The first school in Nova Scotia was established there. A new French Acadian school is currently being built outside Bridgewater, not far from the banks of the LaHave River, and the road leading to it will be named after Champlain.  (See the website of the École de la Rive-Sud, which I maintain.)

So it is with great pleasure that I unveil a new section of the Nova Scotia Photo Album dedicated to the LaHave River and Islands.  Drumroll please…

Fort Point Museum at the mouth of the LaHave River, site of Razilly's original fort. Click photo to see more pictures of the LaHave River and LaHave Islands.

Panoramas: Note that each panorama is stitched together from two or more photos to give a wide view, more like the eye sees as it scans the scenery. Together they form an extremely unique collection of images from around Nova Scotia.

Halifax – I confess, I’ve only ever lived in Halifax for a summer long ago, so I’m a tourist when I go to Halifax, even if it’s to see a doctor. So much the better for you if you’re planning a trip.

Blue Rocks & Stonehurst – Not far away from us, but so very picturesque, and a fantasy place for kayaks and other small boats.

This project, the Nova Scotia Photo Album, is still very much alive and growing.  It predates Flickr, Picasa and the rest.  Photo sharing has become an easy and common thing for anyone to do, so I hope I’m offer something of value.  Is it just because this site has been around for a long time and gets found in the search engines?  What do you think?  Click on COMMENTS below and leave a comment.

Chirbles the Chickadee

I’ve just set up a new section of the photo album called “Chirbles the Chickadee, his Friends and his Enemies”.  It features the nature photography of the “Chickadee Dude”, Dennis Robinson.  He has a special relationship with his chickadees and loves to capture their personalities with his camera.

Some of these photos of Nova Scotia birds are available on various products such as postcards and notecards in our Nova Scotia Gift Shop.  Look for Chirbles.

We saw this Great Blue Heron on Bush Island, in the LaHave Islands chain.

Great Blue Heron on Bush Island, LaHave

On a cold morning the receding tide leaves a film of ice on the seaweed and rocks along the shore. Nova Scotia is blessed with natural shorelines like this. It's a haven for wildlife, but threatened by development. More about that in future posts. We feel fortunate to live along an undeveloped coastline.

Ice forms patterns on two species of seaweed.

Chunks of heavier winter ice are heading out to sea, temporarily caught in the overnight freeze, soon to be melted by the warming spring sun.

The ice that yesterday filled the cove has floated out to sea. The Oak Island Inn (which is not on Oak Island, but overlooks it) is in the distance.

As soon as the ice had melted, the bufflehead ducks that had all winter occupied the other side of the causeway, the side that didn't freeze, gleefully (I imagine) took possession of the newly open water.

I’ve just added several of today’s photos to the Lunenburg page of the Photo Album.  I love Lunenburg – the steep hills overlooking the harbour, its history, the generations who have lived there.  It’s special.

St. John's Anglican Church and Lunenburg harbour beyond

I’ve left the Minas Basin pictures in the Valley section, as it is such a part of life in the Valley, but I’m not sure I should. What do you think?  Blomidon has its own section but there are many other Minas Basin pictures that I could put in the Fundy Shore section.

In the old days when people travelled by water, the Fundy Shore was all of a piece.  Nowadays we tend not to associate Joggins with Hall’s Harbour, because it’s several hours by road.

Feel free to leave a comment if you have an opinion on this or any subject pertaining to Nova Scotia. Comments are moderated.