Arrived today

Arrived today, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I've been waiting for almost two weeks for my new modern style snowshoes to arrive. Didn't get much of a chance to try them out today it was so cold and windy. I started walking around the golf course but the cold temperature combined with the high wind was just too much. They are nice and light and support me very well on the snow there is several feet on the ground and I was only sinking a few inches. Forecast is for better milder weather for the next few days so hopefully I will have a better chance to use them.

My back garden



Golf course

The interesting things that happen on flickr

12th Century Octagon Church at Eunate - Knights Templar, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I have spent quite a bit of time this morning trying to find out why this picture of the 12th Century Octagon Church at Eunate, Spain - Knights Templar- that I took in 2008 has all of a sudden become very popular on flickr. I finally tracked it down to an outfit that calls itself the New Liturgical Movement, which is an oxymoron be cause this new movement is trying to drag the Catholic Church back into the era of the Latin Mass. My photo is so popular because someone posted a link to it is his comment on this article on the movements website.

http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2011/02/round-churches-in-roman-tradition.html

I'm going to the top.

Eiffel Tower, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I've been buying tickets for museums, Paris Metro, London Tube and trains this week and this evening I bought a lift ticket to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The rest of these places could all take lessons from the Eiffel Tower with some there was free delivery with others I've paid as much as 14 Euros delivery charges. With the Eiffel Tower you pay for your ticket and print it yourself.

I'm going to the top of the tower at night to see the City of Light spread out before me. My friend Pru tells me that the tower twinkles for ten minutes on the hour each night, I've never seen that before either and hope to get a photo or video clip of it.

This photo was taken on a visit a few years ago.

Montmartre / Sacré Coeur, Paris

Montmartre / Sacré Coeur, Paris, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Counting the days until I will be back in Paris, in early spring. Travelling with a small group of friends we will spend a few days in Paris before moving on to St. Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel on la Manche (English Channel) after several days there we will take a ferry to the Channel Islands for a week or so. My friends will return home after the stay in the islands and I will fly to London for a few days before I return home in mid April.

When I'm in Paris I stay at a little Hotel on Boulevard de Magenta I think this will be the 5th time that I've stayed there. It's just a small 2 star family run Hotel but I love and it is so well situated, within a five minute walk of two large rail stations the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l'Est and all of their metro connections, the Hotel de l'Europe Paris. This section of the city is called Montmartre and is only a short walk from the Beautiful Basilica de Sacré Coeur.

Boulevard de Magenta:



Hotel de l'Europe Paris

Eastern Head Campobello

Eastern Head Campobello, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

A mild day after the storm yesterday afternoon I walked Herring cove beach which was nice once I managed to climb the mountain size snow bank to get to the beach. It was the first time I was able to walk bare headed in a long time. Unfortunately we have more snow forecast for Saturday and next Tuesday.

North Head Grand Manan

And then it snowed again..........

And then it snowed again.........., originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I running out of space to put this stuff. If you can't beat it join it, I ordered a pair of Snowshoes this morning. Haven't had any in years now but the will come in handy even to get around my property. I like to go out to the compost pile in the hidden garden and that would be very hard after this last storm there is over a meter of snow the whole way out there and it is a fair distance. I used to enjoy snowshoeing around the golf course so I will be able to do that again too.

Dreams of Summer Whale Watching

Dreams of Summer Whale Watching, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Summer and Whale Watching seems part of the distant past today we are in the midst of a major winter storm. High winds and lots of snow which is suppose to last through the day and most of tonight.

I opened my front door and put some fresh bird seed on the snow and within a minute there was a flock of birds coming and going and fighting over the meal.

Yup Snowed

Yup Snowed, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

No end in sight we seem to be in an unending storm pattern with a snow storm every three or fours day. We are in for an additional 20 to 30 CM today with high winds to go along with it. The men who plow driveways are making a fortune this winter, unfortunately I'm on the loosing end it costs me $20 per storm. H heck of a lot easier than doing all that shovelling though.

Machias Walk January 30, 2011

Machias Walk January 30, 2011, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

The Pathfinders walk today was along the abandoned rail bed in Machias. The rail bed is now a multi-use trail for hikers, skiers, snowmobiles etc. It was a nice walk in the light snow not too cold and no wind. We saw one lonely Snow Bunting along the trail which is unusual because they are usually in flocks.

Chilly Bench

Chilly Bench, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

A great day for a walk mild and sunny. Took this picture in front of the school there is a wall of snow behind them now but I never see anyone use these benches.

Pysanky - Ukrainian Easter egg

The Box, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

This is the beautiful package that my Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter egg, arrived in. The package and the egg are both very special. The Eggs is a tiny Quail Egg and as you can see beautifully decorated.



I bought it from www.dandylioneggs.esty.com

Mill Cove Stream

Mill Cove Stream, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

We have just come through a week of minus 22 weather but this stream never freezes over because it is tidal, twice a day with the rising tide salt sea water rushes up the stream.

Snowflakes

Snowflakes, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

It was snowing lightly when I took this picture . Click on the photo then if you select View All Sizes then view the original size you can see individual snowflakes around the edges.

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Minus 22 degrees outside today and I didn't have the heart to drive the poor little squirrel from my bird feeder. There were two of them one eating on the snow below the feeder and this little guy who spent a long time shelling out sunflower seeds.

Machias Walk January 23, 2011

Machias Walk January 23, 2011 - 2, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

The Pathfinders walk was in Machias yesterday. A sunny but cold afternoon we were all dressed appropriately for the weather and were quite comfortable once we got going. We usually have a snack after the walk but yesterday we returned to the parking lot half way through and had coffee, tea and delicious homemade brownies before setting out on the second half of the walk.For three mornings in a row it had been minus 12 degrees and it actually felt a bit warmer in Machias. Not so warm today though minus 22 this morning, glad we are not walking today.

After yesterday's storm

Surf's Up 3, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Back out to my favourite beech this afternoon to take a few pictures after yesterday's storm. Too windy and cold to hang around fro very long it was minus 12 here this morning and high winds.

Scones

Scones, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Another Snow Storm 20 CM plus forecast. A good day to bake.


Scones


Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 25 Minutes
Servings: 8
"A simple scone recipe that can be customized in a myriad ways."
Ingredients:
375 g all-purpose flour
100 g white sugar
25 g baking powder
3 g salt

170 g butter
1 egg, beaten
235 ml milk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour mixture until moistened.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/21/2011

Diamonds in the snow.

Diamonds in the snow., originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I've been trying to capture the sparkle in the snow and so far this is the best I've come up with, still not satisfied maybe I will get it before the winter is over.

Yellow Birch, Reindeer Moss , Lichen and American Bitter Sweet

Yellow Birch, originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

I'm having fun discovering the beauty of things in their minute detail we walk by and see the overall view but we miss the beauty that is in the close-up detail. I took these pictures of Yellow Birch , Reindeer Moss, Lichen and American Bittersweet not far from my front door.

The Drip

The Drip , originally uploaded by Campobello Island.

Look at the reverse image in the water drip at the end of this icicle do you see the sky and the trees upside-down ?