jackson's arm. the place. part 2

i got back last night from my 2nd week of teaching in jackson's arm. this return trip felt like going home. and i'm already plotting how and when i'm going to get back. keith drove out to pick me up yesterday so he's in on the plan now. he remembers going to jackson's arm as a child, before the norther penninsula road was complete, and catching "the steamer" at the dock to go to conche where his mother had grown up. very little had changed in the 40 years since he'd been there. the old warf. the buildings. but all is quiet now.

on the first evening, after class, shirley (the wonderful woman i am staying with) took me on a hike through the woods up behind her house to the lighthouse look-out.

again, the weather was amazing - mild and sunny autumn days. and i enjoyed my morning walk to the workshop every day. the only movement was the smoke rising from the chimneys. the occassional seagull flying past and landing on a rock in the cove.

on the 2nd evening shirley picked me up and took me on a tour to sop's arm (a nearby community where she was from).

many of the residents (shirley's family included) were from sop's island which was resettled in the late 1960's. we visited shirley's uncle joe who, at 86, still doesn't feel at home in sop's arm and longs for his life on the island.

(that's sop's island in the distance).
we met up with shirley's friend pat, and came back to shirley's home to pick "damsal" plums before supper.

this morning, back in corner brook, i feel like i've left behind a lover...