Dinner was to be at Alex’s house and luckily the snow ended around 11, after giving us an additional 20 cm on top of the pre-existing 80 or so. This gave enough time to shovel out, drive to Southern Harbour and be there just in time to eat.
Let’s not talk about the road, ok?
After dinner (turkey plus veggies that Alex grows up on the hill) I thought it would be a nice idea to take a few pictures of Bests’ Cove.
At 4 PM, this was the view from the doorstep. It was -9 at the time but hardly any wind at all. Quiet.
Remember Alex’s store? Back in September I devoted a post to it. He’s not there today, as you might expect. If he was you’d have seen smoke coming from the wood stove.
I doubt any of the boats are at sea today. Some are tied up here, others are at either of the two other “Government Wharves,” still others may be up out of the water altogether.
You can see Alex’s “stage” in the back, at the left. Another post from September took a look it it.
Not quite as much snow out here, as in St. John’s, but it still covers everything.
The sun has already set even though it’s a few minutes after 4 and the temperature is already dipping. It will probably hit -14 tonight.
That’s Alex’s house in the far back.
There’s the store again. All of that wood will be burned over the winter as Alex works away, making lobster pots, knitting “heads” and making crafts.
Not today, though, we’re all up to the business of Christmas.
…in the cove.
Duck? Starfish? But...23 
Looks very cold … and very beautiful as well. Winter’s palette is very different from that of summer … but it has its appeal. Promise me you’ll keep clicking as this coldest of seasons proceeds. I just took another look at the images and somehow, perhaps because of the bright colors, the boats look warmer than their surrounding environs. Anyway, I’m still looking forward to that discussion with Alex, about the old days I suppose, that you sort of promised. D
That’s a very nice way of putting it. I will be sure to click away with the T3 and maybe with the ‘phone too.
Hmmmmm. You are evil, but a nice kind (my kind) of evil. That discussion was YOUR idea and, while it is certainly an excellent one, I “sort of” promised, eh? One of these days you and I will get together over some food or something and have a good laugh about that (some time over the next year–hopefully–I will make a trip to Norfolk to visit friends and I figure the farm is not too far out of the way, so if you could tolerate an eccentric visitor for an hour or so…)
But–the post will happen when it’s time. So far tonight I have enjoyed three separate bouts of Alec’s sweet gentle humour and realize that you are very right. I need to start getting a bit more serious about writing some of this down. The sooner the better.
Anyway…
There will be more pictures of the snow and such.
But you have to do the same.
It’s so nice to be out home.I’m upstairs in Alex’s LARGE guestroom (with the double bed and twin bunks). I have the s3 in the window to catch a few bars and am using it as a hotspot while I write this on the laptop. Alan (the engineer) is downstairs in the living room mucking about on his PSVita thingy, playing some game or other. Alex (yes, I have a son by that name too, he’s studying business) is in the dining room watching boxing on his laptop. Brendan (he’s still a freshman at UNI; thinking about engineering at the Marine Institute) is fussing around trying to find his charger so he can talk to his girlfriend in Paradise (yes, we have a neighboring community to my home by that name) without his cellphone dying. Lesley (sill in HS) is 2 meters from me, asleep in the bottom bunk. Just fell asleep. Josephine is just below me, in the dining room I think, talking to her mom. Alex is on the ‘phone with his sister in Georgia. And I’m up here. Us introverts might be friendly and love company but we also need some alone time to recharge.
I brought the guitar and plan to have some fun with it tomorrow. Got a bottle of Weiser’s too–that’ll help. Life’s good, isn’t it?
Your situation sounds much like mine. My oldest was married to a Swiss citizen a-year-ago August and recently made the move there in November to take up permanent residence (and got a really cool job as a science writer with what is called the Blue Brain Project (http://bluebrain.epfl.ch/) and she is now enjoying her first vacation since starting there). She is here visiting with her husband and his family. Meals are the only events which are scheduled and the rest of the time is spent ‘free form,’ meandering between one or the other woodstove. Our ground was clear as of yesterday and it snowed once again overnight – hrumph. I think that all we’ve got on the schedule today is a leisurely walk on our local rail trail. Have a great day … and enjoy. D
You can almost ‘hear’ the silence in your pictures. A lovely Christmassy scene. Nothing like a bit of snow to top the festivities off. Sadly not for us this year – unseasonably warm here and torrential rain 😦
Just the water lapping against the wharf. Mesmerizing…
Hopefully things will change for you soon too.
Great pics and a lovely note about your Christmas Maurice. Hope you made it up the hill. Much fun and laughter to you and yours this Christmas Day.
The hill was far too snowy this time but I will have another go with the heavy boots tomorrow. Might get a few pics–we’ll see
Once again, from the east to the west, Marry Christmas!.
Beautiful pictures! Such peace and serenity the snow brings! Not that I’d know anything about that, living in the south and all, but I can live vicariously through your photography. I don’t want to bring up an unpleasant topic, but how were the roads? 🙂 Merry Christmas!
This is about as good as it got… Taken by OH as both my hands were stuck to the wheel http://i.imgur.com/D8heXQU.jpg
Yikes! At least the giant snow drifts on the side of the road would make for a softer crash landing…
You are quite the optimist 🙂
Hope your Christmas is great too.
Reminds me of my time in Maine! Happy Holidays!
Maine, like Massachusetts, is an honorary part of Newfoundland Labrador. Not only do we have commonality in our affinity for snow and ice but also in our love of the sea ad all the things that go with it.
Hmmm–if you are online does that mean that a post is in the works? ..but then again you are a lot like me and may be just having some idle fun browsing reddit or digg or whatever. -12 here by the cove but still beautiful and quiet. That’s the one thing people from away have trouble getting used to here. The sounds are those of the water against the beach, rocks and wharves or of the wind against the trees. Good for the soul…
At any rate I wish you a merry Christmas.
I do miss being out on the ocean sometimes.
Great photos of town and the cove . wishing you all a wonderful Christmas holiday and we will talk soon
The same to you. Talk soon 🙂
Beautiful and chilly, such a difference to us here in Australia thank you for sharing your christmas day I hope it was a memorable one Maurice.
It was–and what a contrast. My home: -10; your home: 30+ 🙂
Merry Christmas!
It’s gorgeous. I won’t mention the road, we fail to cope with two inches of snow here. The amount you get would probably be declared a national emergency. I hope Christmas was warm and happy for you all.
So far so good.
Guess what? Tomorrow we’re headed back and—another frigging storm; another 20 cm.
Hope yours is great too!
These images capture the true spirit of Christmas – nothing more to be said!! No ads, no Christmas lights… just a peaceful scenery and focus on what really matters.
The three “Fs”: Family, Friends and Fun!
Whoops, make that four…almost forgot “Food” 🙂
Beautiful pictures, Maurice. I’m just catching up with posts from this past week after being in Ottawa to witness Christmas through the eyes of small grandchildren. You’ve provided lots of reading material! Our snow looks similar; another 30 cm last night, probably headed your way.
We’re getting it right now. Fortunately we’ll likely to only get half that amount. My aching back is grateful for the 15 cm I probably won’t have to shovel 🙂
What a perfect combination of Christmas Day pix. Peace, tranquility, the much-wanted snow that those who never get it at Christmas always wants, and boats. Boats are a winner for me in any series of photos. Pleased you had such a gorgeous sounding Christmas Day.
If I could afford it, I’d spend even more time there. 🙂