Propeller Brewing Company

An interesting little profile of an awesome Nova Scotian microbrewery - Propeller Brewing Company. 

As it is October, I'd be remiss if I failed to inform you that Propeller makes an incredible Pumpkin Ale (Made with Dill's Atlantic Giant pumpkins!) that's only around for a limited time every year. Just saying.

Secrets of Nova Scotia

Music Monday: You Let Me Down

iLove Nova Scotia

Music Monday: Through & Through & Through

To Do: Watch The Perseid Meteor Shower

GUYS. Tonight starts the year's best meteor shower. Go find somewhere dark and look up.



If you're in the Annapolis Valley this weekend there are tons of other things going on too.

You could check out the Open House at Camp Aldershot. Military vehicle rides, face painting, Military equipment displays...Free hot dogs. Weapons and tactics demonstrations. Last year the lit the grass on fire. It was entertaining. And free! I go every year, because it is just around the corner from my house. It's still worth checking out if you're in the neighbourhood.

You could also take in Berwick Gala Days, New Minas Celebration Days or Kentville Street Fest!

What's happening in your neck of the woods this weekend?

Words Have Meaning

Vote Canning, Nova Scotia in the Kraft Celebration Tour

Canning is a small town in Nova Scotia, really (REALLY) close to here I live. They are also one of 20 finalists for the Kraft Celebration Tour!

We've had some good news here in the Valley recently, and it would be awesome if we could add some more. Today at noon ET until July 11 11:59 a.m. ET, voting is open to get them one step closer to $25000 and a live broadcast of TSN SportsCentre in their town.

Wont you help them out?

Grand Pré - Unesco World Heritage site

You may remember that a while back I posted that the landscape of Grand Pré (Nova Scotia) had been submitted for nomination as a World Heritage Site to UNESCO. Well, it's official - The landscape of Grand Pré has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site! This is just a quick follow up post in congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen.

Check out their new website - Landscape of Grand Pré.
 
While we're at it, it's worth mentioning that Nova Scotia has two other Unesco World Heritage sites. 



Joggins Fossil Cliffs, where the layers of rock expose the world’s most complete fossil record of life in the “Coal Age” - 300 million years ago.




Old Town Lunenburg is the best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America. Established in 1753, it has retained its original layout and overall appearance, based on a rectangular grid pattern drawn up in the home country.



Just a few more reasons to visit Nova Scotia.

Happy 80th, Apple Blossom Festival!

The Apple Blossom Festival Turns 80 this year! But, if you're from anywhere that isn't the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, you might be asking - "What is The Apple Blossom Festival?" I mean, other than a festival to celebrate apple blossoms. Duh.

It has a long history,  but it began as a way to make the Valley's apple industry better known throughout North America and Europe; to bring tourism to the area;  and to provide an opportunity to foster and develop local talent through participation in Festival events.

Now it's more just an excuse to party. As if we need an excuse in the valley.

And by party, I don't necessarily mean get drunk in public. Although that is certainly an option if you're into that sort of thing. I mean get together with friends and family and have a generally good time.

The three big events are the concert and fireworks, the children's parade (which is full of cuteness - little kids and dogs in costume, mostly) and the main street parade. If the weather's good, Kentville is packed full of people from all over the place. 

Sadly, if you come this year, you wont see any actual apple blossoms. Due to odd weather, they were really early this year and are all gone. Good for the farmers, less so for the festival. 

Still, if you're not too far away and you're looking for something to do this weekend, maybe you might want to come visit us this weekend?

A full list of this year's events can be found here.

Apple Blossom tip for first time visitors: Give yourself lots of time to get home...traffic gets pretty insane after the fireworks and main street parade. It doesn't take too awful long to clear, if you don't mind sitting and waiting it out. Just don't jump right in your car and expect to get home. You're not going anywhere.

Wisdom from my Mom

In honour of Mother's Day, I'm going to share a bit of wisdom my Mom passed on to me a few years ago. 

My mother, father and I were on my way to my Grandfather's house in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia. On pretty well every highway in Nova Scotia, you pass by a lot of farms. One particular farmer's field we passed was full of large fuzzy creatures that were not horses or cows.

"Are those llamas?" I asked.
"No," my mom replied, "They're alpacas."
"Huh," I thought aloud, "I'm not sure I know the difference between a llama and an alpaca."
"Oh that's easy," my mom said, matter-of-factly, "llamas are ugly and alpacas are cute."

Thanks a lot Mom, that really clears things up, I thought. Although later when I googled "Llama" and "Alpaca", she wasn't wrong.

1. Llamas, 2. alpacas

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there. 

Nomination Grand Pré

Grand Pré, NS has been submitted for nomination as a World Heritage Site to UNESCO. It has a rich history and is one of the many places in Nova Scotia that deserves to be shared with the world. It was featured in the videos I posted about Nova Scotia wines, and here are a few more videos about the wonders of Grand Pré.








...And, what the hell, another one about wine.




So, help spread the word: Grand Pré, Nova Scotia is a pretty incredible place and should be a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Click the logo for the official site of Nomination Grand Pré

TEDxHalifax - Jonny White - Psychologically, We are our Stories

Two things I love: Nova Scotia and TED talks. This is an incredibly interesting talk from TEDxHalifax from media psychologist Jonny White about the way we tell our own story and the stories we experience through media.

Reasons to Come to Nova Scotia: Wine

Nova Scotia is a pretty excellent place. It's not all fishing villages and farmers (although there is a ton of that, if you're into that sort of thing). There are lots of great reasons to visit Nova Scotia.

One good reason? Wine.

We have some awesome wine produced here, and lots of places to sample the.

So come! Tour a vineyard or 12.











For a lot more info on Nova Scotia wines, visit WinesofNovaScotia.ca

Nova Scotia

Music Monday (special second edition): Nowhere With You

Ok, ok. What would Nova Scotia music month be without a little Joel Plaskett?

Music Monday: People Lie

Welcome to the last Monday of the (self proclaimed) Nova Scotia Music Month. I hope you've enjoyed a peak into some of the incredible music offering from this little corner of the earth.

This is Molly Thomason. She's not a born Nova Scotian, but she moved here when she was 2, so close enough. Also, she's only 16. It was a little mind blowing, since I heard her voice first and read the bio second. Anyway. Yeah.

Music Monday: Ages

Continuing with Nova Scotia Music Month, this is Norma MacDonald.

Music Monday: Keilani's Song

I've decided that March, my favourite month of the year, is going to be Nova Scotia music month. I'm not sure why I've decided this, I just have and that's that.

I thought, since it's Nova Scotia Music Month, it only make sense to start with a family friend and incredible voiced musician, Amanda LeBlanc.

Vote Bay of Fundy for the New 7 Wonders of Nature

This Friday, 11.11.11, voting closes for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Have you voted? There are some pretty incredible choices. You're allowed to pick seven, and I hope you'll consider the one that is in my neck of the woods: The Bay of Fundy.

The bay of Fundy has the highest tides anywhere in the world - 16.2 metres or 53 feet. That means that, twice every day, one hundred billion tonnes of water flow in and out of the bay that runs between New Brunswick and my home province of Nova Scotia.

Take a look at these videos, if you still need convincing. Or just like watching videos.









Plus, it gives us some awesome mud to play in:






Alright, that's all I've got. If you haven't yet, go vote. I hope you'll seriously think of voting Fundy. And, hey, why not visit us sometime? See the magic for yourself.

ps: If you don't want to word for it, how about some Canadian Celebrities?