We spent the night at a KOA campsite up on the Acadian Peninsula last night and today we went over to the Village Historique Acadien and spent the day back in time seeing how the Acadian people lived back in the 1770's and also in the 1939. It happened to be children's day so the girls and one chaperon got in free and Kent was free because the buildings are not accessible so the whole family got in for free :) and the girls also got a free lunch (a hot dog, cookie and juice). This was a sweet deal and made the day even better because we didn't have to drop another $100 to see something. The children got to help make bread at one of the historic homes and later we got to go back and sample the fresh bread they had helped put on the pans. (Grandma Howden watch out - now the girls want to come to your house and help you make bread.) We had a great sunny day to walk around the only down fall was the mosquitoes were fierce. The village is set up as little farms or communities and there are people working in each of the houses or barns so you can learn from them about the life of the people back then - once again this was in French but most could speak English if you had questions. There was a blacksmith working in the blacksmith shop and he was making a stick for turning the coals in the fire so we watched him, there is also a mill, print shop, woodworking shop, school and church. In the newer section (1939) there is a sawmill, gas station, general store, cobbler and more homes and farms. It is very well done and an interesting day. Because it was Saturday night we made our way down to Miramichi for the night and found a campsite close to town.
Juanna and Victoria making bread.
Katrina working on a hook rug.
Blacksmith at work.
One of the many farms at the Acadian Village.
Sunday, August 28, 2011We had a fantastic day today even though hurricane Irene was moving in and the weather was very windy and wet. Dale MacCallum came and got us from the campsite and took us to the morning meeting in their van. Meeting was at the home of Carl and Ponsy Dickson - it was a beautiful meeting. Linda Andersen was there as well as Dale and Bonnie (Morris Baker's sister) MacCallum and their daughter and children and their son and girls. It was also nice to see Jim & Shirley MacDonald in the meeting - Jim and Shirley are John MacDonald's parents and John is married to my cousin Wilma Howden. There are so many connections out here in the East. Ponsy Dickson is Jim MacDonald's sister and we also met some Williston connections in the morning meeting. Dale and Bonnie had us back to their house for lunch and over to the gospel meeting in the afternoon. Linda Andersen and Agnes Dean are the sisters in the field this year and it was so nice to sit under the sound of the gospel again. The MacCallum's were insistent that we should spend the night camped on their driveway. They were very convincing so we decided to stay because the weather was really very ugly and we would not have been able to do much anyway. We picked up the motor home after the gospel meeting and returned to the MacCallum's and ordered in fish and chips for dinner. Tammy (Dale and Bonnie's daughter) and her two children (Robyn (10) and Tanner (8)) as well as Kirk (Dale and Bonnie's son) and Doddy with their two daughters (Dalilah (4) and Kianna (2))spent the day with us as well. We did have a truly delightful day and enjoyed the fellowship and kindness of Dale and Bonnie immensely. The girls had a great time because there were children for them to play with.
Dale and Bonnie MacCallum with their granddaughter Robyn.
The bridge to Miramichi.
Look who we found in Miramichi!
We spent the morning at the MacCallum's and when the rain let up the girls insisted on going in the pool with Robyn for a quick dip. It was not very warm and very windy so the swim was quite short but they had fun. After Dale took us on a tour of the area we thought we better leave before we wore out our welcome so we came down the coast to Bouctouche where we went the Le Pays de la Sagouine and over to the Bouctouche Dunes. Le Pays de la Sagouine is a little seaside town created in 1992 to depict the life of the Acadian people in the 1930's as described in the story La Sagouine, which is a story about the wise washerwoman created by Antonine Maillet. It is a very cute setting and we enjoyed some Acadian chicken soup and poutine while we listened to some Acadian music. At the Bouctouche Dunes we walked the boardwalk and the beach and enjoyed the beauty in nature all around us.
Le Pays de la Sagouine
Lighthouse at Le Pays de la Sagouine.
The boardwalk at the Bouctouche Dunes.
The girls walking the beach.
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