A Walk in the Snowy Woods

 

“The woods call to us with a hundred voices” – Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne’s House of Dreams

Breaking in the snowshoes – or are they breaking us in?

 

This tree doesn’t seem to know which way is up.

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It is one of the great coincidences of nature that lobster season here happens at the same time as the holodays.  It follows that lobster is big part of many culinary traditions.  My grandparents often served lobster as the first course at Christmas Dinner.  I know folks for whom Christmas Eve (or New Years Eve) wouldn’t be the same without a feast of lobster, complete with pots of drawn(melted) butter, soft bread rolls and coleslaw (and perhaps some sparkling wine).  Mmmmmmm!

One of our boys has shellfish allergy, so don’t tend toward these traditions.  And in a way, that makes this gift all the more special!

At 4am this morning a very generous neighbour, who just happens to be a lobster fisherman, headed out to pull his traps.  It’s a cold, harsh, dangerous profession, for sure.  But around 4pm this afternoon, he surprised us with a gift of four “sea bugs” (1.5 &2 pounds each).

As you probably know, it’s essential to cook lobsters live, so we went to work immediately.  (Steaming is our preferred method.) You can’t really get much fresher (these guys were walking around the North Atlantic Ocean floor this morning), and you can’t get much more local. We are so grateful!

Now, if you’ll excuse me …… We have a feast to share.  (Son #1 is having leftover turkey 😉)

WPC – Now

Christmas Greetings!

Gathering

Gathering on rainy Saturday morning at the Halifax Seaport Market.

Brunch on the steps….

While listening to some live music.

Visit a few of the vendors.

The oldest continuously running farmer’s market in North America, now housed in a beautiful bright building on the waterfront. Nice and warm inside on a cold damp day.

And all ready for Christmas.

Happy Christmastime to you. May peace and love bind you and joy be yours this Holiday season.

WPC – gathering     All photos by iPhone.

 

 

 

 

Oops!

Spot dramatic and beautiful hotel entrance all tarted up for the holidays.  I only have my iPhone with me, but I can’t resist. I cross the street to get a better vantage point.  Jockey for a spot directly across from the centre of the entrance. Get into position.  Take a deep breath – hold that breath, so as to avoid as much as possible moving the phone/camera.  And just as I take the photo ….. A honking big black vehicle whips right in front, and parks!

Exhale slowly……

WPC – Oops

Eye Spy!

I frequently hear this beauty call at night, “Who Will Cook For You?” But it’s a rare thing to catch a view – particularly in the middle of the afternoon. On Sunday, as we all enjoyed some unseasonably warm weather, look who perched in one of our apple trees.  He (or she? and how can you tell?) was so mellow and sleepy, just dozing in the sun I had a job to convince him to open his eyes for the photo.  He is obviously used to seeing me.

WPC – eye spy

iPhriday – vintage ornaments

A bowl full of lovely vintage ornaments that I picked up at a yard sale this summer.  Photo taken with my iPhone….for iPhriday.

for more iPhriday photos, check out graydaysandcoffee

The Lunenburg Bump

It can be the very local expressions of vernacular architecture that give a place it’s charm. In the pretty little seaside town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia the most noticeable building element is the Lunenburg Bump.

The “Bump” is an enlarged dormer that extends (or bumps) out over the eaves.  This is a five-sided bump, and like most, it is situated in the center of the facade, reaching down to include a storm porch.

This house has a bump one the front of the house and the back!

Some of the decorative elements are very elaborate.  They can include complex dormer roofs – bellcast to triple-tiered.  Look at this beauty!

This funny little one looks like it was popped on just for the sake of it. There certainly is a sense of competitiveness or one-upmanship to these additions.

The Old Town of Luenburg (settled in 1753) was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 – making it the second urban community in continental North America to receive the distinction.  It was in recognition of the British Colonial model town plan and it’s remarkable level of conservation.  For me, it is these lovely and proud wooden buildings, with their gardens, their gingerbread trim and their Bumps that reflect the essence of this place.  I never get tired of walking through town….