Ernest Blair Experiment

We had to go to the Infirmary in the city for tests on Wednesday. It has been a while since we last went to Halifax. We added a couple of stops en route. At Bayers Lake shopping centre, we wanted to check out planters (trugs) at Lee Valley. Unfortunately, no luck.

While at the Centre, we went across to Chapters. It has been an age since we stopped at a full bookstore. I was overwhelmed by the choice, and the advertising — bookcases of titles mentioned on different CBC talk shows.

We successfully negotiated Spring Garden Road and Robie Street. We were able to find parking on a side street, opposite Woozles childrens’ bookstore. The QEII Health Sciences Centre was unrecognizable. Major structural changes are underway. Eventually, we entered the Veterans building , then through various long corridors to the Cardiac Device clinic. We were there early, and the various tests did not take long.

There did seem to be some confusion about our home address and whether we should have attended the Valley Regional Hospital. On our way home, we stopped in Kentville to clarify what information was on file. Next time, it will be Kentville.

One last stop in Berwick at the Apple Valley Pies Plus Outlet, for berry crumble.

It must have been well over a year since we spent a full day in Metro Halifax. Makes me wonder about spending time in Toronto or Vancouver.

Also the different perceptions of the ‘country mouse’ in comparison to the ‘city mouse’. Time to make some adjustments. Two years is likely too long a break.

When we head to New Glasgow, we turn off at Windsor, thus avoiding metro Halifax/Dartmouth.

While we were in Lunenburg (see Day Trip), Heather found Sarah Cox’, Signs of Life at the Lunenburg Bound book store.

As the subtitle indicates it provides Field Notes from the Frontlines of Extinction — from the Spotted Owl in British Columbia to rare lichens in Nova Scotia’s disappearing woodlands. I was selectively interested in Haida Gwaii and Southwest Nova because we spent time in both landscapes.

In Nova Scotia we camped out to stop the spraying of the forests. Subsequently, we became members of SOOF (Save Our Old-growth Forests (see sample posts, Saving Forests, SOOF Soup Sunday, and Two Meetings; Two Questions)

Receiving their weekly newsletter, we have gained insight into the role that citizen scientists can play in the identification of species at risk (see Local Geography, for example).

In Nova Scotia, we have a local chapter of Extinction Rebellion (see Anatomy of a Protest).

Sarah Cox provides an excellent description of the work of this group, and the role that Nina Newington and others play in stopping the indiscriminate logging and spraying in Southwest Nova Scotia.

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With the weather improving, it was time to bring the bicycles out of the garage. They had stayed hidden after the move. Doug Brown at Oakhaven, Belleisle brought them back to life in short order. Now, I have no excuse, on the next sunny day, if I want to cycle the Middle Road between Lawrencetown to Middleton. or take the ‘rails to trails’.

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The reading, the bicycling and the identification of rare species in our shared landscape are indeed all ‘signs of life’, as we change with age.

References

Sarah Cox, 2024, Signs of Life: field notes from the front lines of extinction, Goose Lane Editions.

Save our old-growth forests (SOOF), Weekly newsletter

Nina Newington, 2025, Log now, protect later makes no sense, Opinion, Chronicle Herald, Thursday June 5, 2025. A8.

Goldsmith Lake Calicioids, Stubble lichens and fungi surveyed in mixed forest west of Goldsmith Lake.,2022-2023. Poster available at local bookstores.

Earlier this week Heather and I walked the Marsh Trail in Middleton. It is a short trail from the parking lot, up from Avery’s. The highlight was the display of lady slipper orchids. I sent some photographs to Edward for inclusion in this blog.

This week, too, I finished reading Myths of Geography (see previous post, Day Trip). The book has eight chapters. Richardson offers a subtitle for each chapter.

1) How many continents are there?
2) Why walls don’t work?
3) What is a country?
4) Why taking back control is not what it seems?
5) Wealth, health or happiness?
6) Or how Putin unleashed the revanchist monster?
7) Why all roads don’t lead to China?
8) Seeing beyond the colonial cliches.

Reading this book took me back to graduate school at the University of Western Ontario (1969-1972), bringing to the foreground memories of Bill Bunge and David Harvey (enjoy my post Biogeography).

There are also memories of field work on vegetation patterns on Castleguard Meadows, off the Columbia Icefield.

At the end of each Summer, we would take off, on road trips to Boulder, Colorado or to the Alaska panhandle, before classes started again at UWO, London, Ontario.

It is not possible to read Richardson’s book without reflecting on the present global conflicts between USA, Russia and China.

At home base, we are busy transplanting: strawberries and tomatoes.

Acknowledgements

Edward created the orchid mosaic. Heather shared the transplanting.

Sunday morning, we had a choice either go to Beaver Creek ‘Well-rooted Plant Sale and Garden Gathering ‘ or take a day trip to the South Shore. We decided on the latter, driving from Middleton on Highway #10 to Highway #103 in Bridgewater. The road was quiet; the trees beautiful in their Spring colours.

Our destination was Mahone Bay and Lunenburg. We turned off the #103 at Block House. First stop was a bookstore, Lunenburg Bound. It provides an excellent selection of new and used books. Unusually, the used books are organized in alphabetical order, by author.

Especially, since Richardson teaches Human Geography at the University of Birmingham, UK, my Alma mater.

On the way out, I picked up a free flier, Lunenburg Art/Map Visual Art and Fine Craft 2025 — a Visitors Guide to local artist studios, art galleries and shops that showcase original art and fine craft. This is a good model for the Annapolis Valley.

The next stop was Mahone Bay for lunch. Our favourite is the Nosy Crow. Unfortunately, CLOSED. Mahone Bay Main Street was a mess: road works and many visitors. We decided to retreat to fast-food in Bridgewater.

At Robin’s Donuts, we grabbed a couple of hamburgers. In the parking lot, we shared the view with a ‘nosy seagull’, sitting on the car bonnet, looking for food.

Time to head home. On Highway #10 we stopped at Land Care Nursery in Cookville. We purchased a dwarf butterfly bush, Buddleia Nain. I would recommend this excellent nursery.

References

Sarah Cox, 2024, Signs of Life: Field Notes from the Frontlines of Extinction, Goose Lane.

Paul Richardson, 2024, Myths of Geography: eight ways we get the world wrong, Hanover Square Press.

Acknowledgements

Heather brought her botanical interests to the trip. Mine were more geographical. Edward added the graphics and links.

Earlier this week, Ed Symons and I met with Jennifer Wesman and Jaime Dennison at CORAH. The meeting was to discuss offering a series of Community Mapping workshops in Middleton during the next academic year.

Ed would be the Project lead, CORAH would provide the context, and I would offer the wider perspective.

Ed, with the help of AI proposed four maps.
Map 1 Recognizing and Celebrating our Assets
Map 2 Opportunities for Growth
Map 3 The Geography of Hope
Map 4 Re-imagining Our Place

From Jennifer, “what are the outcomes and goals?“

In reply, from Ed:
“Ideally, we’d like to have a map series that culminates in the creation of four maps in both print and web-based format, with a host of place-based information provided by local residents. To teach geo-literacy skills engagingly and inclusively. To have fun making/ contributing to maps.”

My view of this project is that it would enhance our collective understanding of ‘place’ on our lives. It builds upon the resources and philosophy embodied in the NSCC campuses at Middleton and Lawrencetown.

In an increasingly virtual learning environment, it is important that we are grounded in our day to day reality. This project complements the values espoused in my blog: ernestblairexperiment.wordpress.com.

It is critical to citizen engagement in the municipal decisions of the Annapolis Valley (see also posts “Community Geography, Joining the Dots, and A College Community aka A Community College)”.

Acknowledgements

Ed Symons for taking the lead on this project. It is consistent with his teaching career at COGS. Jennifer and Jamie were receptive to bringing the CORAH resources to the table. Edward continues to offer technical expertise and encouragement.

Where did the week go? We had to go back to New Glasgow at the end of the week, once we had Summer tyres on the Honda.

As part of the recovery, we went to see David Attenborough’s Ocean at King’s Theatre.

While the film attempted to put a positive spin on the state of the oceans, we (Heather and I) did not ‘buy into the message’. What is a serious environmental concern turned into photographic celebrity entertainment.

On returning home, I preferred to listen to Robert MacFarlane in conversation on Being Rivered, available from Emergence magazine.

The other book that I finished was Alice Wexler’s ‘Mapping Fate’.

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This morning, I just returned from the post office. My daughter, Laurel had expressed interest in our LP collection of children’s records. They had recently purchased a record player. We no longer have one. I packed up two boxes of memories from her childhood, to share with her two boys. It was quite nostalgic to rediscover Raffi, Sharon, Lois and Bram, John Denver and the Muppets etc.

I trust that this week, we shall return to ‘normal’.

Acknowledgements.

Edward for his graphics and links. Heather shared the multiple crossings of the Rawdon Hills and Mount Thom.

References

Alice Wexler, 1995, Mapping Fate, Random House

Robert MacFarlane, 2025, Is a River Alive? Penguin Random House.

This weekend, we persuaded Heather’s father, John to come down to the Valley. This gave us an opportunity to go down ‘memory lane’.

We started at Connaught Avenue in Middleton. First stop was Clarence, the old house site between the Elliot’s and the van Roestel’s at the east end of the Clarence Road on North Mountain.

The second stop was the house in Paradise on Highway #201 opposite Raymond Hunter’s farm and orchard (#6326), in the Valley. From there we headed to Bridgetown and took the Morse Road to West Dalhousie, on South Mountain. The Buckler house was owned by Bill O’Neill, next door to Bep and George his parents.

To complete the circuit, we drove Highway #201 to Annapolis Royal. Stopping briefly for a coffee at the Sissiboo cafe on a quiet Sunday morning. We returned directly to Middleton on Highway #101.

The dates of residence in the Annapolis Valley, are as follows:

1980-81 West Dalhousie
1982 – 88 Clarence
2000-2024 Paradise
2024 – present Middleton

Between 1988-2000 we lived in Jakarta, Indonesia; Redlands, California ; Guelph and Peterborough, Ontario; Victoria, BC. My teaching and research duties at NSCC spanned 1980-1988 and 2000-2011. Since 2011, we have lived on Haida Gwaii and Iqaluit, Baffin Island while Heather was on assignment with Parks Canada. She also lived in Churchill, Manitoba. Prior to 1980, we lived in St John’s Newfoundland and Edmonton, Alberta.

Less we forget, there were a couple of short stints in England.

For Mothers’ Day, Laurel sent Heather a gift certificate for Blomidon Nurseries.

This gave us an excuse to drive up to Wolfville. We exchanged the certificate for strawberry plants.

The richness of the agriculture is always a surprise on the dykelands of Kings County.

To enhance the experience, we returned home on Highway #221, instead of Highway #101. In Kings County, you really get a sense of the width of the Valley, as well as the focus on the orchards. There is a noticeable change in scale and topography, as you cross the Annapolis County line.

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A few days earlier, we attended a talk at the MacDonald Museum by Steve Skafte.

The discussion afterwards with the audience was more about land ownership and rights of way; less about the richness of the landscape, its ecology and geography.

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This week, I enjoyed useful discussions with Ed Symons and Edward Wedler on the tools of AI and Community Mapping. The challenge as one enters my next decade (#8) is to keep current with the tools and the technology. My interest has always been the ‘application’.

Subsequently, I decided to step back from the 50th anniversary presentation to AAGP. However, I do believe that the story of the Mountain and the Valley can be defined by artists, writers, musicians and scientists who chose to live a rural lifestyle. That is worth sharing with the larger world.

Postscript

John Wightman sent me a wonderful image of the meanders of the Annapolis River below Bridgetown (taken by photographer Travis Z. Baker).

Acknowledgements

Thank you for conversations with Ed Symons and Edward Wedler on the intricacies of AI tools, and their application to my blog posts.

The Atlantic Association of Geomatics and Planning (AAGP) are holding their 50th. year anniversary conference, at the NSCC Dartmouth campus on June 12th.

The title is ‘GeoAI’. They have invited me to give the keynote. While I can talk about fifty years of GIS, I have invited Edward Wedler to add his contribution on the relationship between GIS and AI.

As part of my blog series, Edward has been in conversation with Gemini and identified four topics relevant to the province.

All topics derived from Premier, Tim Houston’s agenda.

Yesterday (May 8), Edward and I had a Zoom call to discuss our presentation. My interests are twofold.

1. I have been posting my blog since 2013. Could I use AI to identify key themes over that period? Could we link AI to GIS to map the locations?
2. My second interest is to produce a series of ‘community maps’, based on the blog content.
3. That will be the agenda for the next month.

Meanwhile I have scheduled a meeting with Ed Symons on community mapping at CORAH next week. David MacLean has also provided a useful link to relationship between GIS and AI at Esri.

It will be an intense few weeks, learning how to access the new technology. At the same time, gaining insight into the future of GIS and AI.

Afterwards, perhaps I can return to the role of ‘elder statesman’, with an abiding interest in the role of ‘place’ and its impact on our lifestyle in rural Nova Scotia. Now, back to reading, writing, walking and bicycling etc. And maybe canoeing.

Acknowledgements

I would not be able to entertain this presentation without the technological expertise of Edward. I would not have the mental energy without the shared living with Heather.

Postscript

After finishing, Ken McGoogan’s latest book, I passed it on to John Wightman. In New Glasgow, I discovered his earlier book ‘Celtic Lightning: How the Scots and Irish Created a Canadian Nation’.

From the Middleton Library, I am also waiting through inter-library loan for Alice Wexler’s book, Mapping Fate.

Heather has been busy collecting up the acorns from under the mature red oaks in our backyard. Today, we delivered a pail for the Seed Saving Talk by Dr. Niki Clark at the Lower Granville Hall, Saturday May 3, 1-2 pm. This activity coincided with the first lawn mowing of the season.

We stopped by Endless Shores bookstore. We wanted to obtain a copy of the place-mat illustrating the Goldsmith Lake Calicioids. This became a $20 donation to SOOF.

Further to my earlier blog ‘Local Libations Map’, John Wightman found an excellent map of the Wines of Nova Scotia. Produced in 2017 by the Winery Association of Nova Scotia.

The cartography and the graphics design illustrate the superb work of Marcel Morin at Lost Art Cartography. Quite a contrast to the Libations Map in the Grapevine.

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From the cover:
‘McGoogan’s takes a biographical approach to history, creating a montage of individual experiences. It includes George Orwell, Sinclair Lewis, Norman Bethune and Winston Churchill’.

‘He delves into dictatorships of the twentieth century to sound the crucial alarm about the possibility of a democratic collapse in the US – and its implications for Canada.’

At the moment, I am halfway through – including the Spanish Civil War. The second half covers Hitler and the Second World War. It is heavy reading in these difficult times.

References

Ken McGoogan, 2024, Shadows of Tyranny: Defending Democracy in an Age of Dictatorship. Douglas and McIntyre.

Wines of Nova Scotia, 2017, Explore our Nova Scotia Wineries.

Goldsmith Lake Calicioides, Stubble Lichens and Fungi surveyed in mixed forest west of Goldsmith Lake, 2022-2023.