by the sea: through Mahone Bay to Lunenburg

Well, how-d'ye-do! I'm back already.
I knew I had a lot of pictures to process from our travels with Connie so I though I'd devote some hours to fixing up my pictures from November 3rd:

our trip through Mahone Bay to Lunenburg

We started out from a balmy day of summer weather and arrived on the south shore to the cool damp of the Atlantic. Across the bay to the village of Mahone Bay.

The tide was somewhat out, coming or going I don't remember.

I thought I'd try out a panoramic shot of the bay.

Just beyond the parking lot something like sedge seemed to be growing in the loose soil.

We didn't stay long in Mahone Bay. Most places were closed and Lunenburg was calling us.

a grand old mansard-roofed house in Lunenburg as we approached the docks.

As soon as we got there I found my favourite picnic bench to eat our lunch. It was pleasant if you don't mind the salt spray of the fog rolling in in your face. Connie did, and turned her back to the wind. A dog walker found me changing my sandals over to socks and shoes and commented, " A little cold for a picnic."  It was a funny understatement.

As we strolled along the docks we found real fishermen doing repairs

and more sailors also doing repairs,

the latter two on the deck of...

the Theresa E. Connor.

looking back at the dock in the last picture

more boats moored

a boat launch overgrown with seagrass

a bird, probably a seagull, flying over the foggy harbour

boats in the mist 

and more

Connie found a whalebone on the dock; there were a few more laying about.

Quintessential Maritime colours of Adams & Knickle

Founded in 1897 by Harry W. Adams and Captain Alexander Knickle, the company quickly established its niche in the booming salt-fish trade. The company began as the partnership of Knickle & Co. and changed its name to Adams & Knickle Ltd. in 1907. On April 21, 1943, their fishing schooner, Flora Alberta,collided with the Fanad Head  about 140 kilometers from Halifax. ThFlora Alberta sunk within a few minutes of the collision and twenty-one crew members died as a result. The company was incorporated on July 30, 1945 and continues under this name as of 2009. 

During the early 1950s, the salt-fish trade began to dwindle, and a new scallop fishery emerged. In 1954, Adams & Knickle purchased Lunenburg’s first deep-sea scallop dragger, the Barbara Jo, and within the next five years, the company launched eight more wooden scallop vessels. By 1962, the offshore fleet had grown to 44 vessels, and to 77 by 1980. On July 31, 1980, their fishing trawler, Margaret Jane, collided with the Cape Beaver about six kilometers from Lunenburg. The Margaret Jane sunk within two minutes of the collision and four crew members died as a result.

thank you Wikipedia

I thought it was important to remember what a dangerous business the fishing trade can be as much a I enjoy the colourful beauty of this designated World Heritage fishing town. There is a memorial to fishermen on the Lunenburg docks.

Across the street there is a large old inn called Smuggler's Cove Inn. 

We began a walking tour of the next street up before it started to rain. I'll share that another day.

thank you as always for caring to visit and share your comments. So appreciated.

snuggling in on a rainy afternoon here

peace

Lunenburg in August- 400th Post

Yes, 400 posts later. Beginning Monday, May 31, 2010. Another lifetime ago.

Last week Wally finally got his long awaited, hard-earned mini holiday of 5 days last week.
We wanted to run off to Lunenburg on that first day, our 4th anniversary of our move here to Nova Scotia,  and be tourists, but it rained that day so we had lots of time to prepare a picnic and

get some hedge trimming and such out of the way

I could barely catch a glimpse of Wally as he had to move fairly quickly over the huge expanse of privet hedge as the trimmer is heavy and awkward reaching so far out

I'm usually indoors cooking or cleaning or some silly bit of domestic duty. I think that day there was laundry as well.  I do worry about him out there alone so I check on him regularly.

I called out to him to wave so I could see him better.

but it was nearly impossible;

he was surprised later to see that so little of him showed as he stood so near the top of the ladder.

Those first 3 days are a blur of work and errands, but we finally got away on Saturday the 20th. It's taken me all this time to do up these pictures. Brace yourself. Lunenburg is gorgeous and I'm a glutton for its charm.

We were barely out of the gate when we stopped at a yard sale and I bought a paring knife for 10¢.

There was a bit of excitement about the red Queen Anne's Lace growing in the yard so of course, I had to join in and take a picture or two.

Oddly enough the dark red centre, typical of Queen Anne's Lace, is missing.

The only information I could find indicated that this plant is susceptible to drawing up coloured fluid into its flowers much like a kindergarten project. There is a lot of iron in East Coast soil so perhaps that's the answer, though this lovely hue hardly looks like rust to me.

It takes about an hour and a half to get to Lunenburg.

We were lucky to get a free parking space as the town was still packed with visitors though we already missed the dory (old rowing fishing boat) races.

For me, beauty is everywhere and my first pictures were of this Virginia Creeper on an old fence.

Virginia Creeper is a lovely plant

and what I always thought were berries are, upon closer inspection,

the buds of its flowers!

Before I go on I should tell you that Old Town Lunenburg is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, considered to be the best surviving planned British colonial town in North America.

That said, the historic houses are seriously fabulous relics of the 1800's with definite influences of an earlier time than that.

A testament to the height of people from the past, the doors are usually much shorter than today's.

Dig the wonderful mouldings that articulate this unique entrance!

(with apologies for the blurry shots in my excitement to record this rare opportunity)

a yummy colour combo for an eatery

delightfully wild colour combo on the corbels to set off the mustardy yellow

This is a substantially larger building on the corner with a gorgeous mansard roof that rolls out to protect the bay windows on the second floor. The arched dormers on the third floor with their elaborate mouldings, the hip roof that rises above and the semblance of a windowed turret are remarkable. I would have loved to see them picked out in a more striking colour.

Note the angle of Cornwallis Street to the left. Mama Mia!

Looking back I realized I'd overlooked this pretty yellow house with some of its details picked out in red.

Upon closer inspection we see the incredible detail under each roof of the dormers that create a wedding cake vibe. Again, the heavily moulded arched windows and another over the entrance.

It looks like someone is regularly on the roof, perhaps checking that skylight, judging by the steps built into the roof.

It was time to put Wally by a door, this one at 62 Montague, for scale.

Is that not the most incredible moulding on top of such a humble door?

Oftentimes between buildings, we get a glimpse of the harbour

All in sequence of our walk we come upon the house originally built for carpenter Eli Hopp at 74 Montague Street. Aren't these faux columns and grand upper mouldings wonderful on such a humble box of a building. I can think of a few houses that would love to be dressed in such accessories.

Here an elderly visitor checks out the menu at the Grand Banker, too rich for our blood. (sigh)

Yet again, a view of the harbour from Montague Street.

a tighter view of the same scene

and then, for fun I cropped this little vignette out of the last shot

Across Lunenburg Harbour there is a peninsula that doesn't have a name as far as I can tell,

but it does have a Cove Road that travels part of the shoreline.

Again, I cropped this shot from the one above.

I have a thing for silhouetted trees across a field or, as in this case, across a cove.

A working horse at his feeding station

We wandered into a blatant souvenir shop, good for a laugh.

More Lunenburg quaintness

a Lavender House with a wee window squeezed in on the second floor

Upon enlarging this picture I found that the two "ghost" windows at the top are, in fact, air vents in the attic.

While my knitting and crochet skill is negligible, I am drawn like a moth

(whoops, pardon the fibre sacrilege) to beautiful yarns and string.

The Mariner's Daughter is one of those delicious shops for me.

Her displays were delightful. I love me some good folk art.

Another yummy vignette from the Mariner's Daughter.

I resisted the hemp (first shot) which I love for its irregularity, but did treat myself to 3 heavenly mother of pearl shell buttons for what use I don't know-yet.

As we continued on our wander we came upon this Happy Spirit

Is this not the most winsome little creature you could chance to meet?

but she made shy with me and we parted company, dear little Yorkie

(that's Yorkshire Terrier)

Are you still with me? I'm not nearly half done yet, but I think I'll take a break

and give you one as well-

and check in with you tomorrow.

Happy sails- I mean trails- to you :)