I managed a trip to the wild blueberry u-pick and purchased a box of picked berries as well and my sister-in-law gifted us a huge bowl of the high bush blueberries as she enjoys the picking but would rather not freeze them. Lots of beans and peas blanched and frozen, have pickled beets, made two batches of zucchini pickles, 13 jars of salsa and some pizza sauce, have frozen tomato jam as well as roasted tomatoes while the gentleman farmer has canned tomatoes for later sauce. We've been eating stewed tomatoes with poached eggs for breakfast and tomato sandwiches for lunch for a while and I gift produce every chance I have. When there are 51 tomato plants (yes you read that correctly) the red things are harvested by the box. This is not accounting for cucumbers, zucchinis, peppers etc. I've shredded and frozen zucchini, made filling for squares to freeze and packaged rhubarb, As I said to the resident farmer "I did not sign on for this with your newest obsession". Next year is going to be less Homesteading 101 or I'm going to have to travel more.
We did a day trip circling the end of the province to visit a former coworker who was having a garden party to show off the pandemic projects of pond, addition to their hippie house (the west wing) combined workshop and hooking studio and grounds. Good to see him so happy and settled as I hadn't connected in person for two years. Eclectic gathering of neighbours, retired nurses and friends. We moved along to the 'french shore' and stopped for supper at Cuisine Robicheau which has become a victim of its own success. We had a lovely table on the deck looking over St Mary's Bay and the waitress was great but....there was no rappie pie, the caesar salad dressing was weirdly sweet and the pies were from a bakery. Disappointing. A stop at Canadian Tire along the way to purchase a wood chipper (to grind up rockweed for the garden) found it to be half price...yeehaw! A splendid day.
We also had a 'staycation' where we booked an AirBnB house outside of Berwick in the Annapolis Valley and two of the daughters with family (youngest grandkids and spouses) joined us. We started out at Oaklawn Farm Zoo which was a family fav three decades ago. It was more polished than I recalled but checking out the 1984 opening date I realized that it was pretty basic 'back in the day' and the 35+ years have included lots of additions, landscaping, signage etc. It was a sunny, breezy day and lots of critters so a good visit. There were groupings of picnic tables throughout the grounds and an annual pass of $30 would encourage it as a local destination. The youngest grandson was not the least timid and even reached in to check out the goat's horns....reminiscent of his auntie from the previous generation. We stopped at Jonny's Cookhouse and Ice Cream Shop and it was a great lunch spot which has earned its 4.8 rating...busy but efficient, good food and even an ice cream cone cutout for a family pose....what is not to like? Harbourville is a small fishing/vacation community with rustic summer homes and Bay of Fundy tides visible with the boats at the wharf. The house we rented was 'rustic' but large as a previous bed & breakfast so lots of room for the entire family with a great deck out the back. We brought lots (too much in the end) food for some great meals, got out to the lookoff at Canning (Cape Split was fogged in) and visited Luckett's Vineyard for a wine tasting and Horton Ridge Malt & Grain for a beer/cider tasting as well. We were even able to fit in a Frenchy's shop on a rainy morning. The grandkids both had checkups (already time for Violet's two month immunization!) on the day of departure and very cooperatively slept their way home on the ride. We took our time and explored some backroads, Margaretsville and finally made our way to an heirloom seed company near Middleton where the gentleman farmer had ordered seeds from last winter. Revival Seeds is a beautiful organic farm with a father/daughter management team (she having done a BBA at Acadia and organic farm certificate with Dal/NSAC). Lots of teaching, checked out the goats and chickens, toured the gardens and planned a winter order. Back across the province again with a quick stop for pool shock and we were home in time for a swim. I'm guessing that travel will be in staycations either within our province or at least eastern Canada for a while as the infection control experts are predicting that Nov/Dec of 2022 yep you read that right....next year...will be the earliest to consider international travels...sigh
I was surprised on Wednesday to get a covid screening call from the oncologist's office for a Friday checkup as I hadn't received an appointment letter. When the annual letter didn't arrive, I'd called in August and a lengthy voicemail advised that due to the pandemic they were 6 months behind in bookings, some were emergency only, one specialist was 22 months delayed, don't leave a message as it would be days before anyone returned the call. Since I was a routine checkup, I settled myself to being seen in the spring and hadn't thought of it again. When I clarified that I'd not been notified of the clinic visit so it was good the screening call came the clerk said "you'd have been a no show" and I agreed that since I wasn't clairvoyant this would be the case. And we wonder why the new premier has fired the CEO and entire board of the provincial health authority stating inefficiencies! So, Friday saw a quick run to the city, usual wait of an hour then visit with nurse, resident and finally the gyneoncologist surgeon. Since I'd reached the five year survival mark I was cleared for no further followup. As Dr Bentley said with a grin "always good to see leiomyosarcomas doing well" meaning since it is a such a rare, aggressive cancer and in my case a 36% five year survival prognosis. As I said while doing chemo "someone had to be in that 1/3 and it might as well be me". A great feeling to be 'beating the odds' every day. And most certainly relieved to not be undergoing treatments in a pandemic!
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| Half Moons lighthouse |
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| Blanche |
Tuesday saw our oldest grandson head off to grade six and our oldest granddaughter begin grade primary. The pre-primary year had prepared her for the bus and school routine so a smooth transition into the french immersion program. Her 5th birthday was Friday so we headed down for a small family celebration of pizza and cake with the cousins.
I had given some thought to trying on a short (two week) public health contract the first couple of weeks of October but the logistics weren't manageable. I've got an appointment October 20th which I need to keep and I'm unsure of the screening questions re: out of province travel as well as the hassles of flight connections. The airlines are scheduling flights without sufficient staff called back and so there are many cancellations, missed connections, long layovers and....flying through Alberta is a real hassle with their complete lack of public health restrictions thus widespread outbreaks and multiple exposures noted on flights. I guess since I'm still looking forward to/planning contracts I'm not really in retirement mode yet despite the government sending me a cheque next month.
Nova Scotia is heading to Step 5 of our pandemic plan on September 15th as we're reaching our 75% of population fully vaccinated. This will mean no gathering limits and optional (but encouraged) use of masks. The introduction of a provincial vaccine policy requiring proof of full vaccination for entry to restaurants, bars, movies, performances, arenas, fitness centres etc. has stirred up (from the vocal minority) a backlash referencing fearmongering, conspiracy theories, denial of charter rights and freedoms, and even nazis etc. Spelling and grammar deficits let alone lack of comprehension of science obvious in the social media posts. I have been 'defriending' with abandon. Seriously people....what would you do if you have actually faced a serious health challenge such as a battle with a cancer or a grandchild with a life threatening illness? Get a grip! Sadly there are a good number of parents included in this lot...some with children who are at risk... for example a type 1 diabetic...common sense is not all that common. I am most annoyed at the lack of respect for healthcare professionals who are struggling at work with shortages and increased workload yet have to listen to this crap. Lots of anger lately directed towards the new conservative premier who was expected to deny the vaccine passport but he has become decidedly more mainstream post election. Glad he's holding tough.
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| Friends and Fiction by the fire |
Well, time to start making a locally (from the yard) sourced supper of veggies, fish and apple crisp from the tree out front. Stay safe and well!
