Snow and cold

Snow yesterday afternoon, dark skies, thunder, fire on overnight, snow and cold this AM. I'm surprised the hummingbird didn't have it's woolys on. Three of them have been at the feeder constantly today.

Wood all split and stacked, will now have to go out and get some new stuff.

Frost warning tonight going to -2C

Finally got all the firewood split that was laying around. After lunch started to stack and down comes the rain for most of the afternoon. Sun just coming out as I write this blog, finally and then a cold night ahead. Have lit the fire after supper.

Luckily I had some extra pics from a few days ago. I took another picture of the driftwood under some early morning lighting.

Down the Spear Lake Road and found some marsh marigolds.

Bought a new hummingbird feeder and it didn't take long to attract this male, while taking this picture another male arrived and the fight was on driving him away and coming back to his branch to guard the feeder. I hope he bulks up because they are calling for flurries on Saturday night.

Spring has finally arrived

Out for a drive yesterday to take some pics, suprised to see so many blooms out. It's still staying fairly cool with night temps almost down to 0C. The next few days cool with rain.

Stopped off at Hedlund marsh for a few pics, the pin cherry are all blooming. The blueberries are well on their way. I hope there won't be a big frost as like there was a couple of years ago, that fall there was hardly a blueberry to be found. It made up for it last year with a bumper crop.

Off to town yesterday

On my way to town (ptui) yesterday I stopped at a road east of Long Point Lake, I had never been on it before.

Stopped at a large patch of Trailing Arbutus under some Jack Pines, they were in bloom. I had never taken a picture of them in bloom. Just happened to have the camera. What was really amazing was the aroma from these flowers, it was so good you just wanted to pick them all and take them home. I can't remember a wildflower that has such a sweet aroma.

Fishing again this AM

Tried this AM to get one more to fill the smoker again and came up blank. Great day to be sitting down by the water edge and taking in a great spring day.

Blue skys, calm water and no flies.

Cut the grass today first time, some deep areas but a good chance to get the rust off the blades. If the weather keeps up like this it will be hard to keep up to.

Some pics of Outlook Point with the helipad, some old plantings (Solomon's seal) along the edge of the road and a herring gull who was outfishing me this AM.

Gowganda Views first year

Well I can hardly believe it's been a whole year doing Gowganda Views. I started out wondering what I had gotten myself into but found that I really enjoyed it and if I didn't post something was missing. Over the past year there have been 233 posts and 650 pictures.

I achieved a goal of taking over 3,000 pictures and culling what you have seen. I can't wait to start the next year.

I would like to thank all that have dropped in to visit whether a day or everyday. I'm always surprised when somebody I don't know comes up and says I watch your blog all the time. Usually they have been to Gowganda at some time, lived here or knows someone in town or strangers that have done a seach for a photography blog. Again a warm thanks to all.

Today It was time for some cake and some of that smoked whitefish I have gone to great lengths to tell all about and a picture of the lake the town is named after.

More whitefish

The smoker will be smoken tomorrow. Caught another couple this AM, that's five. Will take all day to smoke as they are quite large.

Beautiful day, very hot with lots of blackflys starting.

The other pic is some horsetail down were I was fishing.

More rain and snow

The rain ended early this AM and then came the snowballs (large snowflakes) then finally snow until everything was white.

Fished again today two more whitefish. Getting closer to getting the smoker going. I can taste them now.

Todays pics, birds-bobolink, myrtle warbler, whitecrowned sparrow.

First AM fishing

Went across the road fishing for whitefish early this AM. Took the camera along as all you do is cast out a worm and let it do the work. Have only to keep an eye on the rod tip.

Sun was just right for a few pics, down the lake, a piece of driftwood that had floated in when the water was high and a yellow shafted flicker.

By the way I did catch 1 whitefish, I'm hoping for 3 more to fire up the smoker.

Typical May long weekend

The picture says it all. This lasted until after noon, in varying degrees. It didn't stay on the ground long but stayed cold and windy all day. Not very good for the opening of the fishing season. I saw several boats out on the lake but I'm sure they weren't very comfortable.

More pics of the trip

After booking in at the motel in North Bay and having supper I drove back up Highway 11 a few kilometers to a park called the Black Forest. A mature red pine stand with some plantings for the future. A trail of chips led me around and thru the whole forest. A nice walk after supper.

Another pic of the Sequin River just above the falls you would never know what was just behind me. Most of the snow has melted some time ago and the spring runoffs are just over.

Some of the trees Dave is removing for his new storage building, his son Dave2 is high in the tree cutting limbs before topping it. The wind was too strong for topping, would have made a good pic. Maybe next time.

Another bird at the feeder, just outside of the window.

Home again

Off to the big city of North Bay last Sunday. Had an appointment and did a little shopping, then on to Huntstville. Kate was working at Steamers which is part of Deerhurst Resort. Chef Kate was manning the kitchen and even cooked me up one of their specials. My plate always seems fuller than everyone elses when she is cooking. I wonder why. After work we went and seen her new apartment, just being painted and ready to move in at the end of the month. A lot bigger and nicer than her last place for sure. Nice visit as we have not seen each other since before Christmas.

After Huntsville on to my friends Dave and his wife Kitty on Highway 518 on the way to Parry Sound. Great visit and lots of good food and fun. Helped him clear some of his bush for a new storage building he is putting in. Lots of big trees and a good time to get some firewood. The blackflies are getting pretty thick down there where its warmer. All the leaves were out and the grass and flowers were growing lake crazy, what a difference than Gowganda.

Ah home again last night, its always good to come home. Today was catch up day, the parts had finally all come in and the ones I bought home finished off all the equipment I was working on. Tomorrow is the start of walleye fishing and the weather is going to be poor with wind and rain. Saturday we may even have snow. What a treat.

The bird is a rose breasted grosbeak taken at Dave's birdfeeder.

A touch of snow this AM

Pulling up the blinds this AM and all was white and a few flurries were still coming down. Didn't take to long for it to disappear but stayed cool all day. Tonight down to -2C.

Keeping busy loading the wood shed and getting lots of work done on summer grass cutting equipment. Nice not to be in the house so much.

Took a trip around part of tower hill looking for the site of the old wooden firetower, came up with an old mining pit.

I had forgotten to include this pic of an old ferry boat for the camp on Duncan Lake when I was up there a few days ago.

Ice out by tomorrow

This is a picture of Outlook Bay early this AM, the ice is black and ready to disappear. The warm temps today did just that and all that remains this evening is a small flow in the corner across from my house. The south wind had broke it up and there is very little left. Oh the sounds of lapping water. Probably will keep me awake getting use to it.

First ATV ride of the season

Great day today, sunny and warm. The ice is starting to break up and it is floating with the wind. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and I wouldn't be surprised that the bay will be clear of ice.

Went up the Everett Lake road up to Obushkon and Davidson Lake about 60km. The roads were clear with the shady patches still having up to a foot of snow. Snowy spots were few and far apart.

This was a mapping expedition with the new Garmin Hcx GPS. Works well and is very accurate up to 3-5 meters.

You have to click the small panorama to see the picture.

Snowflakes this AM and then rain

The weather can't make up it's mind at all, one day warm and the next with snow in the air after all it is May. I guess the adage stands don't change a clout till May is out.

Busy finishing off the front room, installing the speakers and hanging some pictures, starting to look better all the time. I am saving some wall space for some pics I am taking in to be enlarged to 24x16 inches, this will just about be all I need to finish. Now I'm going to look back on over 6,000 pictures over the last 3 years. To many choices.

Lots of high water now at the dam, in fact they had to take out more logs as the water was getting too high. It takes quite awhile for the water to start receding so it has to be done at the first sign of trouble.

A pic of the dam shows how much water is coming over, and further down the river at Edith Lake at the rapids.

On the other hand a beaver pond west of town has lost it's resident beaver as the pond has dropped a couple of feet.