Monday, March 12, 2012

Fair Island of the Sea

While most of the people who loyally read this blog are friends and family, I've noticed that since I started participating in blog hops, some weeks I actually have more blog visits from our neighbours south of the border.  This is exciting to me, because it means that I am starting to branch out a little in the homestead blogging world and make connections with other people who share a similar vision for simpler lifestyle.  I love connecting with people, and blogging has become a little addictive because it is such an amazing way to form new connections and learn new things.  Consequently, I thought that it might be interesting for some visitors to this little blog to know a little more about me and where I come from.

For those of you that aren't all that familiar with eastern Canadian geography, you might still have heard of Prince Edward Island if you read Anne of Green Gables as a child or if you are ardent fans of Live! with Regis and Kelly (I think it might just be Kelly now though?).  It is a beautiful island nestled in the Northumberland Strait where beaches, pastoral scenery, fantastic food, and friendly people can all be found.  It has its flaws, to be sure, but there isn't another place on the planet I can imagine calling home.  It's a land of red soil, white dunes, gentle, forested hills, rolling fields, and old wooden farmhouses.  This island throws community fundraisers when someone is in need, leaves doors unlocked, says hello to every passing face, and lets you turn even if you don't have the right-of-way.  It is also a place where finding a job in your field can be challenging, where we haven't looked (and aren't looking) after our beautiful environment the way we should be, and where we are learning that initial welcomes and friendliness aren't always enough when we meet new people.  We have a lot to learn on PEI, but we have an awful lot to give and share.  And I'd like to introduce you to a bit of the countryside.

My sister, the very lovely (and most loyal of readers) Rebecca of Lot 65, took these photos of PEI when she was here visiting for the summer, a few months before she gave me the tear-jerkingly happy news that she was moving home permanently.  She generously told me I could use her photos for blog posts any time I like, and so I thought I would share them here to give you just a quick idea of what my home looks like. (I love that these photos were taken on a cloudy day, it makes our gentle island look a little more mysterious and grown up!)












When I first posted this, I meant to include a PEI Tourism video of aerial video footage that was used to entice the royal couple to visit when they were touring Canada in the summer.  It gives a really good idea of what PEI is like!



This post is linked to Farmgirl Fridays at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House, and Homestead Barn Hop #54 at Homestead Revival.

15 comments:

  1. oh this post makes my heart so homesick. I cannot wait until I am back on that beautiful island.

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  2. I love our Island. I can't wait to take more and better photos with my new proper camera instead of my little point and shoot from the summertime.

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  3. I love the picture with the canola and the fishing boats!

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  4. Yep you guessed right Anne of Green Gables is a personal favorite - every book in the series and every movie made! I especially enjoyed Anne of Ingleside most recently as a momma of 4! What a treat your lovely blog is for someone who was lured into the beauty of PEI many years ago! But I have to say your passion for homesteading and the fact that you are just getting started is so interesting too! I am loving your blog!
    Blessings,
    Olivia

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  5. Well, this is my first time visit to your blog and I have to say the photos are absolutely lovely. I read the entire set of Anne books and always wondered about that part of Canada.

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  6. Lovely post, and great pictures from Rebecca!

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  7. Yay, another Island Homesteader....lovely blog!

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    1. Thanks for commenting! I'm so glad to see another island homesteading blog on here! I'll definitely be visiting yours in future (and as I am learning to knit, I'm sure there is lots of inspiration to be found!)

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    2. Excellent! Another knitter! You'll have to come Up West to MacAusland's Woollen Mill (that's my Disney)!

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    3. I don't know if I would go so far as to call myself a knitter; I am still on my first, unfinished project! A scarf. However, I'm very interested in continuing it and learning a lot more. I was at MacAusland's as a grade 6 student but haven't been since, so I"d be very interested to go! About a year and a half ago, I visited the Belfast Mini Mills and that was amazing too. Have you been?

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  8. I love those pictures. That sure is beautiful country.

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    1. Thank you--yes, it is a really beautiful place. Despite some of the challenges (e.g. finding employment in my field), I feel truly blessed to live here, and I absolutely love it. :)

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  9. We spent two weeks on PEI a few years ago with our kids. We rented a house on the beach. It is a magical wonderful place for sure. We came off season and drove the back roads, meeting all kinds of interesting people near and around Darnley. We would love to come back. Thanks for the pictures. And you are right, I found you on the bloghop.

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I love to get comments and questions, and particularly suggestions!