Photography – Page 25 – Jennifer's Journal

Not-So-Obvious Reasons Why Italy Should Be Your Next Travel Destination

Published on October 29, 2016October 29, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry36 Comments

Ah, wanderlust. I’m experiencing you again.

My husband and I are beginning to yearn for a return trip to Europe. We are planning on seeing England sometime in the future, but we still get a warm and fuzzy feeling when we look back on our trip to Italy.

268057_10150360211538569_148206_n — jenniferkellandperry.com

We all know that food is one of the main draws to Italy. After all, it’s undeniable that their pizzas and pastas are the best in the world, and we feasted on both often, during our travels there.

Many people visit the country to experience the renowned cuisine, and crowds upon crowds of tourists frequent the popular cities of Venice and Rome.

But there is more to Italy than these things. Here are some not-so-obvious reasons why Italy should be your next travel destination.

Wonderful Festivals

One thing I hadn’t known when we visited is that Italy knows how to put on a good festival. If we ever return – and I hope we do – we won’t forget to sample a few. In the summer months, there are many outdoor festivals, full of music for locals and visitors to enjoy. One festival you won’t want to miss is the Carpino Folk Festival. It’s the biggest folk festival in the country and is fantastic if you want to listen to some haunting melodies. You can find out more about this festival in this article.

Amazing Craft Shops

Shopping is one of the biggest draws to Italy. The clothes are fantastic, and you wouldn’t want to leave without visiting some of the designer stores. But as well as clothes, there are some fabulous craft shops. You’ll find many towns across the country with stores selling all the craft items you could possibly need. One place to go to is the Palazzo Pitti. As this feature explains, you can find some great artisan shops here, selling ceramics and leather. You’ll be going home with a full suitcase of fabulous finds if you head to beautiful Italy. All you need is the money!

tuscan-villa-063 — jenniferkellandperry.com

The Beautiful Countryside in Tuscany

The views are one of the best things about Italy. Places in Italy like the Amalfi Coast are some of the most stunning in the world. If you head to Tuscany, you’ll see the gorgeous countryside, full of vineyards and olive groves that are breathtaking. The Apennine Mountains are a sight to behold. I recommend you find somewhere to stay in the heart of the Tuscany countryside to have an unforgettable Italian holiday.

We stayed in a lovely villa for an entire week while we were in Tuscany, and took day trips to Florence and Siena. Next time, we have to remember to book a trip to a winery for something a little different.

Beautiful churches

Even if you are not religious, the churches in Italy are worth taking in. For one thing, they are absolutely beautiful treasures of architecture. They were a highlight of our trip and something I will never forget. Just make sure you cover up out of respect when you visit the churches, or you won’t be allowed in. 🙂

siena-017-e1426603007674 — jenniferkellandperry.com

As well as all this, the country has some of the nicest people in the world. My husband and I would go back in a heartbeat!

Have you ever travelled to Italy?
Do you have any not-so-obvious reasons to add it as a destination?

Vivian’s View From Here: My Trip to the Vet

Published on October 22, 2016October 22, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry20 Comments

Happy weekend, Peeps and Pets.

Vivian K. Perry here, back for a new guest post on Jennifer’s Journal. Can you believe this is my eleventh time blogging here on WordPress? I’m becoming an old pro!

Let’s get down to business: I went to see my veterinarian in Gander yesterday. And because I did, my weekend is going to be one of recovery instead of more itching and scratching of my pretty face.

You see, I have this recurring condition, an allergy of sorts, or so I’m told. The problem is that no one can determine what triggers it! The first time this happened to me was when we were still living in the city, and I was barely out of kittenhood. I had a little spot on my cheek that simply would not heal.

fullsizerender-1 — **This is me yesterday morning. I had no idea at this point where I would be going that afternoon. Notice my not-so-pretty face. 😦**

As it happened, Jennifer and Paul went on a trip to Jamaica that spring, and when they came back, they were horrified to see that the little spot had festered and had gotten much worse. Off to the vet we went, and I came back with steroids, antibiotics and that ghastly ‘cone of shame’ around my neck. Let me tell you: I HATED that #@%*#!ing cone!

But I healed, and ever since, my staff made sure I never got to that point again.

A year or so ago, Jennifer read on the internet that the cat treats, Temptations, were causing itchy skin allergies in some other members of my species, so of course I never got to eat another one after that. For a long while, it seemed the mystery had been solved.

Then my condition returned, so we are back to square one as to the cause. If anyone out there has any experience with this or knows what I might be allergic to, would you help a kitty out and please leave a comment below?

Jennifer put together this little gallery from my visit. I hope you enjoy it more than I did.

**“I hate this #%&*# cage and this #%&*#car!”**

**Jennifer stayed in the back seat with me, so I stopped crying. An hour and a half is a long drive for a kitty.**

When we finally got to the vet's, we had to wait for a little while. — **When we finally got to the vet’s, we had to wait for a while.**

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Too many doggies for my liking. I was outnumbered!

Paul faced me away from those doggies, but I could smell them. Ugh! — **Paul faced me away from those doggies, but I knew they were there. Doggie smells don’t lie.**

In spite of my allergy, the vet said I was very healthy for my age. :) — **In spite of my allergy, the vet said I was very healthy for my age. I was also very well-behaved.** 🙂

After my check-up, I went home with my new meds. I hardly made a peep the whole way, probably because I was worn out from all the excitement.

I thought Maisie would’ve been lonely during our absence; she is rarely left by herself.
But she seemed un-purr-turbed.

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada

Published on October 9, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry8 Comments

canadathanksgiving

*Travel theme: Enlightened

Book Club Brunch

Published on October 2, 2016October 2, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry18 Comments

What an absolutely heavenly October day it is out there! The gale of wind we experienced over the last half of the week has finally abated, and the sun is warm and glorious. When you can sit outside sleeveless and barefoot to enjoy your morning coffee, that is my favourite kind of fall weather.

A couple of Sundays ago when we held our latest book club meeting, it was a beautiful day too. We combined it with a potluck brunch at Janet and Duke’s house. Unfortunately, all our members couldn’t attend, but we had a lovely time anyway discussing our latest book, enjoying the scrumptious fare, and sharing many laughs.

We are a diverse group, with members including a visual artist, a chef, a French teacher, and a retired flight attendant (4o years!), to name just a few. I’ve posted a small gallery of the event below, where Paul took most of the pics with an iPhone 6. You can click on them to read those with captions.

October will see the first edition of my Author Newsletter arriving in your in-boxes, which I am working on. Updates on what’s going on in my writerly life will be monthly or less. If you haven’t signed up for it yet and would like to, you can do so here.

Have an inspiring week, everyone!

The book we discussed. One of my faves in the club so far.

Laughing (no, I’m not saying grace or sneezing!)

Yummy brunch with blueberries Duke picked that morning

Mmmm…

Maple syrup and blueberries make homemade waffles delish!

Next book to be read

A Seasonal Love Note

Published on September 19, 2016February 2, 2017 by J. Kelland Perry26 Comments

I know our Atlantic Canadian summers are short and I treasure the warmer days while they’re here, but there is something about this season of change I truly love as well.

Late summer and early fall has a uniquely different quality, where on a sunny day the air lends a crisper, more metallic edge to the natural world. (This love affair hinges on one important caveat: that the northeast wind doesn’t blow too much and turn our world chilly and wet for days on end.)

The outlines of clouds against the steel-blue sky look sharper, heralding the approach of what is to come. Most foliage and grasses are still summery green. I relish them all the more, knowing the colours will soon transition into vibrant shades of red and gold before finally fading to the cool grey and white hues of late autumn and winter.

It is a season of harvest and renewal, a time of new beginnings and the dawning of fresh ideas. The kiddies are back in their classes. Though my own school days and child rearing years are well behind me, I still feel that push of motivation into new plans and goals, to make the transition into a stricter work schedule, to get back to writing more in the coming months. November and NaNoWriMo are still a ways off, but I strive to clear up all loose ends in preparation for – dare I say it without jinxing myself – a 50 thousand-word first draft of a brand-spanking new novel.

Then there are the berries. Where would this season be without the berries?

fullsizerender-3 fruits of the first trip

fullsizerender-2 …and fruits of the second

In two afternoon jaunts, the blueberries are now picked, and it won’t be long before we are in on the barrens again to pick partridgeberries. (In other parts of the world, these lovely bitter, relatives of the cranberry are called lingonberries or cowberries.) I make plenty of the “patchy-berry” jam for my other half since he likes it on his morning toast all year round, not to mention in the occasional pastry tart with a generous dollop of thick cream.

Especially anticipated, besides an excursion on the barrens, is picking the plump, juicy partridgeberries that grow right here on our land. I checked all around the Point last week and it looks like a bumper crop this year, probably a sign of how plentiful their growth is everywhere else. They, along with the blueberries and the cod from the food fishery, will go a long way in keeping our deep freeze full for another winter.

Coinciding with the cool-down in temperature is a return to more bread-baking. There’s nothing like the smell of a fresh batch from the oven to take the chill out of your day.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

What do you like the most about this time of year?
Relief from the heat? A return to a more orderly schedule?
Getting the children out from underfoot and back in school?
Or are you sad because the summer is nearly spent?
Do tell!

This post was inspired by Ailsa’s Travel Theme: Seasonal.

For the Love of a Cat

Published on September 12, 2016January 14, 2017 by J. Kelland Perry26 Comments

Last week, a friend of ours had to say goodbye to her 20-year-old orange tabby, Theo.

Understandably (to us, anyway), she is having a rough time over it.

Mr. Theo
June 1996 – 8 September 2016
Ever remembered, ever loved.

Just a cat, you may be thinking? Well, the truth is, to anyone who loves a cat the way they deserve to be loved, her grief is real and profound. Not only is a cat like a beloved child, but it is also a companion when you are lonely, a source of comfort when you are suffering or simply having an off day, and a wellspring of joy to anyone who appreciates animals for their natural beauty and abilities.

Our own cats, Maisie and Vivian, recently turned nine, so I guess you could say they now have about half their natural lives behind them.

“I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.”
—Jean Cocteau

“Time spent with a cat is never wasted.”
—Colette

“What greater gift than the love of a cat?”
—Charles Dickens

Is there a special feline in your life?
Or are you more of a dog person?
Have you lost a beloved pet recently?
Please share in the comments below.

Fun, Sun, Sand and Smiles

Published on August 16, 2016August 16, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry15 Comments

After nine days, the children have gone home.

Our house yawns astonishingly quiet and empty. The beaches here on Sandy-Feet Avenue and Perry’s Point look abandoned, lonely and forlorn; bereft of the three little beach bums that ran across them countless times a day.

A myriad of reminders surround me: empty sand pails, tiny mementos in the form of sea glass and shells from the beach, our grandson’s toy army tank left behind, a day pass from Windmill Bight Park, a box of our granddaughter’s favourite crackers in the cupboard, a candy wrapper under the bed. There is even a folder of GoPro videos they made saved on my PC desktop.

And I’m amazed at how much longer it takes for the dishwasher and the washing machine to fill up in their absence.

We miss our two grandchildren – plus one little friend – but we had an incredible time together filled with sweet summer memories and photos to look back on.

And there is always next year, God willing!

Here are a few captures from last week.

FullSizeRender (6) — Searching for starfish, hermit crabs and other treasures

“Wanna go clam-digging again?”

FullSizeRender (11) — The weather was beautiful nearly every day!

FullSizeRender — Our girl having fun at the nearby playground

FullSizeRender (4) — Waiting to dine on ‘Surf ‘n Turf’ at the local restaurant*

During one of these lazy afternoons, our girl decided she wanted to write a story. So while her friend and our boy continued playing on the beach, she sat down nearby with a pad of lined paper and a pencil. When I asked her what her story was about, she said with a shy grin, “Cats.”

I guess the (grand)apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

*All photos taken with iPhone 6

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fun

Meanwhile, in Newfoundland…

Published on August 4, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry15 Comments

slowdownsummer

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” – John Steinbeck

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” ― William Shakespeare

My Buttercup Runneth Over

Published on July 21, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry17 Comments

Weekend Walk Part II – Lovely Greenspond

Published on July 19, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry26 Comments

There is something about the town of Greenspond in Bonavista North that consistently captures my imagination. Yes, it is known for its wonderful walking trail and its majestic icebergs in spring, but it is magical to me because of much more than that.

No matter how many times I visit, take pictures, or blog about it, this historic community with its many mansard roofs, saltbox homes, and idyllic scenery harkens me back to imaginings of yesteryear when English settlers first came here from Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Hampshire centuries ago.

These first inhabitants grew Greenspond into a major economic enterprise through fishing and trading, yet today it stands preserved in an “olden day” atmosphere, giving this visitor storybook inspiration of how Newfoundlanders lived before life became modern and fast-paced.

Take a little tour with me through the following photos. The first one is from Facebook but the rest are from our visit there in May.

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