It's not a True Cape Breton Summer without at least one Visit to the Fortress...or Two!

Many years ago, when I first moved back to Cape Breton, my family started a tradition of going to the Fortress of Louisbourg every Canada Day.  This year, we thought about doing something different for a change and we did.  But before the day was done, we ended up at the fortress like we always do.

The day started off with some indecision on everyone's part.  At first, I was going to go to Ingonish to attend a concert at Cape Smokey.  When no one else wanted to travel that far, we thought it might be nice to stay close to town and take my little nephew to some festivities at Colliery Lands Park. 

 We did end up at the park and it turned ok.  Little Liam was nervous of the crowd at first but he warmed up to it and took a liking to the duck pond area.  We stayed there for about an hour or so and when Liam got tired and cranky, him and his mom headed home, leaving me and Dad wondering what to do next, if anything. 

It's like the car knew just where to go because we ended up in Louisbourg. There was a good crowd and the weather was decent.  We walked around the fortress, took some pictures, watched some musket firings and wandered around some of the buildings before heading back home.  

Some summers, I don't get the chance to visit the fortress a second time but I did end up back there again in late July when my other sister was home visiting from Alberta. Her boyfriend is from Quebec so the whole French aspect of the Fortress and its history is of particular interest to him.  

There was a lot going on that day at the fortress!  We got there at a good time to see many demonstrations.  We got to watch a public shaming of a thief, some musket firings, some cannon firings and a lively dance. And we had time leftover to walk around and explore the grounds a bit more. 

 

 

 

Celebrating Canada Day and the Official Start of summer

Another long weekend has come and gone and it was an extra extra long weekend for me with five days total to enjoy a fabulous time with friends, family and amazing weather. It was a weekend filled with bike rides, hikes, ocean swims, pool dips, family get-togethers and plenty of good food and beer. I even got to spend some time with an old friend I hadn't seen in a long time. 

 

Canada Day is always the long weekend that makes it officially summer for me.  The lifeguards start back at Dominion Beach again and my family heads out for our first outing of the season to celebrate the country's birthday at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Usually, the ocean water starts to warm up around this time too but that wasn't the case this year!  I went for a dip and was only able to stay in for about five minutes after my hands and feet went numb and I felt pins and needles everywhere else.  That being said, it was a refreshing welcome on a hot day and it was nice to not see a single one of those stinging jellyfish that are usually around at the start of summer. 

A few bike rides to Low Point Lighthouse, some hikes along Dominion Beach, refreshing dips, picnics, a scenic drive around Port Morien  and Donkin, sipping on beer at sunset, eating whatever I feel like without guilt...this is what summer weekends are all about....and it's only just started! 

This Canada Day was different.  My little nephew who was only born in December enjoyed his first Canada Day weekend.  It's so fun watching him grow up because everything is so new to him!  I'm sure he doesn't yet comprehend the meaning of the day but I'm sure he sensed something was special about it with so many people around.  

 So much more to look forward to this summer, so many more adventures to come!  I said this one was going to be the best yet and it's so far, summer is living up to that expectation. 

A family of Canada Geese on Canada Day!

Summer so far....

About a month ago to the day, I was wondering if we would even get a summer here on the East Coast of Canada.  Into the first week of July, it was still cold, foggy, rainy and even snowy in higher elevations.  Now?  Well, let's just say things changed completely around and we have been in the midst of a major heat wave.  In fact, I just heard today, that we basically shattered all weather-related records for highest temperature and longest stretch of extreme temperatures.  The temperature today was 30 degrees Celsius and 39 with the humidity - that is almost unheard of in this part of the world and it's been like this for weeks now!  I'm quite sensitive to the sun (not so much the heat and humidity as long as I'm out of the sun) so I've been staying indoors a lot more than I usually would.  My walking/biking workouts take place much earlier in the morning before the heat peaks and when I am not hunkered down in my cool-ish apartment, I am at Dominion Beach swimming and sipping on a cold beer in the shade.

All in all, summer has been going great for me.  While everyone else complains about the heat, I make the most of it.  I recently acquired a new toy - a canon DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses and all that fun stuff so I've been busy trying to master it.  I did a lot of the usual summer things too.  I ventured out to Rendell's Farm in Bras d'Or and picked some strawberries so I could skimp on groceries, save some money and eat nothing but strawberry shortcakes for two weeks.  I also spent a week in Newfoundland and the Canada Day long weekend in Margaree with fireworks, beaches and hiking.  Of course, Canada Day itself was spent at the Fortress of Louisbourg as it has been for the last 6 or 7 years.  I've been on a few hikes in the Framboise area too. Last weekend, I spent the day roaming the Cheticamp/Margaree/Inverness area beach-hopping, swimming and getting to know my camera better. Ive also been following a family of endangered piping plovers at the beach near my house.  They are flying now but I first spotted them only hours after they hatched. 

As for the final leg of summer?  Hoping to get some kayaking and camping in before the cold weather returns.  Hiking can wait until the fall and swimming will take its place until than.  I hope you all are enjoying summer (or winter depending on where in the world you are I suppose!) and please stay tuned for more posts about my adventures around Cape Breton and hopefully Alberta if I get to go there as planned later in the fall.