Fog and more fog and Before the Mast

There has been a run of fog here in Grand Mannan that seems to be lasting forever. There is a photographer from Nova Scotia (I have to call someone to get his name because I have completely forgotten) who does his work in rainy and foggy days and I really like his work and decided to use this weather as an opportunity to experiment. I am still 'foggy' myself with the F stops and A stops and whatnot on my camera, so I have left it on 'idiot' stop but played around with depth of field and the macro lens.

These are my favourites so far;Deep Harbour, Grand Mannan NB South Head, Grand Mannan, NB Calistra Marsh Preserve, Grand Mannan, NB. I like this one because it makes me think of the DiskWorld series by Terry Pratchett.

The day rained non stop or if it wasn't raining it was so foggy that it was rainy-ish. We headed out to see Calistra Marsh preserve. The tide was out, the birds were on vacation and the Gnats were bored so they visited with us most of the walk. We headed back to the Inn and read and knit and Steve watched the soccer thing which I ignored. I went to the living room and knit even more. We napped. It was a quiet day.

But what about last night's Jello? Folks, were we ever surprised. You know how sometimes you drag your arse to something thinking 'Man, I just want to get this over with.” only to discover that where you are going and where you end up are completely different realities. We drive past the municipal dump to the Curling Club, a lady wearing a canvas tote around her neck asks us to help us schlep in some bags and a huge cast iron coat hanger device (sort of like an oversized umbrella stand) We are then in a line up that is massive to get our dinner tickets. We trot over to a table with two unclaimed chairs and it turns out that two of the people sitting there are from Bloomington, Indiana and are staying in the room underneath us at the Whale Cove Inn. They are educators of high school people and it turns into a pretty interesting conversation. Did you know that some States have turned their school boards into School corporations with advisory school boards. Man, my mind was blown before we even began to inch our way around the implications of that loaded gun. And then the dinner arrives. The best lobster rolls I've ever had, a mixed green salad, iced tea and for desert, strawberry shortcake with whip cream. Most of this has been made by our proprietress Laura Buckley and it tastes terrific. Not a Jello dish in sight.

Then out comes the local musical talent which I had forgotten was part of the deal. The local gang was pretty good but then out flood the Men Before the Mast. 9 male voices singing Accapella (Mr. #10 was on vacation) and they specialize in seafaring songs. Work songs, ditties, ballads, fos'cle songs, and a pretty interesting new song about being a sailor on a modern electronic ship today. Can they ever sing and they are pretty funny as well. I had a great time, singing along whenever we were invited to, tapping the feet and hands and generally ignoring the folks around me and concentrating on the music. I haven't had this much fun in many an expensive concert of any ilk. Who would have thought that sea faring songs could be so much fun. I hadn't taken my camera, so I had to wait until we came home and Steve downloaded his camera and so forth.
Here's their web site,

http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/
if you ever catch sight of a poster saying they are in concert somewhere, tell me and make sure you go yourself.

Here's where I get to flog a bit of the local food/farm/ethics I'm constantly harping about. The music in the Maritimes is often very good. Eat local, buy local or Canadian, and listen local. It is a fabulous combination.

Today it started out foggy and we went to Seal Cove so Steve could look at abandoned Herring smoke houses. I don't know what they are doing today on that wharf but Man! What a stench. I sat at the beach and waited. I practiced with capturing motion on the camera. The waves here are only about 8 inches high but i used the telephoto lens and a beach setting. Looks ferocious huh?

The sun came out and we headed to North Head for lunch and we both realized that the sun made us crabby. Perhaps as we age Steve and I are becoming nocturnal or whatever it is that slinks from shade spot to shade spot. I was so annoyed at the bright sun, I forgot to take any pictures of the scenery that we haven't been able to see for days. We headed back to the Inn, had a beer under a shade tree and read for ages. Steve took out his banjo and practiced and ended up in a long conversation with someone from Digby. I came to the room to get out of the sun. Tonight we head downstairs to the fine dining experience put on by the Whale Cove Inn. I am hoping for excellent things.