Adventure Logan

Today was the first day since we arrived in mid-November that it rained during the day. We very much need rain so it was hard to mind the cloudy skies and dampness. At 5:30 this eve we headed for Carol Ann and Charles’ place to have a pre dinner drink. While we were there, we marked the 1 Billion Rising movement by participating in a dance to honour the over 1 billion abused women in the world.

Gus and Mary Evelyn MacIntyre

Liz and Earl Corkery

Charles and Carol Ann Gallant

Molly Carter, Mary Evelyn MacIntyre and Carol

After participating in that event we returned to our place for a BBQ. Liz and Earl, Judy and Mike with their friend Edith Ward and Danny Munroe joined us.

The annual Nova Scotia picnic was held today and that Ontario native I am married to was even more excited about going than I was!  There is nothing as much fun as a whole parking lot filled with Nova Scotia license plates. It was about 70 degrees when we got there but the wind was strong and damp so it wasn’t as glorious as all the days leading up to it. About 550 people were there and I think Dave knew most of them LOL.

Since the first picnic we attended in 2005 Dave decided that a mere sandwich in a lunchbox wouldn’t work – so – ever since he takes his portable BBQ and cooks sausages for all our friends. Without fail there is someone each year who wanders up to him thinking that he is cooking for the “NS Picnic” and they want to buy a sausage. I keep telling him he could make some serious money.

Dave at the BBQ (Leah McLean – Cape Breton/Bedford/Ottawa/Calgary and Dan Munroe – Dartmouth/Calgary

This egret watched Dave cook all morning then landed on the edge of the garbage can nearby. He dove in and got the end of one of the buns and happily devoured it!

Enjoying ourselves !

Carol and Stephen Hiltz attended their first NS Picnic this year and we were very happy to have them join our growing group.

Cal and Brenda Collins – Halifax

Bill and Lorraine Babin – Spryfield

Scott and Pat – Evangeline Beach, Nova Scotia

Barb Gaudet – Dartmouth and Marty Keating – Pennsylvania

 Bill MacNeil (Judy’s brother) – Summerside, Mike Cullen – Dartmouth, Leona MacNeil – Summerside and Judy Cullen – Dartmouth

Marlene and Garry Burke (Dartmouth)

Betty and Ken Matheson – Dartmouth

Edith Ward – Dartmouth (Judy’s friend), Bill MacNeil and Judy Cullen

Carol and Betty Matheson

Stephen Hiltz, Dan Munroe, Dick Eustace, Bert Noyes, Dave Logan and Doug MacLean hidden in those red cups was Keith’s beer purchased at the border in New Brunswick and brought to the picnic to add Nova Scotia flavour!

Carol Logan and Carol Hiltz as we laughed about the hair damage the wind was causing – mine blew up and hers fell down LOL!

Friday was a busy one for sure. At noon the gals (Judy, Liz and Peggy) joined me for the annual tea at Boca Royale Golf and Country Club. It is a lovely location and always a great event.

We had barely gotten home when we made a quick change and headed off to shop at Bon Worths which had presented a fashion show at the tea. After an hour we headed home and made our way to the clubhouse for the annual Ohio/Indiana/Illinois dinner.

After dinner we headed for the Cullen’s to play Sequence. The girls won – we seem to be having lots of luck with that game!

Today we played tourists with Stephen and Carol Hiltz at Spanish Point which is located in Osprey (15 minutes north of Venice). The site is unusual in that it is divided into 4 parts – PreHistoric (3000  BC – 1000 AD),  Pioneer (1867-1910), Palmer (1910-1980) and Plants.

The 30 acre site is rich in trees and plants. This live oak with the Spanish moss hanging from it was awesome.

This interesting bud is from the “ear tree”. When it dries up and falls off it really does resemble an ear.

Guptill House  (Pioneer)

Bedroom in Guptill House (Pioneer)

Learning about early citrus and sugar cane packing at the Webb Packing House. (Pioneer)

Mary’s Chapel (Pioneer)

This little fellow was sunbathing on a log in a small pond near Mary’s Chapel. (Pioneer)

Dave and Stephen crossing Cock’s Footbridge

Duchene Lawn and Classic Portal (Palmer)

Sunken Gardens and Pergola

I thought that it was time for you to see the beach and birds since I hear that Nova Scotia is quite cold these days. We have been enjoying better than usual weather and  the beach beckons us often. Today it was 82 degrees and we made a visit to the beach area we call “the dunes”. It is to the right of the Venice Pier and boasts dunes that make it interesting.

The pelicans were very busy today – here is one guy with his little friend who was with him everytime he dove into the water with a fish. I do not think he got even a crumb!

The bridge to the beach affords a great view of the Venice Fishing Pier and a great palm too!

Dave enjoys watching the birds diving – and the occasional interesting critter. Today an interesting duck that swims along the shore line and then pops up on the shore kept us entertained for quite a while. He was too fast to get a pic though.

I really enjoy taking pictures of the birds and this guy was quite appealing.

The Red Hat group travelled to Boca Grande to have a lunch and hear a presentation about the famous historic Gasparilla Inn and Club. It was interesting to spend an afternoon at the 5 star historic inn ( along with the Bush family George W and Laura who spend January there LOL).

This 100 year old hotel is quietly elegant and in such a beautiful location. During the presentation we learned that no public advertising of any kind took place until 2002 – so for 90 years all reservations came as a result of word of mouth! The first winter as the opening date approached (February 14, 1913) they discovered that they were all ready except for the fact that they didn’t have any reservations. A call came from a Boston widow and they coyly told her they would squeeze her in – she must have spread the word about getting the coveted spot because within days all the rooms had booked.

Reception area

In the dining room

Dining room

One area in the 3000 square foot area that they call the “living room”

And another part of the living room

South veranda

Carol, Liz, Carol Ann and Judy in the main stairway

The grounds and a historic building that was floated from a nearby key

Molly and George returned to Florida after their Christmas holiday with Adonia (Addy for short) – a family member’s dog. She will be spending the winter with them. We got the chance to dog-sit over night and had lots of fun. It did make us think of our dear Emily who went to doggy heaven in Daytona Beach in 2007.

Whenever we couldn’t find her we discovered that she liked to climb into her carrier for a nap – cute as a button!

Addy loved to sit in the sun by the patio doors and watch the cars go up the street – looking for Molly and George no doubt!

She also likes laps and whenever someone was at the computer she climbed up. Usually it was me, but I did catch her on Dave’s lap a few times.

It has been extra warm this week – apparently about 15 degrees F above normal. The weather has been headlining the news and even the locals have begun to wear “summer” clothes. Several newscasters mentioned being disappointed that they can’t wear their winter gear – yuck! Of course, temps in the low 70’s constitute cold for them, LOL!

We have been making a daily trek to the beach since it is so beautiful for January. The only thing is the water is still too cold for my favourite thing – sitting in the beach chair in the water!

As usual it is necessary to remodel these old trailers. This winter’s reno is actually starting with the removal of some strapping and then painting the living room. The ceiling had woodgrain cross straps and scallop edged trim at the roof line and also 1 foot down. I have wanted to get rid of them or paint them for quite some time. So this was the time !

We got rid of the scallop edge and replaced it with straight edge and painted from the drop line up white. It looks wonderful.

Of course, the window trim needed attention so that became my painting job.

We painted the walls a light aqua called ice blue. It is really only a light tint but it looks so nice and clean.  After that you can always be sure other jobs will surface as I was pretty sure it wouldn’t end with a simple paint job. So I got Dave to make valences for the windows and we painted them the ice blue.

While I was painting the corner cabinet,  I realized that it looked great without its doors so now it is a great corner display case – gone are the dated doors.

Then while my decorating brain was in gear I decided that the cabinet on the long wall didn’t look very good anymore – it was a makeshift one made from pieces that used to be the divider between the living and dining room. I knew that I would be able to find a buffet/hutch but even I was a little surprised at how quickly I found the perfect piece!  We headed for supper at N’Tinos and while Earl and Dave ordered pizza,  Liz and I popped into Goodwill and there it was – a buffet/hutch – for a mere $70. PERFECT TOO!

Happy New Year to all our family and friends! We hope that the coming year brings you good health and happiness. The Canadian gang is small so there were only 5 ( Jimmy, Mike and Judy and us)  for tonight’s celebration. At 6:30 we had dinner at the Hibachi Grill and Buffet followed by a game of dominoes.While we waited for the ball to drop in New York we had long distance calls to Peggy, Earl & Liz and Danny & Marilyn.