flowers from afar

Although my true love and I have spent yet another valentines day apart, cupid trudged through the snow to deliver a burst of spring. Fleurs to put some sunshine in this gloomy February day. Back across the miles I send this song. A Chris Rea favourite that has become the unofficial anthem of this long distance love affair. I can feel your heart beat.

bball

A friend of mine celebrated a big birthday today. To mark the milestone she invited friends to join her at a Breast Cancer Fundraiser last Sunday. The event involved brunch, basketball and lots of feathers. We gathered at the Brussels Restaurant and then spent a couple hours court side watching the Halifax Rainmen. It was great to look up at the scoreboard and see all that pink. I even caught the birthday girl herself. Happy Birthday Pam!

the bend in the road

This evening I took Jigs out to stomp along look-off path near Herring Cove. I have thought about stopping here dozens of times but until this evening I had never made a point of it. When I pulled up, the setting sun was pouring a golden light on McNabs Island on the opposite shore and the Lighthouse was picked out as a sharp slash of white on Maughers Beach. Halifax Harbour opens up to the North Atlantic at Herring Cove and an endless calm blue sea stretched out beyond the rocky shoreline. The deep cold forced me to take quick snaps as my fingers froze solid when my mitts were off for more then a minute or two. At the waterline the rocks were coated with ice thrown up by the spray and it was tricky walking with my big clunky boots. Jigs happily zoomed around and I kept losing sight of her against the granite blocks. Her beige fur is a perfect camouflage against the stone.

into the gloaming

The brutal cold of this last week has come packaged with sharp blue skies and glorious sunshine. At the end of the day, when the shadows and clouds step into the scene, it is enough to take my breath away. Tonight Jigs and I got outside just as mother nature's evening show was starting. The rowdy gang of crows that lives in these woods was putting up a large ruckus and filled the sky as they swooped from tree to tree. No doubt they were arguing about who got the best branch to view the sunset.

groundhog day

The marmot has spoken. Shubenacadie Sam poked his nose out into the sunshine this morning. This year he concurred with Punxsutawney Phil, there will be 6 more weeks of winter. Kind of a no brainer when you live in Nova Scotia.

Lauchie imported the term groundhog day into our household about 12 years ago. He was working offshore in Norway and one of his workmates ended every shift by playing Sarah Brightman's Time to Say Goodbye. Just like the movie, everyday was like groundhog day. Everyday the same as the last, the days rolled out ahead with no end in sight and the work was an interminable grind. Lauchie claims that Groundhog Day is his favourite movie and likes to quip "It's said to be the most spiritual movie of all time". And who doesn't love a movie that gives you a shot at redemption?