Do, do, do lookin` out my back door

That webcam link is really neat. I spent a lot of time looking at various views of your very beautiful part of the world. Yes, my friend works hard at collecting and he's a topnotch metalsmith and sculptor as well, not to mention being very generous.

I found some notes I made about the materials. Both are apparently from Two Islands. The white opaque cab he called simply "Porcelain Agate" and the long triangle "Panorama Stone." I don't know whether those are established names or his own.

This example is more in line with what he calls Panorama Stone:



This is a one-off; he says he's never found another like it. I think it's amazing and hope much more is found.



I think I have a small specimen of the Blomidon flame agate but no image at the moment. I'll make one ASAP and post it for confirmation of the name and source.

Shotgunner:

Personally, I don't hunt but many of my friends and work colleagues do.

As for birds, we have a variety of ducks and of course the Lesser Canada Goose which are a curse on golf courses and hazardous to jet airplanes. We also have land based birds like partridge and pheasants. Wild turkeys are making an appearance as their territory is expanding as they move north from Maine.

We are overpopulated with deer. When the snow melts along the highway right of ways, the deer come out of the woods (starving) to chomp on fresh vegetation. It is not uncommon to see between 25 and 50 deer in a small herd along the highway. I wish I had a photo for you. It would be a sportsman's dream. The government is considering a cull to keep the numbers in check, but that is always controversial.

The prize is moose. Chances are, your are more likely to collide with one on the highway at night than encounter one in the woods. They have no natural predators and they aren't particularly bright. They stand in the middle of the highway and wait for motorists. They are invisible at night. Because of there size, a car will clip them in the knees and the body mass usually ends up in the back seat. For the very few motorists that actually survive a collision, they usually spend the remainder of their life in a wheel chair. Hunting licences are limited and you actually have to win a lottery for the hunt. Typically, up to four hunters will share a licence and there will be plenty of wild game meat for all.

Up to recently, we though we had "bad attitude" coyotes, but genetic research has determined that they are actually a hybrid species (coyote and wolf) that is more wolf like in size and tend to hunt prey in small packs. A few hikers have been eaten over the last few years. Once in a while we hear them in the woods behind our house.

Although rare, we also have cougars. A wise hunter will recognize evidence of them, but they are extremely elusive. The recent explosion of motion detection cameras has finally proven that they are really here.

Black bears are around, but they tend to be timid unless mother bear is protecting cubs. Bear scat on a trail to a rock hounding location always makes me a little nervous as I have a high degree of respect for things that are bigger than me.

We have some prized salmon fishing rivers as well if you are into fly fishing.

We have lots of things to eat, and a few things that could eat you, but that makes it exciting! Hope I have inspired you to finally realize your bucket list hunting dream.

Darryl.