Photos A Walk in Nature

Ellis Wyatt · Aug 7, 2023

CelloDan said:
Wow, great pics
I’ve never encountered a bear in the wild except a couple of times from the safety of sitting inside a car.

There has been several bear sightings this season in our area and especially in densely populated Ottawa of all places.

A bear that kept coming back was put down recently not far from where I my daughter’s violin teacher lives.

We have seen quite a few this year. Finally got a few good pictures with a real camera this weekend.

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And one raptor:
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Just Tom. · Aug 7, 2023

CelloDan said:
Nice messing about in boats Tom !
Poling looks like the best way of propelling the boat in the shallow weedy areas.
Were you able to sort of guesstimate the speed ?

Thanks, Dan!
It took me exactly an hour to go 1.4 miles upstream, and about the same time back downstream due to a headwind and only sluggish current. I figured that out by looking at the timestamps on my pictures and measuring the distance in Google Earth :thumbsup:

.

Just Tom. · Aug 7, 2023

RLB0414 said:
Awesome photos.
The last one calls to bounce a buzz bait off the trunk a few times and see what happens

Thanks

.
That heron and you clearly have better instincts than I do…
For now I’m just fishing for catfish, with bait, as sort of a sideline to the boating and bike-camping, but if you keep egging me on like that I might have to start taking it more seriously

.

On my way upstream I passed a couple of guys in waders who seemed to be having excellent luck with some sort of frog jig, it looked like. One of them pulled in something about the length of my forearm and hand, but I couldn’t tell what it was from the distance i was at by then.

CelloDan · Aug 7, 2023

Ellis Wyatt said:
We have seen quite a few this year. Finally got a

Outstanding photography !
What a treat to be able to observe them in their natural habitat !

Just Tom. said:
Thanks, Dan!
It took me exactly an hour to go 1.4 miles upstream, and about the same time back downstream due to a headwind and only sluggish current. I figured that out by looking at the timestamps on my pictures and measuring the distance in Google Earth .

It does sound faster if you say it in Canadian

That’s 2.25 km/hr

I just spotted this … burl ? … chaga ?

What do you think

RayseM ?

It would be great either way.
A super healthy infusion or amazing wood for turning

Too bad I am not allowed to cut it

RayseM · Aug 7, 2023

Looks decidedly burl like with no attributes of Chaga visible. If it was Chaga you would only need to break it off. That would be a treasure.
With a discreet bump with a hard object.

OOPS - you could say - I didn't mean to break it.

GmpaJim · Aug 11, 2023

Allegheny River (Ohi’yo, beautiful river)
Up stream

Down stream

Southern Tier Expressway, Rt. 86 E/W. No aids to Nav. this far up stream, know the channel. Past the bridge is canoes & kayaks, against the current, to Salamanca, NY.

Best friends

Just Tom. · Aug 13, 2023

Managed to sneak out to the river for a just an hour or so this morning…

Still at least a month too early to find pawpaws:

RayseM · Aug 13, 2023

Not much walking this week except for a few power hikes.

Bogdan FIREBUG with a "fire mushroom" ~

CelloDan · Aug 21, 2023

A summer to remember !

My lovely wife and I are on a quest !

A quest to squeeze every drop of joy as possible out of this summer out in nature and close to God's creation.

A personal quest for me as well to continue to strive and mature as a husband ... to be there for my best friend and love of my life as she has always been for me.

Exploring Saranac Lake.

I was fortunate to be able to sail a little sailboat called Zuma to my heart's content.
I sailed it everyday and logged about 100 km on it exploring the entire lake "sans engine"

A view of "Chapel Island" on Saranac Lake from my little sailboat

I docked at Chapel Island to check it out.
The tiny island is home to a pretty little chapel

A view of Saranac Lake and the camp from a drone

I also got to try sailing a Hobie 16 catamaran.
Things didn't go as planned out of the gate

Yours truly was at the tiller

( unmute to hear our cheering crowd lol

)

https://imgur.com/0CVz1ey

And then like a phoenix out of the water she raises back up lol

And out we go on a truly exhilarating sail ... that catamaran was almost flying

https://imgur.com/5f1cRDT

And then the mast came crashing down missing my head by about a foot

In times of distress there is always time for a selfie

Signaling to our rescue boat

Limping ( rather dragged) back to home port with our pride mostly intact

The point of failure at the top of the mast

( to be continued in safer canadian

waters

... with some knife content hopefully

)

CelloDan · Aug 21, 2023

Back in safer canadian

waters the adventure continued lol

At anchor ... there is a dear in the forest hiding among the trees

Wake up hun ... time to go sailing

Big bro got to stay !

Lil bro got to go !

RLB0414 · Aug 21, 2023

Looks like a lot of fun, excitement and peril. Thank you for sharing with us.

JJ_Colt45 · Aug 21, 2023

CelloDan said:
Back in safer canadian waters the adventure continued lol

At anchor ... there is a dear in the forest hiding among the trees

Wake up hun ... time to go sailing

Big bro got to stay !

Lil bro got to go !

It looks like you and your lovely bride are having an amazing summer exploring mother nature! Thanks for sharing your adventures.

Your mast mishap resembles my only experience on a catamaran ... it was a bit bigger and there were 6 of us onboard. The wind came up and a sail tore loose and knocked most of us in the water and we had to be towed back in.

Prester John · Aug 21, 2023

CelloDan said:
A summer to remember !

My lovely wife and I are on a quest !
A quest to squeeze every drop of joy as possible out of this summer out in nature and close to God's creation.

A personal quest for me as well to continue to strive and mature as a husband ... to be there for my best friend and love of my life as she has always been for me.

Exploring Saranac Lake.

I was fortunate to be able to sail a little sailboat called Zuma to my heart's content.
I sailed it everyday and logged about 100 km on it exploring the entire lake "sans engine"

A view of "Chapel Island" on Saranac Lake from my little sailboat

I docked at Chapel Island to check it out.
The tiny island is home to a pretty little chapel

A view of Saranac Lake and the camp from a drone

I also got to try sailing a Hobie 16 catamaran.
Things didn't go as planned out of the gate
Yours truly was at the tiller ( unmute to hear our cheering crowd lol )

https://imgur.com/0CVz1ey

And then like a phoenix out of the water she raises back up lol

And out we go on a truly exhilarating sail ... that catamaran was almost flying

https://imgur.com/5f1cRDT

And then the mast came crashing down missing my head by about a foot

In times of distress there is always time for a selfie

Signaling to our rescue boat

Limping ( rather dragged) back to home port with our pride mostly intact

The point of failure at the top of the mast

( to be continued in safer canadian waters ... with some knife content hopefully )

Great quest, Dan! Thanks for sharing.

RayseM · Aug 21, 2023

I was saying out loud to Elaine that you are a darned accomplished sailor

- geez brother, you made a liar out of me.

I jest of course - you are a master at having fun AND a much better sailor than I am. You guys are living the dream. Very cool.

GmpaJim · Aug 24, 2023

Tent voices at 3 AM…
Honey, did you hear that?
Yeah, probably that chipmunk after crumbs…

Just Tom. · Aug 24, 2023

GmpaJim said:
Tent voices at 3 AM…
Honey, did you hear that?
Yeah, probably that chipmunk after crumbs…
View attachment 2297227

That’s a mighty big chipmunk, to be uprooting trees like that…

mbkr · Aug 24, 2023

Fantastic pics Dan

CelloDan . Looks like y'all are having a fabulous time :thumbsup:

Was the mast failure related to the tip over?

Many years ago I dropped my motorcycle at a gas station in the Yukon. It promptly pinned me to the gas pump. A couple of long haired biker types ran out and helped extricate me. After affirming that I was uninjured, I said something about being embarrassed to which one of them drily said, "Anybody who rides and says they never dropped one is lying."

I suspect something similar can be said about sailing small boats

Jolipapa · Aug 24, 2023

Just Tom. said:
That’s a mighty big chipmunk, to be uprooting trees like that…

As far as I see you can't lean on him...

mbkr said:
Fantastic pics Dan CelloDan . Looks like y'all are having a fabulous time

Was the mast failure related to the tip over?

Many years ago I dropped my motorcycle at a gas station in the Yukon. It promptly pinned me to the gas pump. A couple of long haired biker types ran out and helped extricate me. After affirming that I was uninjured, I said something about being embarrassed to which one of them drily said, "Anybody who rides and says they never dropped one is lying."

I suspect something similar can be said about sailing small boats

And he was right! I dropped my brand new Beemer the day I got it... near the zoo entrance. I was THE attraction!

Hibou Canne · Aug 24, 2023

Round-Top Trail (3175 Feet) Sutton Natural Environment Park, Qc

Bicknell’s Thrush, a rare and threatened species

CelloDan · Aug 24, 2023

RLB0414 said:
Looks like a lot of fun, excitement and peril. Thank you for sharing with us.

De nada amigo

JJ_Colt45 said:
It looks like you and your lovely bride are having an amazing summer exploring mother nature! Thanks for sharing your adventures.

Your mast mishap resembles my only experience on a catamaran ... it was a bit bigger and there were 6 of us onboard. The wind came up and a sail tore loose and knocked most of us in the water and we had to be towed back in.

Gracias amigo!
Catamarans are a whole different beast as I am now aware

Prester John said:
Great quest, Dan! Thanks for sharing.

Welcome Vince !

RayseM said:
I was saying out loud to Elaine that you are a darned accomplished sailor - geez brother, you made a liar out of me.

I jest of course - you are a master at having fun AND a much better sailor than I am. You guys are living the dream. Very cool.

Thanks brother

GmpaJim said:
Tent voices at 3 AM…
Honey, did you hear that?
Yeah, probably that chipmunk after crumbs…
View attachment 2297227

Tom is right

That’s one really mighty chipmunk Jim

mbkr said:
Fantastic pics Dan CelloDan . Looks like y'all are having a fabulous time

Was the mast failure related to the tip over?

Many years ago I dropped my motorcycle at a gas station in the Yukon. It promptly pinned me to the gas pump. A couple of long haired biker types ran out and helped extricate me. After affirming that I was uninjured, I said something about being embarrassed to which one of them drily said, "Anybody who rides and says they never dropped one is lying."

I suspect something similar can be said about sailing small boats

Thanks Mike !
The failure was not related to the tip over. It’s rather common to tip small catamarans, especially on the first outings lol

We suspect the age of the boat and the likelihood it was not rigged properly caused the failure

When sharing my experience in a sailing forum someone commented that you have not pushed a catamaran hard enough if you’ve never tipped one.

Glad your story ended well

Jolipapa said:
As far as I see you can't lean on him...

And he was right! I dropped my brand new Beemer the day I got it... near the zoo entrance. I was THE attraction!

I sort of know how that feels

I run our brand new honda outboard into some rocks last year … and then again this year … ouch

Diana on the other hand could not have cared less about the scratches and little prop dings.

Hibou Canne said:
Round-Top Trail (3175 Feet) Sutton Natural Environment Park, Qc

Beautiful my friend!
La belle province

Nature provides

At anchor, inside Serena’s belly posting on the Porch