Interior of the Woody Point Heritage Theatre, home of the "Writers at Woody Point" festival.
Shelagh Rogers of CBC Radio's "Sounds Like Canada" hosted the individual sessions of the festival.
Former Canadian Poet Laureate, George Bowering. He was wonderful and hysterically funny!

all is calm in Woody Point harbour.

It was a wonderful vacation and now I'm back to work - in a job that I love which affords me the opportunities to take vacations like this one.......

A bit of everything

Well, we've seen our token moose and, thankfully, from a safe distance - we were in the car and he wasn't colliding with it. This was taken on Route 431 just north of Rocky Harbour on Friday, August 17th.
Deb and I took a hike along the Coastal Trail which passes along the side of Baker's Brook. This guy was having a leisurely afternoon trying to entice a salmon - any salmon to come ashore.
Western Brook inlet trail.

A serene moment at Lomond.

A view from the Tablelands trail.
Looking down the shore from the deck of Jane and Jerome Jesseau's wonderful home. Deb and I were priviledged to stay in their lovely old home while we were in Woody Point to attend two sessions of the "Writers at Woody Point" event. Speaking of which, we had a wonderful time! The intimacy of the setting of the Woody Point Heritage Theatre and the quality of the readings and music created an experience like no other. Stephen Brunt, Rose Dewhirst, Charlie Payne et al have created a masterpiece, they are to be commended.
Our lodging whilst in Woody Point, it doesn't get much better than this.

August 15/07

I woke at 5:30 am this morning at "The Loon" to discover this sky. So I was on the front deck in pjs and bare feet shooting photos for about 10 minutes before I decided my feet were getting waaaay too cool. I promptly dove back under the covers for another 90 minutes. This was my last morning at Sandy Point and as I headed off with cousin Deb for the west coast leg of my trip, I bid Pearl, Job and Bernice and Gerry and Carol farewell for this year.
This is the Humber Valley and a summer view of Marble Mountain Ski Resort hills in the distance. I was born in Corner Brook, which is in Humber Valley. For anyone viewing my blog whose never been to Newfoundland, I think you now know what you're missing. Obviously it's home for me so I'm more than a little biased, but who could argue with the scenery? My next entry will include the trip Deb and I are taking up the Great Northern Peninsula to Gros Morne Park and "Writer's at Woody Point". Stay tuned!

Moods of the sea

Five Loons on the water at Sandy Point, Monday evening, August 13th. They were just drifting around, not even calling out (darn, I love to hear them call).
It was a dark and stormy night........ Nothing quite like the moods of the sea.

Off to the west coast tomorrow.

The view from the bus as I travelled from St. John's to Grand Falls on Wednesday, August 8th. This was the isthmus of the Avalon Peninsula - almost always foggy there. Within 20km it was a beautiful sunny day.
Ah, yes......heaven on earth. This is one of the views from the cottage ("The Loon") at Sandy Point. Sandy Point is located in the bottom of Notre Dame Bay, in central Newfoundland.
Sunday, August 12 taking a walk back towards the cottage.

In central Newfoundland until the 15th helping Pearl, my stepmother, with her move from her apartment to a retirement centre. The move has been happening in stages - Rob and Sarah, Robin and then Cindy Lu and Wayne have all had turns at the project - now I'm tying up the loose ends. I won't get the opportunity to load anymore photos until I go to the west coast next Wednesday - just don't have the time! Going out for lunch with my friend Lorraine to catch up etc.

Caroline O'Brien's (my brother's girlfriend) handiwork on the wall and bench - traditional Newfoundland rug hooking.
The Rooms, the provincial archives, art gallery and museum. My brother Rob was the construction coordinator on this project - 3 years well spent.
Interior of The Rooms
A whale sculpture on exhibit
A living exhibit on the topic of traditional wooden boat building.

This morning after Rob headed to his office and while Sarah was still hugging her pillow, I walked down to Outer Cove beach (5 minutes from his front door). This road passes Rob's house and the beach. It was a grand morning, 20 degrees, light breeze, little traffic - you couldn't ask for much more.
While at the beach I met an 81 year old gentleman from Middle Cove who was loading a pail of beach rock into his car. He's going to use them to face a fire place. I'd like to be half as spry at his age and I wish I'd been smart enough to have taken his picture - duh.
You couldn't ask for a better view.....

Sarah, Rob and Amanda at the Bread and Cheese Inn property.
Amanda at the Inn property
Bread and Cheese Inn, Bay Bulls, Newfoundland. We had dessert and tea in the diningroom.....mmmm
Bay Bulls

Niece Amanda being coy, is that even possible? Sarah's artwork!

My brother's garden, a bit of fireweed and ribbon grass peeking through the arbour.

First view of home! Flying over the Avalon Peninsula on the way into St. John's Airport. Beautiful, sunny day - 18 degrees and no, absolutely NO humidity!! 08/04/07