Finding Farley

If you check out this interesting documentary of one young family's journey by canoe, foot and sailing from Canmore, AB to River Bourgeois, NS (where we lived for 1 year!) you arent likely to be disappointed.  As lovers of Farley Mowat s writings, they push through their challenges of rapids, too many portages, millions of bugs and achy body parts to follow the trails of Farley and experience the nature of Canada that Farley wrote about, to end up at the home of their new-found friend.

Near the end of the video when they are getting close to their destination they show Church Point, where we actually lived.  Our house was just over the hill on the other side.  As a matter of fact, the picture I have at the top of my blog here, is taken at that churchs cemetery where Layne and Rauchelle loved to go, and many of the children rolled down the hills there. 

We aren't fanatics of Farley Mowat s writings.  We ve read a few, and watched "Never Cry Wolf", and drove past his house to see where he lived. Everette even ran into him at the post office, and my friend s husband won a bid when the Farley Mowat was up For Sale (but he cancelled his bid, cuz what does one do with a big ship like that in your backyard, hey Jennifer?) but I was taken more by the fact of them doing a cross-country journey more difficult than ours, and ending up in the very same town.  I thought that was cool, and we could identify with much of the scenery that they experienced except for the up-north and Newfoundland aspects.  Obviously theirs was a much slower paced journey fraught with bugs beyond belief (right there, I'd bail) and were more fit, likely, than when they began.  I wouldn't be doing that journey with our children, that's for sure, but maybe one of our children will want to do it themselves when they are older.  They certainly enjoyed the film, and identifying with some of the scenes. They have a good taste and feel for this big land, and I'm so glad we have given that experience to them. And experienced it for ourselves too.

Walk at Dusk

The Sooke River

We spotted some otters, an almost-dead spawning fish

and this humungous Maple Tree.  Cape Bretoners.....take notice of its immense size!!

Thankfulness

(Us Canucks are celebrating Thanksgiving.......

Always anxious to eat turkey and pumpkin pie, we cant wait until November to celebrate.)

I love this time of year, not for the rain and cool weather we have, but for the warm sunny days that you don t sweat in, and the colours of the autumn leaves (more incredible in Cape Breton than BC, I must admit), and the crunch of them under your feet.

Autumn colours are my favourite colour schemes.  So warm, and earthy and serene.

Its a perfect time for making "Mrs. Johnson" soups that simmer away on the stove-top for the morning.  Warming body and soul.  Or making a pitcher of raw Hot Cocoa, a glorified & chocolatified (just made that one up) almond-milk.  And sitting on the couch all snuggled up under blankets and bodies and enjoying the read-aloud book with my little darlings.

And cool nights sliding between cotton sheets, seeking out the warm body of my husband to calm my shivers.

Ahhh.  I love Autumn.  For This I Am Thankful.

3 Years Ago

Three years ago today we were On The Road. 

Across Canada.

Everette in the mini-van with 5 children and stuffed to the rims with sleeping bags, blankets, clothes and books.  I was driving the station wagon with the 2.5 month old baby and one of the children (on rotation with one from the van) with all the other space taken up with tools, more books, scrapbooking supplies and more clothes.  One was risking a life or limb to open any of the vehicle doors lest something tumble out.  It was packed incredibly tight. 

And the excitement was incredibly high.

I remember as we drove down our street away from the house where our last 4 children were birthed and one tiny was buried, and we saw our neighbours waving from their front porch, I was choked.  Excitement and fear blended together and quietly they traveled slowly down my cheek.

We'd never been in such an adventure before.

We didn't really comprehend all that we were leaving behind, and neither did we know all that we were moving towards.

But we hit the road.

Minus our eldest 2 daughters.

That was pretty much the hardest part about the journey.  That 'Letting Go' that parents know they will sometime have to do.  But when that moment is staring at you, seemingly ripping your heart out, leaving your heart in BC while your wheels are taking you to Cape Breton, driving through the Fraser Valley crying out "What on earth are we doing?" and wondering if Everette and I are crazy.

Nobody could understand what we were doing.  After all, we weren't really sure what we were doing either.  But we knew in slightly-more-than-a-moment's decision that we must go when we heard that my sister's house had burned down.  We knew in our hearts.  The mind can say what it wants, but when the message is Oh So Clear in your heart, then you know what you need to do.  Follow your heart.

I am so thankful for the journey we have had these past 3 years. 

Today, I remember the beginning of this leg of the journey.  And I am Eternally Grateful. 

Beginning our Travels

Yesterday was a crazy and absolutely wonderful day.  One to remember.

Everette had contacted U-Haul earlier in the week to book a smallish trailer for us to move our stuff back to BC.  Although we've scaled down over the years, with 10 of us "Stuff" still accumulates, and its hard to get it pared right down.  Mind you, to just fit all of our stuff into our van, along with the 2 car seats, 2 junior seats, 10 bodies with accompanying pillows and blankets and backpacks full of clothes, and some books and maps and some activities and food for the trip (gulp) I don't know that it would even be humanly possible to limit it to just the van.  It fills up fast ;)

Anyways, the U-Haul said they would call and let us know where the nearest place would be for us to pick up a trailer on Saturday since they couldn't guarantee one.  Fortunately, Everette called them about 12:20pm Saturday as we still hadn't heard.  Yep, they had one in Port Hastings, about a 30 minute drive away, and they close at.....1pm.  So, he jumped in the van along with Mitch and rushed down to get us a trailer, just in time.  They aren't open on Sundays, so we otherwise would have had to wait until Monday to get one.

The neighbour, Alice, came over for lunch and brought some yummy potato salad and moist Fiddlesticks for dessert.  We were having our last 'Lobster Feast' on the opening day of the lobster season.  We don't usually eat crustaceans, but it was what Everette wanted to do before leaving Cape Breton.  It is such a part of the way of life around here.  On the westcoast lobster would be more 'fine dining', out here it was lobster sandwiches the poor children took in their school lunches when the family couldn't afford to buy luncheon meats!!  And you typically eat lobster with potato salad.  (thanks Alice)

Alice was gone about an hour, when our friend Beatrix arrived, returning a borrowed book.  We visited while I sat down with a sleep Laars in my arms, and she left taking with her some of the boys' toys for her grandchildren that are coming to visit in June.  We had another good visit, and prayer before she left, teary-eyed.

Beatrix was gone about 10 minutes when our friends from up the street (Jennifer with her girls Gracie and Clare) stopped in for a visit.  We are always thrilled when they come over, and the volume crescendo's as the children play with glee.  And if you've ever heard the shrill of Clare....oh my goodness!!!  You'll literally feel your ear drums vibrating.

Jennifer was at the door, just about to leave when our next visitors arrived.  (Joanne should have a revolving door put on!)

Natasha had spent the afternoon with Rauchelle, but HAD to come out to see the rest of the family with her trusty camera in-hand for a scrapbook she's making from a blank Journal book we made and gave her this week.  Darryl came along with Natasha, and we had a delightful but teary & huggy visit.

********************************************************************************

We had more teary eyes this morning, saying 'Goodbye' to Joanne.  She has been such a blessing to us in the past year.....gollly, in the last 2.5 years.  This time spent off & on in Cape Breton has given me a relationship with my sister that I never had before.  The children have had a wonderful opportunity to meet and love an aunty (and an uncle) that separation in a big country didn't facilitate until we came to hang out here.  This time with Joanne & Kevin has been a treasure we're so happy we discovered.   A Gem of Cape Breton.

All packed and raring to go.  6:49am we pulled out of Joanne's driveway. What the salute is for, I don't know.  Our dc do odd & unexpected (& unexplainable) things sometimes.  Just accept it.

One last view of Joanne's house from the street.  Everette just finished the front porch stairs yesterday, and they are big and glorious.  The house looks wonderful.

We crossed the Nova Scotia/ New Brunswick border by 11:15am.
Stopped in Moncton at the grocery store for lunch fixings.

The temperature continues to rise the farther west of Cape Breton we go.  We've traded our socks and sneakers for sandals, and some have put on shorts or skirts.  When we got to Fredericton it said its 28 degrees Celsius out!!  The wind is warm.  We LOVE it!!!!!!

We got snacks for supper and found a parking lot with lots of grass for the dc to run around on.  Then we discovered we were at a Botanical Garden!

So we took a walk thru the neighbouring Odell Park which is the most easterly forest we've encountered that reminded us of those of the west. 

Even the blossoming dogwoods reminded us of beautiful British Columbia.

Anders is searching for the squirrel that is chattering at him.

We got sidetracked from 'the walk'.

Daddy is calling to the boys thru the culvert.

Laars can see Daddy.

Everette offered Mitchell a buck if he were to climb thru the culvert.

He checks it out.

And goes for it.

He did it!!

Followed by all his (present) sisters (except the one behind the camera) but they did it without the cash reward.

Anders gave it a try, but it was a bit intimidating.

We made a short stop at Grand Sault to show the dc the falls and get a potty break.

Tonight we are staying in Edmundston, New Brunswick.  Swimming late in the swimming pool as it will be closed in the morning for painting the floor.  We can sleep in and have a lazier day tomorrow as our goal is to arrive in and see Quebec City, particular Old Town.  We are excited.

Our Weekend Visitor

We actually had a visitor for the weekend.  All the way from British Columbia. And if you know anything about Canada, It's Really Big!

A shooting coach of Rauchelle's was in Halifax for 3 weeks of special training for his job and was able to come up for Saturday and Sunday, so we made it on his 'Must See' list.  We are so honored, Pat.

It's a good thing Pat came out now, because we're rolling out on Friday.  Countdown!

Blustery Wintery Sunday

Focused on the Tree.

Focused on the crystals.



This is what it looked like today. Wet and freezing with a strong blustery wind. You can see the icicles don't form hanging straight down.


I'm glad to be able to stay hunkered down today, and send Everette out in the snow to get Rauchelle to work! What an awesome man he is.

I don't do SNOW! I stay home.



The children went out in it of course, and returned as if they had been in a rain storm, looking like drowned rats. This is more like western Canada snow. This is when we hope for colder weather so the snow and our children stay drier, but they can spend hours upon hours out there to their hearts delight.


Another beautiful Cape Breton sunset, although cold. Supposed to be down to -8C tonight. Brrr! I'm missing Arizona!



Question for You: What is your favorite thing to photograph?