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.
Tomorrow we have a high Humidex warning with values approaching mid-thirties.
More unsettled weather may be coming.
Definition ofOld-Fashioned*: 1. a: of, relating to, or characteristic of a past era, in or according to styles or types no longer current or common; not modern.
When we undertook the renovations to our home, one of the features Paul and I emphatically chose not to replace was the stained glass in the two bay windows and in the window over the stairs. These colourful panes were original to the house when it was built in 1923, came special order from England, and bear a trio motif of roses, thistles, and shamrocks.
Rose of England
Thistle of Scotland
Shamrock of Ireland
Rose of England Thistle of Scotland Shamrock of Ireland
But what is the significance of this trio? As Wikipedia explains:
“Since the 1801 Act of Union between Britain and Ireland, the shamrock was incorporated into the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, depicted growing from a single stem alongside the rose of England, and the thistle of Scotland to symbolise the unity of the three kingdoms. Since then the shamrock has regularly appeared alongside the rose, thistle and (sometimes) leek for Wales in British coins such as the shilling and crown, and in stamps. The rose, thistle and shamrock motif also appears regularly on British public buildings such as Buckingham Palace.”
So even though nearly everything else has been renovated, replaced or upgraded,
we are happy we made the decision to keep the stained glass.And though they may not be modern or practical…
…we love the feeling of tradition and heritage they impart,
I can hardly believe it. It’s been nearly five years since my husband and I went through with our plan to trade in our old lives and move out of the city.
In August of 2010, we threw caution to the wind and put our home of ten years on the market. Paul kissed me goodbye, drove to his hometown, and began overseeing the gargantuan job of renovating his grandfather’s old two-storey in Bonavista North. When the sale of our house closed near the end of September, Maisie, Vivian and I joined him. We stayed nearby in a friend’s vacant summer home until the bulk of the work was completed.
During the first week of December that year, we finally had enough upgrades done to buy our new appliances, unpack the boxes, and begin to set up house.
Do I have any regrets? Not many. That first winter, I missed living close to my family, and I still wish I could see my children and grandchildren more often than I do. But other than that, I am happy to have relocated here to our home by the sea. Somehow, I don’t think I would have taken up writing the way I have if I’d stayed in the city, so taking this journey to fulfill my lifelong dream has certainly made it all worthwhile.
Besides that, Paul’s dream to return to his boyhood home has come true too. ❤
Looking back now, I think we can both vouch for the old saying: the best journey is the one that takes you home.
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Have you lived to see a dream come to fruition? Or are you working on one for the future?
Good afternoon, all of you precious peeps out there!
Whether you’re of the furry variety of friend or not, welcome back to Jennifer’s Journal. Maisie and I LOVE when you drop by for a visit, and even more so when we are allowed to be front and centre.
Jennifer woke up with a pesky migraine this morning and couldn’t concentrate on writing, so I suggested she relax, look at some pretty pictures of us, and let me do the talking. So here I am.
As many of you already know, my sister and I have enjoyed being the centre of attention in Jennifer’s “animal-loving world” since 2007, when she and our “dad” rescued us as kittens from the pound. Are we spoiled? Nah. How can one be spoiled by too much love?
And guess what? She hardly misses an opportunity to tell us how she adores being woken up each morning by our soft nudges and warm cuddles, and how much happiness we bring to her life in general.
When she leaves us to go in town for nine or ten days at the end of this week, I know for certain she will miss our fluffy, friendly, purring cuteness more than she’s willing to admit.
We, on the other hand, will muddle through somehow until she gets back.
At least our “dad” will be here with us most of the time.
Jennifer will have to make do with these other critters for animal companionship at her daughter’s house…
Can you imagine? Such a profound sacrifice!
Ginger & Nico
Something tells me, however, that she kind of likes that other cat — and stranger still, that big, curly, doggie creature. Go figure. And I’ll bet you dollars to dentabone treats she’s going to smell like him too, when she comes home. (Ugh!)
But that’s par for the course when you own a human who loves all animals, not just her own. She knows we understand. And she knows we will be waiting here with eager purrs and sandpaper smooches when she returns.
Signing off now, so until next time, thanks for reading, everyone!
~ head bumps & nose kisses,
Vivian ❤
“You know, sometimes the world seems like a pretty mean place. That’s why animals are so soft and huggy.” – Bill Watterson
This has been our contribution to Ailsa’s photo theme: Centre
at wheresmybackpack.com and
this week’s entry in:
Do you ever have to go away and leave your fur babies behind?
Do you miss them when you do?
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.
“Who cares if we have snow for Easter? Perfect for a snowman, by.”nearly finished“We always have fun with our Dad……and our Nan.”Scrawniest snowman ever!our boySaturday was alright! Nico had fun too.beautiful daughter ❤ – probably missing the children terribly about now!Nanny’s first attempt at bunny pancakesjust listenin’ to my iPadPop’s treasuresAs always, a little love for Vivian is well-received.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!
To trace the remote in the immediate; the eternal in the ephemeral; the past in the present; the infinite in the finite; these are to me the springs of delight and beauty. ~ H. P. Lovecraft
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!
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.
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?
My ClotheslineA Frozen Bud
Fences are crusted with frost, and icicles trickle in abundance.
A Twig in its Icy Tomb
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.
Grass that reminds me of glass straws
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?
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?
Happy 2015, lovely readers, bloggers, and my feline friends and fans. ♥
Vivian’s the name, for you newbies who haven’t had the pleasure of my sparkling company as of yet. I’ve returned to brighten things up in the blogosphere with another guest-host spot on Jennifer’s Journal. So take a break from struggling with your (ugh) resolutions for a few moments, and join me, won’t you?
My sister Maisie and I agreed to help show what is new and different in our world, specifically a nifty newcamera to pose for since St. Nick dropped by last month. Jennifer hasn’t had time to learn all its functions yet, so she took these photos with the autofocus feature, just for a little test run.
Maisie hogged the limelight most of the time…
…but she did pose admirably and didn’t shy away, as she is wont to do.
Okay already! Now, what about moi??
Scenery? Is that necessary? Granted, the new camera does take nice shots – even through the kitchen window…
And naturally, Jennifer wants to show off her granddaughter’s new artwork, another of her treasured Christmas gifts.
(Yes, it’s her grandgirl’s birthday today too, so Happy Birthday, young lady! xox)
But what about me, and my joie de“Viv”?
Oh, come on, woman! In what universe are a couple of ol’ ducks more photogenic than two purry Perrys?
Finally! { sigh} That’s a bit of an improvement. But I know we can do better…
So even though nearly everything else has been renovated, replaced or upgraded,
And though they may not be modern or practical…
Good afternoon, all of you precious peeps out there!
Jennifer's Journal 