Days of many tales, some trails and glorious wildflower treks.

FeaturedDays of many tales, some trails and glorious wildflower treks.

Writers At Woody Point is an event that has been on my bucket list for a few years and last week my husband and I finally made it happen.  It is five days of storytelling, music and readings by amazing authors. It is  indescribable to have so many new experiences, to hear, and be in the presence of, such talent and such breathtaking scenery.

The veterans will tell you that this is an immersive experience- you don’t so much attend it as live it.  Stephen Brunt, Artistic Director

 

Out and about in Woody Point.

The writers at this year’s event were Melissa Barbeau, Dave Bidini, Lindsay Bird, Jeremy Charles, Megan Gail Coles, Mark Critch, Lorna Crozier, Michael Crummey, Anthony De Sa, Linden MacIntyre, Randall Maggs, Des Walsh and Meg Wolitzer!  There were free events as well as tickets for purchase for others. What a line up! Writers At Woody Point is one class act.          ……..yes Meg Wolitzer , author of The Wife, was there!

 

Meg Wolitzer

……..and she graciously agreed to a picture on our Writers in the Wild trek.

Meg Wolitzer   I bought her newest book, The Female Persuasion and loved it. Check out her other great books through her link.

The line up of hosts was equally impressive…..Shelagh Rogers, Angela Antle, Ian Brown, Tom Power and Miranda Hill.

Musicians and performers were Barney Bentall, Anita Best, Matthew Byrne, Rose Cousins, Dark By Five, Jeremy Dutcher, David Ferry, The Once, Sandy Morris (he’s everywhere! How does he do it?!), Shane Murphy, Jodee Richardson and Sherry Ryan. So much talent.

 

Jeremy Dutcher

I hadn’t planned on attending his concert, but during the day I became intrigued because I heard such phenomenal things about him. Luckily a lady was selling her ticket and my husband was in ‘the right place, at the right time’.  Jeremy is a member of the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick and

is a classically trained Canadian Indigenous tenor, composer, Musicologist, performer and activist.

A week later and I am still in awe of what I heard and saw.

Between events I went looking for wildflowers in Lomond and Woody Point. Beautiful Asters, Queen of the Meadow, Tansy Ragwort and Joe Pye Weed.

Purple Loosestrive
Purple Loosestrife

 Writers in the Wild did not disappoint. Readings and singing by Meg Wolitzer, Rose Cousins and Jodee Richardson.

As we were walking back the trail, we had another huge surprise waiting! Jeremy Charles of Raymond’s Restaurant was in the bush cooking us ravioli filled with wild rabbit, chanterelle mushrooms and partridgeberries. No words are needed.

 

The following day, members of Qalipu First Nations   end our educational Medicine Walk with soul stirring drumming and chants.

Be proactive and  mark August 13-18, 2020 on your calendar now. Writers At Woody Point will be hosting its 17th annual event.

Comfort Cove Wildflower Walk

FeaturedComfort Cove Wildflower Walk

The best that can be said of my knowledge of wildflowers is that I know very little but I like them. I like learning about them, searching for their identification through books,  asking other people,  from wildflower experts and the Wildflowers of Newfoundland and Labrador FB page.

Some friends and I did a little walk about the Cove on a lovely sunny morning and together we studied the wildflowers growing by the side of the road in Comfort Cove. These I believe are pretty common wildflowers but oh so pretty.

Wild madder/Bedstraw

This one took a little time, but was ID’d by members of  Wildflowers of Newfoundland and Labrador.  It is further described as a roadside mix, dumped by contractors doing road work. I, for one, am so glad they did…growing all along the roadside of Comfort Cove-Newstead they make quite the visual statement.

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I took this picture on one of my solo walks in Newstead. A variety of Daisy…Ox eye, English, some other???? not sure. As children we called them Bachelor Buttons and would pull off the petals one by one, reciting “he loves me, he loves me not.”

St. John’s Wort

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I like wildflowers, I like how they grow anywhere…in fields, among rocks, bogs, roadsides, between old boards, barrels, on barrens…simply wherever they feel like it.  They always seem so happy and free and for the most part co-exist happily together, sometimes invading each other’s space.

 

On a recent medicine walk in Woody Point NL, I learned that the leaves of the common Yarrow can be inserted in wounds to stop bleeding. Also the whole plant can be thrown in a fire to drive away flies.

 

You belong among the wildflowers

You belong in a boat out at sea

Sail away, kill off the hours

You belong somewhere you feel free.     Wildflowers  by Tom Petty

Cow Vetch
Cow Vetch

Bring your enthusiasm for life with you everywhere you go, and it will be contagious.   Dr. Bernie S. Siegel

 

 

Butter and Eggs

 

Butter and Eggs

Butter and Eggs

 

Go outside, walk, walk and then walk some more, see and explore, learn and marvel.