There is a serene, beautiful place in Nova Scotia called Birchdale.
Amazingly not many people know about it or the stories behind it.
But enough people know about this legendary paradise to want to make the very,
very, very long journey in the woods on dirt roads to get to it.
And don't bother with your GPS cause it has no idea how to get you there.
Birchdale is over 100 years old and was built by a prominent man from the
area. It was built as a hunting and fishing lodge. Throughout the years many
people have visited Birchdale some regular people like myself and Dave...
some not so regular...people like
Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Danny Kaye, Greta Garbo..ya know
normal people.
When I was younger this place was what dreams and stories are made of
because nobody was permitted here.
A group of Carmelite monks bought the property in 1972 and renamed it
Nova Nada.
If I'm not mistaken, they would open it to the public once a month
on Sundays, but we never went.
For one thing it was too hard to find and in those days
you didn't travel like you do now.
The property consists of a main lodge and super quaint
cabins. There are around 14 or so scattered all along the
lake and property.
In 1997 the monks disbanded and there was nobody in the buildings for
four years. While the monks were there though, they built a beautiful
round library and chapel overlooking the lake.
Eventually someone bought the property and returned it to its
original name of Birchdale and kept it till last year.
She then sold it to two lovely ladies from Toronto.
Tracey Erin Smith and Sarah Garton Stanley
They have a Facebook page that you can check out.
It's not open everyday to the public because it is their home.
I mean would you want people barging onto your property unannounced?
But they do have Afternoons at Birchdale.
We've been there 3 time so far this summer. Twice to visit and
once to interview them since I will be writing an article on them
in the French newspaper very soon.
But in the meantime here are some photos I took of both times we
went there. Once was earlier this summer and the other was
just yesterday.
One of my favourite little cabins
Snuggling on the porch of the main lodge
My parents with Dave and I
My mom and I...in case you hadn't guessed
Massive pine trees!!
Just swinging along!
Have a Blessed day.
And I hope you'll someday be able to visit Birchdale.
