Tired! More Soon!

We are having a great time but, I am really tired!  Let me say that yesterday at Peggy's Cove and Halifax was really fun.  And, today on Prince Edward Island was excellent!  I am going to send you to Jana's blog for a few pics of yesteday and hopefully I will post more tomorrow morning after I have had some rest. 

From Dawn to Dusk and From West to East

If you haven't been to Jana's blog yet, you should go there soon!  She has some really good posts about our trip! 

Yesterday we traveled from Digby in the West to Halifax in the East.  I wasn't looking forward to the drive, but it turned out to be a very nice time!  I love looking at all the scenery along the way.  I like to learn more about people in other parts of the world!  Jana says I talk to everyone, but how do you learn if you don't ask.  We talked to two gentlemen in the town of Bridgewater and learned how to get to a boat that is tied in the middle of the lake (or bay in this case).  Speaking of the towns.  I could learn to live in some of these here.  The tourism agency boasts that Nova Scotia is the friendliest places on Earth and from what I have experienced, they are right! 

Below is an animoto video I made from yesterday.  It is one of my better videos this week I think.  Enjoy.

We stopped in the town of Lunenburg before going to Halifax and settled on Magnolias Grill for supper. It was a very good choice! I will post about Lunenburg in the morning.

PS - there is free wireless at Magnolias . . . Can you tell?

Some Wildlife

We finally saw a little wildlife today on the way to Halifax. We stopped at a National Park that I can't spell. What a nice surprise to see the doe walk out in front of us at one of the tour stops.

Yesterday - The Digby Neck, Annapolis Royal and the Acadian Region

We had a really nice day visiting Digby Neck, Annapolis Royal and the Acadian region of Nova Scotia!   I must admit that as we traveled in the morning, I was a bit concerned about how the day was going to go.  We stopped at Gulliver's Cove, Sandy Cove, Mink Cove and Petite Passage.  They were all nice to see and yet very, very rustic.  I guess I am kind of more of a tourist trap person than I thought.  But, I really appreciated what God created! 

Annopolis Royal was a really enjoyable visit.  The town had some beautiful homes and shops.  We also enjoyed Fort Anne and the history we learned there.  This town wasn't over sized, but seemed to have a lot of things to do as well.  Not too far down the road was an amusement park as well.  We didn't stop, but it we might have if we had more time.  So far, if I had to stay in a town in Nova Scotia again, I would highly consider Annapolis Royal. 

My "Rappie Pie" meal!?

After Annapolis Royal we headed the eastern side of St. Mary's Bay to the Acadian section, we enjoyed seeing a few lighthouses and stopping at the numerous old churches along the way.  At the Gilberts Cove lighthouse we were able to climb the stairs to the top and had a nice visit with the volunteer there.   Our site seeing ended with supper at the Roadside Grill and Cottages.  Jana and I had deep fried pepperoni as an appetiser and I had "Rapure" or "Rappie Pie", in English, for my main dish.  Always wanting to try local favorites, this sounded good.  When it came to our table, it didn't look quite as good.  They basically "juice" the potato and then add meat broth along with the meat (I had beef.  I wanted chicken but they were all out) and bake it in the oven.  The potatoes become like jelly.  It was . . . interesting . . . not bad, but I probably wouldn't order it again. 

Today we leave Ocean Hillside B&B and travel/site see to the Halifax area.  Before we leave, I would like to encourage anyone who travels to the Digby area to consider staying at this gorgeous bed and Breakfast.  Bob is a gourmet chef and Maria is a decorator.  She has also quilted all the quilts on the beds.  Our breakfasts were "wicked good" and the accomodations were perfect.  We had a really good time here. 

You will see more pictures soon and you could see Jana's Facebook page or her blog.

Entering Nova Scotia Video

I'm not excited about the quality of this video, but it gives you a few pics from yesterday as we came into Nova Scotia!  Enjoy.

We Made It To Nova Scotia!

This is just a short post to let you know we have arrived in Nova Scotia!  I quickly made a video of our ferry boat ride across the Bay of Fundy and will post it as soon as it is uploaded to You Tube.  One thing I didn't mention in the video is that we took a stroll around Digby and ate at the Shore Line Restaurant where we had a local "Acadian" favorite, "Poutine".  Basically is was French Fries, Motzeralla Cheese and Gravy.  It was good.  As you can see from the picture, it was actually a meal in itself.  After supper we broused the gift shop and took some pictures around town.  Our last stop was to "Tim Hortins" for some donuts.  We were told that we should try this place when we got to Canada.  It reminded me of a cross between Dunkin Donuts and Panera Bread.  The donuts were good but nothing beats a good potato donut on Fausnot Day in Central PA! 

I will be loading the "video blog" soon so you can see our trip, our Bed and Breakfast and a lighthouse! 

Reversing Falls

We arrived in St. John, NB, Canada late afternoon on Wednesday and found our hotel.  My mother had told us about a place in this town (you can also get information here) where the water changed directions depending on the tide and the restaurant there.  So, Jana located it and we headed over to check it out.  It is called "Reversing Falls".  As you can see by the picture, the water when we were there was flowing from left to right under the bridge.  Because of the time of day, there were whirlpools forming where the fresh water and salt water met.  We were told that twice a day the water seems to stand still as the water from the tide rises or lowers until the water actually goes in the opposite direction during high or low tide.  Although we didn't get to see the reversal, it was fascinating to hear about. 

By the way, the food at the "Reversing Falls Restaurant" was acceptable.  I was hoping for a bit more.  Our waitress must have been busy as we didn't see her much? Again the company was great and the view was fun and interesting. 

You have to check out Jana's Blog, http://www.gripofgrace.com/, to hear/see more about our trip to St. John.  Today we get on the ferry and finally get to Nova Scotia.  More to come! 

A Quick Post from the Visitor's Center

Jana and I have stopped at a visitor's center near St. John, NB, Canada!  I thought it would be fun to write a short post while Jana gets pamphlets for later.  The drive hear was relatively uneventful with a few exceptions that both Jana and I will probably post about later.  You will want to come back again to read about it.  I am looking forward to the ferry trip tomorrow into Nova Scotia.  For now, we have to find our hotel. 

God's Indescribable Blessings from Acadia

Here is a short video with a few pictures we took from our time in Acadia National Park.  They aren't the highest quality as I didn't have time to upgrade the video.  But, you can see the indescribable way God has blessed us anyway!  Jana has more pics on her facebook page. 



You can make videos like this quickly and easily.  Click on the Animoto banner above!

Acadia, Carmen Verandah, and "Udder Heaven"

We had a really nice day yesterday spending most of the day at Acadia National Park.  We have pictures we will be adding later.  Needless to say, the views were great!  We bought a "tour on cd" and was able to hear a lot of the history of the park and island while driving from location to location. 

After spending about 5 hours in Acadia, we drove to Bar Harbor to try to beat the supper crowd, and we were glad we did.  We settled on a cafe named "Carmen Verandah" and were able to sit on the "Varandah" overlooking the town park and Main Street.  Jana had wings and I had the half pound burger and fries.  Looking for something different, we both tried their homemade kettle chips.  Everything was good.  The chips were nothing special but were acceptable.  The weather was perfect for eating outside and I enjoyed the company I was with and "people watching" as well.  A veiw from our table is to the right. 

After supper we took a stroll and stopped in numerous down-town shops.  A lot of interesting items but we really didn't purchase much.  Other than moose, the other item they push is blueberries.  So, Jana bought some blueberry soda. 

We then went back to our hotel to take a dip in the heated pool and sit in the hot tub and decided to find some ice cream to top off a great day.  We drove away from "Baa Haa Baa" and found an ice cream shop called "Udder Heaven".  The ice cream was delicious but I paid $11.00 for two small ice cream cones and a medium soda!  I wished I was at Cruiser's Cafe! 

Look for more pictures soon and also on Jana's Facebook and blog, http://www.gripofgrace.com/ 

The Scenic View and Bar Harbor

For those who are following us on our vacation, we have arrived at our first destination, Bar Harbor, ME.  We didn't get here until about 7:30 PM due to the scenic tour of Route 1, but it was a nice trip.  We did listen to "The Voyage of the Dawn Trader" (Check out The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Read-Aloud Edition (Narnia) ) while we travelled today.  And our travelling devotions were about being a servant to one another, see Mark 10:35 - 45, John 13:1 - 17 and Philippians 2. 

Our hotel is on the ocean and as you can see below, it is a wonderful view!

After we checked in and checked out the view and the pool, we headed to downtown Bar Harbor for supper.  I was a bit surprised by the number of people walking around this quaint, touristy town.  For being a Monday evening, I thought it was PACKED!  After driving around the town, we settled on "Chowdahs" restaurant. 

The food was acceptable, the service was a bit slow, (They were busy and short staffed. Who wouldn't be on a Monday night?) and our waiter was from Bulgaria. Neither Jana nor I enjoy seafood that much, so the food and restaurant choices for us will be boring for you seafood lovers.  By the way, Jana and I have this thing we do while on vacation . . . We try NOT to eat anywhere we have eaten before and we try to stay away from chain restaurants.  So, eating at Applebees, Perkins, etc are out.  (We might break that rule to save money some time this week as we do have a $50 gift card.)  So we try to find local favorites when we eat. 

Today we plan to tour Acadia National Park as well as check out more of Bar Harbor. Tomorrow, sometime, we plan to head out of the country to Saint John, New Brunswick for a day before we catch the ferry to Nova Scotia.  Come back to see pictures and hear why going to Nova Scotia for vacation is a great idea! 

My Mother Would Enjoy Travel With Jana

They say that guys tend to marry their mothers. Well, I guess in a few ways Jana and my mother are alike. This vacation I have found another way they are similar. Instead of continuing Route 95 to Bar Harbor, we took the "senic" Route 1, something my mother would do. Just ask the grand kids! Now we, Jana and I, have stopped at the worlds largest lighthouse store.have stopped at the worlds largest lighthouse store.

BTW - I do enjoy taking our time and seeing the sites!  The interstate is boring.  I am glad we are taking our time!

The Stop Before We Leave the Country

Before we get to Nova
Scotia, we are stopping in Bar Harbor, Maine for two nights.  Jana has a goal of going to as many National Parks as she can in her lifetime.  Acadia National Park, the first National Park east of the Mississippi, is located at Bar Harbor.  So we thought it would be a good stop before we get to Nova Scotia.  We hope to get to see some of this park later today and tomorrow.  The weather forecast for the Bar Harbor is for rain both days.  And, I am not fond of driving but I really hate driving in the rain.  I guess I will take what God gives me.  I will be able to enjoy the ride better because Jana will make it fun.  We have also brought a number of audio books (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader- I want to read/listen to it before the movie comes out) and a few games we can play while driving.

Why Vacation in Nova Scotia?

Contrary to most people, yesterday someone asked me "Why would you go to Nova Scotia?"  Unfortunately, being a high "i" in the DiSC personality profile, I had no real good answer except to say that I was going with my wife AND that a lot of people said it is beautiful there.  Looking back, that isn't a good answer, but my love of a good time and lack of detail only allowed me to answer that way. 

I really haven't researched this area of the world a lot.  However, with the exception of this one person yesterday - who really seemed perplexed as to why anyone would want to go to Nova Scotia, EVERYBODY told us how great a trip we are going to have.  Even today, I got a Facebook message from one of our friends who told me that this is a great time of year to see the sites! 

But, that isn't good enough for me, today.  So, I am going to do my best, over the next 9 days,  to help that one person see the reason for our travel to "The Friendliest Place on Earth" (according to novascotia.com) (we'll see soon!).  I will be blogging as much as I can (and as much as my wife will let me) about our vacation.  Check back regularly.  And, if you are going to buy something from Amazon.com or Simply Youth Ministry online anyway, please click the links to the right as that will help with my vacation fund! :) 

My First Wedding Ceremony

On Saturday I had the privilege of performing my first wedding ceremony - something I really never thought I would ever do! It was an interesting experience. The bride and groom are two very special people to me and so I was honored to be involved. Below are pics from the day taken from my wife's camera. Since basically only their immediate families were involved, I thought some might enjoy a quick snapshot of the day.  Thanks Kevin and Lori for the opportunity and congratulations and blessings on your life together!

Comedy Night coming to Mifflintown, PA

Highway 35 Student Ministries, a group of Youth Ministers and Pastors with ministries along Route 35 in Pennsylvania, is again sponsoring "Comedy Night" with Brad Stine on Sunday night, September 26 at the Juniata High School Auditorium in Mifflintown. The event will begin at 7 PM. You will need a ticket for this event so that everyone can be assured of a seat. The tickets are only $1.00 and ALL ticket proceeds will go to the local Child Evangelism Fellowship. Tickets can be obtained at Guardian Angel bookstore in Richfield, Rainbow Bookstore in Lewisburg, and Friendship Bookstore in Lewistown. However, if you can't afford the ticket price, you can get a ticket by contacting me via email - rmyuth@gmail.com. Comedy Night will be geared toward students in 7 - 12 grade. Below is a short video of Brad Stine.

O.C.C. and Narnia Team Up!

Operation Christmas Child and the new Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Trader, is teaming up to bring Christmas to kids around the world.  Check out the video below and the links for more information. 

Guys and Girls - The Differences

Just got back from visiting some early morning pre-season practices. One was girls soccer and one guys soccer. (My goal is to get to as many practices where kids from church/CRUX participate this week. I did get to go to the first day of Band Camp last week as well.) I found a few interesting differences in the two teams. The first practice (girls) started at 7 AM with the guys at starting at 7 AM. BTW - Non of this is intended as criticism, just showing the differences. Both teams had to complete a mile run in a certain time.

• The first thing I noticed is that the girls smelled so much better than guys and were much more interested in how they looked before they started - and afterward.
• The girls seemed less interested in "making the time" than the guys (and, a not as many did it).
• Both teams were really encouraging to their team mates but the guys were more "pushing", (saying things like "Pick it up" and "Everyone needs to make the time") while the girls were more "generic" ("Good Job" "Keep it up").
• A lot of the guys ran without their shirts while, well . . . obviously the girls kept their shirts on.
• The girls asked each other their times and the guys didn't.

I just thought it was really interesting how much different the genders really were.  It was great to be able to encourage these kids and I hope to get to more this week. 

Jana and Dave Announce at WGRC Day

Jana waves to the crowd at WGRC Day at Knoebel's before she and Dave introduce the "Get Real" talent contest winners. I love this "free admission park"!

Gearing up for OCC With Some Pics from Last Year

As I was preparing some resources for our upcoming trip to Charlotte, NC and Operation Christmas Child I found this video that hasn't been uploaded until now.  Our trip this year will be November 23 - 28.

Dueling Violins

Take a look at these two guys at a Group Workcamp talent show! Jana was the Emcee at this camp!