I have spent the whole winter, five months, in San Diego. This is an unusual event for me. Usually, I arrive in the fall and head for the desert in January.
This year, I changed it and chose to stay in “the City,” so I could be close by to help a good friend, Tina. Her husband and partner of over forty years died in early December. I have decided that even if it is at times difficult for me, I want to help those I care about, through the initial phases of grief. Grief is such a personal journey, and it can be a very lonely one as well. I don’t want those I know to tackle it alone.
It has been an interesting experience for me. I have confronted some long-standing issues of my own grieving process in helping to support Tina. I also recognize how far I have come. It has been a healing and growing experience, and I am so glad I stayed to offer support. We have developed a strong and hopefully lasting friendship.
I left my home by the bay in early March. I am housesitting for a friend who is traveling in Mexico. I have this beautiful, large home to enjoy. I was here about five years ago; at the previous stay, they had chickens, but not now. It feels like a retreat, and I am blessed.
I am getting ready to travel, and at the end of this month, I drive north to Washington State to visit friends before meeting my traveling peeps for the summer. Where am I going? I am going to Alaska. This is a trip I have wanted to do since I bought EmmyLou, my tiny home on wheels. I know things can change. Hopefully, this is the year.
I will meet up with two others and their canine companions in Canada, and together, we will loosely caravan to the forty-ninth state. When venturing into the wild country, having a few others with whom to travel feels good. I hope we will become friends along the way.
The van is getting the Mercedes once over so that the engine and all things Mercedes are in shape and ready to go. The next step will be a five-day stop in Santa Barbara, California, so EmmyLou can visit the RV doctor and get her and my house in order.
My friend Tina will be traveling with me to Santa Barbara. This trip will be about people in small doses, followed by much-needed time alone.
Alcan Highway
I meet my Alaska-bound traveling companions at Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Then, the adventure begins. Traveling the TransLabrador Highway last year has given me the confidence to try Alaska. My rig was in good shape, and she sailed through the week in the backcountry. This year will be less stressful as I will have people to fall back on most of the time. As I said, this will be a loose caravan. Nobody is tied to the other people. My kind of trip.
Alaska means so many things to me. Adventure, Wildlife, Friends (in Anchorage and Juneau), and more. I am ready to get into exploring mode.
After five months of stability, I am ready to put my foot on the pedal and find new places to explore and meet new people. Please come along for the adventure. It will be fun; my camera will be working overtime to capture this adventure.
In the winter of 2023, I decided to visit family and friends in my tiny home on wheels, EmmyLou. At the end of March, we packed it up, departed from near Santa Barbara, California, and began to meander east, stopping to visit friends, see places I had never seen before, and visit favorite places from past travels.
Adventure
An undertaking usually involves danger and unknown risks. The encountering of risk. An exciting or remarkable experience.
It began as a trip and became an adventure. I had plans, loose plans, but plans nonetheless. I was visiting my friends in Florida, my sisters and nieces, and other East Coast friends. I knew I was heading to the Canadian Maritimes, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland before pointing the rig due west again.
When did it become an adventure? It became an adventure when the unexpected showed up, and my direction changed. It became an adventure when I left the rig for two weeks and departed to the Amazon with friends for an amazing journey on the rivers of Brazil.
The adventure continued when I changed plans to Nova Scotia when an opportunity presented itself. I went to the north shore of the Gulf of St Lawrence in the Province of Quebec to photograph North Atlantic Puffins in a workshop with Christopher Dodds, a professional wildlife photographer. I did not expect to explore the national parks in New Brunswick on my way north. It was a fantastic adventure finding myself in unknown lands.
Thanks to Christopher’s suggestion, I continued north and east on the TransLabrador Highway into remote lands for a week. Along the way, I saw so much and met nice people, locally and others like me, who were passing through. It was well worth the effort to decide to head into the unknown.
I spent a month on “The Rock” (Newfoundland), exploring all the byways and seeing many exciting things. The locals were always so kind and helpful. The traffic was never in a hurry, and people were courteous. One day, I got stuck in soft rock, and the first truck that came by stopped and helped me dig out of an unpleasant situation. I just never learned.
My favorite part of Newfoundland was all the free and amazing campsites everywhere I went. The beauty was profound. The birds were amazing, and I got to photograph round two of the Puffins in Elliston, NL.
My adventure continued, and I traveled again through the province of Quebec to the United States. I began to head west, meeting with family and more friends. I took time to explore caves in Ohio and Illinois before arriving to spend a week on The Great River Road on the Mississippi River.
As fall arrived, I knew bird migration was starting, and it was time to go in search of the Sandhill Cranes. First, I arrived at the Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. My most noted part of this three-day visit was the women I met, with whom I connected immediately. It is fun to meet independent, like-minded artists and photographers.
Following the Cranes, I moved southwest to the Whitewater Draw in southern Arizona. When I arrived, there were a few cranes, snow geese, and waterbirds. After camping for two nights, I drove north to Wilcox, AZ, and met the cranes. As I took photos of other waterbirds, I heard the familiar cry; the cranes started arriving. I left an hour later, as the abandoned lakes filled with the Sandhill Cranes. It was hard to leave. It is a fantastic experience to sit amid all this nature and become a part of it.
After visiting with friends in Tucson and kayaking with more friends on the Colorado River, I arrived back in southern California, where this all began. I have been editing a slideshow ever since. Today, I finally decided that I was done editing and ready to share some highlights of my wonderful adventure in North America.
The spring, summer, and fall came to an end. I finished where I started. I saw many amazing things, loved my family, and received theirs back. It was good to catch up. Along the way I met wonderful people who took me in or enjoyed nature with me. It was a great adventure.
Now, I invite you to join me in my adventure. If you click on the video link above, you will see an eighteen-minute video that only touches on the wonders I explored on the Great 2023 Road trip. Enjoy.
As some of you may know, I chose to extend my stay in San Diego this winter to help a friend through the initial stages of grief after the loss of her husband and love in early December.
From childhood to adulthood, we are taught about life. We go to school to learn how to succeed and become fully functioning adults in what is sometimes a crazy yet wonderful world. I was taught by parents, peers, teachers, the church, animals, and more. And succeed, I did.
This world does not teach us about fear, loss, and change. It doesn’t teach us about grief and its impact on the individual. When it appears in our lives, we must learn on the fly, struggling to stay upright and functioning while dealing with emotional blow after blow.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be death. It can appear in many guises: divorce, loss of a job, or a move to another area of the country away from family, friends, and support. Try the diagnosis of cancer. I have been there twice. It can be something catastrophic like 9/11 or a tornado, hurricane, or any other natural disaster. No one event, small or large, defines grief.
Losing a partner is grief like no other. Everything I expected for the rest of my life came to a halt. Where was Jim? He was supposed to be next to me until we got old. What was I supposed to do with my life now? How could I recreate myself again while I was dealing with such profound loss? And….where was Jim, someone who made me feel unique, worthy, beautiful, and so much more?
If we survive long enough, we all will meet up with grief and loss and the emotional storm it creates in each one of us.
Everyone handles grief differently, every single person. Grief is a personal journey. Some will tackle it by planning and proceeding like nothing has happened. Others need time to cry, feel sad, and separate from the rest of the world. Others will retreat inside, feeling safe in the memories and loss. And many of us are somewhere in the above mix.
Grief has been the most potent teacher I have ever had. It has woken me up and shut me down. How can that happen at the same time? I don’t know. It has allowed me to be in the moment, not see the future or the past. Being present in the moment is something I tried to achieve in my every day life, yet I never truly discovered it until the last days of Jim’s life and his death. All of it made me feel more alive than I have ever felt. How could that be when I was watching my Jim move through the last moments of his life? How could that be when I was going through some of the worst times of my life? I honestly don’t know.
How does one go about supporting others through grief? It is hard to tackle when we know little about the heart’s workings. We see our friends or family members struggling, which is sometimes hard to understand. Why doesn’t she want to go out with her friends? Why is she still crying? Why is she not able to get on with life? It has been three months, a year, or more. Why isn’t she back to “normal.” Why, why, why? There is no timeline, and there is no “normal.”
I struggle to figure out what normal is now. I am eleven years out from the loss of Jim, and mostly, I am doing fine, yet every once in a while, something triggers my grief, and it might as well have happened yesterday. Go figure.
I have read a lot about grief. I have listened to podcasts about grief. I can suggest this podcast, All There Is, by Anderson Cooper. I have written about grief. I am still learning about grief. This will continue until the day I decide to step on over.
Being here for my friend has been a good teacher for me. I believe all any of us can do is support each other in this wild world. How can we support someone grieving, especially in the first year?
Be patient and be kind.
Don’t expect the person grieving to reach out to you to thank you for cards or plan to get together. Grief is so overwhelming that it is hard to plan.
Know that the person in grief may tire easily. There is so much to do physically in those first months. Lawyers, banks, insurance, and all that business stuff. Each task, no matter how small, can be overwhelming. I found I had little to no emotional reserves. One or two tasks would wear me out, and I would return home to watch mindless television, nap, or stare at the wall.
Call and let the person dealing with grief talk. Who cares if you hear the same stories more than once. Your ears are helping the other person to heal and not feel alone.
Everyone is on board for the first few months and tries their best to stay in touch, and then it peters off. Four months, six months, or a year out, a person dealing with loss can feel overwhelmingly alone. So stay in touch. I put send a card or call a person reminders on my calendar. It reminds me to think of others. And I love to send cards. It also gives me moments to think of my friends and ensure I continue reaching out. After all, all we have is each other.
Even if they say no, invite them to events and things you would usually invite them to. Knowing that the real world is waiting for them to rejoin it is a good reminder in the midst of grieving.. Don’t be offended or take it personally if they say no.
Sometimes, one-on-one time is better than a group, no matter how small. I still prefer small groups to large crowds. I have trained myself to enter larger groups now that I have been alone for so long.
Don’t expect the person to “talk about loss.” Sometimes, a person needs to go out for coffee or a walk on the beach and talk about the rest of the world. I enjoyed my friend Therese coming over with a Scrabble game and food and enjoying an afternoon on the back deck.
Know when enough is enough and take them home so they can nap.
Don’t be offended if your invitation is turned down. Know that that moment was not the right one. Internally, they appreciate your effort. And try again and again.
Continue to ask them what you can do for them and follow through. Always follow through.
This list could be longer, but I think you get the idea. The more you love someone in distress, the more you are inviting them to remember to come back out into the world when they are ready. Most importantly, it reminds them they are loved, worthy, and not alone.
Today, I am thankful. I am thankful for the opportunity my friend has given me to learn, grow, and become more human. Today, I am thankful she doesn’t have to be alone in these first months. Today, I am thankful for growing a friendship that I hope will continue for a long time to come. Today, I am thankful that grief has been a teacher of mine, even if I don’t want it to be present in my life.
Oooh, I know it has been too long since my last post when friends started to email or phone me to find out how I am doing. It makes me feel like I have not been faithful to updates and adventures.
I am still in San Diego. I am camped by Mission Bay and enjoying my mornings outside or inside my Roadtrek, EmmyLou. I also bike and kayak a little and visit friends. Each year, I arrive in November to have my medical and dental done, visit friends, and enjoy the days as it becomes colder and snowier in other parts of the United States.
First Update: So far, all my medical is looking good, and I am ready for another year. I am almost complete for another year. I am still waiting on the dental part of this picture. I have become very good at helping my dentist and others in his office enjoy their lifestyle. Come February, I will know if I have the all-clear with the dental part of this. Sigh.
Second Update: I have a favorite saying, first found on Ram Dass’s website; “We’re just walking each other home.” This year I have decided to remain in San Diego longer than usual. A friend of mine’s husband died in early December. She has very good friends and support within the local community. She has turned to me for support and companionship. I have something that many have not yet experienced: the loss of my heart, my husband Jim, who died over eleven years ago.
I consciously decided to stay around for a while to see her get back on her feet and face the world in this weird new role she has found herself in. Grief and loss is hard. Some days, it slaps one in the face, and others are softer and gentler.
But loss does not stop the world. I had so much to do that first year after Jim’s death. Lawyers, accountants, Social Security, Financial institutions, work, finding homes for his “stuff” and treasures, and more. I wish I had had someone to help me navigate all of this. My sister and a friend, Helen, arrived shortly after Jim’s death, which was very helpful. Once they left, I was on my own.
Diversion is helpful, and I think I am providing my friend with some helpful diversion and a shoulder to lean on. We talk, drink wine, and find things to do locally. Sometimes, crying is involved; other times, we laugh and talk. We share a love of books. Grief is not always about being sad. It encompasses the whole gambit of emotions. I am still learning to embrace all of them.
This is what friendship is about. I also think that I am healing myself in this choice I have made.
Third Update: Christmas was quiet this year. I house-sat for my good friends, with whom I spent the first COVID year. They were out of town, and I had a real house. They have the best couch. It is one of my favorite pieces of furniture in the house. It sucks you right in and is so comfortable.
My good friend Pat and her family had me over for Christmas Day. It was a day of relaxation and the joy of being included. Sometimes I get tired of my own company, then it is good to have friends come to the rescue.
Pat, Tessa & Elepjhants
Fourth Update: A good friend from San Juan Island in Washington arrived a week ago in Long Beach, California. We decided to connect as it has been over a year since we have seen each other. For two wonderful days, we camped north of Laguna Beach in one of my favorite State Parks in southern California, Crystal Cove State Park. We walked the beach at an extremely low tide and talked. It was a good getaway, and catching up was so much fun. She owns a Roadtrek too.
Darn She Found Us Again!
Fifth Update: I am back at the park by the bay after caring for two kitties for a few days. I wish I could say that the kitties were fun and that they hung out with me, but I spent my two days lying on the floor, talking to them while they hid from me and giving them skritches when they would allow it. CATS!!!!!
People ask me what I am doing next. Honestly, I don’t know! Plans formulate slowly for me. I have a hard time planning most of my life. I am such a procrastinator. I know I will be heading for the desert soon, at least for a few days. Friends are arriving, and I must go visit. And the desert is so beautiful at this time of the year.
Until then, I am biking and kayaking, enjoying the bay and my friends. Today, I discovered that on Fridays, a group of people gather in the recreation hall and play music. Today there are at least fifteen. And…it is my kind of music. I could contradance to it. Sweet.
Today I am thankful for friendship and growth. Today I am thankful for Procrastination. Today I am Thankful.
“There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. “
Breathe
To inhale and exhale air:breathe deeply now; to be alive; to whisper:Don’t breathe a word of this to your mother.
To be alive; live: A nicer person has never breathed.
To pause to rest or regain breath: Give me a moment to breathe.
Breathe Easily/Easy/Freely
To be relaxed or relieved, especially after a period of tension.
Every fall, I arrive back in San Diego to visit my friends, enjoy a warm early winter, and get all my medical appointments and dental work done for the year. It is a mix of joy, seeing friends I haven’t seen since last year and getting all my appointments lined up.
This is a Hold My Breath Time of Year.
I have had cancer twice. Twelve years ago, I had breast cancer, a rare (not always a welcome word) form of cancer. After a lumpectomy and treatment with radiation, I was finished treatment. That was followed by a five-year treatment plan, taking a pill every day. Suppression is key. Although I was never told I was cancer-free, I have had “no evidence of disease” now for eleven years.
In 2019, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I had surgery to remove my thyroid and then received treatment with radioactive iodine. Thyroxine is taking over the function of the thyroid in a dose to suppress any thyroid tissue growth.
And then there is the dentist. I don’t have the best teeth and gums in the world. It is somewhat hereditary. If I ever go to the dentist and get good news, I become suspicious that something was overlooked. Sigh.
Every year, when the appointments begin, I metaphorically “hold my breath.” I wait for the tests and the results to come pouring in.
Two weeks ago, I had my thyroid labs done and had a visit with the endocrinologist. Everything looks good. I let out my breath a little.
Today, my annual mammogram was done. A little more breath was released. Now I wait. Each day without a phone call means that my mammogram is normal. Each day, I exhale a bit more and inhale more deeply. The final exhale will arrive when I read the results of the mammogram and am told I am good for another year.
Then there is the dentist. Oh my, the dentist. I am not free and clear here. Surgery is looming this winter. Sigh. After two deep cleanings, I need to wait for a month and a half to see how this treatment worked. I don’t hold my breath for the dentist. I am used to bad news from this quarter. I also know that the treatments are not life-threatening. Bad diagnoses are normal, and when I am given good news, I don’t know that I trust the results. Once the news, bad or good, is given, a little more release of breath occurs.
Finally, I return to breathing normally, whatever that means. I can release and let go for another year. My anxiety settles, and I can resume breathing in and out, fully and deeply.
Breath is to yoga what water is to a fish: essential for movement and life force. Consider this Sanskrit proverb: “For breath is life, and if you breathe well, you will live long on earth.”
Taking five minutes out of my day to practice yogic breathing helps to decrease my stress and anxiety while waiting for appointments and test results. As each year passes, it becomes easier for me to remember to breathe and relax most of the time. The further I get from the C word, the easier it is to find calm in chaos.
Today, I am thankful for being in a country with good medicine and good people working in the medical field. Their warm greetings help allay my free-floating anxiety.
Today, I am thankful for all the years of yogic practice that have given me the simple and valuable tool of breath.
“A bushy-tailed rodent (Neotoma cinerea) of western North America that has well-developed cheek pouches and that hoards food and miscellaneous objects.”
“The earliest record of packrats occurs in the late Miocene period; Packrats are an example of what we call “Pleistocene survivors,” which means that they are still alive today.””
Last week, I was in Carpenteria, California, having some work done on my rig. Carpenteria is close to Santa Barbara on the west coast. The town is quirky and beachy, with some fine restaurants and coffee houses.
One of the best camping spots is Carpenteria State Beach Campground. It sits right on the Pacific Ocean. Low tides are wonderful opportunities to stroll the beach, and the sunsets are amazing. It is so calming camping right next to the ocean. I decided to spend an extra night. I had a campsite on the low cliff looking out over the ocean. It was an amazing spot to fall asleep and wake up listening to the sound of the surf.
On my last night, I was sitting in my front seat, which swivels to face the back. It is my living room. The side door was open, and the evening was pleasant until…Wait, I felt something brush my leg. I sat up to look down and darn if a packrat didn’t run up my foot. Being the girly girl that I am (NOT!!), I screamed, and the little critter went running down the aisle of my rig and disappeared. Oh, what have I done? Where did he go? Oh no!
Thus began the saga of Janet trying to outsmart a very smart little animal. I bought a small trap with some doubt it would work. I thought this animal was too big, but all the information I read told me it would work. I baited the traps, 3 of them, with peanut butter. Around midnight, I heard this dear ratty dragging one of the traps around the front floor of my vehicle. Well, that didn’t work. Today I cannot find one of these traps. I don’t know where it has gone. I don’t think it would be able to drag it into a small space.
The next morning, I found some fuzz on the floor in front of the driver’s seat. It had been pulling bits off my sheepskin seat covers. Well, that wouldn’t do. I began to prepare my van like I was going to war. What did I do?
Everything was put away, and all the floors were swept and cleaned.
I put covers over the front seats.
All food was put away. I moved the foodstuff around, so only sealed containers were in the one cabinet with a hole for access in the top.
I put steel wool in the hole as a deterrent.
Nothing was left on the counters.
My yarns for crocheting were put in a secure place.
The garbage can was in the bathroom at night; he could not access this room.
I started my day cleaning and ended my day doing the exact same thing.
I cleaned and organized. My rig has not looked this clean and welcoming in a long time. After all, I live alone, and if I want to be a bit messy, I can.
The next stop was the hardware store to buy a HaveaHart trap. I wanted to catch this rat and give it a new home. I bought the X-Small one and baited it. On night two, he waited until three a.m. to descend from the walls of my rig. I heard him chewing on something. Well, that is not good!
In the morning, I discovered he had successfully eaten the bait without triggering the trap and had torn the side of a basket container apart. Oh no, I didn’t want it making a nest and setting up house. Another trip to the hardware store was in order. I needed the next size larger trap. And just to be on the safe side, I bought a snap trap to kill it if the live trapping idea did not work.
Yesterday afternoon, I set both traps and left for a party. I knew if I stayed at the rig, I would sit there and be obsessed about the possible damage it was doing somewhere in my rig.
I returned around 8:30 p.m., thinking it would not be in the trap yet as he usually did not appear until the wee hours of the morning. After turning on the lights, I immediately checked the larger trap, and there he was. A big one. No wonder I screamed when it ran up my foot.
Ratty waiting to be Released
It is important to release a trapped animal a distance from where it was caught. At nine pm, I found myself driving the pack rat about five miles away to a canyon. It was a perfect place for this rat. It was perfect because it was far away from my rig. I said farewell and left in a hurry so it wouldn’t find its way back to my rig.
When I arrived back at the campsite, I spent an hour cleaning, sanitizing, and getting my rig back in order.
I had not realized how absorbed I had gotten in tracking this critter down. I worried and fussed and could feel the stress. The fact that I was not getting a good night’s sleep did not help. After I cleaned and sanitized, I felt such relief. The air in my rig felt clearer, and I relaxed and let go. After four days of tracking this little one down, it was such a relief to let the whole experience go and have my home back.
Ratty, the Pack Rat, is back in a natural environment, and I have gotten a few good nights’ sleep. Things are looking up.
Today, I am thankful that I was able to get Ratty back into a natural environment without killing it. Today, I am thankful that I can look at a situation and figure out solutions. Today, I am thankful that I remember to breathe. Today, I am thankful that the air smells sweeter and feels lighter.
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.
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 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.
How did I get to the TransLabrador Highway? After speaking with a friend of mine I realized I have some catching up to do. I have been busy and enjoying exploring places I have never been before.
After the Roadtrek Gathering in Nova Scotia, I returned to Halifax to explore the area just north of the city with my friend Cynthia from San Diego. We went to Cow Bay because well, why not? What is Cow Bay known for? There is a giant sculpture of a Moose that people like to go and see.
After we wandered the beaches and had lunch we returned for an afternoon Scottish Dance.
From that moment on plans changed and they were arranged as I drove. I had an opportunity to participate in a photography workshop to photograph Puffins on the north shore of the Gulf of St Lawrence in Quebec province, Canada. It was a last-minute change. Newfoundland got put on hold and I took about a week to arrive at the workshop.
It was time to visit National Parks in Canada. Definitely a very good experience. I love National and State Parks. Wherever they are, the campsites are private and there is always something to explore. I spent two nights at Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick Canada. I had a great campsite and spending more than one night allowed me the opportunity to explore this park by bike and kayak. It was a place I could return to again for a longer stay. There was a lot to do. And the scenery is amazing.
As I continued to make my way north I spent two nights in Campbellton New Brunswick. Set along the Restigouche River and surrounded by the Appalachian Mountain Range.
The site of 16th- and 17th-century French missions and Scottish fish and lumber trading posts, it was settled by dispossessed ACADIANS in 1757, though most left with the French defeat in the 1760 naval Battle of the RESTIGOUCHE. It received its present name (for Lieutenant-Governor Sir Archibald CAMPBELL) after a post-1825 influx of Scots.
The Province of Quebec is across the river and connected to Campbellton by the J. C. Van Horne Bridge. The community is a hot spot for fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon. It was also a bike-friendly city. When traveling full time there are certain times where checking into an RV park is the best thing to do. I stayed at a lovely park right on the river. And….I got to do my laundry.
The next morning I visited the nearby towns. I could have been in Scotland. I went to McLeods in the morning to visit the Farmers Market. On the way there I passed through the towns of Dundee and Upper Dundee.
And then it was time to get on my bike and explore Campbellton. It is a small city right on the river. There are bike paths that one could travel miles on. It was fun to explore this fishing mecca. It must have not been the right time of the year for the salmon as it was quiet.
Looking down the Restigoushie River
I continued to drive north the long way around. I arrived at my second Canadian National Park in the afternoon. Forillon National Park sits at the end of the road, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. My heels have been happy so I did quite a bit of hiking at this park. There was so much to see. I loved the wildness of it. On my hike to the lighthouse (5 miles round trip) I saw whales.
Historic Cod plantLighthouse at the parkView from the end of the trail
After two days I arose early one morning to drive the four hours to the ferry and prepared to cross the St Lawrence Seaway. I was on my way to Puffin-land. I promise I will tell you more. It was so much fun.
Now the fog is lifting and I think I have covered a lot of territory both physically and writing-wise. I am fine out here in this big wide lonely country. Currently, I am sitting next to the beach where I spent my night. Boondocking is so much fun here.
Today I head south so I can catch my ferry for the next part of the adventure. Newfoundland.
Today I am thankful for my eyes, my ears, my heart, and my spirit that seeks out adventures great and small. It makes my life whole.
Journeys of Thankfulness 