J. Kelland Perry

Friday Pick 44 – a Reblog

Published on April 28, 2013May 22, 2013 by J. Kelland Perry7 Comments

Hello, Friends and Followers. A dear and close member of my husband’s
family has suddenly become very ill and is currently fighting for her life in ICU. Because of this, I have not been able to focus on my novel-writing, or my blog recently.
So I thought I would share with you something that made my day on March 29th: one of my favourite bloggers, Diana Schwenk, chose my blog as her Friday Pick for that week. I was beyond flattered when she posted this. I suggest you check out her inspiring blog; you won’t be disappointed.
Jennifer x

talktodiana

She’s real with a heart full of love and has inspired me many times to want to be a better person. Jennifer is also very interactive and this appeals to my “community building” nature. That’s why I follow Jennifer at Jennifer’s Journal. I hope you will have a look and I’m sure you will agree that Jennifer is worth a second look and a click on the follow button!

In her own words, Jennifer says:

Looking back on my blog after its first year, I can safely say that my Journal’s overall theme has turned out to be one of Love, more specifically, the sharing of what I love or have loved in my life, with you. Two years ago my husband and I got out of the city and returned to rural life in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Our hope is to continue living life simply…

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Photo Challenge: Up

Published on April 21, 2013April 21, 2013 by J. Kelland Perry37 Comments

This week’s photo challenge at the Daily Post inspired me to have a look back on our memorable trip to Italy and France. It didn’t take long to come “up” with some photos that fit nicely with the theme.

(Not sure if it’s against the rules to share more than one. ;)) I hope you enjoy them.

View of the Italian Alps – Stresa, Italy

Staircase at our B & B - Stresa, Italy — Staircase at our B & B – Stresa, Italy

View from our Hotel Room In Rome — View from our Hotel Room – Rome, Italy

marble staircase in hotel - Rome — marble staircase in hotel – Rome

Palazzo Vecchio - Siena, Italy — Palazzo Vecchio – Siena, Italy

Duomo of Florence - Italy — Duomo of Florence – Italy

Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris — Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris

Inside Cathedral - Paris — Inside Cathedral – Paris

Louis Vuitton - Paris — Louis Vuitton – Paris

Eiffel Tower - Paris — Eiffel Tower – Paris

France 003 — In front of the Arc de Triomphe – Paris

Arc de Triomphe - Paris — Arc de Triomphe x2

Ceilings in the Louvre Museum - Paris — Ceilings in the Louvre Museum – Paris

Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (mdcphotographs.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (beijingcityphoto.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (scottseyephotos.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (Dry) (chrisbreebaart.wordpress.com)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up (turtlestravel.com)

Guest Post: Vivian’s View From Here – Part II

Published on March 14, 2013August 23, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry30 Comments

I’m baaack!

Hello there, Peeps. Vivian K. Perry here, Jennifer’s (dare I say) favourite cat. Just don’t tell my sister Maisie, capiche?

Jennifer asked me back to host her blog today, because she is a little bogged down writing an especially exciting chapter of her new novel.

Whatever! I was happy to oblige, nonetheless. This is my second time guest blogging on Jennifer’s Journal. If you’re interested, and I’m sure you are because I’m so cute, you can see my first post from last summer here.

Maisie and I do agree on one thing: we are getting bored with the cold weather. We miss the summer days of hunting little creatures, and basking in the sun. It is warming up a bit, but it’s still darn chilly on the paws most days.

So we while away the hours with our indoor activities.

**Still looking pretty spiffy there, Alex**

Nice! A little something for my wish list. — **Nice! But do they come with kitties on them?**

Lying on legs, one of our best loved pastimes — **Lying on humans, one of our best-loved pastimes**

Sometimes, we get on each other’s nerves, as sisters often do. I was thinking Maisie looked entirely too comfortable having our little house all to herself, so I had to act.

There. That's better. — **There. That’s better.**

Of course, at other times Maisie and I are closer-than-this:

Maisie lets me cuddle her when she's cold — **Maisie lets me cuddle her when she’s cold**

But what is my Number One Favourite Activity?

That’s right,
Dreaming of Summer

Thank you for visiting Vivian’s View from Here! We hope you enjoyed it. 🙂

Would you like to see more of Maisie and Vivian? Check out these links:

Cats on Ice: Exploring Spring Thaw in Iceberg Alley

Vivian’s View from Here – Part I

Foliage (and Other Living Things)

The Liebster Award and Sharing the Love

Published on March 6, 2013August 23, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry18 Comments

Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to learn my blog has been nominated for the Liebster Award, by Alessia and Fabrizio, the authors of a lovely blog I’ve been recently following, Maple&Saffron.

Thank you, Alessia and Fabrizio! I recommend for my readers to check out this wonderful cooking and travel blog, by a couple who have immigrated to Canada from a country I adore, Italy.

Here are the rules for this award:

When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you.
Pass the award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions.
You are not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated you!
Make sure the blogs you choose have 200 or less followers ( I did the best I could with this, but sorry, I might’ve cheated on some).

Okay, time to get down to business. Here are my random facts:

I have the worst handwriting of anybody I know. Good thing I can type well.
I am eight months younger than my husband.
I have one older brother and one younger sister. And you know what they say about the middle child.
Being in nature calms my spirit.
I have a cat figurine collection.
There is a sandy beach 25 yards from our front door.
I like a good joke and a thoughtful quote, some of the reasons I still use Facebook.
I feel more comfortable in small groups, or just one on one conversation.
I can’t imagine a life without pets.
I worked in a bank for about 15 years.
I consider my daughter and my son my most significant contributions to this world.

Maple&Saffron ask:

If you were to leave for a trip in 5 minutes, what are the 3 things you’d take with you? An easy one, if we are talking living things and a long trip: my husband and our two cats. If not, my iPad, straightening iron, and camera.
What instrument have you ever wanted to learn to play? The piano. The guitar is a close second (tried three times but never stuck with it ).
Which recipe do you really love cooking? Not exactly a single recipe, but a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
What’s your favourite song when you’re travelling? Hmm..only one? That’s hard. Life Is A Highway? 🙂
You’ve just landed in Italy: what’s the first dish you wish to taste? Any kind of pasta! Or maybe margherita pizza..
Mountains, hilltops or beaches: where would you go on vacation? Anywhere is fine with me if the weather is nice, and it’s not too crowded
What’s the best thing about your country? Lots of open spaces and open minds
How do you like spending your day off? Getting outdoors for a walk or a hike, or sitting on our deck in the summer
What’s your favourite world cuisine? Italian
If you could only save one of your books, which one would you choose? One of my poetry anthologies
What role/part would you like to play in a movie? Another tough one, but I went with Ripley in Alien.

Here are my nominations, lovely blogs on some of my favourite topics. For those of you nominated who don’t do awards or don’t have time to participate, please know that I understand. For those who do, thank you for participating. Your questions to answer are after the nominations list.

Nature is my Therapy

One More Day

trifles

Welcome to my Mind, Pull up a Chair

Kurt Rees poetry

bliss in images

lindatownsdin

Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Almost Spring

talktodiana

onewildword

What is your favourite book genre to read?
How long have you been blogging and what made you start?
Name your favourite meal.
If you could go anywhere in the world on your next vacation, where would you go?
What is your most prized possession?
What is your favourite way to relax?
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Which do you prefer: music, TV, or theatre?
What movie did you see in the past year that you liked?
Who is the most important person in your life?
What are you most passionate about in life?

Travel Theme – Bridges

Published on February 23, 2013March 6, 2019 by J. Kelland Perry30 Comments

Here is my contribution to this week’s travel photo challenge, Bridges, by Ailsa at wheresmybackpack.com.

I simply had to begin with my favourite bridge from my travels in Europe, the Ponte Vecchio.

Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) over the Arno River in Florence, Italy

One of the thirty seven bridges over the Seine River in Paris, France. Here's a challenge: Can anyone tell me the name of this one? — One of the thirty-seven bridges over the Seine River in Paris, France. Here’s a challenge: Can anyone tell me the name of this one?

Barrel Bridge at Tom Sawyer's Island - Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida — Barrel Bridge at Tom Sawyer’s Island – Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida

x 3 - the grandkiddies loved it — x 3 – the grandkiddies (and the son-in-law!) loved it

And now for a couple of bridges that are closer to home:

Bridge on the Random Passage walking trail near Cape Freels, NL

Mr. Blue Sky and me - Bridge right here in Newtown, NL — Mr. Blue Sky and me – Bridge right here in Newtown, NL

Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Bridges (stephenkellycreative.wordpress.com)
Weekly travel challenge: a bridge to nowhere (madoqua.wordpress.com)
Travel Theme – Bridges (40again.wordpress.com)

Calm Before the Storm

Published on February 17, 2013March 26, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry43 Comments

When you get a beautiful sunny day around here in the middle of February, it’s almost impossible to resist the urge to get outside and enjoy it. And especially so, when the forecast is telling you that it is the calm before yet another winter storm.

Yes, the winds are going to whip up again tonight, and we’ll have to be content with more cocooning. But yesterday my husband and I enjoyed a walk on the branch road, on perhaps the most brilliant winter day we’ve had this year.

Here is a sampling of some photos from our walk.

006 — View of Perry’s Point from the branch road

007 — That’s our house (light one with the matching shed)

017 — Some of the sparse evergreens in our immediate area

027 — Plenty of “batty catters” (Newfoundland term for ice and snow formed on shoreline rocks)

028 — l love the calm of the blue sky and ocean

Winter storm warning up for eastern Massachusetts (wickedlocal.com)
Winter Storm Nemo (kieraworld.wordpress.com)

How about where you live? Are you enjoying your February weather?

Why Super Bowl Sunday is So Special this Year

Published on January 31, 2013July 22, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry6 Comments

Unless a major catastrophe strikes our world between now and February third, I can pretty much guarantee where my husband will be this coming Sunday. That’s right, he’ll be cheering for the San Francisco 49ers as they compete against the Baltimore Ravens in the Forty-Seventh Super Bowl football game, and I will be cheering alongside him.

But what makes this particular game so significant for us? Well, there are a few reasons. For me, the game itself is – dare I say it – secondary. Not being a huge sports fan of any stripe, I’ll be taking part to enjoy the following:

1. The Half-time Show with Beyoncé. I am looking forward to seeing and hearing this lovely lady perform, and I don’t even care if she lip-syncs.

2. The delicious and obligatory Super Bowl snacks. Can’t wait to dig into the colossal batch of Super Nachos I am planning to prepare, and the Super Spicy Chicken Wings that, of course, must accompany them. My mouth is watering already, just writing about it.

3. And we must not forget the ice-cold beer to wash it all down!

4. Sooky baby Tom Brady will be nowhere to be seen. Even though I’ll be rooting for the 49ers, I’d love to give the Ravens a pat on the back for eliminating Mr. Ego and his ilk from the Championship.

5. But the fifth and the biggest reason the game is so special this year? It is an Anniversary of sorts for my husband and me. You see, 1994 was the year we met and started dating. And I soon found out what an avid, longtime fan of football my new man was, when the season started that year. Being stuck-like-glue-to-each-other-in-love, I was quickly initiated, and even dragged into a big-screen pub two weeks before the Super Bowl to witness San Francisco eliminate the Dallas Cowboys.

And wouldn’t you know it, in that first magical year for us, his beloved 49ers won the Super Bowl (January 1995). This is the first time, in the eighteen years since, that San Francisco is getting another shot at the Championship. Can they do it again?

Honestly, it doesn’t make a heck of a lot of difference to me, personally.

But it would be kind of special to see a victory dance, and that victory smile again, on the face of the man I love.

Superbowl ready (blahblahbirds.wordpress.com)
Super Bowl XLVII – All You Need To Know… (girlsportalk.wordpress.com)

A Winter Visitor

Published on January 10, 2013March 17, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry18 Comments

I was a little disappointed this morning when I learned our area wouldn’t be getting the big dumping of snow that St. John’s and the rest of the Avalon Peninsula has in their forecast. Everyone there is bracing for up to seventy centimeters of the white stuff, while we are only expecting five to ten.
Boo! 😦

But then along came a little visitor down by our beach.

I thought it was an adult harp seal first, because he appeared to be mostly black.

But as I inched closer…and he turned to see me…

I could see more spottiness and some “whitecoat” on his other side.

When I reassured him that I meant no harm, he seemed to squint his eyes…sort of like my cats do when I talk “love talk” to them. 🙂

Don’t worry, little seal.

You are so very close to my house.

I’m not fond of seal meat or flipper pie, so you have nothing to fear from me.

So even though I’m going to miss the big snowfall back home, I never could have gotten these pics back in my old backyard !

To see photos of the baby seal, or whitecoat, that visited us last winter, click here, and scroll down. 🙂

Travel Theme: Multiples

Published on January 6, 2013March 6, 2019 by J. Kelland Perry6 Comments

Here is my contribution to Ailsa’s travel theme this week, a closer look at multiples on some vacations of mine.

To start things off, here are a couple of snaps from Cuba.

Hmm…this perspective is making me thirsty.

Of course, when it comes to multiple anything, Disney World delivers.

Inside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, an abundance of stained glass splendour awaits.

…And just outside the cathedral, who can resist all the tiny feathered friends eagerly accepting snacks?

A restaurant on a pier in Jamaica awaits its tablecloths, and its evening diners.

Springtime in Montreal is always a delight.

Also in Montreal, I spotted these ladies. I just love them.

Swimming in Florida. Multiples come in actual human form too, of course.

Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Multiples (stephenkellycreative.wordpress.com)
Travel Theme: Multiples! (randomuzings.wordpress.com)
Travel Theme: Multiples (hereandthere5.wordpress.com)

My First Anniversary…and Ten Things I Didn’t Know When I Started

Published on December 31, 2012January 17, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry16 Comments

One year ago today, on New Year’s Eve, 2011, I started this blog, Jennifer’s Journal. And as I mentioned in the very first post, Follow the Yellow Brick Road, I had no idea where my blog would take us. So here is what I found out.

1. I didn’t know I would have the resolve to faithfully post to my blog a little more than once a week on average. WordPress, being the best blogging site – in my opinion – had a lot to do with my enthusiasm.

2. I didn’t know I would be taking my visitors and followers on a pictorial journey of our 2011 trip to Italy and France. Nor did I know that one of these installments,
“Scenes From Italy – Part Three: Siena and Florence, Tuscany” would consistently be my most visited post, from all around the world!

3. I hadn’t made plans yet to take a Spring vacation in Florida, with my husband and my daughter and her family. My photo album from that trip,
“For the Young, & the Young at Heart: Disney’s Magic Kingdom“, would garner a record of 449 views on May 8th, the most views I had in one day.

4. I wasn’t fully aware of how beautiful it actually is where I live, here in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland, until I read your lovely comments on my local photographic efforts. 🙂 “Autumn Walk on the East Coast” was a particular favourite.

5. I came to learn how the poems, musings, and photographs of my grandchildren would be a popular subject for many!

6. That goes for the posts of my little cats, Maisie and Vivian, as well. One of them even guest-posted in “Vivian’s View From Here“.

7. I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support my blog received, as I was losing my mother. I cannot fully express what a source of comfort those caring comments were, and still are.

8. I didn’t know I was going to publish sixteen of my poems, and that I would be proud of them. 🙂

9. I wasn’t sure (but I am pleased I did) that I would keep my resolution to start writing a novel, and am now starting Chapter Six of the first draft. My post about it, Then You Must Write It, would be one my most popular blog posts, generating many of your comments.

10. Novel writing or not, I love my blog as the vehicle of self-expression it has turned out to be, and I will continue to update it in 2013. Connecting with many of you and making new friends is one of the best advantages of blogging.

So, let me say to all of my followers and visitors from sixty-six countries, a GIANT THANK YOU! And a Happy New Year to you all. 🙂

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