Fall colours

With the last couple of heavy frosts the trees are starting to turn colour.  Some pics from along the road.

Chasing the aurora borealis

Each time when the conditions are high I have been out looking for the northern lites again.  One night the clouds rolled in about ll:30pm and that was end of that night, a couple of days later on it was quite cool and the fog started coming up of the Miller Lake not much to see again. Here is one of the pics of all the stars, there is even an airplane moving thru.

Yesterday starting my walk I spotted a bright object in the north sky.  It turned out the be a large weather ballon that was let go in Timmins in the early morning and finally came down in Amos, Quebec.  This is a joint project with Canada and the French space agency studying the upper atmosphere.  When I got home I snapped this shot of it. You can just see the 1100kg package that is hanging below the balloon. 

On Wapus Creek

Out yesterday on Wapus Creek looking for ducks, taking pics and some fishing.  The pike I caught tasted good today. A look at the Notch Dam from the bottom end.  Later in the day a canoe came by with Doug Robinson and his wife Betty on the way to Gowganda, a great canoe trip.

Edith lake rapids

Out to take some pics of water levels at Edith Lake rapids.  Found some Rose hips enough to make some tea.

Hint of fall in the air

Today you could almost feel fall around the corner. The flowers have started to wind down and bits of colour are showing up in the trees.  Geese have started to fly over the house now too.  Some of the lingering flowers Pearly everlastings, Large leafed aster and some Mountain Ash berries.

ATV ride to Spear Lake

Down the Spear Lake Rd to of all places Spear Lk.  Time for lunch and a picture on the shore and a pic of the lake. Return by snowmobile trail for a bit of a mud run and out the Indian Lake Rd and back to Duncan Lake where the trucks were left.

Farming area around Earlton, Ontario

Went for a trip to Earlton the farming area on the little clay belt.  Earlton is about 70km east of Gowganda as the crow flies.  Miles of crops can be seen grains, corn and canola are the most important.  Some of the crops are just now being harvested. 

Click of pic for panorama.

This mornings Aurora Borealis

Went out to Miller Lake around 10:30pm last night to watch the northern lights across the lake.  They were on and off from 11 to 1:30am and I finally left after not seeing anything more at 3:00am.  The brightness of the moon didn't help seeing the Aurora.

A view of me taking the pictures, it is a lot darker than what this picture looks.

More pictures from the skies

Last night clear skies to see the International Space Station fly over our area.  If you are interested in looking for yourself go to this link to find when it will fly over your area.  It will tell you the time and the area to watch in the sky.  Later in the evening I even caught a meteor which I did not see until I looked the pictures.

Out looking for meteor shower

The meteor shower peaked on the 12th I have been out 3 times, saw a few on the 10th and the rest of the time clouds were in the way.  Last night it finally cleared I went out the back yard and looked for some time around midnite and a bit later then some clouds rolled in again.  I did get to take a couple of 30 second shots looking over the house at the Milky Way. Click to enlarge.

A view of Single Lake

Here is a look at the rest of Single Lake. I call it Single Lake as there is a snowmobile trail sign that says Single Lane.  The "N" in the Lane looks like a "K" on the sign.

Single Lake visit

Great day today, cool this AM and sunny.  Finally out for some pics.  At Single Lake some Meadowsweet  and a sign of things to come, Red Maples starting to turn colour.

Different view of Beaver Pond

Looking back towards the road.

Bouche Rd. beaver pond

Something I have been wanting to  do for some time is put the canoe into the beaver pond on the Bouche Rd.  There are some floating bogs in the center that I wanted to check for plants.  One of the most interesting is the  Drosera, commonly known as the Sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. Found mostly in boggy areas these plants lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked sticky glands covering their leaf surfaces. The insects are used to supplement the poor mineral nutrition of the soil in which they grow.  Here is a link to a Youtube clip showing a Sundew eating a bug.

Gowganda evening

After quite  a bit a rain the last few days this evening turned out pretty nice.  The air has a cool nip to it, all the better after the hot days we had. 

More roadside flowers

More plants along the road edge Queen Anne's Lace or Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) kind of a let down don't you think.

Deptford Pink

Here is one you will see now along most roadsides, Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria).

Black Spruce stand

Here is a pic of a Black Spruce stand that I visit once in awhile to see what's happening.  This used to be surrounded by Jack Pine forest until it was cut .  It is now an island that is slowly drying up.  Every time I come up here I can see the difference.

Click pic for larger view

Blueberry update

Blueberries are coming along.  Today on the Bouche Rd there were spots that you could easily pick enough for dessert in no time,  another few days will make a big difference.

In for shopping last week

For the past week I've had the boys up.  They have been fishing and swimming most of the time in Gowganda Lake.  When we stock up on more food in town we usually stop in Haileybury just south of New Liskeard. Haileybury has a great swimming area that juts out into Lake Temiskaming, great for kids as it has lots of lifeguards and also a SLIDE RIDE.  The slide ride stopover for the kids is a hit before or after shopping.  Just a couple of pics to show you the beach and some slide action.  When in town shopping with kids you should check it out.  It is usually open after lunch for the afternoon and there are lifeguards at the top and bottom of the slide.

Another from Bouche Rd.

Most people should recognize this beaver pond up the Bouche Road if you had your eye level with the top of the beaver dam.

Remember to click for larger picture

Nice break after all the hot humid weather

Out for some pics today up the Bouche Rd.  Blueberries are coming along nicely, this was the best I could find and it took awhile, another couple of weeks there should be some good picking.  Lots of daisy's out too.

Sunrise Outlet Bay

Misty morning

Cool day today

Great day today cool, low humidity but still lots of mosquitoes in the bush.  On the trail from Edith Lake and Obushkong  Lake I took several pictures and some videos.  Here is one of some of the plants that are growing in moss under a heavy stand of spruce and pine.

Lupin explosion

All along the sides of the roads the lupins are blooming

More plants down the Bouche Rd.

Kalmia angustifolia is a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae, commonly known as Sheep Laurel.

Out to the dump today

Had a few things to take to the dump today and thought why not put the camera in the truck in case I see something unusual.  I'm glad I did as I was unloading the truck a black bear came out  and behind her 4 small cubs.  First time I have seen one with 4 cubs.  They are all pretty small looking.

More pics from the other day

Here are some Bunchberries that were in bloom

I was checking the state of the blueberries

Checking the blueberries yesterday too.  The temperature dropped the last couple of nights but I don't think anything was damaged.  This was taken up the Bouche Rd yesterday where I posted a pic previously on the blog.

Down to Milner Lake yesterday

Beautiful day yesterday, air was clear and cool even the bugs weren't so bad.  The water had gone down quite a bit since I had seen it last.  Walked out on the bog to take some pictures of cotton grass (Eriophorum) it was at it's best.

Temiskaming District Visitors Guide 2013

Submitted pictures a couple of months ago to find that 3 of mine had been chosen this year.  All were taken around Gowganda at the north powerline west of town, on Gowganda Lake fishing and canoeing on the Montreal River.

Back again finally

Been busy for quite some time now lots of work around home and shop work.  A few days taken up with cutting portages for the Friends of Temagami.  I volunteered to open up some old portages that hadn't been used for years, others were clearing old trails too.  This is part of a canoe route that was used a long time ago and are now open to canoeists to see some new country and be able to go as far as James Bay.  The blackflies and mosquitoes are very bad right now so anyone traveling up this way should be prepared.  Here is a shot of Outlook point tonight as the sun was setting.