2.3.11

nova scotia: rural outtakes


At the end of the school year last year I went back to Nova Scotia to visit my sister, brother-in-law, dad, grandma and the rest of my family. I had such a fabulous visit, the details of which will be revealed over at Yuppie Love on Saturday. I thought I'd share some outtakes of my photos here. These are the ones that I didn't include in my post on Kait's blog because her series is more city-oriented. My ninety-two year old grandmother lives on a farm in rural Nova Scotia and these are some of the photos that I took there last summer.

The house above is not the one my grandma lives in. It's one that we've always called "the other house". It was also a chicken coop at one point. My grandma has lived on this same farm for about ninety years. One of the most inspirational stories about her is that she finished high school in her 70s. Perhaps my mother will correct me on this detail, but she had made it all the way to grade eleven as a teenager, which was rare for girls of her generation, and then had to drop out. I think it is absolutely amazing that she went back fifty years later to get her diploma (in Nova Scotia that's pretty much always called your "grade twelve").

She's also been feeding the birds on this property for almost as long as she's lived there. As Jeff found out when we visited together a few years ago, there is a very specific way to go about feeding the birds. For example, he was asked to go clockwise around the circle in the driveway to feed the pigeons, not counterclockwise. They would hate that. This picture of one of the feeders I'm including for Danielle. It's great to visit my grandma's farm, you can birdwatch from the kitchen window. I also had to get a bluejay out of the screened-in porch when I was last there. That was a bit insane!




This is "Kitty". Dreamcat extraordinaire. Its tongue is sticking out because it has no teeth. When it wandered onto the farm a few years ago my grandma (ever the animal lover) took it to the vet to have it checked out and mentioned that it was a nice kitten. Well, though Kitty was small, the vet was quick to point out that this was no kitten. Estimated age of this cat: 78 human years. So cute.



The "new barn" above and the "old barn" below. "New" might be a misnomer. No idea when this barn was built. The old barn has always been off limits due to structural integrity issues. It looks like it conceals some amazing treasures, it may have been a house in a previous life, and I'm pretty sure it was dragged onto the property by members of my family that first moved here. I have dreams of doing something with some of the wood with its beautiful patina.

Below is "the black cat". Does this cat have a real name? I have no idea, though I think it's name may be "the black cat". I love this photo of it and the black cat is way softer than Kitty, though less likely to sit on your lap and drool. I hope you've enjoyed these images of the farm where I spent so much of my childhood. Take a look at some older photos from this little corner of the world here. Where did you spend childhood weekends?

9 comments:

  1. these pictures are gorgeous. i've always wanted to go to nova scotia. i love how your grandma went back for her diploma! good for her!

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  2. the feeling i get from these photos are just so comforting for some reason. i love rural areas and seeing farmland. it's something so special about your grandmother living on that same farm and feeding the birds of that land for as long as she has. also, the photos of the old and new barns, gorgeous! i agree with you on the old barn and it's concealed treasures. i would love to go in there and find out what's up. haha

    and kitty is just wonder cat isn't she?! 78 human years, wow! my cat, louie, sticks his tongue out sometimes and i think it's the cutest thing ever. does kitty have it out all the time?

    i pretty much spent all my childhood weekends in my hometown of jersey city, nj -just a regular kid biking outside with my cousins and the neighborhood kids. it's funny to see that as i grew up, there were (and still are) kids doing the exact same thing right on my childhood street, except this time it's the children of the kids i used to play with!

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  3. This is awesome, I love these photos! Especially the one of the new barn! So pretty. I love it in Nova Scotia.

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  4. There is so much history and such a comforting feeling to these photos. Really beautiful post.

    Sarah
    theantiquepearl.blogspot.com

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  5. These pictures make me a tiny bit sad that I live in the desert.
    I miss homes with character.
    That cat is ADORABLE! I think it might be ideal for me, since it has no teeth and can't bite me. We could get down with some snuggling.

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  6. lovely photos and i can't believe your grandma!!! totally self sufficient props sent her way for living such a stellar quality of life that way. i loved reading your tribute to her and the things she's accomplished, it's most inspirational.

    and awe, sweet, toothless kitty! our cat Gizmo sticks her tongue out like that too, but we always think it must be uncomfortable b/c she does have rather sharp teeth. thinking the gum thing is probably WAY more comfy ; )

    these remind me of a neighbors home i loved to visit when growing up. they had orchards out back, two gorgeous collies and miles of land. i remember being in the kitchen while rhubarb pie was being baked, best days ever! thanks for sharing yours! ♥

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  7. JackieK: It really is the most inspiring story about her life. You should definitely visit Nova Scotia!

    Gale: This was such a sweet comment. Thank you so much for sharing and for everything you said!

    Lindsay C: Thank you! That "new" barn just blew down this winter. My mom was pleased to see I have this photo of it. :)

    Sarah Dee: Thank you. There is a lot of history on this farm.

    Carla: I would love to switch places with you for a while. You have oceans/mountains and I'll try out the desert. Deal? Kitty is very lovable and might also be immortal.

    Lynn: She is such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your story about rhubarb pie and kitchen parties. Those really are the best days of our childhood.

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  8. I love these pictures and stories. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. These photos are so great! I especially love "Kitty." :)
    I found you from the Etsy Blog team, and glad I did! I'm following you now!
    http://www.soulfuljournals.blogspot.com

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