Foster Brook Retreat

One my favorite movies in recent times is "We Bought a Zoo" and I found myself watching it recently.  The scenes where just days before the zoo is to open it starts to rain hard and it is expected to last for days.  All the zoo's hard work to make opening day could be washed away and you hope the rain lets up for them as you don't want to see the plan thwarted.

I then quickly thought about  how the best laid plans can often be thrown quickly out the window when the weather doesn't cooperate.   I recently had this experience.  When a dry summer gets a much needed rain fall you hate to complain and you do your best to grin and make the best of it, especially when you planned a good overnight hike.  When the rain persists for hours and you're soaked to the bone, it becomes extremely hard to grin.  When your pre-teen kids have hiked 4.5km into the campsite but are now miserable and angry at you for making them come along it is extremely difficult to make the best of it.

Sometimes the best way to make the best of a bad situation is to simply remove yourself from the situation.   Following a quick conversation with my father, and brother, who also followed me through the rainstorm, we decided that our best option was to hike 4.5km back to the truck and hit up Harbourview Restaurant for some mussels.  So we tightened up our straps, pulled down our hats, and headed back to the Foster Brook trailhead.  While I was feeling heavily  defeated, I could easily see my kids were much happier this way, so I took solace in that.

So how did we get there?

Starting out on the trail into Foster Brook.

The well laid out plan of hiking into the Foster Brook back country campsite in Fundy National Park seemed easy enough.  The trail is a moderate 4.5km hike and I was confident my kids could easily tackle it.  We would spend time at the campsite and explore the Point Wolfe River and even swim in some of the deep pools.  We would enjoy an evening hot chocolate and look up at the stars, and everything would be awesome....but not if it rained hard the whole time we were there.

As we left home and headed to Fundy National Park the weather forecast was calling for 60% chance of showers.  I was doing my best to be optimistic, even when the rain started to fall as we turned onto the Fundy Park Road.  "Oh it won't rain long" I told myself.  When we reached headquarters in the Park we registered and paid our fees as the rain seemed to intensify somewhat.  Our crew stayed optimisitic though saying "It's gonna let up when we get to the trail head."

We decided to make the first alteration in our plan by heading into Herring Cove, where we could use the cook shelters to do one last gear check and have a snack.  Our hope was the rain would let up and we could make our way into Foster Brook.  The cook shelter in Herring Cove was a good move and we made some hot chocolate and played some cards while we waited for the rain to at least slow down.  The shelter didn't have any firewood so as the kids and I prepped hot chocolate and tea, my Dad and brother went to Alma to buy a bundle of wood. (Note:  I think the Park should put firewood back in these shelters...just sayin')

When the guys returned with the wood the rain was letting up.  We made the choice, maybe to quickly looking back on it, to pack up, chug our tea and hot chocolate and hit the trail.  At the trail head the kids were reluctant to get out of the car as they knew what lay ahead.  We donned our packs and headed down the trail with my daughter leading the way as she sang a song.  As we climbed the first hill the rain started to fall harder again and the kids moods started to deteriorate like the weather.

Seth making his way up the trail.

We started the steep descent into the Point Wolfe River with the ground at our feet slippery and wet.  Every step had to be calculated and unfortunately for my son, he took a mis-step and fell hard with his pack landing on top of him.  He no longer wanted to push himself and no longer wanted to be there and honestly I couldn't blame him.  He did push further though and trudge through two small stream crossings before finally making the campsite.

Under better conditions the Foster Brook backcountry campsites are ideal for tenting.  The river in the foreground with beautiful forested hillsides as your backdrop.  Today though, for all of us, it felt like a cold, wet, wool sweater, with moths flying around your head.  We rigged up a tarp and started making a plan as to how to set up camp but then the rain started pouring down hard again.  My daughter was doing her best to keep positive by trying to look forward to crawling into a tent, while my son was longing for his own bed and his computer games while feeling some resentment towards me for bringing him along.  My Dad and brother understood the position I was in and truly helped me through the next 10 minutes of making the decision.

Despite Foster Brook being a great place, I know because I have camped there before, the rain beat our spirits.  Even if it had of let up in those 10 minutes, the evening camp out would not have been enjoyable, so my decision to remove us from the bad situation was made.  The seafood chowder and steamed mussels in Alma made the choice a good one.

Foster Brook with boulders shining in the rain.

At home that night I pitched my tent in the living room and my daughter and I watched a short movie before I tucked her in.  My son quickly retreated to his room and fell asleep, very happy to be in his own bed, but before he dosed off, he said "Dad, I want to go back to Foster Brook when the weather is nice."  I was ecstatic to hear that as it meant I hadn't killed his love for camping completely.  What a retreat!

The kids and I made it back out to the trailhead able to force smiles.

Creating Tradition

A lot has been written about traditions.  People find themselves in one of two opinions about traditions.  Some firmly stand behind doing the same thing over and over again.  They believe if it works or has been successful then why change or why not do it again.  Others think that tradition is safe and that it lacks challenge or ambition.  For me, I fall in the first of these mind sets.  I like creating memories and building family traditions.  My parents created traditions for my siblings and I and it provided me with a sense of family, security, and love and I want that for my children.

I've written before about how the Whalen's have a long affinity for bonding during fishing and  hiking trips and so it should be no surprise that one tradition I am try to build for my son is a birthday fishing trip.  For the last four years I have taken him and some of his friends on an overnight camping/fishing trip.  This year was no different.  Words can't adequately describe the trip or the pride and emotions it conjured up within me.

The fishing was slow to say the best but the laughs and memories were plentiful.  What is really cool is that this tradition frequently falls on the Father's Day weekend and I couldn't think of a better way to spend Father's Day.  Even better, my Dad has been with us on every trip so far. Here is hoping this is a tradition that continues for years to come.

Laverty Falls Adventure

On Saturday, July 11th we got together with some friends and decided to take the kids on a hiking adventure in Fundy National Park (FNP)  FNP is a great hiking destination with trails for all skill sets.  The Moosehorn/Laverty Falls loop is a 7.5km +/- loop that is considered challenging.  All on this trip were up for the challenge though and we made a great day of it.  We took off around 9:00am and went down the Moosehorn trail.  Once on the river it wasn't long until we took a swim and played in one of the smaller falls and pools.  I put together a short video of the trip.  Hope you enjoy it.

Shaylee's First Campout

The Victoria Day weekend is one of my faves.  It is one of the best weekends for camping, hiking, or fishing.  So this Victoria Day weekend is wrapping up and my kids and I went camping.  My daughter has been begging for a chance to go tenting and despite poor weather forecasts, I decided to take her and my son to a spot along Trout Creek.  Check out the vid below.

Random Games

This entry was originally published in the Kings County Record on March 17, 2015.  It was heavily influenced by the enjoyment I got from watching more than 60 kids playing simple games with simple toys.  It demonstrated that kids still know how to have fun and that computers and i-pods and the like haven't completely ruined their imaginations.  A huge thanks to the staff at Atlantic Community Church for organizing "Super Kids."

 

Random games are a wonder aren't they?  Have you ever thought "Who the heck thought to put a rope through two golf balls and throw them at a ladder?"  Maybe you question the mental state of the person who first threw a lawn dart.  Recently I have been helping out at the Atlantic Community Church with their "SuperKids" program and it is amazing how entertaining and how much of a workout small random games can be.

For a number of Wednesdays now the super kids at "SuperKids" have been engaged in random games.  These games include props from beach balls to rubber chickens and we have been able to engage up to 40 kids at a time.  Now, I admit, these games may not engage an overly serious adult, but if you can embrace the inner child you have lurking deep down inside, these games will get you laughing and exercising.

Next time you and your friends are hanging out and having some social drinks, why not blow up a couple of balloons, place some glow sticks inside them, turn out the lights and see how many long you can keep hitting the balloon up in the air.  With the right mind set this game can be very fun and requires very little investment in equipment or materials to play.

That game didn't interest you, then this summer when you're enjoying the beach, take a couple of rubber chickens from the "Dollar Store" and have chicken races.  I know rubber chickens can't actually run, but if you put the chicken between your knees and race your buddy 50m down the beach without dropping the chicken.  I bet before you get half way, you'll be wondering why it's so difficult while laughing so hard you can't keep your knees pinched together to hold the chicken.

Seriously, how bored do you have to be to think of the multitude of card games that exist?  How do you think of a game like volleyball, which I love by the way? When you put people on the banks of river, how long is it before someone picks up a rock and throws it, but who threw the first stone?  I've killed a lot of time, and likely threw out my shoulder a couple of times skipping stones but I find it almost therapeutic.

I know, I'm asking more questions here than I'm answering but it is a sense of curiosity that likely led to a great deal of these games.  Some games were derived out of a necessity.  I would even hazard a guess that lawn darts may have been derived from a need to practice spear throwing by a hunting tribe or clan.

 I don't think I have ever invented a game but after "SuperKids" tonight I have decided to challenge myself to create a game.  Since I like being outdoors I am going to create a new game outside for winter time.  It might be a race to see who can stack snowballs to a certain height from ten feet away.  Hey I think I just invented a new game.  Now I challenge you to get outside and invent your own game.  Don't do it alone though, engage your friends to help you.  I like solitaire but I love 45s.

A Good Day Gone Awry

There are times when one moment of weakness can ruin an otherwise great day.  That happened to me the other day.  My wife and I took the kids for a snowshoe trek.  It was a beautiful day and the winter time temp was a glorious -7C and when the sun shone on your back you could readily feel it.  We were all laughing and having a good time.

Then it happened.

My plan was to have a nice little fire and snacks along with some hot chocolate.  I thought the kids would love to have hot chocolate made over a fire.  The idea had the kids excited and when I quickly got a fire going, it was looking promising.  The excitement translated to no patience and the kids started bickering with one another.  My fire fell deeper than I anticipated and my pot tilted, spilling some water.  What was once a promising start, quickly turned to a disaster in the making.  Now I was losing my patience too.

The kids decided they wanted to forgo the hot chocolate and instead have it at their grand parents.  They then decided it would be good to ignore their mother and me when I tried to back her up.  This set me off and I lost it.  I hollered at both the kids and insisted they stand in front of me while I verbally disciplined them.

What was a great day and relatively warm for winter, quickly turned to a cold day.  The rest of the hike out I felt as big the downey woodpecker I saw flitting through a stand of poplars.  I knew I had over reacted but I also didn't think I could apologize without undermining my own authority.  I pulled my toque down and weathered the storm.

By the time the hot chocolate was done I think all the hollering was forgotten.

Snow is Deep in the Holler

Today I went on a short snowshoe trek with my daughter and youngest nephew.  It was such a great day to be outside and we enjoyed as much of it as we could.  The snow was clean and deep and we were fortunate that the trail we planned to trek on was beaten down by snowshoes and other snowshoers.  The kids started off quickly, at times running up the trail ahead of me.  As I paused to take a photo of them I could hear a familiar tapping noise.  It took me a minute or two to locate the noise maker, a pileated woodpecker.  I was able to snap a couple of quick pictures of him before the dog scared it beyond our range.

We carried on our way with the Cotter Holler stream running quietly to our right and would only show itself occasionally through the snow pack.  The kids little legs managed to trek all the way up to the ice walls that are always there this time of year.  The kids were not as enamored with the  blue icy sheen on the ice as I was.

From here we turned around and made our way back.  I felt that if I pushed the kids to much further I might have a rebellion on my hands.  Along the way we passed a group of 4 cross country skiers and they seemed to be really enjoying the day too.  Shortly after they passed we found a sunny spot in the deep valley and sat for a small bonfire and simply enjoyed being outside.

No doubt this will be a day the kids remember and I know I will.  I hope that you all enjoyed your day today as well.

Here is a quick video I made to help remember the day or check it out on my YouTube Channel.

Learning Lacrosse

This entry was published in the Kings County Record and at first I wasn't going to post it here.  It keeps speaking to me though and I keep hearing the message in my head.  I'm sure there are other dad's out there who struggle similarly with the differences in personalities between themselves and their kids.  For me it is important to remember that as long as my kids are happy and that I continue to encourage them to explore nature and themselves, then I should be doing an okay job as their Dad.

 

As a father I have struggled to find ways to bond with my kids.  They are different than I am and have different interests and I don't always understand them.  I have realized that it is better for them, and me, if I simply let them explore their own interests rather than try to push them towards mine.  I am also realizing that they have to explore their interests at their own pace.  I have really struggled with this last point and at times and it has resulted in struggles.

Sport is not always the best avenue for me and my kids to bond on.  I am a competitive individual who always tries hard when playing.  I always was eager to try a new game and find it unthinkable that my kids don't.  Recently we were invited to play lacrosse with some friends.  I had never played lacrosse before and so I thought maybe I could learn with my kids.  While I couldn't wait to play, I found myself surprised by my kids' unwillingness to even try.  After the game was over, my son did pick up a stick and throw the ball around with me, he was actually a bit of a natural with it.

The lacrosse experience led me to realize that even if someone has natural athletic talents, they might not desire to use it.  This leads to another question, what makes some people competitive and others not?  For this I have not yet found an answer, but in my son's case, it might have something to do with being over competitive.  He seems to be afraid of failing or not being able to compete, so instead, he chooses not to play.  With this in mind I wondered "How many great athletes simply chose not to play?"

With team sports not on their radar, I am getting familiar with new activities.  For instance, I now consider guitar players amongst the toughest people I know.  How they stretch their fingers across the frets and press on a single string without wincing is amazing.  My son has been teaching me how to play guitar and my poor fingers are as sore as my legs used to be during two a day hockey practices.  I'm hoping that my fingers will become conditioned and that my son continues to enjoy playing the guitar with me.  One thing is certain, he won't have to worry about me competing with him on the guitar, because I would be scared to lose. 

If you are like me though and enjoy team sports.  If you get a chance, try lacrosse.  It is a challenging sport that combines many athletic skill sets.  I have some of the skills but will need to work on some others.  Unfortunately my age is something I will have to learn to compensate for when I try lacrosse again.  I hope to try again, and there are some others who are much better than I, looking to create a local youth team.  For now I'm hoping they will let me play pick up with them from time to time.

Proud Moments

This entry was a great one to write.  It was close to my heart on some many levels.  Just before I wrote it we had received some great news about a family member who is battling cancer.  Being proud of an older family member is a different pride.  It is a greater level of new found respect and a joy of having them in your life.  You realize how much of an impact they have had on your life and your family.  My memories of my Aunt are mostly all filled with smiles, laughs, and some mischief.  As I look back on how she impacted me...I am proud to call her my Aunt.  

This was published in the Kings County Record but I really wanted to share it here as well.  I hope you enjoy it. 
 

I think one of the best things in nature is growth and when you can watch it happening in front of you, that is amazing.  Being able to watch a garden grow is a cool thing; knowing that you planted that garden and tended to it, is even cooler.  When you sit down to eat the vegetables planted from that garden, you feel proud.  Nurturing your family and seeing it grow is similar.

I had a great evening recently.  The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect for being outside.  Usually that is enough to make me happy but on this night I was fishing with my son, so happy was only half of it.   As we walked along the river the sun shimmered off the water and as I watched him walk, I noticed an ease in his stride.  He talked with a maturity and confidence that I hadn't really noticed before.  When he saw a woodpecker he took time to watch it and I could now see a shimmer of excitement in his eyes.  When he got his line caught he didn't turn to me and ask me to get it, instead he unhooked it himself.  My happiness was overcome by pride.

On another outing I watched as my daughter entertained herself on a gravel bar.  She had already hiked a long ways along a river with me, and as the overly independent one in our household she never once wanted help climbing over limbs and rocks, even when offered.  She kept right up with the older boys and never once complained and when they all joined her she showed them all how to make rock paint and then proceeded to paint her face.  As I watched her growing right in front of me I was proud.

My kids and nephews were sitting on a truck bed removing wet sneakers and socks after an outing.  They were laughing at each other, making faces of disgust over whose socks were worse, and nudging one another the way kids do.  They were all bonding and creating memories and as I watched I felt blessed.  As I watched I was proud of the family we have all become.

Being outdoors and sharing moments like these with my kids is an amazing experience.  Lately I have really noticed them growing and maturing and I've also seen things in myself that I never thought I would.  I hover and worry a bit more about them than I thought I would.  When they are growing, I find myself wanting to slow them down, or even stop them.  I am finding myself wanting to hold them back and keep them from getting hurt.  Every now and then it is good to let them push their boundaries but I'm having a hard time letting them do that.  I tell myself, "Its ok.  They can look after themselves there.  They might get hurt a little but they'll learn their own boundaries and heal.  Through that healing, they will grow."  It hasn't been easy and there are weeds to pick from their lives every now and then, but unlike the vegetables, your kids reward you through every stage of growth.

Poley is Easy Peezy.

Seth and I at the top of Poley Mountain.

NOTE:  This is a column I had published in a local Sussex, NB paper.  I was truly impressed with the way people didn't make me feel like the amateur I truly was.  I'm sure I got in the way of a few faster skiers but not one said anything and all were very courteous.  For me, a non-skier, it may have convinced me to ski more frequently.

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“Dad, I want to go skiing!” 

“Hey Dad, it’s snowing out.  Let’s go skiing.”

I heard a lot of this through the first part of winter.  My son, Seth, was pushing my limits with his insistence that we go skiing.  It wasn’t the fact that he wanted to go skiing that bothered me.  It was the fact I’d have to go with him. 

The day came when I couldn’t say no any longer and my sister and I took Seth and my nephew Cole to the hill for a Saturday afternoon of skiing.  With some promotional lift tickets and buddy passes our costs would be minimal and we were prepared to make the most of our day.  Seth would be using borrowed gear but I had to go through the process of renting equipment.  This process was much quicker than I anticipated as the staff at Poley quickly took my height and weight and used that to provide the properly sized gear I needed and adjusted my bindings so I could head out worry free.

Mother Nature hadn’t been kind to the hill the previous days and that meant two first timers would have to deal with fast and icy conditions.  With some trepidation I took my first steps in my ski boots and my confidence grew slightly as I didn’t fall over.  The next task was to find my way to the bunny hill.  Seth had already joined a couple of his cousins and had already made a few runs down the hill.  Now the pressure was on me to make my first run down the bunny hill.

Seth quickly adapted to his new sport and was eager to move from the bunny hill to the big hill.

As John McNair, from Poley stated in a column recently, it turned out to be “Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.”  I was able to manage my speed and stay upright, granted I snow plowed for most of that first trip.  As I got comfortable I practiced some parallel turns and slowly built up more speed.  I was just getting truly comfortable when the moment came.  “Dad can we try the big hill?”  At that point I was glad my sister, Becki, and my brother’s girlfriend, Lindsay were there.  If we had been on our own there would have been no way I would have taken him to the “big” hill. 

My nerves went to another level.  Now I was not only worried about coming down the hill but also getting up the hill.  As we made our way over to “Some Easy” to descend to the chair lift, our challenge became real.  It was super icy, or at least to me and Seth it was.  Poor Seth fell over trying to avoid an ice patch and I didn’t know if he was going to be able to get back up.  He struggled but got his skis where he needed them and pushed himself on his feet again.  When we got to the chairlift I thought he might hesitate but I needn’t worry as he stepped up and jumped on.

Getting off would be a different story.  Three of the four of us on the chair collapsed in a heap as we tried to glide off the smooth ride.  As better skiers easily disembarked the lift, they patiently made their way around us and thankfully no body poked fun.

We made four runs that afternoon and surprisingly I only fell once.  Seth struggled a few times but showed no inclination of quitting or any dislike of what he was doing.  On one occasion he took a long time to get up after falling and I thought that would be it and we’d head to the lodge.  I was proud when he looked at me and said “No way, Dad, let’s do one more.”

Supper time came and we enjoyed some live entertainment while we enjoyed burgers and fries at the lodge.  The atmosphere was very friendly and I found myself feeling extremely relaxed despite being in a new setting.  Just when I was ready to call it a day, Seth asked to go back out and hit the bunny hill.  Since snow started to fall, I couldn’t say no and we spent another couple of hours taking trips down the bunny hill with the lights showing the way.

I never pushed myself beyond my limits, matter of fact, I never came close.  It was great to see that we could ski and not over do it.  No one made us feel like we were holding them up or we were in their way.  Honestly, I think that the next time we get a chance to go skiing, Seth and I will jump all over it.

The Magic of Youth

I'm no spring chicken and I'm okay with that.  It is great for the soul and the body to act like a child from time to time.  I recently had an opportunity to act like a kid and I took full advantage of it.  Friends of ours provided us with some free passes to Magic Mountain in Moncton, NB. Our traveling partners for the day would be the Burke family whom we often hang out with at other sporting events.  Our kids are relatively the same age and get along really well and all were excited to spend time together at this great water park.

We left early on Saturday morning and the weather was very promising.  We had no worries heading into the day and our moods were light and fun.  We got our passes and made our way into the park and instantly applied sun screen.  See, I bet you thought I was going to say ran up to the top of the slides.  Don't worry, while I went to the washroom the three other guys raced to the top of the "Tornado."  When I made it back to our chairs I saw Seth come down with Connor with a big smile on his face.  He was hooked and I could easily see a building excitement in his eyes and an eagerness to do it again.  I was in for a great day.


I didn't hesitate to grab him and take him up for another ride down.  We did the "Tornado" again and I was surprised at how much of a rush it was.  We then tried a couple of the other intermediate slides but I could tell, and I was slightly scared, that Seth wanted a greater rush.  "Dad, let's go over to the taller slide." he hollered without knowing he was hollering.  I looked at Terry and I could tell that he and Connor likely wouldn't be joining us on that slide.  I truly thought that Seth would chicken out when he got to the top.  I was sadly mistaken.  He first tried the "Turbo Tunnel."  He listened to the attendants instructions and then stepped up and away he went.  When he got to the bottom I seen him hop up and give Terry a high five.  Terry had to restrain him and tell him to wait for me before he could rush back up to the top.  It took me less than 5 seconds probably to get to the bottom and out of the slide.  Seth was eagerly waiting and likely saw that I too had a big grin on my face when he said "Ok let's try the other one!"  His voice now an octave higher than it had been earlier which indicated a growing sense of excitement.

Next we went to the "Torpedo."  On this slide they put you in an upright tube, close you in, and then yank the floor out from under you.  I have to be honest, I wasn't sure I could make myself do it.  Seth on the other hand showed no hesitation and was at the bottom in 2 seconds.  I stepped up and as they counted me down I was thinking "Heck just push the button before I change my mind."  Before that thought processed however, I was at the bottom.  I instantly realized that there was no way I could do the "Kamikaze" if Seth asked.  The torque on my aging and often aching, lower back would be to much.  I quickly informed Seth before he could ask that if he wanted to do the "Kamikaze" I would walk him to the top but he would be on his own from there.  This was enough to keep him from pushing it any further. 

We did go up and do the "Racer" and I gave him a big head start but at about 2/3rds of the way down I
passed him.  He loudly hollered "Hey! No fair.  You weigh more than me!!"  At 8 years old I was surprised he knew about the physics of gravity and I was further impressed by his ability to voice this while racing down the water slide.  We took a couple more runs down the intermediate slides before taking a break.  I think if I would have stayed with him he'd of kept going all day.  Honestly I was grinning as well and if not for my parental and partner responsibilities I could have hung out with him all day.

We found Michelle and Shaylee and they wanted to try one of the intermediate slides and were waiting in line.  This gave Seth a chance to make another run as well while I waited at the bottom for Shaylee to reach the bottom.  Her introduction to the intermediate slides was not nearly as joyous as Seth's.  When she hit the pool at the bottom she briefly went under and when she came up she was just out of my reach and turned away from me.  Scared, she started to cry, and vowed she wouldn't do that again.

It was off to the wave pool next, then the "Lazy River" which Seth and Connor turned into Bristol Motor Speedway.  If, indeed, it was a race, Terry and I were definitely off the pace.  From Bristol we then went to the splash pad to find the girls again.  Seth tried every slide there as well.   He was like a pin ball bouncing from one obstacle to the next.

I asked Michelle if she wanted to try the "Tornado" and she agreed before fully understanding maybe what she was getting into.  We waited in line with our double tube and the whole time she asked if it was scary.  I stated that I didn't think it was scary, not entirely a lie.  As we got to the front she realized it was a tunnel and she started getting nervous.  That is the best thing about adrenaline rides, the way it messes with your head.  We boarded our tube and as we floated through the slight waterfall at the entry of the slide Michelle let out a little scream.  The rest of the way down she screamed louder with every tight turn and drop.  I had to focus on keeping my mouth closed while laughing.  When we got to the bottom, like Shaylee, Michelle said she'd never do that again.  God bless her for trying.  Did I mention Michelle is not an adrenaline junkie whatsoever.

The lines started getting really long and so we decided we'd call it a day.  A bit earlier than I thought and I know Seth was disappointed but he didn't make a fuss.  It was a great day and I felt like a kid the whole day through.  I'm not kidding I think that one day made me feel about two years younger.  Letting loose and acting like a kid has that psychological effect on your mind which I think reflects positively on your body as well.

I love this photo because you can see Seth already wanting off to go again.

I have to send out a big thanks to Terry, Amanda, Connor, and Ava for providing us with the chance to act like kids for a day.  I also have to thank Amanda and Terry for the photos in this post.  They take some great photos and have started their own photography business.  

A Whalen Getaway

Earlier this summer the Whalen family all got together and took a family trip to the western shores of Nova Scotia.  We were fortunate enough to know some fine folks with a cabin along the Northumberland Strait just outside of Trenton.  When I say this was a family trip, I mean multiple generations of Whalens all heading to the same location; three generations to be exact.  Even though there would be a cottage, some of us would end up sleeping outside and likely be all the better off for it.

No vacation can start without first reaching your destination and the drive to Chance Harbor, our planned paradise, would take about 3.5hours.  Since the kids, the dog, and enough bedding, clothing, toys, and games for 5 days were all in the car with us, it was going to be a long drive, or at least I thought it would be.  We made stops in Salisbury, Sackville, and Tatamagouche but the time seemed to fly for us.  The kids were incredibly patient and even the dog traveled well.  We only got turned around on one occasion just before we arrived and only because I missed the private road sign to our cottage.

The cottage was a small two bedroom, one bath cottage nestled on a point overlooking Chance Harbor.  We didn't actually have a view of the harbor, but then again, it isn't really a harbor as it is a small river that is backed up behind a sandy isthmus.  In the end it wasn't going to matter as we'd spend most of the time at the mouth of "The Harbor." The weather was almost too hot but trust me we were not complaining.  We soaked up the sun, the sand, and the waves.

Our first night was spent exploring our new surroundings and getting comfortable in our home for the week.  For me that meant setting up a tent and spreading out sleeping bags for five.  My son and daughter, my two nephews, and my father would all be sleeping in the tent the first night.  We enjoyed a brief bonfire that first night but everyone was tired and bedrolls and bedrooms called. The dog would sleep with my wife in the cottage along with my sister and my mother.  It would later prove advantageous to be sleeping outside as the cottage was extremely warm through the night.  The dog added a further frustration to those in the cottage as she paced back and forth wanting to check on those outside.

The next morning we lazed around and knew we had no where to be and relished in that reality.  When I say we lazed, I mean we didn't eat breakfast until close to 10am, we walked a slow pace to the beach where we tanned and used as little effort as possible to entertain the kids.  Just a note, hermit crabs will entertain 7-16 year old boys for well over 2 hours.  The beach was expansive with the river coming in on our left and the beach head on the other side a large isthmus of sand.  We couldn't resist crossing the river and exploring the beach there.  The water on that beach was now the Northumberland Strait and we could wade out a long ways but had to be wary of the currents and under tow.  We kept a close eye on the kids here and after a short time and swim we moved back to the other side of the river again and started building sand castles and chasing crabs again.

That night we gathered around the camp and told stories and laughed.  We let the kids sit and listen in and I'm sure this will sit in their memory banks for a long time.  I still have memories of such times with my parents and they have had a large influence on how I've developed, whether positively or negatively.  Oddly this type of gathering, away from home, is rare for our family.  Moments like this are usually had at the Whalen homestead.  I'd like to have more of this type.

The room in the tent for night two was a little greater as Shaylee slept with her Mom.  This was quickly compensated for when it was decided the dog might sleep better outside.  The dog quickly found a spot next to Seth and was asleep in no time and stayed that way the whole night.  Before the rest of us were asleep my youngest nephew also decided to move inside to sleep closer to his mom.

Hot is the best word to describe the next day.  There was no way of sleeping in as the temperature in the tent was stifling and sticky.  It was only an indication of what was to come.  The temperature rose to over 30 degrees celsius and all we could do was sit in the shade of the maple tree next to the cottage.  It was too hot to do anything.  It was even too hot on the beach as the sand instantly burned the bottom of your feet, even with sandals on.

Weather was a key factor in the rest of the trip and I think the sweat in my eyes made it all a bit of a blur.  Washer toss, bonfires, smores, more beach time, and an enjoyable drive home.  It was a great way to spend a week and I felt truly blessed to have the chance to spend such quality time with my family.  I also felt very blessed in the way the kids all behaved throughout the week.  My own kids in particular bless me every day.  I love watching them grow and over this week I could witness that growth literally.

I want to thank everyone who made that trip so great.  You are all a blessing to me.  Thanks to Lindsay Thorne for the photos.

Watching them Grow

As a kid I was always fishing and from that time I grew and learned to appreciate my natural surroundings.  I credit the time on the river for helping form who I have become.  On Friday night I took my son, and three of my nephews out for a short fishing trip.  We didn't go far but we stayed in the tent in a place where I used to tent as a kid.  Just so I wouldn't drown one of the kids my father joined us to help provide balance.

Since I didn't have Friday off, we didn't get to the river until almost 7:00pm.  Seth and I arrived first and set up the tent and fire circle and no sooner did we finish than two of my nephews show up.  We got them settled and then hit the brook for a short fish.  The water was a little low and the fish weren't really active.  Despite this, Seth managed to land two fish; one a real nice 10inch trout.

The highlight of the day was the campfire right next to the brook.  The boys chatted over their hot chocolate and smores.  As I took it in I couldn't help but see them all growing right before my eyes.  This became even more evident when they went to sleep in the tent.  I didn't have to sit in the tent with them until they went to sleep and they all chatted like young adults as they slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning we moved down to bigger water and everyone had some action with Seth landing two real nice trout and my nephew Kyle landing his first ever trout on his own.  The time flew by way to quickly and because some of the party had to be elsewhere that afternoon we had to head for home.  When I announced it to the boys they all groaned "Do we have to?"

It was an awesome time, even if short.  I look forward to the many more growing moments yet to come with our great family.

Rods and No Lightning

Seth and I were able to return to the river we were chased out of a week or so ago.  If you remember from my last post thunder and lightening chased us off the river.  This time the skies were clear and we enjoyed a long evening of fishing and bonding.

The Whalen clan has always seemed to be able to bond while fishing.  I'm not sure what it is that allows us to form relationships and memories while hardly talking but we do.  I should say that rather loosely because Seth talked a geat deal that night.  He talked about how he wants to learn how to fly fish soon and how his next Lego pack will be the biggest one yet and he only has to save five more weeks of allowance for it.

All the time he talked he walked or casted.  It was impressive actually.  I was struggling with my fly line in the trees as he pulled out his sixth or seventh trout on his bait rod.  We caught a great deal of fish but only kept two.  It was a great place to take an eight year old fishing because he never got bored.  I never got bored taking in as i watched my son literally grow before my eyes.