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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The Road To Mary Ann's Cove


© Aug '12    photo by smck
© Aug '12    photo by smck

This rough woods road is somewhat like the roads that connected the small communities here in the early 1900s - only instead of the fairly young regrowth forest you see here those early roads were lined mostly with mature forest that would enclose the road even more than you see across the dash of my truck in the above photo.  When I first moved here back in the 70s the 'back' roads from Grand River to Pt. Michaud and to L'Archeveque were still single lane ventures.  The crowding brushy small spruce and alder have taken their toll on the sides of my pick-up that's for sure.

In the top photo you can see a bit of the ocean in the distance - as this woods grows and matures that view will disappear.

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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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Drifting

© Jul '12    photo by smck

Small deep-woods pond in Newfoundland.
 
© Jul '12    photo by smck

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The Dinosaur Bug (Arilus cristatus)

© 03 Oct '12     photo by smck

© 03 Oct '12     photo by smck
More commonly known as the Wheel Bug from the shape of the notched pronotal armor. It is one of the largest of the terrestrial (as opposed to water) 'True Bugs' being upward of an inch and a half (3.8 cm) long.  They are common in North America, although most people never see one as they are very retiring or secretive in nature.  They can be thought of as a beneficial bug because they eat other bugs such as Japanese Beetles, etc by piercing them with its beak and sucking out the juice.  Which means they can pierce or bite humans which luckily doesn't occur very often for it is reported to be a very painful but non-threatening bite.  When disturbed it can also emit a noxious smell - but not as badly as the Stink Bug.

This old guy(they only live one year)was crawling up the outside porch wall.


True Bugs are a sub-set of insects and their sub-set features are interesting to read about.  So look it up and know the difference between a bug and a beetle.
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Dé la bienvenida a Brasil

Dé la bienvenida a Brasil - espero que usted disfrute de su visita a mi blog y espere que usted vuelva de vez en cuando - muchas gracias, Él mismo!

Welcome Brazil - I hope that you enjoy your visit to my blog AND hope that you will return from time to time - many thanks, Himself!
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