Posted on September 16, 2015 under Storytelling with one comment

A little slice of paradise

 

 

“I can see for miles and miles …”

I Can See for Miles – The Who

I roll over and peer at the clock. It is 4:20 am. I start to wonder, “Whose bright idea was it anyway to watch the sun come up over Ballantyne’s Cove at 6:30 A.M., followed by a three hour hike? Why, it was mine, of course.” I had planned to tackle a particular trail out at “The Cape” for quite some time. I had invited my brother, a seasoned hiker, to join me. I slide my creaky bones over the side of the mattress, as countless thousands of others my age will do in short order. There is no more leaping out of bed.

I rub the sleep from my eyes. Last night was a rough one … a big party night. I would love to confess that it was me who was in the middle of the throng of students next door, kicking off another year at St. F.X. No. Those days are long gone but I certainly had a ringside seat, listening to the cheers and howls until the wee hours of the morning. None of the neighbors called the police. Most of us remember those days and know that things will die down when classes start.

At exactly 6:00 (my family is notoriously punctual) I pick up my brother and hit the road on what must be the clearest, most star filled morning of the summer.

We parked the car at the entrance to the Lighthouse Road. A soft, warm breeze had made its presence felt even at this ungodly hour. I have heard of arriving at a prom or some other special event “with bells on”, but I must say that I was just a tad mystified when Gerard pulled out two small yellow tinkling spheres attached to Velcro straps. I was about to ask him when he pre-empted me with one word: BEARS.

We grabbed our backpacks and crossed the road to enter the trail. Did I mention that I also had a small Martin travel guitar strapped to my back? No, I wasn’t planning on serenading the wildlife. One of the purposes of the hike was to scout out possible locations for a photo shoot. With book number 3 soon to be published, we were looking at some ideas for the cover.

Just as we were about to commence our trek, we turned around and watched a most magnificent display by Mother Nature as the sun rose over the Northumberland Strait. We stood in silence and in awe.

I offered to let the more experienced hiker take the lead. I had done some thinking after attaching the “distant early warning” yellow jingling ball to my belt buckle. I reckoned that my younger brother would be a far more appetizing meal for a bear!

The conditions could not have been better. In the shelter of the woods, the firs and spruce provided a natural, cooling canopy. When we came to open areas, the aforementioned warm breeze kept us comfortable and bug free. Idyllic, really.

Not far along the trail we saw the first of many piles of bear scat. When I think of scat, I have this mental picture of Ella Fitzgerald. It is a thrilling image. The fresh excrement on the ground didn’t give me the same kind of vibe.

Along the way we saw a handful of benches with dedications to loved ones who lived in the area and walked these woods … a wonderful way to pay tribute.

We reached the summit and looked off into the distance. You can see all up and down two coastlines, with P.E.I. and Cape Breton easily recognizable. We opened our packs for a nutrition break. I had packed a peanut butter sandwich and a handful of carrot sticks. When you are surrounded by the wonders of nature, this humble fare is a meal fit for a king.

We pondered about retracing our steps to bring us back to the car and decided instead to complete the loop. This meant that at the end of the hike we would be several kilometers away from our car.

The banter along the trail was about work, family and health. We both acknowledged our extreme good fortune to be well enough to hike and to be able to do it in one of the safest places in the world. Hiking and gratitude are worthy traveling partners.

The descent was rapid and we found ourselves emerging from the woods across the road from the wharf. There is a feeling of satisfaction when the job is complete. I slipped the guitar off my back and we stood there waiting for a car or truck to come by. One can only imagine how bewildering it must have looked to the kind folks who came upon us five minutes later. Two sixty something guys, one toting a guitar and both with yellow jingling balls hanging from their belts. We should have flashed a peace sign for old time’s sake.

Two of the ladies in the car walk this road daily. They leave one car at the bottom of the steep hill and take another to the top. We teased them that they have chosen to walk downhill rather than up! They dropped us off at our vehicle and moments later, we were on our way back home.

The next time someone tells you to “Take a hike”, give them this answer:

“With pleasure!”

Posted on September 14, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with 4 comments

No, we’re not in Florida. Just wishing for some Florida sunshine

 

 

Ok, Mother Nature. The frigging wells are full. Alright? The forest fire index couldn’t be any lower unless they start to use negative indicators ( “This week ‘s forest fire index is subterranean”). The only good news is that all the wet weather kept the students on Court Street from having a week long Woodstock in our back yard.

Let’s get right down to business. I’m going to need your help here. I received an e-mail on the weekend from someone who wanted me to write a nostalgia piece on the businesses that used to be in the West end of town. I am talking specifically here about the stretch from the current Farrell’s Ultramar down to the X Burger ( the old Corner Store ). I am not going to go back too far i.e. the 30’s and 40’s. Nor am I going to talk about the current businesses in that stretch. As most of you fair readers are baby boomers, I am interested in the places that you may have frequented. So, I am looking for three things: the names of the establishments; the proprietor or manager and any anecdotes that you might have. Oh, don’t go having a hissy fit. Yes, I will go around the Corner Store and include Pete Poirier’s Bottle Exchange!

Here are a few that I remember: Farrell’s Texaco ( John Henry Farrell ); Rudy Villeneuve ( not sure about this one ); Dot’s Canteen ( this is where we loaded up on penny candy before the Saturday matinee at the Capitol Theatre) ; D.P. Chisholm Insurance ( do you think politics was ever discussed there?! ); West End Market; Sullivan’s Barber Shop ( Henry Sullivan, Tom Lukeman… can’t remember the others ); J.A. Chisholm Shoes ( Leo Boots and Johnny Boyd ); Mike’s Home Furnishings ( Mike MacInnis ). I think it was Kadray’s before that; J.A. Adams Bakery ( Jimmy Adams ); The Corner Store ( Foch Fraser ). I know there are a lot more. Please weigh in.

And speaking of weight. I have two part time jobs in retirement. One of them is real ( at the hospital ). The second job is to get healthier. I have never been a particularly good eater because I was quite active during my work career , including 8 years of marathon running. When I was running, I could get away with anything… and did. But now that I no longer run, I WILL NOT be a slothful retiree whose main occupation is eating. I recently embarked on a 21 Day Challenge in an attempt to right the ship. I have gone back to school and am learning how to eat properly and exercise regularly. No. I’m not doing one of those fad diets. All of it is practical with a reduction in meat and carbs ( not an elimination ) and a serious ramp up in vegetables and fruits. It’s very much like the old Canada Food Guide. It has the blessings from higher authorities ( especially Betty who knows a lot about nutrition ). I am 10 days into the program and those of you who know me, know that I will stick to it religiously. If any of you are interested, please get in touch with my coach who just happens to be my daughter, Margaret. m.rose.macdonald@gmail.com

My Casket story ( published here on Wednesday ) is an account of my hike at Ballantyne’s Cove a few weeks ago with my brother, Gerard. It is simply called “ A Walk in the Woods.”

I am putting the finishing touches on my third book. Please leave room on your Christmas shopping lists!

Have a great week.

Posted on September 12, 2015 under Storytelling with one comment

The dreaded 8:15 class

( Originally published August 2013 )

 

 

On most days I walk to and from work, a trek of about two and a half kilometres. The good news is that the trip to work is all downhill and the wind is at my back. Of course, I have to come home at the end of the day and while the walk is not arduous, the north wind is always blowing in my face. In the summer this is a wonderful thing. In the dead of winter, it can be torturous.

This street is a major thoroughfare, and this being a university town many students use this route to get to classes. Some things never change. As long as I can remember, the first class of the day has always commenced at 8:15. Last spring, on my way to work, I came over the last hill which brings one to Main Street, and on both sidewalks was a long line of students with their back packs, making their way to campus. It looked very much like a column of ants.

Now, lest you think I am being disrespectful to be referring to students as ants, may I remind you that ants are very industrious, bright insects. They are the animal with the largest brain in proportion to their body size. They are known to be the smartest type of insects with about 250,000 brain cells. There are warrior ants who engage in hand to hand combat and apparently execute well-planned strategies to overcome their victim.

In a rebuttal to the phrase “It’s a man’s world”, the male worker ants have a lifespan of between 45-60 days while the queen ant can live upwards of 20 years. Reminds me of that old country and western song; “She got the gold mine. I got the shaft.” And apparently, slavery is alive and well in the colonies… the ant colonies, that is. The slave- maker ant raids the nests of other ants and steals their pupae. Once the pupae hatch, they are made to work as servants within the colony. Sort of like a hostile corporate takeover.

And finally, ants are capable of carrying objects 50 times their own body weight. One of the varsity football players would have to lift a mid-sized car over his head to equal the strength of an ant. Some have tried.

The ants walking down the sidewalk on this winter morning are the engine of the local economy. Antigonish has been welcoming students since 1855. Technically the university was started in Arichat but later relocated to Antigonish. While there has always been a healthy tension between town and gown, it is a symbiosis akin to anything in the animal kingdom.

Every time I witness this parade down the sidewalks I start humming the soundtrack from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; High ho, high ho, it’s off to work we go. Let us celebrate this ant colony. Brains and hard work should pay off for them too.