Nov 08 2008
Contest: Prince Edward Island, I Love Thee
Whenever most Prince Edward Islanders realize that we’re not originally from this province, we are invariably asked why we chose to move to PEI.
I always have trouble answering this question. There are so very many reasons, and I can’t seem to sum them up in a short sound-bite.
In future, I am just going to carry around some of Amber Phillips’ photography. So that the next time someone asks me why I chose to move to this province, I’ll just plunk down one of her glorious Island prints, smile, and say, “See?”
Now, I own a camera and I can press the buttons, but I’m no photographer.
So when I felt it was high-time to showcase the beauty of Prince Edward Island’s rolling hills, I knew I needed a little help. So I asked Amber Phillips, of Rayner Creek Photography, to share a little beauty. And she did! All three photos in this post were taken by Amber.
Man, these photos make me want to move here! (Oh, wait. I already did that.)
If you’re looking for more PEI eye-candy, take a look at Rayner Creek’s image gallery. And while you’re there, pick your favourite print, because you just might win our contest and get your favourite print shipped to you for free! Big thanks to Rayner Creek for their generosity.
How to enter the contest
So…how do you enter the contest? In the comment box below, just tell us about your favourite place, favourite photo, dream vacation spot, where you’d like to move, whatever! I know that’s kind of vague, but I think you know what I mean. Just share something related to this post!
Contest closes at at the end of the day on Friday, November 14th. Winner will be announced on Saturday, the 15th.
I love this one: MacCallums Point Lighthouse. We live in New England and it reminds me of Maine!!
Wolf Island, Tomahawk, Wisconsin….that is our ‘happy place’. The concept of getting away from it all and reconnecting with the basic beauty of life.
My husband’s father bought this small plot of land in the center of Lake Mohawksin in 1960. After many summer family vacations spent having fun and improving the small cabin, it was struck by lightning in 1979. The cabin was reduced to ash and many of the great pines were burned. Father in law had an old style travel trailer towed out one winter over the ice. Then, two destructive tornado touched down during the next two decades. After surveying the destruction in tears, we all stayed away, leaving the island to the otters, bald eagles, and billions of insects.
In 2000, all the Wolf men gathered to clear and clean up the Island. For two weeks while they worked they reconnected with the nature and with each other. They reinforced the shore with the trunks of the fallen pines and burned branches and stumps. Each summer since , the various families have gathered to enjoy the island.
There is a cold water pump for water, an outhouse, and a generator for occasional power in the old trailer. Its very basic. Everything must be taken out and in on the boat.
Some of the very best moments of the entire year are sitting on the Island, feeling the gentle breeze, watching the birds and insects and the sparking sunshine reflected on the lake. Or, experiencing a violent summer storm pass through with bright crashes of lightening cracking in the sky the heavy rain bouncing off the churning water from the relative safety of the trailer with the comforting glow of the oil lamps. The smell of frying bacon in the morning.
Its all about family, love, comfort, hard work, beauty and nature.
Lauren
I moved to France from California at the age of 17. At first I lived in the heart of Paris. Which was nice, but I was busy with school, falling in love, ect. Then we moved to the close suburbs of Paris. My little studio in Paris was too small for both of us. The suburbs of Paris were ok too. We were about a half an hour from the center of Paris and lived right by a beautiful park.
We now live, although still technically in the suburbs of Paris, in the middle of nowhere in the Seine et Marne, in France. Our house is really small, just two bedrooms, but we have a nice sized yard (although nothing like yours). I really do feel like I am at home here. In a few years we will probably have to move, the house will be too small, and I think that it will be pretty hard for me. I love the small town attitude, I love watching the fields change during the seasons, and I love feeling like I belong somewhere. I think that it is also because it has been since we have bought this house, I finally have come to terms with being an expat. It is not easy but I do feel like I am finally carving out a niche for myself in this country. It only took about five years, but hey, I made it and that is what important.
I have actually been thinking that when the house is too small, we will just add on! The only other thing that I have to do is find a job closer to my house, 3 hours of commuting a day is a little much!
Tofino, B.C. in November, 40ft waves crashing against a cliff at the base of a cozy cabin by the sea. The greens are deep and dark, shrouded by a frame of gray mist, where the ocean and the clouded skies meet. A stone’s throw from the water are the bogs, a union of rainforest and swamp, dark, dreary, and overwhelmingly livid.
Walking the beaches and bogs in the rain, and you absorb life, washing away everything else. And despite the roar of the ocean and eternal splatter of the rain, it’s a silent place, enveloping any chaos you bring it.
The bogs (2002):
http://flickr.com/photos/warpedvisions/9598935/
It’s a great place in the summer too, except that it’s now overrun with SUVs, yuppies, and pay parking.
i want to move to montana sooooo bad!! i’ve wanted to move there since before i had even BEEN there!! but then i went there and confirmed i would love to live there. it isn’t called big sky country for nothing. wide open spaces, mountains, wow. i may name my first born montana (but that would take a LOT of convincing to get my husband to agree LOL). but ohio is nice too; we just lack in the mountain category.
My favourite place is the middle of the Cambie Street Bridge in downtown Vancouver. Whenever I’m there, I get an overwhelming sense of thankfulness that I’m heading home. The colour palette of muted tones — blues, greys, pinks — and the shimmer on the water make me feel at rest. I see Science World, the beach, the marina, the seawall, Science World, Granville Island, Skytrain, Granville Bridge and the ever-growing expanse of towers. And I’m home. Home. Home to stay. It makes me feel absolutely grounded in my decision to live my life in an urban setting, where sustainability, time and family rank above all else.
Lovely photos!! I’d love to visit Prince Edward Island!!
http://www.westpointlighthouse.com/about.htm Let me see if I can relate to you why this beach by the West Point Lighthouse West Point, PEI is my pick for my most favourite place.
As I grew up not far from here a couple of memories flod back to bring happy feelings
1) Walking on the beach in the evening after working all day and watching the most beautiful sunset. (I am a sunset junkie)
2) Filling my lungs with the salt sea air that is so unique to our Hidden Island Paradise
The reason that “this” beach in particular is my favorite is the fact that at certain times of the year, (July and August) when you are watching the sun setting on the water in front of you, ( a sight not soon forgotten) the full moon is rising behind you just above the dunes and slightly to the Left of the Lighthouse itself. (a second sight not soon forgotten)
So not one but two not soon forgotten sights plus the memories of salt, sea and ocean air make this beach at sunset on the full moon dates in July and August my most favorite place in the world.
http://www.westpointlighthouse.com/about.htm
I have just a few moments to check my favorite blogs before stumbling to bed after a long but wonderful day and so I’ll have to come back to this lovely post and tell you all about my favorite place.
I have yet to respond to email. Perhaps tomorrow afternoon will clear itself for proper email writing.
Blessings!
Lacy
Where I’d like to live — it’s a toss up btwn PEI and Australia…. :)
We went to Osoyoos this summer. I’ve read that Osoyoos is Canada’s only desert. I’m not sure that’s right, but there’s definitely something unique about the two-tones of green in sharp contrast to the bone-dry soil, beside an almost denim-colored lake. Mountains visibly towering out from the other side of the lake, dusted with trees, really just completes the effect.
I have a picture we took when coming down into the valley. It really doesn’t look level. I tried to level it, but there’s so many different angles it’s impossible to find a tilt that looks level.
I really can’t do this justice, I just uploaded the photo. Good memory.
http://tewha.net/2008/11/how-i-spent-summer-vacation/
Would love to go to Australia and New Zealand
My favourite place is Prince Edward Island. I live in Ontario but was born on the Island and refer to it as “home”. Prince Edward Island is a must-see for anyone who has never been there. The people are very friendly and live a laid-back lifestyle. The rolling hills are beautiful and a drive in the country will provide many breathtaking views worthy of a photo. Many churches dot the landscape. People on the Island take very good care of their yards and it’s not unusual to see pink, blue, and green houses. The small fishing villages that seem to be everywhere are a great place to spend the afternoon. In the summer there is lots to do and see and I can’t wait to go there again.
As an islander I enjoy the usual relaxed pace of life and the gorgeous view of a river out my kitchen window. Our children were born here and we are forever teasing their dad (my husband) he’ll always be “from away”; despite his having lived here over 20 years. We enjoy visiting his family in Montreal and Toronto but he certainly does not miss the big city and would never want to return.
While out walking with a friend, who recently moved here from Australia, she was initially uneasy with total strangers greetings of hello, good morning, etc. I assured her it is just what we do and now she tells me she doesn’t hesitate to say hello while out on the trails. In fact this one simple thing has made her feel so good about moving here. Now I just have to prepare her for the winter; she has started wearing a knit hat on our walks and hoping it doesn’t get much colder!
It would have to be someplace scenic as I love to look out and see wide open spaces with nothing but beauty. God gave us so many beautiful places, could I pick just one? But I would never go anywhere without my family, especially my two wonderful grandchildren.
Now that I have seen these beautiful pictures on this website … I am definitely thinking I would love to visit PEI. I love being near the sea. I have grown up in Alberta all my life and going anywhere with the ocean close by, I fall in love:) Thanks for the contest:)
my favorite print is blue shore. I dream of retiring in either northern B.C or NFLD and living near the ocean.
Beautiful photos. I live on Vancouver Island & it is truly beautiful too. PEI is on my list of places to visit. What would you say is the best time to visit there? I am thinking early Sept. next year. No snow-right?!
I would love to move to PEI. It is such a Beautiful Place. The live sucha relaxed and different way of life. I could easily learn to love that.
My husband’s family is from Germany,and I’m hoping that one day we can visit. The live in a relatively small village and the pictures I’ve seen are beautiful.
The love of Primce Edward Island. The love of lighthouse & they stand for for the many ships passing by.
One place I haven’t seen & on my wish list.
I’d like to visit Nova Scotia. My grandfather was born there and I’ve never been to the East Coast Before.
I fell in love with New Brunswick while visiting family a few years ago…it is very laid back…and very scenic……I always thought this would be a great place to live and retire.
My best vacation/work experience was when I taught English in Shanghai for a year and a half. I went to China with the intention of seeing the great wll, the forbiddon city and eating some amazing food but I discovered more than i ever intended. I feel in love with the country, the people, the food and my students. What i thought would be a cheap way of seeing and experiencing China turned into something that changed my life. Seeing the impact that I made on my students and their lives affected the rest of my life … I’m no longer focused on money and riches but rather giving back. I have learnt the value of helping thise around me and realized the world does not revolve around me. What was supposed to be a vacationg turned into a life lesson. I was the teacher and the student.
My husband and I would love to visit PEI and hope to next year - - We went to Newfoundland this year and loved its beauty and could easily move there - - if our family would move with us!! We are really looking forward to our trip to PEI.
visited this summer again - absolutely stunning
I would love someday to live by the ocean. I would wake up in the morning and pour a hot cup of coffee. Then I would walk down to the beach and just enjoy the sound of the waves and the fresh air on my face. I would love to have a cozy little house and just retire there to live out my days.
Georgeous pics! My fav is “Big Sky”. One day I would love to live in a picturesque little town, where everyone is friends with everyone, and all the houses have perfect white fences in front. I don’t know where that is yet, but once I find I will be sure to move there.
My Island, my home…I will never leave PEI for too long. I’m 32 years old, I’ve been here all of my life, I’m raising a family here. We always take a vacation but always return back again. It’s everything people from everywhere else say that it is and more! The air is clean, the people are friendly, the houses of families, the music, the great food, even the snow in the winter is nice, and of course our beautiful beaches in the summer!! …”Come Play on our Island someday!” You’ll be glad you did!!! :)
I moved to Ireland when I was 17 from the prairies of Canada. Ireland is the most magical place on earth with its forty shades of green, surrounded by ocean….the happiest people are from Ireland!
There is three hundred acres of hilly forest and field, streams and springs, trails and treasures not too far from our home that is for sale for relatively cheap and I love it to death and would love to start a nature school there. Alas, it is beyond our means at present….
Doggonit it, Laura-Jane -
How is a guy supposed to be even remotely productive when the seeds of wanderlust are planted firmly in his brain with posts like this one?
Though it’s not really a direct reply to the question you posed (way too many great answers already to think I could top those), you did inspire me to birth a similar post on my blog…
http://felipebeach.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/things-im-not-even-slightly-ashamed-to-admit/
…and the Seeds of Discontent shall spread even further. Thanks for an excuse to daydream a little!
Nuafrage Beach PEI…….everytime I go there I can almost see my whole family picking moss and blueberries on the cape. Its where I spent every summer growing up and has always been my special place. Running down the lane at my Grandparents house to the wharf to watch the boats come in. And then continuing over the wooden bridge to the beach. Its at least a 1/4 mile of the most beautiful sand anywhere……..and the rock climbing up at the end of the beach. To this day that beach reminds me of family who’ve passed on, the simplicity of childhood and it reminds me that life is meant to be enjoyed. So when life gets to busy and to hard I go there to revisit a simpler time and it always works.
I would love to visit Ireland someday. Being a Leary…was O’Leary just a couple generations back, our family has so much history there and I would love to see my roots.
I grew up near a place called Cook’s Forest in Pennsylvania. It has a ton of hemlock trees growing at it and it makes for a dark, moist, ancient-forest-feel. There are tons of trails and places to see some incredible nature. I love going back to visit. It’s incredible…
My favorite spot is Panamure Island on PEI. My family discovered this a couple of years ago and have been visiting each summer every since. My dream is to move there and escape from city living.
When my children were young we spent several happy vacations on PEI.
Of course, we included many family activities to include the children.
Now that my children are grown and I am a Senior I would love to return to the Cavendish, Stanley Bridge area for a totally grown up vacation. It would be a dream vacation to spend the time browsing through the Craft, Quilt and Antique shops. Spending that little extra bit of time at Green Gables to really absorb all that it offers.
To dine at leisure in some of the Island’s fine restaurant and of course to indulge in Lobster Dinner or two.
The photos are all beautiful and I can’t really choose one that I prefer to any other.
Such wonderful memories!
Id love to buy a farm in the middle of Missouri.
Absolutely LOVE southern France but I have not explored all of Eastern Canada and PEI is certainly on my bucket list.
What fabulous photos!
Northern Ontario is my ideal place to live and retire. The Muskoka’s are beautiful and peaceful. I could move there today and be blissfully happy.
I’d love to have a hobby farm near the water.
I love PEI
I’d love to visit PEI. The PBS version of Anne of Green Gables inspired me to read all of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne books.
I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland…it is such a beautiful country from pictures that I have seen. It looks like a fairytale land in some of those…
please enter me
lilhottemomma@yahoo.com
also id love to know even more about where you live…
The mountains and the lakes have always called to me. I would live anywhere in BC where I could see the peaks.
I’ve always dreamed of going to Australia…I’m 51 & hope to get there before I get too old…
My favorite place to visit and live is of course PEI!!! I already live here, and have an ocean view house on the South Side of the Island, but personal situations have changed, so I am thinking about making a change and selling the place I have, downsizing a bit, and having that “Cabin in the Woods” thing. After all those years of battling with my dad over going to the woods to get his winters supply, I have come to the realization that nothing would is nicer than coming home in the evenings, sitting and reading by the woodstove, and enjoy the warmth that only wood heat can bring…………now that’s livin!!!!!!
My favorite place to visit is PEI as every summer I make the trip to PEI as I have many relatives living on the island. Both of my parents are from PEI and I plan to retire to PEI. The lighthouses, the beaches, the people and the way of life can’t be beat!!
My favourite place to vacation is Arizona and Utah. It is so truly different there, the Grand Canyon, Arches, Zion, Bryce, Mesa Verde, Sedona and many more red rock locations. It is an awesome experience to see it all.
I just found your blog yesterday looking for directions to make a braided rug out of old jeans….and I have to say that your directions for the rag rug are the greatesI have seen.
I have fallen in love here…my family is from an island on the east coast of Mass…
The best vacation I have ever had? Well, I’ve had many. They’re always at the beach with my kids…..Rhode Island beaches (Naragansett), Falmouth Ma, Gayhead, South Beach Ma.
But my very favorite?
That would have to be Assateague Island…off of Maryland/Virginia. The national state park. We camped in a tent on the sands with wild ponies…
It’s rustic, beautiful, amazing, and did I say beautiful?
I’ll get you a website, you’ve got to go…
I just emailed you a website..with photos…of the island that my mother was born on and my father grew up on….
if you got it, click to the bottom left hand photo…aren’t the cliffs beautiful?
now back to Assateague island photo search for you ….
I keep posting the assateague website and it keeps not getting posted here…
:(
I have some great vacation pictures from Rhode Island on my blog…
http://rosefields.blogspot.com/
I love the print titled ‘Cottage Life’….I myself have always dreamed of living near a lake or waterfront, so that print kind of speaks to me;)
I would like to move to the country in Indiana
This contest is now closed.
The winner will be announced on Saturday, November 15th on the main page.
Thank you so much for sharing your incredible, wonderful stories!
Don’t they make you want to travel…!?