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Sara Spike

@saraspike.bsky.social

Cultural historian of rural communities and coastal environments in Atlantic Canada. The ocean and the woods. Visual cultures. Senses. Fog. Flora. Adjunct Prof, Dalhousie University. Executive Committee, NiCHE. PhD, settler, she/her https://saraspike.ca

1,823 Followers  |  972 Following  |  356 Posts  |  Joined: 20.09.2023  |  2.4748

Latest posts by saraspike.bsky.social on Bluesky

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19.09.2025 00:40 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I love the memories this post has generated in the comments. Did you grow up with dulce (edible seaweed) like I did?
Thanks to @richrray.bsky.social for pulling some stories out of the archives for this fun piece!

19.09.2025 00:18 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Sara’s Trans Canada Trail: Remembering the Blueberry Express Once vital for freight and passengers, Nova Scotia’s Blueberry Express railway now thrives as a scenic multi-use trail celebrating local heritage.

Join our editor @saraspike.bsky.social on the @transcanadatrail.bsky.social to remember the Blueberry Express!

niche-canada.org/2025/09/09/s...

#envhist #cdnhist #trails #novascotia

10.09.2025 15:38 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Raindrops falling on the surface of the ocean at low tide with yellow seaweed all around.

Raindrops falling on the surface of the ocean at low tide with yellow seaweed all around.

An assortment of small plastic and metal buckets set out on the grass to catch rainwater, each partially full.

An assortment of small plastic and metal buckets set out on the grass to catch rainwater, each partially full.

Finally rain 🌧

25.08.2025 18:40 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A patch of blooming goldenrod is partially submerged in water in evening light.

A patch of blooming goldenrod is partially submerged in water in evening light.

Big high tide, the goldenrod is swimming xo

25.08.2025 01:10 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Feel free to get in touch if you have specific questions, I might be able to help!

19.08.2025 21:26 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks Cathy, I'd love it. That email works.

19.08.2025 21:24 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Wildflowers, history, and dulse what else? πŸ’™

19.08.2025 21:23 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks for the nice visit!

19.08.2025 21:21 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Modern types of danger warnings on the sea coast [microform] : Anderson, William P. (William Patrick), 1851-1927 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Caption title

No scholarship I know of (I'm working on it!), but you might find helpful details in Renton's Lost Sounds: The Story of Coast Fog Signals. Jennifer Lucy Allan's Foghorn's Lament is wonderful, but very much about later mechanical foghorns.
This document might be useful archive.org/details/cihm...

19.08.2025 21:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Love this!

19.08.2025 21:16 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸŒ«οΈπŸ“―πŸ€

19.08.2025 21:16 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

You have my attention :)

19.08.2025 19:08 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ™

17.08.2025 23:32 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
A bowl partially full of blueberries placed among leafy blueberry bushes with ripe berries, a beagle is snuffling nearby.

A bowl partially full of blueberries placed among leafy blueberry bushes with ripe berries, a beagle is snuffling nearby.

Blueberries πŸ’™

17.08.2025 20:33 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I've been working with Sarah on a project about the history of forestry in our area. Her presentation tonight was excellent; her GIS skills are incredible! We'll be sharing the results of this work this fall. Get in touch if you have any personal knowledge of sawmills in Halifax County!

01.08.2025 00:43 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

You were great! Your talk was excellent and clearly demonstrated the incredible skill that goes into creating these maps. And people are excited to contribute their knowledge to the project too!

01.08.2025 00:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Watching the World in a Dark Room: The Early Modern Camera Obscura Centuries before photography froze the world into neat frames, scientists, poets, and artists streamed transient images into dark interior spaces with the help of a camera obscura. Julie Park explores...

My essay on how the early modern camera obscura brought us more deeply into our interior lives is now live @publicdomainrev.bsky.social

publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-ea...

31.07.2025 17:33 β€” πŸ‘ 38    πŸ” 15    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
Blue water over the gunwhale of an aluminum boat.

Blue water over the gunwhale of an aluminum boat.

Two people wearing sun hats and life jackets fishing with rods from a small aluminum boat. A beagle is sitting on one person's lap.

Two people wearing sun hats and life jackets fishing with rods from a small aluminum boat. A beagle is sitting on one person's lap.

Two mackerel caught on a line being lifted into the air.

Two mackerel caught on a line being lifted into the air.

A white bucket on a wooden wharf with 7 small mackerel in it and a beagle looking in.

A white bucket on a wooden wharf with 7 small mackerel in it and a beagle looking in.

Mackerel xo

30.07.2025 23:09 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Manchester University Press - Electric wind Electric wind - Browse and buy the Paperback edition of Electric wind by Marianna Dudley

I was excited to find out that my book is available for pre-order! One for anyone interested in energy, climate, and the history of Britain. Thanks to MUP for making it pretty and affordable 🫢 manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182968/

25.07.2025 13:51 β€” πŸ‘ 73    πŸ” 35    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 1

Congratulations! The cover is beautiful, and the book sounds great!

25.07.2025 13:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Two people walking away from the camera on a flat gravelled trail with bright blue sky and blue water around them.

Two people walking away from the camera on a flat gravelled trail with bright blue sky and blue water around them.

I was asked to write about my local section of the Trans Canada Trail. Here is my short essay called "Remembering the Blueberry Express," about rail to trail along the coast of Nova Scotia tctrail.ca/stories/reme...
#envhist #cdnhist @transcanadatrail.bsky.social

24.07.2025 16:09 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

It was beautiful today, a perfect sunny/foggy mix!

18.07.2025 23:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A small white building with a red roof on a hill surrounded by fog, a yellow sign warns that the fog alarm may sound at any time.

A small white building with a red roof on a hill surrounded by fog, a yellow sign warns that the fog alarm may sound at any time.

Finally found the fog, at Cape Spear Lighthouse xo

18.07.2025 22:09 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

The way the blueberries feel when I roll them from their stems with my thumbs into my palm.

18.07.2025 00:02 β€” πŸ‘ 32    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

@sociologyofplants.bsky.social can you point Tina to environmental histories of beer?
Tina, Jennifer is writing a book about the history of hops in the US Midwest and has taught beer histories 🍻

17.07.2025 21:07 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Enjoy it! There is a heat wave and not a wisp of fog here in St. John's this week haha

17.07.2025 20:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A reading room with large brown tables and filing cabinets along the wall.

A reading room with large brown tables and filing cabinets along the wall.

A MUNFLA Legend Index card with synopsis of a story from Change Islands: the cries of men drowned at sea could be heard on foggy summer nights until a priest rowed out and gave them a proper burial service.

A MUNFLA Legend Index card with synopsis of a story from Change Islands: the cries of men drowned at sea could be heard on foggy summer nights until a priest rowed out and gave them a proper burial service.

Getting foggy at the Memorial U Folklore and Language Archive @munfla-archive.bsky.social

17.07.2025 19:54 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
A woman in 1940s garb on a poster advertising the 1940s Costume Magic Fashion Gala at Memory Lane Heritage Village, August 9 and 10.

A woman in 1940s garb on a poster advertising the 1940s Costume Magic Fashion Gala at Memory Lane Heritage Village, August 9 and 10.

My mom made a lot of the clothes for this fashion show, based on historical photos from our local archives. It promises to be a lovely time, and another great reason to come to the Eastern Shore πŸ’—
visitmemorylane.ca/events/1940s...

16.07.2025 00:56 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@saraspike is following 19 prominent accounts