Have you ever seen a Luna Moth?

During the past few weeks we have discovered on two seperate occassions Luna Moth's hanging out at the Inn. The first sighting was a couple weeks ago very early in the morning when one was found attached to our Nova Scotia flag at the front entrance. This past week we found a second one attached to the screen of the patio doors leading to the side veranda.

To say the least these are very impressive creatures. Their wings span about 6 inches and they are equally long from nose to the tip of their tail. Unfortunately we have learned from information found on the internet that they do not have a very long life span; only about a week.

The Right Whales Are Coming!

A recent news report indicated that there will be 39 right whale calves swimming at their mothers sides as they make there way north to the Bay of Fundy for another summer season. This is very encouraging news considering that the right whale is still on the endangered species list. If you have not yet enjoyed the experience of getting up close and seeing these amazing mammals in their natural environment you must plan to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.

The whale watching excursions operated along the Digby Neck & Islands are some of the best you will find anywhere in the world. We are currrently offering a package in partnership with Ocean Explorations "Zodiac" Whale Adventures. Not only do you get to see some of the most amazing creatures on the planet, but you will also experience the excilerating adventure of doing it in a Zodiac. The best time to take advantage of this opportunity is between early July and early October. For more details on our package offer Click Here and check out the Whale & Seabird Adventure "Inn" Style package.

Our Butterfly Garden

On Saturday, June 6, 2009 we had 15 people attend our Butterfly Garden Workshop, and the best part of all is that in less than a couple hours our new garden was completed planted. We started out with presentations by Brennan Caverhill, a biologist with the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute, followed by Gilberte Doelle, an organic farmer with Wild Rose Farm in Gilbert's Cove, NS.

The presenters shared a wealth of information with the group, including the importance and plight of butterflies, in particular the Monarch Butterfly, as well as how planting gardens like ours assists them in making their migrations. We also learned what types of plants butterflies will be drawn to, and how to properly locate your garden and position the plant materials within it.

Once the educating was completed it was time to put everyone to work and get their hands into the soil. Gilberte talked about different options for laying out the plants in the bed and then challenged members of the group to position the plants based on what they had heard. With the plants laid out to Gilberte's satisfaction, everyone started to actually put the plant's in the ground. Gilberte's preferred method is to just dig in with her bare hands. Several people followed her lead, but a few opted to take a small shovel in hand.

With the plants all in the ground Gilberte took a little time to talk about maintaining the garden, including things like composting and mulching, and most importantly the organic alternatives to fertilizing. Possibly the most important factor when putting in a butterfly garden is that a large area surrounding it must be pesticide free.

The finished product may not look like much at the moment, however Gilberte told us that given that we started with a great foundation bed with good soil and compost material we will be amazed at how quickly it will flourish. We look forward to watching the progress and will provide regular updates and photos throughout the summer.

We want to thank both our presenters and those who participated in the workshop. Hopefully they got as much joy out of being a part of setting up our garden as we have knowing that we are contributing to the future preservation of the Monarch Butterflies.

Butterfly Garden Workshop

Here at the Hillsdale House Inn we are creating a Butterfly Garden to assist in the cause to provide a protective environment for the “at risk” Monarch Butterfly. In doing so we have coordinated a workshop to take place on Saturday, June 6th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to give others the opportunity to learn why the establishment of these gardens is so important, as well as, what is required to set up a Butterfly Garden in your own yard.

In setting up the workshop we are partnering with the Mersey  Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) who oversee the Nova Scotia Species At Risk Program; Brennan Caverhill, MTRI Outreach Biologist; and Gilberte Doelle, owner of Wild Rose Organic farm in Gilbert’s Cove, Nova Scotia. Gilberte is a certified organic gardener who among many other things is growing plant materials that attract the Monarch butterfly.

If you are interested in more information about the workshop Click Here

Jammin' at the Hillsdale House Inn

[caption id="attachment_221" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Jam Ladies - Val, Loretta & Marilyn"][/caption]

Wednesday was jam making day at the Hillsdale House Inn. Yes we do really make our own jam. Val called in the veteran, Marilyn, who retired from the Inn last season after too many years, to guide her through the process. She also recruited her Mom, Loretta, who is visiting from Calgary to lend a hand. If a whole lot of laughter mixed into the recipe makes the end product taste better our guests are in for a real treat this season.

The selection this year includes blueberry, strawberry rhubard and peach pineapple. The peaches actually came from our very own peach tree last year.

Can you imagine how good they are going to taste on our homemade brown bread toast? Thinking about it should make you want to reserve right now. If you would like to check availability just click here. We certainly hope that this will inspire you to come visit really soon.

Tourism Best Practice Mission - Day 4

Yesterday morning we checked out of the George Washington Hotel in Winchester, VA and began making our way up the valley. Yes even though we were heading south we have been told that we are going up the valley. We travelled many miles on the bus through much of the countryside of the valley and through the mountain areas in the Shanandoah National Park. There were a number of stops throughout the day to meet with various individuals and learn more about how they are using the Shenandoah Valley, and in particular the park to market their area as a tourism destination. We had lunch at one of the hotels in the park high atop the mountains along what they call the Skyline Drive. The view from the hotel overlooking the valley below was spectacular.

Eventually we ended up in Staunton, VA where we checked in to the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, which like the George Washington Hotel has been retored through a public/private partnership. It is a beautiful hotel that was originally built in 1924 and is located in the heart of the City. Last night we had dinner at a busy local restaurant called the Mill Street Grill, located in an old flour mill building. They are famous for their ribs. They also had a jazz band performing that certainly livened things up.

Tonight we are visiting the Blackfriar Theatre located beside the hotel to see what has been created there. We are told it is an excellent recreation of a Shakespearean Theatre, and is another example of a project that resulted through a public/private project. Following that we are off to experience another local restaurant called of all things "The Dining Room".

Tomorrow we are up bright and early to board the bus and begin making our way further south to Charlottesville to the home of President Thomas Jefferson, and then on to our final stop in Richmond.

Tourism Best Practice Mission - Day 1

I have the privilage this week of participating in a Tourism Best Practice Mission to the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia. The mission is focused on "Iconic Touring Product" and how a region in Virginia has capitalized on it to develop and grow it's tourism industry.

Today I flew from Halifax to Washington Dulles airport where after a number of delays I eventually linked up with a many of my fellow participants to be shuttled to the George Washington Hotel in Winchester, Virginia where we first met as a group for dinner. The itinerary for the week ahead is quite full, but looks like it will be quite interesting and applicable for our region of Nova Scotia.

I will make a few more posts during the coming week to share some of what we have experienced.