Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Beautiful Maine Coast

Biddeford Pool Maine
Biddeford Pool, Maine

Cape Porpoise near Kennebunkport
Cape Porpoise near Kennebunkport

For me, one of the most beautiful places along the US east coast is the Maine Coast. During our stay in Old Orchard Beach, we took a few trips up and down coast.

Bush Compound at Walkers Point Kennebunkport
      Bush Compound at Walkers Point

We enjoyed near perfect weather, with the Autumn colours starting to really bloom.
Managed to grab a few shots of one of my favourite subjects -- Lighthouses.

But again, that'll will be a topic for another post.

Here are a few more images along the Maine coast:

Goose Rocks Beach

Cape Porpoise Maine

Cape Elizabeth Maine


Clicking on any image on this page will open a larger version. Use your browser's "back" button to return to the Blog.

Other photos taken on the trip can be seen in my Trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine - October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Old Orchard Beach Pier

Old Orchard Beach
      Old Orchard Beach

Old Orchard Beach is a booming town during the summer. You can hardly walk along the beach with the crowds. But once summer is over, the crowds disappear.

While it is almost impossible to find a motel room in New England during the Peak Fall Colours season, the same is not true in Old Orchard.


Old Orchard Beach
Along the Beach

Marilyn & I have twice visited Old Orchard over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (also known as Columbus Day weekend in the States.) This time we headed down a week earlier to take advantage of lower off-season rates.

Grand Street, Old Orchard Beach
The town was pretty closed up, with most places only opening on weekends in the Fall. And most of those would close for the winter once the Columbus Day weekend was over.

The nearly deserted beach was very peaceful. Two of the three mornings we were there, I made the effort to get up to see the sunrise. It was beautiful both days!

This was the first morning.

Old Orchard Beach sunrise

And this was the second morning.

Old Orchard Beach sunrise

While in Old Orchard, we day-tripped to Portland and along the Maine coast. But they'll be topics for other blog posts.

Other photos taken on the trip can be seen in my Trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine - October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking. And stop by again.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Visiting New England in the Fall

Littleton New Hampshire                             Littleton, New Hampshire

Mount Washington Hotel New Hampshire
              Mt. Washington Hotel, Rte 302,
              Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Back around Canadian Thanksgiving (Columbus Day in the US), Marilyn & I decided to take a trip down to Old Orchard Beach in Maine.
The weather was nice when we left Greenfield Park. We stopped in Littleton, New Hampshire for lunch and discovered the beautiful scene depicted in the top image.

Crawford Notch New Hampshire
 Crawford Notch, New Hampshire

But the moment we approached the White Mountains, the sky became dull grey. (I've often told Marilyn that the clouds on top of Mount Washington were to hide the activities of the Aliens that relocated there from Area 51.)

Here are a few photos taken in New Hampshire and Vermont as we traveled to and from Old Orchard Beach:


Crawford Notch New Hampshire

Crawford Notch New Hampshire

Vermont Vietnam Memorial

Rest stop along I89 in Vermont

Other photos taken on the trip can be seen in my Trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine - October 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Coaticook Gorge Park

Coaticook Gorge Park

Coaticook Gorge Suspension Bridge
Standing on the Suspension Bridge

One of many attractions in Quebec's Eastern Townships is Coaticook Gorge Park located within the town of Coaticook. A little over 2 hours drive from Montreal, it was quite overcast the morning we headed out.

Traveling along Autoroute 10 you could see the start of some beautiful fall colours, especially when we past by Mont Orford

Autumn leaves

The Park has many hiking trails, cycling paths and even horseback riding trails. There is camping in the Summer and Snow-shoeing and Cross-country skiing in the winter.

The day we visited, we stayed to the marked trail along the Coaticook river, over the suspension bridge and back along the other side of the river to where we started. We also visited the the camping area. I took a steep hike to where there were suppose to be waterfalls. I did find some small cascades. Suspect they might be a bit more impressive during the Spring run off.

Here are a few photos taken along our walk.

Coaticook Gorge Park

Autumn leaves

Coaticook

fungus

Other photos taken that day can be seen in my Day trip to Coaticook Gorge Park - 29 September 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The Market



Jean Talon marke

Montreal has two farmers' markets: the Atwater Market and the Jean Talon market. The Jean Talon market is the much larger of the two.


Jean Talon marke

On a weekday at the end of September, we paid the market a visit. (You can't move for the crowds on the weekends.) There was still quite a few people around, including several who were more interested in taking pictures than in buying fresh fruits and vegetables. (Gotta love people like that. {Big Grin})
Here are a few photos taken that day.

Jean Talon marke

Jean Talon marke
Jean Talon marke
Other photos taken that day can be seen in my A visit to Jean Talon Market - 25 September 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Visiting Longueuil's Regional Park


Google map of Longueuil Regional Park


Longueuil Regional Park
  One of the ponds

One of my favourite places to visit with my camera is the regional park in Longueuil, Quebec.

Located within a 25 minute drive from my house, it is a wonderful location to take pictures.

Longueuil Regional Park
The Marsh


Whether in the Spring which brings the ducks and geese or in the Fall with its vibrant colours I always find something of interest to photograph.

The following are a few of the shots I've taken in the park over the past year.

Click on any image to see a much larger version. Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

GrackleCommon Grackle in the Marsh

House SparrowCommon House Sparrow

Canada Goose
The Family Goose


Canada Goose gosling

Red Osier Dogwood
Red Osier Dogwood berries

Longueuil Regional Park
Fountain in one of the ponds

The above images are from several different photo galleries.
- Walkabout Longueuil Regional Park - 13 May 2008
- Walkabout Longueuil Regional Park - 24 May 2008
- Walkabout Longueuil Regional Park Isle Charron and Iles de Boucherville Provincial Park - 19 September 2008

Other images taken in the Longueuil Regional Park can be seen on my Southshore Images galleries.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

Friday, October 24, 2008

A visit to a deer farm




Back in September of this year, my wife and I were invited to a wedding reception. It was held on the Bride's Grandfather's deer farm just outside Hawkesbury, Ontario. What a gorgeous location.

Asters
    Wild Asters

While there, I had time to walk around the property and snap a few shots.

As is often the case, my eye is drawn to the flowers.


Bee on flower    Bee on flowers

Clover    Clover

Rudbeckia    Rudbeckia

But the prettiest flower of all, was the Bride herself.


You can see other images taken that day in my Visit to a Deer Farm gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

As always, Thanks for looking.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Back roads



Near St Edouard, Quebec
Near St Edouard, Quebec

Too often we travel the fast highways and byways and fail to see the beauty that can be found on the slower back roads.

Recently I took a trip on the rural back roads of south-western Quebec.

Resting place of <br />Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Resting place of
Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Took Autoroute 15 south to exit 29 and headed over to St-Edouard along route 221. Real pretty farm country.

Continuing on route 221 took me through St Michel over to St Remi. St Remi is the largest town in the area. It is also where Pierre Elliott Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada, is buried.

Church in St Chrysostome
Church in St Chrysostome


In St-Remi, I picked up route 209 and headed south to Ste-Clotilde and then on to St Chrysostome.
Each little town has its large stone Catholic church.

Had come across several wooden churches. They appear to be or have been Protestant churches.

Old church
Old church between Ste. Clotilde
and St. Chrysostome, Quebec


At least one of these was abandoned. I suspect they are the remnants of the Anglo population that lived in these parts.

From St Chrysostome, I continued along Rte 209 until crossed Rte 202 near Franklin. Then headed east along the 202 through Franklin Center, Havelock and then into Hemmingford.

Russeltown Church
Russeltown Church near
Havelock, Quebec


Once in Hemmingford, I took Rte 219 north through Sherrington and then back to Autoroute 15 and headed home.

All in all a beautiful day spent enjoying the wonderful country side and the quaint towns that dot the area.

You can see other images taken that day in my Rural Backroads - 31 August 2008 gallery.

Please feel free to leave comments here on the blog or in any of the photo galleries.

Thanks for looking.