Northern Cod

Codfish cakes for breakfast or lunch are an old Newfoundland tradition. They remain one of my favorite dishes.

Here is a recipe:

Codfish Cakes

2 cups salt cod
3 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cream

Soak cod overnight. Drain. Pull apart into Flakes or shreds. Boil with potatoes until potatoes are tender. Drain and mash together potatoes and fish. Beat in egg, pepper and a little cream if necessary to make mixture light and fluffy.Pat into cakes and pan fry in hot greased pan, turning once to brown both sides.

Serves 6.

.

Lilies in My Garden

"Lilies have been cultivated for over 3000 years. Feng Shui believers hold the lily as an emblem of summer and abundance; to the Chinese, lily means "Forever in love". The lily was the holy flower of the ancient Assyrians. Until the 16th century the Madonna lily was the only garden variety known, because of this the "lilies of the field" as mentioned in the bible are thought to be this specific lily. A lily has adorned the coat of arms of the kings of France since 1179. King Chlodwig I allegedly received this 'fleur de lys', as it is called in heraldic language, from an angel. " In actual fact, that lily was not a lily but an iris !

Sea-wet Rocks

The mermaids on the sea-wet rocks sat and sang ther siren songs.

View of Placentia from Fort Royal on Castle Hill

The town of Placentia was once a French fortification and community known as Plaisance. As the French capital of Newfoundland, it was an important base for the French fishery in North America. On Castle Hill, the visitor is greeted by a magnificent view of the present day town and surrounding harbour and can explore the remains of both French and English fortifications from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Conception Bay Shore from Bell Island

When we look at the changing evening sky, we must realize that it is the work of someone more powerful than man.

Admiral's Point Lighthouse

"A square pyramidal wooden tower flashing white every 5 seconds, range 15 nautical miles."

Admirals Point, Trinity

Because of Trinity's excellent harbour and access to the fishing grounds, the early English settlers were subject to French raids. In order to protect their interests, England established a fort on the peninsula that jutted out into the harbour. In 1744, the garrison housed fourteen 24 pounder cannons that protected the inner harbour. The fort was menaced by the French in 1762 and surrendered to the French commander, Captain Chevalier de Boisgelin, who destroyed the fort and and disabled the cannons .

The fort was reestablished in 1812 as protection against American privateers but it was eventually abandoned. Today, only the lonely cannons still guard the approaches to Trinity manned by unseen soldiers.

Moose on Road to Trinity - Who's Watching Who ?

The Newfoundland Moose is often seen along the margins of ponds, lakes and rivers of the boreal forest and bogs. Moose can also be found feeding in fresh water.

Lonely House in Trinity

Trinity, Newfoundland, is a historic fishing village along the shores of Trinity Bay. Most of the buildings are heritage sites. This elegant house is said to be the oldest house in the community and has recently been rehabilitated by new owners.

"Trinity charms visitors on at least two accounts. Many newcomers are struck by the natural beauty of the area, a magnificent harbour and the splendid maritime setting. Others are touched by a powerful sense of history (Old Worldliness) and the pride of place instilled by the cultural landscape."

- The Story of Trinity -- Gordon Handcock

Lenny's Fishing Room

The Battery - A Slightly Different Perspective

The city of St Johns is is the oldest city in North America. While walking along the city waterfront, you will see historic buildings and wonderful whimsical communities such as The Battery. Colorful homes are perched on rockfaces and are literally inches from the road and ocean. Views of the city skyline and Narrows are unfogettable and without equal in this enchanting place.

Bird Rock - Cape St. Mary's

It is an interesting fact that young gannets must launch themselves from these high cliffs and fly immediately. In early fall thousands of anxious juveniles line up along the cliff tops and look down at the great drop before them.

Gannet Colony - Cape St. Mary's

Cape St. Mary has the second largest gannetry in North America, the other being on Bonaventure Island off Quebec. As you can see, it is a spectacular place where you can see thousands of these graceful birds hunting for caplin and other small fish . The top third of Bird Rock is covered with 500 nesting pairs of gannets. The lower cliff face is home to 12,000 pairs of common murres and kittywakes. As you can well imagine, the air is filled with a cacophony of sound. In the distance, you can see Bird Rock Light at the head of the cape.

Take me back to my Western boat.
Let me fish off Cape St, Mary's.
Where the hagdowns sail and the foghorns wail,
With my friends, the Browns and the Clearys.
Let me fish off Cape St. Mary's.

Moose on the Road to St. Bride's

Moose are not native to Newfoundland but were introduced in 1904. Four moose were brought to the island from New Brunswick and today their descendants number about 120,000 . Moose are the largest members of the deer family, standing 7 1/2 feet at the shoulder and bulls can carry 40 pounds of antlers. Their large size in combination with their tendency to wander onto roadways have made them a major hazard for highway drivers especially at dusk and dawn.

I spotted this young cow moose while driving home from a day's outing at Cape St. Mary's and was lucky enough to press the camera shutter just once before she disappeared into the forest.

Lighthouse - Cape St. Mary's

Cape St. Mary's has always been known for it's treacherous currents and fog enshrouded cliffs which presented danger to sea going vessels, fishing schooners and transatlantic liners alike. Therefore in 1858, a lighthouse was established on the tableland 300 feet above sea level on the extreme headland of the Cape. Upon completion,salt spray immediately began to erode the mortar in the brick structure, increasing maintenance costs. The entire structure was therefore encased in iron and backed with concrete. Today the lighthose presents a shadow of it's former self with a squat and awkward appearance topped by a new aluminum 400 watt mercury vapour lamp focusing light 30 miles out to sea.