God's Country

I have just returned from spending 6 glorious days in one of the most scenic places in Canada...Newfoundland!

Just over two years ago, I met a very special friend in an online scrapbooking forum.  Who would have thought that we would fly across the country to visit each other?

Michelle arriving at the Edmonton airport last year

Last September, Michelle traveled all the way to Edmonton, and we met face-to-face for the first time.  It was as if we had been friends forever! We attended the Canadian Scrapbooker's Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival and had so much fun.

Sharing a cup of tea...our favourite beverage :)

So this year, I decided to visit her in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and also attend a scrapbook retreat weekend together.

I've never traveled further than Quebec.  For my American friends, it is like living in Idaho and taking a trip to the East Coast, maybe Maine or New York.

Ok, well Corner Brook isn't exactly New York, but you get the idea of the distance between us.  It's 5440 km or 3380 miles!

Here is my first sighting of Newfoundland (which is an island) from the plane...

It's "The ROCK"...Newfoundland's nickname

Michelle and her daughter Chelsea picked me up from the airport in Deer Lake, about 45 minutes from Corner Brook.  

Michelle's daughter snapped this with her phone.

 It was a tearful and happy reunion...

So wonderful to meet again (not on Skype!)

On the road to Corner Brook, we stopped at this roadside attraction "The Man in the Mountain"

I was surprised by the landscape and did not expect mountains and fir trees!

A view of Corner Brook and the bay

Michelle's backyard and garden is as pretty as I imagined!  She is a talented gardener and even has a greenhouse.

It was wonderful meeting her entire family, whom I had only seen in photos! 

A special thanks to Scott for giving up his bedroom during my stay :)

On the weekend, Michelle, her friend Shirley and I drove 1 1/2 hours to Springdale to attend a scrapbook retreat "Scrapbooking Weekend with Friends".

Road Trip!  On the way, we snapped a pic with a famous moose.

 In Springdale, we stayed at the beautiful Riverwood Inn...

Our dining room

 

Our wonderful room

The view from our balcony

Situated on Indian River

The crop room was on the ground floor (40 scrapbookers happy as can be!)

 

Michelle, Shirley and I cropping the night away

Just outside the crop room doors

Front & Centre is Deidre Edison Clarke, holding the Fall issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine.

Deidre is the organizer of this retreat, which takes place twice a year, in spring and fall.

I taught a layout class using Bo Bunny's Country Garden collection, which was so much fun!

 Newfoundlanders have a special ritual of welcoming "foreigners" like myself.  It's called "Screeching in" and Michelle did the honours on the last day of the retreat, which involves the following...

Drinking a shot glass of Screech

Screech is a strong rum...that makes you basically want to SCREECH after you drink it! ha ha!

Kissing a cod!

Do you think Michelle is enjoying this a little?!?

I also stood with one foot in a bucket of salt water and seaweed, ate a piece of "wild baloney" and recited a phrase in island dialect that I didn't understand.

Then a really sweet lady, Julie, gave me an Ugly Stick, beautifully carved by her husband...

An original musical instrument in Newfoundland

Now I am an official Newfoundlander.....and I couldn't be happier :)

Thank you Michelle and everyone I met for your generous hospitality and kindness!  I miss you all.