08-14 October 2023

We spent a wonderful but short week with Jane (Algmin)Howard, Robert’s close friend since 1974 and best man at our wedding in 1996. Her husband Alf was born in Nova Scotia and after Jane married Alf, the family spent many vacations in Grand Pre, often with all seven children. Eventually they bought the house in Grand Pre for vacations. After retirement, Jane and Alf began to use the house from spring to early fall. Alf died earlier this year and Jane oversaw his burial in the family plot near Halifax.

We have been to Nova Scotia only once, in 2007. We need to visit much more often.

We woke at 3 AM ! to catch our 6:15 AM flight from SFO. After a transfer in Toronto, we arrived in Halifax at 7:15 PM and drove an hour to Grand Pre in a rental car. (There is a four-hour time difference between Nova Scotia and San Francisco.)

Places Visited

Jane’s Domain

Venmo’s Domain

Venmo, the very sociable seven-month-old kitten, kept Robert amused. Robert in turn kept Venmo amused.

Grand-Pré

French immigrants from Normandy settled this area beginning in 1680. The French settlers called their new home throughout the Atlantic provinces of Canada, Acadia. The Acadians diked more than 3,000 acres of marshland in front of Jane’s house, and after rains flushed sea salt from the soil, the fields became highly productive agricultural lands. Grand-Pre means “great meadow.”

After skirmishes with the French over decades, the British seized control of the area, and in the 1750s they expelled the French Acadian settlers, as romanticized in Longfellow’s famous poem Evangeline. The British then created incentives for New England farmers, called Planters, to settle here beginning in 1760. The pattern of the fields today remains largely what it was in the 1700s. Houses, including Jane’s, dotted along Long Island Road, have beautiful views south over this expansive landscape.

Since our last visit, this historic farmland has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

But if you take a ten-minute walk from Jane’s to the other side of Long Island, the north side, you are standing on the edge the Bay of Fundy, famous for its fifty-foot tides. Here on Evangeline Beach, as in the diked farmland, the soil is a distinctive deep red-brown color. At low tide, the area is an important feeding ground for birds on a major migration route.

Here and About

Horton Landing

In 1755, British used the landing at Hortonville as the deportation site for the majority of Acadians from Grand Pre.

The Look Over

Trivia Night

A unexpected highlight of the trip was that Jane took us to join her team at the weekly Trivia Night in a local bar—The Spitfire. After finishing dinner, the fun began. About twenty-four people in six teams competed. After three rounds with multiple themes, we WON with eighty-four percent correct answers—far ahead of the runners up! Robert contributed to science fiction trivia. Bonnie contributed to literature trivia. A conversation earlier in the day with the painter Carol Pye gave us two answers for the Famous Canadians category. Jane’s pals invited us back the next time we are in town. So much fun.

Wolfville and Farm Marts

Jane gave us an extensive tour of the Farm Marts that dot the highway between Wolfville and Kentville.

Pumpkin People

Kentville (next to Wolfville) celebrates Halloween every year with pumpkin people—scarecrows with pumpkin heads. They populate several large expanses of lawn along the main road. The town holds workshops on how to assemble these. The theme this year was Under the Water. So, we saw a pumpkin scuba diver, an octopus, a whale, a boat, and other nautical types. Quite clever.

Carol Pye, Painter

Carol has painted plein air the local landscape for decades—first on weekends, now, since her retirement as a clinical psychologist in Halifax, full time. Jane introduced us to her work in 2007, and Robert immediately made a purchase—a painting that hangs in our bedroom. More purchases followed. Since our last trip, Carol moved from a Halifax townhouse to a cottage in Wallbrook near Wolfville. Carol’s work captures the distinctive colors, textures, and rustic character of the area. Jane called Carol to arrange a visit to her studio. We had a great chat with her and purchased more paintings—one for us and one for Jane. Can’t wait for another visit.

Alf

Jane’s husband Alf passed away earlier this year. We visited the family plot near Halifax. Lovely spot.

Peggy’s Cove

Iconic site in Nova Scotia on the Atlantic Coast. We just missed eight busloads of tourists.

Saga of Jane’s iPhone

Jane’s iPhone SE, although only two years old, was having continuous problems with charging. That, along with a small screen and Robert’s urging, convinced her that she should upgrade. We went to the Apple Store in Halifax to figure out the model, size, and color she wanted. Robert asked questions, Jane made choices, Bonnie took notes. (We ordered the phone the next day for pick up in Boston when Jane returns next week.) The Apple guy explained the protection program and Jane thought she didn’t need this extra cost because she hasn’t dropped or lost her phone so far.

An hour later at Peggy’s Cove, the phone must have slipped off her lap when Robert dropped her off at the curb. We didn’t miss the phone until we were ready to leave this tourist spot. We carefully searched all the paths and benches until we found it—crushed. Robert likely ran over it when he pulled away from the curb. Jane will not get the $75 buyback from Apple.

Swiss Flight 111 Memorial

Memorial for the Swiss Air flight that went down in 1998 on its approach to the Halifax airport. Simple and elegant. Cut directly into the insitu granite.

Scots Bay and Cape Split

Halls Harbour

Blomidon

Nova Scotia Symphony

Jane treated us to a night of great music: current and from centuries past. The conductor is a Kiwi. They performed on the Acadia University campus located in Wolfville.

Bald Eagles

Bald eagles frequent the fields near Jane’s.

Shelia, Puppies, and Dale

Jane’s next door neighbors, Shelia and Dale Kelly, take great care of Jane. Shelia has morning coffee with Jane twice a week and keeps track of her daily. Dale, helps with minor projects around the house and jump starts Jane’s Prius on occasion. Jane and Alf hosted their wedding reception last summer their house.

Shelia is passionate about Border Collies. Beyond the many she has now, she raises litters for sale and is building a reputation even beyond Nova Scotia because of her exceptional care and socialization of pups. She is currently readying five pups, now four-weeks old, for new owners. Quite a handful. Robert suggested that Jane send one to Arvonn and Dorothy. Hmmm.

Until Next Time

That’s all folks!