Monday Morning Musings
Posted on July 27, 2020 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet
Cranberry almond scone – Dancing Goat Cafe and bakery
Trials of the Cabot Trail.
Last Wednesday, I took a spin around the Cabot Trail…in a car! I decided that a circumnavigation of the Trail on foot was a once in a lifetime event. The purpose of my trip was to drop off complimentary copies of my new book to people who had provided me food and lodging during my 10 day adventure. I hit the road at 6:15 a.m. under brilliant sunny skies.
My first stop was at the home of Bill Cameron in Margaree Forks. Bill gave me a place to sleep on my very first day of the walk, along with a world class fried baloney sandwich. On this morning, he invited me to go for breakfast at The Dancing Goat Café and Bakery in North East Margaree. I had the best breakfast sandwich that I have ever eaten. Ham and eggs along with genuine cheddar cheese were sandwiched between two pieces of the most delicious bisquits imaginable. There was also a handful of grapes on the plate and the coffee was exquisite. When we were standing in line to order, I noticed a fresh batch of cranberry almond scones. Before leaving the café, I bought a box of 6. If there is even a remote possibility that these are served in heaven, I will immediately change my wayward ways. If you’re driving through the Margarees, you must go there. https://www.facebook.com/DancingGoatCafe
Bill is featured in my book on page 18.
The effects of the pandemic were stark. Countless motels, restaurants, and gift shops were shuttered tight. What was shockingly obvious was the dearth of traffic. Normally at this time of the year, the going is slow with many vehicles and campers clogging the byways. Not on this day. There were long stretches, sometimes 10 kilometers or more that I didn’t see a single vehicle. It was eerie, surreal, and quite sad. Of the dozens of times that I’ve done the Trail, even in winter, it never felt so bleak and deserted It seemed like I was the only one traveling. Having said this, there are still enough businesses open that one shouldn’t be deterred from taking a trip to see this iconic wonder of Nova Scotia.
The last stop of the day was at The Clucking Hen. Their motto? “No Fowl Moods”! This restaurant and bakery is one of my absolute “must go to” places when I’m doing the Trail. Melody and her staff are fantastic and so is the food. Melody accepted my book and handed it to a young staff member. She flipped through the pages and was astonished to see her name in print. Navgot is from the Punjab region of India and she and her friend Jyoti, are students at Cape Breton University. Last summer, the girls were working at the Funky Country Chicks restaurant in Grand Etang, specializing in Indian food. I met them during my walk and I enjoyed some authentic Indian cooking and wonderful conversation. The business has changed ownership and the menu has changed. You can read about my encounter with these lovely people on page 25 of my new book.
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the tourism sector. As part of your staycation this summer, why not take a trip around the Cabot Trail. It remains one of the most spectacular places on the planet.
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I try not to watch too much news south of the border. It is depressing and distressing to watch a once great country unravel at the seams. I also avoid commenting on the current state of affairs in the Dis-United States of America. The continuing scourge of overt racism and the mismanagement of the pandemic fill the airwaves daily.
Another issue that just won’t go away in our country and just about every other country in the world is violence towards women. This takes many forms and I won’t go into this in any detail. We’re all too well aware of this. The other day, a male United States Congressman lobbed a volley of insults towards Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Her response needs to be heard and shared over and over again. I share it with you here. https://youtu.be/_dzqrdHVE2g.
Have a great week.
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