The picture of a place

[vaneramos]

August 14: Peggy's Cove lighthouse, Nova Scotia





August 14: near Peggy's Cove


Thirty years ago as an 11-year-old travelling East I glanced up from books, catching the landscape in flashes. As an adult driver I saw its continuity. On August 11 we left the Ottawa Valley and drove 1,400 km to Whycocomagh (Why-COG-a-muh), Nova Scotia, 16 hours. The St. Lawrence lowlands flowed past Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains into the Appalachians.

My daughters overturn stones in search of crabs, catching details, while I’m enamoured of the big picture¹: textures of rocks and trees, the way clouds move and light falls. Together we assemble fuller stories.

Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia, is one of the most photographed places on Earth, a fishing village turned tourist trap. But just outside it, we noticed a peculiar, unmarked landscape and stopped to explore. Low hillocks surrounded a distressed lagoon. The land was green with salt-tolerant shrubs and scattered with jagged boulders. I felt particularly drawn to one barren hill crowned with rocks like a circle of old, wise people. The place was sacred. I felt peaceful and awake.

If you’re connected to the earth, new territories seem variations on places you already know. It’s like meeting a distant cousin for the first time: the face is familiar and startling.

~~~~~~~~~~~

¹ Interesting reflections on the big picture in susandennis's journal yesterday.





August 18: Aeolian dunes at Cavendish beach, Prince Edward Island





August 12: Marian and a garter snake at Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia





August 18: Summerside Harbour, Prince Edward Island

Comments

[writer00.livejournal.com]

Ugh! So damned talented! I especially love the lighthouse and the Summerside Harbour pic.

What kind of camera are you shooting with?

[susandennis]

That lighthouse with the quilted rocks needs to be a puzzle, I'm afraid. It will drive my puzzle people crazy with all that sky but it will be good for them and it's a lucious picture. And a great 'big picture'!

[paulonleave]

You must be used to people praising your photos by now, but I guess compliments are always welcome, so I'll add to the chorus of ecomia.

I am unfailingly delighted when I open my "friends" page and find some new jewels from you -- both linguistic ones and visual ones.

!!!

[that-dang-otter.livejournal.com]

Wonderful pics, all of them.

The picture of Marian is... kinda hot. I mean, in a purely platonic sense. ;-)

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

Oh my god Van,
these took my breath for a moment
that first pic feels so deeply elemental, as if I am recharged and filled with energy just from viewing it. I must see that place in person in this lifetime, in the flesh as it were, preferrably during a raging storm. My god, that has made my day, and the final one as well, and of course your beautiful self expressing child. I've really missed your postings. Welcome back!

grace peace and love
munkey

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

it's actually moved me to tears, must go for a walk...

[rfmcdpei.livejournal.com]

I'm wonderful that you had such a good time. You must bring pictures. :-)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It is not very sophisticated, a Kodak DX3700. I've learned to make the best of it.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I'd be delighted. Your puzzles are fun.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I have less experience as a photographer than as a writer, so compliments are most welcome. I'm pleased to be able to share some travels with you.

Re: !!!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. Affinity for snakes runs in my family. My mother once chased a workman out of the vacant lot beside our house because he killed a fox snake, a threatened species in Canada. But Marian handles them with more confidence than any of us. This one was agitated when she first picked it up, but quickly relaxed and seemed to enjoy her body heat. They're very sensual creatures. And the photo doesn't do justice to this one's beauty.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I hope you have a chance to go. There's much in Nova Scotia worth seeing, starting with a whole coastline dotted with lighthouses like this. The image of people dotted across the rocks like in that peculiar light seemed surreal to me. Always pleased to connect with you.

Cheers,
Van

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

"I'm wonderful..."

Indeed you are. Thank you for your recommendations; it was most helpful. We must get together soon for coffee. I can bring along a slide show on disc.

[lilactime.livejournal.com]

Ah, Peggy's Cove, where otherwise perfectly sane people will drive for an hour and a half specifically to stand on a rock. :)

Lovely photos - they made me homesick. Oddly, Peggy's Cove always reminds me of homemade fudge. Once when I was a kid, we stopped at one of those roadside stands people erect at the end of their driveways and bought baked goods instead of buying snacks at the overpriced gift shop. Now the place is synonymous in my brain with sugary chocolate fudge.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I had forgotten you were from Halifax. Yes, Peggy's Cove was the one significant disappointment of the trip. Ironically, my mother remembers being disappointed 30 years ago, but at age 11 I was too young to perceive it as a counterfeit.

We found a much more interesting and genuine fishing village, Seal Cove on Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick. It thrived during the heyday of the herring industry and has been preserved as a monument. One building on the wharf had been converted to an inn, another to a museum, but tourism hasn't marred it like Peggy's Cove. Some photos will likely appear here later.

And thanks again for recommending Victoria. It was well worth the time out of our way. The girls were as much impressed as I. And it was the only place we found hermit crabs on the beach.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

P.S. Unfortunately we couldn't explore the lighthouse coast. The day we planned to follow it was the one day of really heavy rain, and the girls weren't interested in getting out of the car. We drove as far as Yarmouth but went mall shopping instead, then returned to my aunt's place near Annapolis Royal for lobster dinner. I was disappointed about missing Cape Sable, which is good for birds, but ended up having a good opportunity the following day on Brier Island (off Digby Arm), which was my favourite day of the trip.

[art-thirst.livejournal.com]

Great pics! I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Marian would not be bother by handling a snake. Looks like a really super travel time. :-)

[tbone1961.livejournal.com]

Gosh. Talk about flashback. The ex and I went to Nova Scotia for our honeymoon, Peggy's Cove included. I have a framed picture she had blown up of waves against the rocks. I laid on the ledge for at least 1/2hr to get just the right shot.

DAMN. I'm so bummed I couldn't get up to meet you and the girls!!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It was a wonderful vacation. I've thought of you often during this hurricane season, without the benefit of internet access to check on how you were doing. I'm glad to see you're still posting and hope all's well.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

We'll have other chances.

I tried to get some interesting wave shots in that same place, but didn't have the luxury of relaxing for long. Brenna always disappears as soon as we get near the shore. Usually I try not to worry about it, but at Peggy's Cove I didn't want to let her out of my sight.

[art-thirst.livejournal.com]

Thanks Van. We have been fortunate so far this year. After what I went thru last year, if Katrina had been really bad here I know I'd be in the streets. And, if I had the chance to meet GW, I'm really not sure what I would do in his presence. Not anything harmful but, I certainly wouldn't be afraid to speak my mind.