Tag: Bonavista Bay

January on Perry's Point, Newfoundland

January Blue*

Published on by J. Kelland Perry44 Comments

It’s a blue winter day on Perry’s Point.

It isn’t a sad and lonely day, but one painted with the hues of a brilliant blue sky and a blanket of sunshine, the kind of day where the sun and snow merge to design graceful shadows in the hollows of the landscape.

IMG_0056 (800x521)Sun on the newly fallen and drifted snow creates a tapestry of shadowy forms,
from the palest baby blue to the deepest of indigo.

IMG_0067The slanting afternoon rays of sunlight hold little heat,
but warm the heart of this nature-lover nonetheless.

IMG_0075 (800x519)The surface of the snow waves and crests,
while most of the bay lies still under a layer of slush and ice.

IMG_0076 (800x475)Dunes of scalloped white surround me…

IMG_0123 (800x541)…and the only hint of sound is the faint exhale of a frigid breeze.

IMG_0089 (800x533)Certain feathered creatures have already been here.

IMG_0114 (800x518)At the end of the Point I reach the icy blue coastline…

IMG_0096 (800x533)…where the water is still full of movement in spite of the sub-zero air.

IMG_0084 (800x402)Cold, but fluid…

IMG_0085 (800x383)…clear and beautiful.

IMG_0145 (800x623)Other shadows dapple a weather-worn barn…

IMG_0149 (800x428)…and sun-bleached fences.

IMG_0152 (800x533)Hidden in shade, a bird house waits for spring, and a new tenant…

IMG_0130 (800x522)…while our neighbour’s fishing boat awaits a new summer.

IMG_0163 (800x574)Ben Perry’s shed is called a “store” around these parts.

IMG_0159 (800x472)Still more shadows hide in furrows of snow and last summer’s grasses. I wade in.

IMG_0068 (800x533)My toes are like ice cubes inside my boots at this point. I hop over the fence to home.

IMG_0155 (800x571)Time to put the kettle on…

IMG_0183 (800x533)…and thaw myself out with a cup of tea.

IMG_0182 (800x533)And my world changes from blue to green.

How is your January going?
What is the colour of your winter? 

*ThrowbackThursday – This is a reblog from January 2015.

Sunday Snaps: Ten Years in This Old House

Published on by J. Kelland Perry37 Comments

Last week on December 7th, Paul and I celebrated our tenth anniversary of living here on Perry’s Point in Newtown. We had left the city behind in 2010 for the rural life and a new adventure.

Our house, which was newly built for Paul’s grandfather Perry in 1923, was in dire need of restoration and renovation before we could move in. The work that went into these first stages is clearly illustrated in these photos.

The beginning: gutting out the old
This one and the one below show the rot. We’d started not a moment too soon. 
Yikes!
We chose to keep the original staircase and the three stained-glass windows.
Stripping down the old kitchen for new counters and cabinets.
On the left, a view of the living room through the wall where the old chimney had been removed. On the right is a view of the front hall from the dining room.
The old porch was dismantled to make way for a new one and a half-bath. Goodbye, old appliances!
Construction begins on the new porch and half-bath extension. Pictured: cousin and neighbour Wayne, one of our carpenters.
Wayne and Paul hard at work. Fun fact: Paul lost 25 pounds that summer and fall. That happens when you’re constantly working and running to the lumber yard and hardware store for new materials. He’s kept the weight off ever since.
“A little help from my friends.” Pictured: Paul, neighbour Ben (may he rest in peace ♥), Randy (our other carpenter), and my husband’s Uncle Harold.
Many hands make light work!
Three brothers (Paul’s cousins): Randy, Wayne, and along comes Winston to inspect. 😉
Getting a shot of the first new windows. Reflection of yours truly with the Atlantic ocean behind me.
The roofers came next.
Layer on top of layer…
Insulation, clapboard, and paint. Colour name: Dipped in Sugar. We’ve painted the house blue since then.
Getting there!
Back view. Looks bare before the deck was added. New backdoor window broke and had to be replaced.
Tons more to do, but getting hooked up to the internet can’t wait another minute. 

In 2023, this old house will be one hundred years old, which coincides with our 25th wedding anniversary. Sounds like a great excuse for a party!

Summer’s End

Published on by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments

Tomorrow, Monday September 23rd, is the first day of fall. Specifically, the 2019 fall equinox will begin at 3:50 a.m Eastern Standard Time on that morning. We tend to think the season starts September 20th or 21st, but the date varies. It ranges from Sept. 21 to Sept. 24.

Aside from this, I’m still trying to figure out where summer went. While I sulk over its all-too-brief appearance on my patch of the planet this year, I’m wistfully sharing this snap taken from my back deck on one of our loveliest summer days, August 4th.

While everyone else seems to have embraced fall and are busy with their updated plans and schedules, I’m here wishing I could turn back the calendar. 🌞 🌞 🌞

Fridays and Final Drafts

Published on by J. Kelland Perry38 Comments

Crunch time is here for my latest novel.

I’m nearing the end of the final draft, which means my beta readers will soon whisk away my manuscript for their constructive perusal. The timing couldn’t be better.

With the weather finally improving, I look forward to a couple of months to recharge and get ready for the next steps.

Friday turned out to be a super nice day. So mid-afternoon, I tore myself away from the laptop to step outside into sunshine, breathe the soft ocean breeze, and enjoy the view.

I think Maisie had the same idea.

“Does this camera angle make me look fat?”
Finally looking like summer around here!
“Stay out longer with me next time, please?”

It wasn’t easy to go back inside, but when you can see the finish line, it gives you more incentive to keep working. And once that line is crossed? Rest assured, Maisie–I will stay out with you much longer then.

“Best advice on writing I’ve ever received. Finish.”
~ Peter Mayle

While it is February

Published on by J. Kelland Perry
Perry’s Point – jenniferkellandperry.com

While it is February, one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch. ~ Patience Strong

Winifred Emma May (1907 – 1990) was a poet from the United Kingdom, best known for her work under the pen name Patience Strong. Her poems were usually short, simple and imbued with sentimentality, the beauty of nature and inner strength. – Wikipedia

When I found the above quote to accompany today’s photo, I couldn’t help but smile at the author’s pen name. “Patience Strong” is what some of us need to get through the cold and icy month of February. 🙂

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Winter Afternoon

Published on by J. Kelland Perry24 Comments
January 14, 2019

Winter afternoon
peace and quiet so serene
clear and cold and blue
– but I’m never blue with you
in our home beside the sea.

***

The Japanese tanka is a 31-syllable poem.
Tanka translates as ‘short song’ and is known for its 5-line, 5/7/5/7/7 syllable count form.

Sunday Snap: A New Perspective

Published on by J. Kelland Perry34 Comments
Aerial View of Perry's Point
Aerial View of Perry’s Point

This cool photo of Perry’s Point was snapped last week on Monday, November 5th by Paul’s cousin, Winston Perry. He took it from a small plane and gave me permission to share. Check out the sand and the seaweed around the coastline.

That’s my house in the foreground, closest to the end of the point, the blue one with the shed and a little blue outhouse to the far left. A large portion of Newtown is shown in the background.

The sunshine that day makes the house colour look lighter from that angle, but if you click on my Facebook link below, you’ll see its true colour. Laundry and all! That photo was taken by Winston’s brother and our neighbour, Wayne Perry.

Thanks for the great captures, guys!

Home Sweet Home on Facebook

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Places People Live

Where Once They Lived: The Beothuk of Perry’s Point

Published on by J. Kelland Perry9 Comments

This past summer, Perry’s Point here in Newtown, Newfoundland & Labrador received a new addition. A project of the Cape Freels Development Association, this information display is a reminder and a history lesson to all about the first people who inhabited this area: the Beothuks.

I will let the display speak for itself.
Please read to learn more about this fascinating First Nation.

Thank you to the Cape Freels Association, Winston Perry, and to anyone else involved in this worthy initiative.

As it happened, earlier this year I read The Last Beothuk, the newest release by local author Gary Collins. I wholly recommend this historical novel to anyone interested in learning more about the way of life of these indigenous people and what ultimately became of them.

Inspired by True Events:

“Long after Demasduit’s skull has been stolen from her grave, and years after Shanawdithit has died, one Beothuk and his family survive.
Bursting out of the pages of Newfoundland history appears Kop, the last true Beothuk.
When all the other members of his tribe are exterminated by the Europeans, Kop seeks revenge against the Unwanted Ones.
Hidden among the Bear Clan of the Mi’kmaq, the Beothuk strikes back.
Follow Kop on his trail of defiance against the European marauders upon his Island. See what becomes of a man who has nothing to lose or live for.
Stay with him on a hundred trails and sit with him across the smoke of a hundred campfires. You will not only weep for the last Beothuk—you will cheer him on as he pushes back against the Unwanted Ones.”

Aqua and Azure

Published on by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments
Cape Bonavista
View from Cape Bonavista, NL – one of the gems from our travels around the province.

“I have seen the sea when it is stormy and wild;
when it is quiet and serene; when it is dark and moody.
And in all its moods, I see myself.”
― Martin Buxbaum

***

Hues of aqua, azure
dreamy summer haze 
wild rocky coastline 
exhilarating breeze  

I love that warmer days are approaching!
What are you looking forward to this summer?
Any travel/vacation plans on your horizon?

 

Pic and Word Challenge: Aqua and Azure
Photo first published here: Sea and Sky

Beach Love

Published on by J. Kelland Perry39 Comments

Lumsden Beach, Newfoundland and Labrador

Lumsden Beach in April

“There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” – Sarah Kay, American poet

I love this sandy beach! Arguably the best of its kind in Newfoundland and Labrador, Lumsden Beach is just a ten-minute drive away from us here on the Kittiwake Coast.
So whenever the desire arises to walk a sandy shore that’s over a mile long, this breathtaking spot is our place to go.

Yes, we recently enjoyed a fun week on Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana with its crowds of happy tourists, its tropical climate and endless sunshine, but this beach is an introvert’s dream. Even in the dead of summer, it’s never crowded. Heaven on earth!

Is there a favourite beach near where you live? Share in the comments below.

Photos taken on April 25th, 2018