Canada – Page 18 – Jennifer's Journal

The Ends of the Earth

Published on April 20, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry21 Comments

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“I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
There’s nothing that I would not do
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love.”

Bob Dylan wrote it. Billy Joel, Garth Brooks, Adele, Neil Diamond, and many others recorded it. These talented singers knew a great song when they heard it.

Make You Feel My Love has been one of my favourite love songs ever since Dylan released it on his 1997 album, Time Out of Mind. As it happened, that was the same year he came to perform two shows at St. John’s Memorial Stadium here in Newfoundland, one of which Paul and I attended.

A little side note here about that concert: My daughter Denise was in class during her last year of high school when she heard through the student grapevine that Dylan was coming to our fair province. Knowing full well how big a fan her mother’s fiancé was, she phoned Paul from school on her lunch break to be the first to blurt the good news. Needless to say, we were elated and scored our tickets right away for the show. But as excellent as the concert turned out to be, Paul remembers that phone call with a special fondness. It showed him how much his stepdaughter cared.

Nowadays I like to tease him about the song and how I identify with the lyrics in the last verse shared above. I am reminded of how I followed him to Newtown five years ago. Now tell me, what could be more proof of my love and loyalty – to make him feel my love – than to go to “the ends of the earth” that is Perry’s Point, a wild piece of land that juts out into the cold North Atlantic?

Mushy? Sentimental? I don’t care.

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*Photos taken from Perry’s Point on April 19, 2016.

Hugh’s Weekly Photo Challenge: “Calm”

Published on March 17, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry58 Comments

Spring is a long, drawn-out affair here on the island of Newfoundland.

No matter what the calendar says, we still have to endure the odd snowstorm and it seems to take forever to warm up.

Sleet storms are common. But the next day I take in the results with my camera…

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…because when the sun comes out, everything shimmers and glows with a crust of rime.

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Tufts of grass lay frozen and still.

Silence reigns today because the spring ice is in and the air is calm.
Our “flippery” friend lolls about, basking in the peace and quiet.
(And I do believe I made up a word. 😉 )

harp seal — Turn that frown upside down!

You are free, little seal. Nothing to hurt you here.

Just another quiet day on Perry’s Point.

Hugh’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Week 17 – Calm

Never Again

Published on February 16, 2016February 16, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments

“Daily Post Prompt: Never Again – Have you ever gone to a new place or tried a new experience and thought to yourself, “I’m never doing that again!” Tell us about it.”

581875_10152657648105092_212814178_n (1) — **“Copying pans*” in Tilting, NL** – Newfoundland Webbers Facebook Page -photo credit: Paddy Barry

On Saturday, I saw this photo on Facebook that brought back a memory for me. Also on that day, I read the above prompt from the Daily Post. So I couldn’t resist sharing said event from my childhood.

My friend Nancy, my younger sister Lynn and I were walking home from school one late afternoon in St. John’s, when we noticed from the Boulevard the many ice pans on the surface of Quidi Vidi Lake. I think it might have been spring thaw.

quidi-vidi-lake-trail — Quidi Vidi in summer

Quicker than you can say “last one in is a rotten egg,” the three of us ran down to the lake’s edge, dropped our book-bags on the shore, and proceeded to jump from ice pan to ice pan across the surface of the deep water. Not once did either of us think anything could go wrong. I guess we were so young and naive, we had no fear of the risk we were taking.

Luckily, Nancy’s father happened to drive along the Boulevard while we were playing there. Before we knew it, we were swiftly ordered into his car and driven home. At the time, we didn’t feel so lucky, but I shudder at the thought of what could have gone down if he hadn’t. Perhaps all of us!

Of course, our parents were outraged and we all received our punishment. The next time I saw my friend Nancy, she told me that her father gave her a good spanking.

“And that was it?” I asked, incredulous. My parents didn’t give spankings as discipline. They knew what really hurt: grounding my sister and me for a full week. No outdoors for seven days except to go to school.

I remember thinking at the time that Nancy had gotten off easy compared to us. Yes, she’d endured a spanking, but at least her suffering was “behind” her. 😉

Now I realize Mom and Dad had wanted us to appreciate how dangerous our activity was, by giving us a whole week to think about it. Never again did we dare to risk drowning by “copying pans.”

*copy: To jump from one floating pan of ice to another in a children’s game of following or copying a leader when the ice is breaking up in spring in a cove or harbour. A game of follow-my-leader over the broken ice, every cake of which, it may be, sinks under the weight of a lad. It is a training for the perilous work of seal hunting, which came later in the life of Newfoundlanders. You will see the merry young lads ‘copying’ as they call it—jumping from pan to pan till far out in the Cove in fearless rivalry. ~ Dictionary of Newfoundland English

Did you ever jump on ice pans when you were a kid?

Have you ever done something new and regretted it?

Vivian’s View From Here: Weekend Blizzard

Published on January 29, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry34 Comments

Hey, everyone, I’m back!!

Vivian K. Perry here, to tell you all about the
snowstorm forecast for most of the island of Newfoundland tonight and tomorrow.

We’re well acquainted with winter storms in this neck of the woods, but I think we are in for a mother of a blizzard this time, with 30 to 50 centimeters and high winds promised for central, and for us, before it’s all over!

Here are Maisie and I, first this morning, and second, how we will weather the storm:

Besides all of this, there is still work to be done. Please watch this little video clip below of me in Paul’s office. He puts me in a bed on top of his printer when I get lonely for his company. Be sure to turn up your volume so you can hear me purr.

Stay warm and see you all next time after we dig out!

Road Trip: Eastport Peninsula

Published on December 11, 2015December 11, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry32 Comments

Earlier this fall, Paul and I visited the Eastport Peninsula in the central part of Bonavista Bay. With an economy that traditionally focused on its rich natural resources, it has become one of Newfoundland’s most popular tourist destinations. The peninsula is home to sandy beaches, motels, cottages, campgrounds, bed & breakfasts and inns, and is part of The Road to The Beaches tourism region.

Eastport Peninsula - photo credit: tango7174 — **Eastport Peninsula** – *photo credit: tango7174*

NLC_Eastport5_tango7174 — **Salvage Bay** – *photo credit: tango7174*

This pretty peninsula extends from Terra Nova National Park and follows the coastline along Newman Sound to the south, around the community of Salvage, around Salvage Bay to the east and then following Damnable Bay, Morris Channel, Fair and False Bay, Bloody Reach and Northeast Arm on the north.

Don’t you love the funny place names?

After Paul finished his work in Eastport and before we retreated to our cabin for the night, we took a drive out to the farthest point of the peninsula. This drive brought us through Salvage, population 174. Most of the residents there are retirees.

Canadian radio host Michael Enright calls the 9 kilometre walk from Salvage to Eastport “the most beautiful in the world.” Even though it was on the damp side during our visit, I could certainly see why he calls it that. With its peaceful winding road lined with trees, foliage and gorgeous, tidy properties, I could also see why someone would choose to spend their retirement years there.

Of course being a fan of all things feathery,
I had to stop to get up close and personal with the lovely ducks in the area.

I told Paul – and the ducks – that I would love to return to the Park next summer. A longer stay in this area of the island is a highly anticipated holiday for me when the weather warms up again.

Blogger Bouquet #32

Published on November 30, 2015March 21, 2016 by J. Kelland Perry

Selfies and the people who take a lot of them often get a bad rap. Here is a refreshingly different perspective on the topic from a blog called The Belle Jar :

An Open Letter To All Of My Friends Who Take Selfies

Comments are closed here but you can share a comment on the blogger’s page.

Man of a Thousand Songs

Published on November 20, 2015November 20, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry33 Comments

A Newfoundland legend has passed.

Ron Hynes lost his battle with cancer yesterday, but the St. John’s native and the “man of a thousand songs” will be remembered in this province as one of our best and most talented singer-songwriters.

I’ve loved Ron’s music ever since he performed as front man with the Wonderful Grand Band on a local early-80’s TV show. But when I saw him sing and play at the Fat Cat on George Street one night in the early nineties, I knew he would be an enduring musical storyteller and an artistic treasure.

Sonny’s Dream, his most famous song internationally, has been recorded by many artists such as Valdy and Emmy Lou Harris. Have a listen:

As much as I love that song, the following is perhaps my personal favourite. The lyrics alone, in my opinion, elevate its author Ron to the deserving title of our finest wordsmith and poet.

St. John’s Waltz
by Ron Hynes

Oh the harbour lights are gleaming
And the evening’s still and dark
And the seagulls are all dreaming
Seagull dreams on Amherst Rock
And the mist is slowly drifting
As the storefront lights go dim
And the moon is gently lifting
As the last ship’s coming in

All the sailors got a story
Some are true, some are false
But they’re always wrecked
and they’re up on the deck
Dancin’ the St. John’s Waltz

Amherst Rock Jennifer's Journal — Fort Amherst (Amherst Rock)
*Jennifer’s Journal*

Oh we’ve had out share of history
We’ve seen nations come and go
We’ve seen battles rage over land and stage
Four hundred years and more
For glory or for freedom
For country or for king
Or for money or fame but there are no names
On the graves where men lie sleeping

All the nine to fives survive the day
With a sigh and a dose of salts
And they’re parkin’ their cars and packin’ the bars RON-HYNES
Dancin’ the St. John’s Waltz

Oh my heart is on the highway
And I’m sold on goin’ to sea
All the planes fill the skyway
The trains run swift and free
So leave the wayward free to wander
Leave the restless free to roam
If it’s rocks in the bay or it’s old cliche
You’ll find your way back home

So don’t question or inquire
What’s been gained, what’s been lost
In a world of romance don’t miss out on the chance
To be Dancin’ the St. John’s Waltz

Rest in peace, Mr. Hynes.
Your music will continue to live on through our playlists and in our hearts.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ron-hynes-death-reaction-1.3327456

Luminous

Published on November 12, 2015November 16, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry29 Comments

Luminous: radiating or reflecting light; shining, bright.

**Overlooking Barbour Tickle on a brilliant autumn day**

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**The shores off the Point** **bathed in milky sunlight**

Direct observation of the luminous essence of nature is for me indispensable. – Robert Delaunay

Be luminous. Don’t adapt yourself to the circumstances around you but change them to be better. Always take your sunshine wherever you go. – Islam Elnady

I believe there is luminosity hiding in the shadow of the mundane. And things that hover on the periphery of our vision. If that’s magic, then I believe in it. – Natasha Mostert

Photo Challenge: Luminous

Three Day Quote Challenge

Lightning Show

Published on August 12, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry30 Comments

On the 2nd of August, we had a thunder and lightning storm that lasted for seven hours, the longest one we’ve witnessed since we moved to Perry’s Point (nearly) five years ago. There was torrential rain off and on throughout, but these pics were taken during the dry lightning act of the show.

This time, I can’t take credit for the photography. My daughter Denise and her husband Dave captured parts of the electrical event on their cellphones during their visit with us. I had no idea smartphones could take such great pictures!

Notice, in most of them, the phenomenon of shelf clouds with the bonus of the setting sun in the shrouded background.

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Tomorrow we have a high Humidex warning with values approaching mid-thirties.
More unsettled weather may be coming.

Eek! Could another thunderstorm be on its way?

Inspired

Published on August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 by J. Kelland Perry31 Comments

What is it that inspires our desire to create?

What moves an artist to draw or to paint a picture? What sparks the passion in a writer to pen a poem or a story? What is it that prompts a photographer to run for her camera and try to capture that perfect shot?

Here are a few things that give me continued inspiration:

1. The ocean, which surrounds me… (No surprise there, right? 😉 )

092 (1024x509) Every day, it is a slightly different colour, morphing between shades of blue sapphire, steel grey, or deep, dark navy with racing waves and frothy white-caps. On other days, it is as calm and flat as a mirror. 052 (1024x683) The sea is a living thing: mercurial, organic, merciless, and endlessly beautiful. 035 (1024x461) 2. I’ve always had a passion for all animals (no, not just my cats! 😉 ).
Horses, dogs, whales, and birds… 102 (1024x683) …natural beings of the forest and untamed creatures of the sea and sky. 058 (1024x683)

3. My granddaughter inspires me with her sunny smile, her boundless energy and curiosity, and her sweet innocent, loving heart.

036 (1024x861) 4. My grandson inspires me with those impossibly long eyelashes, his sense of humour, his quick wit, and his infectious laughter (even when he teases his crinkly Nanny). 037 (1024x902) 5. Teaching children about Nature, and why we need to respect it, appreciate it and care for it is a spark for my imagination. I love answering their many questions… 055 (1024x683) … and listening to them tell of their own experiences in the beautiful, natural world.

Have you ever noticed how Children and Nature go so happily together? 064 (1024x683)

“Children are born naturalists. They explore the world with all of their senses, experiment in the environment, and communicate their discoveries to those around them.”
~ Audubon Nature Preschool

“As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us..”
~ Valerie Andrews, A Passion for this Earth

Do you have special childhood memories of exploring Nature?

What fills you with inspiration? Do tell!

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