Hurricane Dorian Timelapse (Nova Scotia)

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As Hurricane Dorian arrived in Nova Scotia on Saturday 7 Sep 2019, I set up my GoPro in the window to record a time lapse of its passage through the Halifax region, capturing 10 seconds per frame from morning till evening. Cloud motion was too fast to get a decent sense of motion for most of the day but around 1m 15s into the video, the eye of the hurricane reached us and the clouds suddenly slowed and reversed direction. (Also watch for a tree suddenly falling over at around 20s, damaging a neighbour’s house.)

Night sky, Hurricane Dorian

We lost power from Saturday to Monday and had a major leak in the basement. Downtown a crane fell, but overall damage was of course nowhere near the destruction in the Bahamas.

Small photoset of our experience of the hurricane in Halifax.

First Trip to Lunenburg

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Highlight of Labour* Day Weekend was a Saturday trip to Lunenburg, picturesque historic fishing town and home port of the Bluenose, on Nova Scotia’s South Shore just over an hour’s drive from Halifax.

Lunenburg NS

We spent most of the day at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. Lots more to see and do there than I expected; aside from historical artifacts, interpretive displays, and Bluenose models, the museum had an aquarium with touch tank, two large historic fishing boats to explore out on the waterfront, Mi’kmaq fishing techniques, lovely views of the water, and a little playground with a whale and a sailboat.

Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Lunenburg NS
Lunenburg NS
Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Lunenburg NS

Ezra had lots of fun. Tangential to the fishing industry he saw his first movie theatre and typewriter — and also enjoyed the museum elevator.

Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Lunenburg NS
Ezra learns about typewriters

Lunenburg NS photo album here.

(* I have to spell it with an “ou” like a Canadian now.)

Passage View

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Looking towards Halifax from the tip of McCormacks Beach in Eastern Passage. Purdy’s Wharf, Macdonald and Mackay Bridges, Tufts Cove Power Station, and the Imperial Oil Wharves are all visible.

View of Halifax and Dartmouth from McCormacks Beach

The provincial park features a boardwalk to the small sandy beach, and sits right near Fisherman’s Cove, where Ezra got to meet a pirate.

Ezra and a Pirate

This was outside a little cafe called Coffee, Tea, and Sea, which, interestingly, also featured Indonesian food on the menu. Definitely have to try lunch there some time.

Friendly Neighbour Cat

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While we were out for a walk by Settle Lake a neighbour’s cat came out to meet us, all affectionate and nose-bumpy.

Neighbour cat outside
Neighbour cat outside
Neighbour cat outside

I couldn’t help comparing her to Pandora, though this one lacked the blue and green heterochromia so distinct to our old cat, and Pandora never really went outdoors.

Grand Time in NS

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Some shots from my parents-in-law’s visit, their first trip to Nova Scotia. It was great to have them over to see our new Canadian home, and heartwarming to see how happy Ezra was to see Grandma and Grandpa for two weeks. We took them out to see some sights: Discovery Centre, Rainbow Haven Beach, Cole Harbour Heritage Farm, Fisherman’s Cove, and Atlantic Splash Adventure.

Rainbow Haven Beach
Dinner at Boondocks
Paul, Amy, and Ezra on Carousel

I was especially looking forward to seeing Atlantic Splash Adventure (formerly Atlantic Playland), a classic amusement park with rides, water slides, a haunted castle, and a Go-Kart track — and soon, a roller coaster acquired from New Jersey. Here was the view from the top of their ferris wheel, Big Ellie:

View from Top of Big Ellie Ferris Wheel

More in the growing photo album of our new life in Nova Scotia, just photos from Atlantic Splash Adventure, and a video of our visit to Atlantic Splash Adventure.

Bus and Beer at YHZ

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I finally rode a Halifax bus, going to the airport to fetch my parents-in-law from a flight. For some reason trying a bus system in a new city always gives me a bit more anxiety than with rail-based transit — possibly because a bus requires more human contact. In any case it was trivial to drop coins in the box and request a transfer ticket from the bus driver, then transfer to a 320 bus at Dartmouth Bridge Terminal. Extra payment is needed boarding the 320: it’s a higher fare than the regular bus.

Dartmouth Bridge Terminal Interior
On the 320 Bus to YHZ

Their flight was delayed a couple of hours, which I was actually thankful about, as I could while away the time with PokemonGO, and try my first pint of that famous Halifax beer, Alexander Keith’s, with a plate of airport-priced wings, followed by my usual Tim’s Medium Regular, for wakefulness.

Alexander Keith's at YHZ Alexander Keith's and Buffalo Wings
Tim Hortons Medium Regular

More on my parents-in-law’s visit to NS.

Ezra Update: 3 Years

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At three years of age, Ezra can speak in complete sentences, do simple addition, count to four in French, walk a mile unaided, rebel against authority, formulate extremely rudimentary knock-knock jokes, and is now undergoing the rite of passage that is potty training. He enjoys watching Dora and Diesel Ducy and listening to The Kiboomers.

Ezra’s Third Birthday

For his birthday weekend — his first birthday in Canada! — we went to the beach, where it was finally warm enough to sunbathe. The Atlantic water was rather frigid but he still enjoyed playing at the edge of the waves.

Rainbow Haven Beach

He also received his first backpack, a shout-out to Dora, and a promise of adventures to come.

Ezra’s Third Birthday

Happy birthday, kid. You’re gonna go places.

Heritage Farm

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Some shots from a visit to the Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum, a real live farm right down the road from us, with crops and animals and a historic house and a tearoom. We saw various animals, had lunch at the tearoom, and Ezra got to play a bit with some farm toys.

Ezra at the Rose & Kettle Tea Room
Ezra on a rocking horse Ezra sits on the Potty Toss seat Ezra in the Giles House

The sheep were extra woolly and due for a shearing the following week.

Sheep

Adult and juvenile chickens looked at me inquisitively.

Chickens
Inquisitive Juvenile Chickens

Me when there are people:

Please -No- People

More photos from Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum here. It’s close by, so I think we’ll be going there a lot. Admissions are by voluntary donation.