Excursions

We didn’t have any snow at the beginning February. Not a single snowflake. But for about two weeks, we’ve been making up for lost time. And for anyone who likes outdoor winter activities, the snow conditions are amazing.

It has been a glorious winter day here in the Greater Norton’s Cove Area. Duke and I took a snowmobile ride today (we’re very new to this activity) on the old woods roads, and wanted to share some snaps…

Such a beautiful day, without wind!- or very little anyways, for our wind standards.

I did the driving for about 35% of the trip, which is a very new experience for me. Never thought I’d ever be driving a snowmobile, much less enjoying it! This photo was taken on Brookfield Marsh, almost home: you can see our house, studio, and café in the left side of the frame.

And now, with the local pandemic regulations back to alert level 4, I’m back in my studio, continuing with my early spring cleaning (similar plan to “if you build it, it will come”?) and enjoying a spectacular sunset.

Throw Back Thursday

This photo is not dated. But we have some clues. My house still had the original house (servants quarters after 1884) attached, although the third floor is already removed (which happened in 1930). Someone told me years ago that that portion of the house was cut down to its present state the spring of Come Home Year (1966). The tiny building to the right of the shop was apparently a telegraph office, but there is a pole of some sort on the shop, which might be a transmitting tower making me think that the telegraph equipment was actually in the office? I’ll have to look up the dates of the telegraph receipts…

I once met an elderly lady in my shop who told me that when she was having her first child, she was brought to Norton’s Cove by boat, and she sent a telegraph home to Newtown to say that she had arrived safely. Job Kean then gave her a ride to Brookfield Cottage Hospital in his truck to deliver her baby under the care of the doctor. How times have changed! What an incredible range of technology that woman witnessed in her lifetime! And, I LOVE the fact that people tell me these stories when visiting my shop! The building itself is a conversation piece.

This Week at Norton’s Cove Café

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Lockdown continues at Norton’s Cove, with the province at the highest level in the COVID-19 Alert Level System. I am working away as usual at the studio & café, as I always do during the winter months. In January, while we were open to the public, I had 6 visitors in store- so no great loss for me by not having to shovel the front steps! I am thankful every day for how lucky I am to be able to continue on with life as usual while others are really struggling with loneliness and fear of contracting the awful disease. I feel very privileged.

We’re still working away at the Lower Deck, and I took this picture on Saturday while upstairs for a coffee break. I’m so impressed with the way Norton’s Cove Café turned out- so many craftspeople are involved to create this kind of space, from my own inspiration and choices in fixtures, to the designer’s expertise, the carpenter’s skills, the furniture makers, the upholsterers, not to mention actually running the place as a business! It has been a lot of hard work and a sharp learning curve for me to be the owner of a restaurant, but I feel like all that is paying off and I think that Team Norton’s Cove has created one of the best restaurants in the province. It’s certainly my favourite!

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Did you know that many of the Café Gift-shop’s products are available through our online shop? During this lockdown period, and always, you can pick up your jams and relish and thump mats at the studio- contactless- or have them delivered to you via Canada Post.

Smarten Up!

Seeing as how no one is allowed to visit Norton’s Cove Studio while we are in lockdown again for a while, I am taking advantage of the alone time to empty, wash, and refresh all my display shelves. What that results in while this is in progress, is a holy state! My goal is to go from ‘state’ to ‘some smart looking’. Deciding how and where to place each item so that each piece is displayed to best advantage is actually quite a challenge.

the main shelves emptied and cleaned- a blank canvas, if you will.

New displays in progress. I’ll be adding story-cards to displays as well, with a story about what inspired each image and other information.

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Here is a link to a TEDtalk with Mary Walsh that has changed the way I feel about getting older:

Thank you Mary! I am one of those in my forties as you say, in an “extended, unpleasant, but manageable downturn”, with plenty of “self-defeating illusions” going on in my head. Last week I felt like I was falling into a deep dark funk just because my birthday was coming up soon. I listened to your short speech a few days ago, and have been feeling more & more positive since. Taking your advice, I will try my best not to do anything stupid, and I’ll book a pedicure ASAP! My new goal is to become a “wrinkled radical”. Happiness is before me after all.😁

Templeman

Low tide at Templeman, taken while out for a Sunday drive yesterday.

Lockdown

Well, here we are again! No Feast of Saint Valentine for us! Norton’s Cove Café is closed until Dr. Fitzgerald tells us it’s safe to reopen. (What an amazing job that woman is doing! Incredible patience!) I am still at work though, as usual, and the online shop is open 24-7! We ship everywhere via Canada Post or FedEx.

I’ve got it pretty good- I’ve got my little bubble of four to keep me company, my studio workspace is not compromised by the lockdown, and neither is my Lower Deck project, I suspect. So, onward with the winter’s work! I hope you all have lots of positives to think of in crazy times like these.

Lower Deck Update: look at how great the beams look with a bit of watered down paint smeared on!

Throw Back Thursday: Pearson Academy Visits

Mrs. Bishop’s class from quite a while ago!

I really miss getting visits from the local school children. Most years, one or two of Memorial Academy’s teachers bring a gaggle of kids the few doors down to my place so I can show them what I do here. Hopefully, next school-year, we can resume the visits!

Mr. J.P.’s class from a few years ago!

This Week at Norton’s Cove Café

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Valentine’s Weekend is almost here! With the recent news from our Townie friends, I thought I’d make sure that all of you who have reservations for The Feast of Saint Valentine at Norton’s Cove Café know what’s happening. We are most certainly going ahead, with our usual COVID-19 regulations in place. I am not taking reservations from anyone outside our region, and even Duke did not make a supply run to town this month! We want to keep our community as safe as possible!

We do have a few reservations left… If you’d like to go ahead and make a reservation, you can contact me any way you can: call me at the studio or on my mobile, send a text, send a message through what’s app, twitter, or Instagram, drop in at the studio in person, or drop me an email!

Click here for menu!

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Did you know that many of the Café Gift-shop’s products are available through our online shop? And the gift-shop, like the studio, is open by appointment too. Simply get in touch with me, and I can arrange a private shopping experience for you in the off-season.

Excursions

I’ve been taking Sundays off. It’s laundry day! But it’s also excursion day, reading and drinking coffee day, and playing with family day.

Yesterday, Duke and I took Jack for a walk at a new trail (to us) at Indian Bay Park.

One of my goals for 2021 is to hit more trails that I have not yet experienced. ✅

I didn’t know that there was a trail at Indian Bay Park until last week, when my friends at IBEC posted some photos from the trail. I asked how to yet there, and the directions worked!

What are your favourite trails in Newfoundland? Where should I try next?