Author: oceandelight

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WOW in WWW

The Spring Hare has sprung. As I mentioned, last night was the kick-off with dinner and entertainment at Brown’s, and all I can say it WOW – Laurelyn and I had such an amazing time. And I had an epiphany – as I sat there, talking to our new friends, listening to some of the best entertainers I have EVER heard, and eating good food, I realized that we belong here. I had that rare and wonderful feeling that this is the right place for me and the right time to be here. This is really a magical place and I feel blessed to now be a part of it.

Above is The Berry with Clifford and Shirley George, and below is Lisa Day, the President of the Spring Hare Committee. (And I’ve got to get a good camera! – all my action shots of last night were too blurry to post).

Today is the main Spring Hare event – stay tuned to the blog to hear all about it!

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Raising the Flag

[wpvideo tuebQAH0]

If you can’t hear me over the wind, I’m saying “raising the flag for a new tourist season – this is gonna be a good one!”

Like all Newfoundlanders, I’m proud of our flag, introduced in 1980, but I have to admit I may be prouder to have such a great spot to fly it!

I also have a soft spot for our pretty unofficial flag, the Newfoundland Tricolour. Tourists, it’s why you see lots of green, white and pink items on George Street!

The Berry and I are excited because tonight kicks off the Spring Hare, with dinner theatre at Brown’s Restaurant followed by professional entertainment. Tomorrow will be a free afternoon of story-telling and poetry. You can click on the brochure on the right or on our ‘Current Specials‘ tab to learn more about it. It will be our first, but I have no doubt it will be nothing less than extraordinary – nothing out here is. And if you can’t make it yourself, check back for updates!

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DIY Flower Bed, Before and After

Yesterday morning we woke up to a light frosting – pretty like frosting on a cake, and great weather for pick and shovel work. Which is just what The Berry and I set out to do. Last fall I bought tons (literally) of slate rock we found listed on Kijiji. And finally yesterday we completed our project of building a flower bed behind the house.

I’ve wanted to build something along this outer wall since the day we bought the place. And after a career of business suits and power meetings (which of course I was grateful to have), it feels great to be out sweating and working with my hands. Especially with a great partner by my side!

Now that Spring is ramping up (post-season snow notwithstanding), I’m sure many readers are beginning DIY projects – would love to hear about them!

BEFORE

AFTER

Thank you, Hobb’s Construction!

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Another Discovery: Fresh Bread

I didn’t know I was in for a treat yesterday as I went to Pitcher’s Bakery in New Harbour to pick up a loaf of bread – which I got fresh out of the oven, too hot for a plastic bag so in a paper one, making my whole truck smell like a bakery.

I rushed home, put the kettle on, and ate half the loaf there on the spot, with butter and molasses – just like when I was a kid. I see 10 pounds and extra miles on the truck in my future – this stuff is addictive!

And better yet, I now know their baking schedule (and you do too – and it’s worth dropping in!): every day except Sunday, white bread comes out at 10:00, whole wheat at noon, multigrain at 2:00, and cinnamon raisin at 4:30 (except Mondays, when they don’t make the cinnamon). Now that’s a schedule I can stick to!

Update: If you know me, you know I can get pretty excited about things. So, no surprise that I went back for more today! Here I am with the lovely Trudy and Lisa, the ladies responsible for making the bread! (sorry for the quality – taken on my cell)

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Two Berries

 

Our goal of ripening our Whiteway cottage The Partridgeberry from green to this lovely red colour got put off this weekend, due to some stormy weather. But thankfully we didn’t get hit with a snowstorm yesterday (yes, that was a subtle dig at you St. John’s townies!) so we were back at it. Here’s The Berry (Laurelyn) ripening the Berry – quite the pretty picture!

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Whiteway Comes Out for Diabetes

We are so loving getting involved in the Whiteway community and Saturday was another example of all the great things happening out here. The great Brown’s Restaurant sponsored an event that raised $4000 for Camp Douwanna, a camp in Bishop’s Falls for children with diabetes. The representative for the Canadian Diabetes Association informed us that our province has the highest per capita incidence of diabetes in the world – research is pointing to genetics and climate (north with a lack of sunlight) as possible reasons. Unfortunately, I believe we also have high rates of spina bifida and other diseases as well – all the more reason for events like this one.

We had turkey and roast beef dinners, followed by an amazing performance by the Avalon Sleeveens, who took us on a walk down memory lane with songs from Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee and others. It went on til 11:30 and I tell you it beat the heck out of George Street!

And maybe the best part of the evening was we got to share our table with our friends Alf and Hilda Harnum (below), two wonderful people who put a smile on your face and would give you the shirt of their backs, I’m sure!And here’s the Sleeveens – so fun! (And continuing my education services for non-Newfoundlanders, a ‘sleeveen’ is similar to a rascal!) [wpvideo KsQqFlP2]

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Sunday Church Blogging, in Pouch Cove

 

Today’s church is the Pouch Cove Memorial United. Pouch Cove is just outside St. John’s, features lots of beaches and walking trails (really, where in Newfoundland doesn’t??) and is said to be the first to see the sun rise in North America. And non-Newfoundlanders are advised we call it ‘Pooch’ Cove – be prepared for lots of ‘unusual’ pronunciations around here if you come!

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The Partridgeberry

After getting home from some meetings yesterday, I took to the paintbrush. The Partridgeberry used to be green, and now it’s ripening into a nice red. She should be fully ripened by the end of the weekend, if this stormy weather passes (no complaints here – I love a storm!). Then it is on to flower boxes and hanging baskets. So stay tuned as the Partridgeberry completes her transformation.

 

 

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A New New Beginning

With these cottages and entering a new industry, this has been a year of firsts for me and The Berry. And now another – this is the first weekend that we can enjoy knowing we won’t have to rush back to St. John’s as soon as it’s over. If you’ve been following my blog, you know that other obligations in St. John’s have meant that our move to the Wonderful World of Whiteway has been only part-time to date. And not that we don’t love the city – but the back and forth hasn’t been ideal.

But this week marks the end of one of the last, big obligations in the city, meaning we’ll be at Ocean Delight most of the time, excepting for the odd meeting. Delightful! Lots more sunsets over Shag Rock in our future!

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The Real Coronation Street

For some it’s a guilty pleasure, for others it’s a nightly ritual, but practically everyone has heard of Coronation Street, the long-running British drama.  But did you know we’ve got a leg-up on the Brits, with our very own Coronation Street, in St. John’s, just a few minutes from my place here. And since I’m in the middle of my weekly (and likely last, for awhile now) sojourn in town, it seemed like a good time as any to show it off!