Cape Spear

 Cape Spear / 16x16

CAPE SPEAR IS within the borders of St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is also the easternmost point on the continent. The Beothuk and Mi'kmaq peoples lived there originally, but, according to Wikipedia, did not hold the place in any special regard. 

A lighthouse has operated there since 1836. I typically stay away from paintings of lighthouses, but in this case, the lighthouse is not the focus of the painting, so it seems OK to me! What I love is the cliffs, the water, the way the lighthouse and related building perch on the edge of the hill.

Above, Carol and me at the easternmost point on the continent. 
Below, a family of tourists. How bored is the kid in the front? 



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Not-So-Wild Horses

BEFORE I LEAVE for Newfoundland, I read something about wild Newfoundland ponies, and then, I forget most of it, like where they live, how many there are, whether they are endangered. All the facts, in other words. 


When we are leaving the Bonavista lighthouse, Carol and I see a bunch of cars gathered in a roadway into a field. People are out of the cars, and horses are walking around. 

It's the wild ponies, I think, and I tell Carol. We're excited! We pull into the roadway, and one of the horses makes a beeline for our van, and especially for Carol, who opens the door a little - and in a moment, the horse has stuck his big brown head into the van and is sniffing and snuffling all over Carol. 

She freaks out a little bit - she's never been close to a horse - and tries to get out, but the big horse has her sort of pinned in. I dig into the cooler and take out a little bag of carrots I have. I offer one to the horse, and it distracts him enough that Carol can get out. 

But then the big horse starts eating stuff in the car! The trash bag! No, I yell, no! Not that! I pull the trash bag away. 

He grabs Carol's soda bottle. Oh, no! I pull it out of his mouth, and yell at him - No! No! 

Then he grabs my Rockstar can. No! No! Then he starts eating the seatbelt fastener! His huge head is all the way in the car and his big, whiskery lips are all over everything. I throw the bag of carrots out of the car and Carol tries to lure the horse with it, and eventually, he pays attention and turns away and she is able to close the door. 

But meantime, two other horses have made their way over to my side. One of them starts scratching his head against the rearview mirror. He rubs it so hard it folds in. Then he keeps rubbing it and it seems pretty certain that he is going to break it. I start yelling at him! Everyone - including Carol and I - is laughing. It is so ridiculous! I throw a plastic soda cap at the scratcher, hoping to drive him away, but he barely notices. I push him a little, but that's nothing. Finally, a guy comes along and manages to push the horse away from my mirror. 

Meantime, a woman with an apple has lured the first horse away - but now it has its big head in her mini-Cooper! Carol and I jump in the van and get away before the not-so-wild horses can attack us again! 

 Above, that's me, trapped between the door and two horses. Below, the big galoot walks off to bother someone else.


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Dog of the Day
Who doesn't love riding in a truck? 

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A Final Thought

"Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves." 

- Henry David Thoreau








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