On our last full day in Nova Scotia, we decided to walk the Cape Split trail, overlooking the Bay of Fundy. On the way there, I spotted another interesting sign:

I think the 3rd row, 2nd from left means ‘fruit and veggies for picking’ because the ladies in my classes said so. The last row, 1st image may be ‘farmer’s market’. Or not. The thing that I notice about Canadian signs is that they are more varied than the ones I see in the US, and they are more complex. In most cases they are easy to intuit, but not always. It must be a cultural thing. I’ll bet they make sense to Canadians.

I admit, I knew nothing about the Bay of Fundy before this morning. It is known for having the highest tidal range in the world. We drove toward Cape Split when the tide was low. We stopped to take some pictures on the way. Here’s an overlook into the valley…

We stopped to take a photo of a beach with the tide out, and again on the way back when the tide was in. There was 3-4 hours between the shots with the water out and the water in.

Tide out.

Tide in.

Tide out.

Tide in.

I know that the tide goes in and out everywhere. It is high, and then low. But apparently in the Bay of Fundy the tide goes out really fast and comes in really fast. We were advised not to walk out on what looks like a safe place because you can get washed away. It happens.

I took a few photos as we began the hike, before the rain started. A lot of the trail looked like this.

The trail was steep-ish in some places. There were rocks and tree roots, but this was not a particularly hard hike. That said, I was sorry I didn’t take my knee braces for the downhill parts. Up may make your lungs hurt, but downhill is really hard on your knees.

We saw ‘Christmas trees’ on this hike. In fact, we’ve seen them all over Nova Scotia. I will always think of this place when I smell, and stroke, a Christmas tree pine.

And there was art on the trail! There was a sign that identified this as part of the Fey Forest by Christine Waugh, an exhibit from Uncommon Common Art.

There were more parts to the exhibit but it was too darned wet to pull out either a camera or an iPhone to take a picture. And, honestly, it was too wet and cold for me to stop to admire the art. But I tried.

The Cape Split trail is 18 kilometers long, about 8 miles. It is listed as a 4-5 hour hike. We did it in 3 hours, mostly because I walk fast. Also, it was raining and cold. Usually I can moderate my speed-walking with stopping to take photos and admire the scenery. Not so much today.

When we got back to the car, and rest room, my hands were so cold that my thumbs didn’t work. I found it nearly impossible to deal with the snaps and zipper on my pants. That was a first!

Instead of doing more with the day, we went directly to our hotel near the airport. It will be a very early morning to catch our first flight home but we are warm and dry and our clothes and shoes are mostly dry! Dinner was nice. We have wine and an internet connection. And we are both tired enough to sleep well tonight.

Now, you’re read this far, I should share the rest. I wear my sister, Christy’s, watch when I wear a watch. I had it on for this trip. Christy died more than 3 years ago and you can go back in my blog to read about the end of her life if you want to. Suffice it to say, I feel her presence when I wear her watch. I don’t dwell, but it’s a nice nudge.

As we walked today and the rain got worse, I realized that the watch might not like the water, so I took it off and put it in a dry pocket of my pants. When we got to the point at Cape Split and headed back I realized that my pocket was not dry enough and I should move the watch to Steve’s backpack. And then it was: ‘oh shit, where’s the watch?!!!’

I checked my pockets. Steve checked my pockets. No watch. I was more than bummed. On the 4 mile walk back we kept our eyes on the ground. I tried to remember where I was when I took it off and moved it to my pocket. We asked those we passed if they had seen it and they had not. I realized that there had been a lot of rain. The trail had lots more puddles on the outbound walk. The watch was surely under water.

On the walk back to the car, I let my sister’s watch go. I realized that I felt her in that watch and maybe leaving it on this trail was not such a bad thing. I think it’s a place she would like. Honestly, it kind of suits her. A little wild, tempestuous, different.

When we got to the car, I didn’t feel as bad about loosing Christy’s watch as I thought I would. And then, after my fingers thawed out, I found it hiding in my pocket, next to my fitbit. That felt good.

Objects with attachments are interesting, aren’t they? There are things, like Christy’s watch, that mean more than they are worth. But things are ephemeral. I’m happy to realize that I love my sister’s watch, I’m happy to still have it, but I could also be happy without it.

Things are things, people are what count. With or without the watch, my sister won’t be leaving my memory.