That Beautiful Season... Summer

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape

Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The flower is the poetry of reproduction. It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life. ~ Jean Giraudoux

Love comforteth like sunshine after rain. ~ William Shakespeare






Anyone can shoot a moose that's just standing there. If you really wanna brag, hang a pair of chipmunk ears on your wall. ~ Jass Richards






Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity. ~ John Ruskin






Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them? ~ Rose Kennedy






A flash of harmless lightning, A mist of rainbow dyes, The burnished sunbeams brightening, From flower to flower he flies. ~ John Banister Tabb






I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck. ~ Emma Goldman





The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. ~ John Muir






Oh, if you’re a bird, be an early bird
And catch the worm for your breakfast plate.
If you’re a bird, be an early bird—
But if you’re a worm, sleep late. ~ Shel Silverstein






Swinging clusters of red, the hedges are full of them, red-currant red, a graceful ornament or a merry smile. ~ Denise Levertov






Sing loud for the sunshine. Pray hard for the rain. ~ Led Zeppelin






Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. ~ Gerard de Nerval

I know my visits are few and far between, these days. I've not been home much but I did have the foresight to schedule blogs posts for the past several days. I hope to catch up with all of you very soon, and create a few more posts - so I can spend some more time away from home/at Frank's.

Wild Things, You Make My Heart Sing

On the first full day we spent up at the cottage, I awoke early and could hear Benny squeak occasionally, reminding me that he was anxious to start the day. I considered turning over and ignoring him but really I was equally eager to get out there and walk - cameras in hand.

I got ready and released the beast from his crate. Benny stretched while I scratched his back. He tossed off the previous night's sleep with a shake, and a wag of his tail. I opened the front door and we stepped out on the deck under mostly clear skies.

I immediately heard the call of the loon and cautioned Benny to wait, lest he get too far ahead of me toward the road. The loon was nearby and I wanted to try for a photo, but I was immediately distracted by the screech of a loud bird. I looked up to see the two Bald Eagle juveniles putting on an air show.

(please click to enlarge)

They were fairly high, though almost directly above me. I had difficulty finding the right settings on my camera and in retrospect should have probably used my older camera because of its zoom capabilities, but I kept on snapping until they flew off shortly afterward.

(please click to enlarge)

Ben and I began our walk up, over and down the hilly dirt roads which lead to a fair number of cottages on the lake. We took about a half hour to amble a mile down the road to another small lake across the way. Mosquitoes were beginning to find us at an alarming rate so we turned back home. The intoxicating smell of coffee greeted us. Frank was partway through his cup, and had already cast a few hooks off the dock. Our day was shaping up nicely.

We spent a bit of time keeping Benny company before we went out to do some fishing. Since the boat was headed that way, we decided to see if any of the eagles were back at their nest. The eaglets had returned and were patiently awaiting the adults.

The sun came at us from behind the birds but they made for some fine semi-silhouettes. (please click to enlarge)

Please keep in mind that these were taken at a fair distance, from inside a bobbing boat. It was challenging. (please click to enlarge)

Also challenging was this image taken later in the day while we were out on the lake once again. Picture that same bobbing boat, and me, crouched over with my elbows against my knees trying to hold as still as possible while attempting to capture a bird in flight. It's not a great photo but the adult Bald Eagle sure is an impressive bird. (please click to enlarge)

Eventually, we did see a loon pop up not too far from our boat and he allowed me to snap a shot before he dove under water once again. (please click to enlarge)

As the week unfolded, we were to see many interesting creatures - all beautiful in their own way.

Frank found a snake for me to photograph. (please click to enlarge)

Theresa called out to me while I was on the hammock to take note of a Great Blue Heron just across the bay. (please click to enlarge)

Frank spotted a playful otter swimming past the dock. (please click to enlarge)

I enjoyed watching the hummingbird drink from the feeder. (please click to enlarge)

There were dragonflies. (please click to enlarge)

Various kinds. (please click to enlarge)

Our last evening out in the boat allowed us a final peek at an eaglet. (please click to enlarge)

So ended a perfect week up at the cottage. (please click to enlarge)

This was a rather lengthy post. Please feel free to use the facilities. (please click to enlarge)

Nature At Her Best

Last week, Frank, Benny and I spent a few days up at his family cottage. The weather was decent. There wasn't a whole lot of sunshine, but neither was there too much rain.

I had two cameras in tow. Frank gave me a lovely Canon DSLR - (EOS 50D) recently (thank you, Frank!) and I'm trying to get the hang of it. I'm having minor success.

The low point of the holiday was when I realized that I had forgotten its battery charger at home. Luckily we were able to find a replacement at a camera shop along the way, before leaving city life fully behind. The high point was getting a good look (several, in fact) of a most majestic bird. Unfortunately it was from a fair distance, with poor lighting, so photos didn't turn out as clearly as I would have liked but I suspect we'll have further occasions to see and photograph this beauty.

We fished, explored, took in the sights, relaxed and of course, took photos. Some of those (from both cameras) are below. Please remember to click to enlarge.

Early one morning, Benny waited patiently for Frank to set up his fishing gear so that he could bark at each cast, and then pace in anticipation of what might come back out of the water at the end of the line. (please click to enlarge)

You might think that lures were designed to attract fish but Benny never took his eyes off of the end of that rod. (please click to enlarge)

Unless he was biting his own reflection in the water. (please click to enlarge)

Nothing to get all that excited about unless you're a JRT, a fish or Frank. (please click to enlarge)

Dull, overcast days made trying to capture a hummingbird's image quite difficult. I settled for its silhouette. (please click to enlarge)

On day two we awoke to a thick fog which blanketed the lake. I took this photo from the deck. The hummingbird took me by surprise, showing up in the viewfinder just as I clicked. (please click to enlarge)

Eventually, we had a semi-sunny day. I looked up at some point to see this distinctive halo surrounding the sun. A bit of Google research tells me that it's called a 22º Halo and it's formed by the refraction of sunlight through ice crystals. (please click to enlarge)

I decided to play with it. A lone dragonfly wandered through just in time to become part of the picture. There's one in the previous image as well. (please click to enlarge)

This was one of the best treats. Its nest was visible after a three minute boat ride along the shore, and we ventured out at least three times to catch a glimpse of parents and/or young. That large blob below and to its right is the nest. We couldn't get in too close, and since the sky was mostly overcast, it was impossible for me to get a sharp image. (please click to enlarge)

But I managed a fairly decent shot of the Bald Eagle (sharpened up some in Photoshop), and hopefully we'll have more opportunities during the summer to try again. (please click to enlarge)

The sun came out a couple of evenings just in time for a lovely sunset. So ended another perfect day. (please click to enlarge)

More photos in the next post.

Mud In Your Eye

Last week's visit to the cottage has already begun to feel like a distant memory and I hope that we can get back there sometime soon.

You might remember that last September, we took the boat out and tried to fish for walleye. I kept on hooking and reeling in catch after disappointing catch, with nary a walleye in sight. At that time, Frank insisted that I learn to hook my own worm and remove my own catch from the hook - and I did. This year he added one very nasty task to the routine. I had to "blow up" my own worm. It took me a couple of seasons to even stomach watching while Frank injected his worms with air and now he wanted me to handle that job myself. Gulp!

Here's what's required. After piercing the slimy, wriggly creature with the hook, the worm is held steady with one hand, while inserting a syringe-like needle into its body. The needle is attached to a small, empty plastic bottle. A quick squeeze of the bottle injects a puff of air into the worm so that it will float above the sinker which otherwise weighs it down to the bottom of the lake. This makes the worm more enticing for curious, hungry walleye.

I was beginning to get the hang of it after a few tries, and began to relax a bit. By the fourth or fifth time, it became routine. I hooked the worm, and held it in place while finding and unscrewing the safety cap from the "worm blower." I inserted the needle into the worm and casually squeezed the bottle. The worm immediately squeezed back and squirted me right in the eye with - I don't know - worm guts! It was unattractive to say the least. So was Frank's laughter. Really unattractive, Frank!

I managed to survive it, rinsed my fingers and face off with lake water and proceeded to catch my one and only walleye.



Here's my walleye under the knife. Frank's skillful fingers had it beheaded, filleted, skinned and wrapped in no time flat. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



We were treated to several beautiful sunsets during our stay - like this one. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



The setting sun lends such lovely light to everything it kisses. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



We drove into a nearby town one afternoon, where we eventually did a bit of shopping. On our way out of this general store, Francis spotted this little chipmunk feasting on some spilled sunflower seeds atop a storage shelf. It scarcely gave us a glance while it greedily filled its cheeks. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



The Hummingbird feeder was like an airport with incoming flights and frequent departures. This little one thrummed past my head and posed briefly for a photo. It appeared to take notice of a wasp which was anticipating its own taste of the sweetened water. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



A couple of parked Kayaks offered a splash of colour to the view seen outside the back door. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



Benny spent many hours honing his swimming skills. He also perfected his water-biting skills. Rather than wait for waves to roll in...


.. I accommodated him by splashing and kicking the water his way. He obliged by jumping up to bite as many droplets as he could. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



On our last day, we fished until the sun began to set. The rising moon and clouds reflected some rich colours. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



Back on shore, the sky exploded with colour for the last sunset of our holiday. (Click the photo to enlarge it)



As we were cleaning out the cottage and packing up the car to go home, we noticed this bug sunning itself on the railing of the deck. (Click the photo to enlarge it)

We left the cottage on a perfectly sunny day. The sky was a brilliant blue with only occasional wispy clouds. We packed up the car without concern about rain. Canvas bags and other not-so-water-resistant items were secured to the roof rack and off we went.


As we headed for home, the sky changed considerably. All around us we could see pockets of angry weather and each slowdown on the highway was nerve-wracking to say the least, but we managed to make it home with moments to spare before the sky opened up. (Click the photo to enlarge it)

Benny does not like it when he doesn't know where we're going. He's pretty good in the car if it's a routine trip, like when Frank comes to my place or home again, but the trip to and from the cottage was different and wrong! Here he is doing his distressed chimpanzee imitation. (Make sure your sound is on!)

But eventually, all becomes right in his world again. (Click the photo to enlarge it)