People Dream Of Living On PEI

Welcome to all of my HIP readers,

All of a sudden the topic of moving to P.E.I. is HOT! Imagine, wanting to come and live right here on my very hidden island paradise. As you have come to know I was born here and I grew up here with all of the memories that go with it. I have worked here, raised a family here and now I am retired here.

I guess I have to feel fortunate to have come to spend my entire life as a part of my hidden island paradise. Big smile ;D

Now let's get back to why "come from away's", "islanders by blood" and "islanders by choice" are attracted here. Not to mention others that may have never been here or may have come once on a vacation.

Lets look at two or three blogs that post about this subject. (besides this one of course)

First: "PEIslander By Choice" This blog is an on going discussion about this subject.

Second: "Whimfield" This blog is maintained by my friend Laura Jane and also talks about what draws people to the Island. It als is a heart warming endearing diary of two young people who have actually moved from the other side of Canada and began to build a life here on my hidden island paradise.

Third: "Top Of The Meadow" This blog is maintained by another friend Kim who writes alsoabout the adventures of two young people who have traveled all the way across Canada to fpllow their dream and set up a small farm on P.E.I.

I am sure there are many more such stories and blogs residing on the world wide web so I invite you the reader to leave your comments below and include a link to any stories and or blogs that talk about yearning to or actually moving to my hidden island paradise.

Thanks for reading and if you're dreaming then I hope you will be coming. In my humble opinion Prince Edward Island is a hidden island paradise. It's my hidden island paradise, why not make it yours?

Third:

Through The Eyes Of A Mainlander...

Welcome to all of our HIP readers

It appears that there are lots of people finding out about my Hidden Island Paradise. In fact a new blog "PE Islander By Choice" has been created centered around the terms CFA (come from away) and IBC (islander by choice).

I mentioned my post here about my cousin Daphne's reference IBB (islander by blood) and the term was quickly added.

Now I want to relate another interesting piece of trivia that I happened upon over this past weekend. First our island is 120 miles long (you can convert to metric if you wish) and it has a population of approximately 140,000 people. now over the weekend four or five different groups traveled over to the mainland to participate in a weekend project. Then on Saturday afternoon as arrangements were being made for overnight accommodation one of the mainlanders mentioned people from two separate groups as if they were traveling together. I made a comment to highlight the fact that there were five separate groups that had come over from the island. To this the mainlander quickly responded. "Well, you are all from the island so you are all together". Apparently, even in the eyes of a mainlander islanders are looked upon as islanders, being in fact one distinct group of people. LOL

I had never actually looked at us as islanders through the eyes of a mainlander before. I was not offended but rather a little surprised to hear it actually verbalized in the manner that it was. Interesting!

So is it any wonder that Carol O'Hanley in her blog has posted a post to begin the conversation about developing a support group for people who move to our island to live. What do you think about a support group? Leave a comment here if you wish. Or, visit either of the other two blogs and leave a comment there.

I will post again soon,

Gary

Heather Wilson - International Speaker And Author

Welcome to our HIP readers,

Today, I want to introduce you to an Island, on line, international author and speaker , Heather Wilson. Heather is passionate about the freedom to live your life according to you!

Heather uses the world wide web as a platform for her business and has created the website "Heather Wilson International". Please take a few moments of your time to pop by her site and meet Heather. Also check out her book "Your Life According To You!" This is a great book. Heather tells the story of how she took ownership of her life and began living the life of her dreams. I just finished reading it for the first time. I plan to reread, review and do the exercises contained in Heather's book to fine tune my own life.

Heather is mentoring people to take ownership of their own lives and live the lives that they want to live.

Heather is also available as an event speaker as well as organizer. I highly recommend that you check out Heather's website to see just how she can help you.

I encourage you to go visit Heather's' website. You can follow her on Twitter. You can even friend her on Facebook and connect with her on Linkedin.

Heather is an Islander with a real passion for the Island. She loves connecting with people and using the Internet to make those connections.

Go! Visit.... "Heather Wilson International"

Smiles :o)

Gary

"Honeydrop" Best In The World!!!

Welcome to all of our loyal HIP readers,

Would you like a Honeydrop in your tea?

Today we would like to introduce you to perhaps the most innovative food product in the world. The "Honeydrop".

The "Honeydrop" was the brainchild of John Rowe of "Honibe" right here on my hidden island paradise. John was determined to find a way to make it convenient rather than messy to enjoy a more healthy product like honey as a sweetener for tea, coffee or just as a sweet treat.

Now John's food product is competing at the SIAL D'Or in Paris France with eight other food products for one of the world's top prizes in the food industry.

Click here to read the story that has evolved so far.

Oct 19, 2010 EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA! HONEYDROP WINS BEST IN THE WORLD AWARD!!! - Click here to learn more.

"SIAL (Salon International de l'Alimentation) is the world’s largest food tradeshow. The SIAL d’Or Awards recognizes nine of the world’s most innovative and successful new-product launches that came to market after November of 2008. The SIAL d’Or Awards are judged by a panel that is comprised of 30 judges from 30 different countries. The Global SIAL d’Or is awarded for the best new food product to come to market in the last two years. The selection was made from a product field of over 250 of the world’s best new food products.

After the announcement is made on Sunday we will report the result as soon as it is available here on this post so stay tuned."

In the meantime why not pick up a pack of Honeydrops and try them for yourself.

Island Tweetheart - Christine Gordon Manley

Welcome to our HIP readers,

Today, I want to introduce you to another Island Tweetheart, Christine Gordon Manley. Christine is passionate about words, running and a real life enthusiast who is focused on being the best that she can be.

Christine uses the world wide web as a platform for her business. Please take a few moments of your time to pop by her site and meet Christine. Also check out her her joint venture site. "Manley Mann Media"

Christine Gordon Manley is a person who will work with clients to achieve the best quality of writing possible.

I encourage you to go visit Christine's website. You can follow her on Twitter. You can even friend her on Facebook and connect with her on Linkedin.

Christine is an Islander with a real passion for the Island. She loves connecting with people and using the Internet to make those connections.

Go! Visit....  Manley Mann Media, Edwards Magazine and Share The Run

Smiles :o)

Gary

A Little Bit About Me

photo credit: Joan Sinclair of PEI Heart & Stroke Foundation

Welcome to all of my HIP readers

Today is just a very quick post about me.... Some times we get carried away and never talk about ourselves. ha ha

Well, just in case you are interested in who I am and what drives my passion besides my hidden island paradise I have a couple of links for you.

I post on a few blogs but the one that draws me is titled "Prince Edward Island Stroke Recovery" On that blog there is a post called "Life After Stroke" about an article that Eastern Graphic writer Johnathan Charlton wrote after interviewing me very recently.

You can connect with me on my Facebook page or my Facebook Fan Page or follow me on Twitter

There is always My Homepage but it is in dire need of getting some updates. I think all of the links there are good.

Thanks for visiting and I look forward to seeing you on the net.

Post again soon

Gary

Island Tweetheart - Carol O'Hanley

Welcome to our HIP readers,

Today, I want to introduce you to another Island Tweetheart, Carol O'Hanley. Carol obviously is also passionate about the Island. In fact she is in P.E.I. real estate sales.

Carol uses the world wide web as a platform for her business and has created the website "PEI Houses". Please take a few moments of your time to pop by her site and meet Carol and Steve.

Carol O'Hanley is a win - win person and wants her clients to win right along with herself.

I encourage you to go visit Carol's website. You can follow her on Twitter. You can even friend her on Facebook and connect with her on Linkedin.

Carol is an Islander with a real passion for the Island. She loves connecting with people and using the Internet to make those connections.

Go! Visit.... PEI Houses

Smiles :o)

Gary

P.E.I. Moments Video

Hi to all my HIP readers

This video has been copied from my friend Kim's Blog "Top of The Meadow"

Kim and her husband Martin, have moved to my hidden island paradise from British Columbia a few years ago. Kim sees my island through fresh eyes but it is heart warming to see the same images through her eyes that I have grown up with.

Watching Kim's video should leave no doubt in the viewers mind that this is a "Hidden Island Paradise".

Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting.

Till next post...

Gary

Who Are The Island Tweethearts?

Welcome back to all of my HIP readers,

In my last Hidden Island Paradise post I introduced you to April Ennis. The reason that I did that is because I came across April at RIJO signs of Montague and I was impressed with her work on the Internet.

Little did I know at that time I was about to let the Genie out of the bottle. As I researched April's work She led me to a group called "The Island Tweethearts". Of course this begs the question WHO, are The Island Tweethearts?

To answer, let me quote from their website.

"A real estate agent, a hair dresser, a copywriter, and a nutritionist walk into a bar. No, it’s not the start of a bad joke—it’s the average supper meeting of the Island Tweethearts, a new PEI networking group.

The idea for the group was conceived during a casual lunch between Twitter enthusiasts Carol O’Hanley, a Charlottetown real estate agent and April Ennis, a Summerville resident in the midst of launching an online magazine.

“Carol was talking about her husband, Steve, also a real estate agent, who meets regularly with friends over lunch to network. I mentioned that I’d recently started meeting for dinner once a month with a group of mothers also affected by autism,” states Ennis who is working on finishing her Bachelor of Business in Tourism and Hospitality. Ennis adds, “Carol proposed that we do something similar so we started building a small group of women we knew from Twitter, each with different professional backgrounds, with whom to share food, ideas, support, and wine every month.”

The first official meeting of the Island Tweethearts took place in May at The Pilot House. The group was made up of six women. Besides Ennis and O’Hanley, the group consisted of holistic nutritionist Rachelle Wood, owner of Insight Marketing Kerry Ann MacDougall, photographer Rachel Peters and UPEIresearcher and lecturer Cheryl Wartman.

Since then, the group has grown to twelve where it has been capped to help keep the meetings intimate. Each Tweetheart represents a different industry.Rounding out the group of twelve are freelance editorChristine Gordon Manley, freelance copywriter Jaime Lee Mann, owner of Rita’s Style, Julie MacIsaac,mortgage broker Lori MacDonald, and Jen MacKinnon who works in business development with a local IT Firm.

.This group has quickly become very tight, with many members connecting at multiple times throughout the month to chat, drink coffee, and/or toss around business ideas. “It’s a tremendous source of support, especially for someone like me who has worked from home for so long,” states Jaime Lee Mann, owner of Morell-based Mann Made Copy.

And the support doesn’t just stay within the group either. “One thing that was important to us was the idea of giving back to the community somehow,” states O’Hanley. She adds, “At every supper, we each chip in $10. We then discuss as a group who we want to help out that month. The first time we did this we had $100 to give to a Twitter friend who was having a difficult pregnancy. The second time, we decided to donate the money to a local family one of us knew was going through a financially draining personal situation.”

“We decided that helping one Islander every month was actually a wonderful thing,” adds Christine Gordon Manley, owner of CGM Editing. “Often times there are many people who need help but can’t access help for whatever reason. And, even more often are those of us who simply need a pick-me-up to help them out of a temporary situation. A hundred dollars or so isn’t much, but it can make someone smile, and that’s what we want to do.”

The Tweethearts do not publicize who they help to protect the privacy of those who accept their donation. You can read more about these acts of Tweetheart kindness here.

You can find out more about each of the Tweethearts here. And, find out what they think about where they’ve eaten by reading their fun restaurant reviews."

I would like to over the next eleven or so blog posts feature one of the Island Tweethearts. Keep an eye open for the first post that should be coming soon. My community banking and economic development background makes me think this is a great story about how the new generation of Island business owners are using the power of the Internet to start , build and maintain twelve dreams right here on my Hidden Island Paradise. If you think so too...Stay tuned!

Till next post, smiles :o)

Gary

Island Tweetheart - April Ennis

Hi to all of my HIP readers

In case you are wondering about HIP, it stands for "Hidden Island Paradise".

Today, I want to introduce you to a local lady that also has a passion for this island and is using the world wide web to keep followers up to date on island happenings.

April Ennis is an Island blogger, writer and web master. Her online Island Magazine website is Island Insider

I encourage you to go visit April's website. You can follow her blog posts and also on Twitter. You can even friend her on Facebook and connect with her on Linkedin.

April is an Islander with a real passion for the Island. She loves connecting with people and using the Internet to make those connections.

Go! Visit.... Island Insider

Smiles :o)

Gary

Lunch In Montague PEI

A special Hi to all our visitors this summer.

Only one week left in August and there are still plenty of visitors around these days. Looking for lunch in Montague PEI? Well of course I am going to recommend The Station Cafe on the waterfront. It is licensed and the food is fabulous. Try the daily special or just a bowl of seafood chowder with a fresh made biscuit.

Whatever you have is bound to be delicious and will provide the energy for an afternoon of sightseeing and visiting of friends and family.

We recently gathered as a family to enjoy a beautiful lunch in Montague PEI. (11 of us mostly from Sask and B.C.) Then my sister and I later came back for a cup of chili, blueberry pie with ice cream and a lovely cup of tea. (see picture)

The Island has been so beautiful this summer and the weather has been perfect. We still have the rest of August and the month of September before Louise closes for the season. If you are able to drop by for lunch in Montague PEI, Louise and her staff would love to serve you.

Enjoy your holiday!

Gary

The Station Cafe

Hello again

I want to tell you about a great place to eat if you are in Eastern P.E.I. It's The Station Cafe and the food is really great. Everything from a light snack to a full meal featuring Island lobster.

Check out the new Facebook page this year and be sure to drop by if you are in the neighborhood.

This cafe, its food, the staff and Louise, the lady who operates it is just another beautiful part of my Hidden Island Paradise.

If you do have the chance to visit and you get to meet Louise just remember to tell her that you heard about her cafe here on the Hidden Island Paradise blog... Thanks!

Enjoy your visit to my Hidden Island Paradise. The weather has been awesome this summer.

Smiles :o)

Gary

Islander By Blood

Hi Everyone

It is another beautiful summer day here on my hidden island paradise. I know that it has been quite a while since I have posted to this blog but today I learned a new phrase.

My cousin Daphne and her son Eric has come to the Island for a visit this week. She told me that they live west of New York City in the state of New Jersey. She grew up in Toronto and now of course is living in the US.

We kinda figured out today that it has been about 40 years since we have seen each other. It seems that every time that she visited the Island during that time I was away somewhere and so we kept missing out on seeing each other for the past 40 years.

It was great to reconnect with them today and although the time we had was short we did manage a whirlwind tour of Southern Kings county. Through Montague with a quick look to the Left to see the marina and the Montague waterfront. Then along the Commercial to the Buffalo Ranch but we didn't see any buffalo. Then Left along the Brooklyn/Line road to Sturgeon. Then a Right turn and on to Pamure Island beach. When we left Pamure Island we traveled across country to meet back up with the Commercial again. Then Left and on to Murray River. Leaving Murray River we traveled South to Little Sands and then turned Right on the road that runs along Northumberland Strait toward Wood Islands. As we drove along Daphne spotted the ferry as it was making it's way from Pictou, crossing the Strait to the Island at Wood Island's. After passing through Wood Island's we turned Right to head back to Montague through the Calidonia Hills.

As we drove back through the beautiful hills of Calidonia Daphne began to tell me "you know" she said "to be an Islander, they say you have to be born here". "If you were not born on Prince Edward Island then you are not an Islander" "yes" I replied but we have another term and it is "an Islander by Choice". "No!" she exclaimed "I love it here and my son Eric and I, we are Islanders by blood!".

I loved what Daphne had just said, with my good arm I reached into my case and pulled out our book "Prince Edward Island Tales 2nd edition" "Here Daphne" I said "this is for you!"

We concluded our brief tour back at Timmies in Montague. With a big hug, a promise to call her and a wave, she and Eric were off on their way back to Charlottetown to pick up uncle Everett who is like 94 and take him over to his son Wayne's to meet even more of their cousins and extended family.

Family and family relationships are very important to the people of our Island. Now I learned just how important they are to extended family not born on the Island. Thank you Daphne!

So now there are three ways to be an Islander:

1. You could to be born on the Island.
2. You could be an Islander by choice.
3. You could be an Islander by blood.

By the way Daphne's son Eric did not get left out of the gift giving. Unfortunately Eric is not a sports fan and is not very familiar with hockey. However I thought that he might like one of Brad Richard's early numbered hockey cards from before he became part of the National Hockey League, winning the Stanley Cup, Lady Bing and Con Smythe trophies while playing with the Tampa Bay Lightnings. Of course Brad is an Island boy, born in Montague and raised in Murray Harbour. Brad now plays for the Dallas Stars and they are planning a team Fall training camp in Charlottetown this Fall of 2010. Eric has family in Texas and just might get to see Brad play.

As I conclude writing this post it is evening here on my hidden island paradise and I am contemplating an evening walk to Timmies to have a cup of tea to finish off a perfect day. Would you like to join me?

Smiles :o)

Gary

Why do I love P.E.I.?

Welcome

That is a very good question. I know why I love Prince Edward Island. (P.E.I.) I was born here, my girls were born here and their children were born here. (ref A Beautiful Day To Be Born page 12 of the book Prince Edward Island Tales written by members of the Montague Library Writers Guild and published by Tom Schultz) Printed by Lightning Source and available on line at Amazon.com

"Here are 49 ways in which life on the Island has inspired members of the Montague Library Writers Guild. Some may make you smile, others shed a tear. All will help you appreciate the hold this Province has on us..."

Now, why would someone that was not born here love it? Maybe it is just the sheer peaceful beauty of the place.

An Islander by choice, Kim, has begun to blog. She is so filled with the spirit of this island she can't keep it contained. It seeps into every post on her blog and today she posted a video of photos set to music.

Her blog is titled Top of the Meadow. and here is a link to the blog post containing her video.

http://peihome.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/158/

I encourage you to check out Kim's blog, her video and the Writers Guild book. I think you will begin to understand why we love P.E.I.