Happy birthday, Robert Burns!

Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, once wrote: "Nae man can tether time or tide". For this quote alone (not to mention all the Scottish connections from our part of the country), I welcome Robbie Burns as an honorary Bay of Fundy-ite.

On Robbie's birthday January 25, or the Saturday nearest this date, people around the world celebrate his life & poetry and their Scottish heritage.

Each year our family feasts and dances with about 200 other kilted Bay of Fundy Scottish descendents (ages 2 to 90!) at the annual Burns night dinner and ceilidh (dance) in Port Williams, Nova Scotia.

I'm dusting off my kilted skirt and getting ready this weekend for the speeches as well as a fine meal of neeps, tatties, and haggis (and, who knows, perhaps even a wee dram o' scotch!).

Wow! Hollywood celeb endorses Bay of Fundy for New7Wonders

Insider celebrity scoop here on the bay today! We are really excited to announce that hunky Hollywood actor James Tupper has just lent his support to Bay of Fundy in the New7Wonders of Nature.

Wanna know more about James & the significance of this endorsement? here's the scoop...

James Tupper, born in Nova Scotia, is well known for his current role as Dr. Chris Sands in the highly-rated NBC primetime medical drama “Mercy”. James Tupper is rated by US Weekly as one of 2009’s “Sexiest Stars” and recently made TV Guide’s coveted “Sexiest Men on TV” list.

Here's what James has to say about Fundy:

“I am so excited that the Bay of Fundy is representing Canada in the contest,” stated Mr. Tupper. “Through its online voting campaign so many more people will discover and appreciate the extraordinary natural wonder created by world’s highest tides.

While growing up on Canada’s east coast I spent my summers exploring the Bay of Fundy and as a child walking on the ocean floor at low tide was absolutely mesmerizing to me. To be able to explore the beach where only a few hours’ earlier tides were the height of a 4-story building…now that’s adventure! And because of the Bay’s crazy tides, it’s also the only place in the world where fishermen have to climb a ladder for their daily catch.”

James Tupper currently divides his time between his coastal homes in Los Angeles and Vancouver, BC. Tupper is also well-known to TV audiences for his role as “Jack” alongside his real-life partner, actress Anne Heche, in NBC’s “Men in Trees”, and for his guest appearances alongside Christina Applegate in “Samantha Who?”

Released in December 2009, James Tupper stars opposite Zac Efron and Claire Danes as the title character’s best friend, in the screen-adaptation of the best-selling novel, “Me And Orson Welles”.

Remember: you can vote for Bay of Fundy on votemyfundy.com and you can post what you love about Fundy plus your fav Fundy pix on "Official Bay of Fundy For New7Wonders Facebook Fan Page"

Chef Lynn's "lobster immersion" in Bay of Fundy

Last summer the 'word was out' that we had a celebrity visitor here in Bay of Fundy: Chef Lynn Crawford from the Food Network. Chef Lynn just launched her new series, "Pitchin' In", where she travels around the world to discover the source of the freshest of ingredients.

Her first episode was filmed here on Brier Island, Nova Scotia, and the topic is LOBSTER, of course!

The episode aired this week but if you missed it you can watch it online at the Food Network. I love the good people of Brier Island who showed her a good time way out in the mouth of the Bay of Fundy...seems fitting for a chef, don't you think?

Bay of Fundy's longest driftwood beach part of Mi'kmaq legend

There is a Mi’kmaq legend that tells of a meeting requested by all the animals living in the Bay of Fundy: a meeting with Kluskap!

The animals living at the mouth of the bay said the water levels were getting higher, flooding the fields and swelling the brooks and streams. The animals living in the upper bay were saying, “There is no water in the bay - it’s too dry!”

Upon investigating, Kluskap found the dam of Kopit (Beaver) across the bay. Kluskap told Kopit what was happening on both sides of the dam and asked him to remove it. Kopit said that what happened to the other animals was of no concern to him. Kluskap said that it was of concern to him and that he had promised to correct it.

Kluskap enlisted the help of Putup (Whale) to take down the dam. When Putup did so the tidal water levels in the Bay of Fundy returned to normal as did the way of life for all animals.

In the upper Bay of Fundy near Advocate, Nova Scotia, there is a 4 km stretch of beach that
collects driftwood from all over the world. The unique occurrence of ocean currents and the
world’s highest tides continually deposit vast amounts of driftwood on this beach. To this day,
this debris is known as the remains of Kopit’s broken dam.

Legend & image: shared with permission from Gerald Gloade, Mi'kmawey Debert Cultural Centre