Next Trip?

With vaccines being put into people's arms, things are starting to open up.  I can start to see that travel will begin to return.

Although Canada still has it's borders closed to non essential travel, I believe this will change in the Fall (or sooner).

For the past few months Bernie and I have been talking about where do we want to go.

It is like we are 6 and we are being let loose in a candy store to buy whatever we want, but we have a very limited budget.

I know I really want to visit my family in Quebec.  But that can be a rather easy road trip.

I also really feel the need to get back to Europe.  I so miss Italy.  But I also really want to get to Northern Europe and do the trip we had to postpone last year.

Then a hot weather destination in the winter would be a really nice treat.  

Remember those month long cruises where we did back to back to back in the Caribbean.  We really want to do it again!  I guess because it is something we know, it is easy, it is relaxing and it gets us back on board.  Oh and did I mention the winters here in Nova Scotia?  

I don't know where the first trip will be but I know I can't wait to get back on a ship.  Now if only we were rich!

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Who Knew Power Washing Could Be So Much Fun

 I had always seen others power washing.  Never really had the need to know how to or care to do any power washing.

Fast track to our new home and with the light coloured siding showing the dirt we knew we had to do something.

I did some research and considering the smaller size jobs we needed it for I bought a power washer that could fit the bill.

I read through the manual.  I watched Youtube videos. I felt I was now ready to take on the job.

Two days later and a sore back.  The results are in.

The back of the house sees more shade and since the gutters were clogged and waters was pouring down the house (since repaired) moss was growing all over.

Here is the before

Here is the after

Also went after the back deck, which was covered in moss and very slippery when wet.  What a difference.

Quite proud of myself. Now what else can I clean.  

Oh and John R if you are reading this, just know I was thinking of Leslie a lot when I was doing the washing.

A Hummingbird Poses for the Camera

 

When I lost my Mom ten years ago this month I always felt when I saw a hummingbird it was my Mom connecting back with me when I needed her.

So many occasions a hummingbird would appear completely out of the blue and I would know.  

Crazy coincidences!

When we sold our condo and decided to start the process of moving we moved into a very very small one bedroom condo.  We sat out on our deck and we talked.  Are we nuts, how are we doing to manage living in this 600 sq ft home.  Are we doing the right thing.  

Bam a hummingbird showed up at the feeder right then.  I knew we were doing the right thing.

When we travelled to Peru for our journey it was tough. It pushed us emotionally to question things, search out answers and to realize so much.

I never blogged about that trip but it was a life changing trip.  Every day!  I mean EVERY day a hummingbird showed up in one way or another.  

When we moved to Nova Scotia we dutifully set up our hummingbird feeder.  But sadly in the 3 years we were there not a single one came to the feeder.  

Two weeks ago we set up our feeder on the window of our dining room window, plus two other feeders.  Within an hour one bird had visited.  Since then we have had numerous pairs.

sorry it is not the best shot, we were just so excited

Then the next day we set up our security cameras.  When the cameras came on they detect motions/sound and they record.  We got a notification that the backyard camera was triggered.  

Imagine my giddiness when I saw this video.  

Yes I can sense my Mom would be happy with our move.  

Creating A New Garden

 

Like I mentioned in my last blog, one thing I have really enjoyed doing during this pandemic is expanding my knowledge of gardening.

Last year I had a nice garden and started a lot from seed.  This year my goal was to really embrace the new space and start fresh.

Now this is what the garden looked like when we bought the home.

Large trees, which filtered out light sun in areas that need to be pruned.  (Someone is coming this week.)  

A yard that had two large dogs and three young kids who enjoyed it.

We first started with setting up some new raised beds that I had ordered from an Ontario Company called Raised Garden Beds.  With the cost of wood being so high and the fact that wood rots it was a no brainer.  

Then it was a matter of filling up the beds.  We started with layers and layers of plain cardboard.  No shiny printed cardboard.  Remove all the labels, tape and staples.  These beds used up all our moving boxes easily.  The cardboard kills whatever grass/weeds.  Also it is great food for things like worms that then compost it and create great nutrients for the soil.

The we added logs, sticks, untreated wood and then a ton of leaves from all over our property.  Again all these things will help contribute to the health of the soil.  Big thing is they help absorb water and save on watering.  Then they also will break down over a long time and created great nutrients for the soil.

But the big thing is good garden soil is not cheap.  Since plants really only need about 12 inches of soil to grow, why spend lots and lots of money to fill a 26 inch bed entirely with soil.

We had no problem finding numerous sources that could deliver top quality soil to us in bulk.  Here is the soil being delivered - 33% compost, 33% top soil and 33% peat moss.  

We spent over a week moving these 10 cubic yards of soil into the raised beds, into other beds around the property and creating new beds.

I rigged up trellis systems by using 2 T posts and galvanized steel fencing (2x4), hooked up to the T posts with zip ties.  I also found a baby crib on the side of the road waiting to get picked up by the garbage and will use the crib's side rails as a trellis for my squash to grow up.

We live in climate zone 6b.  Although it is much warmer here than Cape Breton the last frost date is around the same time - Late May!

But as soon as the beds were ready I planted my cold weather crops - peas, carrots, lettuce, beets, spinach, kale, onions, leeks and radishes.  Most were direct sowed, but I did start some ahead of time by seed indoors (onions, leeks and lettuce).  I also sowed my corn but that is under plastic to protect them.

After living here two days I had set up my growing shelves with grow light sand started the seeds for my warm weather crops.  Tomatoes and peppers were my big things.  

This last week I direct sowed my melons and beans.  Planted out my squash, pumpkins and zucchini. I also planted my herb garden starts that I didn't start from seed.  

Pepper plants - 4 varieties

My tomato starts.  I drill holes in red solo cups and plant the seed low with little soil.  Then as it grows I add more and more soil allowing the roots along the stem to grow out into the soil creating a stronger plant.

Now I just watch the forecast and cover if necessary.  But things look good for the next two weeks. 

Life's Curveballs and Embracing Those Curveballs!

Life has changed for many of us.  Covid 19 stopped us in our tracks!  I was on the path I had set out dreaming about.  I had numerous contracts for lecturing.  But like many all over the world, their plans changed.

I was okay with it.  I am a firm believer things happen the way they are suppose to happen.  Read on to learn more.  

When we first moved to Cape Breton, our goal was to rent a place and travel.  Be nomads, work on ships, live in different countries, and travel whenever we felt like it.  But when we arrived, rents were pricy and the cost of buying a home was very very reasonable - under a $100,000 Canadian!   So we bought a home and made it our own.

We enjoyed living there, and with travelling on ships while lecturing for long periods it was a perfect situation.  Family was close by and it was always great to come back to our little home on an island.  Our goal was to stay there for around 5 years and reassess.

Then Covid hit and suddenly no more travelling was allowed outside the Atlantic Provinces.  We soon realized that maybe the island wasn't the right "fit" for us.  After living in a large, diverse city for most of our lives, then moving to a very small town with little amenities that maybe we need to adjust and look for a happy medium.  

Also there were other factors.  

The big one being that the airport nearby (Sydney) closed because of Covid.  Now it was not the best airport for getting out of during the best of times, nor did they have many flights in a day, but at least it was an option instead of driving 4 hours to Halifax.

Amenities and services on the island were minimal.  We missed having a Costco nearby.  We missed different ethnic restaurants.  We missed the opportunity to attend big concerts and events. We missed being able to locate different services, like compost delivery for my garden, different lessons too. 

Last summer we did a trip to the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.  Read all about it here.  

We immediately connected with the place.  It wasn't a big city, but it wasn't small town either.  Halifax is only an hour and a half away.  The vibe felt like parts of British Columbia that we loved.  The area is a valley and is known for their farming, especially fruits/vegetables and their amazing wineries.  

After a week here we both commented that this area would be a great option for a place to move to.  Originally our goal was in maybe another 5 years to move to the area.  But as Covid continued we knew we needed to do what was right for us.

Back in December we took short trips to areas all over the mainland of Nova Scotia to scout out areas to possibly live.  Many were ruled out right away, and a few new areas were added.  

We met with an agent and discussed possibly selling our home in Cape Breton and set out a timeline.

In January we travelled back to the Annapolis Valley for a few days to explore the area in the winter.  Did we still love the area in the winter?  Oh yeah we did!  

We met with an agent in the Valley and started scouting out homes.  At the same time we listed our home (pictured above).  Our home sold in four days!  And we had an accepted offer on a house in Kingston/Greenwood.

There were a lot of hurdles to cross now.  Even though we had moved across the country with pretty much nothing in the way of possessions just three years ago.  We now had a home that was fully furnished.  Our only saving grace was that we did not have a lot of "extra" stuff.  Thankfully Bernie agreed to hiring movers for the journey - new home was 5 hours away.

Back in late April we moved into our new home, in a beautiful neighbourhood.  

We have settled in nicely.  Our long list of little jobs that need to get done whenever you buy a place is getting shorter.

Since we are not travelling right now we have enjoyed doing things I have always wanted to do but had no time for.

The big thing is gardening.  Anyone else love to garden?

So follow along as we continue to make our house a home and I will do up blogs about the process.  The day trips, things we do here to keep ourselves busy.  Volunteer work we have gotten involved with.  And my gardening.

Hopefully soon, we will be back on the high seas, either as passengers or as a port lecturer.

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