Fence Me Out

Lots of excitement (one way or another) about the Wonderland of construction cranes downtown. Development is a messy business and being a sensitive type I often wish there was a nicer edge between public space and the turmoil of building. So I was very pleased to read that there will be a wonder-wall built to…Read More

Give Peace a Chance

Last July I spent a joyful morning walking in downtown Dartmouth (maybe I'll show you more later).  Towards the end of my ramble I visited the World Peace Pavilion in Ferry Terminal Park (hope there wasn't a naming competition for the park). The Pavilion was created to house material collected from around the world by…Read More

Life after Parrsboro

My blogging colleagues the peripatetic Gillian and Drew have been joyfully sampling the Parrsboro shore.  Their enthusiasm made me revisit some photos from a very similar expedition Sheila and I took at this same time last year. We were based in Spencer's Island so we could go to the amazing Forager's Dinner at the Wild Caraway in Advocate.  There…Read More

Back to the Garden

  We are gardeners and this is a season for garden visits and renewed garden contemplation.  For the last year or two Sheila has been engaging all types of garden folks in conversations about the garden culture of Nova Scotia and what it might be. Maybe  our garden visits this spring have provided some clues or evidence. In…Read More

Opening Doors and Looking Around

We spent much of the day visiting Doors Open venues at a leisurely pace.  Everywhere folks  were excited and proud to be showing off their spaces and programs.  When I got home it was fun to review what I had been noticing - and to imagine patterns. So here is a real mixture of images from some of…Read More

Building Boom 1860s Style

With 40 venues to choose from during Doors Open you could organize your visits in many themes:  halls of worship, places of learning, seats of power - you get the idea.  A theme that appeals to me is a group of buildings that were all built about 150 years ago, around 1860. Start at St Matthews on Barrington St.  This…Read More

Get thee to the Sacred Heart School

On Monday evening there was a garden lecture sponsored by the Friends of the Public Gardens and the Atlantic Rhododendron and Horticultural Society. I'm bringing this up now because it took place in a theatre in the Sacred Heart School and the Head Mistress, who greeted us, was excited that their building is part of Doors…Read More

The Charms of the Valley in Spring

Spent yesterday in the lower Valley  and it was glorious.  We have been part of a community hosting Panayoti Kelaidis the curator at the Denver Botanical Gardens (he is on a speaking tour in the region and is a fount of plant knowledge and joy in general).  An expert local plants person had put together a a…Read More

Start planning for Doors Open

I am such a fanboy for Doors Open! For me it's a Festival of Noticing.  See my little chair swivel dance of anticipation for this year's edition of 40 venues  on June 7 and 8.  All the details on their site. Leading up to the big weekend  I'll use the blog to tell you some sites that excite me and some…Read More