If I don’t write or make notes in a timely manner, I have a hard time remembering what we did. This was one of those times. But as Blaine and I talked it out, memories started flooding in. Yeah!
Greenwich is a National Park that I’d read we shouldn’t miss. It was about a two-hour drive from home, but worth it. On the way, we passed nothing but farms right on the ocean. All kinds of farms. Wheat, potato, dairy, mussel, oyster, horse . . .
It was a really nice day! On our first hike of the day, we learned on an info board about how they harvest mussels – they actually grow them in a nursery in net bags in the sea water and then go and pull them out.
In the spring when the water temperature reaches around 15 degrees centigrade, PEI Mussels spawn which means they release their eggs and sperm. There is a swimming stage called mussel larva, and at just the right time the mussel farmer puts out seed collectors; usually frayed pieces of rope or strips of plastic mesh attached to a long line. The collector serves as a settlement surface for the billions of mussel larva swimming in the water.
After they attach, they form a hard shell and are called spat. Once a spat is around one inch long (usually around the first of October) they are hand stripped from the ropes and taken ashore. The mussel seed are then declumped and graded into uniform size classes before being placed into plastic mesh sleeves/tubes called socks. Within hours the mussel socks are taken back out to the farm and hand tied onto the long lines.
The spring and summer of the following year, the farmer will continue to add flotation to the long lines as the PEI Mussels continue to grow. Unlike some shellfish, there is no one season in which mussels are harvested. They remain flavourful and available year round. The size of the meat will vary depending on the time of year.
PEI Mussels are a naturally occurring shellfish in the waters where we farm. Everything that a mussel requires to survive and grow is supplied by the nutrients in the water column. However, to ensure access to ample quantities of food and to protect the mussels from predators, mussel farmers must continually care for their crop. As the crop grows and the mussel socks gain weight the mussel farmer is busy adding floatation to the long lines.
From there, we walked around a short trail that was supposed to be for birders. We thought, “Why not? We haven’t seen much other wildlife since we sold our house.” There were no birds. Just a trail around an overgrown field in the beating sun. We must emit some kind of wildlife repellent. . . .
The other trail was more interesting. It was this really long walk and boardwalk thru a marsh and over sand dunes to a beautiful, uncrowded beach.
The beginning of the walk to the beach.
We had to walk all this first, and then the boardwalk!
It was a pretty long walk to get to the beach. OK for us, but if I lived here, I don’t know if I’d hoof it for the day. Surely there are beaches easier to get to?
And God blessed us yet again!! It was stinkin’ hot (for us anyway 😊) and not too much of a breeze. We needed shade for our lunch. And there it was! A natural shelter from the sun, just big enough for two! Thanks for looking out for us, Lord – ahead of time!
I was happy with the first picture, but Blaine insisted on this one too.
We walked the beach, sat and enjoyed the waves and just relaxed. “Sure beats workin’!” (Blaine says this a lot! It’s become his catchphrase.)
I think I’m happiest when I’m barefoot . . .
If that’s the case, this was a really happy day! : )
We checked out the dunes, which are supposedly rare. I think because of their crescent shape??
I’m going to tell you a secret . . .
There were people in this picture. But I got rid of them.
Now you’ll think I doctor my pictures all the time, but I don’t.
This is the first time I’ve removed anything except some bug splatters.
The infamous ‘Red Chairs’.
In hindsight, we really should have taken our picture on all of them!
Oh, well . . .
Then walked the beach some more . . .
Before heading back to the Jeep.
As we were on the way home, the eclipse was taking place. It was at about 48% here in PEI. Enough to make the sky and surroundings look really strange, but not enough to actually see anything. It started at 2:42, peaked at 3:50 and ended at 4:54pm. Pretty much the time it took us to drive home. 😊
Sunset at home.
It was actually much more spectacular than the picture shows. I d
I on’t know why the colors never come out quite right.
It was all red and fuchsia.
What a life we’ve been blessed with! We will never take it for granted!
(When you are happy and things are going well–paraphrased), praise the LORD! Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees…Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when … all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God…(He provides absolutely everything!-paraphrased)You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced (everything) for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to (have everything you need or want)…” Deuteronomy 8:10-18