Where, Oh Where, Is Nova Scotia?
You might well ask! It is not often that I run into people in Southern California who know where Nova Scotia is, much less what it is!
Canada is divided into Provinces, while the United States consists of States. Nova Scotia is one of the Maritime Provinces in Canada and sits, as a peninsula, on the north easterly side of Canada.
This Province holds a very special place in my heart. It is where a lot of my ancestors spring from and, indeed, where I go back to often. Because my Father was an international banker, I was not born in Nova Scotia but my grandparents lived there and so it is the place that we spent a lot of summers – soaking in the wonderfully peaceful lifestyle of its people.
I am blessed to still have the house in which my mother, Ruth Audrey Dennison, was born.
Parts of it have been inhabited by my family for the past 250 years. It is, and has been, a constant in my family’s life. It sits on a small hill overlooking the Minas Basin which comes from the Bay of Fundy, the place which boasts the highest and lowest tides in the world. The view from our home is spectacular!
This little old farmhouse is exactly what it was intended to be. My ancestors were farmers, not grand farmers, just farmers. They acquired the land, originally, in a not so lovely way. The story goes like this. The Indians were the first to come to these lands and were here for many years before the French joined them. These two peoples were very peaceful. They lived very separate lives but very peaceful lives. Then, the English turned up and deemed the land theirs. They allowed the French (Acadians, as they were, by then, known) to stay on the land for a while but, when the English failed in their efforts to gain the allegiance to the Acadian peoples, they came up with this scheme to have them expelled from the land! This deportation of the Acadians by the English was referred to as “A Great And Noble Scheme“, which, in retrospect was anything but, involving as it did, the break up of families and the loss of a productive segment of the local economy. They were taken on boats, families having been split up in a lot of cases, down the coast of the United States and dropped off at various ports along the way. The last place that they were dropped was Louisiana, and this is how we now have “Cajun” food – short for “Acadian food”. This is one of history’s tragic stories, there is absolutely NO doubt. It is recorded in Longfellow’s famous poem, “Evangeline” which is a fictional, based on fact, account of this upheaval.
These wonderful French people had farmed the lands fastidiously. They had built dykes and created a superb homeland for themselves. Their houses were burned after their expulsion, leaving wide stretches of reclaimed fertile land for use by the English. This land was given out in parcels to people whom the King deemed worthy, many of whom were from the New England region of what was to become the USA. These people were known as “Planters”.
My ancestors, on both sides of my sweet Mother’s family, were Planters and landed here in Nova Scotia, originally in c.1763.
What abundant lives we all have. Every one of us has a unique, if not amazing, story.
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Nice J…..you should have also put a pic of you spectacular view of Blomindon! Cousin Pam
Yes, the view is really amazing. Actually, it was written up in an American review as one of the ten best views in the world!
What fun to see your farmhouse and hear the interesting story of the Acadian explusion from Nova Scotia. It is an area I would love to visit one day.
We would love for you and Rob to visit us sometime when we are up here.
Hey J,
We loved it … we sure know what a very special place it is. Take care Cuz.
BH’s
Jude
Yes, Jude, we have lots and lots of wonderful memories at this little farm house!
Wow Jacks that is quite a story!
What an interesting story.
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Maria. Yes, this is where Mrs. Smith was both.
I love this story, dear Jackie. And it’s fun to see the house that Ruth was born in. No wonder you love going up there. And I feel privileged to have gone up for three summers in a row & explore so many parts of Nova Scotia, especially the gorgeous Cape Breton National Park and The Cabot Trail as part of all of those trips. Not to mentions Sydney Mines and Halifax being a great small city. I love to visit the famous Titanic Cemetary, where 115 people who perished on the icy waters on the night of April 15, 1912 were recovered and buried in this Halifax cemetary. I love everything about Nova Scotia, even the lovely drive down to the south tip of Yarmouth where you catch the catamaran over to Bar Harbor, Maine. The famous clipper ship, The Bluenose, docked at Lunnenberg (which is on the back of the Canadian dime) and, of so, so much more. And the boat to St. Johns, Newfoundland is only a 15 hour trip. You’re well on your way to England from there!!!
Everyone, please go to Nova Scotia. Donny is a great cook and host!!
Hurry home Kids. We miss you in Pasadena!!
So glad it brought back so many super memories for you, Dick.
Yes, Donny IS a great cook!
Jackie: I wish NS Tourism could do as great a job “selling” our wonderful province. Dennison’s Landing is, as those of us privileged enough to be able to spend some time there know, a little piece of heaven. And Richard is right Don is a great cook!!!! You are indeed lucky to be able to connect to so many generations of your Mom’s family through this lovely spot. Sheilia
Truly, it is a beautiful part of the world!