

Great stories of perserverance by the Tyne Valley community and many of those special people that you mentioned -a wonderful spirit lies within each of us to do something that will make a difference and the spirit is doing just that . Loved the
Good Samaritian story as it reminded me of those brave souls who helped out after Dorian in removing all of the trees that came down across the island. Of course the son and his mother story is a fun story that we all love. have a great one -murdock
Good Sunday Morning Bruce,
I have returned today after thinking about yesterday’s blog, but I think I also needed another dose of ‘Millie the Magnificent’.
(You DO realize what you have started here, don’t you? A Millie fan club? …just sayin’…….)
I spent part of yesterday thinking about your recent link to stillness, and those vibrant art pieces featuring Malpeque oysters, and that cast me back onto the Malpeque Bay clifftop. We were there last September, staying in a sturdy old cottage in which we rode out Dorian. No stillness then (!) but a glorious hour of stillness was mine, and mine alone days later.
I had risen early to witness the sunrise on our last day of a month-long stay. The cottage has a a unique position, facing north, and so allowing an uninterrupted view of both sunrises, AND sunsets! (I know. Magical P.E.I.) Just after six, my cup of tea in hand, I sat facing east and waited. The sun had a great deal of difficulty showing her colours that morning, but finally rising behind a heavy cloud, she delivered light across the horizon. The sky was then blue -grey with one brave sunlit band of white at the horizon, back-lighting the distant shoreline of conifers where sea met shore. It was a study in grey stillness, and I experienced a moment of ecstatic wonder in the beauty of that place.
Just then I saw a cormorant about to dive, and then disappear, and there was a gathering of seagulls on the rocky shoreline. They were all totally still, and looking in exactly the same direction, and I found myself wondering what they knew.
I sat there for a whole uninterrupted hour. Hardly a sound ’cept the gentle lapping of the returning water on the beach below.
A gift of remarkable quietness, so rare in our modern world. A Sunday morning alone…no radios, no lawn mowers, no cars, no planes flying overhead. NOTHING! A rare and amazing privilege was all mine. It was almost like an out-of-body experience.
The cormorant reappeared fishing for his breakfast, unaware of this creature watching from the clifftop. I sat and continued watching the birds, and realized that I was crying as I rejoiced in this day’s beginning. I am seventy seven years old. That perfect, magical, unexpected, glorious hour was one of the most beautiful of my entire life.
Bruce…sorry SO long…BUT, had to share with you why your island is so dear to us, and why we will return in August, once again. I do hope to be able to say hello, and maybe meet the little lady who will be- by then – a lolloping adolescent!
Love from Winnipeg!
Zyna B
Good morning, Ruff ruff, Bruce and Magnificent Millie. Thank you for the lovely start to the weekend and the start of Year of the Rat. Thank you for reminding me of the wonderful Good Samaritans; the introduction of/to Debbie Brady’s gorgeous works. Alas, as an almost octogenarian, I have stopped ‘collecting’. Fortunately can still appreciate and admire such beauty. And losing myself in books. Picked up the habit as a child from grandmother….(last year read 110)…not shoulder-patting; just a continuation of a way of life. All blessings, as always.
Good morning, Bruce. I know I say this often but your weekly posts bring me such joy to feel a connection with the Island from afar. There is always a nugget of wisdom, a good story, beautiful photos, some lovely music, and then the real treat at the end. What a great piece of humour – I did not see that one coming. Ryan Holiday’s wisdom comes with lots of good, practical advice. Here’s a saying that has been my guiding mantra for many decades now: “In reverence and in awe, go about these days of your life.” I have no idea where it came from and neither Mr. Google nor any of my friends have been able to identify the source. If anybody knows, I would appreciate knowing where I got this because it has been my guiding light for such a long time.