The Pleasant Street Inn

I recently met the owner of The Pleasant Street Inn. Heidi invited me over to tour the Inn and I gladly accepted as this house is one of several we viewed when we were looking for a home in late October 2020. What an amazing transformation this former Odd Fellows Hall, whose members rented the upstairs to the local Free Masons Lodge, has undergone! Heidi was the woman with the clear vision this place needed. The house has been completely renovated to a very high standard.

I walked over to The Pleasant Street Inn one afternoon last week anticipating a beautiful place after viewing the ads on FaceBook during the time of the grand opening in July. Entering through the garden gate and leaving the spacious parking space behind Heidi greeted me at the guest entrance ushering me into the heart of the Inn…

The kitchen is bright, well equipped, the spacious island offers plenty of space for those special breakfasts and the comfy couch invites visitors to lounge while waiting to be served or just enjoy a coffee or tea. I wanted to move into this tranquil and sparkling clean space permanently.

Heidi guided me up the wide original staircase that will make it easy to carry visitors’ luggage to the rooms. The landing at the top provides space for brochures and general information about special destinations the area has to offer.

Turning left one enters the hallway through the original Free Masons Lodge door complete with peep hole. I did not take a picture as I hope anyone reading this post will be so intrigued that they will book The Pleasant Street Inn for their next visit to Parrsboro! The hall way leading to the three unique guest rooms is well lit and provides more creature comforts such as a coffee station and a kettle for tea.

Room 1 is the most spacious complete with ensuite. The soothing colour scheme provides a calming vibe and promises a luxurious stay.

Room 1 with ensuite

Room 2 is located at the end of the hall. It boasts private access to the balcony with a fabulous view over the inner harbour with its tidal river. I am told that it is the choice room for guests who love to watch the sunrise.

Room 2 with direct balcony access

Room 3 is akin to entering a cloud. Upon opening the door one is immediately enveloped by the soft colour scheme and comfortable furnishings.

Room 3 with its soft light and comfortable furnishings

Rooms 2 and 3 share a bathroom at the end of the hall just a few steps away.

The shared bathroom with spacious tub and rain shower head

The fully fenced back yard (this is a pet friendly inn) provides shelter from rain, wind and sun. Imagine spending time in here with a pre-dinner drink before heading out to one of the nearby restaurants…

The Pleasant Street Inn is centrally located. Once you park your car it’s only a few steps to Main Street with its restaurants or to the Ships Company Theatre. I know I will be encouraging friends and family who visit to book a room for their stay at The Pleasant Street Inn. I was ready to head home, pack a suitcase and return to get spoiled by Heidi. I hear her breakfasts are already legendary!

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of The Pleasant Street Inn this morning. I know Heidi’s Pleasant Street Inn will be the choice place to stay here in Parrsboro. Please visit her website for more images, information, booking availability and pricing. And let me know if you are coming to town so we can meet up!

Best wishes, Anna

When the Days Get Shorter and the Leaves Begin to Turn…

…Parrsboro prepares for the return of Ten Days in October! After a year of putting everything on hold, cancelling events to prevent the spread of the pandemic our little town is getting busy. The International Plein Air Festival wrapped up only a couple of weeks ago. This weekend sees the return of the Parrsboro Film Festival and Ten Days in October.

So many of the attractions of Ten Days in October include the countless pop up galleries in town and up shore. I have had the privilege of witnessing one of the exhibitions coming to fruition over the past eight months. Our friend and my photography buddy Reggie Tucker has been gathering images since ice covered the beaches, shallow salt marshes and even roadside ditches. It has been wonderful to capture images, talk photography and getting together to select some of these images alongside our friend.

Regige’s exhibition opened on Friday afternoon, October 1st at The Fox Point Inn, a short drive down shore from Parrsboro. His exhibition is the first in the newly completed gallery space on the lower level. Here is the official exhibition statement:

Accompanying our friend while searching for, discovering and gathering the images, discussing the outcomes and assisting in hanging the framed images has been an honour. Here are a few images from the opening…

…and here are some impressions from the day prior when friends came together to lend a helping hand to hang the exhibition.

Should you find yourself in our awe-inspiring area during the first part of October please make sure to take in the many events Parrsboro has to offer. And do take the short drive out to the Fox Point Inn to experience the contemplative imagery of Reggie Tucker.

Best wishes for a peaceful Sunday, Anna

Cotton Candy Coloured Horizon

Last evening’s walk brought on memories of cotton candy, that sugary air, that sweet blue light spun of nothingness… Memories of the six-year-old girl who had tasted the sweetness of air for the first time, which still clings to her lips and disappears when she breathes.

The 360 degree vista was bathed in soft light, with coloured clouds separating sky from land and ocean, reminiscent of tall mountain peaks and waves gently lapping at the pebbles. The magic of the moment was not lost on me and my walking companion.

The crowning glory was the moment when the sun bade her last farewell as she slipped behind the clouds in the west. The perfect ending to a long day.

Wishing you a Friday, the first day of October 2021, filled with peaceful moments like these. Best wishes, Anna

Another Parrsboro Landmark

Where Main Street turns into Whitehall in Parrsboro one finds a viewing platform over the former inner harbour. There is plenty of space to park the car and explore. I have finally taken the time to stop and take some pictures of the Parrsboro Victory Weir located next to this viewing platform. The 380 colourful fish were created by the community at large as a Covid19 project. They certainly add a cheerful landmark in our village.

I tried to select a personal favourite but was unable to just settle on one or two!

Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone. May this “school” of fish brighten your day! Best wishes, Anna

It’s A Fabulous Day…

…when I can manage two beach walks in one day!

On Saturday afternoon I dropped off the baking at Ottawa House for the Bake Sale and my friend Laura and I carried on toward Partridge Island Beach. We made our way across the salt marsh and enjoyed the warm breeze along East Bay.

Fall has definitely arrived. The images include mauve flowers and ripe rosehips, a sure sign that the days are getting shorter.

With renewed energy and on my way home I made the decision that it was time for another beach excursion despite the level of the tide. I returned home and with the pups in tow we drove down shore to Spencer’s Island Beach. The drive is beautiful and many people call it the Mini Cabot Trail! Spencer’s Island is one of my favourite beaches, perhaps this is because it was the first beach we visited after we completed quarantine last October and started exploring the area… I do not know but I just love walking close to the waves and watching the light change on the lighthouse.

Reviewing these pictures and memories from only two days ago starts my week off on a very positive note. May your week be filled with positivity and colour!

Best wishes, Anna

Integrating into the Community…

…over the last year has not been that difficult. The opportunities are everywhere.

One event I can easily put my support behind is the Ottawa-House-by-the-Sea Christmas Tea and Bake Sale. The museum is officially open till the end of September, archives open by appointment year-round. We are members of Ottawa House and attend the weekly story time regularly. We have learned a fair bit about the local community, the location were our house is and what was here before. We love meeting the old-timers, many who have moved back to the village to retire after successful careers.

When I saw the poster announcing the Christmas in September event I offered to contribute. It was a bit of an adventure trying to work efficiently in my new-to-me kitchen. Much to my chagrin I discovered that while packing for the move a year ago I gave away most of my baking tools, especially the cookie cutters. What was I thinking? In the end I managed to meet my goal and I have since started to replace some missing items. The next baking excursion will be a little less stressful. 😉

I managed to combine butter, sugar, flour, nuts, ground almonds, eggs, vanilla essence, cinnamon, cloves, some locally produced raspberry and black currant jellies and icing sugar to bake up nearly 5 kg of assorted German Christmas cookies. I dropped off 16 trays (each weighing a little over 300 g) as well as a Cranberry-Hazelnut Torte yesterday afternoon. I did not price the cookies and the torte was designated for the tea event.

When we arrived for tea today at 2:30 pm (tea was scheduled from 2 – 4 pm) there was only one piece of the torte left and the cookie trays had sold out for $ 10 per tray. I never dreamed they would fetch such a steep price. I was hoping they would be popular for $ 5/tray… I underestimated the market!

Hopefully our contribution will help with next year’s programs. It was wonderful to see how much the community appreciates events like the one today.

Happy Sunday, everyone! Best wishes for a fabulous week, Anna

The Wispy Line in the Sky

This wispy-line-cloud, as I called it, fascinated me and I kept watching it on my drive to Partridge Island Beach a few nights ago. It looked as if it spanned all across the village and reached far beyond. I was hoping I would not dissolve too quickly and that I could make an image or two of its simple shape.

When I turned into the parking lot this same cirrus cloud appeared dwarfed over the vast open waters and even when I captured it with the tip of Partridge Island and distant Blomidon Provincial Park, as a way to introduce scale, it was visually diminished..

This view always invokes a feeling of peace for me. It has a tremendous calming effect and when I have not had my extended daily walk near water I deeply yearn for it, especially after long days spent indoors on one repetitive task.

I have spent a great deal of time in the kitchen lately. I had offered to contribute some baking to the upcoming Ottawa-House-by-the-Sea bake sale and Christmas in September Tea (membership in this historic landmark has its privileges and obligations) . But besides baking an assortment of Christmas Cookies and a Cranberry Torte for the event I also needed to process the large quantity of apples we harvested last week.

To provide balance to my increased exposure to domestic tasks I attempt to make time to breathe in the salty air as often as possible even if it is only for 15 minutes. And my camera is never far: The view toward Parrsboro from the front porch of Ottawa House can’t be beat, especially near sunset.

Enjoy the view and your Saturday. Best wishes, Anna

When the light says it all…

I had some time between commitments. What better way to transition from one activity to another than to arrive early at the last appointment of the day and enjoy some peace and quiet and the light at Golden Hour?

The images in the slideshow were taken at Ottawa House Beach around 6:30 pm a couple evenings ago. I will opt not to add more words. Enjoy them as they are. I used an iPhone XR, no filters, no processing, straight out of the camera. Pure Magic with Cape Split in the distance!

This beach definitely continues to hold the magic for me. No matter what time of day, rain or shine, the images I have been privileged to capture are among my favourites.

Wishing you all a weekend of peace and relaxation. Warm wishes, Anna

Harvest Moon…

Bright reflection at

The bottom of the garden –

T’was the moon last night.

Somewhere Between Harrison Settlement and Yorke Settlement

We haven’t done much this summer… our camper has been sitting in the driveway and only recently did we obtain the required safety inspection before licensing the trailer. Summer is nearing its end and with so much going on locally and pandemic numbers increasing we have stuck close to home.

When the walls close in we jump into the car and go exploring close to our village. One of my favourite drives is the road, if you can call it that…, between Harrison Settlement and Yorke Settlement outside of Parrsboro. The first time I drove it we discovered Chanterelle mushrooms in abundance. Since then more mushrooms have emerged but with my limited knowledge of the different varieties and their edibility I am sticking to photographing rather than harvesting. Here are a few images from a late afternoon drive.

As we pulled into the driveway the clouds parted and revealed the most impressive light.

Sticking close to home isn’t too bad when you live in the Bay of Fundy area… There is always something to see and a place to explore.

Wishing you a fantastic day. Best wishes, Anna

Fundy GeoPark Shore Clean-up

Last Saturday afternoon provided an opportunity to give back to the community at large. I had the amazing luck to participate in two guided, free tours offered by the GeoPark this summer (Thomas Cove and Five Islands Provincial Park). When the notice arrived that volunteers were needed to help with the shore clean up on September 18th we signed up at the location closest to us, Five Islands Lighthouse Park on Broderick Lane in Five Islands, a 20 minute drive away.

Caleb in the background (signing participants in) and Colin waiting for the event to start.

The weather was cooperating despite a 30% chance of rain. Our host was Caleb, who had also led the tours we participated in. He greeted us by name which made us all feel so welcome. What a great memory he has!

We were soon on our way to the beach. Three groups veered to the right, our little group turned left. To our surprise and relief we soon discovered that this particular beach was in a very clean state. We chatted with some locals and they shared that they keep their beach clean, picking up trash on a daily basis. It showed!

I made a strong effort not to immerse myself in photography but it was very difficult to just keep my eyes on the beach to locate trash…

The sky over the Five Islands was forever changing and just called out to be documented. And then there was the typical beach “litter” the tide deposits twice a day. The mixture of sea weed, sea lettuce and dulse always calls out to me.

There were three in our group and together we collected 12 lbs of trash, of which the 2″x4″ construction trash contributed most of the weight.

We were happy with the small amount of trash we collected. There will be another clean up event next spring. Meanwhile, we keep picking up trash during regular beach excursions. Every little bit helps, right?

It’s good to know that this beach is in pretty good condition considering it has never had an official clean up event. We loved spending the two hours with like-minded people, some who have lived in the area forever, and many of us who are relatively new and have come by choice.

Thanks to the UNESCO Fundy GeoPark for organizing this worthwhile event. Looking forward to participating in 2022. Best wishes, Anna

Connecting with the Community

A post on the local FaceBook Buy&Sell site invited anyone to take advantage of an abundance of fruit in this apple orchard last weekend. The poster was willing to share so she could connect with the community at large. All we had to do is send her a quick message to let her know when we would arrive. There were a total of 42 cultivated trees (the majority of the Cortland variety, which is close to MacIntosh) and the owner knew that she could not possibly use all the apples herself. What a treat to go and harvest. I knew that this type of sharing is common here and now I can report the experience myself.

It’s a great opportunity to not only pick some apples but also to meet like-minded people and reduce the waste along the road sides. Tessa’s orchard is on Glooscap Trail in Lower Economy overlooking the Bay of Fundy, just a short drive for us. We helped fill the basket for the Baptist Church while we were there.

We brought home a couple grocery shopping bags full with three variety of apples. This will keep me busy for a while.

The dehydrator has been working overtime… and the InstantPot helped in making quick and delicious apple sauce (sorry, no images for the apple sauce) which is already in the freezer for winter.

And, since we are back to getting together with our “Covid Bubble” friends, German Apple Streusel Cake was on the menu for Sunday afternoon tea. I love the scent of vanilla and cinnamon, don’t you?

This was our activity for mid-day Saturday. Check back tomorrow for what the afternoon had to offer. Enjoy your day, Anna

Colour Changes

The apple trees along the roads are dropping their fruit and I see the abundance going to waste. I wish we could all band together and harvest the surplus, incorporate the fruit into desserts, perhaps dry some and putting it up for winter. We are going picking later today… but our small household will not make much of an indent in all that is available!

Red apples, ripe rose hips and plump beach plums against green leaves are a strong reminder that we are moving into fall with breakneck speed. I have a feeling that the colours are changing earlier than last year but the verdict is not yet in. I measure the colours against last year’s experience. We arrived in Parrsboro on October 16th and by the time we emerged from quarantine the leaves had dropped. I am looking forward to experiencing the full autumnal colour show from start to finish for the first time this year.

The trees are in transition and each day I notice more red maples. I feel as if I am channeling Tom Thomson, especially his painting “Autumn’s Garland”, one of my favourites.

And how is this for the money shot today? This place offers produce for sale all summer and fall. I just had to capture the pumpkins when I walked by the other day. Thanksgiving and Halloween are saved once again! No shortage of pumpkins for bakers and carvers alike!

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend! Stay safe and enjoy some downtime. Best wishes, Anna

Fresh Eyes…

…and ever-changing vistas! I treasure my early morning walks about town. I usually embark on the same loop starting from home on Willow Street alongside the Aboiteau, across Two Islands Road and through the overgrown green space behind the Fundy Geological Museum where this morning I came across this sight:

It was the time between low and high tide and the river was gently rising bringing with it the catch of the day, perhaps?

Bejeweled cobwebs and wild sunflowers lined the path as I moved toward the access point of Pier Road.

First Beach never disappoints and everyone I know has the same expression when they arrive at the Pier: “This view never gets old!”

I do enjoy the view toward the light house and beyond but I get equally drawn in by the small treasures I discover along the way. Every day is different, today I actually stumbled across a (nearly) heart-shaped piece of sea glass! And then there were those seagull feathers tucked between the seaweed covered rocks… such unexpected jewels of nature!

When the tide is not up too far I can access Second Beach to pick up Haws Road which leads back to Pier Road where signs of fall are beginning to emerge.

A whimsical landmark along my walking route on Two Islands Road…

Thanks for joining me on my short morning walk recap. Check back tomorrow for more signs of seasonal changes. Have a great Friday. Best wishes, Anna

Wild Sunflowers Lining the Salt Marsh…

I could not help but notice the wild sunflowers along the salt marsh, all stretching and turning their heads toward the morning sun!

Helen Keller put it so well :“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.“

May your day be filled with sunshine and flowers. Best Wishes, Anna