Fall foliage sunset

New Cumberland, NS

Oct. 13, 2013

A gorgeous end to a fine Fall day.  That's an old steam powered shingle mill in the distance.

Lower Rose Bay: Vivacious Viburnum!

Lower Rose Bay, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

These colourful berries are ripening all over the place.  Take a look in a ditch on your next drive and you'll probably spot one or two.

Viburnum Nudum (or wild raisin, as it is known locally) is easy to find in the fall as the berries ripen and start to turn purple and begin to resemble raisins.   

Viburnums are a great native species to plant in your yard and provide an important food source for birds that feed on fruit like the gorgeous Cedar Waxwing!

Check out this informative post which has some great images of the berries in the various stages of ripening.

Mountain Ash Mayhem Continues

 Lower Rose Bay, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

  Lower Rose Bay, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

 Lower Rose Bay, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

To be honest, I have no idea where Lower Rose Bay ends and Kingsburg/Upper Kingsburg begins.  At any rate, this one is on the road from Rose Bay to Kingsburg, close to the turn off to Upper Kingsburg.

Gorgeous!

Lower Rose Bay: American Mountain Ash

 Lower Rose Bay, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

 Lower Rose Bay, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

Another gorgeous specimen of American Mountain Ash, spotted on my way home. ^_^

Mother of Mountain Ash (American)

 Kingsburg, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

 Kingsburg, NS

Sept. 7, 2013

Not sure if it's a Rose Bay/Kingsburg thang, but there are tons of gorgeous American Mountain Ash trees showing off their red berries right now.  I have started to photograph my faves.  Stay tuned for more in the days/weeks to come!

If this piques your interest in the trees around you, check out this handy guide to identifying trees of the Acadian Forest.

Full of Fall Foliage

Site D

Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia

October 8, 2012

Last weekend was a gorgeous last gasp of mild weather.  Camping at Site D was a lovely way to spend Thanksgiving with friends.

I am greatly saddened and frustrated by the Federal Conservative Party's gutting of the National Park system.  Not only does it impact me and my friends who regularly frequent the park between Oct. 9th and May 24, but also my friends who are employed at the park.  

Anecdotal accounts suggest that the science research program at Keji has been gutted.  I hope that is not the case.  Park staff used to visit local schools to educate children about wilderness appreciation, forest biology, etc..  Apparently Environment Canada funding for that program (controlled by ex-Global news anchor Peter Kent) has also been cut.

Please consider helping non-profit group efforts such as the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.  We are witnessing the dismantling of our shared parks heritage.  Their 2012 parks report is particularly disturbing. 

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but them's the facts.

November snow got you down?

Fear not, gaze upon the autumn hues of this Loonieburg landscape, and exhale.

Bye bye magnolias and forsythias, hello rhododendrons!,

Manged to bust out my 50mm f/1.8 for some foliage shots. I am loving all the rhododendrons, azaleas and other flowering shrubs busting out this week. Bring on the sun!!!

Fall colours

Japanese maple leaves, spotted in Upper Kingsburg last week.

Fall foliage, and all that jazz...

Purdy foliage...

...shot in Cape Breton ~1 month ago....what a weekend to drive the Cabot Trail!!!