This is a day to putter, pull some weeds, play with the pups, and lounge without a care in the world. Maybe I’ll hook the little snowman that’s been beckoning, or maybe I’ll nap. It’s a yawn type of day, nothing to stress over or commitment to be somewhere. Today time doesn’t matter; I won’t even look at a clock. Today is a come what may sort of day. No script or schedule to follow. The only requirement, on this festive day, is to give thanks for all the many blessings we share living in Canada.
And, within this wonderful country is our fabulous little town, Mahone Bay. We might be small geographically speaking, so much so that if you blinked while driving through it you’d miss it entirely, but in many ways we are bigger than cities. Our personality is rockstar huge. We’ve been voted, several times I might add, one of the best places in Canada to live. How prestigious is that! Even with as few as under a thousand residents we’ve made such a big impression that people want to live here! Why, our suspenders are stretched to capacity over that big ole accolade.
People make a town, not the ground, the wood or nails that hold it all together. We are a friendly lot; we love our small piece of the planet and welcome you to share it. It can’t be disputed, that’s what our signs says. “We love the beauty around us and welcome you to share it”. I’m told repeatedly from tourists who come into the shop how lovely the people are here. I’m sure there are little glitches from time to time, we can’t please everyone all the time, but on the whole we love the visitors who travel to see our quaint little harbourside town, support the many shops in the area and take home fond memories of their visit. We don’t have to be nice, we choose to be, maybe there’s something in the water but no matter the why, we welcome you to visit and we’ll show you a good time when you’re here.
I was at a shower last weekend and one of the questions posed to the bride was “If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Before I could check my tongue I hollered “Mahone Bay!”. It got a few chuckles, afterall most wouldn’t agree we compare to a tropical paradise, but I was serious. Really, I love this little patch of the earth. I've lived here my entire life and in my youth sometimes that was embarrassing to admit, small town girl stayed put from lack of options, but today, I stick out my chest and say, “Yup, I was born and raised here and proud of it eh! Then I throw in, “They’ll be dragging my dead carcass out of my house and planting me up yonder”.
I’m happy as a pig in a mud puddle, there’s no need for wanderlust. I say the only place on earth I would like to see and consider leaving my dogs for is Tuscany. I not sure where the appeal for Italy comes from, maybe it’s from watching the movie “Under The Tuscan Sun”, the countryside was certainly breathtaking, the relaxed lifestyle desirable. Other than that I’m perfectly happy to stay put. If I didn’t have my four fur babies, I would travel; I’m not opposed to it, it just that my babies are more important than seeing a place that will only fade from memory. My pups are my wards, I get more from them than I would seeing the world and I know when my life comes to an end, I’ll have no regrets.
I have everything I need right here, so much beauty in my life I almost feel ashamed to be this lucky. There are ups and downs, sadness, euphoria and long periods of everyday tedium, but what remains constant is the four seasons of splendour that surrounds me, a predominately safe and peaceful county where I'm awakened in the morning to the chirping of songbirds. So many others on this planet are not as fortunate. We Canadians are truly blessed.