Moto Scotia 2018

Today is National Grandparents Day, and I dedicate this post to my grandfather, Roland Bell Hogan, who himself was the grandson of Patrick Hogan who left Belfast, Ireland to settle in Young’s Cove, Nova Scotia in the mid- 1800’s. Our recent trip to Nova Scotia was all about connecting with family and friends. I’m ever grateful to be part of the Hogan clan!

After Marty and I boarded the CAT ferry in Portland, Maine we got out our sketchbooks. Here’s his opener:

The trip was about two hours longer than advertised, thanks to debris clogging one of the ship’s jets. It was a smooth ride, though, and I had time to draw this for my September 1 “rabbit rabbit” good luck habit, turning the CAT logo into a quick bunny.

The high point was a glorious sunset over the sea, as we headed due east to Canada.

We arrived at our destination in Yarmouth, the Mermaid Hotel, just after midnight. We overslept on Saturday morning, missing the free breakfast offering, so stopped at Sip Cafe before heading out on the Lighthouse Route for Pubnico.

What a welcome sight to see our island neighbor, Nicole, who has summered at her family’s A-frame for many years.

You can’t beat the view from the bedroom!

After a hearty lunch, she drove us over to Le Village Historique Acadien, a favorite place to experience a way of life from another era. Nicole’s ancestor, Philippe d’Entremont, is memorialized here as an early settler of the local harbour, and bears a striking resemblance to her brother, Phil.

We checked in first on the newest calf.

The village sits on 17 acres overlooking Pubnico Harbour and is a step into the past, where farming and fishing are done in traditional ways. I’m scouting here for future pastel subjects, with all these flowing marshes, waving grasses, and herons.

Photo by Nicole d’Entremont

We admired the elegant chicken fence.

Philippe, the blacksmith, regaled us with the recitation of a poem about the forging of swords into plowshares and then hammered nails for us.

The village was closing for the day but we happened upon some bride spotting!

We later enjoyed a delicious evening of food and conversation with Nicole’s neighbors, the Cunninghams, under a starry sky. April’s an award-winning baker, and we left fully sweetened by her pies.

On Sunday morning Nicole led us on a trek to the Lower East Wharf, where we each staked out a spot to sketch.

We only had a short time to draw, but the inspiration of rust will linger long.

Each of us drew the wind farm across the bay.

We headed over to Argyle to Clayton’s house. What a marvel of art and color his house is!

Clayton Karkosh is Professor Emeritus of Theater and Dance at the University of New Mexico. He has spent summers in this house facing the sea for over forty years, and gave us a marvelous tour of every room, filled to the brim with his collections of folk art, his own assemblages and paintings, and objet d’art galore.

He prepared a divine chowder while we imbibed the flavor of his kitchen.

He combs the local beaches for driftwood which becomes striking sculptures of withered beauty.

Everywhere there are carved beings with salty personality.

About this bathtub collection, he laughed: “what happens when you have too many!”

Clayton finds colorful rhythms in found things, like these buoy handles.

Sculpture by Clayton Karkosh

He can’t resist paint-by-number art, but has limited his collection to anything featuring water.

We enjoyed talking about art in his living room, discussing the wonders of Maud Lewis, Nova Scotia’s famed folk artist, and the Group of Seven, which I discovered includes one of my favorites, Lawren Harris.

After a sumptuous meal of chowder and biscuits, followed by bread pudding with local berries, we felt nourished beyond belief. Thank you, Clayton!

Photo by Nicole d’Entremont

We headed back to Nicole’s in time for a splendid sunset and more conversation. There was time in the morning to sketch her bowl of plums.

We packed up our bikes and headed once again on the Lighthouse Route. We stopped at the infamous UFO Centre in Shag Harbour, sight of an incident involving a supposed UFO crash. Why not?

We rode past fishing villages and winding waterways. No lighthouses, though.

By the time we reached Shelburne and stopped for gas, we had ridden for two hours but still had four hours to go. It was time to hit the highway and to our destination in Mahone Bay by 5 PM.

The Fisherman’s Daughter is tucked between two of the three iconic churches that ring the bay. We had a sweet little room for the night.

Rebecca’s is a short walk around the bay, where we had a fantastic dinner outside with a view of the village in fading light.

The next day was foggy as we headed over to Kentville, past fragrant farms and lakes along Route 12.

We found lunch at great pannini place, Hill’s Grills, where we could keep an eye on our bikes.

We reached this fond destination around 4 PM.

Oh, to be back at the Hogan cottage, built by my grandfather in 1934.

My cousins, Peg and Tom Reinfuss, have lovingly maintained the simple charms of that place. We went to the Crow’s Nest in nearby Parkers Cove for dinner. Get the hot lobster sandwich and poutine! But you’ll need a reservation.

We went over the mountain to Annapolis Royal and strolled along the boardwalk where red chairs beckon.

We met this prize-winning pointer who had just won a ribbon in Halifax!

This is a classic Nova Scotia lighthouse. Don’t you just want to move in?

We met several of Peg and Tom’s friends at the King’s Theater when we saw Puzzle. 

There’s a little lighthouse at the cottage, too. The next day was so clear and calm.

I found a driftwood perch on the shore where I drew this quick pastel.

I think a lot about Peg’s dad, Roley, and my dad, Bill, playing on these same rocks. There’s an old photo of the brothers with buckets in the cottage.

Marty and I took the bikes for a spin to some other coves, where colorful fishing shacks abound.

I can’t get enough of these!

We rode from Delaps Cove over to Hampton Cove, where the epic tides are evident.

The lighthouse is up a hill but sometimes open.

We returned to the cottage just in time to see humpbacks breaching off shore! No photos for proof, but it looked a bit like this, through binoculars.

detail from Here Come the Humpbacks!

Peg and Tom gathered friends and family for a hearty potluck as the sun made a spectacular farewell.

Cousin Lisa Fossum tells a tale to Gord, Peg, and Brian.

Photo of Kathy and Mary by Lisa Fossum

Photo by Lisa Fossum

The next day was blustery and cloudy. Peg gave us a rug hooking demo and brought out one of our Grampy Hogan’s hooked pieces.

I swear I’m gonna learn how to do this!

We reluctantly packed up and rode east towards Digby. Other than a deer jumping out in front of me, we had a smooth ride. This is Smiths Cove.

We favor the old routes and slower speeds. Plus, stopping for milkshakes!

It seemed to brighten a bit in Meteghan, along Baie St. Marie. That house is classic Nova Scotia turquoise blue.

We made it to Yarmouth around 3:30, weary from riding into the wind. We relaxed awhile at the Mermaid before setting out for Cape Forchu, dreamy as ever in the fog.

The Cape Forchu Lighthouse is remarkable in any weather.

We could hear crashing waves but barely see them. We rode back into town before dusk set in.

On our last night in Canada we dined at Rudder’s, a great tip from Peg.

In the morning, we had to be at the CAT by 7:30 AM. It was less crowded than the trip up before Labor Day.

The 5.5 hour trip back was also smooth, felt shorter due to the time change in our favor, and was perfect for doing an exquisite corpse in our sketchbooks.

I also drew Hartley, Peg and Tom’s rescue dog. We miss his gentle nature and insistent need for pats!

Spring Point Light was a sweet welcome back into our familiar Casco Bay.

We got off the CAT and later onto our ferry home. We’ll be savoring this trip for years. Many thanks to Nicole, the Cunninghams, Clayton, and Peg and Tom and their circle of welcoming friends. If you haven’t been to Nova Scotia, the chance to do so from the CAT in Portland could be short. There are other ways, though, to this gorgeous place of rugged beauty and colorful culture. Go!