Island spring

One of the many things I love about Prince Edward Island is how the land and the sea are entwined in the lives of the people. While the sea separates us from others, it is a focus of life here as it provides food and a source of income as islanders harvest the sea in a sustainable way. The sea also lures us to its shores to play on the beaches and in the waters which lap the shore.

On this island, farmers’ fields drop into the sea as the rich red soil supports agriculture. 

Animals are part of that life too including cattle, dairy cows, horses, sheep, pigs, chicken and others. The land has supported farming for centuries as the original settlers cleared the land and planted vegetables and raised animals. Today, potatoes are the largest crop.

This connection of land and sea was evident last week when my husband and I stopped at Seacow Pond on the north coast of the island. The lobster fishery which normally begins at the end of April has been postponed until May 15th. There is concern for the safety of crews and their ability to social distance. Also, the markets are gone since restaurants aren’t open though that will change over the next few months.

Fishers are preparing for the start of the fishery and traps are ready to be loaded aboard the boats, the colourful marker buoys ready for their sentinel duty with the lobster traps.

As we looked over boats at Seacow Pond, just over our shoulders two horses walked around a pasture which will soon turn green. 

In the distance fields will be ploughed for another crop in rotation.

Island life embraces spring in spite of the pandemic.

Lucy’s garden

The grey of early spring has yet to turn to the new green of late spring, one of my favourite times of year. However, my friend Lucy’s garden has erupted with spring colour as the bulbs have pushed through the iron rich soil even though snow still lingers in the shade of the trees.

A riot of colours is close to the ground as the plants are miniature, selected for their early appearance after the snow is gone. They are interspersed among the flowers beds which bloom in three seasons. The colours lift the spirit and make me smile as I walk around the yard.

Miniature red Tulips push up through the grasses 

and spread their petals in a showy display which the insects love. The blooms are full of bees which are enjoying the early pollen and nectar from an otherwise bland countryside. 

The Irises are miniature versions of those we enjoy later in the year. The blue and purple are such an interesting contrast and the pattern of yellow black and white on the petals is striking.

The Puschkinia with their six white petals and blue veins is a favourite.

The delicate centre has a hint of yellow. This is a small plant and it draws you down to its level For observation. Its beauty is in the details.

Purples, yellows and even the white against the red soil and catch the eye.

Meanwhile at the front of the house, the bird feeders attract American Goldfinches, especially males though one female dropped by as well.

Later in the afternoon, a flock of noisy Common Grackles picked up seed from below the feeders and entertained us in their glossy-iridescence.

The sculptures at the back of the property illustrate how materials can be reused. 

I love how nature continues to act on them. 

The old farm equipment is a reminder of how the land was farmed in the shadow of industrial farming today.

Her garden is a place of peace and beauty. It reflects the hours of devotion and hard work Lucy has given it. 

P.S.

Restrictions due to the Covid Pandemic eased again last Friday and we could see our daughter and grandkids for Mother’s Day. It was a great reunion and celebration!

North Cape

On our recent visit to Tignish Shore, we continued several kilometres northwest to North Cape, the north western tip of Prince Edward Island where we haven’t been for a few years. A trail there runs along the coastline with vegetation which survives the icy salt sea spray. Since we had already walked the beach, we decided to have our picnic near the trail to enjoy the setting. We’ll visit again to walk the trail.

There is a wind farm at North Cape and we could hear the turbines as we set up for our first picnic for the year. The wind was cold however so we used the car as a windbreak. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch and a cup of tea has never tasted so good for flavour and warmth.

I like to live in the moment but having lived in freedom our entire lives, it was easy to take for granted our ability to experience those moments when and where we wish. The immense pleasure of a picnic in a place of our choosing has a whole new level of appreciation. This and so much more can be taken away by an invisible enemy with just one breath. 

Adventures with Georgie

When our daughter is working night shifts, we take the golden grand-dog, Georgie, for a few days. She loves any walk but especially those on the boardwalk where there are lots of dogs and other animals. 

Every morning after breakfast she begins her “Let’s go for a walk,” behaviour. The silent stand and stare at my husband and I are the hardest to ignore. We would feel guilty if we didn’t take her. When we say, “Let’s go for a walk,” the dog does a little dance with her front paws. 

Georgie especially enjoys the squirrels and chipmunks. She stands firmly to watch them with a look of intense interest, head lowered. It is not easy to take her away from them.

During a recent squirrel encounter, the little rodent teased Georgie. It was high in a tree but came down to the base of the tree and approached her.

                           Can you see the squirrel coming down the tree?

When Georgie pulled on the lead to move towards it,

the squirrel scurried up the tree and sat on a twig to look down at the dog again. It repeated the behaviour a second time. 

The squirrel appeared to understand the dog could not reach it and didn’t mind approaching. You could almost hear the furry little critter saying, “Na-na, na, na-na. You can’t catch me,” as it looked down from on high.

The world would be a sadder, lonelier place without animals.

Question and answer:

Boud at https://fieldfen.blogspot.com/ and 

Perth Daily Photo at http://perthdailyphoto.blogspot.com/

asked about the red sandy beach in the last post titled Relief.

The soil and sandstone on Prince Edward Island are rich in iron. Exposure to air results in oxidation, creating the red coloured iron oxide or rust.

There are some beaches on the island where the iron oxide is washed away by the wave action in that area. One such example is the beach at Greenwich, Prince Edward Island, part of the National Park.

Relief

On May 1st, the province of Prince Edward Island eased some of the restrictions on residents regarding Covid 19 isolation. Up to that time, we had 27 cases of the viral disease, all related to travel, without any hospitalizations or deaths. We have been fortunate thus far.

Although we still cannot be around our daughter and the grandkids, we can go for a drive, a hike and take photos. My husband and I include a picnic of course. Social distancing is a continued part of life and isn’t a problem in the areas we visit.

On Friday, the first day we could spread our wings, we went west of home with Georgie, the golden grand-dog, to visit Tignish Shore.  The cold northeasterly wind made our winter clothing essential. However, it would have taken more than cold to keep us home that day. The excursion was a glimpse of the life we enjoyed prior to the pandemic and it felt so good in spite of the cold. It doesn’t take long to miss one’s freedom.

There were two walkers on the beach and a few sea gulls floated on the air currents above us. The beach was surprisingly clean after the winter, its red sand stretching before us as the icy water splashed ashore. As we often do, we allowed Georgie to run between us. 

In typical Georgie fashion, she took a dip in the waves along the way after which she rolled in the sand. That dog loves to be messy and she made us filthy too as she shook off the sand and water when she returned to us.

We roared with laughter. After seven weeks of Covid precautions, Georgie provided great stress relief and an interesting beginning to the next part of our pandemic experience.

Animal antics

The animal residents of the boardwalk provide lots of entertainment as we walk there every day. On a recent windy day a bird feeder containing sunflower seeds hung from a branch swaying in the breeze.

The squirrel stretched down from a nearby branch and grasped the feeder as it swayed in the wind.

It held onto the upper branch with its hind paws as it scooped up as many seeds as it could handle. 

Drawing itself back onto the the upper branch, it sat and nibbled the seeds, then repeated the acrobatics for more. 

In spite of tremendous, the little animal persevered. I admire its determination.

P.S.

I live on the east coast of Canada, on Prince Edward Island. Prior to my life here, I lived on the eastern most island of Canada, an island in the North Atlantic called Newfoundland. I am an islander in every sense.

Along the way 2

During the Covid 19 pandemic, my husband and I take the same walk any day the weather permits. We are never bored because there are new animal visitors, environmental changes or walkers bring something new to the area. It is never boring.

If one is observant, even the smallest woolly bear doesn’t escape attention. This one was active the last week of April while there is snow on the ground in places. We were surprised to see it when temperatures still drop below freezing. 

This feeder has been in place for the last year but we don’t recall seeing this motorcycle until recently.

We expect to see one of the squirrels or chipmunks riding it one of these days.

Recently someone piled these rocks, reminiscent of an Inukshuk, an Inuit stone pile to signify human form. While this formation doesn’t look like a traditional Inukshuk, from a distance it catches one’s eye briefly as a figure of a child.

Last month, someone drew a chalk face on one of the trees along the boardwalk. 

The question mark is intriguing. What is it questioning? The drawing has survived the last month in all weather. I’d like to know more about it.

At the end of the boardwalk the natural piece of art always catches my eye.

I love its stark presence on the edge of the shoreline, something to hold on to against the elements. It is a great example of how good roots keep us secure.

One day a fellow walker parked her AMC Rebel in the parking lot. 

It was an curious addition to the modern vehicles present there, harkening back to the days of our youth.

There is always something new or old to see along the boardwalk.