Photo of the day

On the road. . .

While driving across Canada this past fall, I had a number of great opportunities to pull over and take some photos. This one was near the British Columbia - Alberta border. It was taken September 21 - and as you can see the snow had started to fall in the higher elevations. You can see too, the trees definitely displaying the final stages of autumn.

Photo of the day

Near Kamloops, British Columbia

This shot was taken in August of 2005, near the old abandoned sanatorium outside of Kamloops, British Columbia. It was, as you can see a beautiful day, but by the time we decided to pack it in for the day, I was covered in mosquito bites. I hadn't been prone to swelling, but after that day I looked like I had been in an accident (more so than I normally do). The old site has since been sold to a developer, who is expected to create some sort of housing development. It will come complete with a view of the rolling hills on one side and water on the other. And, of course, the mosquitoes. They can have them. . .

Photo flashback

In between Penticton and Osoyoos, British Columbia

Here's a flashback from June 2003. My buddy and me were out looking for rattlesnakes - he's into counting how many there are in a given area (not eating them), and he brought me to the place seen in the photo. It's actually a view taken below a huge Ponderosa Pine, looking toward Osoyoos.
This tree grew by itself on a hillside, one used by grazing cattle. Growing all around that hill is cactus, which seemed to find my legs and feet every time I turned around. What is really incredible is the fact this massive tree hadn't been hit by lightning. There were other pines in the area that were either dead from strikes or had been severely hit on earlier occasions.
My friend said if for some reason (and it seems to happen to all of us) he drops dead, he wants his ashes spread at the foot of this tree. It really was a fascinating place, that held some remarkable spiritual energy.
If you were to stand down hill, looking toward the tree, you'd see huge rolling rock formations less than half a kilometre further up the hill. It was there, we came across a number of rattlesnakes. Hopefully they're still there.
This is the same region where wineries seem to be cropping up everywhere, and orchards are taking up what's left. There's some great places to either camp or visit, including the beaches of area lakes. Given a chance, I'd love to live in the Okanagan (the name given to this area), with its incredible summers and not so bad winters. Very cool place. . .

Photo of the day

Partridge Island near Parrsboro, Nova Scotia

Winter mists obscure Partridge Island, Nova Scotia. It's been unusually warm this winter, and in a recent trip, I discovered a neat little island that - at the time, was covered by mist coming off the waters of Minas Basin. Taken early January 2006.