I am a nomad and adventurer. I used to travel for work now I travel for curiosity and fun. I started this blog when my husband of 21 years, Jim died of cancer on his 60th birthday. I started it because I wanted to have an easy way for my friends and family to follow me as I started a new adventure living in a small B class RV. I have a delightful little Roadtrek that I live in full time. It continues to be quite an adventure.
Today is Giving Tuesday. Today I made my annual donation to the Jim Fenningham Memorial Scholarship.
Each year I donate to this Scholarship that I created after my husband died. Education and honoring the student was a mission of his. Jim was a supporter of higher education. He devoted his whole working life to helping students achieve. To honor this part of him I started the Jim Fenningham Memorial Scholarship. He believed that all could excel in college and there was no better honor that I could give to him than a scholarship that was inclusive of most students. The scholarship changes per each annual semester, one semester it is applied to the Arts and Humanities and the next semester it is applied to the Social Sciences.
His kindness and compassion were noticed by all. He was a good man and a good boss. Now don’t get me wrong the people who worked with him didn’t always agree with his decisions yet they all liked and respected him. That is a sign of a good boss and a good person.
I am including the essay for the recipient of the fall semester scholarship. These are people of all ages, They have to write an essay regarding their need for a scholarship.
Each student has a dedication to their education, no matter their circumstances. They give me hope for the future.
Today, I spoke with the college and gave them my donation, I had a moment where my heart softened as I honored Jim and each student. It has gotten easier yet there are moments.
If you would like to donate to the Scholarship, no donation is too small, please click below and you can help another student realize their dream.
Today I am thankful. I am thankful that the education system in this country can honor all. I am thankful that Jim taught me the value of education. I am thankful that he was a part of my life for twenty-one years.
I have been attempting to be creative with my blog without success. When I first started this page I promised myself to write from the heart. When I get stuck trying to write I recognize that I have gotten off track. And here I am once again having to remind myself to go back to what I promised myself at the very beginning of this blog. Be honest and listen to my heart.
I am in San Diego. After an amazing trip across the country and into the Maritimes of Eastern Canada, I have returned to the West Coast. It is time to take a deep breath and dive into being in a large city, and getting all my medical and dental appointments in order.
This is a hold-my-breath time of the year. I hold my breath until my thyroid labs come back. They are good. I hold my breath until my mammogram results come back. I am still waiting. I hold my breath until all my dental appointments are complete. One is complete and it is good. I still have another one to go.
Why do I hold my breath? I don’t want any more untoward diagnoses. I want to be healthy and go on about my usually adventurous life. Determining my winter plans depends on the results of these tests and treatments. Do I have to stay in the city? Can I go to the desert or Mexico? How much time do I really need to be in the heart of the city?
It is not that I dislike the city. It is just a bit overwhelming when the largest city I have been in over the past eight months was St Johns, NL. People drive faster here. People move faster. I have gotten used to the kindness of drivers in Labrador and Newfoundland. I like the slower pace, and the joy of enjoying each moment.
I want to enjoy my time here and access what is available in this pretty city. I have access to nature the whole time I am here. I can bike and kayak and walk around the two bays. It is right at my door. I don’t even have to take my rig anywhere. That is pretty sweet.
When I first arrived I admit to feeling a bit overwhelmed. One day I would linger at the campground or go over to the bay. The next day I would leave to run errands and remind myself of a city that I called home for thirty years.
Star of India
The first weekend I was here I made my way to the San Diego Bay waterfront. I stayed until sunset to watch the Star of India, The Californian, The Bill of Rights, San Salvador, and the visiting Historic Voyaging Canoe Hōkūleʻa arrive back into the harbor. The Star of India is the Flagship of one of the best Maritime Museums I have ever been to, right here in San Diego. It was the first time in five years that Star unfurled her sails and went to sea. It was fun to gather with others who were there to watch all these ships return from a glorious day on the water.
The heart of the Park.
A few days ago I joined a dear friend for lunch and a walk in Balboa Park. The park is another major attraction in this city. When I could still dance I was usually there at least once a week. All the locals have access to the park. It is not unusual on any given night to walk into buildings hear music and watch all types of dancing being enjoyed by the local San Diegans. Folk Dance, Ballet, Modern, Tap, and Jazz may be in the same building. It is fun to watch people enjoy themselves. During the day it is fun to wander the park and explore its many walkways.
Balboa Park is also home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. I have not been there yet but I am waiting for another good friend, Cynthia to set a date to meander the zoo.
Even in the middle of the eighth largest city in the USA, I can still find many things to do outdoors. Bird watching? Check. Hiking? Check. Biking? Check. Kayaking? Check. Watching amazing Sunsets? Check.
Sunset on Mission Bay
How else do I plan to enjoy my time here? I haven’t mentioned friends yet. Slowly I am connecting with my long-time friends and some new ones as well. I want to enjoy at least one theater performance and one dance performance while I have access to them. However, I saw a great musical performance in the middle of Newfoundland at a Visitor’s Center in a wildlife refuge in the middle of nowhere. You just never know.
I will return to my seven-month sojourn. I am still editing photos and creating a map and a slide show. Stay Tuned.
Caving in Illinois
Today I am thankful for the wild country and the city. I am thankful for being able to bring the outdoors with me into the heart of a large city. I am thankful for all the big city has to offer. I am thankful for friends to share my urban adventures.
People ask me how I find my campsites. I am not a planner, I never know where to end my day. I usually settle in somewhere by three thirty in the afternoon so I have time to enjoy where I am camping.
I have been traveling across big states. Most states look big for this gal from Delaware. I have been driving through Oklahoma forever. Well, not really but it feels that way. This is the heartland country. There are miles and miles of fields broken up by cattle yards. It is often a flat and unbroken country. Similar to the TransLabrador Highway it is a big, lonely country. More people and traffic are in these states than on the highways in Canada.
Often I try to find somewhere to camp that can break up the monotony of the day’s drive. One way to find a campsite is to look for water on a map. If there is a lake or large river often campgrounds are close by. In Oklahoma, I found a lovely state park, Salt Plains State Park. This state park was a relief after a day’s drive.
Salt Plains State Park is one of Oklahoma’s most unique state parks. The barren landscape of the nearby Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of salt leftover from an ocean that covered Oklahoma in prehistoric times, and the saltwater lake in the park, Great Salt Plains Lake, is about half as salty as the ocean.
A selenite crystal dig area is open for a limited season nearby. Located just under the surface of the salt plains, these crystals usually form into an hourglass shape. Oklahoma is the only place in the world where the hourglass-shaped selenite crystal can be found.
There were campsites available near the lake and below the dam on a park on the North Fork of the Arkansas River. I chose the river and am glad I did. The sites were right on the water and the view was marvelous. There was shade and my neighbors were nice and helpful. I could easily take my bike out for a ride and enjoy the prairie in a different way.
Before I pointed EmmyLou west I took time to do the driving tour of the refuge. It was a bit early for the migratory bird population. It was quiet on the refuge.
Currently, I am bird watching and photographing birds. When I decide to indulge in one of my passions I look for camping nearby. I spent three nights at the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, about two hours south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. There is an RV park a mile outside the Refuge, Bird Watchers RV Park. Billy wants to sell it and there have been rumors that it is closed but each time I visit the Bosques it remains open and convenient for wildlife viewing on the refuge. Nature certainly overflows the refuge and I had many quail come visit me during my stay.
At the Bosque
The sandhill cranes are migrating south. I love these birds. By winter the Bosque will have thousands of cranes, snow geese, and many varieties of ducks that winter on the refuge. It was early in the season so the large amounts of birds had yet to arrive but I saw enough cranes to make me and my camera happy.
Whitewater Draw
Now I am camped at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Refuge in southcentral Arizona. One of the many nice things about this refuge is that I can camp right in the parking lot. Since the cranes often depart before sunrise it is a quick walk to observe these marvelous birds. Again, it is early in the migration here. At the moment there are about 400 cranes on the refuge, by winter there will be over seven thousand in the refuge and twenty-three thousand in the Wilcox Valley.
From here it will be a few days drive to San Diego and settling into a campground for a few months. It is time to say hello to good and dear friends, the Pacific Ocean and get all things medical and dental done.
Finding unique and interesting places to camp and visiting Wildlife refuges along the way helps to break up the drive across this vast country. I especially like State, County, City, and Federal Lands to camp on. They are often interesting places for me to explore.
Today I am thankful that our Governments have set aside interesting places for me to visit and camp. Today I am thankful that I can feel safe traveling and camping.
Eleven years but who is counting? I guess I am. Eleven years ago yesterday Jim, my husband died. Eleven years is sometimes a long time and sometimes it is yesterday.
Morning on the Lake
Yesterday morning I awoke on the shores of Lake of the Ozarks, took my coffee to the water’s edge, and watched a stunning fall morning unfold. This is my reflecting time. I ponder and wonder at the mystery of it all.
Yesterday was a hard day for me, physically. I was exhausted. It wasn’t a normal exhaustion, it was bone-wearying. I could hardly move from my rig to the picnic table. I had all these plans for yesterday. The only thing I accomplished was a languid rambling walk, followed by a nap. I never feel like this, Never. Then I realized grief had shown up once again in my life. It is always in the background somewhere but yesterday it said hello and popped up into the foreground of that moment of my life. If I couldn’t move then I decided not to move. I read and napped and gave myself permission to just be.
I have had six good friends die within the past eight months. That is a lot. I think the grieving I feel for their loss and the loss of Jim made me give up and accept that yesterday I could not be a superhero and I needed to give in to this and love myself. And so I did.
Grief is still a mystery to me. It appears that it is something that will never go away. It just continues to shift and move and mold to the moment. I am learning that it is important to put grief in its appropriate place in my life. Like fear, I wonder if I can make grief my ally. What if I can make this feeling and emotion help me move forward. What if I let grief guide me to a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me and give me guidance on how to support and love others.
When I feel grief to the intensity I did yesterday, a full-body type of grief, I am in the moment, not thinking about yesterday or tomorrow. It is one of the things I remember most about the last days of Jim’s life. He was certainly in the moment and so was I. There was nothing beyond each moment for both of us. It was intensely emotional and heart felt. It almost felt like a blessing to be in its presence.
Janet & Jim in Peru
Today I am back on the road. I have about two weeks until I arrive in San Diego. It is time for my annual check-ups. It is time to visit with friends. Today it is Oklahoma, tomorrow it will probably still be Oklahoma. These are big states. I am enjoying the fall foliage.
Today I am thankful for recognizing grief as a teacher. Today I am thankful for giving myself a break.
My RV is my house. When things go wrong with any part of it I need to get it fixed just like any “Sticks & Bricks” homeowner does. The frustrating part is trying to find someone to fix it.
On this trip, my macerator hose developed a pinpoint hole leak. What is a macerator hose? It is what drains my black and gray water tanks. It is my sewage line to the outside world. Thanks to a good friend, Campskunk, I repaired it, knowing that I would need to replace the hose at some point. The repair was a temporary fix.
I plan to visit with family in Columbus, Ohio so I thought I would get it fixed there. I called three different service centers and asked if they could replace the hose. All three gave me roundabout answers that meant no. No, we don’t deal with macerator hoses. No, we don’t work on Roadtreks or vans. A Macerator hose, what is that? No, I don’t know any service centers in the Columbus area that will work on this problem. Frustration!!!
My friend Cori texted me to remind me of Beaver Motors RV in Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania. They work on Roadtreks. I reached Nick, at Beaver Motors RV and asked him if they could replace the macerator hose he said, “Yes”. When I asked him if he could look at my one window that has an annoying water leak he said, “Yes”. When I asked him if he could check one more thing his answer was “Yes”.
By now, you probably know who I am going to go to for some home repairs. He even offered to let me camp in their lot. On Friday I will be waiting at eight in the morning to get my rig in.
Tomorrow my New Jersey sister, Ginny will be meeting me for the weekend in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, one of the towns on the Susquehanna River. While my rig gets worked on we will hotel it, visit, and explore the surrounding area. It will be my last visit with her for some time. We are making the most of being closer in proximity. I am looking forward to one more visit.
I crossed over the Canadian/US border on Monday, September twenty-fifth. It was hard to say goodbye to the north country. It was a grand journey into Canada this summer and fall.
Visiting with good friends in Vermont for a few days made it easier to acclimate back into my own country. I visited Diane and Tom going north, what seems like ages ago, but was really just this past July. I got to do a repeat performance. On a lovely Tuesday, the three of us kayaked on one of the local reservoirs. It was a perfect morning and afternoon.
DianeTom
Fall has arrived on the northeast coast. It is Indan Summer with cool nights and warm days. It is kind of a last hurrah before winter arrives. The leaves are changing colors. No one is sure if it is going to be a good fall, with brilliant leaf colors or just a so-so one. There are all these theories that the locals use to predict whether it will be a good “Leaf Peeping” fall or not. The trees know but they let people do their local predictions before they decide to show their color. The verdict is still out for this fall. Foliage usually peaks around the second week in October.
Friday presents me with another kind of adventure. Home repairs. I am so glad to be driving towards someone who will take care of EmmyLou for me. It feels good to be putting her into good hands.
Today and I am sure over the next few days I will continue to be thankful for Beaver Motors RV service department.
After I spent two nights at Saguenay National Park in the Province of Quebec, I began to move south. I am in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Thanks to Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome I am tucked into a driveway of a lovely home.
I am here to attend a Hommage (French) or a Celebration of Life for a good friend of mine, Therese. I have posted about Therese before in this blog. I believe it was the fourth or fifth post, beginning this journey in 2013. Here is a link to that post Guess Where I Am. If you click on the area in bold blue it will take you to that link.
Therese was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at least six years ago. She died in May, two days before I departed for the Amazon. She grew up in North Hatley, Quebec. Today, Saturday there will be services for her in her home town. Since I am close I knew I wanted to attend this celebration. She was my friend.
Therese was my friend. We shared time together. We first met at the college where Jim and her husband worked. She was so nice, and funny and had such a lovely lilting French accent. I knew we would become friends. She was also a nurse and healer. When I was undergoing treatment for breast cancer she would come to the house and we would sit out back and play Scrabble and Bananagram and we would talk not about cancer, not about health, just about life. I was part of a women’s game night at her home and often attended parties at her and Drew’s (her husband) home. Over the years we developed a good friendship that would endure for the rest of her life and my life too. I miss her already.
This past year has been hard. I know that I am seventy, and I still think of that as young. I have lost some good friends, starting last October. I am not doing well with accepting that this can begin to happen at this time of my life. It is time to address this issue so I can learn to accept the departure of friends and others from my life.
Grief has arrived again to remind me of the impermanence of my life and of others. It has made me remember that I have been going through this in some form since Jim, my husband died almost eleven years ago. It wakens part of me that is dormant most of the time. It is a hard and odd teacher. Grief brings me into the present moment. It may sound odd to say that it makes me feel alive in a different way than almost any other thing I have experienced. My emotions sit on the surface as does my heart. I live more in the moment forgetting about the past or future.
This all sounds positive and in ways it is. There are times when it is exhausting and overwhelming. I know after today that it will quiet down again as I remember and mourn those who have left so recently.
In honor of my friends who have moved on:
Judy was a long-time friend and teacher. She and her husband, Fred were instrumental in my life for a long time. I will miss her presence. I posted a blog about her and her husband in another early blog post. On the Road Again. I will miss her and her horses and her continuing love and guidance in my life.
Gail died last fall. She was my acupuncturist, healer, and friend. She left too soon and I miss her.
I met Jon shortly after I moved to San Diego. He was a Morris Dancer as was I. Jon bought the kayaks Jim and I built back in 2019. I miss his delightful presence and his generosity.
I also posted about Ron this year. A Cowboy in My Life. Like Judy, they were cowboys I met in Colorado. Ron took care of the property we owned. He was a teacher, a friend, and more. Maybe just maybe Judy and him have met and are now “Riders in the Sky”.
I treasure my friends and have wonderful memories of those who have moved on. All of my friends, close and far have helped shape who I am today and I am grateful for this. I have had some excellent teachers in my life and I value each one. All I can say is thank you to each one. They have all been teachers, down to earth and loving. I will miss each one.
Today I am thankful for the amazing friendships I have formed over the years.
After driving through the winds from Hurricane Lee, I safely made it to Moncton, New Brunswick last night. Whew. the winds blew yesterday. Along Highway 104 there were swaths of trees that had blown over in the forests along the way. I drive a high-clearance vehicle so I have learned to slow down and take breaks to relax between stretches of driving. Oh, and breathing is essential, long, slow, and steady.
This morning it is a sunny and lovely almost a fall day. I am waiting patiently while EmmyLou is getting serviced. She has been such a good rig this summer. Now it is her turn to get some love and attention.
Viewpoint of Fjord du Saguenay in Quebec Province
I am not finished with Canada. After my rig is serviced and I see a chiropractor (I am getting serviced too) I am going to be spending more time in New Brunswick as I head toward Quebec Province. I am once again going to cross the St. Lawrence Seaway. This time it is a bridge crossing. I am on my way toSauganay Fjord National Park. I met several people over the past month who told me it is a must-see. I am already here so why not. I am looking forward to fall in the East. The colors had begun to change a little as I was preparing to leave Newfoundland.
I hope you will join me on my fall adventures in eastern Canada. It is fun to have someone to share stories with and share my photos.
I will remain in Quebec Province for a week before I once again head to the United States and begin to consider heading west. I don’t want to winterize my rig, although I know I can.
Yesterday I took the ferry for seven hours from “The Rock” Newfoundland to Nova Scotia. It is hard to say goodbye to a month-long journey around this island.
The best and worst of Newfoundland. There are not many worst The one worst I can think of….Potholes! I have learned to drive slowly and carefully. Often I found that dirt roads were more manageable and easier than the paved roads. When I encountered signs that said Pot Holes Ahead it really meant potholes ahead. No road was immune to the pothole phenomena. Not only did I have to be concerned about potholes but often the roads dipped in odd and different ways and sometimes the sides of the road were shattered and I had to drive in the middle. In a few days, I will be taking EmmyLou to the dealer to get her oil changed. I will be asking them to check her alignment.
There are too many bests to list. But here are a few highlights.
Gannets, I drove to a colony of these birds and spent the night at the visitor center. During the day I was able to observe and photograph these birds. In the evening I went to a concert at the visitor center featuring folk music, a storyteller, and a four-string quartet that was really three strings and a flute. It was a delightful evening. People don’t seem to mind driving in the fog to go to events.
Launce aux Meadows on the northern end of the island. It is one of the only Viking settlements on the North American Continent. After exploring the settlement I took a hike and discovered fairy houses.
Because I did not get enough of the Puffin Experience on the Mingan Archipelago I went to Elliston, camped on the beach, and could see and photograph more Puffins.
A Doctor who was able to diagnose my ear pain, and prescribe medicine so I could enjoy the rest of my journey. The woman in the Pharmacy who directed me to the doctor.
Camping near Trinity
All the free camping in amazing places everywhere on the island.
Gros Morne National Park. This place was amazing. When I was younger and not dealing with ankle issues I would have spent days hiking in this park. The views were grand, the towns picturesque, and the people friendly and helpful.
Camping in the Municipal, Provincial, and National Parks was a great experience. The campsites were clean and private. Laundromats were in each park and warm showers were plentiful. It was fun to do the laundry as there was usually a waiting line and I got to meet others that were waiting.
The surprises I found in the small out-of-the-way towns throughout the island. One night I camped at the Giant Squid Interpretation Center.
Cape Spear-Furtherest East lighthouse in Canada
The lighthouses. I have been to so many lighthouses. I keep thinking I have been to enough of them but then I read about or see a sign for another one and off I go in search of another lighthouse.
It has been a wonderful summer and autumn along the water’s edge. I love being close to the ocean. If there is no ocean then there are lakes and rivers, streams and bogs.
The plentiful picturesque towns tucked away in harbors all along the coast.
The colorful houses and stages everywhere I looked. I really enjoy seeing such colorful buildings and homes.
Lastly, everyone I met or interacted with was so nice and kind and open. I enjoyed meeting the people who lived on “The Rock”.
You may get the idea that I enjoyed my visit. I did. It was hard to leave and I believe I will return. There was so much more to see and do and experience. I enjoy the adventure of discovering the new and unique. There were more pictures to take.
Today I am thankful for a smooth sail. The staff aboard the ferry said that the water was calmer than it had been in a month. I am thankful for discovering a new place that was such a complete experience for me.
I have been in Newfoundland for three weeks. Before I started this journey I asked a local Nova Scotian how long I should give myself on “The Rock”. His reply was at least a month if not more. I didn’t believe him. Now, I do. I am running out of time.
This “Rock” is beautiful. I am not here at the right time of year to see icebergs or Puffins feeding their young and you know what, I don’t care. I have been traveling the back roads and loving every minute of what I have been seeing.
As I have been told I came in through the back door. After spending a week crossing the TransLabrador Highway, I took the ferry from Labrador to the island’s north end. I was engulfed by the mysteries of this amazing place. I spent a few nights at the very north end so I could explore everything Viking.L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, a UNESCO site, and a treasured find. I dove into the world of everything Viking. I even had my photo taken with my very own Viking.
The site contains the excavated remains of a complete 11th-century Viking settlement, the earliest evidence of Europeans in North America and the only Viking settlement. It consists of eight timber-framed turf structures built in the same style as those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland from the same period.
It was in a beautiful spot overlooking the ocean. I spent much of the day exploring, ending it with a hike along the coast, through the bogs, back to my rig. It was an interesting day spent among the Vikings from the fifteenth Century.
Since there is only one main road from the north I began my meander down the island. I took time to explore the little side roads to different villages hugging the coastline. I went where people told me to go as it was a must-see. Then I wandered off the must-sees and found my own spots to be in awe of.
Even though it is only a month my pace feels a bit leisurely allowing me time to explore at an easy pace. I have been in the mountains, Gros Morne National Park and along the ocean and everywhere in between.
Here are a few of my favorite places among the many that I have seen in Newfoundland.
Pistolet Bay Provinical Park. There are some places I camp that are a little bit better than other campgrounds. I really liked this campground. They let me a few others camp in the overflow area which was right next to a beautiful lake. I could hear loons.
Cow Head. Once I crossed a spit of land I parked and hiked into an historic lighthouse that was hiding in the woods.
Trout River is this quiet little town at the end of the road. I fell in love with the area and the people. Everyone was so kind and welcoming. The big event in trout river happened in 2014 when a dead blue whale beached in this small town. What do you do with one of the largest and dead mammals in the world? I guess you are going to have to visit Newfoundland or check it out on the web.
Twillingate
Twillingate is at the end of one of the many arms of Newfoundland. I arrived on a beautiful day and went off to explore the lighthouse and hike some of the trails. It is a very pretty little town.
Elliston is the home of the Puffins and is the Root Cellar Capital of the World. This little town had to reinvent itself. At one point it could not even pay for electricity for the community. The town had a meeting and decided to cash in on tourism with the Puffin Colony and the Root Cellars. They now are financially solvent. Although most of the Puffins were gone when I arrived I did see the straggling adolescents and adults.
Trinity Lighthouse and the town of Trinity are extremely picturesque and the light house offered me the best of camping and exploring. I think it was one of my favorite campsites.
How can anyone not like towns that are named Hearts Ease, Hearts Delight, Hearts Desire and Hearts Content? When I saw the names on the map I knew I had to go and explore this arm of Newfoundland.
I am as far east as I will be going on this trip. I made it to St John’s, the largest and only city on the island. Just like the rest of the island it has been interesting to explore a more urban setting, get a pedicure and a hair cut and color. This is a colorful town with a pretty seaport. And dining out is fun. Banana Bread French toast is a good way to start a day.
St John’s
Tomorrow I drive into my last week on “The Rock”. Newfoundland continues to be a fine adventure. I have enjoyed my last few days in the city, yet I will be glad to leave it behind and head into the rural areas once again.
Today I am thankful for the little thing that make me feel good, a pedicure and a new do. Today I am thankful for the adventure of it all.
I was on a lighthouse island in the MIngan Archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Quebec Province, Canada for four days, from August eleventh to the fourteenth.
I went to a photography workshop with Christopher Dodds. I wanted to learn more about my camera and improve my wildlife photography skills. And I did. In four days, my photography stepped up a notch.
We stayed on the island in a house that was set aside for us. Each of us had our own room and a shared bathroom. My room faced the lighthouse which is electronically controlled. It did not interfere with my rest at night. We were served three delicious meals a day. It is amazing how much energy it takes to photograph wildlife.
What was I photographing? PUFFINS!! Oh my goodness, puffins everywhere. They were in flight returning to their burrows with fish for the young. They were flying. They were creating wonderful antics on the cliffs that I could photograph.
Here is a video of some of my better photos. It was so much fun.
There were four of us in the workshop. Charley from Chicago, Julie, and Reiner from Florida. We were a very compatible group. When Charley and I saw the first puffins we just started to laugh for the sheer joy of it.
When we weren’t shooting puffins there was other wildlife to photograph.
Our typical day started at four thirty a.m. By five a.m. we were on the beach capturing the puffins returning from sea in the beautiful early morning light. Breakfast was at eight and then it was back to the beach for the rest of the morning. Lunch was at noon. We had a bit of siesta time and then returned to the beach to catch the puffins at sunset. Dinner was at five p.m. then once again we returned to the beach for one more round before sunset. Whew.
Shortly after we left the island all the adults leave for the winter. They go back out into the ocean and do whatever puffins do. Except for breeding season, they are solitary at sea. The young wait a few days until they get hungry and soon they also leave their nest and go to sea. Not all the young will make it through their first year. On this particular island as they leave there are seals waiting for the young. Nature can be cruel. Christopher told us that only five to seven percent of this colony of young will make it to adulthood.
After three nights I was ready to settle down and catch up. Following Chris’s suggestion I decided to take the Trans-Labrador Highway to Newfoundland. It is a bit like going through the back door. Whew. It is in the middle of nowhere. And that is how I found myself on the TransLabrador Highway.
Today I am thankful for opportunities that present themselves, I am thankful for good Photographers who are willing to teach others their knowledge and skills.
Journeys of Thankfulness 