Old Growth Trees

Last Thursday we snowshoed on new spring snow. Ten kilometers up and across Montagne des Trois Sommets, down a ravine and up again to Mont St-Louis. In this fairly inaccessible terrain we walked through an old growth forest of yellow birch. This pictures shows the massive spreading branches of our provincial tree (in French, bouleau jaune and also called merisier) that could be 150 years old.


On the way down off the mountain, this impressive bracket fungi attracted my attention. Ancient people used the interior flammable fiber called amadou as a fire-starter. I like the wavy form of the fruiting body, its smooth creamy underside and the different coloration in the annual growth rings.

Pentax K10D, focal length 27mm, f/11, 1/1000s, ISO 400

Out Like a Lion

Got up this morning to 10cm of fresh falling snow. Instead of suiting up and heading out, I took a series of pictures through the windows and open patio door (the lazy photographer's method). I especially liked this shot of our special white pine tree.

The sky was overcast and the light pretty flat so I gently "Photoshopped" the brightness, increased contrast and lightened the middle tones to achieve this result. Hope you like it too.

Pentax K10D, focal length 230mm, f/11, 1/30s, ISO 200

Vernal Equinox a.k.a. Spring

Spring break-up is at hand. Even at 600m altitude, where we snowshoed this week in the Forêt Montmorency, the temperatures were above freezing. The thick snow cover is giving way to expose warmer colours underneath. I like the combination of melting snow and the subdued earth tones in the shoreline rocks.

Pentax K10D, focal length 170mm, f/11, 1/500 sec, ISO, 400

Sugaring Off

The maple syrup season in Quebec started on February 28 in the Beauce (an hour's drive south of Quebec City and home to Marie-Philip Poulin who scored the two goals for the Canadian Olympic Hockey team).
Temperatures were mild all through January/February and snowfall less than average. Daytime highs are above zero and nighttime lows below; ideal conditions for pumping maple tree sap toward the awaiting leaf buds. This picture from March 4 illustrates the snow loss around tree trunks and on the south facing slope of Mont Écho. While the sky is a saturated cool blue we could feel the sun's warmth on our bare hands and faces. A perfect end-of-season snowshoe!
Pentax K10D, focal length 27 mm, f/9.5, 1/750 s, IOS 200, hand held.

Early Spring!!

February temperatures were 4 degrees above average. The snow is disappearing before our very eyes. Our snowshoeing days are numbered. Can spring flowers be far away? I photographed these backyard tulips on May 24, 2008. How warm the colours are when contrasted with last week's picture of snow along the Cap-Rouge River. I guess my eye is looking to next season's display of new, vivid colours.
Pentax K10D, focal length 170 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO 100, tripod used