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!

Getting A Little Old For This Type Thing, eh?

© Nov '09    photo  by ctmck
I have to remember that I'm not seventy anymore

Hits Around the World - updated to 14 Sep 2012

United States
Canada
France
Germany
Russia
Ukraine
Latvia  
United Kingdom
Ireland
Sweden
Peru
Brazil
Ecuador
Malaysia
Japan
Australia
Jamaica
China

Indonesia
India 
Croatia

Albania

Hong Kong
Hungary

Mexico


Venezueala 
 Thailand
United States accounts for the most 'hits' followed by Canada, Russia, United Kingdom, France/ Germany, Ukraine in that order.

This is probably not of as much interest to you as it is to me.  But it just seems great that such a small blog has spread around the world without benefit of controversy, scandal, or salacious content.

(this blog is small time stuff - big blogs get as many hits per minute as I've gotten in 6 1/2 months - but this going around the world to other countries still gives me a thrill  - each and every new country that I see)

Clinging To The Wall

© Sept  '12     photo by smck
I tried to identify this insect on the internet and came away unsure - but tentatively I believe it is the Northern Walking Stick (Diapheromera femorata), although the colouration descriptors are not quite the same.  Also the articles photograph was not that great. I did read that some alien (foreign) Walking Sticks are being sold illegally in the U.S.

I didn't think to measure the length of the body but I would estimate it at about 100 mm - 4 inches or so.

The Old Sod

© Sept '07    photo by smck
© Sept '07    photo by smck
On our 25th anniversary we took a nine day trip to Ireland - and fell in love with the country and the people.  This day we were in the Folk Park - 26 acres of re-created 19th century life - of Bunratty Castle, County Clare, getting ready to walk through the Bunratty Walled Gardens.  I was filming the beauty of the stone potting shed and inadvertently captured the tower of the Church of Ireland building in the background.  We later walked through it and I somewhere have nice exterior and interior pictures that I will post later in my rambling way. 

Well I found one (of the church) quicker than I thought, eh?

"This little church is an original Church of Ireland building, which was moved stone by stone from where it had been originally built in 1824 in Ardcroney, Co. Tipperary, and rebuilt in the Folk Park. It was opened to the public in 1998."

European Hornet - Vespra Crabro

© 11 Aug '12      photo by smck
 We have had the misfortune of having a nest of this large hornet being built in the eaves of our house which is old and not as tightly constructed as more modern houses.  This particular guy was crawling on the floor of our bedroom exactly where I would normally put my bare feet when I would get out of bed in the morning.  I placed a paper cup over him and carried him to the kitchen table so that I might get the photo you see above.  The 'Toonie' coin with a diameter of about 1 and 1/8th inch - 28 millimeters exactly - gives some idea of his size which I estimate to be about an inch and a half long - i,e, 38-40 mm.  They are normally very un-agressive, but I have had three people that have been stung by them tell me that it was the worst sting they ever received and hurt for days.  Even though I usually am a 'live and let live' kind of person,  the intrusion of a large number of these hornets into my house area and the attendant destruction of our lilac shrubs has prompted me to try and eradicate them.


This large European Hornet was introduced to the U.S. from Europe, being first reported in New York state in about 1840 and has since spread across most of the eastern and central part of United States and lower Canada.   Technically it is the only true hornet of North America.  The so-called Hornet of North America - sometimes called the Bald-Faced Hornet (chiefly distinguished by building large grey paper-like football shaped hanging nests) - is actually another version of the Yellow Jacket.  The Bald-Face Hornet is about half the size of the European Hornet and is much more aggressive also.  The European Hornet is sometimes described as the Gentle Giant.  But make no mistake, it can give a very painful sting - especially when the nesting area is approached to closely - or if you inadvertently happen to step on one in your bare feet!