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.

COMMENTS are appreciated as feedback is the driving energy of blogging - And if you like this site please pass it along to a friend. Thanks!

NOTE: TO ENLARGE PHOTO, CLICK ON SAME - If using Firefox also click f11 - photos will fill the screen ...... ----------------------------------- ......TRANSLATION BUTTON AT TOP OF LEFT COLUMN!

Life Imitating Art

Looks like a poorly carved decoy to me

Brazil

Hello Brazil - I went through a spell back six months or so - where I was getting visitors from the South American part of the globe all the time, lots of visitors.  Then it stopped, so I am glad to see that part of the world stopping by again.  Norvellhimself.

The Methodist Church Tower - II

From a distance and a different angle

Hay Cart, Margaree River Road, Cape Breton @1915

photo via VintageCapeBreton.com

Genus of the Sepiidae

It's that evocative time of day in the Big Wood

French Polynesia

Welcome visitor from French Polynesia - this is a first for my blog - hope you visit this blog in the future also.  NorvellHimself.

Margaree Harbour about 1910

"A schooner /ˈsknər/ is a type of sailing vessel with fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts, the foremast being no taller than the rear mast(s).
Such vessels were first used by the Dutch in the 16th or 17th century (but may not have been called that at the time – see etymology, below). Originally schooners were gaff-rigged, but modern schooners may be Bermuda-rigged. Schooners were further developed in North America from the early 18th century, and came into extensive use in New England.[1] The most common type of schooners, with two-masts, were popular in trades that required speed and windward ability, such as slaving, privateering, and blockade running. They were also traditional fishing boats, used for offshore fishing.[2] In the Chesapeake Bay area several distinctive schooner types evolved, including the Baltimore clipper and the pungy.  Schooners were popular on both sides of the Atlantic in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but in Europe they gradually gave way to the cutte"

re/Wikipedia (feel free to donate to this fine non-profit on line site - a rarity in today's world)

Photograph of old post card courtesy of Vintage Cape Breton Photos.com

Mooned At Bombay Hook

This long zoom photograph across a small inland arm of the Delaware Bay shows two large white birds, hind-end-to, which I cannot identify properly but I am torn between saying 'Swans' or possibly 'Pelicans' that have been blown northernly off course of their normal habitat.

Do You See The Turtle?


The Master Soarer, The Turkey Vulture - Cathártes áura

Once aloft and in the right conditions this bird may soar for hours at a time, never flapping his wings as he looks for carrion - anything from a dead rabbit or frog, to a deer-kill carcass on the side of the road, it's dinner to this great sanitarian 

Nap Time


Visitors This Week

The following countries have visited the blog in the past week -

United States
Germany
Canada
Czech Republic
Ukraine
France
United Kingdom
Netherlands
Poland

Thanks for visiting 

The Great Blue Likes The change In Weather




Great Site!!

For amazing hummingbird photos see:

Where In Cecil County













I like the flowing water of this lovely creek about to become a tidal river and planned to post it with another name but decided to see if any local viewers might be able to identify this well known body of water.

Ring Necked Duck - Aythya collaris

This lone female Ring Necked Duck was somewhat difficult to identify at first - as the female ducks of most species are dun coloured to blend in well when brooding eggs -  but the white ring around the eye and the white ring around the dark bill with the distinctive head shape finally cinched it for me. 

Earth, Water, Sky and Trees


Earnanæs

I have changed the title of this posting to Earnanæs, as the reference to Beowulf was too vague as Västergötland:
  re/  "Beowulf decides to follow the dragon into its lair, at Earnanæs, the location in Geatland (today southern Sweden), where the hero of the epic kills the dragon but dies. The ancient stronghold of Aranæs (58°40′N 13°35′E) was located near Skara on the shore of lake Vänern, in Västergötland."

Must Be Something Good Down There





The Singleton of Glendullan - 12 year old



The Singleton of Glendullan   12 year old,    40% Alc/Vol
The Glendullan Distillery, Dufftown, Keith, Banffshire has the highest volume production among Diageo’s distilleries.  The name refers to the Dullan River on which Dufftown stands.  The whisky has been aged in Sherry and Bourbon casks/

Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch comments:
   House Style – Perfumy, fruity, dry, chili like, oily, big.  Put it in a hip flask.

     COLOUR   -  Amber with gold high-lights
     NOSE         -  Fragrant sherry, underlying cereal, apple, and subtle spice.
     BODY        -  Quite full.
     PALATE     -  Sherried, rich, caramel, brittle toffee, hazelnuts.
     FINISH      -   Medium in length. Spice and raisins.                                              

Score 77

Himself's Take:
When I bought this bottle I let my 'mean' Scot brain take over my thinking as it was such a great bargain and I momentarily confused it with another peatier malt that I knew was quite well thought of.  So my first pouring was preceded by a look at Michael Jackson and I thought oh-ho '77' perfumy, no peat, what have I wrought and so of course my first tipple left me agreeing with Michael on the 'put it in a hip flask' and the '77' but I was disappointed to say the least.  But I have the bottle and the nights are still chilly so I tried another night and the oily, sherry, grew on me and indeed it was hip flask easy to roll around my tongue.  And now tonight I am pleased with the buy (and more pleased with my truly bargain price for I would have hated to put out the old true price for this when I prefer the more lightning moment of a deep peaty Laphroaig). Final analysis is in agreement with the fruity, oily put-it-in-a-hip-flask remark.  However it is a truly fine single-malt to share with friends with complete ease and especially if they tend to like 'smooth' whisky, for it is not bland, being complex enough to seek out those strange appellations of things like subtle spice, brittle toffee, underlying cereal, etc that tend to elude my palate completely.  The smoothness that is there is from the 40% Alc/Vol but again the complexity of flavours is hovering in the background.  I would buy a second bottle of this - especially if it were to appeal to my frugality.  Norvellhimself!!