Posted on August 17, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Betty told me to take a hike… so I did!

 

 

Summer has arrived and it is great to see all the photos of people spending time at the beach, out on boats fishing for mackerel or sitting around bonfires. We have waited so long for a good stretch of weather that everyone is outdoors drinking it all in. We went for an early morning hike yesterday at Ballantyne’s Cove and it was awesome. Much of the walk was in the woods so we had a natural canopy to keep us cool. There were all kinds of luscious raspberries which we tested.

You know, we hear a lot these days about “economic action plans.” I’m not going to go political on you here. But as we walked through the woods , we realized the sweat equity of volunteers who make these trails a reality. I think we can all agree that small communities have their own action plan and it revolves about the notion of action. People just roll up their sleeves and get things done to make their communities great places to live.

I know I go on about this a lot, but we were also very conscious of our good fortune to be well enough to go for a hike. This is only a dream for people who are house bound, in wheelchairs or sick in the hospital. The next time you walk the beach or go pick berries, remember how lucky you are.

Most of us don’t think a whole lot about our “mini trail” but having been there a half a dozen times this week, I realize what a gem we have right in our back yard. I was particularly aware of this as I took some visitors for a “ride around the Cape.” We stopped by to see Joe at “Stone Carvations.” Just about everybody knows that Joe is a genius when it comes to bringing stone to life. He’s also a great entertainer and guitar player. Joe wasn’t around but that didn’t stop us from getting out of the car to look at his artistry. If you have security cameras, Joe, that was us wandering around your yard.

We drove out to Arisaig and spent a few minutes taking pictures at the lookout across from Steinhart’s Distillery. It was just too hot to think about drinking maple vodka, Tom! We drove to the wharf at Arisaig and then went into Livingstone’s Cove. We stopped at the top of the hill overlooking Ballantyne’s Cove so that our friends could get their picture taken. Our friends were originally from Newfoundland ( Norman’s Cove ) and have had more than a few feeds of fish and chips in their day. They claim that the ones they had at the canteen at the wharf at Ballantyne’s was “the best they ever had.”

As the evening waned, we deked into Cribbon’s for a few minutes and ended our travels coming by Jimtown, Mahoney’s and Antigonish Harbor. Seeing our own backyard through the eyes of visitors made us very conscious of the beauty that surrounds us.

You know that I am not a shopper and that I’d rather have a root canal than go to a yard sale so you might find it odd when I tell you that I went with Betty to a yard sale that covered over 50 kilometers. On Saturday, we drove from home and spent the morning travelling route 344 between Boylston and Mulgrave. I`ll spare you the details but it was a glorious morning for a drive. If you haven`t driven that road lately… go! And make sure you stop at the Provincial Park in Port Shoreham… a hidden gem.

I think that more and more of us are discovering that you don`t have to travel far from home ( i.e. outside our own province ) to have a great vacation.

Working on lots of stuff.

Have a great week.

Posted on August 15, 2015 under Storytelling with one comment

School daze

 

 

“See you in September,

See you when the summer’s through …”

See You in September – The Happenings

The first “Back to School” flyer sets your stomach churning.

It’s not even the end of July and already the big chain stores are out with all guns a blazing as school looms on the horizon, a scant five weeks away. If you are a seven year old, this scarcely registers on your radar screen as your endless summer moves languidly along. If you are a parent, the mere thought of preparing lunches again is enough to make you reach for a second (or third!) glass of wine.

If you are a teacher, you have barely deprogrammed yourself from yet another hectic school year when the fall term appears on the horizon like a funnel cloud.

Marilla (not her real name) was pondering the academic year ahead. It was both exciting and a bit nerve wracking, having accepted a posting at a new elementary school. Even though she was a veteran teacher, the prospects of a new school and a new administration always presented an element of doubt.

An accident at the roundabout on the first day of the new term was an ominous sign. Traffic was backed up in every direction. She arrived at the school with barely a minute to spare. She said cursory hellos to her colleagues as she hurried down the hall. She turned the corner and approached her classroom.

Bedlam.

Class sizes are always an issue with teachers. With rationalization, consolidation and school closures, more students are being added to already large classes.

As she entered the classroom, she couldn`t count the number of students but it was well beyond the twenty that she had been promised. Yes, there were indeed 20 desks but there appeared to be in excess of thirty small human beings. What was worse, far worse, was the fact that most, if not all, of the children’s anxious and overzealous parents were pacing in the classroom at this very minute …. and vying for her undivided attention

She rubbed her eyes in disbelief as she also noticed that the desks were full of garbage … last year`s garbage. Rotten orange peels and half-eaten, moldy sandwiches were everywhere. Congealed pudding and juice festered underfoot. Total chaos.

Marilla quickly sized up the situation. She had once thought about becoming a stand-up comedian and decided on the spot that this was a good time for a career change. She thought about trying out a few jokes on the throng in front of her, a group that now included the principal who had heard the din emanating from her classroom. Prudently she decided not to burn any bridges.

She grabbed her purse and lunch bag and raced for the exits. She could smell freedom in the air until she realized that her car keys were still on the desk. She hastened back into the school and made one last surreptitious trip down the hallway.

The throng that she had left in her wake a few minutes earlier was still gyrating as it swiftly encircled her, refusing her safe passage to the parking lot. The menacing crowd moved closer and closer and the uproar louder and more intense.   She was trapped and could see no way out …

Boom!

Beads of sweat were glistening on Marilla’s forehead … as she awoke to the sound of rolling thunder. She glanced at the calendar on the bedroom wall and saw that it was only August 1^st.

As she sipped her morning coffee her mail dropped through the slot in her front door. Although three full months away, the first Halloween flyer lay on the floor, a grinning skeleton taunting her. And there were several brochures from politicians, trying to secure her vote in the upcoming federal election.

Perhaps the nightmares were just beginning.

Posted on August 13, 2015 under Thursday Tidbits with one comment

A tip of the hat from Week45

 

 

I guess it’s safe to say that I am not an introvert. I like trying new things and am always interested in what other people are doing. It is not uncommon for musicians to have merchandise to sell so with that in mind, I am launching a line of Week45 products starting with quality embroidered hats ( pictured above and below ) made by the good folks at Ross Screenprint. I am a baseball hat kind of person and I know people that actually collect hats. I have a men’s and women’s version of the hat and I’m selling them for $20. ( no tax ). Let me know if you’re interested in acquiring one and I’ll get it to you.

Holy smokes. I’m not sure what generated more interest in the past few days: parachuting cows or my afro. We’ll call it a draw. I expect that the sign at Exit 33, coming from the East, will be cluttered with sightseers who have to see with their own eyes, the two cows suspended from parachutes on a DOT sign. As some of you know, a friend contacted the DOT and they are acutely aware of the sign. They believe it is the work of some mischievous students. They aren’t going to cover over the sign as they plan to erect new ones ,once the development at Beech Hill is completed. It will certainly keep tourists scratching their heads.

And, of course, it gave me an easy story to write called “ And Pigs Fly.” It’s the story of two elderly travellers from the U.S. who pull off exit 33 after a long day touring the Cabot Trail. They both see the sign but neither of them wants to vocalize the fact that they’ve seen a sign with parachuting cows. Initially they think it is fatigue and age playing a trick on their eyes. See how the drama unfolds ( like a parachute! ) sometime in the next week. I love when these stories just fall into my lap.

Ok. The afro. Many of you seemed stupefied, bordering on incredulous , when you saw my grad photo from St.F.X. Long hair was the norm back in the early 70’s. Boy, could I write an epic story of those days including the student strike in the spring of 1971. That was a very exciting time to be a student. Over the years, I’ve trotted out that picture and it always gets a reaction. I wouldn’t mind having a bit of that hair back today. I wrote a story about the afro a few years back. If you’re new to Week45, all my stories are archived. Here’s the link to that story: http://www.week45.com/?s=hair+today

On the weekend, I will be publishing a story called “Class Act.” This is timely will the opening of school just around the corner. The start of a new school year always coincides with the Eastern Nova Scotia Exhibition. I’m wondering if it’s possible to start school in light of the fact that the ENSE has been cancelled this year. Enterprising students could probably lobby for an indefinite postponement of school until the Exhibition returns.

Almost done. Book # 3 is well underway. We were out doing a photo shoot for the cover last evening. I can’t wait to see the finished product. Jean Pearcey will once again be designing the cover and my son, Peter will be doing the photography. I also have a 4^th. book in the concept phase right now. It will be completely different from the other three books. I’ll fill you in once I know it’s a go.

Have a great week.

P.S. Don’t forget to count your blessings.