Be ye Livyer? -Resettlement Part 6

We had to keep sharp on that road from St. Kyran's to St. Leonard's, let me tell ya!  Moose use that road frequently, and one of them seemed to be having some bowel trouble from eating too much fresh grass or something.

Moose print

Caribou and even bear were probably in the area as well, but a crowd the size of ours was making plenty of noise to warn them of our presence and give them time to wander away.

Poop!

We also saw evidence of moose using the trees to rub the velvet off their antlers.  I gave a little demonstration below, feel free to laugh at my foolishness.

And eventually we saw a moose, high up above the meadow past Chapel Pond.  You know, right where the Leonards still own land there.

The meadow isn't far past the graveyard, and feel free to make yourself at home and enjoy the spot..  The moose do after all! If you visit Newfoundland and hear or see the word "livyer" be advised that it was used to describe those who lived in a settlement year round.  The moose and their friends be the only Livyers 'round here for many years.

Exploring the meadow

In the meadow you will find partridgeberry (lingonberry) which was just starting to flower.  Other things were flowering as well including this tiny flower that I haven't been able to identify.

partridgeberry blossom

ID help appreciated!

I'd like to address a great comment made by Rita that I will copy here: I'm wondering why people don't move back. As a retired person, I'd love to live there and go into 'town' once a month just to grocery shop and do other errands. I weave so that would keep me busy as well as writing my memoir. You could have a small garden and can the goods. Of coarse I don't know what winter is like but plenty of people have lived in snowy country and survived.

Nell Leonard, date unknown

Most families are unable to move back because they took the money from the government to leave, effectively selling their right to the property.  In the case of the Leonard family though they left before Resettlement so retained their property rights.  We are actually seriously considering building a cabin there as a summer home with retirement less than 3 years away.

view standing n the meadow - pond to fish in nearby

The remoteness and isolation is a serious consideration though.  There would be no quick trip to town as there is no road that goes out there.  It can only be accessed by boat.  So, we would have to build a home (after figuring out how to get the supplies there to build it), but first we would have to build a wharf and buy a boat.  Wayne figures we can cut the boat ride down to less than an hour by first driving 3 hours to Petit Forte. 

We would have to get a generator, solar panels, bring out tools to cut wood, build a shed and have a wood stove. We would have to bear proof our food supply, but perhaps put an old cellar to use if a garden ever got started.  Our nearest neighbors would be in Petit Forte (year round population of 57 individuals) or Merasheen, which  was another nearby resettled community that has seen some success with folks coming back to stay for a time in the summer and just had their reunion recently.  What if one of us gets injured? We would have Cory set up in Placentia most likely but what if he needed us quickly due to his health issues?  Cell signal was had for about 30 seconds while we were on the land that afternoon.

Ahh...but look at the irises and imagine staying for a week or two at a time and then going out and coming back again throughout the summer!  Yes, it might happen.  And maybe we'll start something and a few more from St. Kyran's and St. Leoanrd's who didn't sell their land to the government will follow and come keep us company for a few weeks.  On to St. Leonard's in the next post!