After two busy weeks in our fair capital city of St. John’s, my husband and I are once again happy to be back in our house on the Point. Make no mistake, though, I always enjoy our extended summer jaunt revisiting my birthplace, even though husband has to bring some work with him. Time spent with the kids and grandkids is always a great thing, as were the walks around Mundy Pond and Quidi Vidi Lake, not to mention the dining out, the shopping, and celebrating husband’s birthday. We even managed to take a couple of side trips to Grates Cove and Portugal Cove while we were there.
the drive up the HillCabot Tower
My trip would not have been complete, however, if I had not taken a spin up to Signal Hill.
Is it any wonder one of my favourite spots has a spectacular view of the ocean? I know, I know. I live by the sea. You’d think I would have had my fill of huge bodies of water by now. But no, when the yearning for the sea beckons, I must respond.
sunny and warm on Saturdaypartial view of the walking trail
husband enjoying the scenery
Fort Amherstboat entering the Narrowsview of Cape Spear in the distanceDeadman’s Pond – urban legend would have you believe it is bottomlesscannons guarding the Harbour Narrowsthe warmest visit I can ever remember on Signal Hill
I expect to be extremely busy over the coming weeks, finishing the first draft of my novel (but I will be checking in here too!). I’m hoping to have it completed by the time my daughter and her family come to visit in the latter part of August. Wish me luck!
My husband and I are enjoying our second week away from home, spending most of our time in my birthplace, St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland. This past weekend, however, we took a short trip to Grates Cove.
Entering Grates Cove – jenniferkellandperry.comView from the walking trail running along the cliffs and barrens – jenniferkellandperry.com
This little community is the most northerly one on the Avalon Peninsula, and is my mother’s hometown.
Mom as a schoolgirlMom, out and about 😉
My father’s maternal roots are also here, so most of my relatives originated in Grates Cove. Some of them still live here, and others have summer homes.
Grates Cove is actually a National Historic site, recognized for its acres of rock walls.
From the last of the 1700’s to the early 1900’s, local residents used the rocks to define spaces within their environment. The rocks were thrown, stacked and piled into more than 160 acres of land to set aside fields, create gardens, store vegetables, protect livestock and to use as cemeteries. (source: beyondbaccalieu.com)
beyondbaccalieu.combeyondbaccalieu.comBeautiful day on Saturday – jenniferkellandperry.com
Like many of the coastal communities in our province, Grates Cove was a desirable place because of its prolific fishing grounds. First settled in 1790, its population has shrunk over the years, but it still supports the livelihood of a number of local fisher-persons, and is a popular tourist destination.
Many of these tourists have loved the place so much, they bought property of their own and put down roots. It has been reported that Grates Cove has the highest per capita in all of Newfoundland of “Mainlanders” buying up houses to live.
If you are ever in the area and get a chance to visit this picturesque little fishing village, I am sure you will understand why the “come-from-aways” fell in love with it and made up their minds to stay.
jenniferkellandperry.com
Have you ever visited tiny, out-of-the-way communities like Grates Cove? Are any of your relatives still living in places such as these?
Disclaimer: No wildlife was harmed during the creation of this photo shoot.
My son came for a visit here in Newtown this past week. On one of the days, I went along to take pics of him and my husband playing beach golf. This beautiful sandy beach is only a few hundred yards from our house. The weather was cool and windy, but I liked the way the photos turned out.
This is the sandbar they were aiming for.Watching the big boys playI love the sand ripples
“Who’s your step-daddy?” 🙂
Another good one!
Our neighbour, Ben drops by to watch.
“Is anyone here a marine biologist?” (just kidding 😉 )Time to collect the balls…Balls that didn’t hit the sandbar are easily found because the water is shallow (and surprisingly warm!).I love the action and the waves in this one.
“There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy.” ~ Mark Twain
Mark Twain (Wikipedia)
As a writer, I believe in these words from the great Mark Twain with all my heart. Each of us has an interesting and unique story to tell, with a new angle, and a fresh take on our individual life experiences.
As a fitting example, my mother-in-law shared the following with me this afternoon when we visited her.
“My father first set his eyes on my mother, Amelia, or Millie as she was called, when he was twenty and she was only twelve. Even at that tender age, she must have stolen his heart, because he told her, “Millie, I have to go away to work at sea, but when I come back, I will marry you.” Upon his return eight years later, he was true to his word. He took her as his wife, and nine months after the wedding, I was born. My father loved the name Mona, so he was the one that named me.”
wiki.jpg
The way she shared the story of how she came into the world resonated with me.
As life often goes, however, what started out as a romantic tale eventually encompassed great personal tragedy, hardship, and sacrifice.
My mother-in-law’s story of her family could easily fill the pages of an epic novel. It is a story I would consider worthy of recording and retelling one day.
Have you been moved by someone’s words in a conversation recently? As a writer or blogger, are you listening for new story opportunities in every-day life?
How about your own experiences? Have you ever considered writing a memoir?
In this age of PVR’s, boxed sets and better technology, my husband and I do most of our television viewing on demand and series by series. For instance, right now we escape into fantasy land by watching alternating episodes of Mad Men and Dexter, and are awaiting the return of Breaking Bad in August. Throw in Weeds for comic relief, and we were all set.
As coincidence would have it, we have the first two seasons of the Sopranos waiting for us when we finish Mad Men for the year. I know, I know, you are probably asking what rock were we living under to have not seen Tony Soprano and his show yet! My best answer would be that when it first came on TV back in the day, Husband and I were a little tired of the gangster genre from movies and decided not to partake. Recently, though, I saw the list of the top three TV shows voted for best writing, and they were the Twilight Zone, Seinfeld, and the Sopranos.
Trusting this list because we loved the first two, I suggested we should give the Sopranos a look-see. In addition, many of our friends had highly praised the show ad nauseum.
Then we hear the tragic news of James Gandolfini‘s massive fatal heart attack yesterday, the demise of a great actor who just so happens to be my age (I always thought he was older). The outpouring of grief in the media, including social media, cannot be ignored.
This actor created a character that obviously resonated with many. The story line may be compelling as well, but isn’t it the characters that draw you back to watch a show again and again? Simply put, without the intricacies and nuances of a character to keep your attention, would a story be even half as interesting?
Don Draper of Mad Men – IMBd
I wouldn’t care much about Mad Men if I wasn’t trying to figure out what made Don Draper tick. The same goes for Dexter Morgan and Walter White. Without these unique opportunities for character study, these shows wouldn’t hold our attention beyond the first few scene changes.
Dexter Morgan – wikipedia
Fiction novels are exactly the same. If I can’t in some way identify or be fascinated by the main character at least, the book is not worth reading to me. What would I do in this particular individual’s situation? Even if I can’t see myself behaving that way or saying those words, does the protagonist at least show me a way of understanding his or her actions?
As I write my own novel, I keep this uppermost in my mind. It is all about the characters. They are who the readers, and the viewers, fall in love with.
Rest in Peace, James. As you prematurely leave this world, I am about to delve into another one, the world you created as Tony Soprano. For another opportunity to study an enduring and memorable character, I am forever grateful.
This is going to be a quick post this evening, as I’ve been pretty busy and don’t expect to be up many more hours myself. I am now on Nanny duty for a week, staying at my daughter’s house while she and my son-in-law are away enjoying a vacation.
donating her hair
No big deal, you are probably thinking. But hang on a second, besides being responsible for a seven year-old girl and a five year-old boy, there is Ginger the cat and Nico the golden doodle dog. In addition, Poppy won’t be showing up to help out until Saturday.
dog eating the cat food again
Ginger is a breeze, and adorable with her new “lion cut”, but Nico is another story. Daily walks, poop-scooping, and simply managing an unbelievably lively and big one year-old pup may be the most challenging part of the deal.
Ah, but it is only for a short time. And it certainly has its rewards. Our girl has always been our angel, being the first grandchild and all. And then there’s our little man. After I read him a bedtime story and tucked him in for the night, I said, “I love you.” Sleepily, he said, “I love you too, Nanny.”
I’m sharing a few smiles I’ve collected from around the world in today’s post. While you listen to the great Louis Armstrong, it is my hope these photos will put a smile on your face too. 🙂
Cuba:
Smiles served with BreakfastOur Favourite WaitressLunchtime SerenadersSmiling faces at Dinner
Jamaica:
How’s this for Service with a Smile?Sweet!New Friends from MontrealOur Concierge
Italy:
Sisters we met in StresaOur Favourite Bartender in Rome
Friends in Florida:
Relatives in Ottawa:
Dominican Republic:
All-inclusive – even the SmilesFriendly Lady“I’ll be your waiter this evening”CharmingMy Personal Favourite 🙂
What could be more universal, in any language, in any country, than a freely-given smile? When you see a smiling face, does it make you happy too?
When I got the idea to start this little blog sixteen months ago, I didn’t fully appreciate what lay in store. For those who haven’t been following my blog since the beginning, my purpose for blogging was to give me incentive to create, and to develop the stick-to-itiveness I would need to tackle the project of writing a novel.
By sharing something regularly, I anticipated Jennifer’s Journal getting some initial feedback from my family and friends, and indeed, that was how it progressed for the first few posts.
But as time went on, I gained other followers. I was thrilled! As many of you did before me, I was claiming a tiny corner in the blogosphere with my words and pictures, and you gave me the inspiration to post every week. Bit by bit, you helped my confidence grow.
What I hadn’t counted on, though, was how a number of my new followers have turned into friends. My WordPress family feels very much like a family, in the way we support one another and appreciate what we as individuals are trying to contribute as we blog. Some connections have even gone beyond our blogs. But whatever the connection, I love this community and value your support. Big Hugs to all of you. 🙂
This brings me to the subject of blog awards. I am always honoured and pleased when someone nominates me for one of these tokens of recognition, and I happily accept it in the spirit in which it is given. However, to blog about them individually can be very time-consuming and repetitious, not only for me but for my readers as well. That is why I am taking the liberty of changing the rules and doing what some others have done: combining accumulated awards in one blog post, dispensing with questions and answers, and giving a shout-out to some of my most recent new followers.
Thank you, everyone! Readers, I urge you to check out these wonderful blogs.
Here are some of my most recent blogger/followers. Thank you, and welcome aboard. In appreciation, I share the WordPress Family Award with each of you. Respond to it, or not, as you wish. Once again, Readers, I suggest you sample these interesting blogs for yourself.
