…Home to Custom Guided Upper Bay of Fundy Ocean-floor Tours Tours .
We are back at the Blacks Harbour ferry terminal to sail to Grand Manan. My exhibition closes at 6 pm. We will spend some time relaxing and enjoying this amazing sunshine before duty calls. Let’s see if we can find a nice beach…
Happy Friday. Hope everyone’s day is filled with sunshine. Best wishes, Anna
The invasive Japanese Knotweed is abuzz with bees and bumblebees before we get cooler weather. The green, lush bush is beautiful to look at but we forget about its destructive forces on the natural habitat.
Still, I delight in the lacy flower sprigs and leaves illuminated by the morning sun. Happy Thursday, Anna
These were the last images captured on my iPhone Sunday night…
It took a lot of courage (and waves lapping at my heels) to walk away from the beach on Sunday night with the tide rolling in. I had lost my phone and despite trying to retrace my steps I realized that chances were slim to none of ever seeing it again. High tide was at 7:40 p.m. Sunday night. I returned to the beach Monday morning at 8:3 a.m. before our departure for Halifax. When I saw how high the tide was I gave up all hope, took a deep breath and decided that I would never see the phone again.
When I logged on to the internet with my iPad at the hotel Monday afternoon I received amazing news! Someone had found my phone. And, due to her amazing sleuthing skills she was able to track me down despite the phone being locked.
I picked up my phone this afternoon, dropped off the promised reward and didn’t know what to expect. The red and black protective case looked unscathed, the phone still had some charge left and when I unlocked it messages kept pouring in. The camera is still working and all appears well. The phone runs a little too hot for my liking when I plug the charger in but a call to Apple support has taken away the worry. I am sending my iPhone 13 MaxPro in for a check up. Thank goodness for opting in on the AppleCare package at the time of purchase last November. The tech support person was amazed when he heard the story of the phone surviving two high tides.
I am posting this story with deep gratitude for everyone involved, especially the person who found the phone and my friend who picked it up for safe keeping till I got home from Halifax!
I hope your Wednesday has been filled with magic as well! Best wishes, Anna
Green shoots of the vine
Embracing one another –
Tendril intertwined.
…that could. Green crabs are invasive and steadily making their way north. In Newfoundland, the fisheries are looking into ways to maximize their potential by creating new and innovative dishes. With water temperature rising globally I have noticed more green crabs along the Fundy beaches this summer.
The image above was captured at Soley Cove during a low tide morning excursion. I am not sure if the crab survived the heat of the day. When we came upon her she was moving sideways swiftly toward water. (Say that three times really fast… ;-D )
Happy Labour Day Monday, Anna
I try to post new images each day but due to the loss of my phone in the might Bay of Fundy I no longer have access to the images I took recently. Stay tuned while I try to keep this blog going with some of my favourite images until I can secure a new phone. I realize I could just take a break from posting each day but this blog is part of my daily contemplative practice and I intend to keep it going during this challenging time.
Thanks for your patience, Anna
Labour Day weekend has always been a reminder that summer is slowly transitioning. This morning I was greeted by a chill in the air and I took note of how the sun’s path has gradually changed. I love autumnal light. It is softer and reveals certain details in nature we overlook during hot summer days.
This moss button has been there all along but this morning I took note of it because the light illuminated it’s crown perfectly.
Just a few steps away this berry stood out from all the others because the sun was able to find a path through the dense foliage.
I love autumn light for photography! Stay tuned for glorious East Coast colours to appear soon. The leaves are beginning to turn… Happy Saturday, Anna
We came across this remote cemetery today. The afternoon was perfect and we couldn’t help but stop and explore.
The lichens called for a study up close…
…and the ancient tree cast shadows!
Happy Friday! Best wishes. Anna
This beach never disappoints! We came upon a couple collecting dulse…
…but for the rest of the sunny walk we found ourselves alone, wading in the gentle waves lapping at the pebble beach.
Several industrious spiders were spinning furiously to repair their webs on the shady side of the large rock.
The view never disappoints! It is even more glorious on a bright and sunny day.
We live here… and gratitude radiates from these three little words. Enjoy your Thursday, I know I will. Best wishes, Anna
This rather invasive plant lines roadways in and out of town. It is one of the first plants to send up edible shoots in the spring and it flowers throughout the summer
It is hardy, you can’t pull it, you can’t burn it. We learn to live with it! The bees and insects favour it. On a grey day the lacey flower sprigs delight and push away gloomy thoughts.
Happy Wednesday, Anna
All summer long we gathered to walk the beaches at sunset, my walking group and I. Last night was the last evening walk for 2022. It was a perfect evening, concluded with a small bonfire with a most spectacular sunset as the backdrop.
Best wishes for a fabulous Tuesday, Anna
I realized, taking time out is easy when you have a backyard overlooking a river that rises and falls with the tides. The geese were out for an afternoon float yesterday.
Wishing everyone a peaceful start to the week! Don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers! Anna
Tide pools on the Bay of Fundy are vastly different from those along other coast lines. The extreme high tides are tough on sea life and one has to look hard for small creatures moving about in shallow pools of water.
My favourite creatures to watch are tiny hermit crabs. Enjoy!
Happy Sunday, friends! Sending sunshine and good vibes, Anna
Mysterious light
Pushing through the clouds to earth –
Sun is setting soon.
…always the best mental health break!
Happy Friday, Anna
Following my beach walk last Tuesday I decided to look for mushrooms in the small stand of trees near home. Just as I locked the car and stepped onto the trail the heavens opened up… no use heading home: the rain was warm and I knew I would eventually dry off.
Chanterelles have not been abundant this year. It has been very dry! I came upon three sparse patches on Tuesday and picked just enough to fill one dehydrator tray.
I delighted in other sights washed clean by the rain, the bright green leaves contrasted by red berries and a spiderweb dotted with water droplets.
I am also learning more about inedible mushrooms like these Scaly Vases. They are impressive in size. Are often found near Chanterelles and are definitely not consumable!
And then there are the early signs of autumn… a lonely red maple leaf! Fall is just around the corner.
May your Thursday be filled with sunshine and summer activities. Best wishes, Anna
Today we travelled in the opposite direction, away from the Fundy shore. Blueberry fields and forest presented themselves.
And for the first time ever we noticed this ancient sentinel standing guard in the middle of a blueberry field. The question begs: why have we never noticed this Hemlock before?
Sometimes it’s a good idea to travel against the grain. Happy Wednesday, everyone! Best wishes, Anna
The day started a bit slow for me. But instead of sitting on the couch knitting the urge struck to get out, explore a beach and breathe in salty air!
My first destination choice is always Clarke Head. I messaged my friend to see if she would be interested and it was great to hear back right away. I picked Gaby and her companion Enya up and we were soon past the first keyhole rock and nearing the sea stacks. What a great surprise: we ran into the Fundy GeoPark staff who were taking the summer students on a last outing before they all return to their places of study.
And as we arrived at the Clarke Head arch the sky cleared and the sun sent warming rays….
Words cannot describe how this natural wonder affects me. No matter how often I return here, a sense of awe takes hold and calls for a moment of reflection.
The entire beach around Clarke Head arch is magical. Rocks sparkle in the sunshine and the colours of the water add to the magnificence of the area.
Time passes quickly. As we walked back to the car we encountered mist and the sky was changing to grey once more.
Three hours spent in great company hiking on the beach to one of my favourite destinations. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Thanks for tagging along. Hope your day was all you were hoping for, Anna
L
-I think I gave another Phinney’s Green Beach fan. Susan had never visited here before and she was smitten…
Let me take you sometime! Just say the word! I am always happy to share, Anna
It was a colourful sunset tonight. The house smells heavenly… I am cooking up a triple batch of rhubarb butter, dehydrating another chanterelle find and am ready to get about seven pints of blueberries we foraged along the edge of a recently harvested field.
We are just getting into foraging mode. Last year the chanterelles were abundant… this year the dry conditions make the hunt for mushrooms a real challenge.
However, the wild blueberries are much larger and teasing the dark, plump berries from dense clusters makes it easy to fill a basket in record time.
The best part of driving remote gravel roads are the vistas we are rewarded with at the end of our “work”.
I hope you all had a fabulous weekend to recharge for a busy week. Sending good energy your way, Anna
Tide Rollers & Mudlarkers...