I’ve just recently come back from one of those vacations that are heavenly for us folks who have the winter blahs. Here’s a shot of what the coast looks like on a breezy day.

But of course I had to let reality creep in. I took a walk on the beach, but not at the resort. Down the coast and around the turn. We were able to walk for about 30 kms (but only went 5). We saw a stretch of beach they call the Seashell cemetery. A spot where the waves pound so hard the conch shells wash up and eventually disintegrate. Beautiful to see but think of the power of that water. Last year when we were there (on the same beach) there was a fisherman and his family who lived in a traditional home. Concrete slab, wooden structure, gardens…the usual family home on the coast. Then along came a hurricane. No more house, no more concrete pad, no more trees, no more boat. Hard to be a fisherman with no boat. He is now living well back from the site in a plastic hut. Poles strung from the trees, with plastic tarp over the frame, and it was a cold winter this year. Which leads me to think about how lucky we are here in my area. Yes we have a two day storm raging around us, but when it is over, my house will still be here, I’ll still have supplies to purchase and life will go on.

They’re tearing down a church in the Hydrostone. Do you want to walk by it?

“They’re tearing down St. Joseph’s Church in the Hydrostone. It will make for some interesting photos! Do you want to go for a walk to see it?”

Who wouldn’t, really? I mean, it’s got the makings of a great day out: coffee, friends, history, not to mention a bit of walking and a hint of destruction. For someone who lives near but not in that area, I wasn’t prepared for what I saw among the twisted metal, broken concrete, and splintered wood. While I walk a lot in Halifax I haven’t happen to come by this area for some time during my walks.

Of course, I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t excited by the photographic opportunities in the scene I saw, but truth be told I also was saddened by the historical losses I witnessed.

This church has a story to tell. St. Joseph’s Church is situated in Halifax’s North End at the corner of Russell Street and Gottingen Street, which is in the vicinity of Halifax’s Hydrostone area. That location alone meant that the church would have been destroyed by the Halifax Explosion.

But there was more to this church. So, with some investigation, I came to learn that on Thursday 6 December 1917 – the year the Halifax Explosion occurred – more than 400 parishioners of this church were killed, representing about half of the parish at that time. Still, determined to rebuild, the area’s parishioners and residents began reconstructing the church, first as a basement church in the 1920s and later with the final construction of the upper structure in 1960s.

Declining attendance finally led to St. Joseph’s Church’s closure last summer. You never know what you’ll learn about this city when you get a phone call to go for a walk. You may see interesting sites, but you may also see history fade.

Weather detour

I typically walk to and from work everyday. One could even say that being active is part of my everyday life. I am fortunate to live in a community that is well-lit and includes sidewalks, and I try to take advantage of it through active transportation as well as running.

However, life isn't always about smelling the roses, and it's not always easy to do the right thing (maybe that's why life is about perseverance, but that's a topic for a different blog!). Despite being well aware of the benefits I receive from walking - from contributing to my health and the environment to connecting with friends and helping me work through issues - it's not always easy to do the 'right' thing.

So, here's the truth. I didn't walk to work today. I live a 12-15 min walk to work, and I took my car. I know. Not cool. However, I just couldn't face the rain today. The weather made me want to reach for a book to read, not my walking shoes.

My question to you and for myself: How do we fight the weather? Even with all of the awesome reasons to walk, the great places to walk and the resources to support walking decisions, how do we overcome the weather? Weather is one of the most common barriers to walking - my morning story is an example of that. What are weather-walking strategies to turn the detour into a much needed change of plan?