Today will be 15 degrees.
5 in the morning, 5 in the afternoon, 5 in the evening.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
More Bergie Bits
Saturday turned out to be a nice day. So we went in search of the Organic Farm in Portugal Cove. The Organic Farm is a family business, and I know one of the family from the pottery studio. Although it is tremendously early for produce here, they have several poly tunnels that they grow greens and herbs in, and later they will plant tomatoes and peppers in them. Locally grown produce is a rare find here at any time, so I was pleased that we found them. It was a challenge. They were down a winding side lane and up a narrow driveway behind a modern house tucked into evergreen trees, sandwiched between two other modern houses tucked into trees. It reminded me of Galiano Island in so many ways. We were the only customers at the time. If they were busy, I think we would have had to walk in from the lane as there was barely enough room to turn the car as it was. This is a norm for here. There are also a number of small plant nurseries tucked in behind what I would consider sub-division houses in the burbs.
They may not be big, but they're small.
After Portugal Cove we went on a jaunt round the Killick Coast to Pouch (pronounced pooch) Cove for some more iceberg spotting. They had three. I work with two guys from Pouch Cove and they assure me that there is a great rivalry between their village and the next one over named Flatrock. We went there too and not to be undone, Flatrock had two icebergs of it's own. Flatrock's bergs were much closer to shore, and so provided a better photo opportunity. Shhhh, don't tell the boys. Flatrock also has a grotto. Sort of. Actually it is a very large shrine with the stations of the cross on it and not a grotto at all. But I've learned that if the locals want to call it a grotto, then there is no use in arguing.
This is one of the bergs at Flatrock, all the way into the cove. The houses behind give you an idea of the size.
We continues to follow the coastline all the way back to town, through Torbay, (no bergs) Middle Cove (3 bergs) and Outer Cover (1 berg visible but it was one of the Middle Cove bergs, really.) Middle Cove is a provincial park and there were hundreds of people there playing in the sand and watching the bergs. While we were there, I heard a great boom like a cannon, and the closest one to shore cracked and rolled a bit. I didn't see the bits fall off, but later there were bits floating close to it and the waves that were generated by these huge bits of ice falling into the ocean created quite a wave wash hitting the beach for several minutes after.
Before and After
When we arrived home, we were invited to a bonfire at Outer Cove, so we turned around and went back. We have had so few clear days that I was amazed at how long the day length was when it wasn't obscured by thick fog. At 9:30pm we still had twilight left enough to make out the outline of the iceberg and the coastline across the bay.
They may not be big, but they're small.
After Portugal Cove we went on a jaunt round the Killick Coast to Pouch (pronounced pooch) Cove for some more iceberg spotting. They had three. I work with two guys from Pouch Cove and they assure me that there is a great rivalry between their village and the next one over named Flatrock. We went there too and not to be undone, Flatrock had two icebergs of it's own. Flatrock's bergs were much closer to shore, and so provided a better photo opportunity. Shhhh, don't tell the boys. Flatrock also has a grotto. Sort of. Actually it is a very large shrine with the stations of the cross on it and not a grotto at all. But I've learned that if the locals want to call it a grotto, then there is no use in arguing.
This is one of the bergs at Flatrock, all the way into the cove. The houses behind give you an idea of the size.
We continues to follow the coastline all the way back to town, through Torbay, (no bergs) Middle Cove (3 bergs) and Outer Cover (1 berg visible but it was one of the Middle Cove bergs, really.) Middle Cove is a provincial park and there were hundreds of people there playing in the sand and watching the bergs. While we were there, I heard a great boom like a cannon, and the closest one to shore cracked and rolled a bit. I didn't see the bits fall off, but later there were bits floating close to it and the waves that were generated by these huge bits of ice falling into the ocean created quite a wave wash hitting the beach for several minutes after.
Before and After
When we arrived home, we were invited to a bonfire at Outer Cove, so we turned around and went back. We have had so few clear days that I was amazed at how long the day length was when it wasn't obscured by thick fog. At 9:30pm we still had twilight left enough to make out the outline of the iceberg and the coastline across the bay.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Lost in Translation
At the plant nursery where I work, I am constantly hearing new Newfoundlandisms which I always forget long before I get home. If I thought no one would notice I would keep a notebook with me and scribble them down.
Today being the start of the May long weekend however, I was struck by some idioms important enough to remember.
Firstly, this is the May 24th long weekend. It is not the Victoria Day weekend, Newfoundlanders follow the English tradition in this way. The English never seemed call it Victoria Day either, go figure.
Also, it is not the Two-Four weekend, because ironically you can't buy beer by the TwoFour here. And unless they have been away to Canada (a good bet, but still) they don't know what a TwoFour is. The province which undoubtedly has the highest consumption of beer per capita sells it only by the dozen, or a half.
This lead to the next conversation topic. A half is a 6 pack.
A flask of liquor is what is known as a pint (in Canada).
A quart (in Canada) is simply termed 'a bottle.'
Regardless of the weather (which continues to be RDF all day, everyday) Newfoundlanders go camping and fishing this weekend. Except it isn't called fishing, it's called troutin'. (Fishing is, I suppose, something done in the North Atlantic while looking for cod.)
Many go to the provincial parks and campgrounds around, but a few hardy souls strike out for the wilderness. One woman I work with is doing this as I type, despite the fact the the woods adjacent to the nursery still have 2 feet of snow covering the ground. Newfoundlanders are extremely proud of their May 24th camping tradition, they seem to feel they invented it and that no one else could possibly be doing the same thing this weekend. Camping occupied no less than four separate reports on the supper hour newscast tonight, three of which were weather related. (ie. "How does the weather affect your camping plans this weekend?", "Slow down as you're leaving town because the fog makes visibility difficult." and "An historic look back in the archives to the May 24th weekend of 1984, when there was still 4 feet of snow everywhere and no one could go camping.") The weather forecast, and the cancelled flights at the airport due to the weather rounded out the news hour. I am not making this up.
Before anyone comments, this is the CBC. The other guys are much much worse.
I'm considering putting the St. John's forecast on this blog page. "Cause if you can't beat 'em, maybe you can shoot yourself in the head instead."
We are not embracing the culture and going camping this weekend. I had my share of RDF tenting in BC.
Today being the start of the May long weekend however, I was struck by some idioms important enough to remember.
Firstly, this is the May 24th long weekend. It is not the Victoria Day weekend, Newfoundlanders follow the English tradition in this way. The English never seemed call it Victoria Day either, go figure.
Also, it is not the Two-Four weekend, because ironically you can't buy beer by the TwoFour here. And unless they have been away to Canada (a good bet, but still) they don't know what a TwoFour is. The province which undoubtedly has the highest consumption of beer per capita sells it only by the dozen, or a half.
This lead to the next conversation topic. A half is a 6 pack.
A flask of liquor is what is known as a pint (in Canada).
A quart (in Canada) is simply termed 'a bottle.'
Regardless of the weather (which continues to be RDF all day, everyday) Newfoundlanders go camping and fishing this weekend. Except it isn't called fishing, it's called troutin'. (Fishing is, I suppose, something done in the North Atlantic while looking for cod.)
Many go to the provincial parks and campgrounds around, but a few hardy souls strike out for the wilderness. One woman I work with is doing this as I type, despite the fact the the woods adjacent to the nursery still have 2 feet of snow covering the ground. Newfoundlanders are extremely proud of their May 24th camping tradition, they seem to feel they invented it and that no one else could possibly be doing the same thing this weekend. Camping occupied no less than four separate reports on the supper hour newscast tonight, three of which were weather related. (ie. "How does the weather affect your camping plans this weekend?", "Slow down as you're leaving town because the fog makes visibility difficult." and "An historic look back in the archives to the May 24th weekend of 1984, when there was still 4 feet of snow everywhere and no one could go camping.") The weather forecast, and the cancelled flights at the airport due to the weather rounded out the news hour. I am not making this up.
Before anyone comments, this is the CBC. The other guys are much much worse.
I'm considering putting the St. John's forecast on this blog page. "Cause if you can't beat 'em, maybe you can shoot yourself in the head instead."
We are not embracing the culture and going camping this weekend. I had my share of RDF tenting in BC.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Iceberg Hunting
Dear Santa, for Christmas I want a telephoto lens.
Yesterday studyboy and I tool advantage of a break in the drizzle ( but not in the fog) to go iceberg hunting. We didn't have to go far, just a quick ride up to Signal Hill and we could see 4.
The local evening news tells us that this is the biggest iceberg year in memory, mostly because the weather has been so cold that the bergs which would have normally melted long before they reached us here in the south, haven't melted and are still floating around. The evening news also gives us the iceberg report along with the weather. It is an update on where to go to see them and includes a map from the International Ice Patrol.
Here are a few of the pictures I took yesterday. This is looking down into Quidi Vidi Gut. It looks small, but the trees in the foreground are 30 ft high.
This is just outside the narrows, with Fort Amherst in the foreground.
This is a long shot, with Cape Spear in the background.
Yesterday studyboy and I tool advantage of a break in the drizzle ( but not in the fog) to go iceberg hunting. We didn't have to go far, just a quick ride up to Signal Hill and we could see 4.
The local evening news tells us that this is the biggest iceberg year in memory, mostly because the weather has been so cold that the bergs which would have normally melted long before they reached us here in the south, haven't melted and are still floating around. The evening news also gives us the iceberg report along with the weather. It is an update on where to go to see them and includes a map from the International Ice Patrol.
Here are a few of the pictures I took yesterday. This is looking down into Quidi Vidi Gut. It looks small, but the trees in the foreground are 30 ft high.
This is just outside the narrows, with Fort Amherst in the foreground.
This is a long shot, with Cape Spear in the background.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Re-Lent-Less
Definition of relentless: Newfoundland spring.
Today, we saw blue sky for 30 minutes, the first time in 8 days. (And there was great rejoicing.) The temperatures soared to a balmy 6 degrees Celsius, well above the average daily high of 2 degrees with a wind chill of -5.
Although for days our weather announcer has been promising a break in the drizzle and fog I have lost all hope of that happening before July.
Canvassing my co-workers at the nursery I have learned that this March-like hell we are experiencing is completely normal and that this is indeed what Newfoundlanders consider spring. We had freezing fog this morning.
I am wearing more clothes to work now than I ever wore to walk the dog all winter. Winter was in fact warmer because when it wasn't snowing it was sunny. And the province wasn't surrounded by icebergs, essentially turning the Avalon Peninsula into an outdoor icebox.
Yesterday it was announced that there are 22 icebergs off the coast from Pouch Cove to Cape Spear, a distance of less than 30km as the ship sails. Although, if I were in a ship sailing on those waters I be sure to leave my Celine Dion CD at home.
I have started taking cocoa to work because break time is only 15 minutes long, and it takes at least twenty to peel off all the layers when the tea caffeine hits my bladder.
Every morning as I drive to work, I hear the commuter report on the radio. With heavy fog and drizzle making visibility almost nil, the reporter on CBC radio cheerfully announces how many moose have been sighted on the outer ring road. (Today it was 9) I haven't spotted any yet, but with the fog so thick I could have followed one all the way to the airport without knowing it. Unlike the Elk at Banff though, Moose don't seem to hang out at the airport. Maybe because everybody they know is already here.
Today, we saw blue sky for 30 minutes, the first time in 8 days. (And there was great rejoicing.) The temperatures soared to a balmy 6 degrees Celsius, well above the average daily high of 2 degrees with a wind chill of -5.
Although for days our weather announcer has been promising a break in the drizzle and fog I have lost all hope of that happening before July.
Canvassing my co-workers at the nursery I have learned that this March-like hell we are experiencing is completely normal and that this is indeed what Newfoundlanders consider spring. We had freezing fog this morning.
I am wearing more clothes to work now than I ever wore to walk the dog all winter. Winter was in fact warmer because when it wasn't snowing it was sunny. And the province wasn't surrounded by icebergs, essentially turning the Avalon Peninsula into an outdoor icebox.
Yesterday it was announced that there are 22 icebergs off the coast from Pouch Cove to Cape Spear, a distance of less than 30km as the ship sails. Although, if I were in a ship sailing on those waters I be sure to leave my Celine Dion CD at home.
I have started taking cocoa to work because break time is only 15 minutes long, and it takes at least twenty to peel off all the layers when the tea caffeine hits my bladder.
Every morning as I drive to work, I hear the commuter report on the radio. With heavy fog and drizzle making visibility almost nil, the reporter on CBC radio cheerfully announces how many moose have been sighted on the outer ring road. (Today it was 9) I haven't spotted any yet, but with the fog so thick I could have followed one all the way to the airport without knowing it. Unlike the Elk at Banff though, Moose don't seem to hang out at the airport. Maybe because everybody they know is already here.
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