The Tides

The Arches, Northern Peninsula Newfoundland

Early last week I received an email with a request and in the email a reference was made to tides. The person wrote that she thought that I would appreciate the imagery of high and low tides.  She also referred to the gradual wearing down that a tide eventually effects.  When I responded to the email I replied that the tide is fabulous imagery, as one never knows what treasures will be revealed in the low tide.  It was a fun banter back and forth between a land locked prairie person and an Atlantic Canadian, who had just returned from a trip east.  It was also interesting as one of the conversations that I had been a part of in Newfoundland was about how the tides were wearing away the cliff near a home and how many feet of land had eroded over a specific number of years.

The banter and imagery set me to thinking about the tide.  It is an imagery that I have played with in my mind these last few weeks. Tides for people living on the sea/ocean shores become a part of life. They often go unnoticed unless they are going to affect whether or not you can do something or it seems to be coming in higher than normal.  Houses near the shore were often built to accommodate the high tides.  The tides eventually erode cliff sides, smoothly finish rocks and glass. The tides take a toll on sea life and people alike.  The tides wear things away and smooth off rough edges. The tides come high and low.  The high washes away remnants on the shoreline and the low reveals the treasures that wash ashore.  The tide holds mystery, balance, power.  It washes away the old and reveals the new.

Life is much like the tide.  It has its highs and lows and each experience shapes us slightly differently, smooths off or gives us rough edges.  Each experience reveals something about us and inevitably alters us in some slight way.  I suppose what we really need to consider is how we will let the tides of life affect us.  Life tides, like ocean tides, come whether or not we are ready for them. Transformation takes place both within and without, we are altered in a deep and meaningful way.  However we do not always appreciate the changes when they are happening to us.  It is only with the benefit of time that we often appreciate the tides of our lives and what has been changed, revealed, washed in or out.

Tides perform gradual transformation, for the most part, and at times we barely notice that the changes have occurred,  I suppose that what we have to ponder is what the tide takes away and what the tide reveals.  There are losses that must be endured and treasures yet to be revealed.

Erosion

E. J. Pratt

  

It took the sea a thousand years,
A thousand years to trace

The granite features of this cliff,

In crag and scarp and base.

It took the sea an hour one night,
An hour of storm to place

The sculpture of these granite seams

Upon a woman’s face.

A little cuppa...

Those who know me well know that I quite enjoy a lovely cup of coffee.  As the years have progressed I have become quite discerning about what is in my cup and have occasionally been described by my DH, lovingly I am sure, as a "coffee snob."  Like most people I began drinking the regular varieties on offer at coffee shops and knew which ones were the preferred choice, perking at home would be the ground variety and then later beans to grind and then learning to roast my own beans and which varieties that I liked best.  The bean and the roast is an important process but no process is as important as the end result of what is in the cup.  The cup is mostly unimportant, what I enjoy most is having someone with which to share the coffee time.  Friends can also tell you that I will always make time in my week to meet up for a coffee, no matter how busy the week looks! I have discovered through the years that the bean, the roast, the brew is all important but nothing is quite so important as sharing the coffee with a friend.  

When we first moved to Manitoba from Newfoundland it was a difficult transition.  I had left behind everything familiar but what I missed the most were the friends and the cups of coffee we shared. Without those friends nearby for a face to face coffee, for a very long time, I would sit and write emails to the support network I had left.  My morning would begin with "morning coffee" by email chat.  It was a lovely practice but not one that could sustain a person indefinitely.  Gradually coffee friends were made here and new coffee houses were discovered and a variety of treats.

The cup of coffee holds great symbolism of friendship, warmth, comfort.  It reminds me that sharing of life and its joys and sorrows can be done over a cup of the warm brew and this week I read this story that brought all of this to mind

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Savour the coffee, not the cups!
The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Author Unknown

 Life, like the warm brew, is to be savoured, shared, enjoyed.  My coffee friends remind me on a regular basis that whether near or far we have much to share and to gift each other.

...Until Next Time

Where we love is home -- home that our feet may leave but not our hearts.

Oliver Wendell  Holmes

A childhood friend wrote, as she was leaving Newfoundland to return to her home, that she had her sad eyes on!  This morning it is my turn to put my sad eyes on as I leave my beloved home province to head west again.  Although I think my sad eyes started yesterday when I had to say goodbye to family members.  

It is difficult to say the good byes with the hope that all will remain well for the next year and we can come together again.  No amount of time with the people we love is ever enough and inevitably it is necessary to return to everyday life and to say our farewells for a time.  My young friend AC is always enthusiastic to have a visit but has yet to ever say good bye, it is something that he likes to avoid. Good byes, whether temporary or more permanent, leave an incredible sadness and so like my friend today is a sad day, having to look out of the plane window as I depart this beautiful province will definitely mean that the sad eyes are prevalent and while there is no place like home life, work and commitments call.  

There are a few random pictures from my time here that up to now have not been shared so here they are for a glimpse

The Gallipoli rounding Boar Island from Ramea

 The Mountains, hills in Newfoundland that lined the highway

 And on the Opposite side is Deer Lake with a view of part of the Pasadena Beach

The Lake and Mountains

Beautiful skies and calm water on the Beach in Pasadena this evening

The sky is beautiful this evening looking out over Pasadena Beach

A Newfoundland Pony

A Newfoundland Icon -- A Father of Confederation and First Premier of the Province

And the view from the look out on the Community of Gambo

This is my Hometown

Today dawned as a grey foggy day.  It was not unfamiliar weather.  The southwest coast of the island of Newfoundland is frequently plagued with fog and drizzle and while this is uncomfortable to be in for a prolonged period of time it is a great day to take pictures.  My sister was my chauffeur today and we cruised around town taking pictures, stopping on the tops of hills, in the middle of roads all in the effort to get a good picture.

It was fun to spend the day snapping pictures, getting a little soggy and seeing some of the areas of town that I had not been in for quite some time.  This trip home to Newfoundland has been a walk down memory lane and the excuse has been pictures for the blog!  The camera forces you to take a closer look, ask should I share this and even how did I miss this?

So on this grey foggy day take a tour around my hometown, enjoy the sites of this little community of Burgeo
To begin this is the view as we walked down my sister's driveway, lots of islands off shore

This used to be the library when I grew up here, 

now however it is a museum and this is one of a number of murals that can be seen around town

The Church of my formative years, St. John the Evangelist.  

It sits atop a hill and overlooks the harbour

Faith United Church

Boats tied up to the wharf

A view of the Government Wharf, the coastal ferries dock here

Furbies Harbour, one of the in lets that is fairly sheltered

Islands just off the local wharf

The Lighthouse atop Boar Island, 

while it was foggy it was not enough to set the fog horn blaring

With out the zoom on you can see it is really quite a distance away

Small and Debbies Islands

Richard's Head is shrouded in fog

Another shot of the many islands that surround Burgeo

A trip to the local cemetery holds the reminder of the many disasters at sea

This monument commemorates the loss of a ship and the entire crew

No trip would be complete without at least a 

drive to the Sandbanks Provincial Park

While there are a few waves crashing it is not a heavy sea today

It is an unusual sight to see the beach deserted. 

 These grow wild and the season is nearly finished 

Another shot of the beautiful beach, yes I am enjoying the salt air

The rocky shores are prevalent everywhere on this coast

A calm day in the sheltered areas, note the reflection in the water

It is a rugged coast and houses crop up everywhere

This was too pretty to miss, the Messeurs area of town

The foot bridge in the distance

A wider angle!

Summer days they were warmer then

When we laughed with the old fishermen

And they cursed when the fog rolled in,

Then they made up the hay;

It's been more than a long, long time

Since I held you and called you mine,

On a grey foggy day.

(from Grey Foggy Day by Eddie Coffey)

A Beautiful Memory

Memories are the timeless treasures of the heart . . .

Today has been a lovely day.  The weather has been warm (hot by Newfoundland standards)! My friend LC and I took the opportunity to visit a few stores in the Stephenville area, where I found a few treasures.

The coolest socks with the message "What Odds"  which is a Newfie expression!

Sea Glass earrings...I could not resist!  

Those who know me will know that I love, love love my earrings!

And then there was this gorgeous gift of earrings.  

The forget me not was my Dad's favourite flower so these are extra special.

Once finished at the gift stores it was off on an old familiar drive.  It was a drive that I did for eleven years.  It was a great day to drive over the hills, along the beach, enjoy the sea breeze, the smell of the salt air and the crashing of the ocean on the shores.  This is not something that you can ever get enough of so I was making the most the trip today.  So windows down and driving alone meant I could take full advantage.  

Memories were also a big part of the drive as the old familiar road was traveled and I could not resist a detour or two to enjoy the scenery, to visit a community and to see a few familiar faces.  The memories are sweet as this parish holds a very special place in my heart and I quite enjoyed the drive down memory lane.  Like many years ago I just dropped in on a few of the congregational members that are still in the community.  Some were not at home, some were about to leave, and some I had a short but lovely visit with.  It was like stepping back in time and picking up where we left off  eight years ago.  Sorry my sweet parish, my return is not possible for more than a visit!  (yes I was asked!)

A compliment to be sure and a walk down memory lane of the fun times that we had together.  The memories leave me with a smile, a little sadness for the many missing familiar faces, and great joy for the wonderful ministry and memories that we shared together.

So a few pictures of my sights and memories from today.  

As I crested Indian Head this was the view of the Bay ahead of me, 

still as breath taking as the first time I ever saw it

Shacks on the Beach

The Beach and view of the shoreline

Another view of the Beach 

All Saints, Stephenville Crossing one of the 

congregations that hold a special place

The "Gut" Bridge, where the trains crossed

A View of the other side of the Bay towards Mattis Point, 

the mountains loomed beautifully in the background today

Once I had finished with my detours and playing today I headed on down the road to my home town of Burgeo where family members patiently waited for me!!  Memories are a lovely thing, meant for taking out and revisiting but they are even better when you can revisit them with old friends in special places!

Sometimes memories sneak out of my eyes and roll down my cheeks. 

I know that I can not change the past . . .

All I can say,

It was beautiful and 

 I Miss you ...

 healthythoughts.in

There's No Place like Home

Close your eyes and tap your heels together three times.                                               And think to yourself, there's no place like home.  

 The Wizard of Oz

It is great to be home and while I have been here almost a week it is the first time that I am having a chance to write and to get a few pictures of local scenery.  Some descriptions are hard to explain.  The smell of the air, the feeling of being back in Newfoundland, the language and the lilt of the accent that is so wonderfully familiar.

Most of this week had been centered around family commitments but today was spent with my dear friend and we went sight seeing and shopping.  Now you have to appreciate that the sight seeing is for the benefit of my friends who read and follow the blog.  This is the city of my young adult years. I lived here during my university days and while it has grown exponentially there are still aspects that are so familiar and lovely to see again.

Time has not permitted a trip to Signal Hill, Cape Spear, the Geo-Centre or any number of other familiar landmarks.  These will have to be saved for another year.  Today we enjoyed the coastline, the beach (even if it was a bit chilly) lunch at an old haunt (but in a new location), craft stores, and wool specialty shops.  There was a moment of despair when I made the discovery that the camera USB connection was left in Winnipeg by mistake but thanks to my friend's DH the pictures are now downloaded and ready to be uploaded for your enjoyment!

So here are a few offerings from Torbay, Middle Cove and downtown St. John's

Some of the Rugged coast line on the drive to Torbay

 Again Coastline that can be viewed all along the drive.  Today is a relatively calm day!

The boats are tied up in the Harbour

 Middle Cove Beach is a good place in any weather, today started a bit cool and grey

and any day is a good day at the beach, but no there are no capelin today I came too late to enjoy those little yummies

 even on a calm day the waves crash, these are just small ones and MMM, MMMM, MMMM the salt air smells fabulous!  I just stood here and took big deep breaths

Some of the row housing along the downtown streets.....wait for it

Here are the brightly coloured rows that the downtown is so famed for

A trip along the downtown means a picture of the house from the Republic of Doyle

The fuller view of the house from the Republic of Doyle

So enjoy this glimpse of Newfoundland and hopefully it will entice you to want to come, see, smell, listen and taste the bounty of all that Newfoundland entails and in the meantime I will enjoy being home!

If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, 

I shouldn't look any farther than my own backyard

Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz