Down the Fundy Trail to Cape Enrage

Friday, finally it was sunny, blue skies, floating clouds, the perfect day to again drive the Fundy Trail. From Riverview to Alma the road is curving, the landscape scenic; many lovely old homes and fields scattered with goats, sheep and cattle.

Our destination Cape Enrage, one of my favourite locations in this area, where we picnic, find amazing driftwood sculpture and attractive beach stones.

Along this road there are many craft and artist’s studios. Stained glass; colourful birdhouses; contemporary, abstract pottery; raku pottery; many fine art paintings

Hand-blown glass; quilts and hand knits and ladies fashions.

A detour up Albert Mines Road, a heritage herb farm produces creams, essential oils and jellies; there is pottery made from local clay; Alpaca sheep and more art.

In Hillsborough there’s the New Brunswick Railway Museum and towards Riverside Albert horseback riding (plus skiing and snow shoeing in winter).

The Sawmill Creek Bridge, built in 1905, is the last covered bridge on Highway 114.

Just past Cape Enrage sample, and buy, wild blueberry wines. Down here the mist drifted in intermittently, atmospheric but clearing in time for our picnic.

For more than a day there are many places to stay; B&B’s, some in century homes; the Artisan’s Suite at Wendy Johnston’s Pottery; motels, inns and campgrounds. Lots of restaurants, cafes and pubs.

For me it’s an area to enjoy any day. With natural art to bring home.

Magnetic Hill Winery

Another of my favourite places

 Just a short drive from the mid–twentieth century concrete block architecture of much of Moncton you can find beautiful examples of unspoilt country side. Undisturbed acres of nothing but trees, grass, shrubs and fruit bushes restore your soul to believe in the ultimate basic goodness of the earth.

There is a place where you can let the pure taste of strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, even, and especially, rhubarb, distilled into a glass of amber liquid, linger on your tongue.

That place is Magnetic Hill Winery. Located in a restored historic property, built in 1867, it is one of New Brunswick’s major award-winning wineries. The enterprising and visionary entrepreneurs, Jeff and Janet Everett were once the frustrated owners of a fruit farm. In the late 1990’s the New Brunswick government opened to door to farm-based cottage wineries and the Everett’s found their way to stay in agriculture, and to develop a unique combination of practicality and hospitality.

With the latest 21^st century technology installed in the historic property the Everetts make delicious wines, just as pioneers traditionally did, from local fruit. They raised the house two feet, extended the porch to wrap around, moved the attached barn and dug out beneath to create the wine cellar and shop. The family now produces all wines on site. Fermenting, filtering and bottling the wines using their own hand-picked fruit.

There’s Bay of Fundy Blue, yes made with blueberries. Gold medal  Illusions, named for Magnetic Hill’s famous optical illusion, owes it’s crisp dry bodied taste to rhubarb. Evangeline resonates with strawberries and silver medal Mystique is full of healthy cranberries. The Everetts remind you that fruit wines contain antioxidants and  more vitamins and minerals than grape wine. Chocolate River dessert selection includes raspberry, strawberry and blueberry wines, all go well with chocolate.

Opened in 2005 Magnetic Hill Winery is a true family enterprise. Son Zach, winemaker, is proud of his 3,000 litre vats. The various fruit wines take six to 18 months to mature and all celebrate the area’s natural attractions.

Once the winery was established this energetic couple set about a Bed and Breakfast in the old former house. Much of the house was gutted but the essence of the 140-year-old residence was preserved and many parts used. Janet excitedly points out hand-made square head nails from the house, now used in the wine shop to hang the sun catchers. Lathes from interior walls are re-cycled to make attractive gift boxes. The distinctive mustard yellow exterior that catches your eye on arrival is a heritage colour, also found in the house’s kitchen.  She says the interior’s good state of preservation was largely due to the covering of birch bark on much of the house.

In the winery’s retail store you can enjoy tastings of these exceptional wines and find an array of wine-related gift items.

Visitors can choose the Oak Room or the Pine Room, both reminiscent of bygone days, each now with its en-suite bathroom, and enjoy a home-made country breakfast on the patio on sunny mornings. A private living room provides space to relax and read.

Sunny afternoons you can enjoy a glass of wine and a selection of cheese on the patio with its stunning panoramic views.

Other articles about more of My Favourite Places can be found at knowmoncton.com/favorite-places/

Saint John. People. Places. Pets.

Last week I spent a few days in Saint John. An attractive, historic city, the first in Canada to be incorporated in 1785.

It was my introduction to the Maritimes; my husband and I lived there for a year until we were moved to Moncton. During that brief time I came to appreciate its history, architecture and culture, and made many friends with whom I still maintain contact.

I arrived in heavy rain just in time to enjoy one of the ‘Summer Sounds’ concerts at the Church of Saint Andrew and Saint David. Performed by the Saint John String Quartet it included music by Bach, Mozart, Harry Somers and Gershwin.

A lovely beginning to my visit. As we left I met one of my former yoga students; an added pleasure to catch up with her. One day I met this sweet cat sitting in front of the church. This church was one where I rented space for my yoga classes when I lived there. As was Trinity Anglican Church just a little further down Germain Street.

A short drive across town I visited Harvey, the amiable partner of my late friend Wendy, in whose honour I offer my current series of Yoga for Breast Cancer classes. Harvey is always fun to talk with, humorous, occasionally controversial, and takes great photographs. He stayed behind the camera but Simba, Ginger and Comet were happy to be photographed.

A detour to Cedarcrest Garden Centre where I bought more plants for our garden.

In the old part of the city Germain Street is special, not just because of the gracious old houses, but because many of my friends are close. I stayed with my good friends, Haleen and Jonathan Franklin in their century home. One friend lives across the street, another a couple of blocks away and two others work nearby.

Within an easy walk are several of my favourite shops, art galleries and fine craft stores. Anne McShane at The Feel Good Store always gives me a warm return welcome. 

Trinity Galleries shows an eclectic mix of art, Handworks has some of the most innovative and exquisite silver jewellery. Its window was swimming with fish made from recycled tin by Alanna Baird in St Andrews. The Peter Buckland Gallery for me is one of the two best art galleries between Saint John and Portland, Maine. The other is in Blue Hill, Maine.

Debra, another yoga teacher, and I met for a chai latte at Java Moose, a favoured Saint John bistro. We’re planning a special event, which I’ll tell about later.

Since going to El Salvador with Beth Kelly-Hatt, also a former yoga student, on a Habitat for Humanity build she led, we’ve kept in touch and met this time at Magnolia Café  a recent addition to the downtown bistro scene. Beth owns Aquila, a tour company that advocates responsible travel and that also brings many cruise ships to visit Saint John every year.

Leaving Magnolia I found at Scheherazade  a book based on the life and loves of Hector Berlioz, just one dollar. Then stocked up on Indian food from Chilli and Olive Grocers.

 Happily my friend Judith lives opposite the Franklins; we spent an evening chatting, tea cups in hand, while Wags supervised us.

Saint John City Market is a must. Built in 1876 its hand- hewn roof resembles the inverted keel of a ship. I always buy the wonderful Middle Eastern bread made by Habib Kilisli who also sells home-made delights such as Baklava, hummus and stuffed vine leaves; all of which he presses you to sample. The market is open six days a week, but Habib is only there on Saturdays.

Haleen and Jonathan are keen gardeners and very involved with one of the city’s four Community gardens. This one by Lily Lake has 96 plots plus three raised beds for wheelchair gardeners.

Their own small but very lovely home garden, actually a flourishing courtyard, brims with plants, shrubs and ground cover.

During my visit they celebrated a wedding anniversary. So we celebrated together at Taco Pica, a Guatemalan restaurant, also located on Germain Street. You can understand why I enjoy this downtown area so much.

 All too soon time to pack plants and belongings in the car, drive to Moncton, and create a new garden bed.

In Praise of Warriors.

A few weeks ago it was again the “What if?” time for me. What if I’m not a warrior?

It comes round once every year, or it should do. Despite arguments in favour and concerns about its accuracy and X-rays, whatever our age most women screw up their courage and book a mammogram.

Age is irrelevant, even though many women are told after 65 or 70 they do not need to have one every year. At a recent breast cancer day a leading local cancer specialist told the assembled women his youngest patient was 23, his eldest 92.

As the day for my mammogram drew closer, I admit I considered not going. Once there it was a swift process no time to read more than a few pages of my book before I was sitting, naked top half of my body barely covered in a wrap, waiting, feeling slight empty. Apart from the squishing it was soon over.

Then came the waiting and the thinking. Perhaps because I have spent the past year very close to breast cancer, offering yoga classes to ladies I call my Warrior Women, ladies fighting and surviving breast cancer, I knew first-hand what they  have been through; what they have survived.  It also coincided with the mail strike so the results letter was even longer in arriving

It gave me ample time to wonder if I would have the Warrior strength. Would I choose conventional treatment or, as several of my warriors, opt for holistic methods? Would I even have the courage to go through it all?

Yogically I know thinking about what “might be” is unproductive, a waste of energy, even against all yogic principles of living in the present moment. But we are human and I believe we should allow our minds to consider possibilities, make some preparations, just as we make wills and investments for our older years.

During the waiting weeks I mentally thanked my warriors, for the many different, but ultimately positive examples they had shared. Their cancers and treatments have varied greatly; survival years, re-occurrences, ongoing medications, reactions to treatments. The important gifts they brought to each other and to me were their determination, their resilience, and most of all their laughter.

When the letter finally came I stood outside by the mail box shredding the envelope. The words of reassurance, of relief, flooded my mind and body. I offered thanks to the Great Goddess. I offered thanks I can continue to share yoga classes for another session, welcoming more warriors, welcoming back others who are finding strength, calm and companionship in difficult times and helping them to adjust to a ‘new normal’ as my dear friend Wendy used to say.

Thank you, Warrior Women.