Edinburgh: The Balmoral Hotel

Balmoral Hotel

Edinburgh, Scotland

June 18, 2012

Somehow I managed to snap a shot of this building without a view of its famous clock tower.  To be honest, I had to search online (thanks, gMaps) to figure out the name of this striking building.  

Our day trip to Edinburgh was one of the warmest days I experienced in Scotland.  Possibly the only day I wished I was wearing shorts.  We were en route to the royal mile tourist drag, as we crossed the bridge, I turned around and snapped this shot.  Hard to believe that was almost 3 months ago!

You know you're 'down home' when....

On a recent trip to the Bridgewater Superstore, I read a sign that made me laugh out loud.  I laughed long and hard at that sign.

I wonder what possessed someone to write it?  Did a manager ask Trina to "make up a postah, so people know there's more tuna down back on a table"?   Is "down back" a location at the Superstore that is universally understood?  I wasn't sure where it was.  Beside the meat counter?  Near the frozen dinner section?  At the end of  aisle 6?  Behind the building?  Where is "down back" anyway?


Sadly, I did not have a pen with me so I could correct the sign to read, "...down back on to a table".  


The first time I saw the sign, I did not have my camera in hand.  The next day, I returned to the Superstore to capture the shot.  While I was there, I decided to go for a wander.  

Here, for your enjoyment, I have discovered the location of the elusive DOWN BACK!

The Big Ex: Plum Tuckered Out

The Big Ex: 4-H Barn

Bridgewater, NS

July 25, 2012

A trip to Bridgewater's annual agricultural fair is not complete without a visit to the 4-H barn.  It's great to see a new generation of kids learning how to raise, care and breed animals.  Chances are, these will be more useful survival skills than how to code HTML5.

This scene greeted me as I entered the building.  A young boy crashed out on a couple bales of hay, not unlike the other mammals resting beside him. 

What's on this weekend? Breakfasts! Local food supper! Roast Beef!

Some old favourites this weekend and something new as well.  If you are looking for a breakfast, Saturday is the morning to scout one out.

Saturday evening, the Close to Home dinner at Wile's Lake Farm Market sounds really interesting.  If local food, sourced within 100 km intrigues you, check 'er out!  It's a part of the sustainability festival which starts today and takes place all weekend.  Check their website for more info.

Breakfasts

August 25 

Royal Canadian Legion #23, Lunenburg,

7:30-11:30 a.m. 

Adults $7; ages 5-12, $3. 

Takeout available for pick-up $7.50. 634-4215

Saturday, August 25

Newfie Breakfast,

7:30-10:30, 

Chester Basin Legion. 

Menu selections and take-out available.

Saturday, August 25. 

Firemen's Breakfast, 

United Communities fire hall, Cherry Hill, 

8 - 11 a.m. 

Adults $7, children 5 -12 $3.25, under 5 free.

Sunday, August 26 

Brunch, 

Mahone Bay Legion,

10 a.m.-1 p.m. 

Adults $7; children $3; under 5 free.

Suppers

Saturday, August 25

"Close to Home" Local Food Dinner (part of the Growing Green Sustainability Festival) 

Wile's Lake Farm Market, 3254 Hwy 325, Wileville

5:00 pm dinner guests arrive
5:30 pm – four course local food “incredible picnic” starts
Appetizer * soup * main course * dessert
All ingredients sourced within 100km
Vegetarian option available
Entertainment by local musicians
Tickets are $20, and can be purchased on the Community Sustainability Network website, or may be bought in person at Wile’s Lake Farm Market.

August 26 

Lunenburg & District Fire Department Fundraiser Roast Beef Dinner, 

Lunenburg Fire Hall, 

4:30- 6 p.m. 

Adults $12, children 6- 12 $7, 5 and under free.

Cod carcass graveyard

Tapper's Cove Wharf

Torbay, Newfoundland

Aug. 12, 2012

This was a sight to behold, hundreds of filet-less cod bodies laying underwater beside the wharf.   I half expected to see legions of crabs and other underwater scavengers crawling over these cod remnants.  Oddly, not much activity down there...at least, not any I could see from the wharf.

Most folks fillet their haul at the wharf and chuck what remains in the water.  I understand why, just imagine 15 cod rotting in your compost bin for 2 weeks and you'll see why folks fillet at the wharf and not at home. 

This car is gooood, but it could use more crowbar....

The Big Ex:  Demolition Derby

Bridgewater, NS

This team spent quite a while trying to pry off that bumper.  I'm not sure how it was attached, it seemed pretty resistant to crowbars and pry bars, that's for sure!

This car eventually won the title of 'most crushed'.  It's a Pontiac Grand Am, remember what it looks like because the 'after' photo does not look like a Grand Am.  Stay tuned!

What's on this weekend? Pork! Blueberry Grunt! Lobstah roll! Planked Halibut! East/West Breakfasts!

I've lapsed in my community grub scraping/reposting, I picked a good week to pick up the torch again!

Saturday morning, pick a side of the Lahave river and go git yerself some breakfast.  Saturday evening..I hope you like blueberries!

Sunday has a head to head seafood battle on the west side of the river.  I wish these folks would coordinate so they didn't schedule two awesome dinners at the same time.  Take your pick of a lobster roll supper or my perennial fave, the Conquerall Bank Planked Halibut Supper!  Check out my previous posts about the planked halibut supper if you are curious.

Have a great weekend one and all!

Breakfasts

August 18
Central United Church hall, Lincoln St., Lunenburg,

7:30- 11:30 a.m. 

Adults $7, children (6-12), $3.50, children (5 and under) free. 

Menu: Eggs, hash browns, bologna, bacon, juice, sausages, beans, tea, coffee and toast. 

Come enjoy a good breakfast with your family and friends.

(Take-outs are available)

Saturday, August 18

Fireman's Breakfast. 

Petite Riviere fire hall,

8- 11 a.m. 

Full menu, 

Adults $7, under 12 $3, under 5 free. 

Information 688-2117

Suppers

August 18

Pork Supper with Blueberry Grunt Dessert. 

Midville Fire Hall,

4- 6 p.m. 

$10 person, $5 children under 12. 

Advance sale tickets call Alice 543-7225. 

Limited number available at the door.

Saturday, August 18

Blueberry Supper, 

St. Jerome's Church Hall, West Caledonia,

4:30- 7 p.m. 

Adults $10; under 12 $5; under 5 free.

Sunday, August 19

Lobster Roll Supper,

4-6 p.m. 

West Side United Church, 2702 Highway 331, Pentz. 

$15/person. Lobster roll, potato salad, coleslaw, dessert, tea/coffee. 

Alternate meal available and take-out available. 

For advance tickets/information: 688-1580 or 688-2631

Sunday, August 19

30th Annual Planked Halibut Supper 

Conquerall Bank fire hall,

4:30-6:30 p.m. 

Halibut baked on an open fire. 

Served with mashed potatoes, tomato, cucumber, coleslaw, pie and tea/coffee. 

Adults $12; children $5; under 5 free. 

Proceeds for Conquerall Bank Fire Department.