First snowfall of 2011

Unlike my Maritime friends, I spent Christmas and new year's in Brazil and Argentina, two countries that are particularly famous for their lack of snow.

This, of course, meant I was due for some karma ... which arrived in the form of epic Maritime snowstorms over the past two weeks, not to mention a cold.

I'd complain, but ... I had it comin.'

Took some of these shots down by French Fort Cove and the ski club. Winter is a bitch, but her bounty is beautiful.

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The temptation to dislodge that snow was mighty.


The cove trails had a definite gothic vibe to them.




The rest of town got hit with a fresh dusting, too.

That is all.

Best of 2010, Part III

And the last of my selection of best or favourite shots from 2010.

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This shot I like because of the way the good colonel is lit by the projection of the area of Afghanistan he just came back from.


He was in town as part of a Canadian Forces PR initiative to explain this marvelous method they have of actually moving into Afghan villages and getting to know the villagers. Apparently it works better than just sweeping in, killing some Taleban, then buggering off back to base.

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This is the late Chief Noah Augustine, from Metepenagiag First Nation, also known as Red Bank.


He had a number of economic development initiatives that were ahead of his time. He ended up losing office in a handful of votes, then dying in a car crash a few weeks ago. Also, he killed a guy once, but was acquitted.

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Always loved this one, taken during a really hot day.


The look of unadulterated joy on that kid's face is just priceless.

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This one is darker than I'd like, but still neat.


A bunch of local peacekeeping veterans signing the travelling flag.

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That's it for best shots. Nowhere near as good as last year's selection, but I still got a few good ones.

Best of 2010, Part II

My best and/or fave shots from 2010, continued.

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A rare shot of a politician looking human:


Michael Ignatieff and his wife Zsuzsana Zohar at the Miramichi Folksong Fest.

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I kept this one in mainly because of the composition, the lighting and the kick-ass podium they had to pose next to.


The presenters of the school district's Creative Use of Technology Awards.

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This came out well, too:


This young lady was one of two Miramichi students to make it to the ranks of the presitigious New Brunswick Youth Orchestra. In past years, the kids have gone to China, Italy and New York to strut their stuff.

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Aside of just being a neat little shot, a bit of context helps with this one:


The gentleman pointing so proudly at the tail end of what I assure you is an enormous pile of lumber is Danny Anderson, the owner of the only mill still operating in Miramichi. He just got some financial help from the government, represented by the two then-MLAs off to the side, that allowed him to modernize and get back in the game.

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And this one is from Justin Trudeau's visit.


Those ladies will be the first to agree: he is so very pretty.

Best of 2010, Part I

Once again, a selection of my best or favourite shots from 2010. Enjoy:

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The PM's last visit.


Not the best lit or composed shot, but I still like it because the bridge is in the background, and I had to wrangle with the PMO for four days before finally managing to get this shot, which no other paper ran.

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Also a not super-composed shot, of then-Opposition leader David Alward, standing in the city council chambers:


I like this one because of the proprietorial pose he strikes, with his hand on the pedestal with the city logo on it. This was two days after the Norwegian solar panel company said they were putting off their polysilicon plant plans for the city due to economic uncertainty. That project was to be a success story for the ruling Liberals, and Alward, of the Progressive Conservatives, swooped in straightaway.

He ended up winning September election. Guess that's all we need to know about how effective a strategy that was.

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Ahhhh, mud-fest:


I had a whole post dedicated to this marvel of redneckery (not to mention one of those rare moments where I wish I'd grown up in Miramichi), see below. It's all the mud splashes that make this shot.

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Some more fun:


The Junior Chatham Ironmen were doing an into-to-baseball dealie with the young'uns. Mainly like this shot because of the colour, angle and depth.

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And a sad shot to cap this set off:


Residents of Esgenoopetitj First Nation, known to everyone as Burnt Church, light and release dozens of Chinese lanterns on what would have been the birthday of Hilary Bonnell, the teenager who was murdered on the reserve in 2009.

French Fort Cove Freezes

Well, there's just no avoiding it: We're in for another proper Maritime winter, although a tad late.

Here's some shots I took down at the lagoon at French Fort Cove in the city, just after it started to freeze but before snow could fall to cover it. Enjoy.



In another couple of months, the ice'll be a few feet thick, enough to support the annual pond hockey tournament. Always a fun time.