What's It All About, eh?

Cape Breton evokes deep memories and strong emotions for me as well as a deep appreciation for the beauty of my adopted island. My hopes are that you too might find the photos evocative - maybe a view you've not enjoyed before, or an 'Oh I've been there', or if from away that you may be encouraged to visit this fair isle so that you might come to love and breathe Cape Breton as I do. One word about place names that I use - some are completely local usage while others are from maps of Cape Breton that I've purchased over the years. I frequently post travel and other photos that are of interest to me - and hopefully you.

On the right hand side bar find my take on Single Malt whiskey - from how to best enjoy this noble drink to reviews (in a most non-professional manner) of ones that I have tried and liked - or not. Also musings, mine and others, on life in general.

Photographs are roughly 98%+ my own and copy-righted. For the occasional photo that is borrowed, credit is given where possible - recently I have started posting unusual net photographs that seem unique. Feel free to borrow any of my photos for non-commercial use, otherwise contact me. Starting late in 2013 I have tried to be consistent in identifying my photographs using ©smck on all out of camera photos I personally captured - (I often do minor computer changes such as 'crop' or 'shadow' etc but usually nothing major), and using
©norvellhimself on all photos that I have played around with in case it might not be obvious. Lately I have dropped the ©smck and have watermarked them with the blog name.

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Puffball - Order Lycoperdales

© 04 Oct '12     photo by smck

© 04 Oct '12     photo by smck

© 04 Oct '12     photo by smck
I am fairly certain that this is the Purple-spored Puffball, Calvatia cyathiformis (and as always strongly give my disclaimer that this is a tentative definition by a rank amateur).  It fits all the identification characteristics in The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms - except I did not do a spore determination,  Size up to 7 inches wide and 8 inches tall (18 and 20 cm), hemispherical, smooth skin becoming cracked into distinct areas, tannish, spore mass (interior) white, growing in the right geographical area - east and central United States in grassy areas.  And the photos I show here match the guide photos fairly well. This is rated a 'choice' edible mushroom - however I did not do the cinching identification of the spores, and it is growing on a lawn tended by professional companies that think nothing of spraying poisonous weed sprays which can be concentrated by growing vegetation and fungi so I had no desire to actually take it home to eat.

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