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!

Contrary to its name, the plant is not really a rose at all; instead, it is a member of the Malvaceae or mallow family. Nor is it native to Syria, as is suggested in its species name Hibiscus syriacus. This plant's origins hail from India and China.

Rose of Sharon bears many blooms, and its attractive flowers are its main selling point. Like other types of hibiscus, its flowers bear a striking stamen. Another feature giving the shrub value is its relatively late period of blooming (in the northeastern United States, it blooms in August). Rose of Sharon is thus able to offer white, red, lavender, or light blue blooms when many flowering shrubs have long since ceased blooming. Late summer flowering shrubs can help gardeners manage the sequence of bloom in their landscapes.

Morning Wood Trail


Part of Last Night's Supper


The Creek is to their left - and The Street is to their right



I Miss You More Each Day


many years ago but you forever

The Large Leafed Saplings in The Foreground are the forest's ever continuing efforts at regrowing the original American Chestnut that disappeared from the forests when I was a pre-schooler


"More than a century ago, nearly four billion American chestnut trees were growing in the eastern U.S. They were among the largest, tallest, and fastest-growing trees. The wood was rot-resistant, straight-grained, and suitable for furniture, fencing, and building. The nuts fed billions of wildlife, people and their livestock. It was almost a perfect tree, that is, until a blight fungus killed it more than a century ago. The chestnut blight has been called the greatest ecological disaster to strike the world’s forests in all of history."

I've Done A Photo Like This Before - but the vagaries of the Cedar growth always interests me


Rose of Sharon


Hardy to USDA zones 5 to 8, rose of Sharon is an easy-to-grow, undemanding plant, happy in full sun to part shade. It prefers moist, well-drained soil but is tolerant of many growing conditions, including periods of drought and exposure to pollution, which makes it excellent for urban gardens.

James and Maggie


Brian Blakely and Himself -


Brian had accidentally washed his hunting shirt with some red towels or such and turned the tan to a pinky colour - and of course I loved the 'Pink' camouflage statement about testosterone hunter types and wore it every hunting season since