I hope that everyone is enjoying the long weekend. I am, but boy are we busy (are you getting sick of me saying that yet? Can’t help it – it’s true!). So today’s post is a quick one, of Molly, our (mostly) sweet Devon Rex. She enjoys our oceanfront view of Shag Rock, too! Don’t you wish you knew what she was thinking – what does an animal see when it sees the ocean??
My Church
I’ve been having fun with our Sunday Church Blogging series, so today I’m featuring my church! That’s right – my church is Nature herself, and more specifically, watching the sun set over the ocean. I can’t begin to put into words the amount of inspiration, encouragement, strength and soul-lifting I’ve received just from watching the sun disappear under the waves each night. I was lucky enough to spend several years of my life in Virginia, near a beach where I could watch the natural majesty daily – and I never missed it. And I can say the same thing now, about how truly blessed I am to be able to watch the sun set over over the Atlantic Ocean, right from my back deck. It’s been a busy summer, and after every busy day, watching the ‘fire show’ resets my energy and my passion, and I can fall asleep rested and happy knowing tomorrow will bring more work, more life, more sunsets. I hope that our guests are enjoying their nightly ‘church’ sessions as much as I am, and I hope that you’ve checked out our coming September special so that you can enjoy it, too – maybe with me (as long as you don’t mind sitting in awe and silence!)
Special thanks to resident photographer and all-around good guy, Albert Legge, for these photos (he’s given us lots of great ones to use on this blog over the months). These are ‘framers’ for sure. And please, let me know in the comments if any part of Nature has special resonance for you!
Saturday Boiling Up
I’m looking forward to a busy but fun long weekend, especially since we have family coming to stay with us. But not much tonight could match the Saturday we had last week, right on the beach in front of our new home (still hard to believe we live here!). We had a traditional Newfoundland boil-up on the beach, complete with not only Joe Friday’s famous cod-au-gratin, Laurelyn’s beautiful partridgeberry bread pudding and a deep-fried turkey from yours truly, but also a truly great assortment of our new friends and neighbours. I think there was at least 18 of us, and we sat listening to the waves and each others’ laughter until midnight. It was the perfect ending to what had been a busy day.
I hope that our guests, and you, dear readers, will have an equally fun long weekend, and will stay safe. One last hurrah for the summer!
Gotta love Lisa Day and her shenanigans (I know we do!) ….
Sharing the Wheel
Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean our boat trips are – not if Alf can help it! Last week we got to take out a great group of people from Ontario (and, as a side note, we get some many guests for that province!), Veronica, Dick, Patricia and Mike. They spent two weeks at The Blueberry and loved it – and we loved having them! Always fun to see the appreciative smiles when people get to see Shag Rock up close and personal.
Alf of course was our intrepid captain – except when the women took the wheel!
Still Screeching
Remember the Vanderveens, and the Old Man on the Sea? Well Joe Friday couldn’t let them go back to the mainland without a Screech In! He needs the practice if he’s going to be a real Screecher! They were a fun bunch and it was a fun night – all smiles and good sports for the cod-kissing. It helps that they loved their time at the cottages and plan on coming back next year (music to our ears!). And of course, as usual, Mr. Murphy wanted in on the action – he loves people, even when they’re downing questionably strong rum!
Observing the Observer
Check out the shots I got of Michael Hanson, a photographer from Seattle here working for Coastal Living magazine (he also does work for the New York Times). He’s a great guy, and it was fun to take him out (with Alf, naturally!) on a boat ride to Shag Rock and to Green’s Harbour Point to see the eagles. He also took some shots of Joe Friday, in fisherman’s gear, and The Berry and me at our Heart’s Delight cottages. It was all fun.
All in all, I can’t compete with Michael – he’s quite the talent. But, I can take pictures of him taking pictures, which I did! And check it out: he has a regularly updated blog, too (maybe not updated as much as mine, but hey, I’ve got to have something!). 
Tuesdays with Murphy: Holding My Own
Jerry and The Berry spend a lot of time talking about their new friends out here in the Wonderful World of Whiteway, but don’t forget that we four-leggeds enjoy our socializing, too. Here’s Arthero, an Italian Mastiff who visited me in Heart’s Delight last week. Don’t let his size fool you – he’s actually quite the gentle beast, as sweet, if only slightly less refined, than me. And thanks to my daily dips in the Atlantic, I’m fit enough to keep up with any dog – in fact, I love playing with everyone I meet! 
Actually, I think we’re two peas in a pod!
Old Man on the Sea
We were almost in trouble last week, as we’d promised Laura Beth and Greg, honeymooners from Orangeville, a ride out to Shag Rock as a wedding gift – only my boat is currently out of commission! Thankfully, Alf, my guardian angel, has a little more luck with his and took us out. Coming along for the ride was Don and Iris Vanderveen, celebrating their 41st anniversary. Don was dubbed ‘Old Man on the Sea’ by his wife (her words, not mine!). It was especially fun on this trip to see one couple with 41 years of marriage, and another just starting out – I hope it’s a memory that will last for them!
Later that day we had out Don and Iris’ daughter, Kathy, and Dennis Travis, who are here to help celebrate their 41st anniversary. We always love it when families use Ocean Delight as a venue for these get-togethers – it’s what we’re all about.
Name That Church: Port au Port
I was amazed how quickly I got response to my mystery church post last week that I thought I’d through the challenge out to the Newfoundland blogging community again, this time with not one but two churches. They’re both on the Port au Port Peninsula, and were pretty enough to be snapped, but their identity it unknown to me. So, people of the west coast, history buffs and Newfoundland aficionados – can you help me out by naming either of these two churches? I’d love to know – leave it in the comments!
Of course the Port au Port Peninsula is a pretty and little area on the west coast, near Corner Brook. One of its points of distinction: an alpaca farm! 
That’s my daughter’s hand!
And look below – I told you it was pretty!
Oh! What a Night!
Murphy and I had the place to ourselves the other night – The Berry and Joe Friday both had to go to St. John’s to work. What a sunset we had – and what an excuse to kick back in silence and recuperate from lots of hard work, mental and physical. The waves just wash it all away.
I was happy, though, to take a break from the relaxing to set up floodlights and a cd player (for Newfoundland music, of course!) and bring down wood to the beach for our guests at The Blueberry – Veronica and Jim, and Mike and Patricia, from Kingston, Ontario. They invited me to have a beer and enjoy the night with them, and few offers have been more tempting! Work for a board meeting called me away, but I was there in spirit! (and here’s my last blurry night shot, I promise! – I wanted to share this moment with you, but I’m getting used to my camera still …. Allison George has told me to turn up my ISO settings at night, so I hope that helps!)