Canada – Page 18 – Jennifer's Journal

Friday Bouquet #17

Published on March 27, 2015February 12, 2020 by J. Kelland Perry10 Comments

I’m shaking things up for Friday Bouquet this morning. Usually I award it to a fellow blogger found doing something wonderful in the blogosphere, but this time I am throwing the bouquet to my sister and the therapy dog program.

Lynn is an assistant professor and nursing instructor at the Memorial School of Nursing in St. John’s, but her contribution to health care and humankind hasn’t stopped there. Please click on the link below – wouldn’t you know it, a WordPress blog by Eastern Health Story Line – to find out what she and her little dog Abbey have been up to, and be sure to look for their photos. All of my animal lover friends are sure to enjoy it. 🙂

http://storyline.easternhealth.ca/2015/03/19/canine-therapy-a-warm-and-fuzzy-feeling/

Have you had any experience with canine therapy?
What about the health benefits of spending time with other animals?

Here are two other sisters wishing you a warm and wonderful weekend. ❤

A “Brrr”-ning Question…

Published on February 18, 2015February 18, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry27 Comments

Just chillin’ out on the barbecue…

Winter’s Glaze

Published on February 11, 2015February 11, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry44 Comments

A Chilly Welcome ;) — A Chilly Greeting?

A couple of weeks ago, we weathered yet another “lovely” ice storm. The freezing rain painted every surface with sleet, resulting in slippery walks, treacherous roads, and a thick coat of glittering rime on just about everything. Oh Joy!

140 (1280x721) — Our neighbour’s view of our point of land, with the ocean view lost in the fog beyond

If you’ve never heard about the phenomenon of “ice-fog”, this is what it looks like.

097 (1280x789) — A ghostly mist hangs in the air, glazing everything in a sheet of ice.

I hoped to capture some shots of sunshine on the glitter, but the forecast wasn’t cooperating. Not one to miss an opportunity, however, I headed outside to see what artistry I might find under the heavy grey overcast of gloom.

The scene is still, frozen in windless silence. I find a stalk encased in a shell of ice.

Abandoned clothespins encapsulated on our summer neighbour’s line.
Who knew they would prove useful for this shutterbug?

Fences are crusted with frost, and icicles trickle in abundance.

The fog begins to clear…

…and the clouds lift a little, allowing a few thin milky rays to shine through.

All at once, everything glows with a sparkly sheen…

…and the “batty catters” take on a cold blue tint at the ocean’s edge.
A wide band of slobby ice meanders in the water near the coastline.

018 (1280x834) — Grass that reminds me of glass straws

090 (1280x606) — The opening sky colours our sea blue once again.

So far, we’ve enjoyed countless sunny days and not too much of the white stuff.
But that may be about to change; a winter storm alert is issued for the weekend.

How are you braving the winter?
Are you longing to put this season behind you?
Or are you finding beauty in unexpected places?

Dad in The Big Land

Published on January 27, 2015January 28, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry31 Comments

These days, few of us experience the old-fashioned pleasure of receiving a letter by standard mail. So imagine my joy to find, tucked inside a Christmas card from my aunt in the U.S., a handwritten note, along with a handful of photos sent to her from my father.

She writes:

“Dear Jennifer – A note to enclose with these snapshots sent to me many years ago. They are precious to me, but belong in your heart and your home. It was a great adventure that Ralph shared with me over the phone lines. – Lovingly, Irene.”

Discussing this with my aunt recently, she was unable to nail down the year they were taken, but she believes Dad made the trip to Labrador in the mid to late fifties. That would make him, at the youngest, twenty-one, and still single.

An added bonus: his familiar handwriting scrawled on the back of each snapshot. ♥

I have captioned each one with his words.

A closer look:
I love his outfit. Lots of layers, warm boots, yet he is wearing a jacket, shirt and tie, and his hair is perfect.

01-03-~2 (4) (1) — **Our plane at Gander before takeoff 4:30 pm**

This begs more questions: why did he fly out of Gander and not St. John’s? Who was he with and who took the pictures? Why did he make this trip to Labrador? Unfortunately, we are fuzzy on all the details.

01-03-~2 (2) (1) — **Crossing the bays to Hopedale**

01-03-~2 (3) (1) — **Deserted shack and our dog-sled at Big Bay between Hopedale and Davis Inlet.**

01-03-~2 (5) — **At Makkovik with “husky” pups.**

No surprise to me at all that Dad would love the little animals!

If only he and I could sit down and have a chat together about his adventure in “The Big Land.” In any case, I cannot put into words how good it feels to see my father’s young face again. ♥

Have you ever gotten mail that made your day?

Is there someone you love and miss with all your heart?

Further Reading: Labrador, the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador

January Blue

Published on January 15, 2015January 28, 2021 by J. Kelland Perry55 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.

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

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

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

Dunes of scalloped white surround me…

…and the only hint of sound is the faint exhale of a frigid breeze.

Certain feathered creatures have already been here.

At the end of the Point I reach the icy blue coastline…

…where the water is still full of movement in spite of the sub-zero air.

Cold, but fluid…

…clear and beautiful.

Other shadows dapple a weather-worn barn…

…and sun-bleached fences.

Hidden in shade, a bird house waits for spring, and a new tenant…

…while our neighbour’s fishing boat awaits a new summer.

Ben Perry’s shed is called a “store” around these parts.

Still more shadows hide in furrows of snow and last summer’s grasses. I wade in.

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

Time to put the kettle on…

…and thaw myself out with a cup of tea.

And my world changes from blue to green.

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

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadowed

Happy Old Year :-)

Published on December 29, 2014January 17, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry24 Comments

For several reasons, 2014 was a happy and productive year for yours truly, and probably the most pleasant since we moved to Bonavista Bay North four years ago.

Fittingly, the most popular song of 2014 turned out to be “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. With its simple, exuberant message and its cheerful beat, perhaps I’m not totally surprised it has become one of the bestselling singles of all time (Personally, I liked his hit “Get Lucky” a little bit more).

However, I find myself partial to the version below by Walk Off The Earth, a band from Burlington, Ontario. They are accompanied in this video by the American pop rock band, Parachute. Have a listen, and tell me what you think!

Thanks to Denise and Dave for introducing them to us a couple of years ago, and kudos to Paul for “feeling the endorphins release”. 😉

What was your favourite happy song of 2014?

Was it a good year for you, or one you are glad to put behind you?

What is bringing you happiness right now?

Links of Interest:

Pharrell Williams’ 24 Hours of Happy

Walk Off The Earth (Official Website)

Jennifer’s Journal
3 Years Blogging

Free Spirit

Published on December 16, 2014December 16, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry18 Comments

“Freedom means you are unobstructed in living your life as you choose.
Anything else is a form of slavery.” ~ Wayne Dyer

How do you picture freedom?

To Sea by Virtue

Published on November 26, 2014November 26, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry25 Comments

One sunny afternoon last month, we accompanied friends aboard the Virtue, their Beneteau 400 sailing vessel.
We were only too happy to share in the enjoyment of the October sea and sky.

024 — *Rowing in the little boat to the big boat*

“Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

“I never get tired of the blue sky.” – Vincent Van Gogh

“Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll… Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore.” – Lord Byron

“Long may your big jib draw.” – legendary Newfoundland saying meaning good wishes for the future

“I wanted freedom, open air and adventure. I found it on the sea.” – Alaine Gerbault

“How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.”
– Arthur C. Clarke

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
– William Arthur Ward

“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.” – Buddha

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Yves Cousteau

“I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky; and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.” – John Masefield

Have you ever gone sailing on a beautiful day such as this?

Historic Grand Bank

Published on October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments

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.

155 — **The Inn by the Sea Bed and Breakfast**

162 — **The Thorndyke – Registered Heritage B & B**

169 — **…and another Widow’s Walk, a popular feature of long ago fishing communities.**

And Old meets New:

186 — **The Provincial Seamen’s Museum**

192 — **Thank you for the lovely visit, Grand Bank.**

Where do you like to go for a road trip?

My “Backyard” – Pt. 2: The Beach

Published on September 15, 2014September 15, 2014 by J. Kelland Perry37 Comments

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…

071 — **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.