It seems the older I get, the more I treasure the chance to travel around this province. Even when I visit a Newfoundland community I’ve been in before, it’s as if I see it with new and more appreciative eyes.
Earlier this week, I accompanied Paul on one of his little road trips for work, this time on the Burin Peninsula Heritage Run. Our destination was the vibrant town of Grand Bank. I hadn’t been there in over a decade.
It was a rainy trip. But Good Fortune smiled down, the sun came out as soon as we got there, and so did my trusty camera.
The authentic old buildings and heritage architecture I found especially charming. I’ll let the pictures tell the story of what I loved about historic Grand Bank.
The Inn by the Sea Bed and BreakfastThe Thorndyke – Registered Heritage B & B
Harris House…and another Widow’s Walk, a popular feature of long ago fishing communities.
Good day, my friends and fellow felines. Vivian K. Perry here, returning as guest host on Jennifer’s Journal.
Jennifer caught me unawares one morning last week, indulging in a wonderfully delicious cat nap. These pics she took make me wonder: do humans dream the same as I do?
Jennifer says I get twitchy at times when I sleep, where my paws seem to act out the dream-movie playing in my head. In the dream-movie, I might be chasing a shrew or a mouse, or I could be trying to catch up to Paul on a walk.
I wonder, is it the cat version of REM sleep? Except it’s RPM sleep – short for “Rapid Paw Movement”?
I think the camera captured me here resting up for another night of fun and frolic. While the weather is still mild, Maisie and I enjoy napping for most of the day, so we can return to our wild, nocturnal adventures as the moon rises and darkness descends…
…then we pad back home at the break of dawn to stir the house with urgent meows and vibrating purrs. Time to get up and fill our bowls, humans!
“How nice it is to think that feline dreams, like our own, are painted with creative brush strokes from time to time. Perhaps my cats and I even share the same dream…where every cat has a safe, warm place to sleep.” ~ Barbara L. Diamond
“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can play together all night.” ~ Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes)
Before I sign off of course, Jennifer insists I include a sleeping Maisie in my post:
Baby MaisieGrown-up Maisie
Wishing you all – and my dear sister – the sweetest of dreams! ♥
Michael Lai from RetireeDiary is a travel photographer in Hong Kong, whose blog I’ve been following for years.
His skill with the camera and his captures of people and places is always a treat.
Now he shares with us The Dog Who Lives On A Fishing Raft*, a collection of engaging shots featuring Dor Dor, a gorgeous LabradorRetriever who belongs to a friend.
Click on the link below to see how photogenic Dor Dor is. If you scroll down on his page to the Related Posts under the Likes you will find more from the series of my new “favourite internet dog”. 🙂
(Yes, I’m a cat person, but who can resist that smile?)
During our trip to Italy and France in 2011, I took hundreds of photos, the majority of which were daytime shots. Here are some favourite captures from two of France’s cities in late evening and night.
I still find them as inviting as ever.
Cannes
Lights wink on as dusk descends.Window-shopping in Cannes; almost as fun as the real thing!Boulevard de la Croisette invites us to explore. Ritz Carlton on the right.The Croisette stretches 2 km long beside the Mediterranean Sea.The entrance to our hotel beckons.Home Sweet Home for three nights.
On to Paris:
The view from our hotel for four nights
On the Seine River Dinner Cruise……which ended at the Eiffel Tower.Bonne nuit, mes amis!
As the last tranquil days of summer disappear, I am drawn to the warmth of the sandy beaches that encircle Perry’s Point.
For a few moments, I can almost forget colder days are approaching…
This stretch of sand is begging for bare feet.
“To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour.”
~ William Blake
It’s good to see that the beach birds are still around.
The sandpipers and plovers seem to be in no hurry to wing their way south for the winter.
Among the strands and clumps of kelp, there must be lots of yummy tidbits for them to eat.Notice how some like to stand on one leg.The different species get along fairly well, sharing nature’s bounty.Flight!Due to global warming, many species of birds in North America are dwindling in numbers, and the numbers on protected and endangered lists are increasing.I hope you never face extinction, my precious feathered friends.This one appears to have something to say about it all.I love their plump little bodies……and their long beaks!
Vivian doesn’t go down to the beach unless she has company……Good thing for the beach birds!
“The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.” ~ Charles Darwin
Thank you for stopping by to enjoy the beach with me, and Summer’s last hurrah. 🙂
“If one really loves nature, one can find beauty everywhere.”
~ Vincent van Gogh
There is something about this time of year, before the advent of autumn, that I love about life on Perry’s Point.
Unconventional to say the least, my backyard here in Newfoundland has no fences, save for one side shared with our neighbour.
One day last week I got out early with my camera, hoping to capture the soft morning light.
The grass still glistens with dew.It’s shaping up to be another splendid September day.View of the islands from the back doorNeighbour Ben’s boatVivian joins me, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Maisie begs shamelessly for a belly rub.View from our deck of the outermost point of land on Perry’s PointWalking toward the brink. Around here they call it a “beel”, which I believe to be a slang version of “bill”, or small peninsula.This morning the bay is calm and serene.
The Inukshuk my husband made this summerThe “Rock Cove”, where rainwater collectsIt’s an ideal source of fresh drinking water for our feathered friends. We’ve seen a few indulge in bird baths here too.The partridgeberries are ripening, on schedule for picking next month.I don’t know what kind these are. Do you?
Neighbour Ben’s fishing buoys and bobbers
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” ~ Albert Einstein
Join me next Monday for: My “Backyard”- Part 2: The Beach
Happy Monday, everyone. Here are a few images that made me smile with affection last week:
When she can’t be in her master’s lap, Vivian will take possession of an article of clothing or anything that smells like him – even his sandal. Nice fit.
My grandchildren, captured in slumber about six years ago.
Nico before his haircut… …and after. He is like a different dog!
What endearing images have caught your attention recently?
Hey, who doesn’t love food? I know not everyone loves cooking, but Andrea of Cooking with a Wallflower sure does, and she does it with style. Her easy-to-follow, step-by-step recipes are a delight. I have been following Andrea for some time now, loving her recipe ideas and the gorgeous food photography that goes with it. In her own words:
I know that it’s sometimes difficult to find time to cook when you’re balancing so many other things in your life, but my hope is that you will find that cooking can be fun and relatively simple. I want my readers to be able to have fun cooking as well as enjoy what they eat. After all, what’s the point of eating if you don’t like what you eat? So just because I have certain ingredients in my recipe does not mean that you can’t substitute in some of your favorite ingredients. Have fun and enjoy yourselves.”
Summer in my province of Newfoundland and Labrador, compared to most of North America, is short but ever so sweet. What makes it so cherished, to my mind?
The following photos were all taken in Lead Cove, the little community where I raised my children.
I love my home for its natural beauty,
its refreshing, rugged and
unspoiled charm,
for its clear and wide blue skies
without a whisper of smog.
I love the clean, sparkling water
and the glistening rocks adorning the coastline
that beg to be traced
and trod upon by eager footsteps.
I love summer in Newfoundland
for its breathtaking views
of seascapes and landscapes
when I embark on a hike.
Whether I traverse
its beaches of sand or
climb its rocky windswept hills,
I know my camera will find its aim.
I embrace it because
the bushes and shrubs,
green and lush,
are heavy with fragrance
and of wild roses in bloom…
…while in the gardens,
the planted perennials are brilliant with colour,
delighted at last
to spread their bright petals to the sun.
I love the hardy trees of Newfoundland
in summer…
…as they stretch
their ripe foliage to the sky.
Shot through with rays of sunlight,
a shimmering haze settles over the treetops
like a warm summer veil.
After a long winter and dismal spring
of cold, naked branches,
they, as I do,
breathe a sigh of gratitude
at the return of this warm and golden season.
Last Friday, we took a trip to Lead Cove, the little outport community where my children grew up.
Time spent with fun-loving family…
…on a warm summer weekend, is high on my list of favourite things to do.
Around the bay, the pace slows down where time together is savoured and enjoyed.
(Our boy fell and skinned his knee after I took this one, but let’s not talk about that.)
Nico explores with Poppy, making the most of his freedom from the leash.
Our little girl spends a pensive moment beside the sea.
Nico joins her.
Perhaps they are watching the fishing boat near the horizon.
When we return to the summer-house, our chef checks on the roast he is smoking with maple chips.
Nico finds a shady spot.
Pulled pork sandwiches with all the fixin’s. Yum!
Everyone loves it. ❤
Nico is savouring every minute.
So nice to see the kids playing and spending quality time with their mom.
Later, we light a fire and serve up spider wieners.
Happy girl.
What fire would be complete without s’mores? My first one in decades. 🙂
Jennifer's Journal 