Wildflowers and lobster traps

The summer went by like a flash: eventful, busy, and rewarding. Looking after my sister's campground and gardens was hard work but also had its perks.
"The Jumping Mouse" eco camping is in northern Cape Breton, NS ,a little piece of paradise with mountains in the background and overlooking the Atlantic. 

View from Smokey Mountain along the famous Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, NS

Having been to this area many times over the years, I have made several good friends. Some people think it is isolated because the nearest city is Sydney, a 3hr drive, but the scenery and community activities make up for that. Campers come from all over the world, attracted by the simplicity and beauty of the wilderness. Although the Jumping Mouse campground has only 10 unserviced sites and one wilderness cabin, more and more people are finding it and often stay longer than planned...."just another day...we don't want to leave.." is a common comment.

along the driveway to the JM

Parked at JM beside some lobster traps


A favourite activity for campers is to go on a whale watch boat. Pilot whales are the most common but occasionally people are treated to sights of a humpback or blue whale. During the summer, Cisco, a friend and captain of a whale watch boat, saw a beluga whale which is rare in this area. Seals and dolphins can sometimes be seen as well.

These were a family of pilot whales which included some babies. Sometimes 

 Cisco let's those interested jig for fish. Since he is also an experienced fisherman, the passengers always catch some , usually mackerel, which he then filets so people can cook them over their campfires. As soon as some fish were cleaned, we were followed by many sea gulls eagerly waiting for any scraps.

Fishing is a major industry in Cape Breton and I was fortunate to arrive there just before the end of the lobster season mid July. Each fisherman has his own traps which have his colour of bouys attached to them. The traps have to be hauled in and stacked at the end of the season and these traps can be seen throughout the area. The damaged ones are either fixed or left to recycle into firewood, decorations, or 
to return to the earth.

Interesting driftwood marking a path to campsites

  As a result of being further north, the JM often gets challenging weather with heavy rains and strong winds. This can cause problems for those in tents! Despite these difficulties, people keep coming back year after year to enjoy the serenity and beautiful scenery.
The occasional harsh climate is soon forgotten when there is a spectacular sunset or a clear starry sky. Away from city lights, many more of the stars can be seen. It is an awesome sight.

a stormy sea

On a warm evening in July, some visiting friends from Quebec made dinner and we watched one of the most spectacular sunsets I have seen. They took this photo which shows the view from the campground:

I left Cape Breton a few days ago and am now back on the road again, this time heading west.
 The memories of the Jumping Mouse campground remain.


"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it.
If you can dream it, you can become it."
--William Arthur Ward, writer

"Violence merely increases hate...adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness ;
 only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. "
--- Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

Any comments can be e-mailed to me at:

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com

Thanks,

 Maria

From dandelions to lupins

The drive along the south coast of the Gaspe was uneventful after the rain. The dandelions became scarcer and there were many shades of green from the leaves that had emerged recently.

A last small clump of dandelion blooms

South shore of Gaspe

Stopping at the town of Paspebiac,  I noticed several lobster boats lined up along the dock, unloading their catch of the day. It was wonderful to hear laughter, and fun to watch and spend some time in the fish plant, buying some fresh turbot and sole.I could have gotten some lobster but decided to wait until I arrive in Cape Breton where my brother-in-law fishes for lobster.
My plan is to arrive there just in time for their end of the season lobster feast.
As they say, timing is everything!

Lobster 

Driftwood on beach, image of duck

I continued my journey along the coast and finally arrived at Campbellton, NB , parking at a Walmart for the night. It was in a shopping mall which made it easier for getting some supplies as well as opportunities to practice speaking French. The people were very friendly and helpful.

A problem arose when approaching an overpass with a height limit of 3.4 m. My RV needs clearance of  3.7m. I approached slowly then got out to see how much room was above my roof and it looked possible. In the meantime, a long row of cars were held up behind me until someone shouted "you can do it, just go" and I inched my way along just barely making it! I must remember to pay more attention to bridges and overpasses.

The drive from Campbellton south was rather boring with rolling hills and thick forests.

I stopped at Moncton that night to visit a niece. It was good to catch up on things and play with her pet ferret!

"Luna" loved to race back and forth with me in the living room, waiting for me to start. At first I was nervous holding her but soon got used to it.
Ferrets can't stand still for long, always scurrying about and loving to hide behind cushions. 

It was on the way to Moncton that I began to see colorful lupins along the side of the highway. These lovely flowers can be seen throughout Nova Scotia in late spring and early summer and I've always looked forward to their appearance.

Lupins

After my visit in Moncton, I drove to Nova Scotia where I had lived for many years, loving the ocean and salt air.  Although small compared to many other provinces, Nova Scotia has a big personality.
It feels safe and inviting , comfortable and relaxed.
People call you "dear" and stop to let you cross a street or give directions. They are friendly and treat you with respect. It is not unusual to be invited to a kitchen party to listen to some toe tapping fiddle tunes.

Because of NS's unique shape, you are never far from the ocean . At 55283 sq km, it is Canada's second smallest province and had a pop of 942700 in 2014. 
It is larger than the country of Switzerland which is 41285 sq km in size and has a pop of 8 million!
( info from Google search)

I arrived in NS on June 18 and have been spending time visiting some very dear friends. Close friends are the ultimate treasures and I am filled with gratitude.

One delightful experience I had was when "Zipper" , a small squirrel, ate out of my hand.
She lives on the property of a friend and visits daily, chirping until she gets some peanuts. I had the same experience last fall when I visited there.

More beautiful lupins







Walks along the beach, eagles, and many delights fill my days but there are also tasks and appointments. Decisions need to be made about my RV insurance, health insurance, driver's license.
"No fixed address" is not accepted! Where is my residence, my home address? It is one of the RVer's dilemmas.

"Had you not been everywhere you've been, you couldn't now go everywhere you will go"
---Mike Dooley, 'Infinite possibilities'


"If you don't know what you stand for, you are likely to fall for anything"
---unknown

"Only those who are open to the invisible, can embrace the impossible"
                                                 --Natasha Rosewood


Note: 
People are still experiencing problems leaving comments at the end of my blogs. I haven't been able to sort this out and ask that you send any comments to this E-mail address:

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com

I will reply in my blog.
Thanks ,and have a great summer!

"...and on the seventh day....

"Quand le soleil dit bonjour aux montagnes....."
 (my favourite French song, "when the sun says good morning to the mountains").

Ah, waking up to sun and blue sky made my heart sing! Finally, on my 7th day in Perce, I could continue my journey.
I grabbed my tablet to get a photo but by the time I got outside, thick fog rolled in again!
On no, no,no! After  a brief pity party, I reminded myself of my belief that within each "curve ball" thrown to me by life, is a hidden treasure.
So, get out my chocolate and a movie and later on, go treasure hunting!
There is no reason my heart couldn't sing in fog as well as in sunshine.

And then....

the fog cleared and the sun came back out!  

Put everything away, secure the cupboards, get some fresh water, unhook the RV, dump my tanks, and finally leave!
On, how good it felt to get back on the road, now travelling west again around the south shore of the Gaspe!

And then......

Dark clouds appeared!
Thunder, lightning,rain.
The rain got so heavy, I
had trouble seeing the road, and thankfully, a McDonalds appeared just in time!
How wonderful to have free WiFi!

The rain has now stopped so I'll finish my coffee and get back on the road. I'll put on one of my favourite singers, Harry Martin of Labrador, turn up the volume and sing my heart out!

And then.............?

All is well!

Stuck in thick fog

Here I am in thick fog at Perce at the western tip of the Gaspe.
I left Cap Chat after 2 days, on June 8 and followed #132 east along the St Lawrence River. The scenery became progressively more rugged and the weather colder and rainy at times. The road was rough in places as I travelled inland for a while.

#132 along north shore of Gaspe

By the time I got to Perce and the "Camping du Phage" campground, I was tired of driving even though it was only 230km. 
Perce is a tourist town, famous for its "Rocher Perce " (pierced rock) a huge rock formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
It has an opening in it like an arch that is one of the world's largest natural arches located in water.

Perce Rock in the drizzle ,view from campground

Because of the cold, wet weather, there were very few tourists.
I noticed several campgrounds which were almost empty. I was told that in summer it is sometimes difficult to find a site.


The campground I went to was about 2km west of town overlooking the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and is much larger than  I expected, with 144 sites. The owners were pleasant and spoke a bit of English so we managed.            

near the campground...a foggy day

Dandelions everywhere!!

The weather got worse and I became fogged in for 5 days!
It was cold (11-13C), rainy and very thick fog in the mornings, easing up by afternoon and one evening the sun even broke through! 
The fog made it too dangerous to drive anywhere and I found it difficult to be stuck, particularly since there was only 1 other camper parked at the other end of the campground and they kept to themselves. I figure I could either get into a slump or else make the most of it. I decided this is a golden opportunity to do my blog, watch films, and clean out my cupboards, oh, and treat myself to some chocolate which I brought in case of emergency!

Empty campsites beside me

Is this experience any more isolating than living in an apartment in a city highrise would be? In those situations people often don't even know who lives next door. How connected are we in our busy lives?


Hopefully the fog will lift tomorrow and I'll be able to drive to Campbellton NB, otherwise I might start growing some roots!

a few hours of sun before another storm appeared

Some trivia:
Did you know that Lake Superior contains 10% of the world's fresh surface water?
All of the 4 other great lakes plus 3 more the size of Lake Erie would fit inside of Lake Superior!
        ---info sent to me by my friend Barry

"Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak.
Sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go."
                                           ---unknown

"The only real security in life lies in relishing life's insecurity.                                 ---M.Scott Peck , "The Road Less Travelled"

Following the dandelions

Spring keeps on blossoming as I head east.

After 3 weeks in Ottawa and a farewell dinner fit for a queen, I prepared to continue my journey, only to discover I had a flat tire! To make things more difficult, it was the inner of my 2 left rear tires and it took a long time to find "Frisby Tire Co" that services RV tires. The problem was a small screw that had punctured my tubeless tire!

Delayed, I rerouted via #417 toward Montreal.
Staying well north of the city, I connected to #40 but still got caught in a major traffic jam. Keeping up with French drivers at Fri evening rush hour was a challenge! As a result of the delays I was far behind schedule and notified the campground. The owner graciously opened the office for me when I finally  arrived close to 10pm.It was fun practicing my very limited French and I was surprised by how much I remembered.

 "Camping Juneau-Chalets" , St Augustin-De-Desmaures, is a lovely campground  situated along the shore of Lac Saint-Augustin just west of Quebec City.
There were several sites available as it was still low season. 
There were also cottages for rent as well as several long-term sites.
Many people there rented chalets along the water or had their trailers parked permanently as summer homes.
 I've noticed that this seems quite a popular trend now with seniors travelling. I spoke to one man who had his trailer established there , has a small garden, and has friends nearby. Robert is a retiree from Montreal. In the winter, he drives to another permanent trailer in a similar campground in Florida.
Seasonal rates for campsites are usually considerably less costly than living in a house or apartment. You also have the benefit of living in a beautiful area, often near the water.
I spent a couple of days there and even rented a paddle boat  (they didn't have any kayaks out yet).
I had forgotten how much work it is to travel anywhere with a paddle boat but it felt good to be on the water. Passing by several large homes , some with float planes, I envied them for a moment but then remembered how enriched my life is and that I wouldn't want to trade it.
When I left there, I drove to get some propane at a station suggested to me but found out they don't fill RV
tanks and told me of a station a few km from there. It turned out to be 15km and after a long wait , they informed me they could not fill the built in propane tanks of RV's!  This was another opportunity to not "sweat the small stuff"! It wasn't until later that I found some propane along the highway.
This is one thing I need to plan ahead for and keep an eye on the tank since I need propane for heat, cooking, and hot water.

From there I continued east on #138 , stopping to see the waterfalls at Montmorency. The falls are 83m high, (30m higher than Niagara Falls ). The park has free admission but I had to pay $12.00 to park there! It was a short walk to the falls and, although impressive, they seemed smaller than I expected as they are much narrower than those at Niagara Falls. 

Montmorency Falls, taken from brochure

Crossing the suspension bridge over the top of the falls was rather frightening even though the bridge was very solid. I then came to a steep set of stairs to the bottom of the falls. I was determined to try it, only to be stopped by a security guard when I was about 1/2  the way down. Evidently that was the one day of the year they have a special competition. What were the odds?!  I was very disappointed  and headed back to the top just as a thunderstorm developed, followed by a deluge of rain. What a relief I felt then that I didn't get caught in the storm at the bottom , having to climb all the way up with lightning flashing around me! It's amazing how disappointment can change to gratitude in just a few moments!

From there I drove east to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, the oldest pilgrimage site in North America, attracting people from all over the world. The basilica is huge and contains fantastic artwork. On entry, I could see dozens of crutches and canes hanging on a pillar, left behind by people who had experienced
healing.

photo of brochure

Whether you are spiritual or not, you can't help but feel a sense of awe. I've always loved the majestic architecture and the stillness of large churches or temples.
Amongst the numerous paintings and sculptures , was an exact replica of the "The Pieta"by Michelangelo. This has always been my favourite sculpture and I was fortunate to see the original in the Vatican many years ago. A museum guide told me that the replica was made when the original Pieta was transported to New York for the World's Fair in 1964, in case something happened to the original. The replica looks like it may be made of wax and, although beautiful, doesn't have the quality of light that marble does.

replica of Michelangelo's  " Pieta"

While there, I happened to see the blessing of the motorcycles, attended by hundreds of bikers. 
Someone told me they also have a blessing of RV's every year.

Unfortunately, the photos I took over 2 weeks somehow disappeared from my computer. Some days I wonder if I should have a computer at all given how technically challenged I am! You can see I've taken some of the photos from the brochures. 

While at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre I was able to stay at a very nice park across the street from the basilica.
"Domain Saint Anne" is not a campground but rather a rest stop for visitors to the shrine.
For $15/night,  people are welcome to stay overnight in tents or RV's. There are no hook-ups but water is available from a tap.

The manager of the park was very helpful. I noticed he had an electric bicycle and let me try it. He had a regular bicycle and attached  "Bion X" equipment to it ( a 12V Lithium battery and a special wheel with a built in motor that replaces the regular back wheel). It can go over 100 km on one charge and takes about 4 hrs to charge. It was very easy to drive and the more you petal, the less battery power is needed.
Now I'm thinking this would be the best solution for added transport when my RV is parked and I could have the bike mounted on a bracket on the back.

Back on the road, I continued to drive east along the north shore of the St Lawrence River.
Later on that afternoon, I finally arrived at St Simeon
and the delightful campground of " Falaise-sur-Mer".
I did fairly well speaking French to Nicole, the owner.
She was so impressed by my story, she gave me a very large discount and also a gorgeous site right on the side of the river. It was paradise, helped by some beautiful weather.

The next day was June 1 and I took the ferry across the St Lawrence river , just over an hr to Riviere du Loup where I stayed at a Walmart and got a few supplies. I met a couple of German fellows driving a rented RV from Canadream, the company I had bought my rig from. It was fun practicing speaking German! 
Although it is still early in the season and many unfilled sites at the campgrounds,  I've met a few European tourists driving RV's from various rental companies.So far I've met people from Germany, Holland, and Switzerland.

The next phase of my travels took me east on #132 onto the north shore of the Gaspe peninsula. 
Shortly after passing Rimouski, I stopped to explore "Les Jardins de Metis". Unfortunately, the area I was most interested in, "Festival International de Jardins" was not open for the season yet but the rest of the gardens were quite lovely with numerous beds of spring flowers and trees in blossom. It was peaceful and relaxing to walk through there.

#132 hugged the shore and was quite pleasant driving, thanks to minimal traffic and a mostly flat road. I finally took more photos for my blog.

Along the north shore of the Gaspe were some long stretches interrupted by small villages. 

Dandelions along the road

I drove about 200km/day and was happy to discover several PA campgrounds to stay at, never paying more than $25/night. "Camping aux Pignons Verts" at Les Mechins was close to the beach which I enjoyed walking along.

I'm always amazed to see anything growing in the sand, having worked hard to get things growing in the garden I had before moving into my RV.

No matter what shore I have walked along, I've always loved to hear the sound of crashing waves.

Walking toward Les Marchins

Before I got to the next campground, I stopped to have lunch at a waterfall from a cliff on the side of the road, and a few km 

later, I stopped to check out a large group of wind turbines, one of which was a design I had never seen before.

This is the closest I could get to "The highest vertical axis in the world." (no public entry was allowed to this area off season. In the summer, they give tours). It is in Cap Chat, Gaspe and is a different style of wind turbine. Due to some problems, it stopped working after about a year. 

At the campground in Cap Chat, I was thrilled to get a site right beside the beach.                                                                               

camping at "Au Bord de la Mer", Cap Chat

Sunset over St Lawrence River

Often when I walk in nature, I look for animal images. My friend Richard showed me how to see these images and it has become a fun hobby. The best images are often seen in driftwood but I've seen them on trees, flowers, and even ponds.
At first I couldn't see any but with practice I now see them in many places and I thought I would post a few of these.

seen on beach in Carrabelle, Florida in 2014

The next ones are from a few days ago while walking the beach near Cap Chat.

 

Fascinating, don't you think?




And now for a few more dandelions!

The journey east continues in the next chapter.

Bon soir!

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."
                                               ---William Shakespeare

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart."
                                                  --- Helen Keller

"Don't count the days, make the days count"
                                                  ---Muhammad Ali, boxer
                   

Please note: for some reason people's comments still don't show up. I've made several attempts to fix this problem because it would be fun to get comments. For now, if you do want to comment, please send an e-mail to me at : 

whyknotrvmaria@gmail.com   with the heading  "blog comment".
I will include these comments in my blog. 
Note the k in my address.
Thanks,
 Maria

 



                                                      

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Ottawa sojourn

How fortunate we are to have such a beautiful city for Canada's capital! Ottawa is now getting closer to having a population of a million and yet, has the quiet atmosphere of a small town.

parliament buildings on a rainy day

 I love the streets lined with huge trees and the many beautiful flower gardens, the canal and the river with their wonderful bike paths, and the museums and National Art Gallery.

I arrived in Ottawa on May 5th along with spring in full bloom.
I was grateful to be able to park in my brother Peter's driveway and getting some help with building a proper bed in my RV. The pull-out couch was old and not very comfortable.

The time in Ottawa was busy. I took my 16yo niece Sierra camping for a week-end at Voyageur Prov Park , about 1 1/2hrs NE of Ottawa. It was fun having some one-to-one time with her. 
We also went for a bike ride past the experimental farm a couple of weeks later.

Sierra along one of the bike paths 

Inukshuks and a newly hatched gosling

The ride brought us past the arboretum where there are trees from all over the world.
Further along, we passed by the remains of inukshuks. They are an artistic project "The Art Of Balance" by local artist John Ceprano.
No tools are used and he builds several of these every year. In the winter, they are dismantled by the ice.

I happened to be in Ottawa during the yearly tulip festival.

It is the largest in the world with 1 million blooms and draws thousands of visitors to the capitol.

One of many beds of tulips


My plan of 1 week in Ottawa grew to 3 weeks, much of which was taken up with gardening and family time. I fell in love with their dog, "Hoover" and made me think of getting a dog myself. Many RVers have dogs or cats but I would do some research before making a decision. It was also a golden opportunity to catch up with my brother and his wife who I don't get to see often. We had many long discussions and although I didn't always agree with their points of view, I came to understand them better and also learned a great deal.
Family is precious to me and I'm fortunate to have so many talented siblings.

The Rideau canal in Ottawa is beautiful all year. In the winter it is the world's largest skating rink with 7.8km cleared.In the summer, kayaks, canoes, houseboats or other boats travel the canal and pass through its many locks. Between Ottawa and Kingston there are 23 locks which makes the trip a very long one by boat.

View of Chateau Laurier along the Rideau Canal

"Illusion is reality's border...when we stand at the border of reality, we are afraid that we will lose our identity by plunging in."
--from   "Tao" by Deng Ming-Dao

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal;
it is the courage to continue that counts."
---Winston Churchill