Tag: Canada

A Look Back on 2023*

Published on by J. Kelland Perry40 Comments

I honestly can’t believe how fast this year flew by. 2023 was quite eventful, what with signing a new publishing contract—YAY!—as well as reaching a couple of personal milestones. More on those in a bit.

Not everything was rosy, however.

As many of you know, we had to say goodbye to our Vivian in November. Eight weeks later, the grief is still so raw, so fresh. I think the only way to ease the loss is to rescue another cat, or two, come spring. 


Now for the milestones.
In 2023, our house here on Perry’s Point turned one hundred years old!

We’ve lived here since we left the city in 2010, with very few regrets. Paul and I love it here next to the ocean and away from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

If you haven’t already, check out my post from 2020, Ten Years in This Old House, to see how we spruced it up before we moved in.

Milestone Number 2: On August 15th, Paul and I celebrated our silver wedding anniversary.

25 years married to my best friend. Of course Paul always reminds me we were together four years before our wedding day. 💕

I am deeply thankful on this New Year’s Eve for many things, and one of them is having you, my blogger friends, in my life. Each of you have made blogging much more meaningful than I ever thought possible when I started this journey.
Which just so happened to be on New Year’s Eve, 2011.

Wishing you good health and happiness in 2024!

How was your 2023?

*RDP Prompt: Looking Back

Autumn Walk: “Across the Farm”*

Published on by J. Kelland Perry29 Comments

When I first moved to Newtown back in 2010, my husband Paul told me how he used to play in “the farm” as a child.
“Show me this farm!” I said.
“Oh, it isn’t actually a farm anymore,” he chuckled. “But we used to play Cowboys and Indians, and climb the big rocks over there. Folks pick berries there now.”

In recent years, the farm trail has been upgraded and storyboards have been added.

The Farm: “In the late 1860’s and into the 1900’s, there were two ways to get from Perry’s Point to E & S Barbour’s and William Barbour and Son’s businesses. The long way was a semicircle past the Greens and Tulk’s houses, but usually when asked which way you had gone, the answer would be across “the Farm”.

“Uncle Ned Green had a long “hen’s house” . . . and in the summer, horses would gather to feed and were not driven away. This was the area where all young kids would play games, climb the rocks, and build mud and wooden huts. The Farm became their playground in the summer and a place for snow sledding in the winter. It was also a great place to pick berries in late summer.”

Did you know Beothuk children played here long before Paul and his friends did?

”Nature gives us so much: clean air, beautiful landscape, breathtaking views, fish, animals, and the list goes on. We want people to come, see, and actually walk the path where a tribe of Beothuk once lived with their children and took care of the land without damaging our environment. We need to show our appreciation to the first peoples by protecting and preserving this same environment for future generations.”

Well said and I couldn’t agree more!

*This hiking trail is part of the Wonder Shore Trails system which start in Greenspond and go all the way to Musgrave Harbour here in beautiful Bonavista North.

Vivian’s View From Here: I’m Sweet 16!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry31 Comments

Greetings, Peeps and Pets. Vivian K. Perry here, happy to share that I celebrated a milestone birthday last week. I know, I know, I’m already sweet and fabulous!

Sixteen wonderful years with Jennifer and Paul—three years in the city, thirteen in the country. And thirteen years with my sweet and beautiful sister Maisie.

Our Maisie

I still get to explore the outdoors here on Perry’s Point …

… especially during the gentle days of summer.

I even grab naps outside!

🐾 🐾 🐾

Yet, it’s equally as lovely indoors where I get tons of love and attention.

Jennifer says she can’t imagine life without me.

All I know is, however long I remain in this earthly realm …

… I’m pretty sure no cat has had a better life.

I am one grateful feline.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

🎈🐾🎈🐾🎈

Exploring my Island: Port au Port Peninsula

Published on by J. Kelland Perry31 Comments

They say that travelling to places you’ve never been before is good for your brain, especially as you age. The island of Newfoundland is quite large and is the perfect place to accomplish this, with its ancient rock formations, dense forests and breathtaking coastlines and seascapes.

I know, I know—there’s no big culture shock from travelling within my own province, but it’s still nice to sightsee in locales we haven’t visited before. As I mentioned in a previous post, Paul’s work affords us many short road trips to all corners of the island, and we try to visit little nooks and crannies of interest in between.
So when we found out about site visits to two schools on the Port au Port Peninsula last August, we were particularly happy to go. We’ve both been up and down the west coast but never there. And this would be our chance to visit the only peninsula on the island that we’d never been!

Port au Port Peninsula is that tiny arrow shape on the west coast.

We booked a two-night stay at The Inn at the Cape on Cape St. George. It was lovely, the host was friendly, and the breakfasts were wonderful.

Inn at the Cape

“Discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

Gulf of St. Lawrence
Limestone cliffs of Port au Port

We didn’t get to take in everything on that trip but would gladly go back to sightsee what we missed.

“I take to the open road. Healthy, free, the world before me.”
– Walt Whitman

*INN AT THE CAPE

Invincible Summer

Published on by J. Kelland Perry20 Comments
Perry’s Point sunset

RDP Wednesday – SUNSET

Exploring My Island: The Mighty Gander River

Published on by J. Kelland Perry21 Comments

(My apologies if you received a blank post in your inbox previous to this one — I had a glitch. Hope I have it fixed!)

On icy cold days like today, I love to reflect on photos from my summer travels. This selection takes me back to an overnight stay on Gander River last June.

Whenever my husband Paul has to travel for work in our beautiful province, I often accompany him. Particularly enjoyable are the trips that take us somewhere we haven’t visited before. And when we can combine business and pleasure, the trips are all the more fun.

This time Paul’s work took him to a business associate’s cabin on the Gander River, to design an extension and renovation for the client. The long boat in the photo above took us there, the only way to access the site.

In spite of the high winds, and getting splashed by spray over the side of the boat, the temps were warm and the views were lovely.

Here below is a shot of the little guest cabin we stayed in on the property. So cozy!

The Gander River is well-known for its salmon pools and outfitting business. To learn more, check out this site.

Below: blue flag iris growing along the shoreline.

Time to eat, sit back and relax.

Our gracious hosts provided a delicious grilled steak supper and refreshments at the main cabin.

Did you know I have a Newfoundland and Labrador category of posts on this blog? I will add this post to it shortly. Depending on what device you’re on, you can access the list from the menu or from under the header. Or click on here: Newfoundland and Labrador

Vivian’s View from Here: Sunday Snaps (and an Anniversary!)

Published on by J. Kelland Perry33 Comments
Cat on a picnic table

Hello, Peeps and Pets! Vivian K. Perry here, fondly looking back on a memory from Summer 2022. Oh, how I miss the warm days on Perry’s Point! The brilliant sunshine, the butterflies and buttercups, the soft sea breezes and birds aplenty—yes, I know they will all come again, but I can’t wait.

cat on picnic table Perry's Point

The Photo Challenge prompt over at Xingfu Mama is Pull up a Seat.*

Well, a picnic table certainly counts, doesn’t it? Of course it does.

cat on picnic table 2022

I don’t like going outside for very long when it’s cold. So in the meantime, I will endure the long winter by taking lots of naps, with pleasant dreams of long summery days. The good news? The days are getting longer! Do you look forward to summer as much as I do?

Oh! Before I forget, let me share Jennifer’s blogging anniversary. This blog, Jennifer’s Journal, has now entered its twelfth year! Meow and Wow!

blogging anniversary

***************

*Pull Up a Seat Challenge @ XINGFUMAMA.COM

Happy First Day of Winter!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry30 Comments

Hi, everyone! I hope you’re all keeping safe, happy and healthy, wherever you are in the world.

Perry’s Point NL in Winter
Perry’s Point

For various reasons, it’s been a while since I blogged. But I hope to do better in the new year. I received a most unwelcome early Christmas gift, by the name of Covid. Thankfully, the vaccines must have worked because I was only feverish for a couple of days, and now if my sinuses would clear, I should be as good as new!

Perry’s Point

I wish for each and every one of you
the warmth of a memorable Holiday Season,
and an abundance of peace and prosperity in the New Year.
Looking forward to connecting with you all again in 2023!

❤️❤️❤️

Photo Prompt: Sail

Published on by J. Kelland Perry33 Comments

We know we should help our environment by reducing waste wherever we can. So with the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” advice in mind, I came up with an idea to repurpose an old favourite sweatshirt of mine.

At a marina in Maine
At a marina in Maine

This is no off-the-rack item. My husband gave it to me years ago after creating the artwork for a St. John’s, NL tour boat company. The owners of the Scademia* sold T-shirts with the new artwork, and Paul gifted me with a sweatshirt.

After a time and tons of wear, the sleeves and neckline became decidedly off-white, so it disappeared into the back of my closet. Recently I was tossing away old clothes, rediscovered it, and came up with this:

Ready for hanging! Not bad, huh?

*The Scademia, the last of the Grand Banks Schooners, was an icon in the tourism industry for over 25 years. Many people from around the world have walked her decks as she took them out through the narrows on an adventure on the open seas. . . . Many people were married, fell in love, or even got screeched-in aboard of her, including many famous people like rock legend Rod Stewart and the late Pierre Elliott Trudeau. – Facebook

This is my contribution to the RDP Monday prompt: SAIL

Which Way: Thoughts on a Nature Trail

Published on by J. Kelland Perry43 Comments

When you get the chance to enjoy a walk outside, which way* do you go? Do you prefer a stroll through the streets of your community or neighbourhood? Or would you rather a natural, more secluded setting?

If possible, I will always choose a walk in nature. Luckily, there are several trails, as well as plenty of beaches, in my area. I’m an introvert through and through, so my preference makes sense. An extrovert would probably choose a more peopled path so they could enjoy a few chats along the way. And there’s nothing wrong with that either.

Nature walks, where I can take the time to reflect and recharge, are like meditation for me. I don’t need a lot of external (people-y) stimulation to be happy. In fact, too much can feel overwhelming.

With all that is happening in our external world over the last couple of years—the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the political and racial unrest in our own countries—I believe I’ve retreated into introversion even more, as a way to preserve and care for my mental health.

I realize not everyone can choose to do so, depending on their jobs, etc., but if you are an introvert, don’t ever feel guilty for needing and allowing time for yourself. It’s a part of who you are.

“I’m an introvert… I love being by myself, love being outdoors, love taking a long walk with my dogs and looking at the trees, flowers, the sky.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

“Asking an introvert to open up is as rude as asking an extrovert to shut up.” ~ Unknown

Where do you like to take your walks?

Which way are you leaning on the
Introversion/Extroversion scale?

Do tell!

*Photos taken on May 8, 2022 @ Business Pond Walking Trail, Valleyfield, NL

*Which Way Photo Challenge – Alive and Trekking