DAY 23 – 23Jan2011 – Swan Ice Sculpture

DAY 23 – 23Jan2011 – Swan Ice Sculpture, originally uploaded by thegardenshutterbug.

Day 23 – Swan Ice Sculpture

I spent Day 23 in Halifax, promoting the Historic Gardens and the area to a show full of brides-to-be. When I had a chance to wander, I happened upon this beautiful ice sculpture created by Chef Daniel DeLorme at Trendz Cafe of Dartmouth. It was an amazing ice sculpture, created using a chainsaw and chisel. He says this sculpture took him just over an hour to do.

Even more amazing is that this piece of ice lasted all day in a heated room – it dripped of course, but held its shape beautifully!

Trendz Cafe recently received the “Best Large Restaurant” award by the Restaurant Association of NS. Congrats! I must try it out sometime…

Wharf Rat Rally 2010

Hurricane Earl was NOT welcome during Digby’s Wharf Rat Rally, and feeling unwelcome, he decided to visit the other coast of Nova Scotia thankfully. While Earl’s impending visit created some challenges for Wharf Rat organizers, the Rally was still a great success from all reports. Congrats to the organizers!

Aside from enjoying any opportunity to ride my bike, I also love the various photo opps during the Rally. Here are some highlights from 2010…

Downtown Digby

The Cutest Biker EVER!

Some trick riding

And the traditional burnouts...

My bike, and my brother's...

Some wicked paint jobs...

And some cool features...

Some gleaming chrome!

And the odd rat or two...

And while those photos are all cool, the best came from the Historic Gardens as riders posed with their rides surrounded by our beautiful gardens!

Hawg Wild in the Gardens!

For more Gardens bike photos, visit the Historic Gardens Blog!

A picture tells a thousand words…

Only this time, I refer not to the photograph, but to the hand drawn picture… and in particular to Bruce MacKinnon’s editorial cartoon in today’s Herald.

If anyone hasn’t followed the story of a young autistic boy who was lost in the woods in Cape Breton a few days ago, read the story here. Especially the part about the depression in the snow beside the boy that indicated his dog stayed with him…

Very sad story… very meaningful illustration.

Wharf Rat Rally

What isn’t to love about the opportunity to shoot photos of classic motorcycles, awesome paint jobs and cool stunts? It’s a challenge, and I was up for it last August when I attended Digby’s Wharf Rat Rally!

First of all, let me say how great this event is overall. It’s a relatively new rally, but became an instant success.

View from the "Rat Tower"

Some of the paint jobs were amazing!

And of course, the stunts and burnouts were a bit more challenging, but even more rewarding when I caught the right action shot!

Don't try this at home!

 

Needless to say, I’ll be back in 2009 taking as many shots as I can! It’s addictive!

In the Eyes of a Child…

It is amazing sometimes how much a simple baby photo can express…

Peace

Innocence

Dependency & Trust

Survival Instinct

And Innocence again...

Critters…

 

 

 

Next to flowers, my favourite things to photograph would be Critters. It’s always an exciting moment when you happen upon insects or wildlife in a garden, or on a hike… sometimes even in your own back yard. But the occasional trip to a wildlife park, or Oaklawn Farm Zoo provides a nice change from the usual subject matter!

Of Balancing Rocks and other things…

The Balancing Rock in Tiverton, NS… a pretty remarkable sight. But for me the beauty lies in the wild aster growing out of the rock face, a stalwart soul, with no other living thing nearby, surviving against all odds!