More summer

Our last two weeks haven't been as planned or organized but they have been fun. Last week for the first time in years we went to a movie in Bridgewater. We enjoyed our night out, and since we had a gift card we had a free evening of entertainment. We have revisited a couple of our favourite drives along the shore both east and west. Yesterday we had a day trip to the Noel shore in NS. We saw a couple of lighthouses that we didn't know were there, Walton and Burncoat Head. We are really enjoying our visits to the many lighthouses in the province. Who knows how long some of them will be able to survive now that the federal government has announced they will no longer maintain them. Another piece of history lost.

We stopped for a picnic lunch at Cheverie and my little camera got a few pictures which I will share below.

In addition to our staycations we have also done a little bit of work at home...emphasize little. We replaced a few of the board in our deck which had some rot in them, and we have started piling the dreaded wood for the winter. There is still a lot to do but all work and no play does spoil life.

Card Lake Provincial Park on Hwy 14  Beautiful spot

Card Lake

Lookoff at Cheverie.  The land in the far distance is across Cobequid Bay towards Parrsboro

Taken at Cheverie

Lighthouse in Walton

Lighthouse in Burncoat Head. 

Is volunteering a staycation?

On July 25th and 26th Lunenburg hosted eight of the tall ships that are visiting Nova Scotia. When I heard they were looking for volunteers to help during the two day visit I thought it would be a great idea if my husband and I volunteered...in fact I volunteered us both. What a great experience. We only worked for half of the day until 1:00 pm. The skies were blue and the crowds were wonderful. People from all over North America and a few from Europe were there enjoying the moment. And Lunenburg rolled out the welcome mat as they do so very well. The town is a tourist destination and it boasts a very high reputation for ship building for the past 250 years. Put all of that together with the crews from the eight ships visiting the area for the first time and you have everything needed for a very successful festival.

I'm not sure if others would call this a staycation, but I certainly do. I had fun, I learned a lot, I enjoyed meeting new people and I got to share a little bit of the South Shore with others. What more could you ask for? My husband had a similar experience. He was working with the security folks for most of day one and he was assisting at one of the gates on day two. He got to meet new people and learn about their reasons for visiting and their expectation...he also helped to make those expectations reality.

Below are a few pictures that will give you a small hint of the atmosphere. Enjoy. If you are in Nova Scotia and have not yet seen any of the tall ships, they are in Shelburne on the 28th and 29th. There are also tall ships in Pugwash and Pictou on July 28th and 29th.

Two of the visiting tall ships

Welcome to the visitors

A visitor to the wharf and the tall ships

Another visitor

More of the Tall Ships tied at the wharf

Good will ambassador to answer questions and help the visitors.

StayCation July 21, 2012

Wow I am really liking this trial retirement...it may become permanent...time will tell. Today was another one day staycation trip, this time to Wolfville, Windsor and some places in between.

 We left home at about 8:00 am and took our trusty dog with us. That meant that we wouldn't be leaving him for very long in the car by himself...minutes only. That dictates where and how long we visit.

Our first stop in the valley was the Wolfville Farmers' Market. They have over 70 vendors, although I didn't take the time to count them. There was everything there, veggies of course, fish chowder, artisans, wine, art, honey, candles, and live music. Most of the vendors are inside but there are a few outside tents. I visited the market while my husband and our dog went for a walk around the surrounding area. I have a few pictures of the market and the hustle and bustle. If anyone is a farmers'market fan, this is definitely a must see and do. They are open on Wednesday evenings and on Saturday mornings, and they are a year round market. Pretty impressive for a small community like Wolfville,

Our next stop was a wonderful fabric shop in Avondale. I always like to pick up a "few things" when I am there. Quilting supplies and patterns, and they also carry knitting supplies and other fabric art/craft supplies. Another must see if you are into fabric arts.

On to Windsor. We had picked two or three things we wanted to do and decided to return another day for more fun stuff. In Windsor at Kings/Edgehill there was a British car display as well as a cricket match and other "British" related activities. It was the cars that drew us and we were really surprised at the number of cars on display, one from Washington State, some from Ontario and of course all of the Maritime provinces.

We then backtracked to Blomidon lookoff and then to Halls Harbour. Both of these are beautiful and allowed us to walk freely with our dog. He always was a perfect gentleman as he visited all those beautiful cars in Windsor.

We decided that we had had a great day, filled with both the unexpected and the expected and neither disappointed. We learned that there was also a "Big Rig" display at the Windsor Exhibition grounds. While this wasn't something that we were particularly interested in, it looked to be of interest to several people, at least as we drove past to the highway.

Another great day. July has been a beautiful month so far, great experiences and fun, and a great dinner at the Galley restaurant for our anniversary.

Blomidon Lookoff

Car Show in Windsor

Halls Harbour

Statue of Howard Dill in Windsor

Anniversary Dinner

Frank and I celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary yesterday. Wow. For our anniversary dinner we chose the Galley Restaurant and Lounge at the boat club just west of Chester, NS. The food was fantastic. My cup of Galley Chowder was thick and rich, full of lobster, scallops, haddock, clams and potatoes and leeks and the list goes on. Delicious! I chose the Buttermilk Baked Haddock with curry sauce for my main course. And if possible it was even better than the chowder. Frank chose the Pan Seared Fresh Tuna which he thoroughly enjoyed. Relaxing atmosphere, beautiful view, great service and wonderful food...what more can you ask for?

For the details of hours of operation and menus visit  http://galleyrestaurant.ca/

A couple of the pictures of the great view.

Warm Summer day on the South Shore of NS

Beautiful warm summer day on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. A few of the beautiful beaches were almost empty, what a great chance for beach lovers. A few of our pictures from today's drive along the shore line, a stop at Medway River Lighthouse, pictures of Beach Meadows, and a few pictures of wild flowers in full bloom.

Wild Roses at Port Medway Lighthouse

Port Medway Lighthouse

Wharf at Port Medway

Picnic Shelter at Port Medway

Beach Meadows in Queens County

Beautiful beach at Beach Meadows

Hardly any visitors to this beautiful beach on a hot sunny July day

Staycation or Nearcation

This summer my husband and I are planning to explore our own province, Nova Scotia, and maybe visit our neighbours, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. I have recently learned that a staycation is often a day trip and a nearcation is an overnighter or longer but still within your own province. I'm not sure if this definition is correct but I am going to use it as my guide as I post through the summer months about our adventures near our home.  

We have just returned from a nearcation trip to Cape Breton Island. The first night was spent in New Glasgow visiting with a friend and planning our next couple of days in CB. We have "done" the Cabot Trail several times, so this trip was going to be a bit different. We would travel up the shoreline to Port Hood, Mabou and then turn inland to Baddeck and then on to Sydney. We would visit gift shops and local tourist attractions on our way and if we saw something interesting we would stop. 

One gem that we discovered was the little day park in Port Hood. Easy access, great signage and a well maintained boardwalk, sandy beach (practically deserted) picnic tables and a beautiful view of the water. A wonderful breather, a peaceful place to stop and stretch your legs.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the Glenora Distillery while listening to genuine Cape Breton music provided by a musical duo, one planning the guitar and the other the fiddle.I highly recommend the Maritime Seafood Chowder on the Distillery's lunch time menu, a generous sized serving with a flaky homemade biscuit. Scallops, fish and potatoes all hot and flavourful. 

And of course the charming community of Baddeck and the surrounding area also is a delight for the senses. The skies were overcast for most of the second and third day and we only had a couple of heavy rain showers...one when we were inside a restaurant looking out and another on our way into the hotel.

We were a little disappointed about a couple of our planned stops, we couldn't find them. They may have gone out of business or maybe the problem was poor signage. Just a note to anyone trying to sell things, if people can't find you...

The following pictures are a few of our memories of the trip. Hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed the experiences. 

Ship loading at the quarry at the Causeway

Port Hood Day Park, a nice surprise

Port Hood Day Park, tables and broadwalk

Port Hood Day Park, great chance for a long walk

We arrived in time for a very tasty lunch and the early afternoon music. Tours are available. Beautiful grounds and friendly people.

Just outside Baddeck

Although a cloudy day, the rain held off

From the top of the mountain looking down to where we will be crossing.  Winding road...good brakes are a must.

Orangedale museum

Inside the dormer train depot at Orangedale

Orangedale Museum. A must see for railway buffs.

Approaching the causeway on our way home. Fog hugging the mountain tops. 

Professional Opportunity - Art Historian

Professional Opportunities

Mount Allison University (Sackville, NB): Art Historian, Deadline March 30

The Department of Fine Arts at Mount Allison University invites applications for a full-time nine-month position for an art historian. The Fine Arts Department offers a studio based BFA degree and a BA degree with a major or minor in studio arts and art history. Teaching responsibilities will include a Survey of World Art from the First Peoples to the Present (FINH 2001 and 2011), Nineteenth Century Art (FINH 3141 and 3241), Advanced Seminar in Art History (FINH 4091), and Independent Studies in Art History.

The successful applicant should have or be nearing completion of a Ph.D. in art history and have a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching and research. Teaching experience at the undergraduate level, an informed awareness of critical theory, and an ability to incorporate theory into art history are essential. The appointment will commence 1 August 2012 at the rank of Lecturer or Assistant Professor, subject to budgetary approval. The appointment end-date is 30 April 2013.

Applications should include: a letter of application; a curriculum vitae; a teaching dossier; three letters of reference forwarded by the referees, a short sample of research, and other appropriate material. To ensure full consideration, complete applications, including letters of reference, should be submitted by Friday, March 30, 2012 to:

Professor Thaddeus Holownia
Chair of the Search Committee
Department of Fine Arts
Mount Allison University
53 York Street
Sackville, NB E4L 1C9
e-mail: holownia@mta.ca

For further information see our website: http://www.mta.ca/finearts

Mount Allison is a highly respected small (2500 students) undergraduate institution which aims at excellence in undergraduate education. The Department of Fine Arts, with 11 full- and part-time faculty and technical staff and approximately 148 students, offers courses in drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, open media and art history. The Owens Art Gallery, with a program of contemporary and historical exhibitions and visiting artists' presentations, provides important support for the Department.

Mount Allison University welcomes diversity in the workplace and encourages applications from all qualified women and men, including aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Canadian and permanent residents should indicate their citizenship status in their application.

Grant Deadlines - Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to equity and inclusion, and welcomes applications from diverse Aboriginal, cultural and regional communities, including people with disabilities.

Deadlines

1 April, 1 June, 1 September, 1 November and 1 February
If any of these dates fall on a weekend or statutory holiday, that deadline moves to the next business day. Your completed application form and all required support material must be postmarked on or before the deadline date.
Please refer to the Program Guidelines for detailed information.

Program Description

The Travel Grants to Professionals in the Visual Arts program provides assistance to professional visual and fine craft artists, independent critics and curators, and architecture professionals. The grants are for travel to attend or participate in activities related to their practice, whether in Canada or abroad.
Visual and fine craft artists may apply for either travel for exhibition OR travel to artists’ residency.
Independent critics and curators, and architecture professionals may apply for either travel for presentation OR travel for research.

Applicant Eligibility

Note that meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee that you will receive a grant.

General Eligibility Criteria

To apply to the Canada Council for the Arts, you must be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident status, as defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. You do not need to be living in Canada when you apply.
Only individuals can apply to this program. If you are travelling as part of a group or collaboration, each member must apply separately.
You must meet the Canada Council’s definition of a professional artist, defined as someone who:

• has specialized training in the artistic field (not necessarily in academic institutions)
• is recognized as a professional by his or her peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition), and
• is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if possible financially

Visual and fine craft artists, independent critics and curators, and architecture professionals must also have:

• produced an independent body of work, and
• maintained an independent professional practice for at least three years following the completion of specialized training in the field.

Specific Eligibility Criteria

In addition to meeting the general eligibility criteria outlined above, you must have a history of public presentation or publication. This is defined as follows:

Visual and fine craft artists

• You must have had at least three exhibitions of your work in a professional visual arts or fine craft context, over a three-year period.

Independent critics and curators

• Critics: You must have had at least three independent critical texts or reviews published in a professional context, over a three-year period.
• Curators: You must have created at least three independent public exhibition/presentations and have had three independent critical texts or reviews published in a professional context, over a three-year period.

Architecture professionals

• Practitioners of architecture (architect, landscape architect, or architectural or urban designer): You must have had at least three published articles, publications, exhibitions or other public presentations of your works of architecture in a professional context.
• Critics and curators of architecture: You must have had at least three published articles, publications, exhibitions, or other public presentations on works of architecture in a professional context.

Project Eligibility

This program covers the following types of travel:

Visual and fine craft artists

• Travel for exhibition: Travel to attend an exhibition of your artworks. Travel must be in response to an invitation by a professional visual arts or fine craft organization, or in another context where your work is recognized by a professional curator, gallery director or art dealer.

• Travel to artists’ residency: Travel to participate in a professional artists’ residency. Participants must be chosen through a selection process.  The host organization must offer support in the form of a confirmed grant or honorarium, or contribution towards accommodations.

Independent critics and curators, and architecture professionals

• Travel for presentation: Travel to attend a public presentation of your work at a professional venue or to present at a conference or symposium. The travel must be in response to an invitation from a professional organization.

• Travel for research: Travel to undertake professional activities, such as studio visits or site visits related to a specific research project.

Grant Amount

Grants are available in fixed amounts ($500, $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,000 or $2,500). The amounts of $2,000 and $2,500 are usually reserved for travel to or from Northern or remote parts of Canada, or international destinations other than the United States and Europe.

Further Information

Program Officers
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON  K1P 5V8
visualarts.travelgrants@canadacouncil.ca
1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, and the appropriate extension number.

1 April: Jim Logan, ext. 5266
1 June: Geneviève Landreville, ext. 5109
1 September: Pao Quang Yeh, ext. 5094
1 November: François Dion, ext. 5268
1 February: Brigitte Desrochers,ext. 5270
TTY: 1-866-585-5559
Fax: 613-566-4332