Green Gardens Trail at last!

This trail has been on my bucket list for a number of years and I finally hiked it. It is 9.5 km return and I was definitely in my happy place as I walked through its varied and amazing landscape. Located approximately 3 km from Trout River on Route 431, the trail makes you feel as if you are entering no man’s land.

These rocks were tossed during eruptions more than 550 million years ago!

The trail zig-zags down hills and valleys and you are surrounded by the sounds of running streams and brooks and birds flying and chirping.

The contrast……..from rock strewn land to beautiful greenery is an early morning delight.

Going down to Old Man Cove.

A beachcomber’s paradise.

I would love to take this piece of art home.

Up from the beach, and the meadows and ferns are more treats in the early morning sun. The people from Trout River let their sheep graze here. Walking through the jungle of gorgeous ferns, we arrive at Steve’s Cove.

The Green Gardens area features volcanic rocks formed during eruptions more than 550 million years ago. These eruptions occurred as an ancient continent split apart and an ocean formed.
Green Gardens Story Board at trail entrance.

Early one morning, any morning, we can set out, with the least possible baggage, and discover the world.
In Praise of Walking by Thomas A. Clark

Icebergs and Inukshuks

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Weather in Newfoundland can surely drive one mad! Here on the northeast coast, we have had a cold, dreary April and snow flurries in May. This is not unusual. However, the week to date has been exceptionally beautiful and today I donned my hiking boots and headed for Twillingate. I met Christina there and we set off on a to-die-for scenic hike.

Spiller’s Cove to Codjack’s Cove……..approximately 6.4 km…….is a part of the Rockcut Twillingate Trails system.

A walk in nature walks the soul back home.
Mary Davis

The blues of the ocean and sky are intoxicating.

Walking and exploring are among my favourite things to do.

Hiking is cheaper than therapy.

Fall, Food & Foliage in the Cove

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Fall is my absolute favourite season. I am rather new at this gathering and preserving and to my surprise, I like it. I love experimenting with herbs and trying many of Newfoundland’s vegetables and fruits in different ways. Black Currants in a green salad, partridgeberries in stuffing, apples in soup stock, pears in stir fries, turnip fries, zucchini fries, roasted beet, roasted carrot and apple soup, hot peppers in cabbage rolls, damson jam with very little sugar, etc.,etc.

Homesteading……vegetable stock, eggs from our hens and a quiche with basil, spinach, tomatoes, peppers and eggs—–all from our little garden and greenhouse

Aunt Molly Ground Cherries

This plant was given to us by a friend. I had never heard of them.

I made the tray using a print by Jeannette Pope. Check out her Facebook page….Art by Jeannette

”Aunt Molly Ground Cherry is an outstanding variety that originated in Poland. Fruits are 1.3-1.8cm(1/2” to3/4”) in diameter. Fruits mature to a golden orange colour and drop to the ground in their husks when ripe.”

http://mckenzieseeds.com

Cindy’s Pears

Slow cooker applesauce and autumn, a combination that works well.

I was becoming a little distraught because of our having a very wet and foggy October here on the northeast coast but October has reaffirmed my belief in her today, and I can honestly say:

I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Keep it simple.

October Gave a Party….

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The leaves by hundreds came..
The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
October’s Party by George Cooper

Corner Brook provided a perfect venue for October’s Party. We did a couple of trails but none as beautiful as those in and around Margaret Bowater Park.

Corner Brook, Newfoundland

Glynmill Inn through the trees. The inn was built in 1923 by architect Andrew Cobb.

http://steelhotels.com

The Chestnuts came in yellow,
The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses Maple
In scarlet looked their best;
All balanced to their partners,
And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow
New fallen from the sky.
George Cooper

Maybe you are searching among the branches for what only appears in the roots.
Rumi

Walking in the woods is one of my favourite things to do.

Then, in the rustic hollow,
at hide and seek they played,
The party closed at sundown,
And everybody stayed.
Professor Wind played louder;
They flew along the ground;
And then the party ended
In jolly ”hands around.”
George Cooper

Go and explore.

Steve’s Trail….a wild surprise.

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Driving along the Northern Peninsula highway (Viking Trail), we decided to turn off at Broom Point. Broom Point is a restored fishing premise in Gros Morne National Park. I wasn’t overly excited about doing this, thinking this would be more a thing for tourists. In the parking lot we found a lovely surprise, two signs, one showing Broom Point and the other Steve’s Trail.

A very short trail but so worth doing.

I love walking through gnarly, windswept trees.

………..and finding surprises along the way.

Grouse

Like us, this grouse was just out for a walk on this wild, windy day.

And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.
John Muir

We come to the end of the trail to a blustery, wind tossed ocean.

This is my happy.

We decided to explore further and increased the length of our walk.

Caves and rock formations to boggle the mind.

I’ve seen the devil’s footprints in Keels Newfoundland, dinosaur tracks in Chile and now (Identified by me:)), sea monster tracks on the Northern Peninsula.

Never lose your sense of wonder.

Nurse Myra Bennett Centre for the Performing Arts…….

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…..a tale, with a short walk.

The new Nurse Myra Bennett Centre for the Performing Arts in Cow Head is a pleasure to visit. We attended the dinner theatre there.

http://theatrenewfoundland.com

The show told the story of the S S Ethie which went aground on December 11, 1919 during a terrible storm.
I had been to the site where the ship was wrecked and assumed that it became grounded because of high winds and turbulent ocean waves. Learning how it met its demise was very interesting and one can only imagine the weight of responsibility and uncertainty the Captain must have felt when he issued the order. But what were his choices? From the baby sent to shore in a mailbag to the men in the boiler room, all lives were saved.
A great show and a great meal.

You may find the book The SS Ethie and the Hero Dog by Bruce Ricketts interesting. A short book, only 68 pages.

Then on to St Mary’s Botanical Garden in Cow Head. Many of the flowers have lost their bloom and the photos were taken just before dark, but you can still feel the peace and care that went into creating this area.

What a lovely, tranquil place right in the centre of the community.

Walking around little communities is a thing I love to do. You miss so much by simply driving through.

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.
Steven Wright

Oh world, I cannot hold you close enough!

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God’s world
Edna St. Vincent Millay

The Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador is an all consuming feast for the senses. The Tablelands are a geological wonder, but first let’s see a little of delightful Woody Point.

A small, but lovely RV park just outside Woody Point and it has a Little Free Library!

A cozy little cottage with just a bed and an amazing view.

Then on to Woody Point for a little hike which we extended by walking around the town.

Is there anything that is better than to be out, walking, in the clear air?
In Praise of Walking by Thomas A. Clark

So, so glad my husband is using his camera again. Driftwood art.

Beautiful Woody Point.

For more on Woody Point please check my earlier blog posts.

Then, a short distance away a totally different kind of beauty is found in the Tablelands.

Change Islands

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Now shall I walk? ”Ride,” Pleasure said: ”Walk,” Joy replied
W. H. Davies

After Saturday’s heat and humidity, the much cooler temperatures made perfect conditions for doing this hike yet again. The trail has had upgrades since we hiked it two years ago.

Interesting? Deposited in what Age?

I would rate this trail as moderate, hiking pole recommended. I loved the cold ocean air after the humidity we had experienced previously.

Early morning walk in Change Islands.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=sea%20salt%20fine%20art%20studio&epa=SEARCH_BOX&eps=comet.home&hcr=eyJpZCI6IjEyMzY2MDc0NjU1NDM0NSIsInNvdXJjZSI6IlRZUEVBSEVBRF9QQUdFX01BUktFUiJ9

Susan Abma has just opened her studio on Change Islands. Visit Sea Salt Studio’s Facebook page and be sure and stop in and visit with Susan and Morris when you visit Change Island. I recently bought one of her smaller paintings and absolutely love her work.

Susan is from Alberta and fell in love with Change Islands some years ago .http://jensu.ca

This private summer residence is a colourful sight as you cross the tickle. We spent a great evening here with family and friends.

Catch the ferry at Farewell and go explore Change Islands.

Walking is good for solving problems – it’s like the feet are little psychiatrists.
Terri Guillemets

Come in and let me tell you a little about Tilt Cove.

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I was one of many, many homes here in Tilt Cove. It was once a thriving town with all the amenities. Tilt Cove was first settled in 1813 and experienced two mining booms, from 1864 to 1917 and again in 1957 to 1967. At one time the population rose to approximately 2000. We even had a large facility that had two bowling lanes, two curling lanes and a separate area for a lounge and bar. We had work, music, laughter, parties, children, churches, great hunting, fishing, beautiful scenery, stunning ocean views and an overall prosperous community.

As with other early Newfoundland mines, the first Tilt Cove miners came from Cornwall, Wales and the mining techniques closely resembled those of the Cornish mines. Cable or ”Swansea” cars carried the ore down from the mine site along a tramway to a two storied pier where vessels waited to take the ore to the copper smelters in Swansea, Wales.
Community Stories. Baie Verte Peninsula Miners Museum VirtualMuseum.Ca

Now our claim to fame is this…………………..

Yes, four.

The lady who lived in the house below died a couple of years ago at the age of 92. She was the only one living on this side of ‘town’.

” She was a tiny little woman who loved to play the accordion and lived alone in this house for a number of years. She came home one day and the road on this side of the town wasn’t plowed. She climbed over snowbanks, used the ladder on the back of her house to get in through an upstairs window and called the mayor the next morning to come and shovel her out!” said a summer resident who used to live here.

We came here to visit this tiny town on the Baie Verte Peninsula because I wanted to see the monument that had been erected to the passengers and crew of the Queen of Swansea. A shipwreck and incomprehensible horror story that played out on Gull Island, not too far from Tilt Cove on December 12,1867.

https://archive.macleans.ca THE HORROR ON GULL ISLAND/Maclean’s/October 1969-The Maclean’s Archive

https://www.goodreads.com Desperation: The Queen of Swansea by Gary Collins

A summer resident pointed us in the right direction and we climbed the 65 stairs to the overgrown cemetery.

After some careful foot manoeuvres, my husband eventually found the monument. The cemetery is very overgrown and tricky to explore.

Come to Tilt Cove and hear the voices, feel the past in your walk-about, let your imagination wander and learn from the earth and wind.

La Scie……..another provincial gem to explore.

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We arrived in La Scie on a wet and cold Canada Day and stayed at Island Cove RV Park. We soon met Doug, Park Manager, I believe, and doer of all things. He brought us several print outs of hiking trails in the park and further down in La Scie.