Exploring Nova Scotia: Lawrencetown Beach and Cold Water Surfing

Andrew and I have often wondered how similarly aged friends, in similar (or worse) financial situations, can afford to "Go Down South" every year on vacations. Who has that kind of disposable income?

The Answer we have decided upon: No one. It's all credit card debt and not the smartest spending habits. Although this made us feel better, it didn't get rid of the travel bug.

That said, I've never really been a fan of travelling to a tourist, inauthentic resort to lounge on a beach for week while the citizens of the country I was visiting lounge in poverty, violence or under a dictatorship (Canadians get to travel to Cuba, since we don't care about communism...).

I'd like to be able to say I have visited my own country, my own province- since Canada is more than a bunch of snow (and people saying "eh"). Although right now we do have our fair share of snow....

In any case- last weekend we visited a relatively undiscovered beach: Lawrencetown Beach. It was gorgeous and by far my favourite Haligonian (and arguably Nova Scotian) beach. It's all smooth round rocky beaches with huge, powerful waves and raw unbridled Atlantic ocean. The beach is often quiet over the winter months, with only locals and hardcore cold water surfers.

Yep. Nova Scotia, specifically Lawrencetown Beach is the Mecca for cold water surfing. Surfers come from all over the world to discover the waves (and point breaks) around HRM. Surf boards and nondescript surfers can be seen all over the city. (Check out this fantastic video, ignore that it is by Red Bull, on Nova Scotia surfing...)

(Taken by Kevin R)

 (Taken by Kevin R)

(Two tiny dots just left of the outcrop in the water are the two surfers braving the cold water)

End of Summer and Life Changes (and a horse mask)

Why hello September. Although I've been looking forward to the past week of vacation, it still feels like September, and the end of the traditional 'summer' has arrived too quickly.

(This happened a lot... skip-bo, bidwhist and asshole card games with our two best buds, including some alcohol and finishing with horse mask ridiculousness...)

After 5 days in a secluded cottage with minimal cell reception, getting back to the busy city is almost too overwhelming. There are just so many STUDENTS and PEOPLE and ANGRY NOISES. I love the convenience of the city, but as the years go on I have realized that it just makes me so tired.

Which leads into the latest updates on the Mrs and Mr EcoYogi lives:

1. I have a full time permanent job!!!! After applying for another temporary part time successfully, starting that caseload, and then successfully applying for a PERMANENT part time position, it has been a bit of a gong show juggling scheduling and explaining to disappointed parents that in fact, another wait must occur. That said, my new job will be with a new caseload, Autism, (while I still keep my French caseload!). I am so relieved to return to a full time income at permanent status.

2. Andrew has finished his Bachelor of Commerce, major in Accounting, degree!!! After two years of consecutive university (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Spring, Summer) he is FINALLY done his second undergrad degree (who knew that a degree in Soc really gives you nothing?). We may have made a bonfire to burn, one by one, his course notes while toasting to his new freedom. He'll be looking for his 'forever' career job and we can finally take the next step in our grown up lives to....

3. Build our EcoHome!!! WEE! We can finally start planning of plots of land, solar and wind positioning, investigating eco contractors and resource vintage and reused materials. It's really going to be essential to find a contractor that truly understands our vision for a sustainable home, so any suggestions or recommendations for resources will be invaluable and truly appreciated!

4. Begin the planning for an eventual 'Little Bean'... this is a very private part of our lives, so I'll just say that this is beginning stages of potential planning- we are NOT trying. But it's exciting to finally be able to move in this direction.

As this year is coming to a close (Pagan new year is generally Halloween, or Samhain), I'm feeling a need to renew my spiritual and yoga commitments. Especially with all the new changes in my career, the instability and uncertainty with our life paths (however exciting), that I would benefit from some more focused, mindful spiritual meditation, as well a more regular yoga practice.

Do you have any updates or changes in your life? Does September offer the opportunity for a new adventure, a renewed sense of purpose and beginnings? I'd love to hear it!

Why Your Next Vacation Needs to be Cape Breton (photos!)

Yesterday Andrew and I just got back from a whirlwind romantic getaway to....

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

(Seriously, the best stout- Big Spruce Brewing which is a Cape Breton Brewery. This stout tasted like yummy delicious goodness with just a *hint* of chocolate. Perfection. As you can see by my expression I was very happy. We were at the Governor's Pub in Sydney)

I honestly have no idea why more people don't choose the Cabot Trail and various stops in Cape Breton as their #1 choice for a vacation. It's gorgeous.

We tried to keep the wastefulness to a minimum and what is interesting to note is that the regular 'hotel' we first stayed had things like composting, recycling bins, reusing towel policies and overt messages on reusing and recycling throughout the hotel. Whereas the pricey, fancy resort hotel had zero composting, minimal recycling, a wasteful nespresso (which I admit we used since it was free... and it tasted nasty- confirmed my dislike for all things 'Keurig') and heated bathroom floor.

What is a bit cray cray is that we're leaving tomorrow for a five day stay at my parent's cottage on a lake with minimal internet and cell reception. I cannot wait, even though I am exhausted. From one end of the province to the other (despite the deceptively small size of the province, it is about 8-10hours to drive from one end of Nova Scotia to the other...).

(Our first stop was at a little church on the Bras d'Or lake that I had discovered on my last trip to Sydney in the winter. It has the perfect view of the lake)

(Bras d'Or lake at Irish Cove. The water is brackish as it connects with the ocean... and it was WARM!)

I also made Andrew stop at Rita's Tea Room where it's basically a shrine to Rita MacNeil (who passed recently). I thought it was neat that they had her wardrobe trunks!

This was a low section of the highlands where you just start to get the impression of the furry mountains... breathtaking really.

This doesn't even begin to really show just how high up we were and the ridiculous rolling views of the highlands. Andrew was mesmerized. What is crazy is that there are little villages smattered all along the Cabot Trail... it blows my mind that people actually get to LIVE THERE.

On the other side of the Cabot Trail we stopped to do to the Skyline hiking trail. A National Parks lady was there with wildlife display. Andrew and I practiced lifting a "small" moose antler to show how strong we are.

UGH I AM STRONG!
(ps, Moose shed their antlers naturally every year, so no moose were harmed in this photo)

The view from the skyline trail... on the left would be towards Chéticamp. Ridiculous.

Tree! my one bit of yoga for the weekend

(The view from the top of the skyline)

On our way back from the boardwalk along the trail we actually saw TWO moose! They were young, and one was obviously male (from dangling bits) and not afraid of us at all. 

The view from our second, more pricey hotel balcony in Inverness. Behind us were the rolling foothills of the Cape Breton highlands.

Espresso Tasting: Craft Coffee Roaster North Mountain (Hyper Eco & Local)

This morning, after we completed week 3 of couch to 5k, Andrew and I went to a (free) espresso tasting. Yes, espresso tasting- like wine tasting only with espresso. And actually, no, it wasn't as pretentious as you might think!

 (Yummy espresso waiting to be tasted!)

Hosted by Smiling Goat Espresso (my favourite coffee place in the city) and featuring a small craft coffee roaster: North Mountain Coffee, it was fun, entertaining and surprisingly extremely interesting.

Small craft coffee roasters are becoming increasingly popular in Canada and (unexpectedly) in Nova Scotia. As consumers are becoming hyper 'local' sensitized and wanting highly authentic experiences, the demand is enough to support smaller craft roasters. Despite the 'hipster' quotient, craft roasters often means that you are directly supporting a local business, usually assured shipping, processing and energy costs (and pollution) are low and said roaster likely practices Direct Trade (arguably even better than fair trade).

(The beautiful espresso tasting card and colourful flavour wheel!)

To be honest, Andrew and I approached this event with our fair share of trepidation. We had no idea what an 'espresso tasting' would look like. We managed to snag a few seats and were excited when we were handed beautifully printed 'Espresso Tasting' forms for feedback along with a Flavour Wheel.

(Austin Anderson, owner, being a good sport with my impromptu "Can I take your picture for my blog??" request :) )

Austin Anderson, the owner of North Mountain Coffee, began the tasting by giving a brief and interesting account of espresso's history. I learned that espresso's life started as a cheaper and faster alternative to coffee and it wasn't until Starbucks decided to price it as a specialty item that our culture shifted to expect espresso to cost more. He was approachable, well spoken and extremely down to earth. His passion for all things coffee was apparent with every word and it was obvious that he definitely walked the talk of directly connecting with the farmers.

Since I have never actually drank espresso (beyond a sip of Andrew's once) I was a little nervous about writing down my thoughts on the tasting card. Thankfully, Austin made it clear that the tasting was to share experiences, thoughts and develop our ability to perceive and analyze what we like about different flavours of espresso. So, there are no wrong 'tastes'. (phew!)

(Andrew, absorbing the smell before taking his first sip- serious business!)

Each espresso was brought out without a description to encourage a more personal experience. Guests were encouraged to chat about what they tasted, jot down notes and thoughts. Following each sample, Austin asked each group to share what they thought about the flavour profiles, the look and feel of the espresso, the smell and even the finish (just like wine!). Austin easily made each person's comments feel welcome and valid, which isn't easy with a group of strangers.

(Tasting my first espresso- unbeknownst to me at the time: the Ruli)

It was so neat to have to articulate not only what I liked and didn't like about the four espressos, but to hear my thoughts reflected in others, or even to hear completely different reactions to the same espresso.

What really surprised me, was that espresso can have so many different flavours, roasting styles and processing methods. It was fun to find out that typically smaller craft roasters tend to roast lighter and often from single origin farms.

Our favourites were:

• Ruli (Gorilla) From Rwanda- where the farmers of these beans get around 6x more for their beans directly from roasters than 10 years ago. Taste: not at all what I think of as traditionally 'espresso'; bright and fruity but still rich feeling and delicious. These farmers recently won awards for their sustainable agriculture as well.
• Yirgacheffé (Lion) From Ethiopia- where Austin shared that the coffee trees actually grow naturally and are the most authentic area for 'wild' coffee beans; the trees are organic and heirloom varieties! Taste: rich, dark and malt-y (from a single wash process) and made us think of a really great dark stout beer.

(our card with all my notes and ratings and BOTH coffees!)

Unexpectedly, not only did we get the entire experience for free, but Austin gifted each guest with substantial free samples of North Mountain coffee! AND because Andrew and I liked two kinds, he gave us both!

Where can you buy North Mountain Coffee? Here's a list!

• Smiling Goat (Halifax)
• Steve-o-renos (Halifax)
• Local Source (Halifax)
• Kate's Pantry (Berwick)
• Union Street Cafe (Berwick)
• Designer Cafe (Kentville)
• Paper Pleasures Coffee Shop (Greenwich)
• Kiwi Cafe (Chester)
• Mateus Bistro (Mahone Bay)

You can explore North Mountain's facebook page OR contact them directly!

GPB: Sugar Shack Taffy: Lessons to be Learned from Rural Living

I'm home in my tiny childhood village in rural Nova Scotia this weekend and had the chance to visit 'The Sugar Shack': a local maple syrup event held by a neighbouring fisherman and his family. It was definitely a reminder of the lessons rural living can teach the urban dwellers on the value and importance of community.

Last night, as I gazed up at the stars that looked close and bright enough to reach up and touch, breathing in the fresh, clean air and hearing only the sounds of the ocean and wind I realized that I was tired of urban living.

Despite the reduced cost from transportation, proximity of the farmer's market, and nearness of all fun and exciting things, I am a believer that rural living fosters more interdependance and community. Which is really what we are missing in our continued disconnect and disrespect of our planet.

Go check out the Green Phone Booth for a more details on the Sugar Shack and some fantastic photos!

Our Lady Guadalupe and Rabbit Tracks

A day of driving- my yearly visit to Cape Breton 'pour les enfants francophones'- and it was such a gorgeous day. Why more people don't visit Cape Breton I have no idea. I just wanted to gush, to myself, at every little peak into rural Nova Scotian goodness. Obviously the city is eating away at me.

(tiny little 'lapin' (rabbit) tracks were all that marred the snow surrounding the church)

In Johnstown I spotted the most beautiful little church on top of a hill overlooking the vast Bras d'Or lakes (literally translated from French as 'Golden Arm'). In order to share the beauty with you, my lovely blog peeps, I braved the (pure ice) driveway only to discover it was even more magical than I first thought.

(Guadalupe Chapel, Johnstown CB)

This little church has a shrine to 'Our Lady Guadalupe' enveloped in the pristine white snow with a clear view of the frozen lakes. All I could hear was the wind and the 'ocean'esque sounds of the lake. A priest from  the parish had visited Mexico and immediately fell in love with the local fascination and worship of 'Our Lady Guadalupe'. After commissioning a fresco made in Mexico, the shrine was built and dedicated in Cape Breton in 1963.

(I love the colours and the rose!)

It's like a little bit of Mexico surrounded by snow...

Mini Snow Streets: Nostalgia

Stomping around in the snow friggin' rocks.

I love the squishy, slide-y, crunchy feeling of the snow beneath my boots. The snow softly falling in big lazy flakes. The wind howling the tiny itty bitty snow flakes at my face.

(Skating at the oval- free outdoor skating! although not as fabulous as the lake- and extremely crowded- I would take skating outside on the oval over in the rink any day! Photo taken by the fabulous Steph of Love and Anchor- wedding cinematography and photography. Shared w permission)

I've always loved the cold Canadian winters and every city I've lived in gets snow.

Growing up one of my favourite things was to be towed behind the four wheeler in our GT snowracers. Or to grab hold onto the fourwheeler on the lake and be towed with our skates on (we ruined a few four wheeler seats with the blades of our skates this way... dad was NOT very happy).

(My brother towing his step-son on the GT Snowracer this winter)

Tip: place an old pillow in your skidoosuit bottom so that your bum stays cushy while four wheeling.

It's been a few winters since I've been able to get to my parents cottage for some winter time- ya know, jumping in the snow, skating on the lake, making home made ice cream and playing bid whist with friends. Or crokinole.

(the urban snow pedestrian streets in Halifax today)

Today, while out in the post storm weather, I was reminded of skating on the lake. The sidewalks are all plowed in these little miniature snow paths. The sides perfectly cut into mini pedestrian snow streets.

(My brother plowing a rink in front of our cottage this winter- taken by his lovely partner- Jade Malone of Sweet Simplicity photography. Photo shared w permission)

When we were little we used to take a shovel and 'plow' our own little mini ice streets on the lake off the main 'rink' dad had plowed with the four wheeler. These little 'streets' that we could skate through wound around on the lake, ending in large circular 'houses' and rooms. Each kid had their own that we'd be busy visiting, making snow seats to chill in between re-plowing the ice paths. (there were 7 cottages in our part of the lake of kids all our age).

I need to get my mom to send up my skidoo pants... 

GPB: Being a Tourist in Your Own Town is Cool!

Instead of travelling down south this year and creating more carbon emissions and spending money, how about considering being a tourist in your own town?

Come check out my post at the Green Phone Booth, complete with fantastical autumn photos, on my trip to the Annapolis Valley last weekend!

GPB: Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia

For all you future Canada-bound tourists, (or simply photo-lovers), Andrew and I visited a well kept local gem and took some pictures... Here are a coupe of extras... there are more!

Come on over to the Green Phone Booth to have a peak!

Eco Soap Carrier and Travelling in Nova Scotia!

Check out my post on how to make an "Eco Soap Carrier" sans plastic at the Green Phone Booth!

And to take you there here are a few pictures of my work travels over the past two weeks:

A map of Nova Scotia, Canada. From Halifax, last week I drove to Isle Madame (which has Arichat and Petit de Grat) then Sydney. This week I drove from Halifax to Greenwood, Clare and then Argyle.

 All Acadian Regions have these special bilingual exit signs with the Acadian Flag :)

Arichat on Isle Madame truly has beautiful beaches

Still on Isle Madame, Petit De Grat has the cutest sign! Acadian colours and the star!

Me at the Governors Pub in Sydney, Cape Breton. The best draught and local music!

 Sydney's Opera House with their giant violon. It's right on the harbour.

The view from my hotel in Clare. This is the ocean at low tide- at high tide the ocean covers the entire shore. Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy has some of the world's largest tides.

A very south western Nova Scotia Acadian dish- Rappie Pie (or La rapure). In Clare it's kinda runny, I prefer Pubnico's version (but then it's what I grew up with). Finely grated potatoes, chicken (or wild game) baked in the oven. In Par-en-bas we put molasses on it too. Yum!

article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com

What can happen sans internet

A weekend without cell phone service or internet looks like:

Our beautiful getaway for the weekend. My parents built this cottage over 25 years . All the woodwork you see (including the barrel coffee table, the window coverings, the stairs- even the bedframes and bathroom vanity) are all hand crafted by my dad. We spent a lot of time just reading by the fire.

 Chillaxing with the view of our lake our first evening there.

 Potential real estate for friendly tree swallows who nest every year (and eat up all the mosquitos!)

 look WAAAY up, this pine has a tiny board that childhood friends would climb up up up with the help of a few 2x4s and a rope. 

 About halfway up the cottage's road Andrew's cell phone buzzed- brief moment of service! Andrew here trying to see if he could respond to the text. Moved two feet and the service was gone.

 On the 'main' dirt road, going for a walk after supper

 I've always loved the hand piled rock walls that divided land randomly in the woods (this was off the road into the woods about 15 ft). As this wall would have been made at least 80 years ago, when horses and wagons logged in these woods, it's strange to think that although the land was never developed, someone felt it important to divide the land.

What do you do when internet isn't available? Attempt to move some tree logs!

 Mr. Loon came out on our last day!

 The absolute stillness was breathtaking. Nothing but the sound of the river, the birds and the wind through the trees. It was long since due. Although parks and treelined streets are nice, nothing can replace the complete silence of being in the woods.

article and photographs copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini@blogspot.com