Day 7 – A Day of Rest

Posted on October 15, 2023 by Mama Cormier

….after 6 days of driving we decided to take it easy and explore Moncton and shop for birthday presents

We also decided to forgo the hotel breakfast and drove to a bakery that Gaelan introduced me to on my first visit to Moncton. At Copain we ordered coffee and some of the best croissants we’ve ever had.

Then we drove to Michael’s and bought two frames for art that we had gifted to Gaelan and Winnie and some art supplies for Winnie’s birthday.

After shopping I dropped Kevin back at the hotel and I went to Gaelan’s house to do some laundry. When Winnie came home from school we drove to Bulk Barn and picked up some candy and a piñata for her birthday.

That evening Kevin and I had a date night and went into downtown Moncton for a great meal. We went to the Tide and Boar where we shared a plate or Smokey wings. They were so delicious and so big that I had second thoughts about what I wanted for my main course. Our waitress suggested that we share the plate of seafood pasta, a T&B salad and the dessert. It was perfect.

The restaurant is actually a brew pub and the dessert we had was a deconstructed ‘beeramisu’. The topping was made with a reduced stout. Surprisingly delicious!

Day 6 – Fundy Trail Parkway

Posted on October 15, 2023 by Mama Cormier

…another beautiful day….perfect for a drive

We left in the morning and headed for St. Martin. Once we got off the highway the drive was very hilly and curvy. We stopped at a roadside snack-bar and enjoyed a light lunch.

Once re-energized we continued our drive to the Fundy Trail. Along the way we drove through a covered bridge.

When we got to the entrance of the Fundy Trail Parkway we paid a fee to drive on the parkway but it was well worth the money. There are dozens of lookout points and numerous walking trails. You could spend an entire day there. The vistas are breathtaking.

There are also several waterfalls but we chose to only check out one because it was the most accessible (unless you wanted to get closer…..the stairway was very steep).

*Our daughter was more adventurous than me*

Close to the end of our drive on the parkway we stopped at the Interpretation Centre and I took advantage of the End of Season sale and bought myself a cosy fleece jacket. Also the tide was going out so I walked along the seabed and collected some dried seaweed.

Road Trip – Day 5 continued

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Mama Cormier

….a walk along the sand dune in Bouctouche

Bouctouche Dunes is a 12 km sand dune that extends out into the ocean and surrounds Bouctouche Bay. From the Eco Centre there is a 2k boardwalk. On the way back we walked along the beach.

Road Trip – Days 5

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Mama Cormier

….driving through Shediac, Cormierville and Bouctouche

It was another beautiful day for a road trip.

On our way to Bouctouche we stopped by a roadside shop that specialized in antiques and wood carvings. The owner lovingly explained how all the objects that we were looking at were carved from one block of wood by her very talented husband who had passed six years ago.

Charles Bernard had a very colourful history and apparently learned how to carve wood when he was serving time in the penitentiary. He lived in Bouctouche with his wife for 15 years where they ran the wood carving shop and antiques store.

*He even carved his own coffin with his life story carved into the sides*

*All the books are carved from one block of wood*

*Even the tools on this bench are carved from wood*

The shop is located right on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.

….to be cont

Road Trip – Days 3 and 4

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Mama Cormier

…Bangor, Maine to Moncton, New Brunswick

After leaving Sherbrooke we crossed the border to Maine. It was one of the easiest and most pleasant border crossings we’ve ever made.

The scenery was breathtaking. The road curved its way through forests of yellow and red and passed fast flowing rivers and glistening lakes.

The downside of crossing the border was losing our internet connection and not being able to use our GPS. As we got closer to Bangor we weren’t sure how close we were to our hotel until we passed it and the exit off the the freeway. We took the next exit but got so disoriented we had to stop and ask directions. It turned out that we were very close.

Right next to the hotel was a truck stop with a large diner and bakery. Not only is Dysart’s popular with truckers, the locals and tourists flock to it to enjoy the hot sandwiches, pot pies and homemade rolls and pies. We had our dinner there and thoroughly enjoyed the chicken pot pie and the personal attention that our grandmotherly waitress doted upon us. We were afraid that if we didn’t clean our plates she would have been personally offended. A flash from the past…..

The next day before we headed to New Brunswick we drove into Bangor to visit Stephen King’s home. This old Victorian home is fun to look at from the outside.

Monster Monday – October 16, 2023

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Mama Cormier

….greetings from the spooky forests of Nova Scotia

Wordless Wednesday – October 11, 2023

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Mama Cormier

Drawing on the Road

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Mama Cormier

…inspired by my visit to the Beaux des Arts on Sherbrooke

I took my brochure from the art gallery and cut it up to use as collage. I’m working on some ideas for some new art cards.

Road Trip – Day 2

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Mama Cormier

….from Cornwall to Sherbrooke

On Saturday morning we woke up to light rain. After a good breakfast we packed up the car and headed out for Sherbrooke in Quebec.

As you can see by the photos the rain was pretty steady but when we arrived in Sherbrooke the rain had stopped and we were able to get out of the car and navigate the very steep streets of the downtown.

We found a great art gallery, Beaux des Arts, and explored two floors of art from the 30’s and 40’s by four Montreal artists who introduced abstract art to the Quebec people.

Marion Dale Scott, *Anthuium, entre 1945 et 1948*

After a short break we climbed up the steep streets and made our way to a quaint bar where we ordered some refreshments and a plate of classic poutine. Sherbrooke is a very French community and you will always be greeted in French first but most people also speak English.

Road Trip – Day One

Posted on October 8, 2023 by Mama Cormier

…Toronto to Cornwall

We got a late start on Friday. Kevin’s appointment took longer than he planned on and consequently we didn’t leave Toronto till 1:00. Normally that time would have avoided rush hour but it is Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and everyone was trying to get out of the city early. The first hour of our trip was just getting out of Toronto.

We arrived in Cornwall 5 1/2 hours later. The hotel had a nice restaurant attached to it so we decided to take advantage of this convenience. The weather was not advantageous for walking and it turned out that there was not a lot to see in Cornwall so we had an early night.