A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

"Maybe 2ft in some places". That's what my good friend Stephen says as he meets me and Nathan on the trail of his sugar bush. Nathan goes to school in Fredericton and picked me up Sat. morning for my first show in Jacksonville. There I met my old friend Rene' and performed for a group of kids that were attending a day camp sponsored by Shiktihawk Bible Camp. (SBC) It was after this show that Nathan and I met Stephen on the trail. "Here are some snow shoes, you might need them". I said thanks but I think I'll manage. I traveled 4 or 5 steps and immediately buried my entire right leg. "Yeah, uh ok, I think I'll wear those snow shoes". It was beautiful among the trees, the snow lying all around. I looked a little like a vagabond with my borrowed coat, paints and boots, all way too big for me, but the beauty of God's world, the sight of friends - Johnny Mac was feeding the evaporator as fast as he could - the smell of cooking sap the taste so sweet and lovely vanished all my sensibilities and self-centeredness. I was at peace and God's sanctuary was all around.That evening was treated to bowling with good friends Ben Kent, his sister Charity, Marlene Craig, Nathan Salmon, and of course Megan Mclean.After this day of solemnity it got busy. 2 shows on the next day, Sunday, and it was busy all week.On the last day I found time to visit 3 more sugar bushes, (maple farms).

Friday was my last day in the area so my good friend Dean Stevenson, who owns a large farm, Stephen and Becky Page and kids and I went to eat breakfast at the Kenneth's sugar bush. This farm is owned by Nathan's family. You remember him, my driver for all of Saturday. I thought it was going to be a nice 15 - 20 minute ride, nope. It was a good 30 minute trek into the guts of New Brunswick where I got to see real snow fall. The breakfast was great, New Brunswick style.

What a trip. I have a vision to be back in NB the summer of 2012 or soon there after. This time I'm driving with the big show.

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

It was a blinding snow storm.  At least it looked blinding to me as blackness was all I saw through the window of the very small prop job that bounced me from Ottawa to Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.  But as we descended below the clouds, about 200 ft or so, I could see the ground below and the snow.  Snow falling like, well, like it was a blinding snow storm.  The plan started to pitch, bounce and yaw, I could see that the nose of the airplane was not pointed in the same direction as I felt the plan was traveling which confirmed the feeling in my stomach that we were flying sideways.  All of this concerned me to the point that I thought a crash was imminent, so I assumed the crash position, you know the head down, arms around your knees.  I went down quickly and noticed as I did that the man seated next to me did not appear to move.  I glanced up at him from my position and sure enough he had not moved.  I sat up and said to him that it was going to be a rough landing.  He grunted and tried to sit further away from me, which was difficult because the seats were so small and our seat belts were pulled tight.  He tried anyway as was evident by his exaggerated leaning into the isle.  The landing was in fact the smoothest landing I have ever felt.  In all honesty I did not even feel the wheels touch the runway.  But this could have also been do to the 12" of snow that had fallen since 1 o'clock that afternoon.  Yep, 12" and more in some places.

What a week in New Brunswick, Canada.  I will be blogging about this for a time, so if this bores you too terribly just look at the title.  I will be using the same title in each blog about Canada.

It was 15 shows in 7 days.  I was scheduled for 5 shows on Thursday of last week.  It was great, but it has been a long time since I did 5 shows in the same day.  3 were at Woodstock middle school, and then 2 at Cantebury, about 30 minutes outside of Woodstock.  I would do it again with out thinking, actually, you have to do something like that without thinking because if you thought about it, you wouldn't do it.

To all my friends in the maritime, I love you and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to come to your beautiful province and grow.