God guard thee newfoundland...

So I got talking to this new guy who works in Asheville and we were sharing a little with each other about where we're from, our spouses, how we ended up in Asheville, etc. So as I was explaining about this strange little place I call home, I was reminded how lucky I am to have been blessed to grow up in a land so beautiful and a heritage so rich.
Newfoundland is steeped in tradition and that's one of the things I find so comforting about it. It never changes. Sure the cities may be built up a little and there are houses in places where houses never were before. And there's more and more of "them foreigners" moving in than ever before. And there's a new grocery store down the road that has prices SO much higher than the one built there before it and you know their lassy bread isn't as good as the other guys...
And with all it's changes, it still holds on to it's heart. I never thought I would be this passionate about a place I couldn't imagine people WANTING to live in.
That's what happens when you move away and see other things I guess. You never want to take for granted what you had when it didn't cost you anything.




This is a shot on top of Gros Morne, one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. It was way over on the other side of the valley through some binoculars I saw my first live caribou!







We have an Ode to Newfoundland. It makes me cry more than O Canada ever will. It is a simple and sweet melody:

"When sunrays crown thy pine-clad hills
And Summer spreads her hand
When silvern voices tune thy rills
We love thee smiling land
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee smiling land.

When spreads thy cloak of shimm'ring white
At Winter's stern command
Thro' shortened day and starlit night
We love thee frozen land
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee frozen land.

When blinding storm gusts fret thy shore
And wild waves lash thy strand
Thro' spindrift swirl and tempest roar
We love thee wind-swept land
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee wind-swept land.

As loved our fathers, so we love
Where once they stood we stand
Their prayer we raise to heav'n above
God guard thee Newfoundland
God guard thee, God guard thee
God guard thee Newfoundland."



-Sir Cavendish Boyle