My Mom

 

Frances Pretty

26 January 1920 - 2 December 2014

 

 

Thinking of my Mom today

as this would have been her 95th birthday

 

Last photo taken with my Mom
(Brockville Ontario, June 2014)

Mom and Paul (Ottawa 2004)

Mom and I (Ottawa, 2004)

Mom baked her fabulous cherry cake
for my 50th birthday party (Ottawa, 2005)

Visit to our house in Beresford New Brunswick
(2005)

(Brockville, Ontario 2006)

Christmas (Ottawa 2006)

A visit to Mom's residence
(Brockville Ontario 2013)

Memories will never leave me

and love will live forever in my heart.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

In A Bulb There is a Flower

In the bulb there is a flower,
in the seed, an apple tree,
in cocoons, a hidden promise:
butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter
there's a spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.

 There's a song in every silence,
seeking word and melody;
there's a dawn in every darkness,
bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future;
what it holds, a mystery,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.

 In our end is our beginning,
in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing,
in our life, eternity,
in our death, a resurrection,
at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.

 

 

 

 



 

Merry Christmas 2014

Paul and I are wishing our family and friends a very nice Christmas and we hope that 2015 will bring you peace, good health, much laughter, happiness and cherished memories.

Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia



The town is known for a history of wooden boat building, the main industry in its earlier years. 

 

The view across the harbour is of the three prominent churches: St James' Anglican; St. John's Evangelical Lutheran; and Trinity United, which has become an iconic image of Nova Scotia.  Mahone Bay has a number of upscale shops and restaurants which are designed to appeal to the tourist industry.

 

 

 

Mahone Bay's iconic "Three Churches" on the waterfront

The harbour area of Mahone Bay

Interesting style of house

 

Start of Travels on the South Shore, Nova Scotia



On our drive from Halifax to Chester Basin, these are some of the sights we enjoyed on our coastal drive on the Bluenose Coast.

 
 
 

A common scene of fishing and sailboats



Checking out one of many beach areas

A perfect place to live

A painting on a fish shack at the Hubbards wharf area

Near Chester we found this interesting stonework (wall and the sheep) in the garden of a local artist.  The tree in the background is made of driftwood.

A closer look at the driftwood tree.



It's been 15 years since Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off

Nova Scotia, killing all people on board.  On September 2, 1998, Nova Scotians

near the coast felt their homes tremble as the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 plane

bound for Geneva, Switzerland crashed into the water a few kilometers off the

shore of Peggy's Cove, which is just across the water from the South Shore.



We visited this Monument showing the names (229) of all those who died.

The Seaside Shanty Restaurant

Don't let looks deceive you.  They serve a wonderful chowder and delicious fish cakes. The Blueberry Grunt dessert was "wow"!  We will definitely dine here again.

 

 

More to come of the South Shore of Nova Scotia...

 




 

Christmas Newsletter 2013

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2014 from Paul and I

Here are photos of some of our adventures of 2013.

 



Sharing New Year's Eve with friends at our favourite
restaurant, The Gulf Stream Cafe

 

New Year's Eve at Brookgreen Gardens
(Children's Garden)

 

New Year's Eve at Brookgreen Gardens

 

Winter activities at Surfside Beach, South Carolina
(our winter home)

 

Enjoying a nice afternoon on the deck at one of our favourite restaurants
in Murrells Inlet, Hannah Banana's Sunshine Cabana

 

Paul and I celebrating our 10th year together

 

We are members of the Antiques Club of Myrtle Beach & attend monthly meetings
(a pottery display belonging to our friends, Don and Irm)

 

Paul and I are members of the Grand Strand Shell Club in Myrtle Beach
(seaglass from New Brunswick that we auctioned at a Club fundraiser)

 

Enjoying Afternoon Tea at Brookgreen Gardens in February

 

Oak Allee, our favourite place at Brookgreen Gardens

  

Spring gardens at Brookgreen Gardens

 

In April, on our return home to Canada, we enjoyed some time in the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania.  Amish buggy carrying children and towing children on roller blades

 

We found this wonderful place to eat in New Holland PA.
Yoder's Country buffet serves Amish meals.

 

 

One of the many fabric shops in the Lancaster PA area

 

Spending time beachcombing downshore in Northern New Brunswick
(a mental health day for us)

  

A May get-away to Moncton
Paul enjoyed a little time at the local casino

While in Moncton, we ate at The Windjammer at the Delta Hotel
(this lamb dish was a meal that I did not want to end - amazing)

More beach time for us, looking for seaglass

I still enjoy gardening very much 

We travelled to Ontario (Brockville) for my sister's 60th birthday in July.
We took the Thousand Islands lunch cruise on the St Lawrence from Kingston

A visit with my Mom while in Brockville

Paul and I travelled to Ottawa to visit with his son and daughter-in-law,
Tom and Lisa, who were newly posted from Kingston to Ottawa. 
It's nice to have them closer to the east coast.

In August we travelled to Truro, Nova Scotia to attend
the Dutch Mason Blues Festival weekend again this year.

Paul grooving to the blues music.

In August we travelled in Nova Scotia.
One of the highlights of our trip was having lunch at Rita's Tea Room in Big Pond.
It was quite emotional as Rita passed away earlier in the year.

My first time travelling the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

We enjoyed an afternoon at Fortress Louisbourg,
celebrating its 300th Anniversary this year.

Fortress Louisbourg

Lighthouse trail at Louisbourg, another highlight of our travel.

Patio at Glenora Distillery in Inverness, Nova Scotia
where we spent a night enjoying good music and food.

Lunch at Glenora Pub

Another highlight was visiting The Red Shoe Pub in Mabou
owned by The Rankin Family

In August we spent two nights at Cabot Links Resorts in Inverness, Nova Scotia
and enjoyed walking on the boardwalk along the ocean.

Enjoying a wonderful sunset on Inverness Beach.



Some of our beach treasures from downshore in Stonehaven, NB

In September, Paul's daughter, Tashia visited with us from
British Columbia for three weeks. 

In September Paul and I returned to Inverness Nova Scotia and rented
this cottage near the beach and spent a week enjoying beach walks,
great Celtic music, great food and awesome sunsets.

The view of Inverness Beach from the cottage.
Paul and I have fallen in love with this area of Nova Scotia - paradise!

 

Paul found his first piece of red seaglass on Inverness Beach,
then found his second and third pieces. 

In October we enjoyed a visit from our Ottawa friend, Giselle.
(Fall decorations in the downtown area of Bathurst)

We enjoyed a few nice walks in the woods near the Bathurst area.
(Atlas Park, Pointe Verte, NB)

As always, a lot of our time is spent out on our decks.
Enjoying breakfast on our back deck overlooking the Bay of Chaleur.

This past fall I finally parted with my 2001 Pontiac Sunfire car.
It was still kind to me, but I thought it was time to treat myself to new wheels,
that will be purchased in the Spring when we return home from South Carolina.
(I'm still undecided as to what my purchase will be...)

November 12 - we are on the road South again.
Just look at that big smile...

Leaving this "white stuff" behind for a few months.

We are back to Surfside Beach SC for another winter.

We had some lovely warm weather in November.

Christmas at the beach again.  2013 is our 6th year in the
Myrtle Beach area and we love it.



Paul and I are wishing our family and friends a very nice Christmas
and we hope that 2014 will bring you peace, good health, much laughter
and happiness and cherished memories.