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!
Sunset Sunday: Outside and Inside
Sunsets are wonderful in and of themselves, but the way they paint everything around them can be even more stunning. Look at how this one painted the living room. A reminder that every now and then it pays to take your eyes off the sunset to its magic all around.
Sunset Sunday: Bud’s View
This week’s Sunset Shot is so stunning for two reasons, I think. First, it’s a Newfoundland sunset, outside the overpass, so how could it not take your breath away? And the second reason is the skilled photographer. Capturing natural beauty on film is a true art form. And our friend Bud Vincent is a true artist. Take a look at his website and portfolio and you’ll have a hard time believing he’s self taught! And please, keep checking back on this site, as we’d love to be able to use more of his work in the future.
Sunset Sunday: Memories
Ultimately I’m saving this Sunset Series on my blog to show-off how stunning our night skies here are in Newfoundland. But I just had to share this one to prove how longstanding my nightly passion is. Here’s a picture that must be 10 years old, taken by my nephew, Jayson, when he was spending a summer with us in Virginia. Even there, every night, almost without choice as if I was physically being pulled, I spent the night watching the sun go down. Sometimes I had company, like I did here with my daughter, and sometimes I went alone. We lived close to the beach then, but we still had to drive to get these great seats. So I’m thankful now to live in the Wonderful World of Whiteway so I can see the show from my back deck!
Sunset Sunday: Harcourt, Newfoundland
If you remember, I’ve set aside Sundays to share my favourite thing in the world, and my natural mood-enhancing drug: sunsets. This week’s was capture in Harcourt, Newfoundland, as the sun was setting over Smith Sound. It was sent to me by my good friend Bud Vincent, who has contributed his beautiful photos to this blog before. So thanks, Bud – it’s a stunning shot!
Radiant Sunsets
I should probably change the name of this blog from ‘Jerry by the Sea’ to ‘Jerry Watching the Sky’ given the number of posts I dedicate to sunsets. And if you’ll indulge me again, we had one the other night that begged to be photographed. Where ever I am I’m drawn to watch each evening, but here and now the cleanliness of the air and the cooling temperatures are making the sunsets more radiant than anything I have seen before.
When photographer Michael Hanson stayed with us, he told me that ‘real’ photographers don’t take pictures of sunsets or sunrises – they take pictures of their effects. I hope I captured some of that here. Not that I’m a ‘real’ photographer yet, but I’m trying!
Oh! The Sunsets
I’ve already blogged about how my ‘church’ is Nature, specifically watching the sun set, specifically watching the sun set over the ocean. I think it’s the same for The Berry. I got this beautiful shot of her looking out at the sunset in wonder, awe and reflection. I thought it perfectly captured the moment – full of natural beauty (she gets that from her mother), strength and determination (which I hope I share with her). She puts me in mind of Mary from Random Passage (and, if you haven’t seen this movie, you must if you want to know who we Newfoundlanders are as a people).
We are grateful for all that the summer has brought and the lessons learned (we’re now rated number one in hotels in the province on TripAdvisor), but it’s been a lot of hard work. Hard work, and fun, too. We’re a little older, a lot wiser, and looking forward to things slowing down a bit so we can begin planning for our future. And continue enjoying our view every evening.
Family Brunch (and Then Some!)
What a soul-lifting treat last weekend turned out to be. This table was set for a sunny brunch. The setting was perfect, and our company even more so – so much so, in fact, that ‘brunch’ turned into lingering over drinks and coffee and conversation all afternoon (while I should have been working!), and then a salmon barbque for supper while we watched the sunset and enjoyed drinks long into the night. In fact, I think this ‘brunch’ turned out to be over 12 hours long!
The reason we lingered so long was the company. Now, when we have guests stay with us at the cottages, for all intents and purposes they become my ‘family’ while they’re here, and I try to treat them as such. So when the guests are actual family, well, you know how that goes! Of course Joe Friday’s my brother and he’s always here, but added to the mix were our niece Lisa, and her friend, Bill (dubbed The Most Handsome Man on the Planet), and our sister Maureen and her husband Pat.
It was a great night. We all stayed up past our bedtimes, and by the end of night were all noisily arguing politics – that’s almost the law when you’re part of a big Irish Catholic family! Of course, I have to make sure that I’m the on the opposing side of everyone else – I love the challenge! Our parents would have been proud!
Overall, it was the perfect day, followed by the perfect evening, followed by the perfect night, with perfect company! Thanks, guys, for coming and spending the weekend with us!
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!
Dinner in Paradise
There is perfection, and then there is perfection in the Wonderful World of Whiteway. After a hard day’s work, nothing beats a dinner on our deck while we watch the ocean, Shag Rock, and the setting sun. Especially when there’s fresh seafood to be had, all topped off with The Berry’s own (and mighty delicious) partridgeberry bread pudding with ice cream. A treat for any pallet, a gift for any soul!
Yesterday we introduced a new friend to Ocean Delight (stay tuned!) and today I take a digital photography course. So expect new things on our blog this summer!