Of Spruce & Roses and Seaside life

Taylor Head Provincial Park lies between Musquodoboit and Sheet Harbour but on our outings Molly and I had by passed it. The park is contained by a 6 Km peninsula that reaches into the sea edging Spry Bay.  So Molly and I headed out to the Peninsula and the loop back home.   As is often the case here, it turned into a grand adventure with discovery of delicate plants and sweeping seascapes. That beautiful day of July 27, 2017 introduced me to Sea Beach Groundsel, a species of Dusty Miller that I had not seen before, a small white beauty hugging the sand that I have yet to identify and Jelly Fish—lots and lots of them. I think they are Lions Mane but this novice would not claim to know.  I have read that they are most commonly washed to shore this time of year. If any of you can help me I would love to hear from you. We found too, old familiars that I cherish. I first fell in love with Cladina Rangiferina— Reindeer Moss (that is really a Lichen) in Thunder Bay and the diminutive small cranberry that ceaselessly evokes a smile when I come across it. 

I have enjoyed the perfume of potpourri many times but I have never experienced the overwhelming perfumes of spruce and roses intermingled and wafting to me through sea salted air! 

Molly and I went down old Taylor Road then went to Taylor Park for our tramp of discovery on board walks and beaches —had lunch at Sheet Harbour Henley House Pub And Restaurant at an out door picnic table looking the West River. The only thing better than the view was the food and hospitality. The waitress brought Molly her own bucket of fresh cold water.  After feasting on the food views and clear fresh air we  then headed out to go  around the loop back to Musquodoboit and home. What a day!

On Old Taylor Rd

Lobster trap and Hawkweed. The trap was so huge I wondered if it was ornamental and placed there for newbies like me… or maybe it is a mermaid trap.

Cladina Rangiferina in the sand at Taylor Head

Spruce draped in Usnea close to sea side Taylor Head

Cranberry by the walk

White Sands of Taylor Head

Dusty Miller and an “unknown to me” beautiful white flower on the beach

Yellow Hawkweed and Dusty Miller

Beach Groundsel

Lions Mane Jelly Fish?

Jelly fish washing to shore

 Spruce, Roses, Beach Grass, and the sweetest air I have ever experienced.

One of several accessible covered picnic tables 

 Lunch spot looking over West River Sheet Harbour

Homeward bound through farms of goats and sheep a cedar sided shake or shingle barn... Generally, a shingle is sawn on both sides and is thinner at the butt than a shake. A shake is typically split on one or both sides. … Shakes are still manufactured by hand, but most are now made using powered equipment.

Through the Tickles

Through the Tickles to the Rhythmic Atlantic Rollers Where Seals Bask in Bright Warm Sun

Kate and I boarded the “Ryan” and let Brian Murphy take us on a tour through the Tickles one magic day July 22 2017. Brian is a wonderful host with great humour and deep knowledge of the islands and the sea he loves and respects passionately. “The Tickles” are so named because at low tide when boats went through the centre of the passage the rocks would tickle their keels under unwise skippers knew not to hug the shore. There are “ cuts" like that on the Rideau where I very proudly hugged the shoreline knowing full well the shoals lay dead centre of the passage through which I guided my wee boat. I need not assert that the Atlantic is no Rideau but loving the beauty and majesty of water, land, and wildlife prevails no matter where nature is unblemished by humans. Brian told of how his great grandmother watched her husband drown in Murphy’s Cove— unable to assist or get assistance. He told too, of how the islands were named after people who had met their demise in the waters near them—and of how Beefsteak Island was so named because a load of cattle went down— an early death for them, and hungry times for those they would have fed. At a cabin at Murphy’s camp near Wolf Bay, Brian mentioned that it was once the lads that went there to be free of their wives for a bit, but now he said, it seems like the ladies are the ones that are getting away! He talked of Ship Rock and how it looks like the Bluenose from out to sea and he beamed when he said his next tour that day was to take his daughter out to where she wanted to be. Home from away. 

The Ryan

Once a light house home for 11 people relocated to other shores

Ship Rock

Sand Bar where the young folk went swimming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5BAjBPvUw4&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFUw8DcujfQ&feature=youtu.be

Where the Ladies get away

 

Clam Harbour

Up the road to Clam Harbour today to discover beautiful white sand, soft, deep, green moss along the board walk and a wee red squirrel adding its touch to a garbage sign.

It occurred to me

As I lay in my newly washed sheets this morning feeling as lazy as the mist outside my window appeared to be it occurred to me that I could upload my videos to youtube and share them with you that way. That was a very early, before 5:30 a.m. coffee, and I had not even begun to figure out how to spoil Molly and me on this anniversary of our first month here. After coffee and still undecided, I headed up old highway seven to check out Lake Echo. It is lovely to be sure however I found no public access. There was a bay there, solid white with waterlilies. Why I did not snap that is beyond me! Contented with the early morning find, I turned the car around and headed to East Chezzetcook to give Miss Molly a run. Molly and I had not been there in a couple of weeks and so off we headed. There was not a human soul there but here were gatherings of ducks and gorgeous flowers. (Their ensoulment I will save for a future discussion). The tide was low enough that we could walk the sand and when that was done, clamour over the stoney hill to sit on a lone chair and just let osmosis take care of it all. Behind us was a pond banded by blue flags and to our right over a knoll was an inlet. If my pitching arm was as good as it once was I could have thrown a ball from that chair, to the ocean, the pond, and the inlet. My arm isn’t as good as it was, and probably the ability to have ever had that good a pitching arm is a bit of a stretcher but you get the picture.

Link to East Chezzetcook

https://youtu.be/0ViMaVEwkI4

and the snaps