a saturday in downtown halifax

I had every intention of sharing this day with you a month ago, but somehow, an entire month has passed, and doing so had completely escaped my mind. This was from the beginning of September. We had decided to take the boys for the night into the city. We had some errands to run, so we booked a hotel room, not far from the Public Gardens. We ate pizza in bed and stayed up late watching a movie. Then in the morning, we picked up breakfast and brought it to the gardens. We ate while the boys ran up and down the paths and flung quarters into the fountain. We walked the historic district, then went down to the farmer's market at the port. I even managed to pop into a new (to me) shop downtown while the boys swam back at the hotel before check out. It was a really lovely day. While I love living in a smaller town, I also love that the city isn't too far away - for days just like this. I thought I would share how I love to spend a Saturday in the city.

The Public Gardens are always a favourite. There's something about the quiet in the midst of the bustle of the city.

It's the perfect place to start the day. Grab a coffee and a pastry, and take an hour to wander. Watch the ducks as they nest along the bank of the pond, then head along the alley of trees towards the main gate. When your coffee is finished, wander down Spring Garden Rd, towards the waterfront. When you reach Queen St, pop into 31 Westgate for a quick look around.

Finding this was such a wonderful surprise! There's just so much to admire.

From there, continue to head down Spring Garden Rd. We walked through The Old Burying Grounds and then around the Government House.

Having been founded in 1749, there are so many historic homes and buildings in this area. I love wandering around these blocks.

On Saturdays, down at the Seaport, which is just a few blocks further, there's a farmer's market year 'round. A Saturday market is something I just love.

If you had the rest of the afternoon, I recommend continuing your walk up around Queen Street. There's a great book shop called Schooner Books, not mentioned a couple streets of charming old homes.

Because we don't get to the city very often, we usually head out in the afternoon, as the ride home generally requires a stop at Costco. But there are a few breweries to enjoy in the city, as well as a number of great places to go for dinner. Or, if you're really adventurous, you could make the drive out to see the sunset at Peggy's Cove, which happens to be a very doable 45 minute drive away. 

I'm looking forward to heading back again this winter. Maybe for a little Christmas shopping this time, to see the city all decorated and lit up. But really, every time we head back, we discover something new, and that's what makes our time in the city feel so special.

weekend on prince edward island - part two

Prince Edward Island was a place that I, like so many others, fell in love with through the pages of Anne of Green Gables. The lanes of red clay, the shining lakes - her love of the island and the beauty she found there, made it somewhere you wanted to explore yourself.

Now, for those of you who are familiar with the beloved series, and maybe didn't know, Green Gables is actually a farmhouse in the town of Cavendish, that belonged to Lucy Maud Montgomery's aunt and uncle. I will share the tour of that separately, but I just wanted to make a couple comments on that aspect of the island. When you go to PEI, Anne is everywhere. It's very obviously a huge draw for visitors. And honestly, I'm not entirely sure if L M Montgomery would be thrilled to see the area now! It's taken on a very touristy feel - with fun parks and miniature golf and touristy boardwalks. The village of Avonlea, the fictional town from her books, is a small town-like attraction you can walk through, built in honor of the author. You used to be able to see live reenactments of famous scenes and the town in period-style. Now, save one smaller local artisan shop, it's all restaurants and souvenir shops. Basically, it all leaves you feeling a bit disappointed. 

But, having pretty much ruined the island for you, I'll say this: Anne's beloved island, and in turn, L M Montgomery's, is still there. You may have to loose yourself a little, and wind your way down some unknown red lanes, but it's there. The beaches are breathtaking and there are some lovely farming towns, but you have to explore. And even when it comes to the touristy things, we have young boys. At the end of the day, no matter how enticing I try to make it sound, they simply would prefer to play bazooka ball than walk through Green Gables. So when it came to planning our few days on this part of the island, while it was a little touristy, it did provide a decent selection of things to do for all members of our family. While I walked through the museum, the boys played in the waves at Cavendish Beach. And when they wanted to play bazooka ball, I walked with the little ones around Avonlea. Having a little cottage smack in the middle of the tourist section seemed completely unappealing, but being last minute, there weren't many options when it came to accommodations. Once there, it was fine because our children loved it. There were so many other children, and a pool and a whole playground area in the middle. They had so much fun! And that's important.

So, what I'm trying to say is this: Don't go to Cavendish to discover the beauty of the island and expect to find it like it is in the pages of those beloved books. Go to the island and discover that beauty in other places.

We first stayed in town for a couple nights (one full day), and then we took a few days to wander along the coast. It's a fairly small island, so you can do the whole loop comfortably in a couple days. Our time in the city was relaxed. The boys loved Victoria park, and while they played, I was able to pop out and visit a couple shops I had wanted to see in town. Then, during nap time later in the afternoon, I went out and walked around the historic district, which was conveniently only blocks away.

There were lots of lovely old houses in town to admire, a good selection of restaurants and cafes, and a very vibrant art scene.

The second evening we were there, we surprised the boys and took them outside of town, to the drive in. They happened to be playing the first Harry Potter movie - perfect for a cooler summer evening before school begins. Originally I had planned to stay home with the littler ones, but at the last minute decided to tag along. I'm glad we did because the littler ones ended up falling asleep anyway, and it was fun to enjoyed it with the older boys.

We made our way up one side of the island, stopping by one of the many shallow inlets to get out and explore. The red clay along the edge of the lake was so unusually spongy. It was so shallow you couldn't really swim, but pretty to walk around.

And yes, the roads really are red.

We discovered West Point Lighthouse and in turn, found the beach we had been looking for. The boys were thankful to finally get in and swim. I loved this lighthouse! I couldn't think of any other way to describe it, except that it's chic. It really is. With it's bold black and white stripes, and it's perfect green benches overlooking the dunes.

It was the best beachcombing on the island. I found so many shells with those hints of blue I love so much.

The next morning, on our way out to Cavendish, we stopped at Thunder Cove. It was a little unnerving trying to get down the steep dunes to the beach, but once down there, it was beautiful.

As mentioned, we stayed right in Cavendish, right in the middle of everything. (You could literally hear the roller coaster beside us!) The cabin, while small, was perfect for is. The kids were so entertained and really enjoyed being there. It may not have been our thing, but there was a hot tub at least, and a porch to sit on with a glass of wine in the evening, so we couldn't really complain.

Cavendish Beach was like a post card. It's a gorgeous beach. And what's more, it seems to have been recently renovated (it's a Canadian National Park), and had a beautiful board walk and stairs down to the water, with showers for cleaning off and even candy cane striped beach huts that we're so charming! Just the picture perfect beach.

Then, after popping back to the cottage to make lunch, we spent the afternoon at the water park next door to us. It really wasn't terrible. The boys loved it. And what's more, it was fairly quiet! They didn't have to wait in line if they wanted to ride the small roller coaster or spinning pumpkins. And the water slides were all in one small section, so we could see them at all times without having to actually stand with the older ones. There was even a small section for the little ones, complete with tiny water slides.

 

We went home tired and the boys crashed early. The next morning we got up and made our way home, driving the coastal route down on the other side to catch the ferry. I discovered a charming shop in Saint Peters Bay called Freckles & Porcelain, and come home with a few beautiful items. It was grey and raining, so we didn't make many stops, just for a quick lunch before catching the afternoon ferry home. I should also note, if you enjoy biking, the island has some beautiful trails.

The next time we visit, I want to try a couple places for dinner that we weren't able to get reservations to. One being the picnic basket dinner at Chef Michael Smith's beautiful Inn at Bay Fortune, and second, The Blue Mussel. I also have a very quaint little tree house flagged that looks like the perfect secluded place to spend the night, so I'm thinking maybe a romantic weekend away just the two of us next time.

a dream house in margaree harbour

This is Margaree Harbour. As you round the top of Cabot Trail, halfway back down western side of Cape Breton, you cross the Margaree River and find yourself in this beautiful little coastal town. It had been recommended as a place to stop on many lists I had read, so we pulled into the harbour and parked the car. We wandered the little cove, Ryan wading out knee deep, Jude and George playing in the sand at the water's edge, the older boys climbing the rocks and dunes. It was pretty, maybe not as much as I had expected, but from the way the town was scattered around the harbour, with sheep dotting fields and the surrounding lakes and hills, it made for a beautiful setting

There was a lighthouse up on the hill, overlooking the harbour, so we decided to climb the winding path to see it up close, and to have a better view of the harbour from up above.

The lighthouse was quite plain, and more modern, but still, the boys were excited.

However, as we started to reach the top of the path, we noticed that there was a farmhouse set further back, and not just that, but an older lighthouse beside it!

The house wasn't in terrible condition, but it looked well worn and in need of some love. To be honest, I couldn't decide whether or not someone was actually living in it. Someone was clearly doing work on the older lighthouse beside it. Could it possibly be a summer home? I wasn't sure, and because of that, I didn't have the nerve to walk up any closer than this. I did however admire it from a distance, with it's blue steps and pale blue door.

Set up on the hill, it had a sweeping view of the harbour below, the ocean, and the highland mountains in the distance. It was the perfect spot.

On the other side, there was an old school or meeting house that looked to be abandoned, and beyond that, a simple church.

We decided to make our way back down to the car and carry on our journey. As Ryan was getting the boys settled in, I told him I was just going to climb up the sand dune beside us, opposite the lighthouse, to try to get a better photo of the house.

When I reached the top however, I couldn't believe what was on the other side of the dune.

Margaree Beach.

We had absolutely no idea this was on the other side! We nearly drove away, believing we had seen all the area had to offer. And yet this stunning beach lay just beyond the dunes. I called for Ryan to bring the boys and come see what I had discovered.

We lingered on the beach for a while, spending time making sand castles, trying to scale the steep sand walls, gulls flying over head. As we drove out of the harbour, we could see from the other side that there was in fact a beach. But coming in, it just hadn't been visible to us.

There are quite a few lovely old homes along the trail that have been left to the elements, slowly aging and degrading as the years pass. Eventually, like so many little fishing huts and old barns, they crumble under the weight of years of neglect. The idea of purchasing one of these beautiful old homes and bringing it back to life as a summer cottage is tempting. And of all of the ones we passed, this particular one was my favourite. In my dreams, as we restored it, the boys would pass the days on the beach and exploring the dunes. We'd sip coffee on the porch and watch the fishing boats leave in the morning. In the evening, as the fog rolled in and blanketed the mountains, I'd climb to the third floor attic. There would be a desk sitting under that small window that looks out to the ocean, and there, as the waves rolled in, I'd write a book. It's the kind of place where stories are written. Actually, it feels like the kind of place that has a story to tell.