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!

Lovely Natural Shrub Along The Old Lake Road


Glacier Crumb


Abandoned Boat

This photograph taken near Island Lake shows a seemingly abandoned boat which like many such things has a story to tell which includes 9/11 and how that affected even this seemingly pristine wilderness.  I will try to assemble some of the possible facts about this and spin them together into a hopefully interesting little tale which I will update here later - but for now this boat is just a distant fall-out from 9/11.

Book Review - Tigers In Red Weather, by Ruth Padel - © 2006



Tigers In Red Weather, by Ruth Padel - © 2006

Ruth Padel, the great-great granddaughter of Charles Darwin, is a prize winning British poet, fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Zoological Society of London, and chair of the UK Poetry Society.  She has taught Greek at Oxford and opera in the Modern Greek department at Princeton, excavated Minoan tombs on Crete, presented a BBC series on Hans Christian Andersen, and sung in the church choir of St. Eustache, Paris.  In addition to her acclaimed poetry, she has published bookson ancient Greek religion, rock music, Greek myth and masculinity, and how to read contemporary poetry.

“ – vibrant, lyrical, sad, yet in the end a spark of hope”, George Schaller, director of science for Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society, and author of The Last Panda and The Serengeti Lion


Tiger Drinking at Forest Pool

Water, moonlight, danger, dream
Bronze urn, angled on tree-root: one
Slash of light, then gone.   A red moon
Seen through clouds, or almost seen.
Treasure found but lost, flirting between
The worlds of lost and found.  An unjust law
Repealed, a wish come true, a lifelong
Sadness healed.  Haven, in the mind,
To anyone hurt by littleness.  A prayer,
For the moment saved: treachery forgiven.
Flame of the crackle-glaze tangle, amber
Reflected in grey milk-jade.  An old song
Remembered, long debt paid.
A painting on silk, which may fade.
                                                               Ruth Padel

and in this great book Ruth writes poetry in prose of her quest throughout the great world of Asia in thick jungles, steamy mangrove swamps and mountain heights from India to Russia, for that elusive animal once known as the soul of Asia, and for that elusive need of human life for nature and wilderness with survival in and of it all.