Atlantic Provinces Adventures

Prince Edward Island, Canada

      My husband, Todd and I just returned home to Minnesota from traveling 6,400 miles with our pickup and camper to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada.  We were gone for 26 days.  In May we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary, so one could say this was our anniversary trip.  I had been to Prince Edward Island ten years prior with my good friends Amy and Jessica, but had been wanting to go back with my best friend, Todd.  We had a fabulous time.  Each day was wonderful!  I am going to attempt to share with you some of what our adventure was like.

Our pickup and camper

One of our amazing campsites

 

     Camping in our camper was a big part of our trip.  I appreciate having my temporary home with me wherever I go.  We slept for free in busy Wal-Mart Parking lots and at noisy truck stops (they have super clean showers!).  We stayed at woodsy, mosquito-infested campgrounds and at campgrounds with amazing waterfront views.  I got used to having ear plugs in my ears and a mask over my eyes.  Surprisingly, I slept quite well.  One of the best parts about having our camper along was that we could make our own meals.  Todd was the sea food chef!  He made scallops, oysters, salmon, tilapia, sole, and lobster!  He was also the master of blueberry pancakes!

     Music was a big part of our trip too.  As we drove, we listened to CDs of Kendra MacGillivray fiddling, The Rankin Family chanting out lilting Gaelic melodies,  The Ennis Sisters singing sweet Celtic harmonies, and Natalie MacMaster fiddling out her Cape Breton roots.  We stopped at the Celtic Music Interpretive Center where both Todd and I got to try out the fiddles.  We attended a magnificent Troy MacGillivray fiddling concert with the audience stomping their feet and shouting out "Yips" and "Whoops."  We stopped to see the impressive giant violin in Sydney on Cape Breton Island.  We saw step dancing and heard bagpipes practicing together for an upcoming performance at the College of Piping in Summerside.  Everywhere we went people talked about the "Ceilidhs" that would be starting up in July.  Ceilidhs are kitchen parties that always involve music, storytelling, and highland dancing.  They are usually in a concert setting for the public.  Although we missed the Ceilidh season, we did get to hear some musicians performing traditional seafaring songs at a restaurant where we stopped.  While in Charlottetown, we attended a musical that told the love story of Anne and Gilbert.  It was excellent.

Troy MacGillivray!

The giant violin in Sydney

        

Todd trying his hand at fiddling!

Anne and Gilbert, the Musical

     If one is intrigued by historic villages, then Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are the place to go!  Todd and I stopped at about five of them on our trip.  We saw two farming villages still being run as if it was the 1800s.  We visited a Scottish Gaelic Village that told of the struggle to create new lives in Nova Scotia after the hardships of Scotland.  A French Acadian Village inhabited by people re-enacting their own ancestors' way of life of boat-building, lobster fishing, and wool making was one of our favorites.  And, a village that the producer of "Road to Avonlea" based much of his Avonlea village on was exciting to see.  We met blacksmiths and dory-boat makers and spinning-wheel operators and women baking cookies over an old-fashioned hot stove.  I got to pretend to be the teacher of many one-room school houses and Todd and I sang "Amazing Grace" in harmony at more than one old time church!  

I'm sitting on the cupboard bed in a Scottish hut!

Cracking the whip in a one-room school house!

Farm Machinery from days gone by!

We had a great conversation with this blacksmith before he made us a nail!

     Biking and hiking was a fun part of our trip.  We kept our bikes in the back of our camper, so every time we had to get in and out, we either had to crawl around them or take them out!  We biked the infamous Confederation Trail on Prince Edward Island (an old railroad bed).  We biked through Charlottetown and Victoria and Summerside.  We hiked the Skyline Trail on Cape Breton Island and hiked to waterfalls and hiked almost everywhere we went!

     Water was an important part of our trip!  We had to get around the Great Lakes to get from Minnesota to the Atlantic Provinces and home again.  We drove along the Atlantic Ocean, the Bay of Fundy, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  We watched tides go in and out.  We walked along beaches.  We hiked for hours to get to a waterfall!  We visited too many ship harbors to count!  We saw whales, seals, jellyfish, starfish, trout, mussels, and even the shell of a razor fish!   

   

And, who could forget the farm fields of red dirt, the red sand along the beach, and the red roads everywhere you turn?  A photograph just doesn't do it justice!

My favorite kind of building on the Atlantic Provinces (Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Labrador) is cedar shingled grey with red trim.  And, there were a lot of them!  We noticed that very few people had garages and that many people liked to put a star on the front of their house for decoration.  Most everyone had a wooden barrel at the end of his/her driveway for trash pickup.  And, there were many beautiful gardens!  We saw some other intriguing architecture along the way too.  Here are a few examples:

When people asked if we had been to the Atlantic Provinces before, I liked to tell them that when I was here with my friends we did "Everything Anne that was possible."  Then I'd tell them that Todd and I were focusing more on the culture, the scenery, and the seafood.  Despite that, Todd and I did indulge in a few Anne of Green Gables sites, including viewing "The White Sands Hotel" and "Green Gables."  We tried Raspberry Cordial and visited the make-believe village of Avonlea.  We saw where L.M. Montgomery was born and gazed at "The Lake of Shining Waters."  We hiked "The Haunted Wood" and "Lover's Lane."  And, I often thought of Anne and Diana while enjoying the red cliffs and sand dunes along the beach.  

And, who could visit Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island without appreciating the occasional lighthouse?  We went inside one, but most had an admission fee.  We saw the oldest lighthouse on the island and the only round lighthouse (Point Prim).  We saw the most photographed lighthouse in the world (Peggy's Cove).  We saw lighthouses that were falling apart and some that had been turned into resorts.  Some of the lighthouses were still being used as lighthouses.  We encountered a lot of fog, but never did hear a foghorn, despite how much Todd yearned to hear one!

When it was time to leave Prince Edward Island, we took the nine mile Confederation Bridge.  

Just as every sunset each night was bitter-sweet, so was the end of our time on vacation.  We had such a wonderful time, it was like a dream.  And, yet, home is good too.  Home to Minnesota to our family and friends and the life we have carved out there.  

'Tis So Sweet

A missionary penned these words in the 1800s.  The picture above is of my friend 

who is a missionary in the 2000s.  I think she could have written these words too...

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise; Just to know "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me, Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease;
 Just from Jesus simply taking Life and rest and joy and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior friend;
And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.

Written by Louisa M. R. Stead (1850-1917)

Psalm 56:11 

In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid.

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Proverbs 3:5-7 (Message)

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.  Don’t assume that you know it all.  Run to God!

John 14:1-3

Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God, and trust also in me.  There is more than enough room in my Father's home...When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."

Trust.  Do not fear.  Trust.  Be strong.  Trust.  Do not be afraid.  Trust.  God is with you.  Trust.

I love the idea of trust.  

I yearn to trust God fully.  

I want to live a life free from worry and anxiety.  

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.  

He's always been faithful to me. 

He is worthy of my trust.  

God has everything under control. 

Faith = Trust.

"Believing God" Pledge of Faith:

1.  God is who He says He is.

2.  God can do what He says He can do.

3.  I am who God says I am.

4.  I can do all things through Christ.

5.  God's word is alive and active in me. 

Whatever is going on in my life (and yours), God can handle it.  

He is bigger, greater, and stronger than whatever our problems are.  

That includes: 

cancer, 

infertility, 

foreclosures, 

homelessness, 

parenting, 

addictions, 

emotions, 

and dealing with "extra grace required" people! 

God understands our stress.  We need only to rest in His hands.  He provides the peace.    

Yatagiri

Yatagiri:  Little girl born into poverty.  Little girl from southern India.  Little girl with parents who are "workers" and spiritually lost.  Little girl with lots of siblings who have to stay home while she goes to Compassion school and gets colorful letters from America.  Little girl who doesn't know the Lord.  Little girl who touched the heart of Big girl: Jennifer... who wanted to make a difference and put a smile on Little girl's face.  Yatagiri who grew up and is now 13.....

 

 It's a true story.  I am the Big girl.  I am the one who chose one day to support this sweet waif with no smile. 

Those big brown eyes, that gorgeous face, that sweet laugh that might not be heard enough.  I began that day to pray for Yatagiri.  I wrote her letters and sent her photos and gave money for Christmas and Birthday gifts in addition to ever-increasing monthly support.  Each time a letter came from her via the translator I'd devour it.  She was learning about Jesus.  She got a dress for Christmas and a doll for her birthday.  She liked to write stories!  Her family sends their greetings and their love.  She prays.  She sings.  And on the fourth photo update, she smiles! 

Then last week a letter came from Compassion stating that some major decisions were being made for Yatagiri and her school.  Within the next 90 days Compassion is going to decide if it needs to withdraw all support.  According to the letter:  "The child development center Yatagiri attends has not been able to meet all of Compassion's standards for ministering to children in need."  What?  My sweet Little girl may NOT be getting all her needs met?  Is she learning about Jesus or being taught Hindu ways?  Is she getting enough to eat or is there corruption going on?   

What could it be?  I began to panic.  I began to forget to trust God.  I began to lose hope.  Jennifer, "Trust in the Lord, with all your heart.  Lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."  And, "He who began a good work in Yatagiri will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."  God knows what He is doing.  Nothing surprises Him.  He cares about Yatagiri way more than I ever could.  Even if Compassion tells me I can no longer support   

 her or send her letters, I can always pray for her.  God hears.  He knows.  He listens.  I can trust Him.  He is good. 

  I received the letter from Compasison about a week ago.  Today I received in the mail a photo update.  She's beautiful.  She's still the same Little girl.  But, Yatagiri's not smiling any more.  I cannot stop praying.  I cannot stop hoping.  I want to meet Yatagiri in Heaven some day.  I want to see her smile and hear her laughter and give her a hug.  She is the Sarala I never had.  I won't give up on her.  Just as God never gives up on me. 

Recording a CD

Off We Go!  Ready for a big day!

Doug, the Fabulous Recording Man!

 Mom and I love music.  We love to make music together.  We have been making music together my whole life!  We've played for weddings, funerals, church services, nursing homes, recitals and lots of "just for fun" times.  Yesterday we had the opportunity to create a keepsake that we will treasure forever!  We made a CD recording of 15 of our favorite pieces.  Mom played piano and I played violin.  Want to hear what our day was like?  Okay!
    At 9:00 on Saturday morning, we went to Doug and Janet's lovely home.  They had recently turned half of their basement into a recording studio and the other half into a quilting room.  We walked in to the recording room and   

Jennifer and Mom

 tuned my violin to the keyboard.  We played through a few songs and got used to the microphone and keyboard.  Then we began the recordings.  Doug would tell us when we could begin.  We would play a piece and then decide if we were satisfied or if we

We had a great experience!

wanted a second chance.  We kept our first recording for two of the fifteen songs.  All the others needed some tweaking.  Sometimes we played the whole piece again.  One time the tweaking was me simply playing two or three measures along with the recording that we had already done.  Then Doug replaced those  

Recording is hard work!

Hooray for a Midi System!

 measures with the new ones that I played better.  Sometimes tweaking a song meant Mom bringing her music in to the computer room where Doug was and finding a particular chord on the computer where she played a wrong note and then having Doug use his Midi System to actually change the note.  It was magic!!!  She could say, "That note right there should be an F sharp, not an F" and Doug would push a few buttons and fix it.  It was amazing!

We could fix notes like magic!

We took a short break around 11:30 and then felt refreshed enough to finish up.  All in all, it took about four hours. The next steps are for Doug to go through the songs and do his magic.  He seems to truly enjoy all the editing and refining and artistry.  He was so great to work with.  He was super patient and positive.  We had a wonderful experience.  I just know that we will treasure this CD for years and years to come.  My nieces and nephews will treasure hearing their Grandma Iverson and Auntie Jen play.  Mom and I will not always get to play together.  Arthritis has already had an impact on Mom's playing.  We decided to do the recording now because we have both been practicing more than usual to prepare for a wedding we provided music for last weekend.  I have been practicing so much that I feel like I am close to where I was in college as far as tone quality, intonation, and lack of scratchiness.  Technically, I would have far to go to reach my college proficiency.  But, truly, that doesn't matter.  What matters is the joy that Mom and I have when we play together.  It is as if we can feel what the other person is going to do for dynamics and ritardandos and phrasing.  We cut - off together at the end of pieces.  We just feel the music together.  And, we enjoy it.  We enjoy playing for people too.  If our music can bring joy or peace to people or help them feel closer to God, then we feel honored to have shared it.  To God be the glory.  By the way, this CD is not going to be perfect.  We made lots of mistakes.  We couldn't fix everything.  We decided that our CD is "authentic" because it shows our human-ness.  Both Mom and I are perfectionists, so it was hard at times to let a piece be "good enough" instead of perfect.  As Grandma used to say about situations like this, "It keeps us humble."  That is so true!  We have loved the experience of making a CD and will forever be grateful to Doug and Janet for helping to make this dream of ours come true.  If YOU get the opportunity to hear our CD, then thanks for listening!