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.

King's College and Canadian Cuisine

Before I leave all my reminiscing about Nova Scotia I wanted to show you a little bit of Halifax. I know I have been inundating you with maritime posts and I really hope you don't feel like it is too many.  I always enjoy seeing where other people live and the places they visit so I'm assuming some of you would feel the same way.  
Kate gave us a tour of University of King's College (Canada's oldest university, established in 1789) and Dalhousie University (established in 1818).  Kate was in the Foundation Year program at King's last year and loved it and this year she is taking courses at both of these universities (they are affiliated).  She lived in residence at King's last year and always described it as feeling like living in Hogwarts - and now that I've seen it, I can agree.

King's is a small university and its stone buildings are built around a quadrangle giving it an old world feel.

The students all have academic gowns that they wear for special occasions including the monthly Formal Meal.  The meal is held in Prince Hall and the tables are arranged in long rows and set with white tablecloth and candles.  You can see a short video of one here (about half way down the page).  

Prince Hall - the dining hall

There are many traditions throughout the year at King's helping to create a sense of community.  One of the traditions that I thought was very civilized was that the students and faculty get together and drink sherry and chat.

Inside the library at King's

And every King's student since 1803 has signed their name in the Matricula books during a special ceremony while wearing their academic robes.

The Matricula books in a special cabinet on the lower level of the library

When we had finished the tour of King's we went down to the harbour to look around and have dinner.  
Here's where we bought our yummy fish and chips - fresh and deep fried and delicious.

And here's where we bought our beaver tails - a classic Canadian deep fried pastry made in the shape of ... yep you guessed it ... a beaver's tail.

Look at all the different toppings you can get.

We chose nutella and it was fantastic.  We were still rather full from the fish and chips so we split the beaver tail.

Oh, and we saw Theodore the Tugboat in the harbour.  Did your children watch that show?  Did you know it was set and produced in Halifax.

And before we leave Halifax I wanted to give you a glimpse of Kate's room in the house she is living in with her friends.  I helped Kate makeover some curbside and thrift store finds and to set up her room, but it wasn't completely done when we left which meant I couldn't get many photos as it was still ... ahem ... stirred up.  
I love this view from kate's room (which is turquoise), to the hall (which is gold), to her friend's room (which is purple).  And aren't her roommates yellow sneakers the perfect colourful touch.

We took a bed down (that my father built about thirty years ago for my brother) in my parent's camper.  When we got the bed assembled, I asked Kate if she would mind if I made and styled her bed.  She knows I'm a bit off my rocker sometimes so she smiled indulgently and let me knock myself out with the bed styling.  So here are a couple of photos of how I arranged all her pillows and blankets to make her bed into a day bed.

And this one shows the prayer flags that I got Kate when I was in Darjeeling, India last summer.

Kate's busy with her school work now and I'm missing her lots. 
In case you want to read my other posts about Nova Scotia you can find them here:

• the Bay of Fundy here
• Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg here
• the one with bazillions of photos of beautiful homes here.