My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Kristl Walek]

We had decided to stay an additional day on the south shore for further botanizing, so drove the short distance south to Shelburne,  another pretty and historic oceanfront town, with a high percentage of pre-1800 homes, with plans to spend the night there.

Graham had made me a birthday present of a room in the best B&B in town and a deluxe dinner at a local restaurant.

Unbeknown to us, Hollywood was in Shelburne as well, for a remake of Moby Dick (with William Hurt, Gillian Anderson, Ethan Hawke and Donald Sutherland) being filmed on the waterfront, two blocks away from our B&B. A number of films have been shot in this town, including "The Scarlet Letter".

In fact, all the streets close to the B&B had been closed to traffic as they were filming that particular day, at dusk.

The Cooper's Inn was a wonderful 1785 structure right on the waterfront. The right red door in the pictures was my room, where I could easily go out and sit in the garden courtyard with my tea and flora. At one point I heard the (very loud) squaking of birds close by and discovered a large flock of ducks milling about across the street. Minutes later, a woman arrived from the building across the road to feed them. I later heard this was her twice daily ritual, and the birds arrived faithfully.

On my birthday morning, Graham and I were the second breakfast "appointment"  at 7:20am. This was almost as amazing, delicious and beautifully presented as dinner had been the night before, all in a gorgeous and intimate dining room. One could "order any breakfast item" from the menu, or "order all items" (a unique idea).

There had been another couple in the dining room before us, who left just prior to our meal arriving. And, just as we were starting to eat, the next set arrived, who just happened to be Donald Sutherland and his wife. I would not have noticed initially, except for his voice, which I recognized instantly.

Well, how interesting, to be eating scrambled eggs right next to them and trying not to eavesdrop on their conversation....which was, of course hard to avoid in such a small space. It turned out that they were in the "suite" on the top floor.

[Kristl Walek]

On the agenda for this day (Day 4) were a number of small trips still attempting to find Aronia arbutifolia, Ilex glabra with fruit (which we did not find at Keji Adjunct), to see Smilax rotundifolia, the very rare Lophiola americana and Rhexia virginica (which we never found).

A quick stop and short hike to Clam Shell Lake, 30 minutes from Shelburne, led us straight to fruiting Ilex glabra, near the lakeshore. This area was also overgrown with the very invasive, non-native broom.

Clam Shell Lake is part of the Indian Fields provincial park preserve---and Indian Fields, another area of sand barrens, was right across the street, and our second stop of the day. There was at one time an airstrip here, used by crews for fighting forest fires. The area is covered with large patches of Gaultheria, Arctostaphyllos, Corema and Myrica pensylvanica.

We saw one amazing area of Corema with drifts of Kalmia angustifolia growing through it and Graham stopped to wonder at the remains of a Spiranthes growing here in these hot, pure sand conditions. This we figured must be S. ochroleuca, which is known to occur only on acid, sandy soils in dry, open habitats and was unknown to us in Ontario.

The Myrica berries here were close to their final, ripe grey-blue colour.

[Kristl Walek]

Stop number 3 on this day was Ponhook Lake; a bit of a tricky expedition that led us first through an hour of squishing through worrisome wetlands along the shore, until we realized we needed a different approach to the lake, along another road. While the first road did not yield our hoped results, it did have a couple of interesting signs along the way. You will guess by the picture why the first area was rather treacherous.

The dirt road at the second approach was lined with Anaphalis at it's pre-fluff stage, and the approach to the lake was through very lovely woods. Once at the lake, we walked along the shore and came to a wet area with tall grasses, where the rare Lophiola aurea grows. Even though it was at the seed stage, the white colour of the plants and their form contrasted beautifully with the grasses.

[Kristl Walek]

Walking further along the shoreline, a multitude of glaucous foliage began to appear on the rocky shore; which, once we saw our first seed head, were able to identify as Pogonia ophioglossoides. There were hundreds of plants here, which were soon followed by Drosera intermedia seed rececptacles, growing in a similar area along the water.

We had hoped to photograph the berries of Smilax rotundifolia for our book---knowing this would be challenging, as the plant rarely fruits in Nova Scotia---and sadly, we were not lucky. This is a plant with beautiful, clean, glossy foliage, but lethal thorns. It had formed a near thicket in this area, winding it's way into the trees, and over specimens of Hamamelis, which were in flower.

Returning to the car, I discovered the foliage of hundreds of violas on the dirt road. These could not be keyed out except possibly being a rarely occuring glabrous form of Viola sagitatta, which is known to occur in Nova Scotia.

On the drive back to Annapolis Royal that Thursday, we admired the colours along the side of the road---primarily red maple.

The next day, Friday, day 5, was our last outing, near Halifax, and also my last day with Graham. As it turned out, it was the highlight of my week. But this I will have to save for tomorrow.

[fleurbleue]

Once again, thanks for sharing all these stunning photos and accounts with us. I can't wait for the next message 

[maggiepie]

Kristl, am really enjoying your pics and commentary.
What fun sharing brekkie with Donald Sutherland ( well sort of), he does have a wonderful and unique voice, he has long been one of my favourite actors.
It makes your wonderful birthday prezzie even more special

[Kristl Walek]

When I was quickly researching the geology of the area where Graham and I spent our last day, I ran across this commentary; which comes close to how profoundly moved I felt in this landscape; how even the presence of a good friend here was too much for me most of the time. I wanted more than anything to wander by myself, to sit on the large boulders and just experience the landscape. And this is, in fact, what I ultimately did...and never wanted to leave.

There are few who have not heard of the famous Peggy's Cove Lighthouse.
Ironically, on their way to see it, most pass by one of the most beautiful,
one of the most mystical, most entrancing geological wonders in Canada, the
Peggy's Cove Preservation Area.

While Awesome is a word that is sometimes overworked, even that word does
not aptly describe the experience one has when one is alone in the presence
of these magnificent ancient boulders, scattered, as if by some giant hand,
across the thousand acres of the area.

For we soon sense that these old stones have something to tell us. Something
about the earth. Something, perhaps, about ourselves. For there are those
who think, you see, that stones have spirits. Maybe they do, maybe not. But
the feeling of unexplainable awe you get in their presence is unmistakable
....

Their story begins a long time ago ... about 10 thousand years, in fact,
when a great ice field covered this part of Canada. It was a huge icefield,
stretching for thousands of miles, and it plowed across the land like a
giant bulldozer, scraping away everything in its path, picking up boulders
that weighed thousands of tons and peeling away all traces of life in its
path.

And so for thousands of years, there were here no birds, no plants, no
sounds, save for the cracking and grinding of ice, the howling winds and the
lonely bark of the occasional sea animal that wandered close to the crashing
breakers of our frozen, rocky shore.

And then, strangely, slowly, the    great glacier began to melt, and as it
did, it left huge boulders, scattered randomly across the land, some
weighing many tons ... many held up in strange ways by the small stones upon
which they landed.

And then ... with time ... the miraculous began to happen as Mother Nature
scattered her seeds - and tiny, primitive plants began to take hold in the
cracks and crevices of the old rocks.

First, it was the crusty lichens and their relatives, the tough precursors
of life to come, stitching little paths and patterns onto the barren rock

And then, the first traces of living green appeared, as various mosses and
other small plants took hold wherever they could find a crack in the rocks
or a scant supply of necessary nutrients.

At length, and with time, various little ecosystems sprung up: unique and
beautiful little natural gardens here and there whose purpose was and is to
delight, to play their part in the unfolding drama of life, changing with
the seasons and bringing meaning and continuity into the lives of those who
pass their way.

And today ... today those rocks are still there, alluring, inviting, just as
they have been for all those thousands of years, standing sentinel over the
rocky coast and the little, private beauty spots that dot the magical land
around the little village of Peggy's Cove.

Stunning in their majesty, mysterious in their origins, the Old Stone
Sentinels of Peggy's Cove will, with their comforting presence and quiet
majesty, bid you stay awhile, and draw sustenance from the constsncy of
their ancient, mystical presence.

[Kristl Walek]

Although the area where we were in very near Peggy's Cove (note the famous lighthouse in the last picture); this spot is actually named after another woman, and is Polly's Cove. The entrance was a tiny drive-off spot from the highway described as being "1.4km past the baseball diamond in Dover, large enough for 2 vehicles". And sure enough, that is just where it was, and we were the only vehicle there.

Our botanical goal here was simple: to find Empetrum rubrum (ideally with fruit to photograph). The walk-in from the road was easy; through low, shrubby growth, which quickly opened up to the boulders and the low plants, as we climbed up on the rocks and plateau.

The appressed Junipers and Empetrums were found mostly on the exposed boulders close to the ocean. As we stared and stared at the mats of Empetrum, we slowly began to see that some patches were lower, tighter, and a darker green, which ended up being the Empetrum rubrum. Eventually we found a couple of clones with berries to photograph.

[Kristl Walek]

In an open, exposed, boggy area in between the large rocks more inland were pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea), tiny 4" versions of a Solidago I later saw in it's larger size, an unidentified Scripus that made wonderful structural mounds in the soggy soil between the rocks, and oceans of other plants, including miniscule representatives of Gaylussacia dumosa, with it's beautiful red, textured foliage.

Eventually I was forced to wind my way back to the little parking area, as storm clouds threatened, but was able to stop and admire one last drift of my favorite Vaccinium, loaded with ripe berries.

I found Graham still photographing Aster nova-belgii, near the Toyota at the roadside---and on my drive back to Annapolis Royal alone later that evening, knew then that this wonderful week would be forever stamped in my heart.

[fleurbleue]

Your "textural mix" is a true painting Kristel 

[Ragged Robin]

Wonderful sights in your epic week - the 'boggy mix' makes a great picture!  Kristi what conditions was the Aster growing in - I am trying to establish one that's similar here?

[annew]

A magical place Kristl, and an inspired description too.

[Kristl Walek]

what conditions was the Aster growing in - I am trying to establish one that's similar here?

The Aster novae-belgii is a beautiful common "roadside weed" here--and of course the mother of a gazillion cultivars. Nothing fussy for cultivation. Ordinary garden conditions, full sun to very light shade. It grows here in acidic soil, of course, but the plant is all over gardens everywhere, in alkaline or acid.

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks, Kristi, I have one that is magnificent and another that does not look so happy  I think the simple Asters are beautiful, if 'weedy', both mine are on a steep south facing slope in full sun I did wonder if the soil was not quite right.

Your wonderful images are going round in my mind, especially Polly's cove with the rocks like beached whales, the depth of colour in that light makes everything feel so tangible in your photos, thanks for sharing such a wonderful adventure.

[Kristl Walek]

I think the simple Asters are beautiful, if 'weedy', both mine are on a steep south facing slope in full sun I did wonder if the soil was not quite right.

I use the phrase "roadside weed" (as it so often appears in print) with total sarcasm, of course; as so many of those "weeds" are first-rate plants. I've noticed the tendency in North America in the past decade to give new common names to many of the native plants here that end with the word "weed." (ie. Butterfly Weed). I was just having a discussion with someone about how common names reflect interesting things about a culture. Ever notice how Asian plants often have very grand common names (Princess Tree etc), and rarely end with the "w" word.