawrencetown they are three digits e.g. Lunn’s Mill Beer Company is #515.

On my growler of Brickyard Red, I find the following history of Lunn’s Mill.

”In 1760, this beautiful part of the Annapolis valley was known as Lunn’s Mill, named after the major industry in the area, a bustling saw mill owned by John Lunn. Around this time the Charming Molly (another beer) set sail from New England carrying the first New England Planters. These intrepid people helped expand the community with farms and shops and in 1822 it was renamed Lawrencetown.”

Within this context, I received an email from David Raymond, retired Cartography instructor at COGS. He now operates MapAtlantic from his home in Smith’s Cove.

”I have been working on a project for Dr. Paul Armstrong (Maritime Institute for Civil Society) since early 2020 that involves bringing the nineteenth century AF Church maps into a GIS database. The next phase involves matching the 1871 census records to those in the database.”

Link to Maritime Institute for Civil Society

David put me in touch with Paul Armstrong. They want me to speak at a small gathering in Truro later in August. This will lead to my undertaking some background research on Historical GIS in the next couple of months.

Meanwhile, this week, in the Chronicle Herald, there was a further update on the MapAnnapolis project.

These connections serve to illustrate the relationship between COGS, Cartography and our appreciation of the the geography of the Annapolis Valley. It is a tribute to the work of Walter Morrison, John Wightman and John Belbin and their successors. It also illustrates the value of the map collection at the college.

Can you imagine a historical GIS system where you could operate a slider through time, and see the changes in the land use and land ownership?

Postscript

Last night, Heather and I watched the TVO documentary ‘From Earth to Sky’ produced by Ron Chapman. Watch it, and imagine thé Mi’kmaq perspective on this changing landscape.

Acknowledgements

David Raymond and Paul Armstrong for reaching out to me. I look forward to the research. David Colville for forwarding the end of year address by Don Bureaux, President at NSCC. Edward and Heather for their ongoing support.

References

Lunn’s Mill Beer. Check the label for a short history lesson.

Chronicle Herald. June 23,2021. C6. Digital Mapping chronicles Annapolis Co’s history.
Paul Pickrem.

David Raymond, MapAtlantic, Smith’s Cove.

Paul Armstrong Ph.D Historical Sociology, President, Maritime Institute for Civil Society, Chair, KITH Observatory Inc., Treasurer, Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia.

Don Bureaux, June 23, 2021, President’s Update. Year End Message.

Posted in Article Review, Video Review

Three perspectives

Posted on by maherrv

Saturday, I received the Healthy Forest Coalition report to members.

Two points caught my attention:

  • Removal of industrial forestry from Crown Lands;
  • Harvest Plan Map Viewer (HPMV) becomes the only portal for responses to planned harvests on public land.

This lead to the conclusion.

”This position makes it explicit that public concerns about landscape level decisions for industrial forestry activity will not be entertained.”

Monday, I received the latest quarterly newsletter from the Bras D’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve.

It included contributions on ‘Getting involved in Citizen Science’ by Kirsty Lock, ‘Mesonet Observations’ by Jonathan Buffett and ‘Springs in the Bras D’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve’ by Fred Baechter.

Also, on Monday I listened to a CBC interview on Indigenous Architecture.

Tonight (21st) TVO is showing the film ‘From Earth to Sky’. This struck me as pertinent, given the design of the new wing at COGS.

Over the weekend, Heather and I went up to the family homestead in South Victoria. We were struck by the changes in land use in that part of the province. Many fields were being recolonized by trees and shrubs. And yet, the communities (e.g. Tatamagouche, Pugwash) are eagerly waiting for the loosening of COVID restrictions.

I would encourage members of Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve to look closely at the newsletter from Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve. There are many ideas relevant to this region.

I would also encourage the NSCC to consider ways of integrating the new wing into the COGS building, perhaps within the context of indigenous architecture and landscape design.

Acknowledgements

Bob Howard for passing conversations on landscape design. Heather shared the travels over the weekend. Edward added his graphics.

References

Healthy Forest Coalition newsletter, June 19,2021

Bras D’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve newsletter, Summer Solstice Edition, June 21,2021.

TVO documentary, June 21, 2021, From Earth to Sky.

Posted in Opinion

Tour de COGS

Posted on by maherrv

Thursday, I met with the new Principal, Gord MacKenzie, for the NSCC Annapolis Valley campus (Middleton and Lawrencetown). He follows on from Wayne St.Amour. At the same time, Monica Lloyd has replaced Michael Purcell as the Site Manager for the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS).

My objective was to make sure Gord, who had responsibilities for Trades at the IT campus in the City, had an appreciation for the history behind both COGS and AGRG. Some of the background is available at the Story of COGS website, managed by Ted MacKinnon. A second objective was to discuss the need for a new relationship between the broader community and the college in post-COVID times.

In return, Gord gave me a tour of the new addition to the COGS building. It is a three story structure. On the ground floor, the two innovation spaces are labelled the Drone Makers Space Lab and the Industry Access Lab. The other two floors provide accommodation for a total of 40 beds: a double, three four-bedroom pods and six single bedrooms. Twenty bedrooms on each floor. The expectation is that the accommodation can be rented by industry partners engaged in technical education , through short courses.

Gord anticipates a formal opening of the Innovation Centre in September, or soon thereafter.

In my conversation, I stressed the importance of community involvement. This has several dimensions:

  • the academic community, including current and retired faculty living in the region
  • graduates of COGS since its renaming in 1986
  • the business community which uses similar or compatible technology
  • the local community, businesses and residents working in Annapolis County, and beyond

My vision, post- COVID, is of a much broader definition of community and, yet, at the same time, emphasizes both the technology, and the geography of rural Nova Scotia. This includes resource management in an ecologically sustainable manner of our forests, geology, agriculture, fisheries, within the changing global climate.

Certainly, I would be willing to assist in the identification and inclusion of these ‘communities of interest’ and ‘communities of place’.

We enjoy a remarkable landscape. We have the potential to redefine a much more inclusive culture.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Gord Mackenzie for the tour. Thanks to Wayne St.Amour for finding the funding for the new extension. Thanks to past faculty and researchers who believed in the technology. Current faculty support student projects, with both industry and the community. Edward added the graphics. He was instrumental in Ride the Lobster, and shared the Road to Georgetown.

References

The Story of COGS go to thestoryofcogs.ca

MapAnnapolis blog go to mapannapolis.ca

MapAnnapolis: a community of interest and place
Posted in biographical sketch

Stepping Back

Posted on by maherrv

Thich Nhat Hanh made the following observation (see previous blog).

”You want to find something, but you don’t know what to search for. In everyone there’s a continuous desire and expectation; deep inside, you still expect something better to happen. That’s why you check your email many times a day!”

Imagine my consternation on Sunday morning, when I discovered that our phone system was not working AND my iPad was frozen (locked). Fortunately, in these times when communication is so important, I was able to purchase a new telephone set in Bridgetown. Monday morning I went to Berwick to talk to Gekko Tech Services they were able to advise me on the procedure for a forced boot of my iPad.

Sunday, later in the day, we went over to Hampton Beach to enjoy the sound of the waves on the shingle shore. We travelled along the shore road to Hillsburn, before coming over the mountain to Annapolis Royal.

An added benefit from the drive to Berwick, I was able to walk-in for a COVID test at the Fire Hall. And now I can check my iPad for the results. Negative !

It is remarkable how dependent we are on these communication systems, particularly in times of strife and uncertainty. We look forward to Wednesday. Bell Aliant should install Fibre Op to our house.

Acknowledgements

Kyle at Bridgetown Computers and the technical staff at Gekko Tech Services for keeping computer services in the Valley. Heather and Siqsiq enjoyed the Bay of Fundy cool air. Edward provided technical support.

References

Check the Looking Forward blog post for the Brain Pickings reference.

Posted in Event Review

Looking Forward

Posted on by maherrv

There are signs of change; returning to a ‘new normal’. The Centre for Local Prosperity has announced a four part webinar series under the title ‘Climate-induced societal and ecological breakthrough in Atlantic Canada’. The details are available at their web site.

The four seminars cover these topics for Atlantic Canada.

June 16. Governing for Ecological Citizenship
June 30. Economic Growth at the Crossroads : a shift to a steady state regenerative economy
July 14. Empowering the Rights of Nature Revolution
July 28. An Ethic of Place: a Summary Dialogue

Given, Stephen McNeil has resigned his provincial seat. Given, the number of issues at the municipal level, it is critical that we understand the importance of an ethics of place in the region.

The mid-week Brain Pickings offers some additional ‘food for thought’ from Thich Nhat Hanh on mastering the art of ‘Interbeing’.

At the local level, Roger Mosher provided access to his music lists through Dropbox. Roger curated these lists for his Second Life community.

Walking Siqsiq along Highway 201 in Paradise, it is hard not to notice the blooms on the Horse Chestnut trees, and also to enjoy the scent from the Black Locust trees.

Acknowledgements

Bob Cervelli and Gregory Heming for their work at the Centre for Local Prosperity. Roger Mosher provided access to the music lists. Heather and Siqsiq share the walks in the region. Edward added the graphics,

References

Centre for Local Prosperity web site http://centreforlocalprosperity.ca/

Brain Pickings Mid-week Wednesday, June 9, 2021.

Posted in Uncategorized

Memories

Posted on by maherrv

On Saturday night in New Glasgow, we took the opportunity to watch Maine PBS. There were two notable shows.

Country Pop Legends (My Music)
7 pm

Best of the 60s: Ready, Steady, Go!
9 pm

In both cases, the music brought back a flood of memories. Ready Steady Go ! features the British music scene between 1963-67. A time when I went up to the University of Birmingham to study Geography. Watching Ready, Steady, Go I was impressed by the informality of the studio, the camera work, the audience, and the accessibility of the musicians.

Country Pop legends offered corresponding insight into the history of country music in the United States. Both programs showed the value of public broadcasting, and the engagement of citizens and communities. This is a different experience to the CBC in Canada.

After watching Maine PBS, I had the opportunity to begin reading Adventures in Memory by Hilde and Ylva Ostby. It is subtitled ‘ The Science and Secrets of Remembering and Forgetting’. Music offers a rich context for the memory. Heather is working her way through this book.

On Sunday, heading back down the Valley, we stopped at River John to see the Berkshire piglets being raised by Sandy (Heather’s sister) and Don. Afterwards, we cut down through the hardwood forests of Colchester County – Sheree Fitch/ Read by the Sea country. Also Mable Murple’s Book Shoppe and Dreamery. We also stopped at the Lismore Sheep Farm and the Earltown General Store. All reminders of the beauty and uniqueness of the Sunrise Trail region. From Truro, we followed our traditional route through the Rawdon Hills to Windsor, and then Highway 101 home.

Acknowledgements

John Stewart provided access to Maine PBS on Cable TV. Heather shared her latest reading. Edward checked out the video links.

References

Hilde Ostby and Ylva Ostby, 2918, Adventures in Memory: The Science and Secrets of Remembering and Forgetting, Greystone Press.

Country Pop Legends (My Music), Maine PBS, Saturday June 5, 2021, 7 pm.

Best of the 60s: Ready, Steady, Go!, Maine PBS, Saturday, June 5, 2021, 9 pm.

Posted in biographical sketch

Spring Wildflowers

Posted on by maherrv

Last Tuesday, we took the First Lake loop trail. It is a forty five minute walk with Siqsiq. And yes, we did go anticlockwise. The only other visitors, at that time in the afternoon, were two fly-fishermen.

The main surprise was the number of Spring flowers in the woods : star flower, Clintonia, Ladyslipper orchids, Trillium, Mayflower.

After the walk, I pulled off the bookshelf Roland and Olson, Spring Wildflowers. Albert Roland taught Biology for many years at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) in Truro. After that, he was Professor Emeritus of Biology. He is best known as the author of the Flora of Nova Scotia. Randall Olson teaches Botany and is Curator of AE Roland Herbarium at the NSAC, Now Dalhousie University, Agricultural campus.

This week, I returned Blue Sky Kingdom to the library. But then added Watling Street, recommended by Peter Maher (see blog post here), and The Master recommended by Sandra Barry.

It is increasingly difficult to be a task-oriented person living in ‘task-timeless’ world. My solution is to pick a few discrete ‘low-hanging’ tasks, and then free format the rest of the day. Even reading a long book is a challenge.

Today, with restrictions lifted, the task was to drive through the Rawdon Hills to New Glasgow, for a weekend away. Last night, I cooked Rhubarb and Strawberry Cobbler from Bonnie Stern, Simply HeartSmart cookbook, p.271.

Congratulations to AIRO on its five year aniversary

Acknowledgements

Heather and Siqsiq shared the travels. Edward added the graphics and links.

References

Bonnie Stern, 1994, Simply HeartSmart, Random House.

AE Roland and AR Olson, 1993, Spring Wildflowers, The Nova Scotia Museum Field Guide Series.

AE Roland and EC Smith, 1983 (reprint), Flora of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Museum.

John Higgs, 2017, Watling Street, Weidenfeld and Nicholson

Colm Toibin, 2004, The Master, Picador.

Posted in biographical sketch

Walking Paths

Posted on by maherrv

We have two dog walks in the Annapolis Royal area. The First Lake loop trail, which you start near the parking lot on Highway #101. The signage encourages dog walkers to go anti-clockwise around the lake. To reduce encounters.

The second loop trail is around the French Basin. It has excellent signage on wildlife and bird life. No instructions for dog walkers.

Friday, we walked the French Basin loop clockwise. The consequence was that we met everyone coming the other way. The advantage of being contrary.

” Hi, Wayne, how are you keeping?”

”Good to see you, Bob.”

The experience gave us a sense of community. Hale, well met. Would be good to live in Annapolis Royal; to be able to to enjoy these walks on a regular basis? There is nothing equivalent in Middleton, or Bridgetown (perhaps Valley View Park).

The direction (followed or not) can offer a metaphor for life. If we all go in the same direction, we likely will not meet. If we go in a contrary direction, then that increases the likelihood of encounters. To my mind, perversely, that seems positive.

Sandra Barry sent me a link to a discussion between Mark Lilla and Colm Toibin on Thomas Mann’s classic book, Reflections of a Nonpolitical Man.

This one hour YouTube video reminded me of the role of writers in our society. Sandra also noted that Elisabeth Mann Borgese was the daughter of Thomas Mann and an important part of the founding of the International Ocean Institute (IOI) at Dalhousie University. A quick Google reminded me of earlier times with Mike Butler, Dirk Werle and Tony Charles (SMU).

From Peter, there is a recommendation to read Watling Street by John Higgs. Watling Street runs from Dover northwest across England to Anglesey. It follows the old Roman Road. I have requested the book through the Lawrencetown library

This morning (Sunday) started the day by walking to the top of the mountain, on the West Inglisville Road. Felt good. It has been a while. Too long.

Postscript

From Brain Pickings, May 30,2021 Thoreau quotation:

”If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. “

Acknowledgements

Sandra Barry for reminding me of the role of writers in our society. Also the memories of the International Oceans Institute. Peter Maher for the links to the UK landscape. Heather and Siqsiq shared the dog walks. Edward added his two cents.

References

Mark Lilla and Colm Toibin YouTube discussion of Thomas Mann’s Reflections of a Nonpolitical Man.

John Higgs, 2017, Watling Street: Travels through Britain and its ever-present past, Weidenfeld and Nicholson.

Posted in Uncategorized

Tick Talk

Posted on by maherrv

This week has been consumed by tick management. We made a call to the Greenwood Animal Hospital and arranged for an appointment for Siqsiq. The result was a monthly pill. Next step was the human species.

After a couple of days, dealing with the telephone network, we decided to ‘bite the bullet’ and went to Emergency at the Middleton Hospital. We left four hours later, with prescriptions for a single dose antibiotic.

Meanwhile on CBC Maritime Noon, there was the seasonal discussion of ticks and Lyme’s disease. Evidence suggests that the mild Winters in Nova Scotia are leading to an increase in the tick population.

It is interesting that it is easier to obtain treatment for our pets than ourselves. Although I recognize that pet health can be critically important to human health.

LINK to NOW Lunenburg County Big Ideas

From NOW Lunenburg County, I see they are looking for BIG IDEAS. My proposal, whether it be Lunenburg, Annapolis or Great Village, focus on the rural landscape and its value to artists, scientists and those who wish to have a close relationship to the landscape. Examples abound.

Great Village: look at the work of the Elizabeth Bishop Society. For Annapolis County, we have Ernest Buckler and a number of other artists. In an earlier blog, I cited the example of the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden UK. This week, in the latest Guardian Weekly I was reading about David Hockney and his new exhibit in London ‘Spring in Normandy’ (PDF).

LINK to BOFEP

On the Science side, I received the latest newsletter from BOFEB (PDF). From a landscape perspective, our marine environment is often woefully under-represented. Conversely, imagine if we had an ‘environmental partnership’ for the landward side of the Bay of Fundy?

Postscript

LINK to The reason wild forests beat plantations

From Frank Fox, BBC News reference to ‘The reason wild forests beat plantations’.

Acknowledgements

Dr. Opthof Emergency Doctor, Middleton. Heather and Siqsiq for their help in battle of the ticks. Edward added the graphics and links. Much appreciated.

References

Lunenburg County NOW. Big Ideas competition.

BOFEP May 2021 newsletter (PDF).

The Guardian Weekly, May 21, 2021, Interview with David Hockney: A Man for All Seasons. p51-54 (PDF) David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020 is at the Royal Academy, London.