Kick-starting the week is harder in winter. In summer, I leap out of bed, game for just about anything, but this is January. January and February are the months in which I officially celebrate the wonder that is coffee.

I also get myself the heck out of the house as much as possible, which seems counter-intuitive, but actually works. Plus it gives me something to talk about here, which is far more fun than saying, “Today, I stared out the window and moped. How about you?”

These pictures were taken in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, a few days ago. There’s a church there, the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, that has four upright canons in front of it, forming the gateposts. Atop these formidable historic munitions stand four saints. The standard joke is that they are the “canonized saints,” which is, of course, true regardless of the saint’s pedestal. Still, it’s the local joke and tourists love it.

I had two purposes in bringing up the canon of Bay Bulls. Three, actually, if you count posting the photograph at the top of this post. But two real points. Firstly, the picture below… look at it.

It’s not bad, right? Nice church, unique feature out front (canon with statues, always fun) and the white contrasts nicely with the sky, et cetera. Except for those blasted power lines. Now I know I could spend a deal of time taking them out, but I left them in this particular shot for a purpose.

Dear municipal planners and folks who decide about electrical services, please take note. If you have a limited number of  major tourist photo opportunities in your community (and while there are others in Bay Bulls, this is the one to which the buses gravitate), for the love of those saints there, run the bloody lines on the other side of the street. Or behind the building. Or anywhere else. Really.

I’m not so arrogant as to say that all such decisions should be made with a thought as to the aesthetics but…. actually, yes, I’m going to say it. For tourist attractions, consider the aesthetics. It will make you a better person.

The other point I wanted to make is about the numerous canon that can be seen all over Bay Bulls. Ask locals and they’ll point you to bogs, headlands and coastlines where old canon, relics of historical confrontations in the 1600 and 1700s rest easy. Rather than reiterate them here, I suggest you have a look at Jason Crummey’s post of a few years back. Some may have moved and there may still be more to find, but it’s a starting point.

One poor girl statue (Mary, maybe?) appears to have lost her head at some point. On Monday’s, I can empathize.