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 Morning News



Well sorry the morning news is running late for, alas, we slept in after what passes as a late night for the old fellow.  Then upon arising I decided to start the day by firing up the Dutch-West wood stove for the first time this year as the temperature was about 25 F (I'd guess that's about -4 C) out and a bit chilly in the house also.  With my usual preparedness (none) I had no kindling etc so I grabbed a coat and hat (after making the morning tea) and went out to scavenge some dry twigs and branch-ettes  (sorry about the made-up word I used for small branches a little larger than twigs). Sticking a nice twist of newsprint into the stove pipe opening and a few strips of torn news below the twigs I lit the large match (which when I was young was usually referred to as 'a barn burner') fired the twist/paper in the pipe to set up a good draft and then lit the twigs.  In a few moments all was a-blaze and I added some bone dry 2 to 3 inch thicker branch wood (well a little preparedness I guess) and placed some nice split oak from last spring onto that.  Voilá! We're on schedule for a warm entrance-way and hopefully some major assistance on the furnace oil.

As I add the morning photos I check on the wood stove and find the catalyst temperature has risen sufficiently to close the damper that diverts the smoke to exit through the catalyst which will then scavenge more heat by burning the smoke particles that would normally exit to the out-side.  The wood I burn I gather from the property here - almost invariably oaks that have died from one reason or another.  So the wood is almost always seasoned at cutting and if not I do try to keep it for six to twelve months, cut and split, so that the moisture content is low.  Very little smoke is visible from the chimney, even with-out the 'smoke burner', and when it is in use all that is visible at the chimney exit are heat waves rippling in the morning light.