Hidden Valley, New Minas
Hidden Valley Hike, New Minas
I cannot believe that I have lived in the Valley for most of my life, and I never knew about this hiking trail right here in New Minas! The hike is called Hidden Valley, and it’s more like a hidden gem.
I first learned about this trail through our local hiking guru – the Scotian Hiker
After doing a bit of research and digging around, we decided to try it out for ourselves.
The trail is not marked, but if you print off the directions found here and bring them with you, you should have no trouble at all.
According to an article written by local historian, Ed Coleman, this trail follows one of the oldest roads in Kings County. According to local folklore the road is of Acadian origin, and some of the older New Minas residents call it the “French Road.” However, while the Acadians may have travelled the road to reach the high country south of New Minas and the Gaspereau Valley, it probably was of Mi’kmaq origin.
To get to Hidden Valley, head to Perrier Drive in New Minas.
Continue through the stop sign where the road turns to Cloverleaf Drive. Park immediately on the left. You will see the trail head here.
Start by going through a long culvert that goes under the highway.
There might be some water at the bottom, so you may have to walk, straddling the stream. We did!
Follow this path straight for a long time. You will cross a brook with a small cascade.
The last time we were there in the winter, the log bridges were washed out, so you might have to do some jumping. This may change in the spring.
Along the way, there are a few offshoot paths. Do not take them. We mistakenly took the first path (which paralleled the highway) but came back to the main path and paid more attention to our print out.
There are several large waterholes in the middle of the path that you need to go around. When we went, they were semi-frozen and deep!
According to the directions, at the 600m mark, you should be able to see a track on the right hand side of the trail at the same time as the major trail is turning to the left at almost a 90 degree angle. At the bend in the road, the path seems to continue up a long hill. Do not go up here. TURN RIGHT.
This is fairly obvious, as we could see the orange hunting tape through the woods. The tape is NOT next to the path you are taking, but along the stream bed. Stick to the path.
You will also know when you are on the right track for you’ll see a trail of garbage and rusted out parts along the way.
For us in the winter, this trail ended at the brook, and we couldn’t see where to go from here. You may come to face a big bank of snow.
However, we knew we needed to head upstream, so we followed the stream through the woods for a few yards, and climbed up the rocks near a smaller waterfall.
In the fall, we found a path along the left side of the stream and followed this.
Regardless, you want to head UP Stream!
At the top, we knew we had arrived! This is an obvious camping/bonfire location as there were chairs and tents left.
The trek out was worth it for the scenery at the end! There is a beautiful waterfall (which was half frozen when we were there).
A little less powerful at the end of the summer, but still a nice trek!
Beside the waterfall there is an old rock foundation. Again, according to Ed Coleman, local folklore says there was a small Acadian settlement beside the Road immediately south of the 101. There’s at least one rock cellar possibly of Acadian origin near the old road. Others say the cellar is believed to be the foundation of an Acadian church and not a homestead.
These rocks have now been used to create a bridge over one of the streams, and this is in its place.
Whatever it is, it helps to complete the picture of a beautiful hidden valley!
Overall
Trail Peak rates the hike as easy, but we would call it more “medium”. It took us about 1.5 hours to hike there and back – but this was also in cold, half-frozen conditions.
When I went with my girl friends, it took us 40 minutes, round trip. This was in the fall, and we knew where we were going this time.
As I mentioned, this trail is not sign posted, so you need to print and bring the directions with you. Don’t rely on your memory reading it. It is tricky without the directions.
When we went it was -10. Although sheltered by the forest, it was still cold and once something was wet, it froze immediately! It was very difficult to try to keep our 6 & 8 year old boys out of the puddles, or to convince them to walk on the path so they wouldn’t slip into the icy water!
However, if you ask them, it was an adventure of a lifetime for them!
This is definitely a hike that I would like to do in the summer. Maybe not the spring, and I can imagine how wet it would be!
Wear your boots, bring dry clothes in the car, and bring the directions and your sense of adventure! You’ll be glad you did!
**Valley Family Fun holds no responsibility if you hike this trail. Please be respectful to the land**
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
*Disclosure: I received The Nova Scotia Museum Pass allowing our family to visit 27 of Nova Scotia’s museums.*
I cannot believe that I had never been to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic – or at least in my living memory! Maybe I thought I wasn’t that interested in ships and the sea – but, boy was I ever wrong! And, I am sure many of you are, too!
Located in the heart of Halifax’s waterfront, there’s no better place to immerse yourself in Nova Scotia’s rich maritime heritage than the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
From small craft boatbuilding to World War Convoys, the Days of Sail to the Age of Steam, the Titanic to the Halifax Explosion, you’ll discover the stories, events and people that have come to define Nova Scotia and its relationship with the sea.
Before Christmas we headed to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic with the boys (6 & 8) to find out just what the museum was all about.
Upon entering, we met Merlin the talking parrot!
Did you know that pirates never actually had parrots? It wasn’t until Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island that parrots became associated with pirates!
Before going to the museum we had a lot of conversations with the boys to give them a bit of background on both the Titanic and the Halifax Explosion.
Their paternal grandfather was a marine engineer, so they have often heard stories of his work life.
All of this gave the boys a frame of reference for visiting the museum.
However, even without this, they would have been fine.
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is a very hands-on and kid-friendly place.
There are a lot of buttons to press, cranks to turn, and displays to touch.
Explanations are short and simple for kids – or more detailed for older children and adults who want to spend more thorough time going through the exhibits.
And, you can’t forget the giant sea creature!
There are several permanent displays including one about the Halifax explosion. Here, you can see actual artifacts and photos from the fateful blast.
Upstairs are exhibits about Nova Scotia shipwrecks and underwater archeology, as well as the story of Halifax’s involvement in the rescue attempts from the Titanic.
When we were there, they had a Lego display of the Halifax waterfront along with an intensive search and find that the boys loved! This dis;lay is on until January 31, 2015!
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is renowned for its excellent March Break programs and displays for kids – usually about pirates – so you will definitely want to check that out.
Details
The museum is located at 1675 Lower Water Street, Halifax
Hours and admission prices
It took us about 2 hours to go through the museum with the boys. We didn’t see everything with their attention span, but enough to get a great taste and to want to go back again for more!
What the Boys Say
Thomas’s favourite part of the museum was of course, the giant octopus-like creature.
He also enjoyed learning about the underwater mines and how they exploded.
Daniel’s favourite part of the museum was also the sea creature and the Lego I Spy game. He also loved the Titanic exhibit because of the story that goes with each person.
The Museum Pass
The Nova Scotia Museum Pass is your ticket to experience Nova Scotia’s culture and heritage like never before! The NSM is a family of 27 thematically diverse museums located across the province. The credit card-size Pass buys admission to any and all of the 27 sites for one low price! Simply flash your pass to any Nova Scotia Museum site to gain immediate and hassle-free access to a great museum experience.
Family Pass (two adults and their children) $90 Cdn
To learn more about the NS Museum pass
Thomas’ Blankie
Thomas’ Blankie
Does your child have a special toy, blanket or comfort item?
Have you ever lost it?
You know the panic and the stress. That was our Christmas vacation.
Thomas (6) has a special crocheted blankie made for him when he was a baby by my dear friend, Juanita.
It started when Thomas was about 10 months old. He was lying in his crib, looking up at me, and kept scrunching his fingers in the air. I had no idea what he was doing any why. Then, it finally dawned on me. He wanted the blanket so he could put his fingers through the holes and suck his thumb.
This became known as “KEE” (blankie) and came everywhere with us – from Toronto to across the Maritimes. From Charlottetown to Moncton, Cape Breton and beyond. It came on planes, trains and automobiles – and ferries. It is his beloved treasure.
That is, until we lost it.
The fateful night was December 30. We went to a party at my mom’s house (an 8 minute drive away) and Thomas brought blankie. He put it on the chair in the porch, patted it twice and said, “for safety” and ran off to play.
That is our last memory.
Later that night, my husband carried Thomas to the car (who hadn’t worn a jacket) and wrapped him up in a blanket in the car. While doing so, he put the car keys on the roof of the car. He went to get into his own car. As I was driving off, I saw him flagging me down. He grabbed the keys off the roof.
Fast forward to the next day. We were about to watch a movie and Thomas asked for blankie. That’s when we realized… we couldn’t find it!
This started the mad search for the next 5 days. We tore the house apart. We searched in every nook and cranny, under every cushion, and in every closet. My mom tore her house apart. We contacted every neighbour who was at the party. We called every store that we had been to that morning.
We played the scenario out a hundred times – working through it scientifically, methodically, trying to evoke memories.
I even thought of becoming a Catholic so I could pray to St. Anthony – the Patron Saint of Lost Things!
Nothing worked. The only scenario we could think of was that David had left it on the roof of the car with the keys and it had blown off while driving. We drove the road many times, carefully scanning the ditches.
Nothing.
None of us could sleep. Thomas missed blankie. We couldn’t figure it out. It wasn’t so much the emotional attachment to blankie – Thomas has since stopped sucking his thumb and is outgrowing his “need” for blankie, so isn’t as hyper vigilant about knowing where it is.
It was more an annoying puzzle that we couldn’t work out!
“Give up and you’ll find it,” said my mother.
But we couldn’t.
Then, 5 days later, we were hashing it out again. Wondering how we would tell my friend that we had lost blankie! We had formally agreed to give up.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, right in front of me did suddenly appear – under the beanbag chair in the family room – was something I thought looked like a tag. I pulled on it.
It was blankie!!
We both screamed. We hugged. We cried. I couldn’t breathe.
Yes, it was that dramatic!
We tore upstairs, shook Thomas awake to give him blankie (which he had no memory of from the night before) and called to let everyone know. The lost had been found.
Now, we will not let it out of our sight, and it won’t be leaving the house!
Many parents have told me similar stories. Others say that they always have a duplicate item as back up or in rotation (hard with a handmade gift, though!).
But, it’s a story that many can relate to!
We will all sleep easy …. Until it happens again!
Mutant Mania
Win with Mutant Mania!
Disclosure: I received a few sets of these toys for free in exchange for writing a blog post. All opinions are my own. Besides, it made me look like the best mom in the world on Christmas morning.
It’s a kid’s paradise. Especially for boys.
Imagine mutant zombie wrestlers that you can build and rebuild, smash up, fight with and collect.
“Mom! This was the best Christmas present in the world!”
“I love this toy!”
“This is way better than what Santa brought us!”
That was my boys’ (6 & 8) reaction to opening a series of Mutant Mania toys on Christmas morning. Immediately, the boxes were ripped open, and the kids began to play, and haven’t stopped since!
Here are the different packages:
Mutant Mania One Pack: Things are going to get pretty ugly with the Mutant Mania blind bag! Mash together the ultimate gruesome wrestler and fight your opponents! Get mixing and matching today with the one pack complete with one head, one torso, a pair of legs and one stretchy spine. $2.99
Mutant Mania Four Pack: The Mutant Mania are here! Wacky, mix n match collectable wrestlers. Build ’em up and smash ’em down for exciting wrestling action! There are over 80 Mutant Mania wrestlers to collect in Series 1. Get mixing and matching today with the 4-Pack complete with 4 x heads, 4 x torsos, 4 x legs, 4 x stretchy spines and storage can containers. $6.99-7.99
Mutant Mania Eight Pack: The wacky, mix n match collectable wrestlers from the Mutant Mania universe have finally arrived! Build ’em up and smash ’em down for exciting wrestling action! There are over 80 Mutant Mania wrestlers to collect in Series 1. Get ready for 8 times the action and 8 times the fun with the 8pk complete with 8 x heads, 8 x torsos, 8 x legs, 8 x stretchy spine and storage can containers. $12.99-14.99
Mutant Mania Rampage Arena: A Mutant Mania smack down is about to occur. Build up your ultimate wrestlers and launch into the ring for battle. Who will survive, and who will break down in front of the crowd? Complete with crowd stands, character launcher, battle handles and exclusive characters, the Rampage Arena is a must for any MM fan! $39.99
See this toy in action!
Mutant Mania Mutant Masher Vehicle: Get ready to rumble! Kids can load up their Mutant Mania™ characters in the Mutant Masher vehicle and hit the road. For on-the-go mutant mash-ups, this vehicle comes equipped with a stretching rack for character creation and ample room for storage. Plus, no Mutant Masher would be complete without character ejector seats and an exclusive Mutant Mania character. No batteries required. Ages 5 years and up. $29.99
See this toy in action!
What the Boys Say
These toys were a HUGE HIT!
My boys immediately tore open the boxes to start playing with the toys. The 8 year old put all the pieces together and figured out how to set up the arena and build the mutants without any adult help and without reading the instructions.
I love intuitive toys!
To put the Mutants together, they connect with a long cylinder (shaped like a barbell).
The 8 year old could easily put them together. The 6 year old had a bit of trouble, as it involved a lot of fine motor skills. After a bit of practice, a lot of help, and some frustration, he is now able to do it on his own.
What the Parents Say
Although this toy involves fighting zombies, wrestling fighting, and ripping mutants apart, I’m ok with that! This is the type of play that the boys love to do, so why not give them an outlet?
This toy involves a lot of creativity. The toys do not make sounds – so the boys create their own scenarios and conversations.
The toys can be mixed and matched for hundreds of creative characters.
The only downside is that there are a lot of pieces that come with the Mutants. However, all packs come with a storage mechanism – whether it is a can, or a storage system under the arena.
Thank you to whoever thought of that!
Overall
Mutant Mania would make the perfect gift for a boy 6-10 years old on your list – whether for a birthday, Christmas, or an Easter present!
If you were to just get one of the sets, I would start with the Mutant Masher. It comes with a few Mutants included. This is the most creative of the toys. Then, start building with more packs of Mutants until you have a full arena!
Enjoy building and playing! My boys certainly did!
Here is a video from their first time playing with the Mutant Mania Arena
Find out More
Website: http://mutantmania.ca/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUqC68Hnjnf2m7t_WXizgkQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mutantmaniacanada
And available through Toys R Us, Amazon, and other major retailers.
WIN WITH Mutant Mania!
Now is your chance to win these 3 toys!
1. Mutant Mania 8-Pack (ARV $12.99-$14.99)
2. Mutant Mania Rampage Arena (ARV $39.99)
3. Mutant Mania Mutant Masher Vehicle (ARV $29.99)
Enter daily by clicing on the banner and filling out the entry form until January 22, 2015!
For an extra ballot, leave me a comment and tell me why you think your kids would love this toy!
Card Boxes
How to Make Boxes From old Greeting Cards
Wondering what to do with your Christmas cards at the end of the season? Want a fun use for those birthday cards or greeting cards? Try making these boxes – perfect for wrapping presents or for storing little trinkets. My 8 year old son could easily make these, while my 6 year old needed some help to make his. Start with a card. 
Rip the card in half so you have two pieces. (If you are just using the fronts of the cards, then find two cards that are the same size, or cut them so they are the same size) Fold each of the 4 sides in about ¼ inch. 
By making these folds, a square will occur in each corner. Along the short end of the card, cut along the fold to where the two fold lines intersect. 
Do this 4 times – one on each corner. 
Fold the tabs inward to create the edge of the box. 
Tape (or staple) in place. Do this for each corner until you have the box top made. 
Do the same steps to make the bottom of the box. However, make the folds slightly bigger so the bottom will be slightly smaller than the top and fit inside. 
This might take some trial and error to make them fit together just right. 
Chocolate Mice
Chocolate Mice
These chocolate mice are so easy to make and look so cute on a platter of mixed sweets. Here’s how to make them.
Ingredients
Hershey Kisses
Chocolate Chips
Milk or Cream
Cocktail cherries with stems
Almond slivers
Put chocolate chips in a microwave-safe dish.
Add approximately 1 Tbsp of milk or coffee cream (or Baileys or Kahlua would work, too!)
Melt in the microwave. Make sure the mixture is not too runny.
Dry a cherry on a piece of paper towel. If the cherry is wet, the chocolate won’t stick.
Dip the cherry in chocolate until covered.
Put an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss end to end with the chocolate-covered cherry.
In the gap between the cherry and the Kiss, place 2 slivered almonds to look like ears.
Place on a lined baking sheet to harden.
Enjoy!
