Under the sugar maple

The past week was a busy one and there’s lots to share. My husband and I only made it to the boardwalk twice last week. The bitter cold and high winds made it too cold for extended time outside so the treadmill and the stationary bike had to suffice. 

We lost the power for 2 1/2 hours on a particularly cold day as I shared last week. There was a problem at the sub-station which serves Summerside and the western portion of Prince Edward Island. The issue is not yet repaired and we have lived with the threat of rolling blackouts if islanders could not conserve power. The blackouts haven’t been necessary as of yet. The hope is the sub-station will be back in service soon. 

One sunny day we drove to Cape Egmont, just west of Summerside in the Evangeline region of the province. It was good to be out and about though the side roads weren’t in great shape. We didn’t have snow shoes with us so we couldn’t visit the sea stack which usually draws us to the area. We could see the lighthouse from the nearby wharf however.

The photo below shows the wharf area as we see it from the lighthouse every summer.

On this occasion however, we were at wharf level where the wharf is heavily laden with pans of ice. 

This ice was thrown up by the high seas before the ice froze solid along the shoreline of the Northumberland Strait.

Some of the pieces are quite big and one can imagine the damage to the wharf under that weight. 

We also noticed undulatus clouds overhead. 

These wave clouds which we haven’t seen in recent memory, are formed when air is forced upwards and cools. 

They added another element to the photos. Nature puts on incredible shows if we but take the time to notice.

Daisy, our daughter’s golden retriever was home on her blanket on the couch one night recently while the television was on. A program about wolves came on and Daisy left the couch for the ottoman in front of the tv and gave it her full attention for the duration of the program. She likes nature programs as much as her humans do.

Finally, there is a movement in this country to buy Canadian rather than imported goods from the U.S. This is in response to the threat of tariffs which are looming early next month. I have done some research and have discovered the difference between Product of Canada and Made in Canada labels on products. We support this movement and are buying local as much as possible. We will buy products from other countries, such as Mexico, too.

Furthermore, there are a number of Canadians who are cancelling their vacations to the U.S. this year. Some who own vacation homes in the U.S. are planning to sell them as well.

Our national anthem says, “True patriot love in all of us command.” In my lifetime, I have never seen such expressions of patriotism from Canadians. Besides, doing something feels better than just waiting for the worst to happen. 

A warm sunny day and an eagle update

We had a few windy and rainy days this past week which kept us inside but our weather has been lovely the last few days. On Saturday, we decided to go to the head of the bay to see if the Bald Eagles were in residence. 

Along the way, we stopped at a section of the boardwalk near the marina to walk by the bay. This  area still has ice as does the protected water of the marina. 

By April, boats will start to fill the marina for another season.

Along the way, the Indian Point Lighthouse is visible in the distance and at first glance, looks like an addition to the wharf.

There are piles of snow yet to melt in this area but people were out enjoying the setting on the beautiful blue sky day, oblivious to the snow nearby.

In this section of boardwalk, you pass the shed of the sailing school and a boat is part of the Package Deal.

Meanwhile, the Bald Eagles at the head of the bay were in the top of the tree where I had seen one perched previously. 

Both were alert, in close proximity to their nest. I wonder how long before we see eaglets over the top of the nest?

On the bay, a small flock of Canada Geese stayed together near the shoreline. The geese looked to be enjoying the day as much as we were.

We may head further from home if the weather stays mild next week.

By the sea

It sits at the mouth of the Westmoreland River in the south central area of Prince Edward Island. Victoria by the Sea is a working fishing village and popular tourist area which is quiet this time of year when visitors are back home and fishing season is over.

We visited Victoria recently on a lovely 4 Celsius day, when the sun was intermittent and the wind was calm. The latter is unusual this past month when wind gusts have made most outside activity difficult. My husband and I decided to make the most of this rare weather day.

The wharf in the village is home to two restaurants which are closed in the off-season.

However it is busy around them during the fishing season as the boat launch is nearby.

Colourful fishing shacks would brighten any scene. Boats are refuelled near the wharf and the catch is unloaded via hoists.

On the wharf itself two floating docks have found a home for the winter.

Ice would destroy anything left in the water over the next several months. The mussels attached to the docks are high and dry. 

Not far from the water, one of the local boats is grounded for the winter too. Others have been taken farther afield.

The lighthouse has a museum which is open during the tourist season. 

Beautiful historic homes line the streets.

Near the water now, a park, behind revetments, 

replaces an old retaining wall destroyed over time by the wave action. The photo below, taken in 2017, shows the area at low tide. 

 

Notice the headland on the right. Now there is a new home in that area. 

I wonder what it is like in that house during winter storms or tropical depressions?

We hope to return to this charming village during the winter freeze-up.

A visit to the Cape

It was hot with the usual Prince Edward Island breeze making the temperature bearable. My husband and I drove along the French shore of the island, just west of Summerside, with the windows open, the breeze flowing through the car as we enjoyed the sea view. We were headed to Cape Egmont.

The Cape is a headland jutting into the Northumberland Strait and just off-shore, attached to the shoreline via a stoney umbilical cord,

a sea stack is visible below the cliff. The red sandstone in this area has a thick layer of soil above which is easily eroded. 

The stone takes a bit longer.

The sea stack has two holes these days, a larger one on the landward side. 

Above is a great perch for birds, especially cormorants on this particular day. One with damaged feathers makes a curious sight as it approaches for a landing. 

Some on the perch dry normal looking wings in the breeze.

Walking along the headland, one can look east along the coastline as far as Union Corner. 

Looking west, there is my husband on the narrow strip of land opposite the sea stack taking photos.

I could not stand in that narrow place myself and cannot watch my husband there. Instead I focus on the lighthouse and beyond, 

the wharf where lobster boats leave today as the second lobster season begins on the island.

Off-shore, jet skis or sea-doos zip along the coastline. They always remind me of snowmobiles, a common sight in winter in Canada. These summer versions don’t require as much clothing.

Leaving the Cape, we saw a hare crossing the road. I had to settle for a photo through the car window.

On that hot Sunday afternoon, on the way home we stopped for ice cream at a dairy bar in the area. A horse watched from its trailer as the driver lined up to order. The horse wants some too!

P. S.

Bloggers, 

Are blogs you once followed not appearing on your blog feed any longer though you haven’t made any changes and those blogs are still active? Is there a fix for it?

Fun at Covehead

One of our outings recently included a visit to the National Park on the central portion of Prince Edward Island with our daughter and grandchildren. Our destination for the day was Covehead 

but we started with a picnic at the Babbling Brook and FarmLands trailhead where my husband and I have had wonderful picnics in all seasons. 

The area looks quite different from three months ago when skeleton trees harboured birds busy consuming what was left of the sumac berries.

Following lunch, we went to the wharf at Covehead, where the lobster boats are tied up for another season. 

However the wharf is still busy as swimmers flock to the area to jump off the wharf into the inlet.

There is a bridge at Covehead which was the original location for the jumpers in the area.

Young and old alike jumped from the bridge, checking to avoid boats going to or returning from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. New fortifications on the bridge 

have made jumping there more difficult so the majority of jumpers now leap or dive from the wharf.

Our daughter and granddaughters were eager to join the fun that day. The girls jumped numerous times from the wharf, 

while our daughter jumped several times. My husband and I were happy to watch them.

Our grandson isn’t ready for jumping yet. Instead he went for a swim and joined the girls and his mother as they floated past in the strong current that takes people under the bridge and into the Gulf if you stay in the water. 

Most swimmers leave the water earlier though to jump again.

It was windy that day and gulls nearby stood into the wind. 

I wondered if they, like us, felt sand blasted as they stood their watch. Meanwhile a lone cormorant floated around in the water, fished occasionally or floated along with the current farther from shore but parallel to the swimmers. 

He dives from the surface of the water and doesn’t mind sharing the channel with these fine weather friends.

Note:

I used several photos I had taken on previous visits to Covehead.