Vermont, Away and Back: November 2007

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Galapagos penguin doing Orca impression

...just passing by

'old on mate; wot's this then?

...And when I do this, the seals think I'm an orca and it scares the bejeezus out of them

Who knew that there are wild penguins on the equator? This series cracks me up.

The secret to successful wildlife photography: Find friendly wildlife

When you visit the Galapagos Islands (and don't you dare die before doing so), there are very strict rules. You can't stay onshore overnight, except in two or three towns, so you sleep on a boat. You must be accompanied by a licensed guide whenever on shore. You can't bring any food on shore, and have to guard your water bottle from birds. And you can't touch the animals. But what do you do when you sit down for a break and three baby seals try to crawl into your lap and smooch? Amazing, amazing place. (Though it just occurred to me that they're probably not looking for a kiss, but rather are hoping that Jodi will regurgitate a fish)

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Ready for the start

Preparation for late fall mountain bike race (teenager's division) at Catamount Family Center, Williston VT. Historical house in background used to belong to Vermont Governor Thos. Chittenden in 19th century.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Mount Rainier

I know that Seattle is supposed to have terrible weather, but every time I've been there the weather has been like this. One of our kids is a college teacher in Seattle, and a fanatical bicycle racer. Currently, it's cyclocross season. I have to get out there for a visit and do some race photography sometime.

Summer is gone...

View of Mount Mansfield, looking east from my canoe in Malletts Bay. At this time of year I have to make an effort to remember weather like this, since much of November and December in the Champlain Valley of Vermont is pretty gray and disgusting, and the days are much too short. But the good news is that Mrs G and I are escaping to the Caribbean soon, to do some snorkeling and beach-walking.

The snow is already starting to pile up in the mountains, and the ski areas have had a couple of feet of snow in the past few days. Stowe and its ski areas are on the far side of Mt Mansfield, about an hour's drive from Burlington.

Back to the good things

OK, the angler fish was gross, so I'll try to get back to some beauty.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Angler Fish at Bergen (Norway) Fish Market

Public transportation done right

Train station on the line from Oslo to Bergen. In Europe, you can easily get to wonderful places by train. In the US, you have frequent service from New Haven to Newark.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Woo-hoo! Grab the skis!

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY

A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW WILL OCCUR AT LOWER ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE
ENTIRE NORTH COUNTRY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. CURRENT
ESTIMATES SUGGEST THAT SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF HEAVY WET
SNOW ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 1000 FEET IN THE NORTHERN ADIRONDACKS...
AND CENTRAL AND NORTHERN GREEN MOUNTAINS LATER TONIGHT INTO
FRIDAY...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS ACROSS LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE
CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AND IMMEDIATE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY. SNOW
TAPERS OFF TO FRIDAY MORNING...BUT WITH PERIODS OF SNOW SHOWERS
CONTINUING AND CONCENTRATED ALONG WEST AND NORTHWEST FACING
MOUNTAINS

Ski areas opening this weekend!

Eileen Donan Castle, Scotland

I'd like to believe my Scots ancestors lived here, but somehow I think not.

Lake Champlain & Adirondack Mountains

View looking west from the shoreline after brekkie. Some days it's hard to go to work. (Not today, though. 39°F and raining. Ugh.)

Marine Iguana

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

More moose in the city (tragic)

Burlington Free Press
Errant moose shot, killed in Burlington
September 25, 2007
BURLINGTON -- A bull moose that found its way out of the woods and into a backyard on Mansfield Avenue in Burlington this morning has been shot and killed by Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department officials. State officials said the moose, which was in close proximity to a school and residents, posed a threat to the public. The approximately 900-pound animal had been spotted before 8:30 a.m., running through backyards on Mansfield Avenue, across the street from Mater Christi School. At one point, it was lying down near a residential hedge row. Area residents, parents, University of Vermont students, and even a class of young students from Mater Christi stood a respectful distance from the creature, taking pictures with cell phones and recounting their stories of how the moose found its way into the city. Earlier this morning, Williston State Police dispatchers said the moose would have to move on in its own time, but it never did. Fish and Wildlife experts said they had to shoot the moose because it would have been too risky to tranquilize it.