Endangered my ass

Here I am walking about singing a happy tune, as I often do, stopping to look at a fossil, a walking taco or the evil snapping reptile that is blocking the path.

“None shall pass” the armoured beast mutters. Damn.

This is NOT you average garden variety beastie – this is a full fledged snapping turtle, a highly efficient killing machine that could strip the flesh off my legs faster than a school of piranhas. Damn.

As one can see clearly see, this  throwback to the Jurassic era is all shell, claws and bad attitude – a frightfully ferocious four flippered fiend in my path. Damn ye Darwin for so cleverly camouflaging this beak faced predator.

As can be seen from the side, this battle ready, beady-eyed behemoth means business and is to be treated with the utmost of respect. It’s like a land mine with a tail, a grass cougar that is ready to leap up and tear open the entrails of those who get too close.

Anyhow, I walked around it, thus defeating it’s clever trap and living to blog another day. Actually, it was live to try not to fall into the down stream rapids or fall off of a slippery slope of shale, but that my friends, is a tale unto it’s own.

Urbania

Small own summer Sunday night finds shiny chrome on some serious automotive power and perhaps on the top of a few heads.

Is small town life all that dull, and what exactly is a small town? Victoria is when compared to Ottawa, which is when compared to Toronto. It matters not to the owners of these vehicles – they’re just having fun in a peaceful manner that benefits those who are interested and is harmless to those who could care less.

Not too shabby…

 

As usual, you can view the photos at Flickr or at the FaceBook Album

Urban oddities

Hidden in the middle of downtown Ottawa, the Hogs Back falls are a great place to explore on a hot and humid day. The dam upstream of the falls helps regulate the water level in the Rideau Canal and it provides a welcome cool mist on the rocky left hand shore of the falls.

Lots of pictures on Flickr and in the FaceBook album.

water, water everywhere

The 5.6 km long Murray Canal connects the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario, providing a very handy shortcut and substantial savings in time. If you’re stubborn like me, you can actually get to the ends of the canal by vehicle. Stubborn people are often mistaken as foolish, irresponsible and male. I on the other hand, am none of the preceding, I’m simply inquisitive.

Business end of the Murray Canal - Bay of Quinte

The Camel Point helicopter terminal is a handy place to land a helicopter – it’s co-located with the Ogden Point cruise ship terminal, breakwater, dive center and cafe. As much as I love this area I’d rather not see it from the ground or the water and not a helicopter that is approaching over either or both – especially at dusk as shown.

Camel Point and Ogden Point

Fresh water in the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario, salt water from the Straights of Juan deFuca lapping at the concrete of and shoreline at Ogden Point. Both have their own wonders to explore yet neither brings me the peace or happiness that I crave.

Anyhow – that’s the start of this Labour Day and I have a lot of images to upload, many thoughts that need to be committed to my blog before I forget them and a lot of calories to expend as I try to sweat away that which bothers me.