Harbour Grace

So, we are in the thick of September and we are back into our routines of work, school, appointments, meetings and just the general stresses of life that can pile up if you let them. Things get hurried, and crazy, and we are busy doing things, and doing more things, and getting busier and crazier, and all we want is to just stop and breathe and be happy. We've got a lot going on right now, and there have been some changes recently that have made things a little bit busier and crazier, and we are trying to find that balance, that sweet spot, where everything is smooth and manageable.

So, this past weekend, Andrew and I hit the reset button! We packed our bags and went on a little excursion around the bay! We headed out to Harbour Grace, and stayed at the beautiful Rose Manor Inn - a historical home built in 1878 on an acre of oceanfront property. The rooms are beautiful and the views exquisite, and it was exactly the getaway we were craving.

Rose Manor is located on Water Street in Harbour Grace, as close as you can get to the ocean. It was so nice to sit out here and listen to the waves crash up onto the shore. We got our fill of the freshest salt sea air, and the sun shining down with just a hint of Fall creeping in.

If you know me, you know I live for a good cup of tea, and Rose Manor actually hosts a Victorian High Tea on some Sunday afternoons (voted one of the best Victorian High Teas in Canada by Canadian Living Magazine)! It's like taking a step back in time and experiencing life as it once was - simpler, slower paced, but with tremendous attention to fine details. Owners Erika and Aaron are the perfect hosts. They are friendly and engaging, and super knowledgeable about the area.

Rose Manor has a beautiful parlour and fine dining room that offers a superb four course dinner menu, with meals prepared using locally sourced food from local growers and producers. For breakfast, Andrew and I had fresh made scones, bacon, and eggs benedict served on a touton! You read that right, and it was to die for!

We spent some time exploring Harbour Grace, which was once the second largest town in Newfoundland. Situated on one of the largest harbours on the Avalon Peninsula, it was once a thriving fishing community, and has a history rich with pirate tales - the best known being Peter Easton, who is still regarded as one of history's most successful pirates.

There is so much history here, and we just loved all of the old stone buildings and churches. I'd be lying if I said we didn't check out some of the real estate that's available. There are so many beautiful properties on the market right now, and I can totally see us having a little cottage or Summer home here someday!

St. Paul's Anglican Church was erected in 1835, and is the oldest stone church in Newfoundland.

Harbour Grace also has an important role in the history of aviation, as it was the departure point for many early attempts to fly the Atlantic Ocean. In 1932, Amelia Earhart left Harbour Grace to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, landing successfully in Northern Ireland.

While in the area, we explored a bunch of other little towns along the Baccalieu Trail. 

We drove through Freshwater, and found ourselves in Flatrocks - an abandoned outport that boasts a population of 7 people!

In the town of Victoria, we discovered a Heritage Village that included replicas of old saltbox houses, a general store, a church, a forge, and also a barn that has Newfoundland goats and ponies. Honestly, you guys.. show me a goat and I'm good for the day. I just love goats!

I bought a beautiful granny square blanket at a craft shop in Carbonear (read about my obsession HERE!)
And of course we couldn't come home without a visit to Brigus - probably our favourite little community in Conception Bay. 

We had such a great time checking out some beautiful little communities that we had never fully explored before. We walked, we ate, we chatted with the locals. We are always so thankful for the adventures that we share, and we seem to find a little more magic every time we visit somewhere new. We returned home with new memories, feeling grateful, refreshed, and full of love for our beautiful island, and for each other.

Labour Day Weekend

On our day off on Monday, Andrew and I got out for a hike on the East Coast Trail, this time doing part of Father Troy's Trail that runs from Torbay to Flatrock. This is an easy walking trail, that took us right along the edge of the magnificent coastline, with beautiful views of the cliffs of Torbay. We passed through quiet meadows and forests, and were completely in awe of the beauty of both the land and sea. At Gallows Cove, we met a lovely little horse who greeted us so excitedly, I was sad that I had nothing to give her. I'm going to have to go back and bring her a treat!

We came to Tappers Cove wharf, which is a hot spot for the food fishery, and we saw a fisherman who had just hauled in his catch. We watched him fillet his cod, while his young boys played nearby. I just love that we live in a place where you can stumble upon scenes like this - scenes that have been playing out here for hundreds of years. You can even see it depicted in the mural, which is inspired by Torbay's unique fishing history and some of the local fishers.

This is a cod eyeball. Kids have no fear, and are just not grossed out by this stuff (like I am)!

We ended the day back at Mom and Dad's, where we had a fish fry out on the campfire. We had planned to have everyone out by the fire, but it was just too windy for Brennen, so he stayed inside with Poppy, and we brought up their dinner. Mom and Andrew and I enjoyed our fresh fish (caught the day before by a friend of my Dad's), scruncheons, salads and s'mores cooked over the open fire. There's nothing like it. Dad said it was the best pan-fried cod he's ever had, and I believe it! Even a cup of tea tastes better outdoors!

This was the perfect way to cap off a wonderful Summer. It always goes by too fast, but we embraced the longer days, and now it is time for change. Tomorrow, Brennen goes back to school - Grade 5. Holy cow. But we are ready, or at least as ready as we're gonna be. A change in routines can be nice, and we have some exciting things to look forward to, so life is good!

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. 
Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” - Lao Tzu