What's that old saying...?

...Friendships come and go, but true friendships always last?

Well, that has been the case for me, it's hard to believe, but it has been a month since this very thing came to fruition.

Let's start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start, (hey, why do I feel like I should burst into song and start singing "climb every mountain"). Oh for you younger generation that is a song from ???, yes, The Sound of Music).

Last winter I put myself on a very popular social networking website and lo and behold friend requests started coming in. One friend lead to another and then another. There were a few of us who had worked together so very long ago and far away, it was wonderful to catch up. Then I received a friend request from someone who I vaguely remembered, so I said YES....it turned out to be Jane the sister of a gal I had worked with in my past life with horses.

Sue and I worked together in the late 60's and early 70's (yes, I'm that old) at a very prestigious show stable by the name of Sam Son Farms in Oakville, Ontario, owned by the late Ernie Samuel.

Susan was a far better rider and horsewoman than me (still is), but we struck up a friendship. We had so many laughs, situations, parties and adventures, one of which included me driving with her to her home province of Nova Scotia when she needed to ship a horse down to her father's farm. Me being the tumble weed I have always been said "sure, I'll go"....

We drove and drove and finally made it their home farm late the next day in the afternoon, early evening. Susan's sister Jane and brother Scott, along with her Father, Lorne and Mother Shirley were waiting for our arrival. They were the family you'd always want to meet, upbeat, positive and very loving, caring and welcoming. Lorne's first words to me were "welcome to the Maritmes you Upper Canadian, now here is an initiation to the maritimes", with that he handed me a raw oyster with Tabasco sauce and said, "chuck it back". Well, I'm almost positive it chucked right back up within moments, but that memory is a little foggy.

Susan and I stayed for at least a week and toured around, it was great to see the maritimes with a native Nova Scotian, but like real life we had to get back to work. Susan was preparing Jim Day's horses for the Olympics and I was preparing horses for sale.

Life changes and I ended up leaving Sam Son Farms and travelled across Canada and the U.S showing horses and operating a show stable with a fellow who I thought would be a life partner and Susan and I lost touch....until this past winter.

Jane had found me on Facebook and we did an awful lot of catching up. At some point in time I mentioned that I had vacation coming up in July and early August and wouldn't it be fun if I threw my bike in the car and drove down for a visit. Well, one thing lead to another and I got an email saying "Pack your bags baby".

I was headed to Nova Scotia!!!

It turned out that I didn't have time to drive, but I found a cheap flight to Halifax on Porter Airlines, (which I would highly recommend) and off I went. It never occurred to me to be nervous, or worry about just throwing it out there, I had no qualms what so ever, how weird is that? I didn't even know if I'd remember what everyone looked like....but I did! Jane picked me up at the airport and off we went to Canning.

Susan operates an amazingly wonderful dressage show stable under the name of Fraser Equestrian Centre , just outside of Wolfville in Canning. What a gorgeous setting, right along New Minus, Bay of Fundy. Susan was teaching a lesson when we arrived, so it gave me a chance to throw my bags into my room and head down to the outdoor riding ring to watch some horse magic.

Our evening was planned out (as was most of my holiday), we were headed off to Ross Creek to the outdoor theatre to watch the musical adaptation of a 1928 book by Frank Parker Day, Rockbound.

It was a fabulous production, what an unbelievable location for outdoor theatre and if you have the desire, read the book, it is a little hard to get through due to the dialect, but none the less worth reading.

The next day after my run, I was in the barn or watching riding lessons or even brushing or patting a horse! No, that is not me, that is Jane brushing her dressage horse Kenny.

The weather was fantastic the whole time I was there, warm, hazy and with a breeze....

Have you ever been having such a great time that you just didn't take enough pictures? Everywhere we went, I had my camera with me, but just didn't take enough photo's.

I did take my camera out on one of my runs in the early morning hours, here is a shot of one of the farms I was privy to along the way.

It is hard to see but the Bay of Fundy is in the background of crops and cornfields.

A view from the front door of the farm. Nice huh? The sun is shining off the Bay of Fundy and reflecting off the car hoods.

There is so much more to write about so this little adventure will be continued...

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily