My Canada-The Maritimes Aug. 2016, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
Part 3 of the “Staycation” series. Spending our vacation time as Canadians exploring our Canada.
Who knew-I didn’t. I did not know Nova Scotia had such a beautiful, mountainous, landscape! I am sooo glad we included Cape Breton into our driving trip on Nova Scotia! We had heard from others that it is not always a given that you can actually see the landscape here – fog often moves into place obscuring the view. We travelled here in Aug. and I was surprised that we also encountered some fog in the lower lying spots in between the mountains- making driving a bit tricky and adding bit of angst to hairpin turns and shear cliff drops. But for the most part-we struck it lucky with being able to see the landscape and the Ocean! Yeah!
It is definitely an outdoor enthusiasts dream! My husband, Henry’s goal was to hike at least one of the many park trails. We chose the easiest/shortest trail to hike based on our timeframe that day and my fitness ability. I have to say… I thought I was in pretty good shape. But after 1.5 hours hiking the trail to the Ocean- climbing up boulders and going up and down along the paths, I was quite hot and extremely exhausted! 
Not only hot and exhausted, upon arriving back at the car, I realized I had a golfball sized insect bite on the back of my neck. EEKKK. Henry would have liked to do many more trails-I on the other hand, was done at one and spent the next couple of days Googling insects of Nova Scotia and nursing a sore neck and wondering where the closest hospital would be if I needed it. But in hindsight- the bite and sore neck were a small inconvenience in comparison to the vast, incredible views and experiences gained hiking on the Trail!
Our other memorable stop in Cape Breton, was Louisbourg National Historic Site and Lighthouse. Again we had heard mention of this place along our travels and decided to make a point of visiting. Wow- so glad we did. When we arrived at this Canadian Historic Park we entered the visitor services building and wondered where the Fortress was. We then realized that a shuttle bus would transport us to the main Fortress area.
I think Henry and I were both shocked (I’m sure it showed on our faces) at the magnitude of the Historic Fortress when the bus stopped and let us out!! We wondered if we were going to have enough time to cover the entire grounds! I kept thinking I should have paid more attention in Grade 11 Canadian History class and I would have known about this!
We loved interacting with the costumed interpreters-and the fact that they had livestock including sheep and geese, etc… just made it feel like you were back in history! They included many demonstration (I loved the lace making) and we were even able to enjoy tea in one of the buildings!
We also heard about the lighthouse and stopped there after we left the park. I would highly recommend stopping at the Louisbourg Lighthouse (below) if you’re already in this area!
Cape Breton had numerous great stops that also included the town of Beddeck where we visited the Alexander Graham Bell Historic Site and watched sailing on the lake from the Historic site.(below) I think I could go on and on about this beautiful region. Make sure it is on your agenda if you are heading to Nova Scotia!
My Canada -Maritimes Trip Aug.2016- Lunenburg & Mahone, NS
Part 2 in the Maritimes series! My husband Henry and I discussed our vacation plans last year and came to a quick decision, that based on the rate of the Canadian dollar, we would to stay in our own Canada and explore and appreciate what this great country has to offer. We live in Manitoba, central Canada, and neither us had ever been further east than Montreal. We were encouraged to explore the Maritimes by a number of individuals we knew who had recently travelled there and then decided on a 2 week trip- spending one week in the province of Nova Scotia and one in P.E.I..
This blog I am focusing in on two of the most “picturesque” villages we visited in Nova Scotia- Mahone Bay and Lunenburg. They were, without a doubt, the most colourful as well as being architecturally and historically interesting. We only spent a few hours in Mahone Bay (some of the later pictures in the blog)- but the short time there was FILLED with views of the most beautifully painted historic homes -as you would expect from a village established in the 1750’s to be. The well-kept small shops were so unique and interesting (Like the rug hooking store picture below) and the shop keepers were friendly (even if we didn’t buy anything!) I could have spent more time there just wandering up and down the main road but we had scheduled in more stops for the Day.
Lunenburg was another historic town I would highly recommend visiting. Have to say it was a hub of activity when we arrived. We should have googled town festivals because little did we realize, we arrived on the town’s Harbour Folk festival Day. (Google the town and you’ll find a calendar stating special activities). We arrived there quite early so we were still able to find parking for the day and then walked around the town the rest of the day. If you plan on doing this I’d recommend wearing solid, comfortable, grippy footwear/runners because the town has a number of steep hills. The hike up the town hill from the harbour was well worth the effort to take in the sights of the amazing, black and white , St. John’s Anglican Church!
Being there during the festival was also a bonus as the Bluenose II schooner was docked in the harbour and we were able to go aboard the Nova Scotia’s sailing Ambassador. (Henry was thrilled!). I made sure to include a few pictures of that! I also enjoyed going into a community hall where local vendors were selling everything from homemade delectable desserts to various handcrafted items as part of the festivities.
What impressed me most about the town was its remarkable historical buildings and homes – architecture marvels. I loved seeing the plaques on the homes that included original owners names and occupations. You could go from home to home reading up about the founders of the town. I also was charmed by the details including the unique ocean related signs about the town including shapes of various fish and shells etc. As we drove away from the town at the end of the day, I could not help but think-Yes- I could live here!
My Canada-The Maritimes Aug.2016-Peggy’s Cove
My husband Henry, and I decided to do a 2016 “Staycation” of sorts- Stay in Canada and appreciate the sights the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and P.E.I. have to offer. We decided on a 2 week car trip spending a week in each province the last few of weeks of August. We flew to Halifax where we spent a night and then headed out around Nova Scotia. I thought I would share some of the highlights of our visit around the province beginning with our visit to well known Peggy’s Cove. We had a very EARLY start driving to the Cove. It was a misty, foggy, morning and I was just a little excited when we pulled into the cove around 7:45 a.m. It was pure magic- quiet- calm and blanketed in light fog and misting just ever so softly-exactly how I would imagine the ambience of a Cove on the Atlantic to be. I was actually surprised at how small it was with only a smattering of buildings! I also noticed the line of cars arriving shortly after us, so I jumped out the car, leaving Henry to park in the large parking lot at the entrance of the Cove and quickly set up to photograph the Cove and it’s buildings before other visitors arrived. As I was getting set up for the shot above and gleefully, silently, thanking my lucky starts for such a picture perfect weather related setting, another visitor with a camera popped up beside me and in all seriousness said, ” To bad it’s all misty and foggy, eh?” My eyebrows went up and I said ” You sir could not be any more wrong- this is absolute perfection!”
I worked my way up the road a bit toward the lighthouse and the docks and then noticed a small fishing boat with some people getting into a boat. I asked the owner where he was heading and he said “going to see Puffins and Seals!” I ran to a small road stand close by the docks and within a “Walter Mitty moment” , bought the last 2 seats on the tour. I had just enough time to run up the hill to the cafe washroom and back and then Henry and I got on the boat for the 2.5 hour trip on the Atlantic. Let me just say the Tour was 100% worth it but we should have had put a bit more thought into the decision and prepared.
Mistake #1 -I have “sea legs”-Henry not so much. He was quite sick by hour 2, and moved to sit downwind at the back of the boat. We should have brought the Gravol medication for him. Mistake #2 -the sides of the boat were open and it was misty and foggy travelling on the Ocean that early morning-10 min. into the trip-our head and clothes were drenched with sea salt spray. Haha -you couldn’t even run your fingers through the hair afterward, we should have worn a rain jacket of some sort and something to offer a bit of warmth and protection instead of our summer attire.
That said, I still stand by the decision as being well worth it. WOW the view back on the Cove from the boat was amazing and I loved being able to photograph the lighthouse in the mist from the boat! We made it to Pearl Island, a bird sanctuary, where we saw some Puffins and other birds. We then drove a few more minutes when the driver turned off the boat. We idled a few min., the mist cleared a bit and then we saw them!! A line of curious seals with their heads just above the water looking at us. It was one of those once in a life time experiences-and yes- even seasick Henry was struck by the wonder of it all. Here are just a few images from the Cove . Hope you enjoy! Please feel free to follow the blog if you are considering a trip there in the future-I will be posting a lot more of our adventures in the Maritimes!
Amish Tour Fall 2012
Sometimes I get out of the studio and get an opportunity to take the camera out on a road trip. Life has been a bit hectic as of late, but I managed to find a bit of time to put together some images from the Amish Tour my husband and I took to Indiana and Ohio with a motor coach company, Fehr-Way Tours, in November. An amazing time to go visit these states-The colours of the leaves and the scenery along the roadside were magnificent! Some of the highlights for us included our Amish Mennonite Tour Guide showing us around the backroads-We got to see harvesting being done by horse- the Shipshewana Flea Market, the unforgettable Warther’s Museum in Dover, Ohio, and a visit to the quaint town of Charm during their Charm Days where I was able to visit with locals hosting a bake sale and try out some yummy home made “Fry Pies”! I also enjoyed the homestead Banquet meal at an Amish home/garage and was so moved by the hostesses hospitality as she invited all 54 of us in to her home afterwards to “check it out”.
Photographing was a bit of a challenge- I always had to consider shutter speeds and lighting (as well as tint of the bus window) as images were often shot as we cruised down the free ways or bumped our way up and down the backroads. (Just like the image I captured above).
The other issue was being sensitive to capture the Amish flavour but to respect the people. Most of the people images I captured were from afar and as in the case of the little girl and boy images in my collection -their mother allowed/offered them to be photographed.
I think Henry and I will definitely head out that way again to enjoy the great hospitality of the people, the beautiful and serine countryside and the uniqueness of the culture. Highly recommend the tour to everyone!! Please enjoy a slideshow of just a small portion of images-(40ish) that I took over the 12 day trip.
One of my fav images below-It was a beautiful morning in the town of Charm-went for a walk and was just so taken by the well groomed yards and the outdoor Laundry -not a sight you see everyday in the city!
Travel Plans 2012-Fehr-Way Tours
2012 Travel Plans are decided! Yeah! My husband and I will be putting on our ” Tour Director Caps” again this year and leading a Fehr -Way Tour to Indiana and Ohio this fall. The Tour will include a variety of activities including a Show, a visit to Shipshewana Flea Market, tour of Millersburg Victorian Mansion, Warther Museum, Buggy rides and much more!!! The Fall scenery and colours should be spectacular traveling through the beautiful Wisconsin Dells area towards Chicago.
Last year’s Fehr-Way Tour to Branson was a lot of fun and we are really looking forward to this years new destination. Fehr-Way Tours came out with a beautiful brochure of their Tours for 2012, delivered to homes here in Winnipeg. I was able to snap off some images in between moving the group to and from shows, at shows and various sight seeing locations on last year’s tour and was excited to learn that a number of the images were used in the brochure! Matt McClay of McClay Design did a wonderful job designing the brochure.
There are still a couple of spots on the tour open! Call the Fehr-Way Tours office at (204)989-7011 to reserve your spot or for more information.
Above image: Brochure design by Matt McClay, photography: Ebonie Klassen Phototgraphy
Branson, MO, U.S.A.
Above: Image Captured from an Overlook of the beautiful fall leaves in the Ozark Mountains with the Table Rock Dam in the background.
January is a great “Catch up”, “Clean-up” kind of month! After the past crazy business of the last 3 months, It has been very good to relax for a few weeks, catch up on filing, updating the Website, and blogging a little of what went on in the past couple of months.
Some of my clients and friends know a little about my 9 day absence from the photography business at the beginning of November. I ventured out on my new part time job as a tour director for Fehr-Way tours in Winnipeg. I’ve been asked a lot about it, but have had little time to talk about some of the highlights of the trip from Winnipeg, MB, Canada to Branson, MO, U.S.A.. My husband and I spent the trip traveling by Coach with 51 other passengers. It was 9 days of leading the group on shopping excursions, concerts, seeing attractions, taking in the scenic views of the Ozark Mountains and yes… even new eating experiences.
Highlight’s of the trip for me included:
1. Meeting Mary at Kithcart Orchards. We just couldn’t help but be won over by this family business with its home grown produce, their barbwire collection, pecan options and wonderful southern hospitality (Including the drawl).
2. Lambert’s Cafe-(The only home of the throwed rolls.) Yes- and as the name does indicate they do throw home baked rolls across the Cafe at you. (Yes, many had missed) Appetizers are served on a paper towel on the table. I tried some deep fried Okra. (I vegetable I believe-Can’t say I’m a fan.) Note to self – bring Tums along on the next trip down South with all the fried foods!
3. Chinese acrobat show. (Sorry no picture’s allowed)- Amazing juggling!!! Got me thinking about going home and tossing coffee tables around with my legs and catching them with my feet-(NOT!:))
4.Precious Moments Chapel- I remember friends collecting the cute figurines but who knew there were beautiful parks, grounds and an amazing chapel featuring all of this!!! Mind blowing, jaw dropping paintings in the Chapel. And if the art didn’t impress you, the story behind them will melt your heart!
5. Experiencing a Branson traffic jam. How can a town of 11,000 (including the surrounding population) have such crazy traffic jams!!! I think I counted 24 Coaches at one concert. At McFarlains restaurant they actually had a pie called the Traffic Jam. Best thing-the dessert(The pie)was served first before the dinner came out!
6. Silver Dollar City- Visited the Cave. Only 600 stairs. I found out I can still walk 600 stairs in under an hour. This is good.
7. Terry Redlin Art Centre, S.D.- Amazing painter-didn’t know about him before hand-AMAZING Paintings all 3 floors!!!!
I could go on for a while but I’ll let the rest of the pictures tell some of the story! Henry and I are thinking of heading back there in the fall season! I would highly recommend a trip out there at the beginning of November. That time allows you get the best of both words-you still get to experience the breathtaking beautiful fall colours of the Ozarks, as well as having a wonderful introduction to the holiday seasons by taking in the various concerts and visiting Silver Dollar City. Please enjoy some of the quick snapshots I was able to capture on the trip.
Our view from the front of the Coach driving into the Mountains.
Above:The Redlin Art Center in Watertown, SD. Featuring the painted works of Terry Redlin.
Above: Kithcart Orchard Stop along the side of the road.
Above:Visited the Precious Moments Park and Chapel.
Above: Buck Trent Concert Below: Mel Tillis and Daughter
Above: Daniel O’Donnell in concert Below: New South Concert
Ebonie K Photography 