Monday, 26 June — Port Hood to Whycocomagh¹

I arose just past 8h to another nice day with blue sky, a few thin clouds, and mild temperatures. I packed up the car, having decided to go hiking at Glendyer. While I was eating breakfast at Sandeannies, I got a message from a friend in Meat Cove who was coming to Skye Glen to pick up some calves and arranged to meet him for lunch at the Mull in Mabou, even though I was still full from breakfast. I stopped off at the Port Hood Day Park, where I discovered the wild roses out and mouse-ear hawkweed in the grasses. While I worked more on Wednesday’s post in the car, grey rain clouds quickly blew in off the Gulf and gave us a good hard ten-minute downpour, so it was not a hiking day after all.

¹ Posted on Saturday, 1 July, for Monday, 26 June.↩

I drove to the Mull and had the house garden salad and some great conversation with my friend. After he continued on his way, I drove out to Mabou Coal Mines and sat by the road admiring Finlay Point and its gorgeous surroundings on western Cape Mabou, adding more photos to my collection; eventually, I drove down to the harbour and soaked in the views to the south from above the beach. On my return to Mabou Harbour, I drove to the end of the Green Point Road and enjoyed its views of West Mabou and the Colindale shores and then drove down into the harbour and took more photos from there. I then drove back to Northeast Mabou and turned down the Northeast Mabou Road, where I stopped to talk with a friend walking her dogs; the road is in much better condition this year than it was last year. I then drove down Murphys Hill Road, where lots of logging has opened up new views to the east. I drove back to Whycocomagh, where I passed my Meat Cove friend going the other way. It had become a lovely day, but a schizoid one, with blue sky in one half of the sky and rain clouds in the other half. As it happened, I could have gone hiking, but I’m a “fair weather hiker” who doesn’t like to get wet and, in any case, I wanted good light for photos on the gorgeous hike along the Mabou River. So, instead, I completed and posted Wednesday’s long account and, for dinner, finished off the car food in my motel room along with a cup of tea.

I drove to Brook Village with the sun in eyes and, because I was way early, continued working on Thursday’s account, which I had begun in the motel room.

Tonight’s dance at Brook Village was the first of the year and a sure sign the summer musical season is getting underway, though it won’t be until next week that there is music every night. Rodney MacDonald on fiddle, Allan Dewar on keyboard, and Colin MacDonald on guitar kicked off this season’s dances in grand style, though, it being Prom night at Dalbrae, the crowds were rather thinner than the norm for Brook Village. Brook Village dances start at 21h30 and the first square set usually starts very soon thereafter, but tonight the first one started when eight couples suddenly materialized on the floor, well into a set of jigs that began at 21h50. Nine couples danced the second square set, which was followed by a waltz danced by three couples. Fifteen couples danced the third figure of the third square set and eighteen the third figure of the fourth square set. A fine set of waltzes brought out six couples. By now, there was a good crowd in the hall, and many more young adults to liven it up a bit. Shelly Campbell relieved Rodney and at least twenty-five couples danced the fifth square set. Rodney returned for the step dance sequence, during which the dancers were: Siobhan Beaton; a lady from Ontario working at Iona for the summer; a gentleman with non-standard steps; and Hailee LeFort. Twenty-four couples danced the third figure of the sixth square set, which was followed by a waltz bringing five couples out. The seventh and final square set started small with six couples in its first figure and grew on the fly; fifteen couples danced its final figure. Rodney’s fine, driving playing is a great personal favourite of mine because it brings out the best in the dancers, who respond to it by giving their all, and their enthusiasm and vigour on the floor feeds right back to the musicians. And the accompanists were superb, adding rhythm and body and embellishments to the great fiddling. What a great start to the season at Brook Village!

I grabbed an egg salad sandwich from the canteen as I left and ate it in my motel room as I was by then feeling a bit hungry. I was in bed about 1h40.