Courtesy of Gros Morne

I just had to pull over and catch this landscape as the clouds scattered the last rays of the sun for the evening. Gros Morne National Park sure knows how to put on a show, and this was no exception. The clouds had threatened rain all day but the sun prevailed despite the sky's overcast sass. I find myself once again thankful for the splendor of West Coast Newfoundland (haven't been to the east coast, yet, sorry). From the forested, green hills and cliffs of Gros Morne, to the fossil-filled cliffs at Aguathuna (Agatuna? heh heh) on Port au Port Peninsula, and even down south to the beaches of Burgeo where I was shocked to discover that Newfoundland did, indeed, have sand! That sounds kind of silly when I type it but in my defense all the other shores I went to were completely rock. For provisions, I was lucky enough to have as a guide a veteran food-sleuth, sniffing out various berries at every stop in case we got stuck in the sand, I assume. Thanks Aud! (Sony DSLR-A100, 35mm, f/11, 1/80, ISO 100)

Friends

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Sony DSLR-A100, 70mm, f/9, 1/200, ISO 100, cropped)

Lessons in Flight

I like to look at this picture of the beach in Esperanza, Vieques, Puerto Rico when continually inclement weather gets me down. Bad weather has delayed or cancelled my last three attempted flights. I've learned, at a significant time investment, to avoid Chicago as much as possible if I want to get anywhere sucessfully. ("Serenity now!"). Needless to say, I've been going a little stir-crazy because of it but soon it will be spring-summer. That wonderful time of year (end of April, May, early June) when it's nice to be outside, before it gets blisteringly hot and the droughts kick in. Sprummer and Autumn are my two favorite seasons! Hmmm, methinks it's time to start planning my next vacation.... Yay! See? I'm all cheered up! (Sony DSLR-A100, 18mm, f/10, 1/160, ISO 100)

Dandelion Delight

This wee squirrel monkey at the Magnetic Hill Zoo, in Moncton, New Brunswick, was perfectly content to pose for me while coyly tossing glances from behind her dandelion... or she was eating it. Probably the latter. What most people don't see is the second monkey hiding jealously behind the dandelions in the foreground about to ambush my model. There was much screeching and scratching amid a cloud of yellow before, in a huff, I bluntly informed them that I was leaving to seek more professional models. And thus, with my mighty influence, I ended their aspiring careers. Crushing their dreams of escaping the confines of their caged and empty lives. Forever shifting the threads in the tapestry of their destiny. I don't think they noticed. (Sony DSLR-A100, 300mm, f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 200)

The B&O

This picture was taken in October 2007 at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum located in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The museum contains many artifacts and relics (both original and replicated) relating to America's railroading pioneers. They allowed us to wander in and around the old engines while we tried to figure out how the bulky, cumbersome behemoths actually worked. It turned out to be a pretty interesting experience that culminated with an actual mile-long train-ride down "the most historic" track in the United States. Looking at and experiencing the trains first hand, I was once again blown away by human ingenuity. For all their faults and ignorance (eg. destroying the planet, other issues), humans can be very creative when they want to be. For those interested, here is the official link to the B&O Railroad Museum website. (Sony DSLR-A100, 26mm, f/4.5, 1/13, ISO 400)

Haiku

My apologies, I'm tired and it's time for bed so I'm treating you to some filler. Here is a haiku that I just wrote. It is based loosely on this picture (which I took in Nova Scotia, Canada in September 2005 while searching for sustenance). It is completely fictitious and in no way represents anyone's hungry, frustrated weeping, before or since the day the picture was taken.

Cry from the kitchen!The hunt for food continuesbecause they're plastic.

(Olympus C770UZ, 15mm, f3.2, 1/500, ISO 64)

Washington in Lavender

Here is the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. in October of 2007. Impressively, it is the world's tallest obelisk. There's just something inukshuky about an obelisk that just screams "Rawr! We were here!" The Egyptians did it. The Romans did it more. And no, it has nothing to do with this (pervert!). I've also always been fondly reminded of obelisks since I was introduced to the character Obelix from the French comic book series Asterix. They were some of my favorites growing up. This picture was taken close to sunset which allowed the sky, as it usually does, to transition through a myriad of colors before darkness claimed the city. (Sony DSLR-A100, 50mm, f/5.6, 1/80, ISO 160)

Mount Carleton, Enemy Mine

This is the view from the summit of the highest peak in the Maritime Provinces in June of 2007. Hiking Mount Carleton in New Brunswick, Canada, proved to be too much for me this day and, for the first time in my life, I experienced a sudden but mild case of (self-diagnosed) heat exhaustion. I was light-headed and my heart rate increased dramatically. I also had very rapid, shallow breathing and as a consequence my fingers started to tingle from lack of oxygen. I wasn't alone so I never felt like I was in any danger (bless my ignorance for keeping me calm and analytical). It was actually an interesting sensation since I'd never felt anything like it before and I said so. Eventually, we located, and I sat down in, the shade of an outcropping of rock (as much shade as we could find so close to the top, early afternoon). I drank some water, and ate an apple while I waited, embarrassed, until I could finish the climb and take photos. Not very high on my short list of finest moments, to be sure, but to be fair it was a cloudless 30ºC (86ºF) and the trail was 4.4 km (2.7 mi) one way, and ascended over 800 meters (2625 feet). I just have to learn to drink and rest more often when hiking in those kinds of conditions which shouldn't really be a problem given how innately lazy I am. (Sony, DSLR-A100, 28mm, f/9, 1/200, ISO 100)

Autumn Maple

This picture was taken close to sunset on October 2004 during a photowalk of Riverview, New Brunswick in Canada but I actually wanted to mention an experience I had the other night. I was walking around in desperate need of a haircut, heading toward a business I had driven past every day for the last two months. It appealed to me because it was called Gentlemen's Cut and I, being an aristocratic gentleman myself... *chuckle* Ok, ok. I just needed a haircut and it was close. I went inside and, timidly, approached the counter. A quick glance told me that this was no ordinary barber shop, mostly because of the 'executive' atmosphere. It seemed like a place that didn't get many children, a fact to which I pleasantly, and quietly, raised an eyebrow. Another clue was the pamphlet on the counter that proclaimed it as "A Grooming Oasis". I was clearly out of my element but was too scruffy to turn back now. I forged ahead and a helpful, bubbly, young woman explained to me that they were booked for another couple of hours, but I could come back then unless I just wanted an "Express Cut" for $20. An Express Cut? That sounded exactly like me and the price wasn't too bad so I accepted. She immediately lead me to the back where I was placed in a very comfortable chair in front of a television. I could see all the chairs had their own televisions as well, this was already a level beyond my normal haircutting experiences, and then the stylist offered me a drink. "A drink?" I asked, not sure I had heard her correctly. "Yes," she laughed, "Coke? Beer?" What? "Beer?" I asked incredulously. She laughed at me again as I declined the offer with a shocked expression, chuckling that I just needed a haircut. Suffice it to say, like Arnold J. Rimmer's, mine is a haircut designed for action, not poncing around in! Despite not being a drinker, any place that offers a sauna, massages, a putting green, TV's at every station, and beer during a haircut is ok with me. I'll definitely be going back. (Olympus C770UZ, 6mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 64)

This place needs a bigger Ben

This is one of the very few pictures I took with the camera held vertically and I still couldn't fit the entire Tower of Big Ben in the frame. I think my aversion to vertical pictures has something to do with the photos not making good desktop wallpaper (in my opinion) and that's largely where my images end up. We had gotten off the Tube at Westminster Station (October 17, 2005) and were walking to Westminster Abbey when I turned around and took this shot. You can see The London Eye in the background. The Tower of Big Ben is actually attached to the Houses of Parliament, a palace that, when we walked by, had uniformed guards carrying impressive weaponry. They eyed me with aggresive suspicion and I, suddenly nervous and a little panicky, made good my escape in as casual a manner as possible which, as an Atlantic Canadian, may have been suspiciously too casual but they didn't stop us and I was free to go back to the hotel and change my underwear. (Olympus C770UZ, 10mm, f/5.6, 1/250, ISO 64)

Omnipresent

These guys are everywhere you look (and don't look) in El Yunque, Puerto Rico. This one was giving me the evil eye for blocking his sun when the rain finally stopped. He didn't stick around for very long when he realized that I was going to block the sun, taking pictures, for however long he was willing to pose. (Sony DSLR-A100, 70mm, f/5.6, 1/15, ISO 400)

Henges and related Hengery

Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, England, is in my list of top five favorite henges in the world and was a delight to finally see in person. The mystery surrounding its origins have always intrigued me. I've personally only attempted to make three henges in my day, two of which were failures. The first one was Waterhenge. Unfortunately, no one could see it properly and after removing all the superfluous water surrounding it, discovered it had evaporated or something. The next one was a small but delicious Fudgehenge. This one didn't stand the test of time but gave me my third and most successful henge idea which I will invent (have invented) in the future, Timehenge! It will be a henge that, once created, will always have existed! Thus, having always existed, it must already exist and consequently predates all other henges! I am/will be the creator of the oldest known henge! Sadly, it's going to be difficult to prove I invented it once it begins to continue to have always existed. (Olympus C770UZ, 14mm, f/5.6, 1/200, ISO 64)

Arenal Volcana

This cloud-shrouded mistress is Arenal Volcano, a real, live, active volcano in north-western Costa Rica... and I got to play at her feet! Allowed to follow the trails at her base that were less likely to take your life, we wandered for hours while she rumbled constantly, angrily cascading rocks in mini-avalanches down her sides like rain. At over 1650 meters tall, this sassy lass calls no man master... and yet one night she and I did dare to share a special moment. Not unlike the moment when Leonardo DiCaprio sat onboard the Titanic to draw a beautiful necklace only to find Kate Winslet beneath it, I waited in the dark, a volcanic voyeur, for the clouds to part. The crackling sound of rock-on-rock action told me she was awake and angry but remained hidden behind her translucent white nightgown. I remained optomistic that she would put on a show for me so I waited and eventually the clouds parted, the sky cleared entirely, and she wore only the light from the stars. A soft orange-red hue glowing at the peak like a halo and the constant rumbling of cascading rocks reminded me of what she was. I attempted a few pictures but she was too demure and it was very dark so after a pleasant time enjoying the warm Costa Rican night I packed up my camera and turned to go. It was then that she, just for me, belched as only a volcana can and I was privy to the bright orange splash of lava I'd waited for! I was ecstatic! She was perfect and she knew it. "Buenas noches, señorita," I whispered to her as I left, smiling. (Olympus C770UZ, 10mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 64)

Rugged, Hazardous, and Beautiful

Of course, as I'm sure you've guessed from the title, I'm referring to one of my favorite things about Newfoundland, Canada... the women! If you've ever met a Newfie Lass, you can't possibly disagree (under pain of death) but I digress, this photo was taken after a few kilometers of hiking to get to the coast in August, 2006. The hiking trail is just a short drive past the Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park near Woody Point, Newfoundland and well worth the effort, although some would disagree. Getting back to the vehicles is monumentally difficult because the hike seems to have a disproportional uphill/downhill ratio. I'm sure there's twice as much uphill hiking than there should be! (Sony DSLR-A100, 50mm, f/13, 1/160, ISO 100)

Edit/Update: The Long Pond trail in Green Gardens is a moderate to strenuous, 9 km hike.