Friday 27 February 2015

I Have A Song In My Head

Ever had one of those days when there's just one song that keeps burrowing itself into your brain and you can't shake it?

I haven't been able to get Rod Stewart's 'Maggie May' out of my head since they announced yesterday that he'll be headlining an outdoor festival in St. John's on Confederation Hill on July 11th this summer. It will be an all day event for the ages of 19 and older. Sounds like a fantastic day. Concert promoters have also said that Blue Rodeo is part of the lineup. Hot diggity!

Now, will I be there? Sadly, not. I already have something booked for that weekend, and it's called 'Working'. The summer is a busy time around here and my top priority is looking after the guests at The Bayside. But Don't Cry For Me, Argentina (oh, no. Not another song.) I've already seen Blue Rodeo a few times when we lived in southern Ontario. I think it's compulsory to have gone to at least one Blue Rodeo concert in our lifetime. Saw them twice at Massey Hall in Toronto, and once at Hamilton Place in Hamilton. Had some great seats in Hamilton, so I'm satisfied that we got up close and personal enough. I haven't seen Rod Stewart, but I haven't ruled him out. Maybe some other time. Although I do have a friend that managed to touch him during one of his concerts. With her husband in tow. But that's another story...

If you won't be in the St. John's area at that time, there is the Salmon Festival in Grand-Falls Windsor that same weekend. No acts announced yet, but that's on the horizon. I've included a link at the bottom for the CBC site that gives you a little info on those events. Always a good idea to get your tickets in advance so you aren't disappointed. Otherwise, I will keep you up-to-date as soon as I get any new information.

For those of you that aren't on the island that weekend, there's always the George Street Festival at the end of the July, plus live music at other venues all summer long. Actually, George Street is a fun place to visit any time of year. There's always something going on there. But, more on that another time.

I now leave you with some pretty pictures. This little brook is located along the Veteran's Memorial Highway just outside of Carbonear. Every time we drive by it, I've always wanted to stop and take pictures, which we never do. Until last week. Of course, I need to stop along the highway in the winter to take a picture of some cold water, but that's just me and the way I think. Just look at the pictures and think peace and quiet. 

And stop humming Maggie May.                                 















CBC announcement of July 11th concert

The Bayside Bed and Breakfast Website

Friday 20 February 2015

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

Do you like taking pictures? I feel like I've come full circle. When my girls were little, we had the camera out every day, documenting every move, expression, celebration and milestone. But when they got older, moved out and away, the camera seemed to get put away and forgotten. But that was when we lived back in Burlington, Ontario. It's not that we didn't live in a lovely area. We lived just a stone's throw from Lake Ontario--a ten minute walk from a vibrant lakefront/downtown area that was constantly used as a community gathering place. Festivals, concerts and family activities were always on the go there. But sadly, because we were so busy working, it was rare that we took part in those affairs. If we weren't working, we just wanted to stay put and recharge our batteries for the next day's work.
And that's one of the reasons why we made the big move to Newfoundland. Basil had always talked about 'going home'. I couldn't see the big fascination with that. After all, we lived in Burlington. Just over an hour from Toronto and everything Toronto had to offer. Culture, museums, concerts, restaurants. All the things we didn't have time for. We were only an hour away from Niagara Falls, one of the wonders of the world. But the only time we went down there was to do some cross border shopping. The Falls itself was too busy and overrun with people. What could Newfoundland possibly have to offer me?
Well, as they say, that's history. When I finally set foot on The Rock, I fell in love. Things are little slower here and that's probably one of the most appealing things about living here. You don't realize how busy you can make yourself. And then, life just whizzes by. 

Let me demonstrate.

Do you see this picture on the right? This was taken shortly after we moved here. November 2, 2012. (Don't you love iPhoto! I just love knowing the exact date of all my pictures!)
There was some snow in the forecast and the sky looked gloomy over Clarkes Beach. Now, normally, I would just go about my business. After all, we had just moved down here and I didn't have time to stand outside and just stare into the sky.
Or did I????
I did have the time. Never mind that I had a million boxes to unpack. A new home to get in order. But, I just had to remind myself the reason why we moved down here in the first place. We wanted to slow down and look up in the sky because it was there! And trust me. Not a day goes by that I don't do exactly that. Look up in the sky and remind myself why I'm here.

Now, the picture that you see above, believe it or not, isn't a black and white photo. Neither is the one below.


Actually, you can see a slight peep of blue sky in this picture. It was taken just moments before all the clouds rolled in and made the whole world black and white.




But there are some people that specialize in black and white photography. 
And Olivier Du Tré is one of those photographers. Olivier stayed with us this past summer and he was probably one of my first guests that actually got up when he said he would. I always talk up the sunrises around here and everyone says they're going to get up, but very few do. But Olivier did! I didn't know it at the time, but Olivier was a photographer and was working his way across Newfoundland and documenting his travels. He is based in Alberta, and while most of his work is the prairies and the Rocky Mountains, I think he fell in love a little with the east coast. If you want to have a look at some breathtaking photography, here is the link to his page:

Olivier du Tré Traditional Photographer

Just so you know, Olivier didn't approach me to advertise his site. I had sent a thank you to all my guests from the 2014 season and he sent me a link so that I could see some of the photos that he shot while he stayed with us. I especially love his Hibbs Cove photo, that one just being down the road in Port de Grave. If you're interested in photography, have a look. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.


Thursday 12 February 2015

Winter...It's Finally Here!

Whoa is me. Last week we had sunshine, blue skies and no snow. For those of you that keep track of the weather across the country, you'll have heard that Newfoundland is to be hit with four storm fronts this week. Who's going to get the worst of it? Us, the Avalon. And more specifically, Conception Bay North, which is us! Supposed to get up to 40 cm today, possibly another 10 overnight. Then, probably start up again Saturday night. Hopefully, my guests for the weekend will be granted a window of opportunity on Saturday and be able to make it safely to The Bayside. All I know is, if they're able to get here, they're going to get one, delicious breakfast on Sunday! It's been a little quiet here and I'm itching to get busy in the kitchen.

I have been busy during our quiet time experimenting with some baking. One thing I love to have available to my guests is a sweet treat to help themselves to during their stay. I've been trying some different recipes of granola/energy bars to satisfy their sweet tooth. I always try to spoil our guests in one way or another, and I just love to bake! Hopefully, you'll have the opportunity to visit us in the future and sample some of my baking.

Now, while I don't have any pictures of the storm of February 2015 that's brewing outside, why don't I share with you something a little more pleasant today.


This little beauty of a scene is a view from Coley's Point. Once called Coldeast Point, according to the local dialect, was referred to as 'Cole Less Point', which eventually evolved from this local translation to Coley's Point. At least, that's one historian's explanation. Coley's Point is one of several small communities that make up the town of Bay Roberts. We love driving along this part of the shore as it's very picturesque. I took this picture just last week. It was a beautiful sunny day, barely any snow on the ground and the top of the bay was just little crackles of ice, as you see here. Honestly, you just can't take any bad pictures on our part of the Avalon. It's really a photographers dream. I'll share some of my favourites with you in the future. We've even had a few professional photographers stay with us here at The Bayside and it's all I can do to convince them to just put their camera down and eat their breakfast! It'll be even worse when we put our new picture windows in the dining room and then everyone will be able to see that beautiful view from every table. I can hardly wait! It'll almost be like having a solarium at the back of the house. That's due to get installed in the month of April, so I'll be sure to share some pictures of that with you.

Popular Links:
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism
The Bayside Bed and Breakfast Webpage
and if you haven't gotten enough of the latest commercial we've been viewing
Newfoundland Place Names

Until next time, keep warm and dry!

Wednesday 4 February 2015

Is it February already?

January just seemed to zip by, didn't it? And even though things have slowed down here a little bit at The Bayside Bed and Breakfast, we're keeping ourselves busy. So far, we've been spared all that snow that's hit the rest of the island and the Maritimes. I hate to say it but "Maybe just a little snow?" You know, the kind that just makes it fresh and clean. I know Basil has been happy. He hasn't had to fire up the snowblower yet this season.
But, that also means he's been missing out on the fun 
that comes with clearing the white stuff. Riding his quad! 
I'm sure he'll have plenty of opportunity yet. There's still
a good deal of winter ahead.

With that being said, there's still time to take advantage of our winter special. We're offering reduced rates on all of our rooms if you stay with us at any time until March 31st. If you just need to get away, sit in front of the wood stove and relax, you don't need to go any further. We're just less than an hour away from St. John's. 
Remember, the View From Up Here is beautiful any time of year.

You can always check availability on our online calendar 24 hours a day at:

The Bayside Bed and Breakfast

or-- just give me a call at 709-786-1500. I'll be happy to answer any questions or make any recommendations. We'd love to have you.


Dates to Remember

Bay Roberts--Songs, Stages and Seafood,  June 12-14

This is a chance to taste and savour the culinary skills of some of the best and brightest chefs on the Avalon. Come and enjoy the music, the food, the atmosphere, the food (remember the food) at different venues across Bay Roberts. The chefs try to locally source the food and it's an experience you won't forget. Keep checking back for updates on tickets and packages. This festival keeps growing with every year and it's one that foodies will not want to miss.

Brigus--Brigus Blueberry Festival, Mid-August TBA

Everything blueberry and more. Music, games, crafts and, naturally, blueberries! There's even a shuttle that takes people into the heart of historic Brigus where you can spend the day and take in the festival. A very popular event and one you'll definitely schedule if you're visiting the area in August. And at the Bayside, I feature fresh blueberries that have been picked in my spare time (in between laundry and catching up on my sleep).

These are just two of many events happening in and around The Bayside. Stay tuned for more.

I hope you'll check back from time to time. If you'd like to stay up to date with what's happening in my neck of the woods, please subscribe to my blog by submitting your email down below. And please feel free to comment or ask any questions. As our season progresses, I like to keep track of festivals, concerts and events. And if you've ever met me, you'll know that I can talk about anything and everything, and I usually do. So, if you have a couple of minutes, drop by. I'd love to share you My View From Up Here.

Why Don't We Spice Things Up A Bit?

Here at The Bayside Bed and Breakfast, we love to cook! And that's any time of day. Breakfast is part of our name and all of our guest...