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Showing posts from September, 2013

Remnants

Apple trees grow everywhere here. Huge, splendid, gnarly old trees, fighting the taller forest growth for sunlight and littering the ground with fruit. I've been noticing them from time to time, always with a shock of pleasant surprise in the discovery of their identity, (why, that's an apple tree)! They are especially prolific in the park where we hiked on Monday. Prince Edward Island National Park was established on the site of an early settlement. Naturally, the settlers wanted fruit trees. Now the settlers are long gone, and even the remains of their houses and fences have been consumed by moss and the slow decay of rain, wind, and time. But the trees remain. Running rampant all over the park, unkempt, rugged, surprising. Apples and peaches spreading their bounty to the wild expanse. I remarked to Richmond that the apple trees reminded me of the beginning of Prince Caspian , where the Pevensies return to Cair Paravel and find the old, overgrown apple orchard they had

Island Adventures; Part VI

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Back to the park today. Invigorating wind, a brisk hike under a grey sky. I think I'll leave the pictures to tell the story. We also went back to check on our dolmen. It still stands!

Island Adventures; Part IV

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Being here at the beginning of  'off season' has some serious perks - namely, that access to the park is now free! There are also some oddities - come to find out, the church we'd been planning to attend this morning only has services during the summer. The idea of a seasonal church is...odd. And a bit sad. We had to scout around for another place to worship, and after church, we headed out to P.E.I. National Park. The brother and I hung around the beach; chatting, finding cool rocks, sheltering from the fierce wind. Oh, and building stuff. The beach was littered with smooth rocks of all shapes and sizes, and I was just commenting that we ought to make a cairn or dolmen, when I noticed that some other people'd had the same idea. We added our two little structures to the collection. The cairn with the balancing rocks on top probably won't last long, but it was fun to make!   There was a deep peace beside the ocean. Time, like the rocks around us

Island Adventures; Part III

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Goodness, I don't like being a tourist, and I've realized that I'm in danger of becoming a snob. You know, one of those unbearable people who is all, 'ick! Tourism!' It's as if my hermit streak shows up with undue strength when I find myself in a new place. I crave solitude, an escape from the beaten path. Not to mention the fact that I'm an utter cheapskate. ANYWHO, it has come to my attention that my last two posts have been rather too full of complaints about tourism. I'll try to be a bit more positive from now on, because I truly am enjoying it here. It's so nice to take pictures of something that isn't my house! And the ocean is lovely. And the people are some of the friendliest I've ever encountered. And there are lighthouses. Lots and lots of them - predominately red and white. Today was lighthouse day (and, incidentally, a chance for me to indulge my non-touristy/hermit/beaten-path-shunning tendencies to the full).

Island Adventures; Part II

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I'm glad I brought so many layers. After yesterday's warm weather, I was starting to think that I'd over-packed. But today was overcast, windy, and quite chilly, and I was thankful to pull on a sweater. Every Islander I've had a minute's conversation with today has apologized for the weather and held out hopes that we'll see the sun again soon. The tourist season is almost over here. Many of the tourist areas have already closed down. We've passed through several towns where a good many of the buildings are dark and deserted...waiting for next years' inundation of tourists to revitalize them. Speaking of tourism... Mom and Dad decided to go visit the L.M Montgomery/Anne sites today. I was unsure about going with them, wanting to avoid as many tourist areas as possible. But I was persuaded, and I'm glad that I opted to tag along. Yes, they were tourist traps, but there were trees, and it was interesting to see the influence that Montgomery'

Island Adventures; Part I

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I'll admit to a smidgen of disappointment. We drove across Confederation Bridge, and my first glimpse of Prince Edward Island was exciting - red shores, colorful coastal town, lighthouses. But, as we progressed further inland, I was overwhelmed by the conviction that I'd really seen it all before. P.E. Island is farming country. Missouri is farming country. There isn't a huge difference between the two. I like farming country, truly I do, but I had been picturing something a bit more...unusual. Howsomever, I quickly learned that there are SOME differences. For one thing, Prince Edward Island has a thriving music culture. With ties to British and Acadian music traditions, kitchen parties and ceilidhs (pronounced 'kay-lee') are advertised at nearly every town hall. These gatherings have morphed from the traditional, spontaneous jam and dance sessions at the neighbor's house, and cater to tourists by being more organized and more public. I imagine there are some