Sky

I just took these shots, and thought I would share.
          Such a strange but beautiful sky.
                     It has been showering off and on all day,
            and there have been thundershowers all around.

                            And then this beautiful rainbow.

Full Bloom

The last few days have been beautiful, with lots of sun, and a bit of wind, but so nice. The lawn has been mowed once, but the grass is growing fast and soon we won't be able to keep up with it.

The trees are greening and the work on the farm picks up as Dawn tries her hand at running the whole kit and kaboodle. She has her dreams of what new things she wants to try, while at the same time, doing all the regular things that keep the orchard going.

The magnolia tree is in full bloom, and some of the petals have even begun to fall. The pink colour does not show up well in this picture.

I spent a little time working on the garden, such as it is. There are some weeds, but not nearly as bad as last year. I just have to go at it slowly, a little bit at a time, which is better than nothing.

 

Hope the sun is shining in your life.

A Visit To Ross Farm

      On May 1st, we drove to Ross Farn, about an hour away from home. Ross Farm is a part of the Nova Scotia Museum system, and is a wonderful place to visit. Here is the website
                                  http://rossfarm.museum.gov.ns.ca/

This farm was settled in 1816 by Captain William Ross, who was asked to settle this area, along with other disbanded soldiers, who were given land for their service. The settlement was called Sherbrooke, but is now New Ross.

Five generations of the Ross family have lived and worked this farm, from 1816 until 1969, when the New Ross District Museum bought the property, and turned it in to a museum.

It is a working farm to this day, open year round, and visitors are treated to a life-style far removed from present day. The interpreters are dressed in period costume, and work on the farm as it was done in the 1800s.

I have been there several times over the years, and have always found it an interesting place. As it says on the farm brochure, "Every day is Special", and indeed, this is true. I have only been there in the warmer months, but they hold various activity weekends throughout the winter. There are lots of hands on things for visitors to do, and many school classes take advantage of this.

On the farm, there are heritage breeds of animals, that would have been common when the area was settled.

There are not many black sheep born, usually they are white.

This little one's special. I should have written down the breed to be sure

but I think they are Cotswold. Their wool is very long.

Not a heritage breed, but very friendly.

No working farm should be without one.

This fellow was strutting his stuff

I had a great long chat with these fine feathered friend.

Actually, they did most of the chatting (read honking)

Horse team and wagon, with driver Andrew.

Had a great talk with him, as he explained how different things

were done, and what work was accomplished in the winter months.

It was the first day out for the team, and the younger horse, (on the left), was feeling

quite spritely. Andrew figured he'd settle down a bit after lunch.

 

A wagon ride through the woods down by the lake.

Very nice.

This is Rose Bank Cottage and was lived in

by the Ross family and descendants from 1817 - 1969

The summer kitchen

At Rose Bank Cottage we were invited to have a cup of tea and

a delicious piece of molasses cake baked in the summer kitchen

stove oven by Vanessa.  A pleasant surprise.

Vanessa shared a lot of information with us as well.

This is the store where folks would have purchased or perhaps

traded for needed supplies. Definitely not a Walmart.

One of the rooms in the house, probably the parlour

This is the workshop that stands beside the store where we were given

a lot of information about the wood used to make the various things, and how they were made.

Aubrey was the interpreter on hand to share his knowledge.

 

 

            The oxen were not out that day, but they would soon be out and working on the land.

 

This is a picture taken a couple of years ago.

 

A great day with friendly people and lots to learn about our Nova Scotia

Heritage. A living museum.

I know I'll be going back.

 

Have a great day.



 

 

Getting Back at it.....

I have been wandering around in the shadow of fibro for a while. It has led me to have little interest in doing anything. It threw me down and hit me with headaches, backaches, sore mouth, sore legs and more. I haven't really felt like doing much, least of all blogging. If I got through the things I had to do, that was good. Weariness just took over.

But enough of that! I decided today, that I would just get back to blogging, and try to enjoy the beginning of spring here on the mountain. The sun and the green has finally arrived, and it will hopefully give me the boost I need.

My 'not done' list is as long as my 'to do' list. There are just too many things that I want to do, and as the days move along, and the sun warms them, perhaps I will be able to tend to at least some of these things.

**********************

My youngest granddaughter celebrated her 12th birthday last week, and she asked if her mom would take her to the auditions for The Next Star. This is a TV program for the young, which is why I hadn't heard of it. It is sort of like Idol, only for the under 15 age group. Well, Dawn took Lindsay to Halifax and spent the day standing in line or waiting in a room for Lindsay to have her turn. I guess there were hundreds of hopefuls there. Lindsay had the time of her life, and enjoyed the day even before she got in to sing for the judges. She didn't make it past the first level, but it didn't matter to her. She just had a good time, talked to a lot of people, met and had her picture taken with one of the stars of the program. She said, "It was the best day of her life".

A reminder of a great adventure....

 

 

Buds on the Magnolia, bursting forth

 

The greening grass in the hay field.

 

This is the extent of my post today. I hope to follow up with another post tomorrow.

 

Have a good day

 

Soon - Maybe - Hopefully.....

     Drizzle, overcast, temperature around 4C, but looking at the horizon, there is a brightness, and perhaps a bit of sun coming after a while. This week has been mostly very dull and damp. The forecasters are talking about some snow tomorrow and Saturday. How nice......
Oh well, that's the way it goes. I am learning patience and acceptance.

Sadie and I took a little walk around the property the other day, when the sun actually shone for a while. It was still a bit chilly, but the snow was gone. We went out to feed the birds, but Sadie was totally not interested.

Sadie's patiently waiting for me, mesmerized by the light

Sadie found her little blanket that had blown off the

line back in February.

Sadie's shadow, proof of the sun shining.

 

A look over the orchard, to the valley and the North Mountain

The blue sky looks so nice.

 

Soon, soon (I hope) the buds will burst forth, and the naked trees will get their new dresses of

green.  Soon. Soon the dried, dead grass will dissappear, making way for the new

shoots of green.

Soon. Soon.

Then, green will be my favourite colour.

Soon!

 

Where are you hiding......

The calendar says that spring is here, and so here is a picture of Spring on this Saturday morning, up on the mountain.....

 

For some reason, this picture reminds me of winter,

Sky gray, snow blowing sideways,

Wind

Cold

Winter don't you think?

 

 

Now, a few hours later, there is blue sky, with white clouds, and it is not snowing. Winter, and/or Spring are playing with my mind. I know Spring is there, lurking, waiting for just the right time to burst forth with its bud and new growth. She gave me a sign yesterday....

 

Ah yes, sweet crocus, pushing up to get a glimpse of sun, however fleeting. I feel like a little crocus, lifting my head to get whatever sight of the sun I can get, and feel the slight warmth that comes with it.
I cannot remember a time when I was so anxious for Spring. Perhaps that is because I haven't got a very good memory, and feel this way every year.
Soon, I keep saying to myself, soon....
let it be soon.



A Family Gathering...

A Church family gathering, to be more specific. Many gathered at Fox Mountain, quite close to our church, to celebrate the Resurrection, at an Easter Sunrise Service. It was cold, the ground frosty, but we came together to worship. There were lots of hugs, and greetings, noisy chatter, and laughter, then a short service with songs and scripture. Then, as is our pattern, we went to the church to enjoy an Easter breakfast, cooked up by what has to be, the best 'Social Committee' in NS. Others, who had not been at the Sunrise Service, joined in, and once again there was lots of laughter, hugs, and of course eating.

As I look at the pictures I took, I am moved emotionally, as I see these 'family' members, each one so special in their own right. The young, the teens, the university students, home for Easter, parents, grandparents......members of my family, in spirit, if not by blood.

 

It was chilly, and there was still snow on the ground around us.

 

Back at the church....

 

This table was filled with youth and young adults

 

 

A little blurry, but I love this picture

Children are so precious, and seem to be able to bring the adults

down to their level. Is she sharing her cheerios?

 

I have lived in this community longer than anywhere else now, including the city where I was born, and lived 23 years. This is my family now, these special people who are so much a part of my life, and that of my children and grandchildren. I have seen little ones grow up into wonderful, intelligent, warm, friendly adults. Some, I taught in Sunday School, and now Sunday School teachers, with young families of their own. There are even a few around that have children in their 20's. That's a scary thought, and then I realize I taught my own girls, and Dawn's oldest is 16, and sports a beginner's driver's licence.

 

Ok, enough of thinking about how old I am.......I acknowlege I've been around for a while. Members of this family have shared their love, their support and their prayers, and have helped keep me going when the going got tough.. Some can read me like a book, dare I say.

 

 I am so very thankful for my church family.