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[This is one of a set of 8 photos} The John Waddey Carter House in Martinsville, Virginia, was built in 1896; the architect was George Franklin Barber, mail-order architect from Knoxville, Tennessee. This was a wedding present for Carter’s second wife, Kizziah Drewery. Locally the house is known as the “Gray Lady.” Carter was a lawyer and politician, one-time mayor of Martinsville.
A somewhat subdued Barber design, this is still a remarkable Queen Anne with architectural features galore. It’s a 2-story frame weatherboard structure with a dominating central gable, under which are found porches on both first and second floors. The roofline is complex with the front gable, steep-pitched cross gables, and a tower with onion dome. The roof is hipped, standing-seam metal-clad. A large dormer window is on the side with narrow double windows. Running bond brick forms the foundation.
The first level front façade has a wrap-around porch that contains the bulge of the tower. It has a frieze of beaded spindlework, turned posts and lace brackets, and a balustrade consisting of thick balusters but with panels at the corners. The porch gable has a board-and-batten decoration and a very basic bargeboard. The second-level porch has more involved ornamentation with a base of fish-scale shingles, a wide, subdued bargeboard, and stylized floral corner medallions. The central gable is decorated with fish-scale shingles and has two small 1/1 windows, the upper portions with a design of diagonal muntins.
The octagonal tower is more a part of the mass of the house rather than a taller, more prominent element. Fish-scale shingles form the base of the tower above the roofline; above this are small sunburst windows; and above the windows is an overhang with prominent brackets. Capping the tower is a small onion-dome with patterned metal shingles. A variety of windows exists throughout—tall but narrow 1/1 paned windows, single-paned, round, half-round, arched, and stained glass (I didn’t spot this). The entrance is simple with large sidelights and a decorative sunburst pattern below them.
Modifications have been made to the original house to accommodate additions of a bathroom and kitchen.
The house was listed November 3, 1988 on the National Register of Historic Places with ID #88002180. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources nomination file includes a very detailed account of the interior arrangement and decorative elements.
www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Martinsville/120-00...
A nice b&w photo (no date given) at
www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Martinsville/Carter...
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
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All best wish happy and take care 2022
Aber Lin
March/24/2022
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I originally planned to go into New York City to photograph counterfeit Louis Vuitton bags. I wanted to blog about the frequent sightings of Coach, Burberry, and Louis Vuitton handbags at CVS. In my naivety, I used to believe all the bags were authentic. However, I believe now that while the majority of the Coach and Burberry bags were real, the clear majority of Louis Vuitton fashions were counterfeit. My suspicions were confirmed upon my numerous conversations with customers about their handbags. Many of them would mention they "fell off the truck" at Canal Street when I commented about their pretty handbags. In fact, the only confirmation of an authentic Louis Vuitton fashion was from a man who had a Vuitton wallet. When I asked him about the plethora of counterfeits running around, he also mentioned Canal Street. He has seen the counterfeits himself and they look absolutely authentic. I, too, had to see these gorgeous counterfeits. Thus, began an excursion to Canal Street to start my Blackout Day!
Paul accompanied me on this excursion to the City. We were supposed to have lunch with our friend Peter, but he was unavailable and would soon disappear into a cellular void. We headed into NYC via the Newport/Pavonia PATH station and then hopped out on Christopher Street only to hop into a subway to take us to Chinatown and into the heart of mystery.
We noticed alot of scenes like this on Canal Street. Hordes of people would gather around in a small circle while a Chinese merchant would quickly lift up a tarp covering a table in order to reveal the counterfeit merchandise beneath; all the while, the merchant would nervously glance up and around the sidewalk area. Presumably they were looking for cops, but maybe they were just looking for suspicious activity counter to their own. The merchant in this picture quickly closed up shop and sent the customers away after he caught me taking pictures of his business.
Paul and I continued to walk along Canal Street observing the suspicious activities of the day. Merchants would often not even have the counterfeit merchandise underneath the tarp. They would just have a paper with pictures of all the products with them. After a customer chose a product, the merchant would then retrieve the fake Vuitton bag. I found it extremely difficult to photograph a bag because there weren't any around! I was also afraid that merchants would try to seize my camera or break my legs if they caught me taking pictures of them.
I walked into a store and saw this woman clutching a Vuitton bag. My eyes immediately lit up and I asked her (in spanish) if I could photograph her bag. I finally had a photo of a Vuitton bag! Her companion insisted that it was a real bag when I asked about its authenticity. I'm not sure whether to believe him or not. Later in the day, I would continue to ask people if I could photograph their Vuitton bags, only to receive strange looks in return. I would end up just photographing their bags without their permission.
We then made a quick stop at City Hall to photograph the infrastructure in order to "examine" its vulnerabilities and weaknesses. After I took this photo, the officer of the USMS SDNY (United States Marshal Service - Southern District of New York) who is pointing on the left, walked up to me and ordered me to stop photographing government property. I burned with rage as I wished again for a hidden camera. After this encounter, we went to Union Square for a drink at the Heartland brewery. We both had their Indiana Pale Ale, which was pretty good. Paul and I planned to head over to the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn for a drink, then head back here to buy a gallon of beer to take home. Little did we know what was in store for us on the subway to Brooklyn.
This is the subway car I was trapped in for over an hour. This L-line subway left the 1st Avenue station and was heading over to Brooklyn when at about 4:20 the subway stopped and the lights went off. The crew reassured us that it was just the subway line and that things we were going to start moving very soon. However, it was soon apparent we weren't going anywhere, and the problem was probably larger than we expected. After all, where were the cops and fire department to help us? The man in the forefront of this photograph pointed this out. The chickens on the train grew restless as the air got really fucking thick and the temperature must've been around 100 degrees inside the car. People from the cars in front of us began an exodus to the back of the train - it was a light trickle of people at first and then it became quite obvious that people were trying to leave. Some gangbangers in the back of our car climbed out onto the catwalk and disappeared into the darkness. Eventually everyone realized this subway train had to be evacuated. Oh boy!
The procession to the back of the train was slow and aggravating. Apparently only the front and the back of the train had doors open to the catwalk. So we made a run for the back of the train and encountered a mass of humanity in the second to last car, where there was an opening. It was even hotter inside this car than the car we were stuck in because there were so many people jammed together trying to get out. We were all penned in and sharing bodyheat and it was nasty. People in the car started losing their nerves and tried prying other doors open and yelling for people to push and get out of the way. Quite scary. Eventually we all got out onto the catwalk.
The catwalk was narrow and dirty to the max. I refused to touch anything except the girl in front of me ;) Paul would later emerge out of the train station with hands that were black as night. I felt like I was in the Temple of Doom. The tunnel was pitch black, save for a few flashlights of the engine company that was there to assist us. The catwalk would go from narrow to extremely narrow without warning and there were multiple "dirty" obstacles in the way. I luckily used my LCD screen on my camera to help light my way (which unfortunately used the battery power I wish I had later in the night). I tried to shut my camera off for a second to conserve the battery, but I found myself horribly frightened at negotiating the catwalk in pitch black darkness.
After emerging from the darkness back onto the surface, we headed back to Union Square (and we'd be back again!). It was amazing to see all the throngs of people walking uptown on the avenue. It was like thousands of salmon pushing upstream to spawnsville. Cars tried to wrest back control of the streets with intermittent success, but the humans put up fierce resistance. Eventually, the machines were allowed one lane, and pedestrians controlled the rest of the avenue.
We marched onto Times Square, where there were thousands of more people milling around. It was so strange to see the place without electricity. This Square is notorious for light pollution that makes the night seem like the afternoon. John Stossel from ABC's 20/20 was there to work the crowd and report about the courageous self-control the humans have displayed in not looting and actually helping other people out. At this point in time, I was fully expecting a riot come nightfall.
Paul and I decided to check out the Ferry to see if it was a viable means to return to New Jersey. However, it was quite a mess. The lines had to be at least 10 blocks long with no movement in sight. Another pedestrian we talked to said that she had been on line for half an hour and didn't move anywhere - and she even cut the line! So, with that in mind, our next alternative was to walk to the Lincoln tunnel and see if we could walk the tunnel to New Jersey. Who would've thought that it would come to this!?
When we reached the tunnel, it was apparent that there would be no walking, and apparently very limited driving inside the tunnel. Floods of buses came through the tunnel and into New York. Probably every bus in the region came to lend a hand. They lined the streets for blocks and people would walk up to the bus driver's window and ask where the bus was heading. If the destination was suitable, the pedestrians would hop on in. What convenience! We had an opportunity to exit New York and take a bus to Hoboken. Fortunately, we burned that bridge and opted to wait for nightfall and the possibility of social unrest.
There was an obscene number of people sprawled on the ground at the makeshift refugee camp aka Madison Square Garden. I do not know what they were waiting for, but there were alot of them to negotiate through. At this point, we began to scour for food. New York City's resources were being rapidly depleted, we had to get our share. Many bodegas and deli's were closed. Some ingenious entrepreneurs moved all of their perishable foodstuffs and drinks outside onto the sidewalk. The Happy Blackout Day streetfair had begun!
Even more ingenious storeowners parked cars on vertically on the sidewalk with their headlights beaming into this store. One deli that we inexplicably frequented numerous times yesterday had a jeep parked on the sidewalk with its high-beams shining inside. They really ripped us off price-wise, but hey, you pay for the atmosphere.
Radios also played a critical part in hearing about news from the outside world. On more than one occasion, Paul and I would stop to listen in on Julia Poppa of 10/10 WINS The news was never good, but the communal experience of sharing a radio with fellow transient peoples on a pitch black street was comforting.
Sometime during the night, we eventually made our way back to Union Square a third time. We were drawn by the hint of light and the loud sound of rhythmic drum beats. There was a huge orgy of dancing and merriment in the square. The closest thing I can relate it to is the Zion rave scene in the Matrix Reloaded. This place was off the wall - it was a huge celebration of societal goodwill. At this point in time, Paul and I were resting up - Paul bought a 6-pack of Beck's and we eagerly took long swigs in front of the Po-Po! It was a great place to have some beers, eat some Pirate's booty and take in the atmosphere. There would be no rioting tonight, just alot of orgies. After Union Square, we dropped by Washington Square and saw the same festivities being led by NYU frat boys.
Paul and I wandered around for a long time in the dark and kept walking in circles. Eventually we made our way to the Christopher Street station to take the Path home - as usual, there were police officers outside it. However, Paul wanted to go to Battery Park and take the ferry back from there. I relented - I wanted to extend the experience too, but not as long as it would eventually turn out. We first dropped by this park on the Hudson river and watched the Jersey City skyline while drinking beer and sitting on the grass like hippies.
Then there was this hour long trek to Battery Park only to find out the ferry wasn't operating. I think Paul lost his cool here, but he'll really lose it in Hoboken! After a cabbie offered to take us to Newark for $40 (then $30), we found a cool cabbie that would take us back to Christopher Street station for whatever price we found fit. This cabbie was actually heading to Jersey himself since he was low on gas - I hope he found some. Anyway, we finally got on the Path and opted to get off in Hoboken. What a mistake! We anticipated that the car garage would be closed at this hour (1AM) and it would be easier for Jason to pick us up from here. However, Jason wasn't able to pick us up, and Paul's dad would be able to...in Newark. So we went back into the station, waited a little longer in the sweatbox (the entire station was being run on by generator) and finally Paul talked to a PATH employee and found out there would be no more trains coming into Hoboken because the train signals were not working. We got off the last train in Hoboken! Ahhh! Prudence and Expediency were on our side at last when NJ Transit offered to take us and 3 other people to Newark Penn Station, for free! Hooray for NJ Transit! They were the super happy ending to this 15 hour journey of mystery and excitement!
This is my favorite picture of the evening; it was snapped while we were aimlessly wandering the city. In the afternoon I was at unease because I was having negative fantasies about the origins of this event. I felt much more at peace during the dark evening. Yesterday I logged the most miles in a day for my feet, and yet I enjoyed every moment of it. Maybe it was because I will never experience another day like this again. I will never be able to see the stars from the middle of New York City like I did that night. I will never again be able to be in the middle of the financial district, and look up to see the only illumination comes from the moon. What a beautiful sight that was.
There were also some less metaphysical achievements accomplished yesterday. When is the next time I will be able to take a public leak in Battery Park, Greenwich village, Financial District, and some other place in lower Manhattan? I also probably won't be able to walk in the middle of an unlit street while drinking a beer again. Everyone had free reign of the city yesterday, and everyone had a good time at it. Oh yeah, we also saw Jay-Z leave a bar ;)
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A weekend visit from Gemma and we did our usual - a delicious meal at Cognac followed by a trip out to the Star.
Ready to head out.
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I do love the design of this Aztec print bodycon dress.
Comments always appreciated, as long as you keep it clean - I love to hear your feedback! xx
Finally, finally, after months of lockdown and only video calls, we have been allowed to join our households as we both live alone, so me and Gemma are now one household. Which meant that I was able to bring her to Hull for a long weekend, give her a massive hug and enjoy her company.
Our first day we went to Flamborough. As it was a weekday there were not many out, and it was pretty cold and windy! But it was amazing to be out and about after so long cooped up, and the scenery at Flamborough is awesome. We had a great day out!
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My sister, parents, and I went into NYC today to see some of my photos in the Thoreau Center for Sustainability (i forget if that is the full name of the place) It's located on 55 Exchange Pl. so turns out- it was closed. too bad.
so we ended up walking around and decided on going to the flea market where my mother bought me these totally awesome Aladdin pants. I love them so much. They are my new favorite pants.
So i couldn't choose between this and the first in comments, but since the first in comments is completely showing my camera clicker, i had to choose this one.
I tried a few jump shots and hurt my feet landing on these rocks. ouchhhh
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The Church of San Nicolò, which is improperly called the Church of Saint Lucia, due to the statue of the patron saint of Savoca that is kept there (the statue of San Nicolò was sold), dates back to the beginning of the thirteenth century. Built on a massive rocky spike, it seems to stretch out into the air. The church that today appears with a nave and two aisles and has the vague appearance of a fortress overlooking the valley below, it was once served by Greek chaplains.
This is where Michael Corleone and Apollonia Vitelli were married in "The Godfather" movie.
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Miscou Island Lighthouse
This lighthouse was built in 1856 at the southern entrance to Chaleur Bay by Quebec Trinity House, which then supervices navigation on the St. Lawrence River and Gulf. Considered a major coastal aid it merited the subsequent installation of a powerful dioptric light and a diaphone fog alarm. The octagonal tower of hand-sawn timbers, shingled on the outside, was originally 74 feet in height and was extended in 1903 to 80 feet. This lighthouse, substantially in its original state, is among the oldest in the Gulf of St. Lawrence region.
The lantern at Miscou Island houses a functioning third-order Fresnel lens, the only Fresnel lens still operating in an authentic lighthouse in New Brunswick. After an environmental cleanup in 2008, the province undertook a large scale project to make this a major tourist destination in the region. A paved parking area (large enough for tour buses), a deck around the lighthouse and washroom facilities in addition to a large grass area are completed.
Mi esposa e hija en la playa. vacaciones Chile
Meine Frau und Tochter am Strand in Chile
My wife and daughter at the beach in Chile.
please comment!
Thanks to EVERYBODY to COMMENTS and VISITS in my photos!!!
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Glasgow Cathedral, also called the High Kirk of Glasgow or St Kentigern's or St Mungo's Cathedral, is today a congregation of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow. The title cathedral is honorific and historic. The congregation is part of the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of Glasgow. Glasgow Cathedral is located north of High Street and east of Cathedral Street, beside the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The history of the cathedral is linked with that of the city, and is allegedly located where the patron saint of Glasgow, Saint Mungo, built his church. The tomb of the saint is in the lower crypt. Sir Walter Scott's Rob Roy, (1817 chapter XX) gives a brilliant account of the kirk. Built before the Reformation and serving as the seat of the Bishop and later the Archbishop of Glasgow, the building is a superb example of Scottish Gothic architecture. It is also one of the few Scottish medieval churches (and the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland) to have survived the Reformation unroofed. The rood screen is also a very rare survivor in Scottish churches. The building itself is in the ownership of the Crown, is maintained by Historic Scotland and is also a popular destination for tourists. (Wikipedia)
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Tuesay I went to the Ferguson Fawsitt with my lovely friend Rebekah, where we had their delicious chicken and bacon pie.
Then we went for a little walk to the pond to feed the ever so cute ducklings. Aww!
Comments from the IMDB.com message boards.
Go to the photoset for more like this one: www.flickr.com/photos/angusmcdiarmid/sets/72057594087388006/
Also, there's the Cameo website. Best screen in the country!
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"Accettami per quella che sono, un pò stupida ,un pò ancora bambina, con quella voglia di vivere e scherzare, non cambiarmi, accetta i miei pregi e difetti, perchè io, ti sto amando con tutta me stessa."
- Cit.
L'estate scorsa sono stata insieme alla mia famiglia e ad alcuni amici di famiglia a fare una mini-vacanza. Avevo dimenticato le foto, eccole x'3 Qui eravamo nei giardini sul retro del Castello di Donnafugata ♥
P.S. Quella nei commenti è un'altra versione in cui ho lavorato un po' di più con PS D: è tutto un po' più.. rosa, secondo voi qual è migliore? c: ♥
| © Non utilizzare la foto senza il mio consenso.|
|Si accettano critiche, non insulti. Si migliora sempre, soprattutto dai proprio errori.|
comments and critique very welcome on opinions of this the Tokina...11-16mm SD F2.8(IF)DX AT-X PRO Lens
Good size Brown Bear crossing McNeil river falls. The pictures in the essay are in the first comment.
The sow brown bear, weighing in at roughly 700 pounds was standing in the foaming icy waters of the falls of an Alaskan coastal river transfixed upon unseen motions in the water below her. Suddenly, she rapidly danced about, dipped her head in the water and came out with a 12 pound chum salmon in her jaws. The sudden motion and the new flapping of the salmon drew the attention of an even larger boar brown bear. He lunged at the sow and she took off at a sprint. She ran across a series of boulders separating various channels of the river to a game trail that led to her desired cover to hide from the boar and eat her fish in peace. The only problem, I was seated in the middle of that trail; I stood up to announce my presence to the rapidly approaching bear. By the time I made it to my feet, she was a mere 3 feet away. Traditional myth has me in a very bad place; however, a most amazing thing happened. She skidded to a stop, looked up at me with soft brown eyes and a submissive expression that seemed to suggest, “sorry to bother you”. Then she looked at my feet and slowly eased around me close enough to hear her breath. Once by me she continued her retreat into the underbrush.
Brown Bear with chum salmon comming accross the falls.
While this may sound like the start of a thriller of some amazing Alaskan Bear tale or that I might be the luckiest guy around, it is McNeil River in Alaska. The State of Alaska has, for over 30 years, taken up to 10 tourists a day to the falls to observe the politics of the bears at the falls jockeying for position at the best fishing locations and has never had an injury caused by a bear, according to Larry Aumiller, one of our guides at McNeil River. He did tell of some who had heart trouble and had to be flown out. From the heart rate that I encountered while face to face with that sow, I found the heart trouble part of the story easy to believe. However, at the end of our 4 days, with similar encounters happening several times a day, I came to also believe the bear part of the story.
Boar with a fish!
Subadult siblings watching the politics of the big bears on the falls.
While many creeks and rivers in Alaska have salmon, not many have the combination of salmon and falls that concentrate the salmon such that the bears are better enabled to catch salmon that have not spawned yet. Salmon entering fresh water cease eating and undergo changes to enable them to spawn but also signaling their death as they commence living on their stores of energy in fat and muscle rendering them less nutritious. McNeil River and Mikfik Creek flow into McNeil Lagoon, a tidal estuary, which is separated by a spit of sand from Cook Inlet. Within a mile or so of the lagoon, both drainages have a small set of falls that impede the annual migration of salmon following their own cycles to come back to the stream of their birth to mate and die. The salmon are slowed by the falls, gathering in the pools directly beneath, and are vulnerable to being caught by the bears. The run of red salmon begins in June at Mikfik Creek. As a result, June visitors to McNeil River State Park are taken to the falls of Mikfik Creek to see its spectacle of bears. However, the stream, the falls and the salmon run are all smaller; therefore, Mikfik never gets the concentration of bears that occurs in July when the red salmon run wanes and the run of chum salmon begins on McNeil River. In July, visitors are treated to the largest concentration of bears in the world fishing for spawning chums. In August, after the chums stop returning, the bears begin fishing below the falls for the spawned out chums.
My own personal McNeil experience actually started some 10 years ago when my wife convinced me to move to Fairbanks, Alaska. Once here, we started on a quest to see Alaska, which has taken us from the northern most point at Point Barrow, to the southern temperate rain forests. One place that hit her radar early was McNeil River. Unfortunately, McNeil is not a place you make reservations and go. The popularity of the place and the need to keep the groups small has led to the institution of a lottery for selection of the 180 or so people that get to go each summer. Every year, a month or so after we sent in our application we would get a letter thanking us for the $50 application fee and advising us that we did not get to go. This year, when the time came to submit our application the duty of sending in our annual contribution to the State Game and Fish department fell to me. I went directly to the dates with the lowest chance of a permit and the highest numbers of bears. After all if you win the lottery, you want to win big – right? Well, I won big and we were granted the opportunity to go to McNeil in July.
In July we were off to Homer to connect with Beluga Air, one of the charter operators flying to McNeil. Our 3:00 pm departure from Homer greeted us with blue skies, warm temperatures and no wind. The one hour and fifteen minute flight to McNeil Lagoon was wonderful: we noted two humpbacks and a pod of dolphins in Cook Inlet and then were greeted with wonderful views of Augustine Volcano. As we approached the shoreline at a distance of 10 miles or so, I could see two drainages and the one to the right had falls; as I looked closer, the falls had spots in it. Bears! Lot’s of em. The approach to land at the lagoon took us right over the falls and we could see the gravel viewing pads as well as 20 or so bears all within close proximity of the viewing pad. My excitement level was now pretty high.
After landing, we had to lug our gear across the spit and up to the campground, I was now glad we were limited to 75# apiece. Once we had relocated our stuff, we were given a half hour orientation on the issues of the campground at McNeil. Most instruction, of course, centered on the bears and the fact that for 30 years the staff at McNeil have been habituating the bears to the presence of humans so they know what to expect and avoid confrontation. The rule that surprised me the most was: outside the alders that make up the campground is bear territory so give the bears the right of way; inside the alders is human territory so step forward toward the bears, shout, throw rocks, do whatever it takes to convince the bear he is in human territory. We pitched our tent, stored our food and toiletries in the cook shack and went for a walk on the spit. We saw 10 bears fishing in the lagoon (at low tide the lagoon empties and McNeil River and Mikfik creek flow thru the area), and another 5 bears clamming in the mud flats. I took lots of photos with the closest bear at a range of 200 yards or so. Little did I know that the next night I would waste no frames on bears so far away.
Our first close bear encounter happened early the next morning, a sow and 3 cubs came into camp and were startled by a fellow visitor, who was up early. Unfortunately she spooked all 4 bears into my tent site. I quickly awoke to the sound of thundering paws, lots of woofing and barking, and my tent rapidly shaking from two bears on each side of my tent brushing it as they ran past. Needless to say, my adrenaline levels were sufficiently high that further sleep was out of the question, so I took a walk on the spit and was greeted with a wondrous sunrise with Mt. Saint Augustine Volcano in the foreground. It was pretty enough, that I was almost ready to forgive the rude awakening.
Sow and 3 large cubs that woke me by shaking the tent as they ran past.
The sunrise they got me up to see.
Each day about 10 am, we launched from the campground: 8 novice tourists and our Fish and Game guide for the day. It was explained that bear activity generally picks up in the afternoon, and the bears are most active from 3 pm to 10 pm, and that the actual departure is dependent on the tides. We were fortunate the tide was out so we could walk across the lagoon in the morning and then the small open boat from the campground would come back at high tide to give us a ride back across the lagoon at our return.
Soon it was clear we were in the realm of bears. On our first day, we saw the sow and three cubs of my morning encounter just outside the alders that line the camp. Each day as we approached the base of Mikfik creek, we saw a new form of combat fishing: in a short turn of the creek 20 bears were fishing for the dwindling red salmon run that goes into Mikfik. In fact on the second day we noted approximately 30 bears while standing in the middle of the lagoon.
Bears Fishing on Mikfik Creek
On the opposite side of the lagoon the trail heads to the high ground between the two drainages. On the second day we watched as a sow with 3 spring cubs went up our trail. We cautiously worked our way up the trail looking for the bears and as we got to the top of the rise we found them. However, as we watched, a boar appeared close to the sow. Our guide noted that we were standing on her only good escape path and suggested that we move a few feet off of the trail. Soon I was reminded of the sound of thundering paws and woofing as the sow and three cubs ran past us. As the bears approached, I was snapping pictures furiously, but as the bears filled my viewscreen thoughts of self preservation prevailed and I looked up from my camera. “Keep shooting!”, the guide intoned “you are safe”. So I started shooting once again.
Sow with cubs running from Boar
The cubs
Another mile on the trail in tall wildflowers and soon the air was filled with of the sound of rushing water. We came to the edge of a small canyon and got our first views of the falls with 10 or so bears fishing, and several sleeping either on the gravel viewing pad or on the trail to the pad. Each day as we slowly moved toward the pad, the bears dispersed to let us through. Then our 10 hours of uninterrupted viewing began. We had bears to the right of us, bears to the left of us, bears everywhere. In fact at the height of our best day we had 33 bears within 50 feet of our location. At one point a bear seemed interested in our packs and had walked to the rear of the pad. While it seemed silly, our guide advised that we just move a camp chair between the bear and our pack. Obviously a 1000# bear should have no trouble swatting away a 3 pound chair, but the sudden introduction of the strange object caused the bear to immediately stop its approach and back away with only a grunt for its objection. All sorts of bear activity surrounded us: feeding, fighting for choice spots, mating, playing juveniles. For me, with an interest in bears, it overwhelmed my senses.
Big Boar comming accross the falls
Confrontation over a choice fishing hole
Yes Bears even do that at the falls
They do get close enough the noise of the shutter can be an issue!
Then almost as soon as it would begin, our 10 hours at the pad were done and it was time to retreat back to the camp and a wonderful dinner of freeze dried stroganoff, amazing how good something so bland can taste so good when you are cold and hungry. Each day gave me a new insight to bears. The bears don’t come with bad habits; we teach them bad habits. If we are neither a threat nor a source of food, we are like the seagulls; we are there but not worth worrying about and they will conduct their business without regard to our presence. This been proven by the experiences of the last 30 years that Fish and Game employees have been taking visitors to McNeil Falls.
My wife and I at the upper viewing pad.
This spectacle of nature, as wondrous as it was, is a spectacle that is presently under stress, some political and some environmental. The maximum numbers of bears found at the fall just 10 years ago numbered in the 60’s while today the numbers peak in the mid to low 30’s. Lower runs of salmon are the suspected cause and research continues. Also, in the spring of 2006 the Alaska Board of Game voted to open the areas directly south of McNeil to hunting in the 2007 season in the face of an overwhelming majority of testimony and further advised that they were to consider a proposal to allow hunting within the preserve in 2007. Fortunately, a very strong public campaign directed at the Governor’s office and the Board of Game caused a reversal of the decision in 2006, so there is not to be hunting in the areas surrounding McNeil, however, the Board of Game is comprised completely by those with hunting interests in mind so they bear continued monitoring. So there is an uncertain future for the bears of McNeil River. I hope that sanity and the salmon will return and the bears will regain their number and retain their indifference to our presence, so when my next successful lottery pick occurs I will once again be overwhelmed by bears.
On our last day of visiting the falls, we were accompanied by a gentleman from Talkeetna, Alaska and his 16 year old daughter. Watching the bears with the infectious enthusiasm of youth only served to heighten the wonder of my own experience. I hope the we will have the wisdom to help this spectacle survive to allow the 16 year old to share the wonder of the bears of McNeil with her children in the future in the same fashion that she has now done with her father.
I feel obliged to say that you shouldn't try this at home with your bears. McNeil is a place where human contact has been controlled for the last 30 years and these bears have not had negative or postive contact with humans and they have been habituated to our presence. Anyone whose first encounter with bears is McNeil will not learn the distance that one should keep from bears that might see us as a threat or food and meet with an unfortnate experience.
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We had such an amazing weekend in Newcastle in September, we decided to go for another one in November!
Friday night we were back at our facourite Newcastle venue, Rusty's. We had a fantastic night, met lots of people and we met up with Shak (and her date) who we had met in September at the Ladyboys gig! Was lovely to see her again!
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A few video clips from our visit to The Deep, some amazing scenes in there!
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I went to see the one man show Buffy Revamped with my dear friend Simon. It was brilliant!
Buffy The Vampire Slayer remains one my my all-time favourite shows, and this was a hilarious take one it. I highly recommend going to see it if it's touring near you and you loved the TV show.
Inspired by:
www.brothers-brick.com/2014/08/21/pugs-exo-suits-is-total...
this seemed funny when I finished building this morning.
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For the first time, I went for a weekend visit to Gemma's and we had a great time! We packed loads into a couple of days.
Saturday morning we were up early to go to Dovedale in the Peak District. What a stunningly beautiful place it is! So picturesque! I loved every minute.
Because it's a well known area of outstanding natural beauty, it gets busy early so we made sure we arrived as soon as the car park opened. That meant it was reasonably quiet walking outwards, but coming back there were so many people!
I showed the pictures to my Sister wjhen I got home and she loved them so much, she took her family there camping the very next weekend!