Midland Ice Caves

One of the best things about a long winter is that towards the end, the warmer days tend to be excellent for outdoor adventure.  Today our family took advantage of a warm day to get outside and play in the snow and on the ice.  The Midland Ice caves have been receiving a great deal of media attention lately and that led to my wife wanting to visit them for the first time.


We loaded the kids and the dog into the van and headed from Sussex Corner towards Norton and in 25minutes we were starting up the well beaten and hardened trail towards the ice caves.  The first part of the hike was all up hill and the kids needed to stop a couple of times before we made the forested portion of the trail.  There were a large number of people enjoying the weather and trail with us.  This is normal for this trail we guessed because there was a large snow packed trail the whole way to the caves.  There was no need for snow shoes and we even saw some kids wearing sneakers.


The kids loved playing in the cave and worked hard to get to the top section of the cave and slide back towards the bottom.  The large crowd was full of people who were visiting the cave for the first time and lots of joyful discussion was had.  This indicated to me that everyone was loving the day and location.

Here is my quick video of the short adventure.

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.

What is Wandering?

This entry was published in the February 17th edition of the Kings County Record.  I've now been writing for the record going on 8 years and every now and then it is good to remind my readers, and my self why I write.  This was the point of this entry.  As you read, let your mind wander, and when you get a chance wander with your body somewhere too.  Don't get completely lost though.

Capstick is a small fishing village in Cape Breton.  An easy place to wander.

 

Wandering?  What is wandering?  I was asked this question the other day and it got me thinking about what "wandering" is to me.  Ironically it took me some time to figure it out.  It led me to think that maybe I need to fill readers in on why I write this column.  You might consider this edition a bit of a reminder as to why I wander.  Many people would likely, for good reason, assume that for me wandering means me being lost in the woods.  Sometimes it is simply that.  More often though it is more than that. 

A walk across a snow covered field is not simply a way to get cold feet.  When you let your mind go free it can become a great deal more.  When you can look and use your imagination you can almost see every snow flake.  You can hear them gently land on the curling drift.  When I write, I try to take the reader to a place, not an actual physical place, but rather a place in their mind.  I want the reader to let their mind wander to a wooded path along a fast running, boulder strewn, fish bearing stream that rumbles loudly as it pours over a large, mossy, emerald green boulder.

Wandering, for me, is a manner, in today's terms, to reboot my mind, body, and soul.  It is a way to see things again for the first time. Google defines it as "traveling aimlessly from place to place."  I like most of this definition but I can travel aimlessly in one place too.  When I sit at the atop an old tree stump on the top of a ridge looking over a clear cut to small settlement below I can wander through time.  Back to when homes were more often heated by a wood stove and we travelled using a horse and buggy.  Or I can wander to the time when the clear cut in front of me was a mature stand of softwoods full of deer and squirrels.  So I don't need to travel from place to place to wander, in essence, I can wander in my own back yard.

One of the reasons why I started writing this column was to encourage people to get out and "wander" in their own backyards.  I don't simply mean in your half acre building lot but if that is where you feel comfortable then it is as good a place as any to start.  I have to be honest, that is how I started.  When I was a boy, 3 or 4 years old, I would wander around my parent's backyard, by the time I was 5 or 6 I was in the neighbor's yard and exploring the brook at the edge of our lot.  The progression and growth is great to see in yourself and just because you might be older now, it doesn't mean you can't wander and grow in new places.  Sometimes you might find a new place right outside the backdoor.  Suddenly you may have a bird's nest in a nearby tree or maybe a squirrel has found access under your back deck and you take note and let your mind and soul wander or even ponder these new places. 

Where ever you might wander I hope it brings you adventure and happiness.  I hope that you grow spiritually stronger as much as physically stronger.  As deep as the snow is this winter I hope that you can still find a way to appreciate all that nature has to give us.

Winter Carnival Wrap Up

So it is, unfortunately, over for another year.  The Sussex Corner Winter Carnival wrapped up yesterday with a great fireworks finale. 

The winter celebration kicked off on Friday evening with a snow shoe trek to the Bluff escarpment.  With a clear evening the weather was cold but more than bearable and I wasn't the only one who thought so.  About 40 people accepted the challenge from Outdoor Elements to make the stomp up the Bluff and they all came with smiles ready to go.

The trek along the well beaten trail was peaceful, even with 40 people.  The snow was hanging thick off the fir, spruce, and hemlock and it muffled any sounds and gave the landscape a feeling of reverence.  As we walked up the trail, the tall white spires made it feel like we were walking up the aisle of a well decorated cathedral.  When we made the face of the Bluff, the lights of Poley were shining bright as were the lights of Sussex Corner and Sussex beyond.  The stars above were bright and you couldn't help but look up towards them.  It was a great evening and when it ended I was excited for the next day.

The next morning started off early for me as I volunteered for the Corner Cup Pond Hockey tournament.  We had 6 teams registered to vie for the Cup and they were going to earn it.  The temperature was a chilly -24C when a team from Home Hardware and one from the PotashCorp Civic Centre took to the ice for the first game.  When the tournament ended it was "The Boys" from Moncton who get to place their names on the Cup.  The action was fast paced despite the very hard and choppy ice.  By the end of the day the puck was bouncing a lot but the players all played on the same ice and the talent raised to the top.  Congrats to "The Boys"

By mid noon the hockey players needed a break so we turned the ice over to the kids and families.  The broad smiles hidden under large toques and hoods couldn't be hidden.  As I had a chance to take in more than the hockey game, I was surprised to see how many people had come to the carnival site.  There were kids clambering up and sliding down the large snow hills we had formed, Sussex Minor Ball had their barbeque cookin', the sleigh rides were gently sliding along, kids faces were glittering with paint, snowmen were popping up all over and hot chocolate was flowing.

The excitement around the site was contagious.  Kids were laughing and parents were chatting amongst themselves and the sun was shining.  Maybe the magician spread some magic over the grounds, I don't really know, but like in past years, the atmosphere was electric.  As the championship game of the Corner Cup finished, night started to fall but the cake was keeping spirits high.  People were anticipating the fireworks and they would not be disappointed.  With the new amphitheater acting as the back drop for the carnival people milled around the cozy environs or waited in their cars babying their hot chocolate and cake.

As I wound down my day with my family, I admired the reddened cheeks and thought how blessed we were to be able to spend such a day.  Winter should be celebrated and in Sussex Corner they celebrate it in style.

Sussex Corner Has Cure For Winter Blues

This blog first appeared in the Kings County Record on February 3rd.  The Village of Sussex Corner puts on a great winter carnival that is packed with lots of fun and various activities for all.  You should check it out on Saturday, February 14th from 1-7 which is when the fireworks are scheduled to go off. 

 

Winter kind of hit us with a wallop recently and it now feels like a true Canadian winter.  Come on?  Admit it.  It had been a pretty easy winter before last week.  Now you are likely going to fall into one of two categories for the rest of the winter.  Where you fall might depend on whether you shovel your driveway or you plow it.

For some people you are already tired of winter.  You are counting down the days until spring or until your flight leaves for southern climes.  Your idea of recreation this time of year is cuddling up with a book or maybe going for a swim at the local pool.  People in this category usually can be identified by the multiple layers of clothing they wear to keep warm, even when the thermostat is set to 20°C.  For people in this category, cabin fever is a reality and by the time February rolls around they have stretched the cuffs and neck lines on every sweater they own.  Their desire to go for a run or cycle or their urge to cast a fly has them cleaning their bikes, their running shoes, or tying hundreds of flies just to calm the fever.  Take heart though, there is a cure, but I'll get to that.

The other half, are those who embrace the cold and the challenges it brings.  This group likes having frozen boogers dripping from their noses.  They enjoy seeing the cloud of steam come from their nostrils as they plough through another 5' snow drift with their snow shoes on.  Their wardrobe consists of more than one pair of snow pants and multiple sets of wicking longjohns.  To them a toque is an in fashion accessory from October to April.  When it snows they can't wait to get out and make tracks across the nearest trail and if they make the first tracks, it gives them bragging rights until the next snow storm.  For a good portion of this group, their ideal cruise wouldn't be in the Caribbean but rather in Alaska among icebergs.  The only thing this group struggles with is finding something new to try.  There is a solution to this dilemma as well.

If you think we are having fun here, the Corner Winter Carnival is even better.

Nowadays every municipality is hosting a winter carnival of some kind.  Lots of these are geared towards those in the second group but for those in the first group, take heart.  The Sussex Corner Winter Carnival will have a little something for you too.  There will be skating, hockey, snow shoeing, sliding, and the regular winter fun.  If you are more passive though in your winter recreation you can come out and enjoy a horse drawn sleigh ride, a magician show, and fireworks. If you don't want to cook come on out to the Carnival and support Sussex Minor Ball by buying some barbequed hotdogs and a drink.  There will be hot chocolate and cake as well.  This year's carnival will be held at the Sussex Corner Sports Field where better parking, facilities, and play grounds are available for a greater number of visitors.  A tug of war and the Corner Cup Pond Hockey Tournament will insure there is always something to keep you entertained regardless of which category of winter person you fall into.

See you in the snow drifts..

Good Relations Mean Weathering Storms

I have been slack over the winter holiday season and have not been doing a great deal of writing.  That does not mean that I haven't been busy though.  My full time job allows me to spend time outdoors and I feel grateful for that.  One of the more recent things I have been tasked with is monitoring precipitation amounts here in our region and honestly it has brought me more enjoyment and thought than I anticipated.  Below is the thoughts I placed on paper for the Kings County Record recently.

Weather is a very popular topic and it is a versatile topic that generates both joyful and depressing conversations.  People like to watch it from the comfort of their homes or while browsing the internet but only a few people develop a true relationship with weather.  To do this you have to get to know it, you have to understand the ups and downs of its personality.  In some cases you have to stand strong in a storm.  Over the last few months I have more fully tried to get to know the local weather more intimately. 

I haven't been alone in my pursuance of this relationship.  Others also wanted to get to know their weather better and so together we have been studying it.  In fact there are a lot of people who watch the weather closely, many, much closer than I do.  My relationship with weather started, like many modern relations today, online.  Following some field work two summers ago, there was a data gap on precipitation that was falling in our region.  It was important to my work that we get to know the weather better and thus the courting began. 

Through some friends I was directed to a website for COCORAHS or Community Collaborative Rain Hail Snow Monitoring Network.  This website was chocked full of information but more importantly it provided me with the tools needed to get my relationship off on the right foot.  Through COCORAHS I was able to get a rain gauge, a snow board, a meter stick, and access to a broader database.

Now part of my daily routine is a morning visit to my rain gauge where I measure the rain fall from the night before and if there was snow I take measurements of that as well.  There is something old fashioned about watching the weather.  It takes commitment which is something that, in my opinion, is missing in many aspects in society.  Honestly, I don't make my trip everyday, but I make an honest effort to get there no matter the weather.

By entering the data it has led me to look back on the history of weather in the region and I'm starting to to see some trends.  Watching the weather is not a one night stand by any stretch, it takes time to get to know its moods.  Don't worry though, if you're worried about getting bored with the relationship, it will change from season to season so there will be something else to understand. 

 

For me, the precipitation data that I'm collecting will be tracked and contribute to river flow, discharge, and water level data.  This data will allow me and my colleagues to better understand changes to the river due to climate change.  It has provided me with a moment to slow down each morning and my walk to the gauge does feel like a walk down a country road and it there is a relaxing moment that allows me to get my day off on the right foot.

Getting in Touch With Me Before the New Year

It may have been the first cold day of winter today.  As I checked my rain gauge this morning it was -15.3*C and the Environment Canada weather forecast was stating a windchill down to -23*C.  So since I had my afternoon off today, "Why not go for a short hike and blow some stink off before the New Year."  The dog needed a good outing too since we'll be leaving her in the house for the day on New Year's Eve.

I didn't want a really difficult hike, nor did my father, who I invited along.  We took a short drive up the Mill Brook Road and started up the familiar Cotter Holler Road on foot.  Since the fall rains, the road had washed out.  This was the second time this year.  The more intense rain events simply inundate the culverts and once that happens the steep stream seeks out a way around and often that is down the roadways.  If the culverts were enlarged it might change this new natural routine.

As Dad and I discuss the erosion we turn up the Secord road and lean into the steep uphill climb.  In some places the road is also heavily eroded here.  As we reach the crest of the first rise a small, steep, and scenic tributary calls for me to explore its tiny cascades.  Since there is no snow yet, the ice clings to the branches and leaves that were scattered on the ground earlier this summer.  It looks much colder than I feel at that moment.

As the dogs traipse off ahead of us we take in the terrain and enjoy the fleeting sunshine as it penetrates the cold and the shades of the hardwoods.  We reach the top of the hill and stop for a quick drink and head towards the old farm field well below.  The hike down the hill is slightly more gradual than the hike up and so we enjoyed the change of pace.

There was not a great deal of conversation, just a mutual enjoyment of being.

It was not an overly eventful hike but one that connected me to me again.  Funny how nature does that eh?

Here is the route if your interested - hike map.

Merry Christmas and Don't Keep Score

I find Christmas very hard to write about.  Obviously I want to wish all of our friends and family a Merry Christmas but once I get beyond that, what else can I say.  For me Christmas is a family time but it also gets very busy.  Personally I can get wrapped up in gift buying and socializing and then forget what the whole meaning of Christmas is about.  It doesn't happen intentionally but when I get caught shopping, or maybe more appropriately when I wander around the mall aimlessly, I start "keeping score".  You know what I mean by that.  You look at who you have on your list and you think "Hmmm they are likely going to buy me a gift so I have to buy them one."  Once I start down that path, I'm missing the point. 

It is hard not to "keep score" at times.  Even with the kids, we try to make sure that they each get the same amount of toys or that we spend the same amount of money on each, but that isn't Christmas.  We should be trying to make sure that they each give the same if anything.  We shouldn't care what others give to us nor should we feel obligated to give a gift.  If we can't give freely, then we can't fully appreciate what we recieve.

Most of you are probably much better at not keeping score than I am.  I will keep working on it and again I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

An Alabama Rockwell Christmas Town

I am fortunate to live in a wonderful part of the globe.  Sussex is a great little community with resilient and friendly people and pastoral scenery.  All this is elevated during the Christmas season.  Main Street recently has been enhanced by the addition of two great stores.  Outdoor Elements and Viewfinders have added a splash of color, class, and culture to the already impressive landscape.  This entry was my column for the December 9th edition of the Kings County Record and will serve as my Christmas version for the KCR.  I hope you enjoy it. 

 

My kids recently celebrated "Ugly Sweater Day" at school and my wife did a great job of getting them ready.  Photo cred: Michelle King Whalen

 

Merry Christmas.  Wow.  It is hard to believe that we are already well into another Christmas season.  This is a great time of year and we are fortunate to celebrate it in an area that could come right out of a Rockwellian Christmas card.  Rolling, snow covered hills with frosted limbs and smoky rivers giving you a feeling like you're in the middle of an Alabama Christmas song. 

On the weekend I was walking down Main Street in Sussex and there were people window shopping, couples holding hands and hot chocolate, and carolers serenading us all.  My kids were walking beside me laughing and I couldn't help but turn my head skyward for a minute and give thanks.  When you consider the comfort level we have and the peace of mind we possess as we walk down the street, the blessing is amplified that much more.

A simple walk down Main Street would set our area apart but it goes well beyond Main Street.  Why not go to a Christmas tree farm, not a stand, a farm, with your family and cut down your own tree and enjoy being outdoors.  That is an old fashioned Christmas and that is how memories are made. The smell of the fir and pine trees will forever remind you of Christmas and how cool would that be when you walk into the woods in July.  You could celebrate Christ year round.

The congregation at St. Mark's church know a thing or two about an old fashioned Christmas too.  As we drove by their church tonight my son asked "Hey Dad, when is the living manger this year?  Honestly I don't know off the top of my head when it is but you can bet we'll keep an eye out for the sign and make sure not to miss it.  If you have never taken in the event, I encourage you to come out and watch this year.

If you can't celebrate Christmas without music then you're in luck.  There are lots of Christmas shows going on.  The St. John's United Church is hosting a music night at their center and if you're not in the Christmas spirit when you go in, you will be when you come out.  If you need more, then check out the local bulletin boards and music shop windows.  There are some big names coming to town and I don't mean Santa.  All the performers are his opening act and all them seem to revel in the role. 

How about those bright windows and the great color on Main Street.  Photo Cred: Outdoor Elements

Don't worry, I won't forget the presents.  The best part is, I don't need to leave town to get all I need.  Main Street is looking vibrant again and with some new shops our choices will be more difficult to make.  There will be lots of people to chat with and share smiles and catch up with.  It might be hard to get all the shopping done if you chat too much but don't worry, I'm sure Santa will take care of it.

Even with all these great activities and surroundings, I hope you have some time to slow down and enjoy family.  From my family to yours, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.