ocean – Jennifer's Journal

Evergreen Post: Calmer Secrets Setting in Pictures

Published on May 13, 2026May 20, 2026 by J. Kelland Perry14 Comments

This is Part Two of the Calmer Girls series setting in pictures.

Calmer Secrets takes place in Newfoundland in 1997-98, four years later than the first book. (The Calmer Girls Book One setting pictorial can be seen here.)

First, let’s take a look at Samantha’s school in Corner Brook, Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus on the west coast of the province. Samantha is enrolled in the Visual Arts program there.

When Samantha returns to St. John’s during a school break, she goes downtown with Veronica and her friends. In one of the George Street clubs, she sees cover band, Cold Plate, and is reunited with her high school friend Kalen there.

**George Street, lined with pubs, in downtown St. John’s**

**x 3: The annual George Street Festival entertainment always draws huge crowds.**

Later in the story, tragedy strikes.
The youngest character in the book is brought to the Janeway Children’s Hospital,
the one that existed at that time.
A new facility was built a couple of years later.

The following photos depict Samantha and Ben’s boat tour experience out of St. John’s Harbour.

**The Battery at the foot of Signal Hill**

**Samantha takes pictures of an iceberg like this…**

Check out this real boat tour short video:

Photo sources: Grenfell College, NL Tourism, Eastern Health, Pinterest, Google (public domain)

Thanks for coming along!

There is only now …

Published on April 28, 2026 by J. Kelland Perry12 Comments

There is only now.
An open window
a fresh breeze
to welcome
this bright and beautiful
April day.

– J. Kelland Perry

Sunday Snaps: April Evening on Perry’s Point

Published on April 12, 2026 by J. Kelland Perry27 Comments

As I have mentioned on my blog before, spring takes its own sweet time to show its face on the island of Newfoundland. The arrival is gradual, just as it is on most northern coastlines, with cold temperatures accompanied by the odd snowfall or sleet storm.

I love the anticipation of warmer days ahead. And there are still some lovely moments, particularly when the wind is light, the water is calm, and the sun begins to set. These photos were taken on the peaceful evening of April 2nd, and since then most of the snow and ice has disappeared.

Another reason I love spring here on Perry’s Point: the pleasure to witness the renewal of nature by observing our seabirds. Two weeks ago, it started—the sudden appearance of seagulls and other salt water birds pairing off to mate. Everyday, we now see them huddled—and even cuddled!—together on rocks and small islets off the point, or gliding through the water side by side: herring gulls, saddlebacks, black ducks, and pintails.

Seagulls squeal a spring duet

swim in pairs around ice and rock

glide as swans in graceful tandem

hush broken by caw and squawk *

*excerpt from Seagull Spring by J. Kelland Perry, April 2015

“April is the gateway to the joys of summer.” ― Fennel Hudson

“Oh, the lovely fickleness of an April day!” – W. H. Gibson

Calmer Girls: 10th Anniversary of my Debut Novel

Published on March 24, 2026April 20, 2026 by J. Kelland Perry15 Comments

Ten years ago today, my first novel Calmer Girls was published. I’m sharing a post from one year later, Calmer Girls Setting in Pictures, to give you an idea of how my birthplace of St. John’s, NL made for such a wonderful setting.

CALMER GIRLS SETTING IN PICTURES

Although Calmer Girls is a fictional tale, its Canadian setting certainly isn’t.

It was fun writing a pair of novels set in my birthplace of St. John’s, Newfoundland, and perhaps the following pictorial will better explain why it had inspired me. After all, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words!

All of these locations are featured in scenes throughout the first novel. Calmer Cove is not included as it is semi-fictional.

Samantha and her sister took their first ride in Ben Swift’s T-bird to Signal Hill and along the harbourfront. Later, Samantha took pictures of a cruise ship in the Narrows.

**Cabot Tower on Signal Hill – National Historic site**

**Where Ben Swift lives: Gower Street, in all its vibrant colours**

**Where Samantha, Veronica and their mother live: Military Road**

**Cape Spear. Sam, Ben and Kalen visit here. This is the oldest original lighthouse structure in the province.**

**x 2: Aerial view of Cape Spear – the most easterly point in all of North America**

**x 3: Cape Spear National Historic Site – new lighthouse**
Newfoundland, Canada

**House similar to rich girl Crystal’s. She has a party one night where Ben loses his temper. (Canada House on Circular Road, Heritage Property)**

**St. John’s Regatta at Quidi Vidi Lake, where Samantha and Ben share their first kiss.**

**Bannerman Park, where Samantha and Ben get busted while kissing. Also where Ben loses it – again! – and punches his buddy Kalen in the face.**

**The War Memorial, where Ben finally confesses his depression to Samantha.**

**Planned Parenthood – NL Sexual Health Centre, where Veronica visits!**

Thanks for visiting my hometown, which is, in my opinion,
one of the most vibrant and colourful places on earth.

Photo sources: NL Tourism, Government sites, Wikipedia, Google (public domain)

Come back next time for Part 2: Calmer Secrets Setting

My Shrinking Island: Could This Actually Happen?

Published on October 25, 2025October 26, 2025 by J. Kelland Perry2 Comments

While I was writing my novel The Women of Wild Cove, I visualized what my beloved island of Newfoundland would look like in the year 2203. Following the science of sea level rise—due to melting glaciers, ice sheets, and the thermal expansion of water—I imagined it would appear something like this.

My husband Paul drew the map for me. I wanted it to show the renaming of some communities, and where my fictional Wild Cove is located (there are two other actual Wild Coves in the province). But more importantly, I wanted to show how this large island had shrunk from over 40,000 square miles to nearly half that, with peninsulas reduced to archipelagos, tiny islands and shoals. (By the way, Red Indian Lake had a name change after this map was made. It was changed to Beothuk Lake.)

A friend wondered to me why sea level is rising while many lakes are now showing lower levels. So I asked Google: “Yes, you can have sea level rise and low water levels in lakes simultaneously, because they are different phenomena influenced by different, though sometimes connected, factors. Sea levels are rising globally due to climate change, while individual lake levels fluctuate based on local factors like precipitation, evaporation, snowmelt, and water usage, and can also be impacted indirectly by rising sea levels.”

And of course, science tells us sea level rise is due to human activity.

Have you noticed changes in water levels in your neck of the woods? Do you think there is any possibility of a reversal at this point?

February “Blues”

Published on February 10, 2025 by J. Kelland Perry18 Comments

Every February seems to try my patience. In spite of the beautiful blues these photos depict, the shortest month always feels like the longest to me.

Speaking of patience, I’ve always loved this poet’s pen name, as well as her positive sentiment here:

While it is February, one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch. ~ Patience Strong (Winifred Emma May)

To my friends and followers in the northern climes—do you find this month as long and bleak as I do? And we’re only ten days in. Brrrr!

A Look Back on the “Dog Days of Summer”

Published on September 13, 2024September 13, 2024 by J. Kelland Perry31 Comments

Dog Days of Summer, according to Websters Dictionary: “the hot and humid period of summer between early July and early September.”

Dog Days of Summer, according to me: having my canine friends come to visit!

First up, SOPHIE RAE!

In July, Sophie came to Newtown for the first time with my son and his fiancée. She is a white golden retriever, is the youngest of our doggies, and just so happens to be turning two today. Happy Birthday, pretty girl!

She had lots of fun exploring Perry’s Point, and even went to Bennett Island with us via the sandbar.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Our next visitors were my daughter and her family in August, and of course they brought ARCHIE!

Archie is six years old, and has visited us before. He beat himself out every day running around the Point, and also went on the sandbar to Bennett Island with us.

He was particularly obsessed with this “ball” while he was here:

Archie always loves to come see us.
🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

My sister and her husband were our third visitors. They spent Labour Day weekend with us, with Abbey and Jaxon in tow!

Jaxon is twelve:

…and dear little Abbey is sixteen!

These dogs are more laid back, as you may guess.

But they did go on an adventure to Windmill Bight Park in Lumsden with us, to enjoy some fun in the sun and sand.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Even though everyone knows I’m a cat person first and foremost, I do love and enjoy being around any animal. Thanks so much for making the trip, my loved ones and your pooches! 💕🐾❤️

Clouds

Published on June 20, 2024 by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments

Happy first day of summer, friends!
We are experiencing an early heat wave here in Newfoundland, so our longed-for season received an early start.

Last week, while the weather was cooler and we were having our morning coffee out on the deck, we saw a cloud that was nothing short of spectacular. It started with a low bank of fog stretching across the entire horizon, but soon morphed into a tall white marvel.

And just before it dispersed, it grew even bigger:

“A cloudless plain blue sky is like a flowerless garden.” – Terri Guillemets

On the eve of our heat wave, the sky and clouds were an artist’s tableau:

“I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now. From up and down, and still somehow, it’s cloud illusions I recall. I really don’t know clouds at all.” – Joni Mitchell

“All That We Love Deeply”

Published on March 4, 2024 by J. Kelland Perry38 Comments

Last month, our daughter Denise surprised us with this lovely sun-catcher she found online. Does it remind you of anyone?

Is it a coincidence that she found a cat replica that looks like our Vivian, who passed away in November? I think not. Now we have a visual reminder that she is still peering out over Perry’s Point, which she knew like the back of her paw. 🐾

It’s also the perfectly fitting remembrance of her many guest posts on this blog—“Vivian’s View From Here”.