This old chair

A couple of years ago, I found these two old wood folding chairs at a Value Village store in Sydney, Cape Breton. They were both in rough shape, barely sturdy enough for an adult to sit on, but still good enough to display in the garden just for show. After a couple of years of enduring our maritime weather, the blue paint wore off and they ended up falling apart but I managed to salvage one chair out of the two. A couple of coats of white paint and picking the best slats out of the two chairs for the seat, it was good enough to bring one chair back to life.  I'm glad I didn't send them both to the dump but decided to recycle instead...

Yellow buttercups and purple clovers

I don't know if it's because the sun was shining so bright all day today, I couldn't resist finding that the wild flowers (or are they weeds) in the fields all around had such vivid colours. I gathered a few yellow buttercups and purple clovers and created a wonderful little bouquet, set in an old pottery vase that I found in the back porch. It's now the month of July and I can finally say that it feels like summer...

This morning's walk

For this morning's walk, at least the wind wasn't too brisk, just a soft breeze which was a little cool. On the way back it started to drizzle a bit, but with just a light spring jacket, it was still a pleasant stroll up Chapel Cove Rd. It's always a nice walk, either it being a bright and sunny day or a foggy day when you can smell the ocean in the air. I'm hoping we'll see the sun later on, maybe by the end of the week?  

With all this rain

Cape Breton Living's Photo of the Week, June 3, 2011. With all the rain we've been getting in L'Ardoise lately, the grass is turning a bright green. Again today, we are having drizzly weather and I'm sure the grass is even greener. But if we could get warmer temperatures and a bit more sunshine, maybe those little buds in the trees will bring out more of that green colour...

Webcams are back on..

We're back on track, the webcams are updating once again... on the Cape Breton Living website.

West view webcam

Here is a still shot of the west view webcam taken this morning. You might have noticed that the webcams on the Cape Breton Living website has not updated since yesterday at 11:55am. I'm hoping to have this problem resolved soon, so in the meantime, I will post an updated image of the cams here in the blog.   

Around the yard

Today, the sun finally came out after weeks of rain, drizzle, fog, wind and early this morning, thundershowers. In the last few weeks, well for all of our spring season so far, we might have enjoyed 4 or 5 full days where the sun did make an appearance. So finally when the clouds and the fog cleared up by late afternoon today, I grabbed my camera and got busy out in the yard snapping pictures of that beautiful warm sunshine making everything look so bright and colourful. My lilac tree (or is it a bush) needed this bit of sunshine. Soon I'll be able to enjoy a freshly picked bouquet of these purple flowers on my kitchen table. I'm hoping that the month of June will bring more sunny days than rainy and foggy ones...

Fortress of Louisbourg

Photo of the Week, April 29, 2011

Cape Breton Living's Photo of the Week is of the Fortress of Louisbourg.
This summer, why not visit and experience living history in the 18th century? I am told it's the largest reconstructed 18th century French fortified town in North America. It's sure to be the highlight of your vacation...  For more info visit these websites:
Fortress Louisbourg Association
Parks Canada - Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site

Muskrat or otter?

On our daily walk along the shore road by home, we came across this muskrat or maybe it was an otter. We stopped to look and noticed it was looking at us too. At the same time, close by was a frantically cawing black crow that seemed to have an issue with this little guy. As cute as the otter might seem, when it started to head towards us, I felt a little uncomfortable. Just then, the loud black crow got himself between us and the otter and scared it back in a hole in the ice. I'm not sure what happened here, but I was glad the crow did what he did 

It's almost springtime

Instead of going out to find signs of spring, I was out yesterday looking for snow, mountains of snow! We set out early Sunday morning and stopped for breakfast at the Big Stop in Auld's Cove before heading out for the Highlands of Cape Breton. Our road trip was to drive along Route 19, through Port Hastings, Judique, Port Hood, Mabou, Inverness then coffee at Tim's in Cheticamp. From there we took our coffee with us and headed for North Mountain, just past the picturesque community of Pleasant Bay. Lots of snow we did find, now that I got my fill...I'm looking forward to signs of spring...

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...

Webcam update

For the past few months, on the Cape Breton Living website, we've been showing only one camera which was overlooking east at the ponds, hills and houses. As of yesterday, the camera has been moved to overlook south-west at the shore, wharf and the ocean. Eventually, hopefully soon, 2 cameras will be up and running again at the same time so everyone can view either the east view or the west view in real time. Till then, I hope you enjoy the view whichever way it's facing!

Photo of the Week April 16, 2010

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It's Friday once again and here is the latest Photo of the Week on Cape Breton Living website. On a quick stop in town for a coffee at Tim's, I snapped this photo of the buildings across the street. The village of St Peter's is working on a beautification project and being revitalized with a new look on the main street with professionally designed façade and streetscape improvements. I must say that I do like the new look along Grenville Street and congratulate the Village of St Peter's on a fantastic job, which is still today a work in progress.   

The Blue Heron is back

First thing this morning, before my first coffee, I walk down to the road to pick up my newspaper and as I pull the paper out of the box, I spotted the large Blue Heron, back from its winter vacation. He looks as if he's trying to keep warm, with its neck all tucked in, looking as if he's thrown a big blanket over his shoulders or should I say his wings. It's not an easy task to capture an Blue Heron on camera. As I got a little closer, in a blink of an eye, he was up in the air flying away. Lucky for me, he just made a loop around and landed a few feet away from his first spot in the pond. Glad to see them back, another sign of spring. 

Photo of the Week

This week's photo on Cape Breton Living's Photo of the Week  is of a colourful spring shot of the St Peter's Canal which is a National Historic Site of Canada. The St Peter's Canal links the Atlantic Ocean with the Bras d'Or Lakes. You can find some interesting reading at this Parks Canada Website http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ns/stpeters/index.aspx

Sunny Sunday

The weather always seem to be a good topic here on Cape Breton Island. We've been getting some nice days lately, with temperatures just above the zero mark, but today, it was just like a summer day. Perfect for this Easter Sunday with family.  Even the the breeze was warm, making it just right for a walk along the shore after our big dinner.  Heard the peepers for the first time last evening. They must have known we were going to get this beautiful sunny day today. Spring is really here....

Internet is down

Since early this morning, March 20th, the internet connection has been down. Because of this, the webcam on the Cape Breton Living website hasn't been updating every 5 seconds like it is scheduled to do. I was able to connect through dial-up and managed to occasionally send an image of the webcam throughout the day. Hopefully the internet connection will be restored soon. I'm just realizing how painfully slow working with dial-up connection really is!

Trip around the Cabot Trail

Took a trip around the Cabot Trail yesterday. Although spring is not officially here yet, it was beautiful mild day with temperatures of 5-6c. We left from Sydney, where only patches of snow was showing here and there on lawns and parking lots. Spring was definitely in the air! We started the trip via Seal Island Bridge, Kelly's Mountain then St Ann's Bay, Cape Smokey, Ingonish and up around Big Intervale,  through Cheticamp and the Margarees and back on the Trans Canada to Sydney. You can say we did the trail counter-clockwise.  The photos up above are taken on the northern tip of the Cabot Trail in the Highlands.  The snow banks on North Mountain had to be at least ten feet high. This time of the year, I don't usually look for snow, but I was in total awe with the the beautiful snow covered scenery around us. Since we didn't get much snow all winter around home, this was a pleasant change. Now I am looking forward to spring and summer...

Friday morning

Early friday morning, just before 6:45am, these beautiful creatures were taking a stroll along the shore road, heading for the field and forest further up, away from the seashore.   In the shot you can see five deer, but I believe there was another one ahead in the front. This shot was "Photo of the Week" on the Cape Breton Living website this friday. 

The eagle is back

A sure sign that the winter is almost over and that spring is just around the corner. This morning, just another cloudy, drizzly and windy day, I spotted the magnificent bald eagle, back again after the long winter months to do some fishing in the pond. The ice is breaking up, giving the eagle a great opportunity to pluck an eel from the water in the pond.

News on the webcams

On friday, the trusted computer running the Cape Breton Living Webcams eventually went on the blink. Hopefully it's not something too complex, that it can be repaired and that I won't need to replace the whole system. I have temporarily fixed a new webcam shot from a different location and because of this change, I was only able to setup one camera instead of two cameras. The camera for now is pointing east and will be the only one showing on the website. Maybe later on, the west view camera will be back up and running for those who liked to check the sights of the beach and ocean. So keep coming back, there's always something new and always kept up to date!

Skating on the pond

Another great day for skating on the pond. The temperature is minus 8.6c and a bit of a breeze, which makes this a typical Canadian winter day... only without the 2 or 3 feet of snow we usually have on the ground by now. Well at least there's no need to do any shovelling before enjoying the ice!

Today's Photo of the Week

Today's Photo of the Week on the Cape Breton Living website is of a beautiful, serene scene view across a small pond in L'Ardoise. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago after a light snow covered the ground and everything else that sits above it. Today the pond is frozen and a great spot for the young ones (and mature ones too) to skate, in the open air. I was happy to see 3 or 4 kids out skating on the ice shooting a puck in a net they dragged onto the ice on the pond. They played until dark and came back again the next few days while the weather permits them to enjoy the ice and the great outdoors. Only a few days before, a few guys were out there on the ice, spearing for eels. Another great winter event for sure. The only problem with this, was the way they left most of the smooth clean ice surface with guck and black branches and wood that was raked from the bottom of the pond making it look like a war zone. Not only did it deface what might as well be our front yard, but the chance to do any skating there on that section of the pond a very difficult thing to do. I'm not sure if it was their plan to leave a corner of the pond for those who might want to enjoy a bit of skating, but I was glad to see the kids able to do so after all.