The Rock (Newfoundland) #3: Puffins, Whales & Cod

There's a really good reason that Newfoundland is known as "The Rock." That's not to say that there aren't any trees. There are lots of trees, mostly evergreens, and most with the tops bent over from being constantly pounded by prevailing winds.

This summer we made our third trip to Newfoundland. If you've never been, it's definitely worth considering. It's a huge island and there are lots of really unique areas to explore. Bonus: /Newfunlanders/ really do welcome all those who Come From Away. 

Our latest trip to The Rock was to the Bonavista Peninsula and the North Central Region. Our goal was to see puffins, whales and to visit Fogo, Twillingate & Moreton's Harbour (i.e.: "all around the circle").

We flew into St. John's, rented a car and drove for ten days up and around the east coast of Newfoundland. We explored lots of little towns, saw both puffins & whales and sang "I'se the B'y" as we pulled into Fogo, Twillingate & Moreton's Harbour. 

Trinity was a lovely side trip off the main road up the Bonavista Peninsula. It is home to Aunt Sarah's Chocolates, lots of hiking trails, a cooperage, a blacksmith shop and lots of other unique places to explore. We didn't do any hiking, but we did buy some Wild Strawberry Chocolates. They were amazing!

Further up the peninsula, Elliston is known for it's root cellars and for the puffin viewing site. You won't get any closer to viewing puffins from land in North America. It is definitely worth the ten minute walk out to the site. We were fortunate enough to see a couple of "poser puffins" who landed close enough for us to get some great photos and enjoy an up-close puffin encounter. 

We spent two days in Bonavista which allowed us to explore some of the historical and natural sites in the area. We visited the Cape Bonavista lighthouse a couple of times and got a chance to watch the puffins swooping around the little island just off shore from the lighthouse. We also had lunch twice at The Little Dairy King on the way up the Cape Shore Road to the lighthouse. Definitely worth a stop!

Fogo Island is accessible by ferry from Farewell. You can't reserve the ferry so you just have to line up and hope that you are early enough. Coming back the line up was so long that most of the cars did not get on. We were one of the lucky (& early) ones. 

Fogo is pretty barren. It's not surprising that it is considered one of the four corners of the earth. Some areas have trees, but mostly there are lots of rocks. We explored some artist shops and checked out (not checked into) the Fogo Island Inn. We saw some whales spouting just off shore from the The SaltFire Gallery on the north shore and had a lovely stay at our "Escape By The Sea" accommodations in Seldom on the south shore.

On the road again, we stopped at the Beothuk Interpretation Centre in Boyd's Cove. It is located near a Beothuk archaeological site and pays tribute to this now extinct First Nations group. There are trails to the site and to the Spirit Garden. The Spirit Garden was a wonderful experience, very peaceful and magical. (See my video below.)

Twillingate via Moreton's Harbour was our next stop. Twillingate is the largest town on the Twillingate Islands. Exploring the town was fun, but we most enjoyed visiting the Long Point Lighthouse. In fact, we went there twice. During our second visit we saw several whales and an iceberg off the coast. It was definitely a highlight of our visit to the Twillingate area. 

We squeezed in a stop at Gander enroute and had the opportunity to see the "Come From Away" musical. It was wonderful and we got a mini lesson in how to speak "Newfunlander". Apparently, if you "adds" an "s" to all your verbs, you are on your way to speaking fluent "Newfunlander". That does not, however, take into account all of the unique sayings that you might hear during your visit.

We had part of a day to hit some of the highlights in St. John's, including Quidi Vidi, Signal Hill, Jellybean Row and then dinner at The Salt House.

The weather during our visit to Newfoundland was great. It was warmer than the locals were used to, but surprisingly the humidity was not an issue the way it can be around the Great Lakes in the summertime.

I ate a lot of cod during our visit to Newfoundland. Cod is intrinsically tied to the history and economy of Newfoundland. From the early days, through the moratorium and today, cod is a part of the island's essence. 

After three visits to Newfoundland, there are still places for us to explore in this beautiful province. I'm not sure when the next trip will be, but I'm guessing that there will indeed be another visit to The Rock in my future. 

The Newfoundland & Labrador tourism website is a great place to start planning your visit to The Rock. You can request a map and a guidebook through the website and they will mail it to you. So "Get On The Go" and start planning your visit to The Rock. ...and "Enjoy the Journey!"

    

  

The Spirit Garden

•Beothuk Interpretation Centre•

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Early Literacy #2: Preventing Problems & Promoting Health

 

Exposing babies (& young children) to books and reading increases vocabulary and makes it easier for them to learn to read later on. Just as important, sharing books provides babies and children with warm and nurturing interactions with trusted adults. 

Early exposure to language—whether through books, words, or songs—can help prevent problems and promote health. (Canadian Paediatric Society) 

The Cupola Corner Literacy Project promotes early literacy and helping young children learn to love reading because #readingisFUNdamental. 

The Cupola Corner Literacy Project purchases books for young children. When you buy a product that generates funds for The Cupola Corner Literacy Project you are helping to promote early literacy and helping young children learn to love reading. 

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Grapevines & Grapes!

Had to do some pruning in my "vineyard". Things were getting a bit out of control. I used the trimmings to make this grapevine wreath. Not sure how long it will take for it to dry out, but I'm looking forward to using it to create a dried flower wreath.

When we first moved to the Niagara Peninsula, I thought that growing grapes in my backyard would be a fun thing to do. Turns out that we are living on a clay bed, but with the addition of some nice loamy soil, things were looking good. Two years ago I was finally able to put in some gardens and my mini vineyard was born.

I wasn't expecting grapes until next summer. Surprise! I have a few clusters of Himrod grapes. They are a green table grape. The last time that I grew grapes, the birds got most of them. This time, I'm going to fight for some of them, too.

It's looking like I will be doing some more pruning in the near future. The vines are really growing quickly. I am looking forward to making more wreaths while I'm waiting for the grapes to ripen.

Journaling #4: Let the Fun Begin!

Journaling can be fun! There are lots of health benefits to journaling, both for physical and mental health. Put all that aside for a moment and realize that you might just enjoy journaling because it can be fun. Write what you want, when you want and about what you want. Express yourself. 

Maybe you’re a Dog Mom. Write about your pup. Maybe you like really good puns. Record them in a journal. Maybe you like trying different kinds of coffee. Start a Coffee Journal. It’s all good and I’m guessing that it will be good for you, too. Happy journaling! 

• Cupola Corner sells a curated selection of handmade and handbound journals.

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