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?

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

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?

To Sea by Virtue

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.

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Rowing in the little boat to the big boat

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Our hosts
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Loving it – let’s go!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  “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?

Summer Lovin’

Summer in my province of Newfoundland and Labrador, compared to most of North America, is short but ever so sweet. What makes it so cherished, to my mind?

The following photos were all taken in Lead Cove, the little community where I raised my children.

I love my home for its natural beauty,
its refreshing, rugged and
unspoiled charm,
for its clear and wide blue skies
without a whisper of smog.

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I love the clean, sparkling water
and the glistening rocks adorning the coastline
that beg to be traced
and trod upon by eager footsteps.

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I love summer in Newfoundland
for its breathtaking views
of seascapes and landscapes
when I embark on a hike.

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Whether I traverse
its beaches of sand or
climb its rocky windswept hills,
I know my camera will find its aim.

I embrace it because
the bushes and shrubs,
green and lush,
are heavy with fragrance
and of wild roses in bloom…

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…while in the gardens,
the planted perennials are brilliant with colour,
delighted at last
to spread their bright petals to the sun.

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I love the hardy trees of Newfoundland
in summer…

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…as they stretch
their ripe foliage to the sky.
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Shot through with rays of sunlight,
a shimmering haze settles over the treetops
like a warm summer veil.

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After a long winter and dismal spring
of cold, naked branches,
they, as I do,
breathe a sigh of gratitude
at the return of this warm and golden season.

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Are you filled with Summer Lovin’ where you live?

Weekend Family Fun

 Last Friday, we took a trip to Lead Cove, the little outport community where my children grew up.

193Time spent with fun-loving family…

10550980_10152529410910395_7292094118337443846_n…on a warm summer weekend, is high on my list of favourite things to do.

197 Around the bay, the pace slows down where time together is savoured and enjoyed.
(Our boy fell and skinned his knee after I took this one, but let’s not talk about that.)

206Nico explores with Poppy, making the most of his freedom from the leash.

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Our little girl spends a pensive moment beside the sea.

214Nico joins her.

238Perhaps they are watching the fishing boat near the horizon.

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When we return to the summer-house, our chef checks on the roast he is smoking with maple chips.
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Nico finds a shady spot.

 

 

Pulled pork sandwiches with all the fixin’s. Yum!

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Everyone loves it. ❤
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Nico is savouring every minute.

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So nice to see the kids playing and spending quality time with their mom.
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 Later, we light a fire and serve up spider wieners.

342 Happy girl.

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What fire would be complete without s’mores? My first one in decades. 🙂

Greenspond – Part II

After completing the hiking trail on Saturday, my husband and I took a drive through scenic Greenspond.

It is an especially nice time to visit because of the pleasant weather. The little outport town sparkles like a jewel in the afternoon sun, the plaintive cries of seagulls the only sounds that break the silence.

198The breeze has abated entirely, leaving the surface of the harbour basin as smooth as a mirror.

212Pretty houses dot the land while oddly shaped chunks of iceberg dot the still blue water.

208The peacefulness of the setting is magical, meditative, hypnotizing.
215I am drawn to its perfect calm…
209…and I drink in its beauty as I quietly reflect.

210Troubles melt away…
216…and make room for inspiration.
218We stop to admire this gem of a property. Everything about it is impeccable, from the patchwork quilt on the clothesline…

219…to the softly scalloped valances in each window.
To me, it is a work of art.

Have you ever visited a place that seemed the perfect setting for a story?
Where do you go to think and dream?

A Walking Trail, Bergy-Bits, and Other Pretty Things

Saturday was such a gorgeous day in our corner of the world, one had to get out and enjoy it. We decided to drive to Greenspond, a community comprised of several islands not far from where we live. Connected to the mainland of Newfoundland by a causeway, Greenspond boasts a wonderful walking trail around most of the perimeter of its largest island. It was perfect weather with light winds, so I took my camera.

This is the view from Perry’s Point before we left. The icebergs dotting the horizon were too far away to get good shots.

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171Once we got on the trail, it didn’t take long for us to discover our first “bergy bit” floating like an ice sculpture in a peaceful cove.
201The walking trail winds through the rocky terrain, carrying us through the brush and bog.
197The views of the coastline and of the Atlantic are spectacular.

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We can’t help but admire the work that went into the boardwalks.
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Some were quite steep, making for a great workout.


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It seems the locals thought of everything. 😉
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202There seems to be a little berg in every bay.
188Another “sculpture”…
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200…and another.
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Time for refreshments.

The Greenspond Walking Trail is a collaboration between Man and Nature, resulting in what I consider a living work of art.
Come back and join me in a couple of days for Part Two of my Greenspond photo shoot. 🙂

To my Fellow Canadians: What did you do outdoors on this long Victoria Day weekend?

Keep Reading: Greenspond: Capital of the North

 Iceberg Viewing in Newfoundland and Labrador

 

Imaginative Reflection

 

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“Happiness resides in imaginative reflection…”

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“…when the picture of one’s life…as it truly has been or is, satisfies the will, and is gladly accepted.” ~ George Santayana
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“Any artist’s or poet’s role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel…”

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“…Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all.”
~ John Lennon *

What does Reflection mean to you?

 

*Quote taken from Lennon’s interview to KFRC RKO Radio on the same day of his death.

This post has been my contribution to the Photo Challenge: Reflections and Ailsa’s Pink Theme.

Photo Challenge: Threes

The Daily Post challenge for photographers this week is to show three similar images. I came up with two versions from winter and summer here on Perry’s Point.

Ice Storm Aftermath

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“Glass” on Grass 
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Glitter-Coated Branches 
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Crunchy Tufts of Grass

 

Seashells on Rocks

Now that March is marching toward us, this photographer is growing a smidge weary of the snow and ice. Thoughts swing to the anticipation of warm weather and the new life that Spring unfurls. I remember this colony of mollusks, better known as seashells,  from last summer.

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Shelled mollusks are not the only things living on these rocks. Colonies of tiny, white rock barnacles are everywhere. Barnacles are arthropods, related to crab and lobster.

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Shells and Barnacles
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Yellow Algae Grows Here Too

I’m ready to trade the ice for seashells. Are you?