Tag: Canada

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Put Another Log on the Fire

Unfortunately I only took my cell phone with me yesterday when The Berry and I hiked the trails of of Whiteway (make that WWW – Whiteway Winter Wonderland). The picture above really captures how stunning the area gets in the winter; the picture below, why I should take my camera with me more often!

Anyway, yes, yesterday was the first snow of the year and it was floating down in big puffy flakes – the kind that you can catch on your tongue. The perfect weather for a romantic walk.

It was a refreshing promise of the winter to come, and gave us inspiration to help us plan our “Stay In and Stay Warm” winter packages. We’re working on making sure enjoying our cottages in the winter is as cozy as possible – please let us know if you have any suggestions!

Really, there is not much nicer than coming in to a warm cottage with pleasant music, a fire going and red wine on a winter’s day.

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Safety Tip: Don’t Let This Happen to You

We spent some of the last weekend in town, driving Joe Friday to the airport for a much-deserved vacation and to run some errands ourselves. Things were going well, until we were on our last run, coming down Blackmarsh Road, with the vibration in the rear end of the SUV getting worse. Then, suddenly, I started losing control. I jammed on the brakes and headed for the shoulder, where she went ‘kerplop.’ The wheel had come completely clear of the vehicle and was on the side of the road a hundred feet back. We were in a fix (and happy to have not ended up in a worse one!).

We sat there stunned for a minute. Call a tow truck or try to fix it? We chose the latter – I got out the jack (somehow) while The Berry searched for the lugs to put the wheel back on. Luckily, she found 3 of 5. “Guddanuf” says I.

With tremendous effort, racing heart, extreme respiration, and a few curses, we got the wheel on.

After I got my breath back, heart beat under control, and said a little prayer of gratitude for no traffic at that time in rush hour, we proceeded to Airport Heights for our last pick up. Then we went to dinner and celebrated surviving this little mishap.

And now, although ‘Safety Tips from Jerry’ sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, do what I’m doing above – make sure you’re tight before you hit the road!

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W.A.L.K.

We had a great hike last weekend. We went to Hopeall Falls and Backside Pond (not too far from the cottages). Murphy was bounding! He is quite amazing – spell the word “W.A.L.K.” or “H.I.K.E.” or “R.I.D.E.” and he springs into action, bouncing around on all fours like Tigger. And in the woods he is rambunctious – the complete opposite of his house life.

We were on a moose trail, and after seeing moose prints, Murphy got so excited. We ran into a moose awhile ago and he must have remembered how much fun he had chasing it away!

Then we lit a fire, boiled the kettle and put on the bacon and beans. It was simple and awesome (kind of like life in the Wonderful World of Whiteway!).

 

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Tuesdays with Murphy: Sleeping with the Enemy

I have no idea why, but Joe Friday somehow grew wings and is flying to Halifax for a vacation. Who needs a vacation from paradise??? Anyway, while he’s gone, his little devon rex cat, Molly, will be our houseguest.

I was a little nervous about seeing Miss Molly – I met her when I first came to Ocean Delight, and she didn’t seem to like me much. I guess to something her size I seem big and scary – when Jerry and The Berry brought her home she snarled, growled, and hissed like a demon fresh out of hell. Thankfully, to know me is to love me, and my nonchalant demeanor won her over – as you can see, we’ve even taken a few close naps together. I’m a lover, not a fighter!

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

And speaking of another beautiful friendship, I love Jerry and I love his blog. If you do, too, this week is your last chance to vote for him for a TopBlog award. It’s easy to vote, no registration necessary – simply head over to this link and find his category on the bottom left, called Best Professional or Business Life Blog. I’d vote, but I think it’s only open to human citizens!

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Enchanted Evening (Literally!)

No doubt there is no shortage of entertainment out here on the Baccalieu Trail. Take Friday, for example, when The Berry and I got to spend a night with faeries!

That’s right, Friday night was spent in an Enchanted Wood, complete with faeries, faerie dust, and friends. The Faerie Queen of Newfoundland (a.k.a. Lisa Day) and the Faerie Queen of Ontario (a.k.a. Soozi Schlanger) put on an awesome show and party, unlike anything I’ve experienced outside New Orleans.

Soozi is a singular woman with a singular talent, with an uncommon mix of talent, charm, charisma, energy, and history – truly amazing. She’s been on the road with Jordie (see pics below), and recently performed at The Ship in St. John’s. She is an artist, a poet, a musician and has a genius not unlike that of our own Clifford.

And what a show she, Lisa, and Jordie put on for us! Lisa read a wonderful piece of literature (an excerpt from the book she is working on), sang with Soozi and played the Cajun washboard. Soozi recited, sang, bounced around, smiled and laughed and put on one of the best shows I have EVER attended. It is quite the road show. It made me long for New Orleans again, and for when I had my entire life ahead and had dreams of road trips and free spiriting all over the world.

It left me with smiles and memories. It was a rare and special night where you meet someone and feel like you’ve known them all your life. And you end upa little more convinced that faeries and magic do exist!

And please folks, less than a week and you won’t hear me making this request anymore – from now until the end of the month, if you enjoy my blog, please vote for me for a TopBlogs award (no registration necessary to vote). Just head to this link, and my category is Best Business or Professional Life Blog, on the bottom left. Thank you!

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Sunset Sunday: Earning Your View

Sometimes you earn your view. Not that we’re not blessed with the sunsets we get to see most nights out our back window. But we captured this one on a hike last weekend. So I guess we’re doubly blessed – beauty in our backyard, more beauty surrounding us when we make a little effort and go out and enjoy nature. Happy Sunday, everyone. Only one month left til Christmas!

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Another First: Homemade Jam!

Doubtless I am settling into the quiet life around the bay! I made my first jam last night, made fresh from the wild cranberries we caught in front of our Heart’s Delight Cottages and the pears I picked at Sobey’s supermarket. It was the second time making berry jam for The Berry (sounds cannibalistic to me!), so she led the charge. Either way, it was a labour of love and local ingredients!

 

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Wood I?

Would I leave our guests to fend for themselves, having to bring their own wood for their fire pits? I think you know the answer to that! Everyone loves a fire, especially as the days are getting colder and shorter!

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Newfoundland Art Everywhere

Come to Newfoundland and you’ll be surrounded by opportunities to experience all the fine arts – singing, dancing, stunning paintings like those of our friend and artist, Clifford George. We have way more talent here than our small numbers would normally suggest.

But something you may not notice unless you look – all the folk art that many would take for granted. Like this little red dog, standing guard outside Clifford’s barn. He was carved by his friend, Stephen Legge, with a chain saw- I didn’t even know you could do such a thing! But take any time driving around our small communities and you’ll see all forms of sweet artistic expression popping up everywhere, making life just a little more colourful. Please let me know if you have a favourite piece or type of folk art – and if you have any pictures of it that you’d like to see on the blog, please email them! I’d love to share some more.

And don’t forget, there’s lots of ways to support local artists with your holiday shopping this season. I’d suggest starting at the Newfoundland Craft Council, and going from there!

And hey, can we maybe consider this blog to be a piece of Newfoundland art?? Maybe I’m stretching a little, but if you enjoy it, please consider heading to this link to vote for me for the Canadian TopBlogs award. My category is Best Business or Professional Life blog on the bottom left, and you don’t need to register to vote. Easy!

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Busy Busy Busy

It’s a rare day that my blog doesn’t go up first thing in the morning (I usually write them the night before), which maybe legitimizes my claims that we’ve been working like crazy the past few weeks. If this summer we were busy with the day-to-day of physically running cottages, lately we’ve been focusing on long term goals and strategies (like the rebranding you see on the sign above). We’re also working on a new online booking system, so keep an eye out for that.

In the meantime, if you’ll forgive me my late post and still enjoy this blog, please consider voting for me for Canadian TopBlogs award. My category is Best Business or Professional Life blog on the bottom left of this link, and you don’t need to register to vote. Thank you!