Once again I feel so fortunate to live where I do. Where else could you enjoy shows by Jimmy Rankin and the Eagles on the same weekend? I spent three wonderful days with my darlin' daughter, and we had a full agenda lined up...The bus strike in her city is really making life difficult (not to mention expensive) for students to get around... so she had "a list" of things to get accomplished while she had access to a vehicle. First up was a Thursday night concert by
Jimmy Rankin at MSVU. He had just returned from a tour in western Canada with the
The Rankins. (For those of you who are not from
around these parts, this is a "local" Maritime family group who incorporate many musical styles into their work, including celtic, traditional, folk, pop, country and rock. A variety of instruments, including fiddle, mandolin, guitar
and a number of percussion instruments make their sound unique - it is difficult to label - it is simply
Rankin.) Jimmy has long been the group's primary songwriter and his recent 8 ECMA nominations proves he "still has it". Jimmy's solo career is going well and we caught him at his third Halifax performance, a lively evening featuring many songs from his newer albums. (Rankin images courtesy of Google Images)
Later on Friday, after grocery shopping and a few necessary errands, we headed up to the Annapolis Valley to get ready for our "Eagles encounter". (Now I know you're thinking "WHAT? The Eagles were here? I didn't hear anything about it....") No, I'm not talking about the singing Eagles. No Don Henley, Hotel California, Desperado, New Kid in Town for us... No, I mean the soaring eagles.... the bald eagle - that magnificent bird of prey ....
This year was the 20th annual
Eagle Watch at Sheffield Mills, near Kentville. Hundreds of eagles frequent this area in the winter as local poultry farmers put out piles of dead chickens which would otherwise have to be disposed of. In this way, they are helping the eagle make a comeback from the endangered species list. The birds relish these free chicken dinners and return year after year. These "free meals" have had an amazing effect on mortality rates, raising chick survival rates dramatically. Young eagles which
would normally not survive a difficult winter are now reaching adulthood and returning to this area of the Annapolis Valley. This program has resulted in the largest winter population of Bald Eagles in Eastern North America, now over 500.
Laura and I rose early (a rare thing for me, I know!
wink) and checked out of our motel, picked up Egg McMuffins and coffee at Mickey D's, stopped to buy batteries for Laura's camera as the overnight charging in her brand new battery charger had not worked, and headed out to Sheffield Mills. We were at the viewing site by 8a.m. The farmer arrived shortly thereafter and dumped the fresh pile of "chicken dinners" in mid-field. At that point, there were perhaps 15 eagles,
tops, waiting in the surrounding trees. Okay, I thought..... let the fun begin. (At this point I should tell you, on our way to this "official" viewing site, we passed a field that had probably 30 eagles, already on the ground feeding, and at least 25-30 more in the trees... but did we stay there to get some pics?? Noooo... we hurried on to the "real" site, to secure a good spot. So here we are - Laura and I with our 200mm. and 300 mm. telephotos, among serious photographers with lenses the size of cannons, mounted on tripods. I
thought I was well dressed for the cold... )
"Okay", I'm thinking..."c'mon birdies".... Well... we waited and we waited.. and we waited and we waited some more... and those darn eagles just sat there. At first I thought, "It's not so cold.... and there's no wind" (something to truly be grateful for) and people were quietly chatting while patiently awaiting the action. But as the minutes and then hours slowly passed, I was beginning to have doubts. (WHY did we not stop longer at that first field with 50+ eagles??? And were they still there NOW???? Should we go back there?) When standing still, it doesn't take long before the toes start to feel the cold. By 10a.m. I could barely feel my toes and my fingers were starting to tingle
and go numb.
Finally, after several brave seagulls "moved in" on the free lunch, the eagles decided it was time to make their grand entrance. One started soaring and when he finally landed, I could sense everyone wanted to break into applause. (I was just waiting for someone to shout "The Eagle has landed!"). It wasn't long until there were 8-10 on the ground picking at the chicken, and the clicking of shutters was constant. Others continued to gather in the trees. They swooped, they soared, they landed, they fought over lunch...I quickly forgot about my somewhat frozen extremities and did my best to get some good photos. I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Brown bird against grey sky = not that exciting... My fingers were so cold, I sometimes could not seem to depress the shutter release button. Other times, I did not get Mr. Eagle in sharp focus. But I guess for my first attempt at this type of thing, I didn't do too badly.
Wildlife photography is very different from capturing a quilt or a blossom in the garden, after all. After half an hour or so, we decided staying longer was putting ourselves at risk for hypothermia or frostbite or loss of digits. I have never loved and appreciated my car's heater as much as I did that morning! We continued on, stopping several more times for a few more shots. All in all, I think we probably saw upwards of 100 eagles, both mature and juveniles... pretty amazing! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! It was an awesome experience, shared with my daughter- what's not to love? Would I
do anything differently? Yes - better footwear and warming packets for both hands and feet - the kind I buy my brothers at Christmas for snowmobiling... (WHY did I not think to get some for this cold day??? Duh!) The only other factor is the weather, and of course you have no control there, but a sunny clear blue sky day would have made for much better photos. It was totally clouded over and grey.. lighting was even, but flat and not real bright... Some sun for highlights on those amazing white heads, and wing edges would have been nice. But when you have
travelled a distance, and cannot hang around waiting for a better day...you have to deal with what you've got.
We passed on the nearby Pancake Breakfast as the parking lot was full and overflowing, but did stop for a Chowder or Chili lunch at a local church. They were raising funds for a Youth Mission trip to Bolivia so we were happy to help them out by warming our tummies. (Actually as I ate I was fantasizing about plunging my frozen feet and hands into a large warm bowl of .. anything.. water.. chowder.. at that point I would not have cared....) As we gradually warmed up, we toured around Wolfville and Acadia U. (my Alma Mater) and then Grand Pré (more eagles there). We headed back to Halifax and finished thawing out
in a nice warm shower. Later, we topped off the day with the movie Big Miracle. As I drove home on Sunday, a gorgeous sunny blue sky day of course, I constantly was scanning the treetops for eagles - didn't see a one.. Guess they were all out for lunch in the Valley! Hope you have enjoyed my images, and I hope I'm lucky enough to return next year for better ones! Hmmmmm, maybe next Christmas I'll ask Santa for a 1000 mm. telephoto....
Peace,
Linda
“Bird of the broad and sweeping wing,
Thy home is high in heaven,
Where wide the storms their banners fling,
And the tempest clouds are driven.”
~ James Gates Percival
Today is a good day... I have an amaryllis about to bloom, I won a Blog giveaway last night, and I got a special delivery this morning.... how could one not be happy? First the amaryllis- I had brought it out of it's "resting phase" a while back, and it put on nothing but leaves. No buds. Well, I thought, it just needs a break. So the leaves grew, I watered and loved it anyway.. I guess one can't expect a stellar performance every time... Eventually the leaves started to die back and I was preparing to put it away again for a few months of rest, when I noticed what looked like the tiniest of green bud tips peeking up - I waited a few days, and sure enough- a bud was coming. That was about 3 weeks ago I think.. I now have two stalks, about 17" and 20" high; the first one will be in bloom in another two days or so, I'm thinkin'. I guess she is just a "late bloomer"... They are such fun to watch grow- it's amazing the speed with which they shoot up- some days it might gain two inches or more! If you have never had an amaryllis, treat yourself to one. I'm sure you'll enjoy it...
Finally- the delivery. I was excited when the doorbell rang as I knew it was going to be the FedEx man with a parcel for me. Back in November I purchased a coupon from TravelZoo for My Publisher. I decided it was time I tried printing a book of my photos. I just got around to doing it a few weeks ago, and I must say, it was FUN!! It wasn't without some frustrations though, as some photos which I really wanted to include, just wouldn't load. I finally figured out (after many tries and finally a chat with Laura) that when you crop a photo, the resolution is decreased and it would not accept many photos because the resolution was not high enough. I was frustrated and disappointed that some of my most favourites would be left out, but I guess that is better than being disappointed in the quality of the photos. Now that the book is in my hands, I have to say I am VERY happy with it. The high gloss paper is top quality, the color is excellent, the linen finish cover is very nice indeed and my photos look great! I had decided the first one would be a learning experience and I now know I could do a better job next time around, but for my first effort, I'm extremely happy!
As I promised you on Saturday, here is a sneak peek at a new and rather "different" tablerunner (still to be layered and quilted). The pattern is called Spicy Spiral Table Runner, designed by School House Quilts. It is made with eight 1/4 yard cuts and a 9 or 10 degree wedge ruler. My friend Gail M. was supposed to teach this for our Guild in the fall, but we couldn't get enough people to sign up at that time. So a small group of us got together last week for a "mini class" with Gail. I chose colours which are out of my usual "comfort zone" and I'm really pleased with the results. However it doesn't really go with the colour scheme in my home so it will probably end up 
will have to set it aside for a bit as I have other things that must get done first, but I'll be anxious to get back to it and finish it off. I'll be sure to share a "finish photo" when it's done...Here is a pic of one which was completed that day - my buddy Sue is "sew smart".. and fast! Isn't it gorgeous?!! It looks great in her kitchen, but just as good in her snowy backyard...
I have used it before- at right is a close-up shot of it along a seam on a WIP (Work In Progress). Click here to see "Sharon's Picks" - the "highlights" of the week. Or click here and click on comments at the top of the post to view all the participant's links to their stitching. There's some great stuff happening in this Challenge!!
Here it is...done. It's been snowing lightly here since early morning, I think it's supposed to get rather nasty later on, but for now, it's a beautiful soft gentle snow. I could not resist heading into the backyard for a few outdoor shots. I was hoping a friendly little chickadee would come and pose beside my table topper, but I guess they must be all tucked up for the storm... As I've already told you, this is a small sample for my new scrap quilt class- a slight variation of the basic block. I hope to get another variation done this week using all batiks. Who can resist those gorgeous batiks... not me! I've completed another top for a table runner this week...several of us got together for a mini class a few days ago... perhaps I'll show you it tomorrow. It IS done with batiks, in colors that are not my usual choice, but I must say I rather like it.... Come back tomorrow for a look!
I must run now. I have rolls in the oven - trying a new recipe. If they are successful I'll share the recipe- they're a "savory" roll - made with some oatmeal and multigrain flour. When they're almost done you brush the tops with a mixture of melted butter, basil, oregano, garlic and parmesan cheese then pop back in the oven for a few more minutes.. They sure do smell good. I'm making Mulligatawny Soup for supper so I think they'll go well with that... Mmmmm... I love baking on a snowy day...
I thought I would have a "finish" to show you tonight, but I'm not quite there. Oh it WILL be done before I go to bed, but there is not much sense in trying to get a good photo at midnight.. I much prefer natural (outdoor) light... So this is just a "tease" and I'll post a "finish" photo later tomorrow as I have a busy day lined up. This is a variation of the scrap quilt for my class later this month. It is a 20" square table centre. Although I'm not much of a "red" person (sorry Shelley D!!) I do like red and white quilts and figured something new to put on the table for Valentines might be nice... I have finished the quilting so all that remains to be done now is the binding... Stay tuned...
Through the years, my Japanese fascination has continued; I had a Japanese roommate while teaching in British Columbia, love doing Kumihimo, have tried Sashiko, and I am always amazed by the skills of Japanese quilters and the beauty of their quilts. I have long wanted to travel to Japan, but in light of last year's earthquake and tsunami damage, I don't know if that will ever happen now...
around these parts, this is a "local" Maritime family group who incorporate many musical styles into their work, including celtic, traditional, folk, pop, country and rock. A variety of instruments, including fiddle, mandolin, guitar
This year was the 20th annual Eagle Watch at Sheffield Mills, near Kentville. Hundreds of eagles frequent this area in the winter as local poultry farmers put out piles of dead chickens which would otherwise have to be disposed of. In this way, they are helping the eagle make a comeback from the endangered species list. The birds relish these free chicken dinners and return year after year. These "free meals" have had an amazing effect on mortality rates, raising chick survival rates dramatically. Young eagles which
would normally not survive a difficult winter are now reaching adulthood and returning to this area of the Annapolis Valley. This program has resulted in the largest winter population of Bald Eagles in Eastern North America, now over 500.
tops, waiting in the surrounding trees. Okay, I thought..... let the fun begin. (At this point I should tell you, on our way to this "official" viewing site, we passed a field that had probably 30 eagles, already on the ground feeding, and at least 25-30 more in the trees... but did we stay there to get some pics?? Noooo... we hurried on to the "real" site, to secure a good spot. So here we are - Laura and I with our 200mm. and 300 mm. telephotos, among serious photographers with lenses the size of cannons, mounted on tripods. I thought I was well dressed for the cold... )
"Okay", I'm thinking..."c'mon birdies".... Well... we waited and we waited.. and we waited and we waited some more... and those darn eagles just sat there. At first I thought, "It's not so cold.... and there's no wind" (something to truly be grateful for) and people were quietly chatting while patiently awaiting the action. But as the minutes and then hours slowly passed, I was beginning to have doubts. (WHY did we not stop longer at that first field with 50+ eagles??? And were they still there NOW???? Should we go back there?) When standing still, it doesn't take long before the toes start to feel the cold. By 10a.m. I could barely feel my toes and my fingers were starting to tingle
and go numb. Finally, after several brave seagulls "moved in" on the free lunch, the eagles decided it was time to make their grand entrance. One started soaring and when he finally landed, I could sense everyone wanted to break into applause. (I was just waiting for someone to shout "The Eagle has landed!"). It wasn't long until there were 8-10 on the ground picking at the chicken, and the clicking of shutters was constant. Others continued to gather in the trees. They swooped, they soared, they landed, they fought over lunch...I quickly forgot about my somewhat frozen extremities and did my best to get some good photos. I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Brown bird against grey sky = not that exciting... My fingers were so cold, I sometimes could not seem to depress the shutter release button. Other times, I did not get Mr. Eagle in sharp focus. But I guess for my first attempt at this type of thing, I didn't do too badly.
Wildlife photography is very different from capturing a quilt or a blossom in the garden, after all. After half an hour or so, we decided staying longer was putting ourselves at risk for hypothermia or frostbite or loss of digits. I have never loved and appreciated my car's heater as much as I did that morning! We continued on, stopping several more times for a few more shots. All in all, I think we probably saw upwards of 100 eagles, both mature and juveniles... pretty amazing! Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! It was an awesome experience, shared with my daughter- what's not to love? Would I
do anything differently? Yes - better footwear and warming packets for both hands and feet - the kind I buy my brothers at Christmas for snowmobiling... (WHY did I not think to get some for this cold day??? Duh!) The only other factor is the weather, and of course you have no control there, but a sunny clear blue sky day would have made for much better photos. It was totally clouded over and grey.. lighting was even, but flat and not real bright... Some sun for highlights on those amazing white heads, and wing edges would have been nice. But when you have
travelled a distance, and cannot hang around waiting for a better day...you have to deal with what you've got.
in a nice warm shower. Later, we topped off the day with the movie Big Miracle. As I drove home on Sunday, a gorgeous sunny blue sky day of course, I constantly was scanning the treetops for eagles - didn't see a one.. Guess they were all out for lunch in the Valley! Hope you have enjoyed my images, and I hope I'm lucky enough to return next year for better ones! Hmmmmm, maybe next Christmas I'll ask Santa for a 1000 mm. telephoto....
I'm late posting my week's stitching as I have been away for 4 days (more about that tomorrow). But here it is - better late than not at all! Again, I am familiar with this week's challenge stitch - the Herringbone. I have previously done several samplers and I must admit, I struggled a little, trying to come up with something new to do this time around... First, here are my three samplers which I had completed before. The first shows just basic Herringbone, varying the spacing, the size of the stitch, tieing the stitch, stacking the stitch and breaking it.
I am working on a table centre, a variation for the scrap quilt class I'm teaching later this month. I'm trying to get several "variations" done for the class so students have a choice of project design and size. This piece is small so it won't take long to complete, in fact I hope to have it all together, layered and ready to quilt by tonight. I'm heading out of province tomorrow for a few days so I want this "ready to roll" when I return. The class I'm preparing is based on a simple unit called a shaded four patch, or Mary's Triangles. This term was coined by Sally Schneider of Albuquerque NM in her book ScrapMania ~ More Quick Pieced Scrap Quilts.
notes and illustrations (which I would do anyway). She was very gracious and helpful and did not require a bulk pattern purchase. I did order a ruler and another gadget from her and sent off a Money Order. Upon discovering she had been "misquoted" for the postal shipping rate, she contacted me and offered to send me one of her patterns to make up the difference that she had "overcharged" me. She also offered a generous discount on her ruler if we made an order after the class. Now how great is that? She was most pleasant and helpful, and responded quickly. Not difficult at all. SO- don't be afraid to contact a pattern designer to seek permission. After reading Karen's posts- you will know it IS the right thing to do... FAR too many quilters and teachers are breaking copyright laws these days...
