Digby Neck, Long Island And A Balancing Rock

Enjoying ourselves with wine and cheese at the 'Festival Acadien de Clare'.

There wasn't a cloud in the sky yesterday so we decided to throw some chicken sandwiches together, grab a bottle of red and be on our way.  Our destination was 'Balancing Rock' on Long Island.

We wound our way up to Digby Neck; a long, narrow piece of land poking out between St. Mary's Bay and the Bay of Fundy.  Before we rode the ferry over to Long Island, we saw a sign pointing to Tommy's Branch Look-Off.  We looked at each other.  Why not?  We needed to eat our delicious chicken sandwiches somewhere.  Might as well be at Tommy's Branch.

We drove up a very steep gravel lane to a parking lot, seemingly in the middle of nowhere.  We got out and followed the signposts for Tommy's Branch into the forest.  We stumbled across the most charming trees!  The Lovin's Trees!  Bedecked with hearts.  Hundreds of hearts!

There was a woven bag hanging on a branch that held a plastic container with craft foam hearts and felt pens inside.  Everyone was invited to add a heart to the tree.  So I did.

Then it was time for our picnic at the look-off.  And to head to the ferry.

Oops!  Forgot the crystal stemware!  We had to make do.

There were beautiful views from the ferry deck.  NOT!

Off to work.

We got over to Long Island and drove to the trail head of Balancing Rock.  After a one kilometre walk towards the coast and 240 steps down to the rocks below, we came to 'Balancing Rock'.  A wondrous sight.

Despite warnings not to jump the fence or clamber on the rocks, this guy did just that.  There's always one in every crowd.

Beautiful basalt.

It was nice to be in a forest again.

Contemplating life on the Bay of Fundy.

When we returned from our Digby day trip, we quickly showered and changed into our fanciest duds. We went to a wine and cheese party which is part of the Acadian Festival going on this week in Clare.  

We plunked ourselves down in the middle of a long table and were immediately welcomed by smiles and handshakes all around.

We met Bobby and Jeanne who sat and talked with us all night even though they probably had lots of other friends to visit with.  When they learned we were planning to go clamming later in the week, they gave us their phone number to call if we needed to borrow boots. 

We met Michelle and Dianne, warm and friendly women.  

We met Larry who invited us to join his family and friends on his 20 foot float for the Tintamarre parade on Saturday.  Tintamarre is a celebratory parade where revellers make crazy noise using everything from noisemakers and horns to pots and pans.  

When we were wondering aloud how we were going to get from the parade's destination point back to our car, Gilles went around the room to find us someone who would act as a taxi service for us.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Nova Scotia is the friendliest place on Earth.