Road trips are a fantastic
way to explore new areas and uncharted courses, as well as retrace memories and
roads previously traveled. It was with the latter in mind that my road
trip companion, Kelley, and I decided to explore Nova Scotia’s Glooscap Trail
and visit one of my very favorite places in the world; the town of
Parrsboro, NS
Parrsboro. Known for its rugged coastline on the Minas basin in the Bay
of Fundy, showcasing some of the highest tides in the world, as well as being
the home to Ship’s Company Theatre, a professional theatre company based in the
town and set onboard the MV Kipawo featuring works from maritime writers, and
the Fundy Geological Museum, Parrsboro was my summer home as a child. My
grandparents on my mother’s side made their summer home in Parrsboro so I spent
a great deal of time there growing up and, although my grandparents have long
since passed away and the family cottage was sold many years ago, I continue to
visit the area a couple of times per year.
Dominion Chair Company Store
Kelley and I decided to hit
the road early, making our first obligatory stop at the EnfieldIrving Big Stop
for a quick fry-up. With full bellies we
continued to take the highway until we reached Masstown; a popular stop just
outside of Truro. From here we
picked up the scenic Glooscap Trail, one of Nova Scotia’s scenic roadways, which winds
along the shores of the Minas Basin and Bay of Fundy taking us through Great Village and Bass River, the home of the Dominion Chair
Company Store. I always make a point to
stop at this store when I’m traveling through the area...and this trip was no
exception; the three-level business has everything from convenience-store fare,
hardware items, furniture, gift apparel and a liquor store outlet so there is
literally something for everyone.
Five Islands, NS
From here we continued
along the Glooscap Trail passing through Economy, Lower Economy and made our
second stop in Five Islands, a small community situated at the Colchester and Cumberland counties border and named for the
five small islands located just off the coast in the Bay of Fundy.
According to Mi’kmaq legend, these small islands (named Moose, Diamond,
Long, Egg and Pinnacle) were the result of their god Glooscap throwing mud,
sticks and stones at the giant beaver that he believed had dammed his medicine
garden in nearby Advocate Harbour, and thus the islands were formed. I have fond memories spending time in this
area as a child with my grandparents as well as camping with friends at the Five Islands Provincial Park in my late teen years. The hiking
trails in the provincial park offer a stunning view of the rugged cliffs and
the islands. Our next scheduled stop was
the Ottawa House By-the-Sea Museum located just minutes outside of
Parrsboro at Partridge Island.
This museum, built in 1775 and was the summer home of Father of
Ottawa House By-the-Sea Museum
Confederation, Sir Charles Tupper in the 1860’s, was holding it’s end of season
function, a Christmas tea and sale, so we decided to take part. We had planned to meet up with some friends
who had been staying in Parrsboro and working with Ship’s Company Theatre so it
was great to enjoy such a pleasant afternoon of laughs, homemade sandwiches and
sweets, and overwhelming hospitality from the ladies hosting the tea, all festooned
in their holiday attire. I hadn’t been
out to the Ottawa House and Partridge Island in over 20 years so I was full of
nostalgia as I regaled Kelley with stories of a childhood spent in Parrsboro and area.
Statue of Glooscap, Parrsboro NS
Following our visit to the
Ottawa House, I took Kelley on a tour of Parrsboro showing her some highlights
of the town such as Ship’s Company Theatre, the town hall/bandstand, the statue
of Glooscap and my family’s former cottage.
In the early 1950s, my grandparents moved their two-room cabin they
shared with my grandmother’s sister and her husband from nearby Canaan Mountain and settled in Parrsboro as they
wanted to be closer to the ocean. Over
the years, the cottage saw several additions including a front living room, a
back bedroom and the attachment of the original outhouse to the main building when
plumbing was made available. After my
grandfather had retired and after my grandmother’s sister and her husband
passed away, my grandparents would stay all summer at the cottage from the end
of June until early September. I can remember vividly my grandmother sitting in her rocking chair by the fireplace, telling stories that would make us hurt from laughing so hard or my grandfather, who was always the first one up in the morning, preparing the family breakfast on the woodstove with the aroma of bacon frying and coffee percolating filling the air. I loved being at that cottage
as a child and I continue to enjoy visiting Parrsboro as a way of holding on to
those past memories.
Parrsboro shoreline
By afternoon the tide was
low so we took a stroll along the beach taking pictures while I visited with
familiar ghosts; some things have changed dramatically in the 20 years since my
family gathered on a summer Sunday afternoon at our cottage, such as the
shoreline along the beach due to erosion from the powerful tides. Other things have remained virtually
unchanged. My dad used to take me, my brother and our dogs for great walks up and down the Parrsboro shoreline; a great reward was finding golf balls that had come from an over ambitious golfer from the Parrsboro Golf Course that was perched atop the rugged cliffs offering spectacular views.
Although our road trip to Parrsboro was limited to an afternoon, I left smiling as I know I'll be back soon!
Photographs courtesy of Kelley Edwards & Jonathan King
Welcome to Johnny K's Way Back Play Backs and join the groovy adventure with Johnny K as he jumps in his "Way Back Machine" and takes a trip back to yesteryear.
This is a place where great moments in music and pop culture are celebrated and remembered.
So pull up a beanbag chair, turn on your lava lamp and take a trip back to a groovier time!
September 30: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is the pornographic actress turned disco singer, The Andrea True Connection, with "More, More, More" (1976)
September 29: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is the British rock band, Dire Straights, with "Sultans of Swing" (1978)
September 28: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is the Scottish pop rock band, Pilot, with "Magic" (1975)
September 27: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Fleetwood Mac with "Dreams" (1977)
September 26: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #32 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Police with "Roxanne" (1978)
September 25: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Johnny Nash with "I Can See Clearly Now" (1972)
September 24: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #22 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Ike & Tina Turner with "Nutbush City Limits" (1973)
September 23: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Lobo with "I'd Love You to Want Me" (1972)
September 22: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Stealers Wheel with "Stuck in the Middle with You" (1973)
September 21: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #21 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Donny & Marie Osmond with "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1976)
September 20: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Manfred Mann`s Earth Band with the Bruce Springsteen penned "Blinded by the Light" (1976)
September 19: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Monkees with "Daydream Believer" (1967)
September 18: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Starland Vocal Band, with "Afternoon Delight" (1976)
September 17: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is the Canadian pop group, The DeFranco Family, with "Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat" (1973)
September 16: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #60 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Dolly Parton with "Jolene" (1973)
September 15: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Dr. Hook with "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" (1979)
September 14: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #32 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Jim Croce with "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" (1974)
September 13: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Kinks with "Lola" (1970)
September 12: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Juice Newton with "Queen of Hearts" (1981)
September 11: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Beatles with "Let It Be" (1970)
September 10: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Anne Murray with "Danny's Song" (1972)
September 9: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Creedence Clearwater Revival and "Down on the Corner" (1969)
September 8: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Blondie and "The Tide is High" (1980)
September 7: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Rascals with "People Got to be Free" (1968)
September 6: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Elton John & Kiki Dee with "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976)
September 5: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart here is Black Sabbath with "Paranoid" (1970)
September 4: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Beach Boys with "Good Vibrations" (1966)
September 3: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is The Friends of Distinction with "Grazing in the Grass" (1969)
September 2: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Joan Baez with "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (1971)
September 1: Today's
"Way Back Play Back" continues with a series featuring randomly chosen
hits from yesteryear; peaking at #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is
Cheap Trick with their biggest selling single "I Want You to Want Me"
(1979)
