Eagle Watching

Every year from December to March, hundreds of bald eagles migrate to the Annapolis Valley.  In January and February they have special "eagle weekends" with food and festivities.  They put out food for the eagles and you can stand around watching the hundreds of eagles feed.

Mom and I decided to go see the eagles but didn't go on the weekend as it would be too crowded.  We went on a Tuesday.  The weather was beautiful -- warm(ish) and sunny.  There were a few others there but not too many.  The eagles are fed between 9 am and 10 am.  We were late getting off and worried we would miss it. 

No worries necessary.  Apparently there is a pecking order in bird feeding.  First the seagulls, then the crows, then the eagles.  We were surprised to learn that the eagles waited for the other birds to eat first.  Also a surprise -- the eagles sound like canaries!  Not like great fearsome birds at all.  We waited around for an hour (it was warm, but not that warm) before leaving.  The seagulls hadn't started to eat yet but we were hungry!

We stopped at the local fair trade coffee shop.

Mom ordered our eats (hot chocolate for me, latte for her and some giant cookies), lovingly created for us by Doug, the barrista.

Just Us Coffee also makes fair trade chocolate.  I looked for job applications for tasters but only found free chocolate samples.  Yum!

They also sell items crafted by third world artisans, in addition to a little museum about how the average coffee grower lives. 

All in all, a good day.

Bill is visiting

The rain has started -- Hurricane Bill is visiting Nova Scotia. Depending on which storm watch you follow, the eye will either pass right over us or drift out into the Atlantic. We are all prepared with our 72 hour kit and actually, kind of excited. We love storms!

Assuming we will be losing power soon, as it's starting to shut down around Peggy's Cove, I'll be back later to let you know how we fared. Another benefit to living in the basement!

Demon's Point

A hot sunny Saturday means swimming! Aaron suggested we go to a place from his childhood -- Demon's Point. It's the front part of a dam, so it's practically bottomless but the real attraction is the cliffs to jump off. They call them the 20, the 40 and the 60. It's supposed to be how many feet high they are but it's not by any means accurate.

Liam standing at the 60 -- decisions, decisions


Justin jumps . . .


then Liam goes for it!

Jumping isn't the only adventure -- getting to Demon's Point is challanging of itself. First you go doooowwwwwnnnn (straight down) a hill through the woods. Then you cross a brook. Then you go uuuuppppppp a hill steep enough that you're grabbing onto treee roots to haul yourself up. then you climb down a rock cliff. Lots of fun. Aaron keeps forgetting that I am delicate and not suited to exertion.


Sam climbing UP the hill



Sam and Aaron on the top ridge

Regardless, the boys loved it. Sam even jumped off a low ledge (lifejacket on, of course) after Aaron swam him across. But he made it back on his own!












Sam and Aaron swimming, Sam's feet, Sam's sneakers and the shoes I apparently felt were appropriate to climb a mountain in.