Halifax Harbourfront

Halifax skyline

Citadel Hill, Halifax

Halifax Harbour

Nova Scotia Crystal, Haliax

We spent our last day in Halifax on the waterfront. On such a sunny day, it was very pleasant.

Took in Citadel Hill, the farmer's market, an art gallery showing quilts of course, a ferry ride across Halifax Harbour to Dartmouth, a nice lunch, and a wee purchase at the Nova Scotia Crystal store, link here. On the ferry ride, the wind was up nicely, and the harbour filled with sailboats. What a sight to see.


The whole Halifax quilt show is finished for this year, and I'm back at home today. I'm taking it easy, still taking it all in, and getting ready to go back to reality at my job tomorrow. Sigh.

I've been looking this morning at all my photos of the whole trip, and I do not regret taking so many. I like to get photos of a lot of details of my trip, for one thing to help me remember where I've been and what I saw, and for another to help me remember what I felt and how I reacted when I was there. Reviewing my photos months or years later brings it all back, and I almost always wish I'd taken more pictures! There is a fine balance for me, between taking enough photos to remember the event, and taking so many that it distracts me from the experience of being at the event.

Anyway, what a trip it was to Halifax. Like many of my other big trips, this might be one of those life changing ones. I was so impressed with the city itself, and with the quilts, too, it may take me a while to absorb it all.

More of Nova Scotia

Swiss Air Memorial

Peggy' Cove

Peggy's Cove

Peggy's Cove

So, quick survey!  How many of you can go to Nova Scotia without going to Peggy's Cove? I thought so. Me too!  We rented a car today, and took the scenic route, through the world famous Peggy's Cove, and on to Lunenberg. Very beautiful. It was like at the Grand National Show. Every time you turned a corner, you saw something more wonderful than before. We really took our time, to savour the scenery, get a lot of photos, take in the Atlantic Ocean. It was wonderful. We even managed to take in some quilt stuff. Like yesterday's post, have a look at the photos. If you email me, I would be willing to send you more photos.

Lunenberg

Lunenberg

Laurie Swim's Shop
Lunenberg

Mahone Bay Quilt Store

Halifax

I know some of you are waiting for my posts from this fine city, so here goes. Halifax itself, and Nova Scotia in general, are both very beautiful. I can see why people move here and never leave! The water is never far away. Every green space, and there is a lot of green space, is well cared for.


One of the first things I noticed is that cars still let the good folks on foot cross the street without trying to run them down! I am not used to that, and it is quite refreshing to see. And everyone is very friendly here, too. I'm enjoying that as well.

Another thing I have noticed is the unique architecture here. As a lifetime unofficial student of art and architecture, I love it.

And the rhododrendons are in full bloom at the moment. I am trying to figure out why they grow so beautifully here. They are growing all over the place.



Check these photos of Halifax, and watch for quilt news soon. The quilts at Quilt Canada are spectacular, too. Loving every minute.

Red Admiral Visitors

Red Admiral Butterfly

Earlier today, when I was outdoors doing my day job, I saw hundreds, maybe thousands of a very quick and pretty butterfly. I was intrigued, but went on about my day. I was wishing I could carry my good camera with me at work, but that would not be practical, or wise.

So this afternoon, as I was out working in my back yard, weeding and trimming and such, I saw more of these butterflies. Wow. I ran inside to get my camera, and managed to capture a few good shots.  They seemed to like the wooden retaining walls we have, probably resting in the sun before continuing on their crazy flight. Isn't it pretty?

A quick search on the www revealed that they are Red Admirals, latin name Vanessa Atalanta, common to much of North America.  It seems they overwinter in Texas, and migrate north in the spring. Here's how I see it. I think they are very early, maybe 3 or 4 weeks, largely because of the warm winter we've had. But I also think the huge stormy weather the US has had this weekend might have played a part. The butterflies may have been migrating faster towards better weather, because they would instinctively know that surviving a tornado wouldn't be possible. Do you think that's a reasonable assumption?

In any case, they were a real treat to see, and an even bigger treat to capture with my camera.  You may be wondering what all this has to do with quilting and quilt blogging. I'll explain that. I have a keen interest in nature and photography, and I'm usually snapping photos all over the place.  Also, it is my intention to use my nature photos as inspiration for my quilting. . . . someday.  Lately, my energy has been elsewhere. Re-negotiating my mortgage, a mean and nasty cold that won't let go, and a new more difficult job at work have all conspired to keep me from much quilting. But I can't go for very long and my quilt/blood levels get low, so I'll be back at it soon.

After a bit of a lull, there are three quilt shows in Southern Ontario this weekend coming up, with many more coming after that. So I'll be blogging about all that. And I have a trip to Halifax for Quilt Canada at the end of May coming up, too, so I'll have my fill of quilting.