On a Roll: A new skate park in a small town adds up to fun for all

In the October/November 2011 issue of Coastal Life I wrote a feature story about the wonderful skate boarding facility in the new Youth Park in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. And the fact that so many kids got organized and helped to make this park happen is an amazing and inspiring tale. My son, Max loved using it this summer, over and over again. I was there often talking to some of the avid skateboarders and BMX bikers using the quarter pipe. Such a wonderful resource, not just for the locals but for all the tourists visiting the area with kids.

Simple Summer Pleasures

The most vivid memories of summer that I cherish are of the simplest moments here. Like taking a walk up a trail on the north mountain and discovering a tin cup left at a mountain spring. Perfect for using for  a big refreshing drink.

A cool drink from a mountain brook.

Smores at sunset on sandy Bishop Park beach in Clementsvale.

Dipping feet in a cool forest brook.

The surprising gourmet delights of a small town farmer's market

To market, to market to buy....buttery and flaky chocolate croissants made by a French baker, organic string beans and beets by a female farmer committed to producing great vegetables, new potatoes, a pecan pie and some amazing, locally roasted coffee beans...when did our local farmer's market get so deliciously veggies, fruit and beyond?

Just a few years ago, Annapolis Royal's Farmer's Market (in its 30th year) seemed to be mainly produce, flowers and a vendor with organic beef, but these days the varied and down-right delicious vendors offer everything from baked goods (Max can't pass up the chocolate croissants) to roasted coffee beans that make the smoothest, most delicious coffee to a man who has a table of folk-arty birdhouses he fashions using old license plates. 

My market bag in the car, loaded with my Saturday morning shopping; new potatoes, organic beets, a baguette, a pecan pie, and a bag of ground coffee beans. 

I read recently (in the Locavore book I devoured) that Farmer's Market's, in the smaller Canadian communities, have begun to be the social gathering place that churches used to be. 

Getting to market early is of prime importance if you have something in mind that you absolutely want---the fresh blueberry pies ($3 each!!!!!) go FAST, and there is a lineup at the bread baker's table at least 4 people long till everything sells out. Some surprising items are two tables of local winemakers wines; one who specializes in fruit wines and a second who makes fabulous whites and dessert wines. 

One runs into everyone there, and after people have secured their goods, they stroll about and catch up with friends. As much as I love the farmer's market in our Tribeca neighbourhood, it is nothing compared to this market, where I can even buy a jar of homemade Jewel jam (made of four local fruits) from a girl I used to waitress with in my college days (delicious Sandy!). Getting to support local farmer's and artisinal food makers makes every thing I buy, that much sweeter to eat. I love it! 

"Memory lets us have roses in December"

A (little altered) quote from James Barrie that speaks of the passion of gardeners.

These are the fragrant roses from Beach Rose Cottage I remember and can't wait to tend, smell, fill our house with come summer.

Pretty "Topaz Jewel" pale yellow rose under the kitchen window is surrounded 

with a few round stones collected from Delaps Cove. The yellow rose, according to the Victorian-era language of flowers, symbolizes friendship and devotion. 

In early July the peonies and tall white rose bushes along our driveway are in full bloom. Don't they look stunning in a creamy white pitcher? Look for white stoneware pitchers at yard sales and junk shops all over the province. Chips on the edge of spouts won't matter when used for a vase, but make certain there are no cracks, because it definitely needs to hold water!

The large rose bush that climbs the garage in full bloom July 27th, 2009.

To put it in perspective, the bush reached around 12 feet last year.

Close up of the pink roses in full bloom.

Beach roses (left) and American Pillar climbing rose (right)

There are so many roses in July, the vases are filled and I use teapots and creamers to hold buds.

Three different rose varieties that bloom around Beach Rose Cottage in July: Ballerina Rose (left), Dark red (center) from large bush out front and pink with white center (left) from climbing bush in backyard.

The white rose bush on the east side of the house has roses that start as pale peachy color, and when they bool they become creamy white all over. 

A small white bush in the side garden has delicate, and impossible to believe fragrant blooms.

My pink rosebush on the side of house that blooms in early August was so full, the stems were dragging on the ground this year. 

So in mid-August I put a trellis, bought from a woodworker up the shore road, behind this rosebush to prop it up, and then supported some stems to climb up around the living room window. The joy of peeping out through fragrant roses on curling vines will be something to look forward to indeed. 

This deep red rose bush (above) we planted ourselves in the backyard under the large picture windows overlooking the back lawn.

On the side of the house, next to the "Capt. Samuel Holland" climber rose bush I planted in August 2008, I rooted several stems (greens stalks right in photo) from our large pink rose bush. Since buying rose bushes can be expensive (they usually start at $20 each) learning how to root cuttings from thriving plants is a very economical way to spread beautiful rose bushes all over your property. Many seemed to take. I can't wait to see how many survived the fall and winter and will reward us with roses in the future. I am learning, gardening is about the future and enormous patience.

I am trying to root more stems/branch cuttings from the big pink rose bush, next to our old 100-year old chicken coop way in the backyard. 

Here's looking forward to a summer of roses, roses and more roses than ever.

---Monica Forrestall

Welcome to Beach Rose Cottage, Nova Scotia

Hi all,

I am so in love with life in Nova Scotia and the time we spend there that I wanted to share it all on a blog. In these entries I hope to pass along the feeling of being there, and why life, when you slow down and truly embrace being somewhere, how very  good it is for your soul. 

And how those good feelings stay with you for a long time, even when you're not there.
Our home is wee, but every room is filled with joy and things that evoke memories. I have quite a collection of cookbooks, and here I have lazy, long evenings to pore over them.
We have no TV and dial-up internet, and the gorgeous enormous backyard beckons at every moment.
I love to get up early (6:30 believe it or not!) and go out into the garden to be there in the peace and quiet as the sun slowly rises from the east. In our garden, there are a million happy tasks to do every day, so i spend a lot of time weeding, planting, transplanting and (with great hope) sticking rose stems into the ground all around the house and garage, hoping that they will root.

As the Friendly Giant  (a Famous Canadian children's TV show host) once said...

"Are you ready? Here's our castle."

Monica Forrestall

                                Beach Rose Cottage