Berg Watching

Iceberg Alley is what we call the area stretching from the coast of Labrador to the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland, and the best time for viewing bergs is late May and early June.

Saturday was beautiful and sunny, so Paul and I decided to drive to Greenspond to see if there were any icebergs close enough for good snaps. Before we entered the town, we were delighted to meet a few of them next to Greenspond’s causeway.
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I can’t remember ever getting this close to a berg so huge!

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This group climbed down on the rocks to get a closer look.
This group climbed down on the rocks to get a closer look.
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Close-up of a tiny waterfall on the iceberg.
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Loving Nature’s sculptures

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 We drove on into Greenspond to discover even more of the frozen beauties from the North.

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Well, hello there, giant hunk of glacier!

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Such a pretty backdrop
This one makes me think of a flying saucer. Notice the deep blue middle.
This one makes me think of a flying saucer. Notice the deep blue middle.
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A splendid view from this property.

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One more look from the causeway on our way back
One last look from the causeway on our way back

Have you ever gotten up close and personal with an iceberg?

Forces of Nature

Once again, iceberg season has arrived in Newfoundland.

Icebergs are beautiful to photograph and are a huge Force of Nature ( we only have to think of the Titanic disaster ) but the pack ice that often accompanies them can wreak their own special havoc. In our part of the world, these masses of moving ice interfere with fishing and sometimes even trap whales and dolphins.

In the area of Bonavista Bay North where I live, the water is too shallow to allow the big icebergs to get very close, but we do see plenty of pack ice and bergy bits.

Enter the seagulls. These hardy scavenger birds are so well-adapted to this rugged environment, I am in awe. Their ability to not only survive, but to thrive here, may well be called another force of nature.

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Like all of our feathered friends in the northern hemisphere, seagulls mate in spring. This is the time of year in Newfoundland we see them answer to their instinct and pair off to procreate. They are monogamous, usually with one mate for life.

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On the evening I took these photos, the setting sun cast interesting shadows and hues upon the ice and the water.

Of course, speaking of a force of nature, our Vivian needed to be a part of it all.blogw (15)

What Forces of Nature do you have in your backyard?

Easter Week with the Kids

This week is a definite departure from the usual routine at our house.
My daughter and her family came to visit on Good Friday, and we had a fun weekend together. Denise and Dave went back to town on Sunday, leaving the children with us for their entire Easter holidays. Here are a few photos.

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“Who cares if we have snow for Easter? Perfect for a snowman, by.”
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nearly finished
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“We always have fun with our Dad…
…and our Nan.”
skinniest snowman ever
Scrawniest snowman ever!
our boy
our boy
Saturday was alright! Nico had fun too.
Saturday was alright! Nico had fun too.
My beautiful daughter <3 - missing her babies big-time right about now
beautiful daughter ❤ – probably missing the children terribly about now!
First attempt at bunny pancakes
Nanny’s first attempt at bunny pancakes
Just listenin' to my iPod
just listenin’ to my iPad
Pop's treasures
Pop’s treasures
Some love for Vivian
As always, a little love for Vivian is well-received.
Another picture, Nan?
Another picture, Nanny?

Needless to say, my time and energy have been devoted mostly to our little guests.
How was your Easter?

In my next post, I will be sharing some news. Stay tuned!

Friday Bouquet #17

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. ❤

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Maisie & Vivian
Maisie & Vivian

A “Brrr”-ning Question…

Just chillin’ out on the barbecue…

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Winter’s Glaze

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!

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Our neighbour’s view of our point of land, with the ocean view lost in the fog beyond

151 (1280x1008)If you’ve never heard about the phenomenon of “ice-fog”, this is what it looks like.

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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.

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026 (1194x1280)The scene is still, frozen in windless silence. I find a stalk encased in a shell of ice.

181 (1280x853)174 (1280x779) Abandoned clothespins encapsulated on our summer neighbour’s line.
Who knew they would prove useful for this shutterbug?

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My Clothesline
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A Frozen Bud

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Fences are crusted with frost, and icicles trickle in abundance.075 (1280x852)147 (1280x853)118 (1280x853)

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A Twig in its Icy Tomb

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The fog begins to clear…

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

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All at once, everything glows with a sparkly sheen…

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…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.

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Grass that reminds me of  glass straws

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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

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.

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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.

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On Gander Runway

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.

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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.

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Crossing the bays to Hopedale
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Deserted shack and our dog-sled at Big Bay between Hopedale and Davis Inlet.
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At Makkovik with “husky” pups.

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

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  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

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? 

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadowed

Happy Old Year :-)

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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?

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Links of Interest:

Pharrell Williams’ 24 Hours of Happy

Walk Off The Earth (Official Website)

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Jennifer’s Journal
*3 Years Blogging*

Free Spirit

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“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?