The "Indian Head"

This is the famous rock column at Ouimet Canyon. I'll have to review my geology... but it is similar to other sites I visited. Its a columnar formation.

Ouimet Canyon

After leaving Thunder Bay, I made a quick stop at Amethyst Harbour - where I got a bit turned around. It was raining - so the pictures weren't worth posting - but basically its a bunch of cottages on Lake Superior.

This photo is taken at the next stop - Ouimet Canyon. I hummed and hawed over the stop because I'd been here before (but not in autumn) In the end, I was glad I took the side trip. It was really inspiring and I fear none of my pictures does it justice. I read lots about the geology and ecology here. Its pretty neat. The canyon is so narrow that the plants in the bottom are actually relict populations from the last ice age - because it is shaded so much, the snow stays late into the spring (maybe even the summer) and so artic plants thrive where regular plants haven't.

Morning Glow

same place/time as below

Last View of the Sleeping Giant

So, continueing my journey home (some time later) I left early enough to catch the sunrise at the Bluffs and photograph the Sleeping Giant/Thunder Bay harbour one last time. This is sort of special for me because one of the special things I did (usually on the first day of each semester) was to get up before sunrise and hike to high park and then watch the sunrise and set my personal/academic goals for the year (and sing the national anthem). So it was kind of neat to do it again. No goals today (might have sung the national anthem though *blush*). I just took pictures and hit the road.

A big shout out to the folks in Churchill, Manitoba

While the dot on my cluster map is so big that its hard to tell whether it is Churchill, Manitoba or Arviat, Nunavut - I think I recall the dot being on the Manitoba side when it was smaller - Its so cool that you check my site out and I'd love to hear from you. Both places are really cool!

Jenn

Snow Falling on Cedars

Which is also the name of a great movie

Winter Whispers

Calm and Quiet on the Credit

There really isn't much to match the silent beauty of the first snow fall when the natural world hasn't quite gone to sleep. The last time I took pictures of this event I was in Fredericton and I got some neat pictures with the snow falling on Sumac leaves. I was actually doing a bit of field work (which involved me putting my hands into this chilly water - I don't think I've ever appreciated Tim Horton's Hot Chocolate so much in my life - or dry clothes. I even forgave them for forgetting to put milk in it (albiet with a scalded tounge).

Of course it was raining by the time I got back home - so there is no snow here, but a pretty afternoon indeed.

The Reign of the Gerainiums

Here is one of my rescued Gerainiums which is continuing to flower thus far. Unfortunately, the leaves on the side farther from the window have started to yellow and I think I'm going to prune it back as soon as the flowers are done.

Maestro

I can't say why this plant brings to mind a fevered classical musician - but this pot of licorish plant and Oregano is just cool. I'm not sure how its taking the move inside. In addition to being inside, its been unusually gloomy all week. This is making my geraniums a bit whiny, but I always have the option of cutting them back and letting them go dormant - but lets hope fore some natural light.

Dead Nettle Takes Over the Bathroom

This plant seems to be happy with the move inside - flowering with these neat and delicate blooms.

And the wheel of time turned....

Book news today...and sad stuff too. Robert Jordon, despite stubbornly trying to beat the odds against his rare blood disease, has passed on. Actually, I believe he passed on on Sept. 16th, 2007 - but with all the books I was expecting out - I haven't been checking up on my authors. So, I actually found out when I went onto George R.R. Martin's site to see if there was the long awaited update that Dances with Dragon's was done - which it isn't. Hopefully, Martin will finish that series before he dies. As for Jordon's nearly finished series, The Wheel of Time, the final book will likely be completed by his wife/editor and his publisher. He has apparently left a large amount of manuscript, a tonne of notes and dictations. Robin Hobb is currently working on a book set in the Rain Wilds set beyond the time line of her last books in that world (i.e. none of our character friends are alive to take part).

The photo was taken from Mount Nemo of Miltonia... :D

Rest in Peace, Robert Jordon.

Cheers,

Jenn

P.S. The link in the title is to a recent interview with Forbes where he explain what he expected to happen if he died before completing Book 12: Memory of Light (I like the title). The link just above is to his own personal blog where picture from the funeral and some excerps are posted as well as recent letters that he wrote.

Missing in Action

I've been pretty busy with school lately. Hopefully I'll get a chance to go back and fill in the rest of my journey from TB to TO... but not today... just a brief escape to Mount Nemo to catch the tail end of fall in the south... with my favourite hiking companion :D

For some well written info on MMP

Up until yesterday I was guilty of neither knowing enough about MMP to make a decision about it or who I was going to vote for. This is unusual for me, since I generally follow elections closely. This just happened to be a campaign that coincided with me being seperated from media and the new paper - so I simply didn't follow as closely as usual. It is also the first time I haven't felt strongly against one of the candidates, although there are a few policies I'm not impressed with.

Having remedied that... I wanted to share some fairly balanced information written by a friend of mine from highschool. I'm was impressed by the background research and generally excellent writing. For those of you who still want to learn more - Here is the LINK.

This barns is just south of Kakabeka on a hill with the nor'westers in the background. It looked cooler eariler in the afternoon when there was light on the front of it.

Other announcements...

Gabe is still looking for models to help with his assignments in his final year of Photography. Some of the shoots are location shots - so can be done in various places (depending on the exact assignment) and others would require that you come into the studio at Humber. If you are intersted, let me know, and we'll send you word when an assignment comes out. You will definately get a print out of it and its lots of fun.

Jennith

Current River, Boulavard Lake and the Bluffs

Current River Spillway, Downstream from the Dam that creates Boulavard Lake

A view of the Current River, Boulavard Lake and Lake Superior from the Bluffs

Pie Island, in Lake Superior, From the Bluffs

Boulavard Lake, Centenial Park, The Bluffs and Trowbridge Falls are all parks on the Current River on the east side (Port Arthur) of Thunder Bay. The City I believe runs the first 3, while the local Lions run Trowbridge. I didn't make it to Trowbridge this day, but I've been there before and the rapids and falls are cool. I was surprised by the size and sofistication of the other 3 parks, having never been there before in the 5 years I lived in TB.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

Kakabeka falls spray blowing downstream created the perfect conditions for this rainbow. Since Geology became a major theme of my trip, I'd also like to point out the layered beds of stone on the canyon wall. Most of it is Greywacke - however the white lines are Ash Rock and there is a Diabase Sill capping the structure and resisting erosion.

Little Falls at Kakabeka

61 cubic meters/second flowing over Kakabeka Falls

Here are Kakabeka Falls on Wednesday with a flow of 61 m3/s. Usually, there is about 4 m3/s - so this is a pretty good show. I had a nice chat with the lady at the visitors centre and hiked to Little Falls - which made me think of Brenda, because she used to take us there with our Pathfinders when we camped there. Pretty cool spot!

An old favourite view

I took 2 hours to vist my old Alma Matar on my last day in TB. Here is the view from the 4th floor of the Centenial Building. You can see the somewhat ugly Lake Tamblynn, Prettie and Bartley Residences and the Nor'Westers in the background. I also went back that evening to hang out at the PUB (aka The Outpost) and watch hockey and have a beer. Its funny how little has changed --- and the Senators beat the Leafs. But since the Senators are my second favourite team - I really couldn't be too sad that my favourite team lost. (ooh... that would be a public admission of being a Leafs fan - but then I'm proud of it and I believe we have a Stanley Cup coming in the nearish future - we just need to be patient.)

Here is the view looking from one side of the bridge to the other.

The farther bridge (from the parking lot) is longer than the Capilano bridge in BC.

You can just make out the bridge in the distance

I'm on the farther bridge looking to the nearer bridge.

Eaglel River Canyon

One stop M. and I made after staying at Sleeping Giant Park was the Eagle Canyon Suspension Bridge. (Ooops.. had to back track in my itinary). See the link above for details on the Eagle Canyon webpage.

Grand Portage National Monument

Here is the massive dining hall in the wilderness that was once the headquarters of the NorthWest Company. This is a really cool little museum with an amazing new visitors centre and some of the best interpretive staff I've ever met. I'm really glad I stumbled on it.

The View From the Top

I've now made it to the top of finger peninsula lookout and I'm able to see tonnes of islands and peninsulas in this part of Lake Superior. I might even be able to see Isle Royale - if it wasn't so cloudy and foggy.