The vacation that was... someone once said, "The best trips like the best love affairs, never really end. They remain a beautiful memory."
Now, with our Maritime adventures just that — a memory, I feel I have left my heart in so many places.
The long-awaited day finally arrived, and our trusty WestJet's four and a half hour flight, ably carried us over our majestic Canada to Toronto.
Expecting only a short wait, we soon learned our connecting Halifax flight was delayed five hours. An electrical storm the night previous, threw all the airlines schedules off.
So, lots of Tim Horton's coffee and interesting people to chat with, helped the time to pass.
A friendly, talkative native of the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia, gave us our first insight into the life and times of the folk living there.
Though having only a few hours of rest at the airport's Quality Inn, we awakened the next day, somewhat refreshed and excited to begin discovering Halifax.
Frustrations of our previous day's travel forgotten, we set out to find the Heartwood Cafe.
It was to be the first introduction to "down-east hospitality" for my fellow travellers, Karen, Debi and Mark, as we met the owners, my grand-niece, Carrie and her husband, Joel, and their delightful daughters, Michael and Lacey.
The warm hugs and friendly chatter of these second cousins meeting for the first time, was a great introduction to similar greetings to follow. This vegan cafe with its "healthy choices" menu, impressed the girls, as they vowed to 'stay on track' with their travel eating plans.
During our brief hours exploring Halifax harbour, we found the tall ship, the Lord Nelson, had just arrived from its two year "around the world" trip.
It is one of two tall ships that is fully accessible for disabled passengers.
Making our way to the fishing village of Peggy's Cove, (with its mere population of 39 souls) we came upon a panorama of timeless beauty.
Meeting our friendly hosts, Judy and Dan, at our quaint Bed and Breakfast, we were delighted to find our rooms had an excellent view of the iconic light house.
What could be more perfect for our next day's venture than a drive along the southwest coast of Nova Scotia!
Being one who loves colour, I was awed to see so many colourful buildings dotting the landscape, as a part of the costal communities.
Passing by Mahone Bay, we learned it was once a safe haven for pirates and privateers. We just missed the pirate festival that was held the previous weekend.
This being my first visit to Lunenburg, I thought it was a truly postcard perfect Maritime town with its quaint architectural style and colourful buildings, its smells of salt, sea and all.
Housed in brightly-painted red buildings, our short tour of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic reminded us of their fishing heritage and the many lives lost at sea, sometimes every member of a family.
Next, a refreshing pause for seafood at the Old Fish Factory Restaurant and Ice Bar, with Debi and Mark giving the chef an A+ for their delicious calamari.
Back for another restful night at our B&B. Enjoying another of Judy's delicious breakfasts, and Dan's dry humour, we reluctantly said our goodbyes. More exploring and picture-taking around Peggy's rocky cove, then off on our journey through Nova Scotia to Cape Breton Island, our destination for today.
On a menu placemat at the Sou' Wester Restaurant at Peggy's Cove...
"The fog comes and goes at will. Don't begrudge it. Wish instead that you were as free."
"A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles."
— Tim Cahill
Stay tuned, there's more chapters of our Maritime Saga yet to come.
— beulah
As vacation time rolls around each year, who doesn't look forward with great anticipation, to that long-awaited trip or, to those sunny, lazy, hazy days at the lake or seaside.
My daughters and I have been planning for months, a once-in-a-lifetime adventure — an upcoming visit to my childhood homeland.
WestJet will safely land us in Halifax, where we will begin our motor trek through Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton Island, Prince Edward Island and ending up in my home province, New Brunswick, to visit family and friends.
Some of the highlights we will enjoy will be Peggy's Cove, the quaint town of Baddeck, and the fertile, pristine province of Prince Edward Island — especially the Anne of Green Gables area — where warm memories of my honeymoon with Nels, still linger.
Though I have returned to these special haunts several times over the years, much will be new for my daughters, as they were just teens on their last visit East.
I will enjoy seeing it all anew, through their eyes, and will be awed with their responses as they greet several of their "grown-up" cousins, sharing a family bond of affection.
As I travel, I always anticipate the joy of meeting someone new, often someone with a kindred spirit, and always with the intent of "scattering a few seeds of love" to those I meet.
Unfortunately, since I am travelling in the opposite direction, I cannot assist hitchBot, the hitchhiking robot, who is attempting to make his whirlwind adventure from Halifax to Victoria. Relying on the kindnesses of strangers, with its computerized brain, it carries on conversations and hopes to collect stories as it goes.
People seem concerned as to whether we can trust robots, but the question is, can robots trust humans? We will find out.
May he reach his destination safely as I pray I will reach mine. To those of you who follow my blogs, I will be taking a brief hiatus.
There's a cliche that says, "Time flies when you're having fun."
Posting on my blog as I travel probably won't happen, as I intend to savour every placid lake and field of daisies that I pass along the way, being so aware that time passes all too quickly.
With God as our navigator and Mark Harvey, (my son-in-law) who is accompanying us behind the driver's wheel, we will be headed in the right direction, finding our way and staying on course.
Happy summer, everyone!
— beulah
Listening to the news coming across the airwaves these days, one could easily live in a constant state of fear and despair.
Do we not, many times, feel like the prophet, Habakkuk, who said,"O Lord, how long must I call for help before you will listen? I shout to you in vain; there is no answer. 'Help! Murder!' I cry, but no one comes to save. Must I forever see this sin and sadness all around me? Wherever I look there is oppression and bribery and men who love to argue and to fight. The law is not enforced and there is no justice given in the courts, for the wicked far outnumber the righteous, and bribes and trickery prevail."
— Habakkuk 1: 2-4 (The Living Bible)
Jesus, himself, said,"You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." (Matthew 24:6-7)
This year marks the 100th anniversary of World War One. Canada, being a part of the British Empire in 1914, was automatically at war when Great Britain declared war on Germany, in August, 1914.
With the assassination of the Archduke of Sarajevo, and his wife, triggering what was dubbed as the 'Great War,' many later questioned the purpose of it all. This fight against evil was supposed to have been, "the war to end all wars."
However, we know the deeds of men cannot thwart God's purposes, and He will ultimately right all wrong. His Plan will happen and be right on schedule.
Recently, at church, we were encouraged to
1. Pray Big, Bold Prayers; 2. Dream Big; 3. Act Big.
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| Pastor Joe Wright |
It reminded me of the true story of a minister named, Joe Wright, who was asked to open the session with prayer, at the Kansas Senate.
Everyone was expecting the usual, politically correct generalities, but instead, heard a stirring, passionate prayer, calling the country to repentance.
The immediate response: A number of legislators walked out during the prayer, in protest.
Six short weeks later, the Central Christian Church in the area, received more than 5,000 phone calls, with only 47 negative responses. International requests for copies of the prayer came from India, Africa and Korea.
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| Commentator Paul Harvey |
Commentator Paul Harvey aired the prayer on "The Rest of the Story" and received the largest response than any other program he has ever aired!
Should we not be praying 'more boldly' for those leaders who have authority over us?
Consider Joe Wright's powerful, bold prayer.
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says,'Woe on those who call evil good,' but that's exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that: We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism. We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism. We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn children and called it a choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it political savvy. We have coveted our neighbours' possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the centre of Your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the living Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen."
"God is our refuge and strength... He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth... Be still and know that I am God."
— Psalm 46: 1, 9, 10
— beulah
The vacation that was... someone once said, "The best trips like the best love affairs, never really end. They remain a beautiful memory." 
This being my first visit to Lunenburg, I thought it was a truly postcard perfect Maritime town with its quaint architectural style and colourful buildings, its smells of salt, sea and all. 
