Writer's Festival

I just had the most incredible week! Totally unexpected, a dear friend called to invite me to the Writer's Festival in Woody Point. She had extra tickets and a bed for me.

It was five straight days of wonderful readings, great music in the most gorgous setting on the face of the planet!

Woody Point is a little town in beautiful Bonne Bay. It is smack in the middle of a World Hertitage site. It is surrounded by green mountains which slope gently to the sea.The backdrop is the Tableland Mountains, which are flat topped and rusty looking. No vegetation at all. It looks like a moonscape or a scene out of an old western movie.

We heard some fantastic authors. My favourite was a little wisp of a girl by the name of Jessica Grant. She is a fresh new voice. Her debut novel is "Come Thou Tortoise" And I loved Paul Quarrington. He's from Hamilton and has quite a few books under his belt. He sat on the stage strumming on the guitar and told the funniest story about his wife finding "Jesus" in a public washroom. It was so funny and poignant.

David Adams Richard read from "The Lost Highway. It was very moving and so familar.David grew up on the Mirimichi in New Brunswick. I am related to his characters! Greg Malone recieved the warmest and most loving welcome from the audience. It was very emotional. Like Ron Hynes , Greg is revered in Newfoundland.

The music was tremendous.Anita Best did a beautiful rendition of "Atlantic Blue". I never thought anyone but Ron Hynes should sing that song. Anita did a very different arrangement. Hearing the song about the Ocean Ranger from a woman had it's own soulful magic.Sandy Morris. of "Land and Sea" fame , Duane Andrews who is a guitar virtuoso and who now plays a fiddle ,Des Walsh, Ameila Curran who writes as well as Leonard Cohen and sings like an angel and the wonderful Kathleen Edwards made for a most memorable time. My soul is quenched!

Next year I'll be there again. I've missed too many wonderful moments...and life is short.

Summertime

They were here and now they're gone. Summer goes by too fast. It seems like a dream.

Waiting so long , then it whizzes by. But I have to say we enjoyed every second. It was a wonderful visit. Having my grandchildren in the same place was a marvel. They bonded immediately.Everyday was an adventure.

I loved seeing the recognition of place and people on the older boys faces. It must be like going to Ireland, Iceland or China and knowing these are "my people". I had that feeling when I visited Norway.The faces were so familiar. It was thought I had found my clan.

My little house is lonely. The animals are keeping me occuppied as they have all been sick. Perhaps it's a delayed reaction to stress.The Vet bills have been astronomical! Pet owners need to lobby for "medicare " for animals. It sometimes comes down to cost versus a beloved pet's life.

What will the rest of summer hold. I am missing a trip to the Bay of Fundy. This may be the first year I haven't gone home.

I'm sure there are a few more surprises left before Labour Day... there always is .