If it's Saturday this must be LaHave ...

Some friends who were touring the Maritimes contacted me recently to say they'd be in the Bridgewater area on Saturday and could we get together ?   

I don't know that area well so contacted a friend who lives in the area for suggestions about places to meet and go.

She suggested that I meet my friends at the LaHave Bakery and then head to a nearby beach.

So after meeting up at the Bakery we drove 15 minutes down the road to Cherry Hill Beach.  

Even though it was a weekend and the weather mild we only encountered 6 or 7 other people on the beach and most of them we paddle boarders.

We strolled down the beach while Wendy chased the ball and Sooki did "zooomies' along the shore.

It's wonderful how works of art pop up every where I go.

Betty and her grand daughter. 

After a few hours of walking the glorious beach we popped back in the car to head back to the LaHave Bakery for lunch.  On the way I got drawn down a road called "Wharf Road".  Do you know how many "Wharf Roads" there are in Nova Scotia ?   I wish I could drive down each and every one of them because I'm never disappointed.

We peeked into this place as the door stood open.  Sadly, attached to the door was a "stop work order" dated last June.  And now it seems to have been abandoned.

Just up a short path from this road we found another cove with old fishing huts.

From here we finally made our way back to the Bakery for a delicious lunch out on the deck.

The hand-painted sink in the bathroom.  The red building is the bakery. 

 Lots of freshly baked goods and a marvellous atmosphere.

This lovely old dory was pulled up next to the dock where we had lunch.

We made a little sign to send greetings back to an old friend back in Peterborough.

We watched as this sailboat heeled over ever farther.

After that all-too-brief visit I mid my friends "safe travels" as they hit the road to continue their adventure.   So glad they looked me up and I got to explore a couple of new places.

A drive, a hike, a walk and a visit.

When Sandy comes we're always looking for new places to explore.  Since I'd never been to Graves Island on the south shore, so  we headed there.  In Summer it's a very busy campground.

On this particular day we had the entire island to ourselves.

Back on the road I just had to pull over for a shot of this abandoned antiques store.

And of course I just had to peer in through the window ...

And it was just a short drive down the road to Chester where our favourite TV show "Haven" used to be filmed.  This huge house was featured in one episode.

This one wasn't.

One day we took the dogs for a walk at Shubie.

On Friday, after choir, I took her to see our new public library.

It's a stunningly imaginative and beautiful building.  It's designed to look like stacked books.

The fifth floor hangs out over the street and affords a lovely view of the city from the Citadel to the harbour.

Looking down Spring Garden Road toward the harbour.

Inside the building is bright and airy.

From outside the windows appear to be covered in leaf patterns. Up close you realize that the "leaves" are formed by letters.

The purpose of the "leaves" is to stop bird strikes against the windows and also to create shade by regulating the internal temperature of the building.

Definitely worth a visit.  

Ask Sandy.

She'll back me up.

If she knows what's good for her.

What ? Sandy AGAIN ?

As I may have mentioned in the past, you know someone is a true friend when they visit you in Nova Scotia in FEBRUARY !

My good chum Sandy just did that.  AGAIN.

Though we did have a couple of cold days the weather really was rather unseasonable. Not once did we have to worry about snowy roads.

Though I must confess that the day I dragged her up Oland Hill it was BITTER cold.

So after our walk we treated ourselves to a yummy lunch at the Heron Restaurant and Tea Room at MacDonald House.

Sandy had the Chowder ...

We watched the waves rolling in on the beach below while we ate,

and planned what we'd do the next day.

What I did on my Summer vacation part II

While Carol and Don were here we did something I'd never done before: we visited a winery.

We went to Luckett Vineyard which is located near the Bay of Fundy 

The symbol on of the wine label is a red British phone box.  

It's quite delightful that the owners have plunked a working red phone box in the middle of one of the vineyards.  And more delightful still is the fact that you can call anywhere in North America FREE from that phone booth.

The phone box with the well-known cliff of Blomidon in the far distance.

Lots of visitors come to use the phone and have their photo taken in the vineyard.

Me, Carol and Don.  Who did you call Carol ?

Of course I took Carol and Don to the Tangled Garden.  I love the place and at $3 a head it's one of the best deals in Nova Scotia.

Don and Carol.

Unfortunately the day we went on the "Harbour Hopper" the weather sucked.  The "Harbour Hopper" is an amphibious vehicle that takes you on a tour of downtown Halifax and then trundles down a ramp and tours you around the harbour itself.

Didn't notice the smeary water on the lens.

Because it pissed down rain they had to put the plastic covering over much of the vehicle making visibility pretty poor.  

Luckily, our tour guide kept up a very funny, informative patter that kept us all entertained.

Odd place for a golf hole.  I "think" it was there as part of a fund raiser for something or other.

And since they visited in June, the lovely Lupins were out.