FLIES, A PUB and PLENTY OF WIND

FLIES     Here's a riveting excerpt from a conversation that Erik and I had during our first week in the rented house here in Stanley Bridge, PEI:

ME:        Where are all these flies coming from?
ERIK:     These house flies? I don't know.
ME:        Is it because the house is surrounded by fields?
ERIK:     They are house flies.
ME:        Yes, but, could they be from the fields?
ERIK:     They are house flies.
ME:        Then, where are all these flies coming from?
ERIK:     I don't know. Perhaps they laid eggs somewhere.
ME:        Eww. Maybe because we are surrounded by fields?

Picture, if you will, our day of arrival and us happily investigating this beautiful house we had managed to rent for the winter. Remember the bitter cold we had endured during our drive from Brockville to get to this lovely house and our sense of relief to finally be here. Then imagine our (okay, not our, MY) reaction to seeing 100 or so dead 'house' flies on the floor of the master bedroom. Then hearing the buzzing of the groggy ones twitching in the corners and hiding in the curtains. Not a pleasant sight and quite unexpected. Not something to make you want to run back out the door and head back to Brockville, but certainly enough to elicit a little twinge in the stomach.The sight of those corpses and the buzzing and writhing of the near dead is just a bit macabre.

The little corpses were duly vacuumed up and the entire scene dismissed from my mind. Except, the following morning there they were again,  not as many as before but a goodly number of the little buggers, all dead and littering the floor of the bedroom. They too found their way up the vacuum along with a  few living relatives who were zapped mid-fly, something I'm not proud of, but I was getting ruthless.

Google is your friend and my husband, Erik, being a scientist did a little search on the internet looking for information about these 'house' flies. 'Cluster fly', that's what they were, a fly for sure. They enter homes during the fall looking for a place to hibernate. They come in from FIELDS!! Ha, I was right. They cluster when the sun shines through a window looking for warmth and hide when it is cooler. Although not a health hazard or a negative reflection on the house, they are a nuisance.

With each passing day the fly population diminished until it has all but disappeared. It is very bizarre to have flies in a house in the middle of winter in Canada, especially in those numbers hence my belief they are worthy of mention.

In the interests of common decency I refrained from taking any photographs of said colony.

A PUB Our New Favourite Pub     Erik and I are pubbers. We enjoy the ambience of most pubs, we like the food in good pubs and the bar is usually where we choose to be seated. We want the ambience to be as authentic as is possible, the food on offer to be imaginative and delicious, and if the bar is long and lean, we want it to afford a view of the entire pub.

The Old Triangle, a pub we have driven past quite few times during our forays into Charlottetown, was immediately put on our List of Things to do and Places to Visit. Last week we found ourselves downtown at lunch time with time to kill. Hallelujah, we were going to try out this pub that had caught our attention. To say we were not disappointed is a huge understatement. We were thrilled with this pub. Everything we like about a pub was there in spades including a great selection of Irish beer and an inspired menu. The very friendly and attentive staff was an added bonus. The pub hosts two sides; The Triangle, where we lunched and The Pour, that regularly features local musicians.

Erik at the bar.

Long lean bar with four sets of taps. We sat in front of the Irish section.

A few of the lunch time patrons.

Charlottetown is a haven of fine dining, both winter and summer, has plenty of great pubs and truly wonderful restaurants serving world class food. The Triangle, although a great pub, won't restrict our search for other eating establishments to put on our List of Things to do and Places to Visit. 

PLENTY OF WIND     When we told friends and  acquaintances back in Ontario we were going to move to PEI, one of the questions we ALWAYS heard was, "Have you been there in the winter?" Well, no, we hadn't. We spent time there in the summer, you know when everything is green. there are blue skies and it's sunny, sunny sunny. Why would anyone go there in the winter? This question, 'Have you been there in the winter?" was useful in that it did plant the idea in our heads to actually spend a winter in PEI. It seemed most people we talked to thought PEI had a pretty intense and vicious winter with whole communities being lost for weeks on end under an enormous mound of snow. Guess we wanted to experience it for ourselves, and here we are.

^^We rather imagined something along these lines^^

We arrived mid December to snow. Not mounds; roofs of houses were visible, but certainly a sufficient quantity that we knew we were in Canada and it was winter. What we didn't know was how windy this island is. It's not just windy to the point it will ruffle your hair without hairspray. It's windy to the point it will blow over a small child and birds fly backwards. The wind blows day and night. The wind blows and leaves some pretty amazing snow sculptures in its wake. Whole fields will be blown bare of snow while the field next to it displays an array of some pretty impressive snow drift patterns. As a small child I lived in a coastal town in Newfoundland. Winter storms there were so fierce my Mother used to give me a book to read and plunk me down behind an arm chair in a corner to protect me should the gale force winds blow in the windows. Either the PEI winds are less fierce or windows have improved over the last 60 years or so.

According to locals, the mid December snowfall we found upon arrival was rather unusual. Green Christmases are common with snow not generally expected until  mid January. Weather on the island can also be unpredictable and best described as 'continental'.  So far we have experienced -9c with blowing conditions and plenty of snow followed up by +9c and rain, all within the space of a day or two. About That Weather

The day we arrived, 17th December.

20th December

New Year's Eve day. All gone

8th January, a real winter storm

As we speak, errr type, there is a smattering of snow and a fairly typical temperature of -5c. Again, all this fluctuation in the weather is typical but, from what I see on the weather channel, kind of what is happening across Canada this winter.

WHAT ELSE?     Here's some great news. We had a visitor. Erik's old friend from way back when lives in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, a pretty short drive to our little island. After nearly a month of complete togetherness with only each other and Kaede to talk to (excluding grocery store personnel) it was a pretty exciting couple of days. We socialized and ate and drank and enjoyed to the hilt having another person to talk to. As much as we love Kaede, she's not much of a conversationalist.

More Great News:  Tennis Anyone? Indoor tennis exists here. Spa Total Fitness in Charlottetown is a fitness centre offering squash, tennis, indoor swimming pool, a driving range, complete gym and running track. I now am playing tennis three times a week, more if I wish, in the middle of winter. Yes, I am happy.

Even More Great News:  The piano man, my husband, Erik, has gigs to play at a couple of Seniors' Homes here on the island. Killing two birds with one stone he can entertain the seniors a couple of times a month while meeting other musicians who may wish to jam with him.

Erik and his piano.

After nearly a month and a half in PEI we can truly say we are enjoying this new experience. By getting acquainted with all the neighbourhoods, areas, towns and villages we have been able to narrow down exactly where on this little island we would like to live. Each neighbourhood, area, town and village has something unique to offer. Alas, we can't live in them all.

Next time the big reveal of exactly where the Wangs will be setting down roots, another favourite pub and socializing with the locals.

LITTLE TOWNS, NOT SO LITTLE TOWNS

THE AGENDA. Part one: go to PEI in the dead of winter and, incidentally, spend Christmas and New Year alone, in order to figure out if island life is for us. Part two: when we decide that island life is for us, determine on which part of the island we want to put down permanent roots.

Therefore, we have been doing a lot of reconnoitering as we get to know more intimately this island known as PEI. Some of the places we have checked out as consideration of us living there are these charming places, in no particular order since our wanderings have taken no particular order.


NORTH RUSTICO, North Rustico

We know North Rustico pretty well already as we have spent a lot of time there the last couple of summers while  RVing on the island. It's a smallish fishing village that features some of the best lobster dinners you'll find on the island in the summer time,  Fisherman's Wharf Lobster Dinners, North Rustico,  and is also home to one of the best sea food restaurants we have ever been in, The Blue Mussel. The Blue Mussel is also the nifty little place where I met a very famous person.

The Blue Mussel Restaurant - best little sea food restaurant.

Taken from the Blue Mussel Restaurant looking toward North Rustico

Me and my famous person sighting.

The town of North Rustico is pretty busy in the summer with a thriving fishing industry and plenty of tourists. Deep sea fishing, the biggest lobster dinners in PEI (see link above), walks along the boardwalk, a wonderful fish market and a couple of beach side restaurants are some of the things tourists and locals can do in the summer. North Rustico doesn't close down in the winter either as there is a liquor store, grocery store, couple of family style restaurants and of course, a gas station, that are open year round to cater to permanent residents.

Christmas lights in North Rustico,2016

One of the places we looked as a possibility to live is RUSTICO, a smaller village south of North Rustico on a peninsula with plenty of waterfront and water views. We looked at and contemplated purchasing a vacant lot with a view of the harbour. The little brown dot is Kaede sniffing around.

One of the homes already built in the area.

View of North Rustico harbour from the lot.

MALPEQUE BAY in the Darnley Basin, Malpeque Bay . On New Year's Eve day we drove through the Darnley Basin on our way to Kensington and then Summerside. This area of Malpeque Bay was peaceful and serene and I tried to capture that tranquility. The peace and serenity were perhaps a little too peaceful and serene for us; regardless, it is quite beautiful.

The red building in the distance caught my eye

KENSINGTON Kensington, PEI - some information

Kensington sits pretty much in the centre of the island and has a population of about 1,500. Kensington is a 'going concern' in island terms because of a year round population. Although it's only about ten minutes from Summerside it has a year round restaurant (that's a big deal on the island), a deli that sells really good homemade meat pies (yup, we tried one), a pharmacy and a grocery store. There is a wonderful pub, converted from a disused train station that one critic said was the best converted train station he had ever seen, and the food was excellent to boot.

There are no longer any trains servicing the island now that roads are better and cars have become the order of the day but, if you are interested follow this link to read About Trains That Used to be on the Island

Island Stone Pub, Kensington

STANLEY BRIDGE is where we currently live in our fabulous rented house. As has been stated before, Stanley Bridge is not much more than a cross roads with a gas station. In summer it is a very busy tourist destination, catering to golfers More Golf Courses per Capita, with a majority of the golf courses in the area known as North Shore, where Stanley Bridge is located. It also profits from spill over from the thousands of tourists who visit PEI every summer to visit Cavendish and see the magical world where Anne Shirley grew up. Cavendish and all things Anne. In the months of July and August, Cavendish plays host to a daily average of 7,500 residents. In the winter months, Cavendish is a virtual ghost town with even the grocery store emptied of all stock, and amusement parks abandoned beneath a layer of snow.

SOURIS.   Souris in a Nutshell Souris was one of our favourite places to spend time during our summers here. It's another happening town with just enough amenities to keep residents happy and alive during the winter without daily trips to Charlottetown or Summerside. Souris has some of the most beautiful beaches around, great restaurants and lots to keep a tourist busy for a day or two. From the town of Souris you can travel to the Magdalen Islands, a five hour ferry ride. We have not done this trip yet but it is certainly in our future plans. The Magdalen Islands, although closer to PEI and NS, are part of the Province of Quebec.

Year round service to the Magdalen Islands

The Lighthouse in Souris

Built in 1880, the Souris East Lighthouse is a wood-constructed tower on Knight Point overlooking the town of Souris. Visitors can climb to the lantern room, walk out to the balcony, and discover the panoramic seascape views of the harbour and town of Souris. Erik and I and the dogs have had summer picnics in this delightful spot. We had a less than delightful picnic this winter when we ate our lunch in the car, listening to the 70-80 km/h winds that were whistling by. That's not to say we didn't still enjoy the view of Souris and the ocean waves but being in the car was a true bonus.

STANHOPE, another of the small towns along the north shore of PEI and part of the Cavendish tourist scene, Stanhope was the original home of the first group of British emigrants in 1770. During PEI`s rum-running era Stanhope was a local hotspot; it also epitomizes the beauty and tranquility of the North Shore.

While all of these villages and towns had their own beauty and each offered new residents, like us, something unique, with the remoteness during the winter months we quickly decided they were not going to suit our lifestyle. So, it's onward and upward in our search for the perfect place to hang our hats, permanently.

Don't be left with the impression we spend our days doing nothing but tooting around PEI looking for a place to live. We have made great strides in other areas of our new lives here on the island which you will be privy to next time when I write about  FLIES, A PUB and PLENTY OF WIND.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO US

When we packed up the RV ready to roll to PEI one of the things we knew we would need was our Christmas tree and the tree ornaments. Spending Christmas in a new place all alone (so to speak) with no chance of finding a fun, circle of friends to spend the holidays with, I think we made a smart decision. It didn't bother us or intimidate us; we had spent Christmas in an RV two years ago with only each other and our (then) two dogs so we were okay with it. While we weren't in sunny Florida, as we were two years ago, we were in a pretty spiffy house with all the modern conveniences surrounding us.

Christmas in the RV in 2014 in Florida.

Stanley Bridge is pretty isolated with no town to walk around, no stores to go into and speak to the proprietors (remember the gas station at the four corners), no neighbours to borrow a cup of sugar from. That's not to say we don't like it here. And, it's not to say that Stanley Bridge doesn't have some pretty nice scenery and plenty of empty fields to walk Kaede through. No. All I'm saying is; Stanley Bridge is pretty isolated.

And so, we put up our tree on the third day here. It made it seem more like home. Being surrounded by unfamiliar furniture in unfamiliar rooms, that little tree gave us a bit of warmth and comfort and made us smile. Besides, where else do you place your stockings and presents except under the Christmas tree?

Look closely at the Christmas cards on the little table. Last years!! Brought them along so we would have some.

This little cutie, Kaede, wearing her Christmas bow.

We made a festival of it. Erik took on Christmas Eve dinner duty and produced a lovely meal of anti-pasto (one of our favourites), followed by baked oysters with chorizo and parmesan.

Anti-pasto. A favourite of ours.

Oysters baked with Parmesan and Chorizo. Delicious.

Remember how cold it was when we stopped for the night in Levis, Quebec? -40c with the wind chill? There were casualties as a result of the frigid temperatures. A couple of bottles of wine and a bottle of bubbly, set aside for Christmas, had exploded. Have no fear. We know where the liquor stores are.

I was on duty for Christmas dinner and decided to roast a couple of Cornish hens. If I do say so myself, they were delicious. Stuffed with a flavoured wild rice mixture they were a wonderful alternative to a turkey. Everyone shared in this meal, including Kaede who had the giblets.

New Year's was another little two person and one dog festival. For New Year's we thought we would go native. You know, PEI native. Yes. Lobster all the way. Can't beat that for an appetizer. Those little beauties were followed by one of Chef Michael Smith's recipes, Beef in Orange.

Apologies to the purists out there. We had to use wine glasses for the Prosecco as that's all the rental accommodation offered.

If you are unaware of who Michael Smith is, here is a link to the Orange Ginger Beef as well as some information about him. His food is always delicious, simple and he is an advocate of using a recipe as a guideline (as am I), rather than as something to be followed to the letter. He has had a pretty interesting life and you may just catch him on television in re-runs of his old shows or as a guest chef on one of Canada's many talk shows.

                               http://chefmichaelsmith.com/recipe/orange-ginger-beef/

Christmas is over. The tree is packed away. New Year's has come and gone. We survived. We did not get home sick. We did not get lonely, nor did we miss having people around. Would we want to do this every year? Probably not. It was fun; kind of like the Christmas and New Year we spent in our RV two years ago. Something different, a bit of an adventure but a steady diet of it? We think not.

Wondering how we spend our days; just the two of us (and Kaede, of course) on a small island where we know no one? Wondering about the terrible PEI winter weather you hear so much about? Well wonder no more. You will find answers to these and other questions in forthcoming blogs.