Newfoundland Vacation Week 2

Back to the vacation summary. We had a really great time during the second week of our vacation to Newfoundland. We'd been there long enough to settle in and relax a bit so we were up for a bit more activity.

We started week two with Daniel's Christening. We've had all the children Christened in Newfoundland at the church I attended as a child. Here he is - boy in a dress:

The girls both wore the dress that I wore. I really wanted Daniel to wear the gown that his father wore so my mother-in-law got it from her sister and we washed it up nice and squished Daniel into it (it was a touch snug).

This is a dress with history. DH's grandparents had it made (his grandmother may have made it herself - I'll have to check that) 64 years ago for their eldest child from some old priest's vestments. All six of their children, several of their grandchildren (including DH and his brother) and now a great grandchild have worn it. It was beautiful. It even had a matching petticoat. Apparently, they used to regularily change the ribbons in it from blue to pink depending on the gender of the wee one.

After we recovered from that occasion, DH and I decided to go on a little trip to Rose Blanche (small outport community my parents are from). My Aunt Janet was eager to see the girls and meet Daniel:

While in Rose Blanche, DH and I went for a boat ride with my Uncle Cliff. We always seem to bring nice weather with us to Rose Blanche and it was a great day for a spin. The red house in the background is my aunt's place and the turquoise place is the town restaurant (deeeeelicious).

On this trip we went to West Point where my aunt and uncle keep their cottage/fishing base. It is a 40 minute boat trip from the end of the highway and is a lovely spot in the middle of nowhere. It used to be a community but was relocated back in the 60s. During relocation, most people dragged their houses to new communities (honestly) but they often left the porches behind. My aunt and uncle's cottage started out as one of those porches but they have added to it over the years so now it is a nice big spot. When I was a kid, I used to spend chunks of my summers out there fishing and berry picking and basically having a great time.

Here is a wharf with lobster traps and a stage:

Here's DH exploring the town (the brown place in the background is Aunt Janet's spot):

When we got back to Rose Blanche, the girls were determined to go for a ride so Dad hopped in the boat with them and they went for a little spin around the harbour (which they loved):

The following day, the girls asked if they could go out and visit the lighthouse so DH and I took them over for a jaunt. They had a blast cavorting over the rocks:

I think Jillian's pose is hilarious in this one.

They desperately wanted to go into the lighthouse and go up the "spooky stairs" to the light. So we did:

It really is sort of spooky in there. It is cold and damp and the stairs are steep and the rail hardly seems adequate. Fun though. Claire even got to sign the guestbook (the tour guide knew who we were).

Here's an iris that was growing in the boggy soil. There's a broken sea urchin down in the bottom right-hand corner (blurry but there).

Here is Claire by the sea:

and with a "blowy flower":

DH by the sea:

Jillian and I by the sea:

Once we got back to Corner Brook, the local strawberries were out (the season is later there than in Ontario so we got to experience local berries in both locations). They were really, really, really good and for a full week, this was how we saw Jillian:

I have no real reason for posting this picture other than the fact that I liked it. My aunt gave him the outfit and the visor both made me laugh hysterically and go "awwwwwwwwwwww". He became quite the dool bucket that week (and hasn't quit yet).