Wintertime

Photo of the Week February 4, 2011 - L'Ardoise

It wasn't an easy task to make a selection of just one photo from the many cool wintry shots I have in my collection. After the second snow storm in two days, I couldn't resist but to get out there, with camera in hand and click away, finding a picture perfect scene all around me. You'll find this first photo as the Photo of the Week on Cape Breton Living website. I'm also sharing with you more wintry shots of wintertime in L'Ardoise -

East cam Christmas tree

Cape Breon Living Webcams

Yesterday, Sunday December 12th was a beautiful mild and sunny day without a breath of wind... a  perfect day to put up my outdoor Christmas tree. So if you are wondering where the tree is today, rest assured, it didn't blow away with the high gusts of wind we often get here on the east coast, like we are getting today. Before the tree ends up in the ponds or the ocean (depending on the wind direction), I carefully stash the tree in a safe place until a day that winds are a bit more gentle. So hopefully we'll get to see the little Christmas tree more often than not during this Holiday Season!

Thanksgiving 2010

St Peter's

On this Thanksgiving week-end, we went on a day trip ending up driving around the Bras d'Or Lakes. We started off at 8:30am from home, passed through the town of St Peter's, picked up 2 coffees and baked goods at Tim Horton's in Port Hawkesbury and from there we got on the Trans-Canada Highway heading north to Sydney. Before leaving Sydney, we grabbed a pizza and headed home via the Old Highway 4.  The day was a typical fall day where we had sunny periods, then rain, crazy winds, heavy grey clouds and fluffy white clouds too. It made for interesting pictures.

Photo of the Week July 30, 2010

This week's photo was taken in Grand Etang during our trip to Cheticamp on July 27th. At least once during the summer, I like to take a road trip along the west coast of Cape Breton to Cheticamp and the Cabot Trail. Before we left the house that morning, the weather was fine, just a bit overcast, then we hit heavy rain from Louisdale to Port Hastings. I had checked the radar on the Environment Canada website and only noticed a thin strip of precipitation running through Cape Breton, and I believe that was what we drove through  up to Port Hastings. I figured we'll be ok weather-wise by the time we reach Route 19... and sure enough, the radar was right! The rest of the road trip was a mix of sun and cloud with slightly cool temperatures of 20ish celsius.

On this road trip, we ended up in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park as far as the Bog trail where a boardwalk allows visitors to step into a typical highlands bog environment, complete with Pitcher plants, Sundews, Bicknell's Thrush, and orchids. It's a short but very pleasant and interesting walk. From here we returned by the same route, stopping at look-offs and stopping for dinner at the Irving Big Stop in Auld's Cove across the Causeway.

Photo of the Week June 4, 2010

Last Friday I posted this scene on the Photo of the Week page. I have to mention it's one of my favorite spot for walking. Every summer, my younger sister and her 2 children, come from Ottawa to visit us, using her vacation time to come down to a place that hold dear memories for the last 28 years or so. This is where my sister and the kids love to spend time at least once a day, it being foggy or sunny. Either way they seem to enjoy the peacefulness one gets every time on this path that heads down to the shore or Chapel Cove Rd up above. Soon, they will be here again for another much deserved vacation, on their island getaway of Cape Breton...