Nova Scotia Adventures with Kyria (Day Three): Morning Commute and Cape Split

It was a pleasant surprise to wake up to double digit temperatures. It was less pleasant to wake up at 3:15 am. That said, I used the time wisely, tackling my work inbox and mostly managing to clear the decks!

I came out from my bedroom to find Kyria and Indy already sipping morning cups of coffee. When I opened the fridge I saw Kyria had prepped snacks for our hike – she had a neatly packed baggie filled with perfectly sliced apples and cucumbers!

Our morning involved the regular rigamarole. Oatmeal preparation, constant reminders to the kids about this or that, looking in dismay at the state of my floors. But we managed to all be ready and out the door at a reasonable time. The kids and I were excited to have Kyria join us on our walk to school!

One of Indy’s friends joined our walking procession and we had a nice little group of morning walkers (who had no idea they were participating in a Cool Bloggers challenge).

After dropping the kids off at school, we meandered back via a more circuitous route ducking inside my favourite building on campus and admiring how pretty every scene looked bedecked in fall colours. It’s like the absolute best form of free exterior design.

Doesn’t this room look like something from Beauty and the Beast?

After we got home we each had a cup of coffee (second for her, first for me), chatted leisurely at the table over a late breakfast, and then I closed the loop on some work e-mails, put a tenderloin in the slow cooker for supper, and we were off.

The first stop was a trip to our downtown bike shop so Kyria could get a box for transporting Bob on his first-ever airplane ride. From there we headed toward our main destination of the day: Cape Split Provincial Park.

En route we popped into a local meat market and bought some of their jerky (unfortunately they were sold out of my favourite flavour), and while we waited for our orders, Kyria channeled her inner Nicole and got friendly with a gnome on display. We did discuss the irony of the moment, since Nicole follows a vegan diet and we were standing in front of a giant display case of cured beef and aged cheese.

Back on the road we couldn’t resist one last pit stop. This is one of the nicest views in the Annapolis Valley. The colours seem to be a bit muted this fall – primarily yellow leaves, and very few red – and it was oddly hazy, but a gorgeous stop nonetheless.

Finally we were ready to start hiking!

There are a few different configurations for this hike, but we opted to take a new route on the way out and an older (more established) path on the way back.

Aside from stopping at one coastal viewpoint along the way, we moved at a quick pace – perhaps sped along by the rate at which our tongues were moving. There was no shortage of conversation and I feel like Kyria and I are aligned on many topics. It was fun getting to know each other more intimately, and this hike was a great time for fostering meaningful conversation. We also started working through these thirty-six questions designed to “increase closeness”, asking things like: When is the last time you sang out loud? Would you want to be famous? and Do you have a secret hunch about the way you will die?

We had stripped down to short-sleeve layers on the walk out. It was warm, sunny, and sheltered. As soon as we reached the end…yikes!

The pictures don’t do the strength of the wind justice. It was so intense and I did feel like I could be blown away if a gust came along and hit me “just so”.

We took the requisite pictures, but didn’t linger long at the summit. Our coats, our pants, our hair – everything was billowing in the wind and it was quite chilly!

We followed a little side path about 40 feet into the woods and set up our picnic site in the midst of a protected grove of trees. Goodness this food tasted good after that hike! (Especially Kyria’s perfectly cut fruit and veggies.) It looks fairly humble, but I left this luncheon perfectly satisfied. Everything tastes better eaten outside!

Kyria captured this very flattering picture of her and I managed to be mid-blink and mid-bite on a cucumber spear but it gives you the best perspective of our impromptu picnic site so I will swallow my pride for the sake of you getting to see our cozy little hideout!

We had started hiking later than originally planned (no regrets – it was nice to not rush around at home in the morning), but I looked at my watch and did the mental math until school let out and knew we needed to mobilize for the return trek. We stopped by a tree traditionally used by couples to carve their initials. When we started hiking this trail several decades ago, the tree had a giant branch defying gravity. Well… gravity caught up with the tree, but it’s still a fun cultural marker.

I enjoyed the scenery on the return walk so much. Even without brilliant reds, we both agreed it looked like something straight out of an Anne of Green Gables storybook.

Another lookoff…

And one last shot of those gorgeous leaves!

Once home, Kyria tracked down some bike tools from a neighbour and started the job of dismantling Bob. I headed out to collect Belle from a sports practice, dropped one of her friends off at home on the way back, and when I walked through the door Kyria had potatoes peeled, sliced, and cooking on the stovetop.

I could get used to this.

We puttered around with various tasks – lunchbox prep, some laundry. I put on a timer for 10 minutes and threw myself down on my bed. That 3:00 am wakeup and 20ish km of walking were starting to catch up with me.

Indy had been invited to spend the afternoon with a friend, so Belle, Kyria and I went ahead with supper. Pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw, whipped potatoes, and leftover peas. There was supposed to be corn, but I discovered too late that we were all out. Oops.

After supper, Indy arrived and I headed out, yet again – this time to take Belle to her evening drama class.

The next few hours were wonderful. I showered. I puttered. I sat in a comfy chair and chatted to Kyria. Indy played a rousing game of street hockey with some friends and only came in when it was too dark to see anything.

It was a relaxed evening, and Indy and Kyria became fast friends playing some word games on her phone and duelling over highly competitive rounds of Quick Pucks.

Between my father-in-law visiting, all the evening commitments, Kyria arriving, and the kids just generally bouncing off the walls, this particular nighttime routine felt especially lovely. There were snuggles and reading in bed. Some nights I skip those activities, but everything and everybody felt more settled with these quieter wind-down rituals.

I was in bed (barely keeping my eyes open) by 9:45 pm. It had been a busy, full, fun Day #3 with Kyria.

Your turn. Have you every carved your initials into a tree? Do you have a very specific “order of events” before you go to bed, or is your bedtime routine haphazard? Tell me what would be included in your ideal picnic lunch?