Life in Nova Scotia
Lunenburg is unique in Nova Scotia in its history and personality. Much of that has to do with the people who settled the town in 1753.
My son participated in a youth documentary filmmaking workshop in September 2014. It was part of the (first annual, as it was a great success) Lunenburg Doc Fest. Here is the result of his work:
The newly rebuilt Bluenose II sits at Lunenburg Foundry at the innermost part of the harbour. Sails and rigging make the job seem complete from a distance, though I’m sure there’s lots going on below decks. She’s a beauty.
This video profiles the educational opportunities for children and adults too in the Bridgewater – Lunenburg – Mahone Bay triangle, including the public schools particularly the newly-opened Bluenose Academy (primary to grade 9) in Lunenburg, Park View Education Centre (grades 10-12, with a variety of options including the International Baccalaureate as well as skilled trades) and the Francophone Centre Scolaire de la Rive-Sud (primary to grade 12) and also the private but accessible South Shore Waldorf School in Blockhouse, and Nova Scotia Community College programs in Bridgewater and Lunenburg.
When you combine the educational opportunities with the sane lifestyle and the beauty around us, Lunenburg County is a great area to raise a family.
An iconic sight in the waters of Mahone Bay and beyond, Dorothea has taken hundreds of young people on maritime sailing adventures as part of the Nova Scotia Sea School.
It’s the kind of intense, group adventure that teenagers crave and need for their development, and that schools don’t usually provide.
Lives have been changed.
Dorothea needs an overhaul. Compare the $30,000 they’re looking for to the cost of rebuilding Bluenose II! Small projects like this are very satisfying to support as they can have a huge positive impact on individual lives.
Click here to visit the Nova Scotia Sea School website.
The Ernst Family of Lunenburg are semi-finalists on Canada’s Got Talent. Please watch and vote/vote/vote for them. You can vote 50 times for the group. They are amazing singers. The video below is a beautiful rendition of Loch Lomond, and there are many more on YouTube. Check out the Canada’s Got Talent webpage on for more information about the Ernst Family and to find the Vote link in the menu. Voting is open Sunday nights after the TV show.
Lunenburg is such a brilliant place to live, as this video shows:
This wonderful old footage of the Lunenburg waterfront in 1939 shows wooden sailboats, working dorys, and the fishermen of the time – grandfathers of today’s grandfathers. And fish. Lots of salt fish.
Our 2012 calendar has a beautiful South Shore photo for every month of the year.
Printed on demand by CaféPress in the US for $19.99 (USD).
In my experience I haven’t ever had to pay duty on any printed material or books ordered from the US.
Clothing is another story; if a t-shirt was not made in the US, it is subject to 18% duty as well as Canadian sales tax – even if the design was printed on it in the US.
Disclaimer: I make no guarantee that Canada Customs or the Post Office won’t charge you duty or tax. I am merely sharing my own experience. Your results may vary.
Just wanted to put in a plug for Lunenburg MLA Pam Birdsall and her website.
I first saw Pam years ago when we both had booths at the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council shows. Pam was a force behind that organization, as well as local business organizations and community groups like Second Story Women’s Centre, all while co-running Birdsall-Worthington Pottery Ltd. and raising a family.
Among her other legislative duties, Pam is chairing the committee to set up Arts Nova Scotia.
Pam would like her website to bring government and people closer together. Nova Scotia being a small and friendly place, its can happen.
Looking for a New Year’s gift? (That excuse will buy you an extra week.)
I’ve put together a calendar of photos from the South Shore of Nova Scotia. You’ll find it in my CaféPress Shop. Price is $19.99 USD.
Yes, it’s printed in the US on demand by CaféPress and ships from the US.
Your results may vary, but I haven’t had to pay duty on printed material (on paper) coming across the border from the US to Canada by mail, whether from Amazon or CaféPress. Clothing is another thing though, and mugs; I’ve had to pay duty as well as GST on those.
I’d love to hear of any CaféPress equivalents based in Canada.