28 October, 2011

The Adventure Continues...

We explored Digby Neck and rode out to Brier Island via two ferries before our Nova Scotian adventure continued on to Halifax. I am posting photos below so that you can ride along too!
This is Brier Island, below. We ate lunch sitting on these rocks and enjoyed watching the seals swimming right off shore:
Once we left the ferry we drove off to find more sights to explore; fishing villages and lighthouses among other things :
Balancing Rock:
This massive stone church (Saint-Bernard) near Weymouth took 32 years to build. We were lucky enough to stop by just as the sexton arrived to clean up from a wedding earlier that day. He welcomed us in, put on a musical CD so that we could experience the incredible acoustics inside the sanctuary,and took us on a complete tour of the building, including the cellar:
Just down the road, in Church Point, was this wooden church, Sainte-Marie. According to the literature this is the tallest, largest wooden structure built in North America. It was not open, unfortunately, for touring.
As a young girl I remember my grandmother telling me that her father's family originally came from the Bay of Funday area of Nova Scotia. Her maiden name was Doucette. We passed this sign leaving Church Point and suddenly this tidbit of information came flooding back. I do remember my Uncle going to Nova Scotia years ago to do some genealogy research. I had never really talked to him about that; he is no longer living, but I plan now to pursue finding the results of his ancestral quest. I regret now not paying better attention to what he was investigating, roots from my own family tree!
Who knows? I may have to just go back to Nova Scotia again one day...
Life is Good!
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10 comments:

Edith said...

Saint Bernard looks a bit like Augsburg so I am sure that you felt at home there.

quiltkeemosabe said...

love the old church/es. Why do I think Mr. Goodneedle loved the cellar the best---to see how the church was supported. And I never knew you had roots in Nova Scotia, Interesting.

Quilter Kathy said...

Such gorgeous photos! I can hear the background sounds :)

Ancestor Collector said...

When we travel, I love visiting churches and cathedrals. They're fascinating and hold so much history. Exciting to think you might get into researching your genealogy! I've loved finding my ancestors and I've turned up second cousins I never knew I had, whom I now communicate with regularly. Very cool! Let me know if you'd like some tips or suggestions. :-)

KaHolly said...

Your vacation posts are just wonderful!! I'm so glad you had a good time while you were here. Wish we'd had the opportunity to meet. Next week I'm headed for mainland Nova Scotia - Yarmouth way, and am looking forward to it. Isn't it amazing how far Cape Breton is?

Quiltdivajulie said...

Oh how true -- that we continually wish we had listened more closely to those who are no longer with us . . .

Very much enjoying my armchair visit to Nova Scotia!

LizA. said...

Thank you for sharing your vacation. It truly is a beautiful place and I hope that I get to visit it sometime. You sure had beautiful weather.

Janet O. said...

I've never been in any of these places you are sharing. It is gorgeous country.
I so wish I had paid more attention to my great-aunt and all of her stories about my grandparents. No one left now to share with us what she knew. When we are young we don't realize the value of what will soon be gone.

SouthernCamper said...

Wonderful photos!! The pics inside the cathedral are beautiful!

Darlene D said...

What a pleasure to come across your blog this morning! I am from Nova Scotia, the last picture in your post is home for me!! My husband works on Digby Neck! One of our favorite parts of the province is the South Shore, Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. Glad you enjoyed your visit!