The holiday is celebrated as Natal Day in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, but is not an official holiday in either locale.

Unlike most holidays, there is not much of a reason for the Civic Holiday to exist, other than its timing. Between Canada Day and Labour Day there are no recognizable holidays, one of the longest stretches on the Canadian calendar without a holiday. Thus, this contrived holiday was placed roughly halfway between Canada Day and Labour Day.

Cameron and I decided to spend part of the long weekend camping at Lake Rossignol. Lake Rossignol is the largest freshwater lake in Nova Scotia and is located in the south-western area of the province.

The lake was quite choppy in the afternoon so we spent our time setting up the tent and establishing a fire pit. Come evening the wind had died away and the lake was lovely and calm. Our first thought was to jump in for a swim but this is as far as we got…

Although the lake is large and shallow the water wasn’t very warm. We decided to take the canoe out instead. After a paddle we cooked dinner and spent a pleasant evening by the camp fire. We had however managed to set our tent up over some serious tree roots and hence we were awake by 5:30am! It was lovely watching the sun rise whilst being out on the water canoeing.

We decided to have breakfast before heading back to civilization.

The road to civilization:

To us an Oreo Blizzard has a slightly different meaning:

BLIZZARD

Blizzard

OREO

We adopted both kitty’s from SHAID Animal Shelter. We’ve had Oreo a little under a year and Blizzard has now been with us for almost a week. SHAID (Sheltering Helpless Animals In Distress) provides temporary care and shelter to helpless animals in distress, be they abandoned, homeless or relinquished and they try to place as many as possible into responsible and caring homes. They are always happy to accept donations whether it’s cash or food/litter, etc.

Visit their website today – SHAID

Most communities across the country will host organized celebrations for Canada Day, usually outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts,as well as citizenship ceremonies for new citizens (we’re not quite at that stage yet). In the South Shore region, New Germany is famous for it’s Canada Day celebrations. This year there was a Children’s Parade, which we didn’t see, and then an Ox Pull:

The Ox pull lasted for most of the day, but we skipped out to watch the Parade in between:

Turn over for more….

At 1030pm there was a very large display of fireworks that was enjoyed by people from New Germany and several of the local communities!

Map

New Germany has an approximate population of 500 people. We also have a grocery store, elementary and high schools, gas station, the all important liquor store and a few other bits and pieces including Guppy’s restaurant (more on that later). New Germany even has it’s very own website:

Website

Here is a picture of our new house. It’s small but very cute with lovely maple trees in the front garden (we’re thinking of starting our own maple syrup company)

The first weekend we got the keys we were busy painting the inside – sorry I still have to take some pictures. However, here are a few of the garden!

Cameron doing the hard work of digging up all the weeds in preparation for some new plants:

Before

A trip to the garden center and we soon had it looking pretty:

After

The next job was to get rid of the horrible old flag stone and replace it with chipped rock. Guess who that job fell too (I like demolishing things):

Not a very flattering picture but I wanted to prove that I was working hard too!

Next we got the pressure washer out and cleaned up the front of the house and the steps. What a difference it made!

There is still plenty to do. This weekend we are off hunting for some more furniture. We have plumbers coming to look at replacing the bathroom, construction men looking at our driveway and building a garage for us. It’s a busy time but lots of fun making it our own. Will post more pictures as we get the work done. I’m trying very hard to be patient and not let my “everything needs to be done now” attitude get the better of me. However, if anyone fancies a “job” (we pay in beer if you’re lucky) painting or gardening etc – give us a call!

Mum and Dad at Indian Falls, near Newburne. The river runs from Sherbrooke Lake out to the Atlantic via several other smaller lakes and the Lahave River.

Can they make it?

Cameron tries on his “old man’s beard” or maybe he was just getting a head start for the Stanley Cup Finals (hockey players do not shave so long as their team remains in the finals, meaning that the winning team usually have some rather impressive beards).

Mum and Dad check out alternative routes home since the Icelandic volcano still continues to cause some disruption…

Exploring Card Lake – whilst trying to avoid the rain.

“Enjoying” (it wasn’t very good) a cup of coffee at the Westin Hotel in Halifax before heading out for dinner and to see a Johnny Cash Tribute Band at the Paragon Theatre.

Us at the Paragon Theatre. It’s a shame that the performers didn’t quite live up to our expectations.

Dad’s favorite spot when we weren’t “out and about”.

Mum sees if she measures up!

The sun is shining! The weather has been a little temperamental recently. However, the sun has decided to make an appearance today so we’re off out for a bit. More pictures to follow…

Coke Vs. Pepsi, one of those classic, age old debates. So maybe it’s about time someone tried to solve it…

First, a little history..

Cola was originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century.

Pepsi was first introduced as “Brad’s Drink” in New Bern, North Carolina in 1898 by Caleb Bradham, who made it at his pharmacy where the drink was sold. It was later named Pepsi Cola, possibly due to the digestive enzyme pepsin and kola nuts used in the recipe. Bradham sought to create a fountain drink that was delicious and would aid in digestion and boost energy.

So if both drinks were originally made to have similar purposes, what are the differences?

Coca-Cola is the original cola, while there isn’t a huge difference in taste, Pepsi mirrored their cola after Coke’s, being just different enough in taste to not actually be the same drink.

Pepsi tastes sweeter than Coca-Cola, This is the reason why many prefer Pepsi over Coca-Cola in a blind test but prefer Coke when drinking an entire can.

Coca-Cola has more carbonation than Pepsi depending on what region you are in. It was said that depending on where each one was made the amount of carbonation in them will be different therefore proving that neither Coca-Cola nor Pepsi have more carbonation than one another.

Both drinks are no longer seen as a beverage but mainly as a brand. Both companies commit heavily to sponsoring outdoor music festivals and even charitable projects in third world countries.

Personally, I believe that they will both successfully rot your teeth. Unless of course you opt for a diet option – in which case there is clearly only one winner!

Thee Original…

Alternative

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This time we’ve ended up in a gorgeous townhouse, on Pelham Street (walking distance to the pub again!!). The house was recently renovated from the ground up, including propping up steep original foundations on the side of Shipyard Hill – see above map.

Sitting Room No. 1

Stairway

Ensuite Bathroom

There are several pros and cons to being back in town. As mentioned we’re once again within walking distance to all amenities and work (for me). However, although we still have an ocean view it’s not quite so spectacular as the one at Blue Rocks.

Upper level deck

Another disadvantage would be our lack of garden, however, we’re only here until July and therefore it shouldn’t be too much on an issue. Oreo isn’t much into the great outdoors and prefers the heated floors anyway!

Well today is non other than the 25th of January – the birthday of a famous Scottish poet, Robert [Rabbie] Burns.

Robbie Burns

Robbie Burns was born on the 25th January 1759 just south of Ayr (on the Scottish west coast) and is widely regarded as Scotland’s national poet. He was born into poverty and hardship, a farmers son. He had no formal education and what he learnt came mainly from his father, who did his best to teach his children reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and history.

By the age of 15 the responsibility of his father’s farm had fallen to Rabbie and it was during the harvest of 1774 that he was inspired to write, ‘O, Once I Lov’d A Bonnie Lass’

In the summer of 1775, he was sent to finish his education with a tutor at Kirkoswald, where he met Peggy Thomson, to whom he wrote two songs, Now Westlin’ Winds and I Dream’d I Lay.

Robbie Burns was notorious for his casual love affairs and his first illegitimate child, Elizabeth Paton Burns (1785-1817), was born to his mother’s servant, Elizabeth Paton (1760-circa 1799), as he was embarking on a relationship with Jean Armour. She bore him twins in 1786, and although her father initially forbade their marriage, they were eventually married in 1788. She bore him nine children in total, but only three survived infancy.

During a rift in his relationship with Jean Armour in 1786, and as his prospects in farming declined, he began an affair with Mary Campbell (1763-1786), to whom he dedicated the poems The Highland Lassie O, Highland Mary and To Mary in Heaven. Their relationship has been the subject of much conjecture, and it has been suggested that they may have married. They planned to emigrate to Jamaica, where Burns intended to work as a bookkeeper on a slave plantation. This plan never came to fruition due to the death of Burn’s Jamaican contact. That summer, he published the first of his collections of verse, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect, which created a sensation and has been recognized as a significant literary event.

As the years passed Burns continued to write and publish his works until his death was caused by bacterial endocarditis exacerbated by a streptococcal infection reaching his blood following a dental extraction in winter 1795.The funeral took place on 25 July 1796, the day his son Maxwell was born. A memorial edition of his poems was published to raise money for his wife and children, and within a short time of his death, money started pouring in from all over Scotland to support them.

Burns Supper

The format of Burns suppers (which takes place on or as near to Burn’s birthday as possible) has not changed since his death in 1796. The basic format starts with a general welcome and announcements followed with the Selkirk Grace. After the grace comes the piping and cutting of the haggis, where Robert’s famous Address To a Haggis is read and the haggis is cut open. The event usually allows for people to start eating just after the haggis is presented.

haggis

What is haggis?

The Selkirk Grace
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Address To a Haggis

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’ a grace
As lang’s my arm.

[sonsie = cheeky]
[aboon = above]
[thairm = intestine]

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’ need,
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

[hurdies = hips]

His knife see rustic Labour dicht,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slicht,
Trenching your gushing entrails bricht,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sicht,
Warm-reekin, rich!

[dicht = wipe, here with the idea of sharpening]
[slicht = skill]
[reeking = steaming]

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an’ strive:
Deil tak the hindmaist! on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve,
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
“Bethankit” hums.

[deil = devil]
[swall'd=swollen]
[kytes = bellies]
[belyve = soon]
[rive = tear, ie burst]

Is there that o’re his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect scunner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?

[olio = olive oil]
[staw = make sick]
[scunner = repugnance]

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

[nieve = fist, ]
[nit = louse's egg, ie. tiny]

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his wallie nieve a blade,
He’ll mak it whistle;
An’ legs an’ arms, an’ heads will sned,
Like taps o’ thristle.

[wallie = mighty]
[nieve = fist]
[sned = cut off]
[thristle = thistle]

Ye Pow’rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer,
Gie her a haggis!

[skinkin ware = watery soup]
[jaups = slops about]
[luggies = two-handled
continental bowls]

At the line ‘His knife see rustic Labour dicht’ the speaker normally draws and cleans a knife, and at the line ‘An’ cut you up wi’ ready slicht’, plunges it into the haggis and cuts it open from end to end. When done properly this “ceremony” is a highlight of the evening.

Don’t worry if you didn’t understand half of it, most of the younger Scot’s don’t either and personally I have no idea how anyone can do the address to the Haggis from memory (but trust me, there are plenty who do)!

At the end of the poem, a whisky toast will be proposed to the haggis. Then the company will sit and enjoy the meal. The main course is, of course, haggis, and is traditionally served with mashed potatoes [tatties] and mashed turnip [neeps]. A dessert course, cheese courses, coffee, etc. may also be part of the meal. The courses normally use traditional Scottish recipes. For instance dessert may be cranachan or sherry trifle [Tipsy Laird] followed by oatcakes and cheese, all washed down with liberal tots of the “water of life” (whisky).

Several speeches then take place. The host proposes a toast to the Monarch. A guest gives a brief speech about Robbie Burns and everyone drinks a toast to the infamous poet. Next comes a toast to the Lassies (women – usually Lassie refers to a younger woman). This was originally a short speech given by a male guest in thanks to those women who had prepared the meal. However nowadays it is much more wide ranging, and generally covers the male speaker’s view on women. It is normally amusing but should never be offensive, particularly bearing in mind that it will be followed by a reply from the “lassies” concerned.The men drink a toast to the womens’ health. Next comes the, ‘Toast to the Laddies,’ and like the previous toast it is generally quite wide ranging nowadays. In it a female guest will give her views on men and reply to any specific points raised by the previous speaker. Like the previous speech this should be amusing but not offensive. Quite often the speakers giving this toast and the previous one will collaborate so that the two toasts complement each other.

There is usually some dancing, merry making and more whisky before the evening comes to a conclusion with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.

We will be celebrating Burn’s night this year with steak rather than Haggis – all is not lost though as the liquor stores stock a good variety of whisky (real Scot’s don’t spell whisky with an ‘e’ – whiskey). So here’s to Mr Burns!