Catching Up - Part 2

Two days after we sold our home (see Catching Up - Part 1) the husband and my mother and myself flew down to Nova Scotia to celebrate our daughter's graduation from University of King's College and Dalhousie University in Halifax. We had a lovely time taking part in all the many special graduation events and we also went on a little road trip over the May long weekend. Lots of fun!

Kate makes the fifth generation of women in our family to graduate from university and coincidentally graduated from Dalhousie just like her great great grandmother did back in 1901 (in the photo below is Kate with my mother and myself - we both graduated from the University of Toronto, as did my mother's mother)

We always seem to hit up a Tim's on important occasions (like just before our son and daughter-in-law got married)

All the students were led in a procession by a bagpiper from the university through the city to the cathedral where the convocation took place.

The cathedral in Halifax is beautiful and a fitting place for such a grand affair. 

University of King's College is a beautiful university with stone buildings all around a quadrangle. It is the oldest chartered university in Canada (founded in 1789, chartered in 1802 ). Kate had a wonderful four years there - worked hard, learned lots, and made fantastic friends.

We also spent some time visiting Kate's favourite spots in Halifax.  Places like the Public Gardens which were spectacular with all the flowers - especially the daffodils and magnolias

And the new Public Library with its amazing building complete with a cantilevered reading room, words on the windows, and book art on the walls.

  

And the market on Saturday where we enjoyed a breakfast pizza and coffee while looking out across the harbour.

We also went on a little road trip to Yarmouth and, of course, had to stop at Lunenburg and Peggy's Cove.  We have been to Lunenburg and Peggy's Cove before, but they are both beautiful spots and are definitely worth a second (or third) visit. 

Lunenburg is full of beautiful old wooden buildings and ships at the harbour, including the Blue Nose (finally).

We stopped at Sand Dollar Beach just south of Lunenburg and stretched our legs. There were people in swimming (crazy people is what I'm thinking as the ice had been there just a few weeks before.) There were also sand dollars all over the beach. The live ones leave little trails in the sand as they move. I actually didn't know they could move, so that was interesting. 

  

Yarmouth was new to me and although the weather wasn't the best when we were there, the historic homes were gorgeous and definitely made it a worthwhile visit.  We also popped into the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Yarmouth and enjoyed the Lucy Jarvis exhibit.  She was a new-to-me Canadian artist, but I really am glad to have learned about her and seen her work. We also drove out to the Yarmouth lighthouse which we visited in the gale-force wind and threatening rain.

And Peggy's Cove was classic and gorgeous - as always!

Oh, Nova Scotia you steal my heart every time I visit.