This year's "big" PEI trip was only two weeks for me, considerably shorter than in previous summers, and consumed at least partially by work commitments, which I met online. Nevertheless, we managed to pack in a few "old favourites", and actually undertake a number of new adventures on this, our seventh summer on the Island
"New" Lighthouse
The first new thing this summer was the freshly painted lighthouse in St Peter's Harbour. One of the oldest lighthouses on Prince Edward Island, "our" lighthouse was starting to look pretty beat up. Thanks to a community effort, though, the lighthouse has been purchased by us and several neighbours, and is now undergoing restoration.
The first new thing this summer was the freshly painted lighthouse in St Peter's Harbour. One of the oldest lighthouses on Prince Edward Island, "our" lighthouse was starting to look pretty beat up. Thanks to a community effort, though, the lighthouse has been purchased by us and several neighbours, and is now undergoing restoration.
One of the more immediately noticeable changes to the lighthouse is the fresh coat of paint that was just applied this past spring. It looks fantastic!
Not sure if the fresh coat of paint is attracting more people, but we sure noticed an increase in traffic at the lighthouse beach this summer... nevertheless, it's still one of our favourite beaches!
Abegweit
Not too far from our place, along Hwy 2, is a Mi'kmaq reserve. Over the past several years, I've been eager to try and learn more about the Island's First Nations people, and this year that desire became reality as I took action and booked a two-hour kayak rental with a local guide, who happened to also be a clan mother.
Abegweit
Not too far from our place, along Hwy 2, is a Mi'kmaq reserve. Over the past several years, I've been eager to try and learn more about the Island's First Nations people, and this year that desire became reality as I took action and booked a two-hour kayak rental with a local guide, who happened to also be a clan mother.
Eliza Starchild Knockwood agreed to do some teaching with us, and the boys and I spent a glorious morning on the Morell river in two double kayaks with Eliza, learning about her people's history in general and her family's history in particular. We also learned more about the Medicine Wheel, leaving us with many things to ponder.
Our morning started with a spotted eagle flying overhead, and ended with a bald eagle sighting not far from us on the river bank. surely both good signs!
Eliza told us about the upcoming annual Powwow on Panmure Island, and Alex and I attended that, also, and marveled at the energy of the drum during the Grand Entry. (N.B., the photos below were taken afterwards, as photography during the Grand Entry at a Powwow is discouraged.)
Our morning started with a spotted eagle flying overhead, and ended with a bald eagle sighting not far from us on the river bank. surely both good signs!
Eliza told us about the upcoming annual Powwow on Panmure Island, and Alex and I attended that, also, and marveled at the energy of the drum during the Grand Entry. (N.B., the photos below were taken afterwards, as photography during the Grand Entry at a Powwow is discouraged.)
I was particularly intrigued by the colourful sashes and jingles dresses that comprised some of the dancers' regalia. And of course, there was no shortage of eagle feathers. Our time among these people's celebrations was truly a visual and auditory feast!
(Another) "New" Lighthouse
In our early summers on Prince Edward Island, Alex and Simon's dad would often take the boys on a lighthouse pilgrimage, visiting at least one new (different) lighthouse each summer.
Since the Panmure lighthouse is not far from the Native Council of PEI's Powwow grounds, Alex and I decided to revive this tradition, and made our way down the road to add a "new" lighthouse to our "seen" collection.
(Another) "New" Lighthouse
In our early summers on Prince Edward Island, Alex and Simon's dad would often take the boys on a lighthouse pilgrimage, visiting at least one new (different) lighthouse each summer.
Since the Panmure lighthouse is not far from the Native Council of PEI's Powwow grounds, Alex and I decided to revive this tradition, and made our way down the road to add a "new" lighthouse to our "seen" collection.
As an added bonus, a horse was grazing in the adjacent field, and we visited with her for a bit before climbing the lighthouse to the observation deck.
Panmure Island also features a nice beach, and although it was somewhat chilly this day, the water beckoned, and Alex indulged me by hanging out on the beach with a towel while I went for a (very) brief dip in the ocean.
Telecommuting
This was my first summer working for the Ministry of Education, and while I always spent part of my summers as a classroom teacher teaching or taking summer courses, I still had a good chunk of time in July and August to myself before heading back to set up my classroom or meet and plan with colleagues when I was an instructional coach.
Not this summer!
There were too many loose ends at the office for me to completely check out for two full weeks, so I spent approximately 4 half-days at my favourite coffee shop in Ch'town, working online through emails and/or video-conferencing.
This was my first summer working for the Ministry of Education, and while I always spent part of my summers as a classroom teacher teaching or taking summer courses, I still had a good chunk of time in July and August to myself before heading back to set up my classroom or meet and plan with colleagues when I was an instructional coach.
Not this summer!
There were too many loose ends at the office for me to completely check out for two full weeks, so I spent approximately 4 half-days at my favourite coffee shop in Ch'town, working online through emails and/or video-conferencing.
The boys were often busy with online interests of their own during this time (we don't have wifi at the house), and one of my children was actually volunteering as a helper with a local arts camp, so I got in a good 3-4 hour uninterrupted chunk each day of work, plus a working lunch and/or chai latte and the world's best coconut cream pie! (Whichever twin was with me at the cafe would be my "parking runner", going outside when the timer went off, to replenish the parking meter!)
Cavendish Adventure Zone
No summer trip to PEI is complete without a trip to Cavendish (or more importantly, the bakery enroute, in North Rustico!)
This summer the boys convinced me to sponsor a return trip to the "Adventure Zone", a mini-golf and laser tag combo thinggie they had discovered the week before my arrival, with their dad, and which they had merrily renamed "The Fun Zone", in alignment with one of their favourite Brooklyn nine nine episodes.
Inspired in part by the promise of butter tarts and home made potato salad from the bakery along the way, I acquiesced, and we enjoyed an afternoon of mini golf and shame -- my first exposure to laser tag garnered a pathetic 740 points to Simon's 3000+, lol!
Cavendish Adventure Zone
No summer trip to PEI is complete without a trip to Cavendish (or more importantly, the bakery enroute, in North Rustico!)
This summer the boys convinced me to sponsor a return trip to the "Adventure Zone", a mini-golf and laser tag combo thinggie they had discovered the week before my arrival, with their dad, and which they had merrily renamed "The Fun Zone", in alignment with one of their favourite Brooklyn nine nine episodes.
Inspired in part by the promise of butter tarts and home made potato salad from the bakery along the way, I acquiesced, and we enjoyed an afternoon of mini golf and shame -- my first exposure to laser tag garnered a pathetic 740 points to Simon's 3000+, lol!
I wasn't quite sure what minigolf structure at the 18th hole was intended to represent... potatoes, probably, the the likeness was closer to... well... anyway.
The Brick Barn
Last summer, we tried to get into the Brick Barn, a newer business open in Morell, not far from the house. A local AFOL there has opened a building housing his lego collection to the public. For a small fee, you can build free or from a set for a few hours.
The Brick Barn
Last summer, we tried to get into the Brick Barn, a newer business open in Morell, not far from the house. A local AFOL there has opened a building housing his lego collection to the public. For a small fee, you can build free or from a set for a few hours.
The boys had such a wonderful time there, they made me promise to take them back so that they could finish their projects (Alex and I managed to squeeze in an hour later in the week, after Simon and Tats left for Oregon to catch the eclipse!)
It's a pretty neat concept, and a really cool space. Unfortunately the type of prices one would have to charge to pay the bills are just not sustainable in such a small community, so the owner has taken on a "real" job, and is now open by appointment only. Still, the place is worth a visit, and we'll definitely be back next summer, if he can fit us in!
Blooming Point
Every time we drive from Charlottetown to our home in St Peter's Harbour, we pass a road with a beach sign. But until this summer, we have never made it to Blooming Point. Determined that this was the summer of the new, we decided to finally turn down that road on the way home from work one night.
We were not disappointed!
It's a pretty neat concept, and a really cool space. Unfortunately the type of prices one would have to charge to pay the bills are just not sustainable in such a small community, so the owner has taken on a "real" job, and is now open by appointment only. Still, the place is worth a visit, and we'll definitely be back next summer, if he can fit us in!
Blooming Point
Every time we drive from Charlottetown to our home in St Peter's Harbour, we pass a road with a beach sign. But until this summer, we have never made it to Blooming Point. Determined that this was the summer of the new, we decided to finally turn down that road on the way home from work one night.
We were not disappointed!
We had a quick little swim and romp in the sand before running past the mosquito-infested trail back to our car (it was the witching hour for the nasty little critters; one best be loaded up with bug spray if out anytime after 5 p.m. in these parts!!)
We were glad we visited, but still decided that our lighthouse beach was better (and closer to home).
Rock Barra
A few summers ago, I caught wind of an artists' retreat on the northern part of the Island. Eager to attend one of the concerts or workshops offered there, I had been trying to schedule in a good time. This year we found a match, and the boys and I attended a clay foraging workshop on the site, which is so delightfully remote that it has no cell coverage!
We were glad we visited, but still decided that our lighthouse beach was better (and closer to home).
Rock Barra
A few summers ago, I caught wind of an artists' retreat on the northern part of the Island. Eager to attend one of the concerts or workshops offered there, I had been trying to schedule in a good time. This year we found a match, and the boys and I attended a clay foraging workshop on the site, which is so delightfully remote that it has no cell coverage!
My only regret is leaving my phone in the house when we all went down to the beach to collect local clay. My camera missed a barrage of beautiful people collecting red clay among the red rocks.
It was great to finally get out to Rock Barra, and I am glad to know a place like that exists.
Jewel's
We had about an hour to kill between our clay foraging workshop and the arrival of Tats at the airport that evening, and instead of stopping at Cow's for ice cream as originally planned, we decided to stop at Jewel's Country Market, a bright red-roofed affair with goats out front.
Jewel's
We had about an hour to kill between our clay foraging workshop and the arrival of Tats at the airport that evening, and instead of stopping at Cow's for ice cream as originally planned, we decided to stop at Jewel's Country Market, a bright red-roofed affair with goats out front.
 |   |
We've passed this place a lot, but never stopped to buy anything. The ice cream was no more expensive than Cow's, though fairly average in taste, according to Simon and Alex (I did not imbibe).
Ross Family Ceilidh
A few summers ago we attended out first Ceilidh, and this year my partner and I decided to pre-purchase tickets for a show I'd heard much about, the Ross Family, while she was on the island with us.
The tickets also included a pre-show buffet, and so we set out in a borrowed van to Kensington, a little over an hour from our home, to enjoy dinner and the show.
Unfortunately when we arrived, we noticed we had a flat. Even more unfortunately, the buffet turned out to be average at best, with little selection, no vegetarian protein, and not enough food (the mussels ran out almost immediately, and before my partner, who loves seafood, could get any, and several other items were also in short supply)! Happily, however, some kind soul who worked there hooked us up with a fellow who helped us put on the spare tire, and he also convinced us to stay for the show instead of drive to Charlottetown immediately to pick up the rental car we had secured in a panic.
I'm glad we stayed, as the show was pretty spectacular!
Ross Family Ceilidh
A few summers ago we attended out first Ceilidh, and this year my partner and I decided to pre-purchase tickets for a show I'd heard much about, the Ross Family, while she was on the island with us.
The tickets also included a pre-show buffet, and so we set out in a borrowed van to Kensington, a little over an hour from our home, to enjoy dinner and the show.
Unfortunately when we arrived, we noticed we had a flat. Even more unfortunately, the buffet turned out to be average at best, with little selection, no vegetarian protein, and not enough food (the mussels ran out almost immediately, and before my partner, who loves seafood, could get any, and several other items were also in short supply)! Happily, however, some kind soul who worked there hooked us up with a fellow who helped us put on the spare tire, and he also convinced us to stay for the show instead of drive to Charlottetown immediately to pick up the rental car we had secured in a panic.
I'm glad we stayed, as the show was pretty spectacular!
A fiddler, guitarist and pianist, all siblings (and two of them step dancers), entertained us with gigs, reels and "special effects": At one point, the fiddle player played while hula hooping! Their mother also joined them on stage for some time -- a remarkably entertaining evening, to be sure.
Geocaching in Souris... and Beyond!
One of the things we like to do on the Island when my partner is here is geocache. This year we went to a new part of the island, out past Souris (though we did stop in Souris to find -- unsuccessfully -- one geocache and purchase and -- successfully -- devour a coconut cream pie).
Geocaching in Souris... and Beyond!
One of the things we like to do on the Island when my partner is here is geocache. This year we went to a new part of the island, out past Souris (though we did stop in Souris to find -- unsuccessfully -- one geocache and purchase and -- successfully -- devour a coconut cream pie).
Tats' GPS took us a little off the beaten path to new and exciting places. And then I took her and the boys a little farther along the beaten path out past Basin Head and on to Bothwell, where I knew about a long, narrow, beautiful strip of land for sale that runs all the way down to the ocean.
The first thing Tats wondered was whether the property was long enough for a landing strip? (Likely long enough for a Cessna 150 to land, but probably too short for a reliable take off. And not really into the prevailing winds, either.)
Despite the poorly positioned and just narrowly too-short length of the strip, we enjoyed a short ramble through the woods and over the dune to the private beach, stopping along the way to pick the most incredibly juicy, sweet (and somewhat sandy) blueberries. If you're looking to buy an incredible waterfront gem on the island, let me know, and I'll hook you up with the owner/seller!
Despite the poorly positioned and just narrowly too-short length of the strip, we enjoyed a short ramble through the woods and over the dune to the private beach, stopping along the way to pick the most incredibly juicy, sweet (and somewhat sandy) blueberries. If you're looking to buy an incredible waterfront gem on the island, let me know, and I'll hook you up with the owner/seller!
We fantasized about what might be, then climbed back into the car and drove a little bit west to Basin Head, which due to the cold, rainy weather was uncharacteristically empty, and where Tats jumped from the bridge, to a small crowd that gathered to cheer her on.
Relaxing at Home
The next day, we dropped Tats and one of my boys at the airport to begin the long journey to the west coast, where they would spend a night in Portland before getting into a lineup to eclipse-chasing cars headed to the totality zone. The other twin and I headed back home to enjoy a few days of rest and relaxation -- other than the Panmure Powwow, we stuck pretty close to home, drumming, swimming, cycling and watching movies.
Alex also rediscovered my pattern block collection, and made a number of intriguiging tiling patterns when them, including this star:
Relaxing at Home
The next day, we dropped Tats and one of my boys at the airport to begin the long journey to the west coast, where they would spend a night in Portland before getting into a lineup to eclipse-chasing cars headed to the totality zone. The other twin and I headed back home to enjoy a few days of rest and relaxation -- other than the Panmure Powwow, we stuck pretty close to home, drumming, swimming, cycling and watching movies.
Alex also rediscovered my pattern block collection, and made a number of intriguiging tiling patterns when them, including this star:
We ourselves watched the eclipse from the deck of the house -- 45% coverage on PEI and a gloriously clear and sunny day -- and shared this marvel with some neighbours down the road, by letting them use our eclipse glasses that Tats had carefully pre-ordered some months in advance.
Manuscript
Soon enough, it was time to pack up and head back to Toronto. Alex and I underwent our usual "last day routine" by heading into town a little early, and checking out the Confederation Ctr's art exhibit, which this year featured -- among other things -- the rarely-on-display complete manuscript of LM Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables".
Manuscript
Soon enough, it was time to pack up and head back to Toronto. Alex and I underwent our usual "last day routine" by heading into town a little early, and checking out the Confederation Ctr's art exhibit, which this year featured -- among other things -- the rarely-on-display complete manuscript of LM Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables".
How fascinating it was to see Lucy Maud's own handwriting on page after page of a small, neat stack of papers. Apparently there were very few additions and deletions on this original, and basically no plot changes at all. It was as though she had the whole story with all the characters clearly defined in her head, and then just poured them out onto the page through her pen!
After the usual final Cow's ice cream and a quick grab of chocolate covered potato chips and other treats from the AoGG Chocolate Shop for my colleagues back at the office, we drove out to the airport to drop off the car and avail ourselves of the free wifi so that Alex could get his fix and I could attend to some work business on my laptop.
A wx-related flight delay meant we arrived in YYZ well after nightfall, but since Tats and Simon had arrived significantly earlier than anticipated, this meant they were able to go home, unpack and unwind, and come pick us up from the airport later, so that we could exchange tales of our distinct adventures from two different coasts of the continent on the way home!
After the usual final Cow's ice cream and a quick grab of chocolate covered potato chips and other treats from the AoGG Chocolate Shop for my colleagues back at the office, we drove out to the airport to drop off the car and avail ourselves of the free wifi so that Alex could get his fix and I could attend to some work business on my laptop.
A wx-related flight delay meant we arrived in YYZ well after nightfall, but since Tats and Simon had arrived significantly earlier than anticipated, this meant they were able to go home, unpack and unwind, and come pick us up from the airport later, so that we could exchange tales of our distinct adventures from two different coasts of the continent on the way home!
And thus endeth another summer trip with the kids to our familiar summer stomping grounds, a strange blend this year of a few usual routines and a considerable number of new explorations and discoveries.
RSS Feed
