Alder Cones

Alder Cones, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Another 20 CM of snow and another $20 to get the driveway plowed. Too much slush and ice on the roads to go for a walk so I strolled around the property and took a few pictures. I like this one of the alder cones. A couple of weeks ago I was out on the back of the island and a large flock of Red Poles were picking the seeds out of them, so they are a winter source of food for at least some of the birds.

The photo below is my heritage variety Pumpkin Sweet Apple Tree I'm always amazed by it, the apples stay on all winter even though they have frozen and turned soft and brown. So far this winter I haven't seen any birds eating them but if there are any Robins overwintering they will find it and pick away at them.

Snow Dune

Snow Dune, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I think I should make up a story about the big blizzard that went on for days and days. However the truth is we only have a few inches of snow. I was on a walk today and went into a gravel pit and saw these piles of sand and gravel covered in snow.

This is a photo of the same place without the snow.

Dog Sledding

Dog Sledding II, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

How cute is this little guy. The Pathfinders walk today was in Cobscook State Park and this chap's "Parents" had him out cross country skying. They said he is 13 years old and gets tired now if they spend too long on the trails so they built him a sled.

East Quoddy Light-Head Harbour

East Quoddy Light-Head Harbour, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

The big snow storm that was predicted for this weekend didn't amount to much just a few centimeters of wet snow and today it has turned quite mild, plus 3 by mid afternoon. Still lots of cloud around so I took the opportunity to drive down to the Lighthouse and take another stab at HDR photography. I like the effect especially with a lot of clouds in the sky.

Great to have friends in France with great Taste

Great to have friends in France with great Taste, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Received a Christmas gift from Ivan and Pru in Sevres today, a wonderful box of very special French Chocolate. They are so good I don't think they are going to be around long, I can't stay out of them.

Mill Cove II

Mill Cove II, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Back out to Mill Cove in the cold this afternoon to try to get three photos that I could stitch together into a panorama of the cove. I did one yesterday but didn't think it went together very well. My friend Carole suggested that it might work better if I used a tripod instead of doing the pictures hand held and this worked the result was a much smoother transition.

While I was there I noticed some very interesting ice formations in the Mill Pond. There is a tidal stream which runs through the pond so even though the pond freezes the ice is lifted and lowered twice each day on the rising and falling tide. It was high tide when I took this picture but I think what is happening is at low tide there is a large bolder that is pushed up through the ice.

Mill Cove Rock Island High and Low Tide

Mill Cove Rock Island High Tide, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Brrrr....the weather is getting colder down to minus 7 this morning and the forecast is for minus 13 tomorrow. Froze my hands out taking a few pictures. Beautiful bright sunny day though. the high tide photo was taken today the low tide one was taken on New Years day.

After the Storm

After the Storm, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

We had one of those special winter storms over night. Not much snow just a few centimeters but it was the heavy wet kind that sticks to everything and creates a winter wonder land. Took this picture as the sky was clearing, now it is so bright with the sun on the fresh white snow that it hurts to look at it.

Machias River

Machias River, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Playing around with HDR (High dynamic range imaging) Using Photomatix free software, thus the watermarks. The picture is made by combining three bracketed photos of the same scene. To get the watermarks removed you need to buy a pro copy of the program which is around 100$ it's a lot of fun and I will buy it but not until I get a new computer hopefully in the new year it runs so slowly on my old desktop that it is painful to use. The black and white and the colour photo were made from the same set of photos.

Red Poles

Red Poles, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Out for a hike on Fundy Drive and came across a flock of Red Poles picking seeds out of Alder cones. I'm still trying to teach myself the various features of my Canon G11 and today's exercise was to take RAW photos and edit them with the Canon Software when I got back home. No idea what I'm doing really but I'm pleased with the results of these two hand held images of the Red Poles. I particularly like the bottom one it almost has the quality of an Oil Painting.

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2010, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Santa in Beziers

I thought they were hanging the little red bandit but I was told that is how Santa enters apartments in Beziers., originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I was just reading some Santa jokes that a friend sent me and I remembered this picture that I took in France last winter. I saw several of these hanging from balconies and I thought they were hanging the little red bandit but I was told that is how Santa enters apartments in Beziers, he climes up a rope and comes in the window.

More Christmas Tree Comments

The Ravens Breakfast a Christmas treat.

The Ravens Breakfast, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Breakfast for my one legged Raven and his friends. I give them breakfast most mornings sometimes porridge, sometimes pasta or bread and always a scoop of wild bird food . This morning it was left over deviled eggs from the Christmas party Sunday afternoon and porridge with brown sugar.

There is a photo of my one legged Raven earlier on in this blog or you can click on this photo and see it attached as a comment in my flickr account.

Pathfinders Christmas Party at Herb and Bonnie Phillips, Boot Cove, December 19, 2010

Pathfinders Christmas Party at Herb and Bonnie Phillips, Boot Cove, December 19, 2010, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

A great get together with my friends in the Pathfinders Walking group at our annual Christmas Party Sunday afternoon. Lots of good food and a great group of people. If you are in the area please feel free to join us for a walk this is our January and February schedule all times are in Eastern Time Zone:

Pathfinder walks for January and February 2011
All walks begin at 1PM Eastern Time

Join us for enjoyable explorations of our beautiful area. Call the walk leader for more information and possible cancellation due to inclement weather. Pathfinders is an a volunteer group. All walkers assume responsibility for their own safety on all walks and outings.

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Jan 2 at 1PM. Edmunds area. Cobscook Bay State Park. Meet at the park entrance. Contact Chad Milne at 332-8072.



Jan 9 at 1PM. Edmunds area. Moosehorn walk. Meet at the Whiting store and gas station. Contact Frank or Gayle Studenski at 733-4234.



Jan 16 at 1PM Eastern Time. Campobello Island Herring Cove. Meet at the Campobello Island visitor parking lot. Bring proper ID for the border crossing. Contact Fred Gralenski at 726-5837.



Jan 23 at 1PM. East Machias. Meet at the parking lot behind Archibald's Store. Contact Tom Finlay at 255-8970.



Jan 30 at 1PM. Machias. Meet near the Sunrise Trail across the road from Dunkin' Donuts in Machias. Contact Pat Smith at 255-6219.



Feb 6 at 1PM. Columbia Falls. Meet at the Columbia Falls Fire Station. A walk along the Sunrise Trail. Contact Tom Finlay at 255-8970.



Feb 13 at 1PM. Pembroke area. Meet at 857 Leighton Point Road. Contact Fred Gralenski at 726-5837.



Feb 20 at 1PM. Jasper Beach area. Meet at the Machiasport Post Office. Contact Chad Milne at 332-8072.



Feb 27 at 1PM. Mowry Beach in Lubec. Meet behind the Lubec School. Contact Gayle or Frank Studenski at 733-4234.

Lobster Pot Christmas Tree on Campobello Island

I took this night time video of the Lobster Pot Christmas Tree that is in a photo that I posted earlier this week. It looks fantastic.

Christmas in the Barn

Christmas in the Barn, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Sometimes the simplest decoration is the best. Just a simple wreath on the barn door.

Lobster Pot Tree

Lobster Pot Tree , originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Friends were telling me about a large one of these down in Jonesport, Maine so I was surprised to find one here on Campobello Island. I must drive out to have a look at this at night when it is all lit up. I like it !!

Gift the gift that can change lives

Give Kiva Cards this Holiday!

This holiday season, think about adding Kiva Cards to your holiday gift list. Give one to a Kiva fan or introduce friends and family to microlending by giving them credit to make a loan! Kiva Cards allow the recipient to search for a borrower and make a loan using the Kiva Card they have been given. And don't forget the best part: credit from Kiva Cards can be used again and again after repayment from the borrower! It truly is a reusable gift that is helping to alleviate poverty around the globe.

Visit www.kiva.org/gifts to explore the options we have this year for giving. This year Kiva is excited to offer the best gift idea yet: a real, hold-in-your-hand Kiva Card! You can also print or email Kiva Cards directly from the site. For a limited time, there will be FREE shipping!

Seed catalogs are arriving

Seed catalogs are arriving, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

One of my favourite winter pass times racking up big charges on my credit cards to various seed and garden catalog companies.

The Seasons

The Seasons, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

One of my favourite places to walk is the Glensevern Road and Eagle Hill Heath . There are a number of benches on the heath boardwalk but I have always loved the setting for this one and as you can see I have photographed it several times. I put together this little collage to show the Seasons.