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My departure from Nova Scotia was a day early as my ferry across Fundy cancelled, though I thankfully knew of a comfy, affordable room in St. George, New Brunswick. It was a pleasant visit, and rising early gave me the chance to chat with my friendly hosts over coffee & treats from the Country Store!
For whatever reason, I decided that the synergy of leaving St. George to arrive in previously-booked St. George was a positive sign; so saying "so long" to Canada was okay and I took my time cruising along Maine's route 1 with a waterfront stop before my next destination. The transition back to the USA with 4 nights in my tent was just what I needed. I'd forgotten how much I loved waking to the sunrise and the birds singing, even on the few mornings where the temps were near 40 or less! While it was a cautious act to cycle to all of my destinations on the peninsula, the early evening sunset (oh yeah, time change!) with book in hand put me in relax mode rapidly. Next up, a day's push to visit with family and friends in New England for a bit while fall is in the air.
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Late August was my initial departure date from Canada, but as my first two stops were so enjoyable, I didn't see the point in crossing the border to the busy and unaffordable States. While answering the call to visit my favorite St. Andrews by-the-Sea, I found an interesting place to stay in Nova Scotia and decided to chance it. In all honesty, with the exception of Cape Breton, I was underwhelmed by Nova Scotia on my last visit -- August 2016 -- and wanted to give it another chance.
The town is Bear River, and the homestead is with a female artist my age, and it's been just right. I've been living in Nova Scotia for nearly three weeks now in a peaceful, rural environment of about 800 people. Once one of the great shipbuilding towns of the Province, Bear River attracts artists, artisans, vintners, and farmers who reside in one of two counties, as the river is the border between Annapolis and Digby. There is also a community of Mi'kmaw, First Nation people who were here to greet Champlain and the Scots when they arrived. Known as "the tidal village on stilts", Bear River sits along a brackish tidal river that rises up to 17 feet twice in 24 hours. While I was able to capture this dramatic rise and fall, I have been unable to capture the sun rising in the morning fog or the bigger-than-life, orange full moon that is sitting on the horizon this weekend. The light and the darkness here are in a range we seldom see. The town, the river, the casual friendliness of the people remind me of Alaska as much as the Canadian Maritimes. While I've had auto, cycling and ferry challenges while here, I am rested and relaxed, and in addition to my usual reading habits, I've put words to paper, too. It's been a very comfortable and enjoyable stay with a return to my tent for a few nights in Maine up next. |
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May 2023
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