Spark the Conversation

I am super excited about the launch of "Spark the Conversation" - a creative contest for students from K-12 in Newfoundland and Labrador to get them thinking about inclusion and accessibility.

"Spark The Conversation” is a creative contest where young people are asked to draw or design a picture of how the concept of inclusion makes them FEEL. The hope is that these efforts will spark a broader conversation on how accessibility in the built environment benefits us all.

Organized by the Universal Design Network Newfoundland and Labrador (UDNNL), in partnership with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador - Disability Policy Office, The Coalition of Persons with Disabilities, and Boom I.T., we are excited to launch this initiative which we hope is the start of many great conversations on the important topic of accessibility. It is our hope that this campaign drives age-appropriate conversations between parents, students and educators. Young people are often keenly aware of simple solutions that can benefit everyone. Teachers can also feel free to use this resource as a jumping-off point for conversation about accessibility in the built environment and start the creative ball rolling.

Universal Design is about creating environments, from the design stage, that are accessible to everyone and have the most flexibility of use. True accessibility works for everyone!

The contest begins today, September 27th, and submissions will be accepted up to and including October 18th, 2019. Winners will be announced at the Home Show in Mount Pearl on March 28th, 2020. UDNNL intends to post all submissions for public viewing on their website once the contest has concluded.

I am so excited to see what the kids will come up with!!

Find more details HERE or at udnnl.ca

Kite Festival

It's been a busy couple of weeks! We are officially two weeks into the new school year, and I am happy to say that things are going pretty darn well! The initial feelings are always the same for me - panic, worry, and wondering if we are going to make it through. The difference between Brennen's first school year and his eighth, however, is that the panic doesn't last as long. I know we will make it through this year because we've made it through the previous seven. Brennen is in Grade 8 this year, and I actually feel like I can finally exhale and let go of some of my own nerves about his junior high school experience. Brennen is in good hands, and as a parent, that is all I can hope and pray for. He loves going to school - his days are full of fun and activity, and he is happy when he comes home. Sometimes I wonder how we got here.. how it all happened so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was worried sick about my boy starting school, being there for hours each day without me, and not knowing how on earth I would be able to let go of control and hand him over to somebody else. But we have come a long way since those early days, and my boy has proven to me over and over again that he is a tough kiddo, and he is rocking the education system! He loves his life, and we are so fortunate to have so many people on our side who help empower Brennen to not only survive the school year, but to truly thrive! We couldn't be happier!

On Sunday, we attended the PAL Kite Festival in Bowring Park. Like in previous years, this year's festival was full of exciting events, including a kite flying contest, bouncy castles, face painting, BBQ and live musical entertainment! All proceeds from kite sales and donations this year go to Choices for Youth, an organization that we are proud to support.

"Choices for Youth is committed to building programs, systems, and opportunities that are focused on providing individualized support for young people, celebrating who they are, and working together to unlock their potential to build a brighter future."

Some photos from the Kite Festival!

My nephew, William got off to such a great start with his little kite.. but it ended up looking like this:

It's ok, buddy. I lost my kite over the top of a tree. The struggle is real.

See photos from when we attended the Kite Festival a couple of years ago, HERE!

"Making Fish"

On Labour Day weekend, Andrew and I were able to sneak out of town for a bit, trading the busyness of the city for some tranquility around the bay. We visited friends in Green's Harbour, where we were treated to the most gracious hospitality I think we have ever experienced. What a beautiful way to spend the last few days of the summer! I should have been a bayman.

See the article below on the history of "making fish" in Newfoundland!

"Hard Racket for a Living" — Making Light-Salted Fish on the East Coast of Newfoundland

Weekend Adventures

This past weekend, Andrew and I escaped the city and headed out around the bay to the quaint little town of Winterton. I wrote about our vacation out there last summer (see HERE) - that was quite a different experience because we had three children with us at that time. This weekend, however, was just for the two of us.

We stayed in Winterton for two nights but spent most of our time exploring the nearby communities. Andrew and I have so much fun taking pictures of our beautiful surroundings, and every now and then we will set the camera up on a rock or other flat(ish) surface in hopes of capturing us both in the same shot. It doesn't always work out, but sometimes we luck out with a beauty like this one! Nailed it on the first try!

The lighthouse at Bloody Point in New Perlican wasn't anything spectacular, but it offered an incredible view of New Perlican Harbour and the waters of Trinity Bay. Colourful fishing stages can be found in the harbours of many communities in this area. I never get tired of them!

The lighthouse at Heart's Content was more impressive, with its almost 30 foot cast-iron tower that has withstood the rigours of the Newfoundland coast for over one hundred years. We were completely enraptured with the town's history - being one of Newfoundland's oldest enduring fishing settlements, and having a unique role in international communications, with the first successful landing of a transatlantic submarine telegraph cable. There is lots to learn and discover out this way!

While we didn't intend for this trip to be a tour of lighthouses, we did find ourselves stopping to check out any that we passed along the way. 

The Hant's Harbour lighthouse on the western side of the Bay de Verde Peninsula was another beauty that we couldn't help but explore. 

I think the highlight of our weekend was hiking the Sugarloaf Trail near Winterton up to the lookout over Trinity Bay. The hike was quite steep, and I was nearly dead by the time we got to the top, but the views were amazing, and it was well worth the effort!

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!"

On our way home, we drove through Heart's Delight, Cavendish, Green's Harbour, and Dildo, where we stopped for lunch at the Dildo Dory Grill (highly recommended!) These are the iconic fishing stages in Cavendish that have become famous from provincial tourism ads. They are sweet, but the harbours of Winterton and New Perlican are much more colourful and impressive, in my opinion.

We had a wonderful weekend of adventures and have now returned to our cozy home in Logy Bay. We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful province, where just an hour from home can feel like a resort destination. Andrew actually said this little trip ranked up there with our vacation in Mexico a few years ago.. and I have to agree! There is nothing better than waking up in the morning on the edge of the ocean and breathing in the salt sea air. We spent the evenings strolling the side roads of Winterton, going off the beaten path and living life the way it is meant to be lived - slow and unplugged. We drank tea with our feet up by the wood stove, talked a lot, and made sweet memories that we will treasure for years to come.

Finger Puppets for the Janeway

Are you guys aware of the incredible thing that is happening right here in Newfoundland and Labrador right now? No, not the icebergs, though they are lovely.. I'm talking about something a little more personal. There are people - knitters - coming out of the woodwork to help put a smile on the faces of the children of our province.

On May 9th, Denika Philpott saw a Facebook post saying that the Janeway was running out of finger puppets, and it struck a chord with her. Denika told me that she remembers visiting the Janeway numerous times with her own young children, not for anything serious, but her daughter, Abigail had to have bloodwork done quite often and every time she left she would leave with a finger puppet, and she would dry her tears and that would be the highlight of her day. She said that the thought that a child might have to go to the Janeway for bloodwork or some other procedure, and not get to have that little treat really bothered her, and so she decided to do something about it.

Denika started public a Facebook group called 'Knitted Finger Puppets for the Janeway', and it has grown to include almost 1000 people, all eager to donate their time to such a wonderful project. It is such a positive group, with people sharing patterns and offering help to those who might not be seasoned knitters. It is amazing to see how creative some people can be with such a small canvas to work with. There are pictures of finger puppets in the shape of unicorns, sock monkeys, ninja turtles, you name it! There are photos posted daily of the batches of tiny puppets that people are ready to donate. My favourite photo so far was of a bag stuffed with finger puppets with a note attached that said, "Emma Wells, 97 years old, 175 finger puppets, original pattern since 1982". Amazing.

Denika has been so impressed that people are taking it upon themselves to deliver the finger puppets to the Janeway, and they are even checking with other hospitals around the province to see who might be able to use them. She says it really shows the true hearts of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians - people pitching in to help others.

The group has now expanded to include people knitting preemie hats, and booties for the Janeway as well. There are photos of tiny babies, with captions like, "My granddaughter was born December 9, 2018, 10 weeks early weighing 2 pounds 6 oz. These hats are what kept her little head warm while she was in the incubator." If  that doesn't pull on your heart-strings, I don't know what will!

I have visited the blood collection department with Brennen many times over the years, and he always leaves with a puppet covering his bandage, and a smile on his face. Like Denika, I can't imagine not having that little token of kindness to go home with. It's something so small, but it can really brighten your day and put a positive spin on something that can otherwise be quite scary for young children (and their Mommas!)

We invited some of our favourite kiddos over on the weekend (my niece and nephew), and they had a great time playing with the finger puppets that Nanny made! We look forward to bringing these in to the Janeway this week!

I am a sucker for a good-news story, especially when it comes to children in the hospital, and I commend these knitters (including my own Mom!) for putting the time in to help put a smile on the faces of some very special kiddos. Thank you, thank you!!