Beautiful Sights from Lubec, Maine and Campobello Island, New Brunswick

Ironically, on our first day of exploration in Canada, we had to drive back to the US in order to get to a Canadian island.  That was ok because it gave us a chance to see the small harbor town of Lubec, Maine.

We first caught sight of the Mulholland Point Lighthouse as we drove over the bridge to get from the US into Canada.  After we crossed the bridge, we drove down the small access road to get a close up view of the lighthouse.  However, as I find is often the case with lighthouses, the best images are those taken from a distance.  This view allows us to see two countries in one frame.  Mulholland Point Lighthouse is on Campobello Island, which is in Canada, and the harbor is in Lubec, Maine, USA.  The day was somewhat overcast, but there’s just enough definition in the sky to keep it from looking flat.

Mulholland Point Lighthouse and Lubec Harbor

On the opposite end of Campobello Island, lies Head Harbor Lighthouse, which is on its own island.  You can see the waters churning all around the island, as the tide waters are rushing in, as they tend to do in this part of Canada.  We’re near the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides (approximately 30 feet difference from low to high tide in some areas) in the world.  Whether they are coming in or going out, the waters tend to churn in certain places, and this is one of them!  When the tide is out, it used to be that you could walk from Campobello Island to the lighthouse island.  There were stairs on both sides, and you just walked across the ocean floor, that would be relatively dry (maybe mucky, but not under water) at that time.  If you look closely in the image (just under the lighthouse), you can see the rusty stairs leading from the lighthouse island to what would be the ocean floor at low tide.  At this point, you can see they just lead to fairly deep and churning water.  I love this image for showing the strength of the lighthouse.  Alone on an island, but sending signals to boats that need guidance.  And, I love the rich colors in this image, compliments of the sea and wind.

Head Harbor Lighthouse Island

This cemetery is in Lubec, and I was drawn to it because of how the headstones are standing, leaning and in some cases, lying down.  I loved the contrast in colors of this image, cool granite of the headstones, rust that appears in sections on many of them, and the lush green of the trees, shrubs and grass.  The blue sky is nice, too!

Old Cemetery Headstones

We visited this cemetery just a few weeks after Memorial Day, and I’m assuming that the flags on some of the graves indicate the graves of those who served our country.  I wish I knew the reason for the positions of the headstones, but perhaps it’s just settling ground.  It seemed pretty soft and sort of cushiony when I was walking around, like the ground holds a lot of water and doesn’t drain all that well.  In any event, the flags added a nice personal touch to the scene.

Patriotic Cemetery

Enjoy!

Lubec and Campobello Island Pencil Sketches

While exploring Lubec, Maine and Campobello Island, New Brunswick, there were some scenes that just needed to be digital pencil sketches.  Come take a look!

There was a small decorative footbridge in the campground where we stayed.  In front of the footbridge where a stream should be running, grew some wild irises, both white and blue.  I thought this made a charming small intimate nature portrait, ideally suited for a digital watercolor sketch.

Campground Irises

As we drove along Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada, I notice a boat that had definitely seen better days.  It was beached on the shore, and had been left there to decay.  I thought it made a nice sketch, and I thought of how often we tend to discard things rather than repairing them. Still, this discard made for a picturesque scene.

Boat Wreck

In a couple of other posts, you’ll see a reference to an old cemetery in Lubec, Maine.  Across the road from the cemetery, this lovely, small field of flowers put on a little show.  The trees added a nice compliment, as did the small peninsula point that looks like it could be an island.  Don’t you just want to go and sit in the field and just daydream the afternoon away?

Shoreline Flowers

Enjoy!

Fine Art America Offerings

These two new pieces of photo art are now available on my Fine Art America site (http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg).  They are available in various sizes and finishes, including prints, note cards, pillows, and mugs. 

Winter Harbor Lighthouse

This picturesque is located at the start of the drive around the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park.  This view captures the feeling of solitude that most lighthouse keepers must have appreciated.  Waves crashing on the rocks at the base of the lighthouse and expansive ocean views may have been the only companions of those hearty souls in days gone by.

Wonsqueak Harbor House

At the end of the Schoodic Peninsula drive was a tiny harbor called Wonsqueak, and this building was the only building in the harbor!  No boats were tied to its dock at the time I saw it, but that was around mid-day, when fisherman would have been out on the sea. 

Enjoy!

Schoodic Peninsula Beauty

My favorite area of Acadia National Park turned out to be the last area we visited, Schoodic Peninsula.  It provided the feeling of solitude that I expected from Acadia and some wonderful scenery and colors to boot!

Buoys

Winter Harbor is a small fishing village at the very beginning (and probably just outside) of the Schoodic Peninsula.  However, the feeling of peace of the peninsula was already here.  I couldn’t help but get entranced by the colorful wall of buoys that that made up the outside of one of the buildings right on the harbor.

Winter Harbor

The water in Winter Harbor and throughout all of the Schoodic Peninsula was crystal clear.  It reminded me of the water one might see in the Caribbean, except, of course, that water is much warmer!

Tide’s Coming In

I always thought the tide came in and went out nice and gentle.  The power of the incoming tide surprised me when I stood directly over it at the Frazier Pt. picnic area on the peninsula.  It almost looks like I’m riding on and looking out over the back of a motorboat!

Along the Coast of the Schoodic Peninsula

This seems like an almost classic view of the coastline along the peninsula, and this sort of rustic beauty, unspoiled by man, is what I looked forward to seeing in Acadia.  

Deep Forest Roadside

There was a little dirt road that led to the highest point on the peninsula, which wasn’t all that much above sea level.  But, the greenery along the side of the road was much more impressive than the view at the end of it!

Crashing at Schoodic Point

You could really get a feel for the power of the ocean as the waves crashed against the rocks at Schoodic Point.  It was very cool to be able to walk out onto the rocks.  Of course, we didn’t go to the far end of the rocks, because they were quite wet from the spray and the actual waves.  Some foolhardy folks did get rather close, but after hearing how a man and his 7-year-old daughter were swept off the rocks (he was rescued, but she drowned), we respected the power of nature.

View from Blueberry Hill

The area around Acadia is known for blueberries.  I’m guessing that perhaps at some point, blueberries were grown around this immediate area, but I didn’t see anything but this lovely view on this day!

Blue Waters on Cobblestone Beach

I love the look of a cobblestone beach.  I had never seen one before seeing this one, to the best of my knowledge, and I found the texture of it wonderful.  What’s not so wonderful is to try to walk on it!

Blue Waters of Wonsqueak Harbor

At the end of the drive around the peninsula, there was tiny Wonsqueak Harbor.  Again, the super clear blue waters were here, along with a charmingly rustic harbor house.

Enjoy!

Pencil Sketches from the Schoodic Peninsula

Jeff and I took a drive down the Schoodic Peninsula portion of Acadia National Park on our last day there.  There were many beautiful sights, and I made some pencil sketches of some of them!

There was a picnic area at a place called Frazier Point.  They had a sort of walking bridge out onto the middle of the channel where the tide would come in and go out.  At the foot of the steps to this bridge were some lovely wildflowers and wild roses that worked into a lovely pencil sketch.  I also decided to crop the piece so that it looks more like a true sketch would look.

Wildflowers at Frazier Point

A little bit after seeing the flowers at Frazier Point, we saw a lighthouse, the Winter Harbor Lighthouse.  Winter Harbor is the name of a small fishing village at the beginning of the Schoodic Peninsula, and this lighthouse was, it seems, named after the village.

Waves Crashing at Winter Harbor Lighthouse

Schoodic Point offered us a chance to walk down on some rather flat rocks to check out the waves crashing along them.  The seagulls also seemed to enjoy soaking in the sun and having such easy access to the water when they felt the need to seek out food!

Seagulls at Schoodic Point

Enjoy!

Door and Windows

Here are some photo images that I took of the doors and windows of the old farmhouse that I used as inspiration for the recent photo collage piece I did.  There is an old saying that a person’s eyes are windows to the soul.  Well, I always feel that the windows of old deserted buildings are a way to see into what may be the soul of the past lives that were inside the building.

One of the things I like is when I can capture the old glass in a deserted building’s windows.  They are warped in a way that creates a sense of mystery to me – as if the house wants to hold close its secrets.

Warped Reflection

Another mystery is the missing pane of glass – when did it break and so cleanly?  It doesn’t look like a rock or something thrown at it broke it – after all, there are no jagged edges.  It would make it easier to catch a glimpse of what’s inside, except for the old curtain that still hangs.  Ah, the stories my imagination can make up about that!

Missing Pane

I love the character that comes through in this image.  The textures are a wonderful mix – smooth glass of the windows, rough finish to the material that once served as perhaps a bit of insulation to the building on the right side, the regularity of the siding that’s still on the left side of this outside wall of the farmhouse, the old, slightly warped wood of the door, and the rusty locks and doorknob that also serve to keep the secrets of the old house safe inside.  They all balance so perfectly, it’s strangely delightful.

Door and Two Windows

Enjoy!

Old Barn Pencil Sketches

Not far from where we camped near Acadia National Park, there was an old deserted farmhouse and barn.  In a previous blog, I shared the photo collage piece I created using the farmhouse for inspiration, and I thought I’d share a few images of the barn and farmhouse window I converted into colored pencil sketches.

I loved the detail that there was in the window from the old barn.  The mismatched wood boards making up the barn, and the old red torn material that was underneath the wood, created some lovely texture.

Old Barn Window

In this piece, you can see the entire barn, with the window in the lower corner of the barn.  Again, I was drawn to the texture of the wood, and the different wood that was used to board up the door.  It looks like there was only that one window in the barn.  It made me wonder why they even bothered with the one window, since it was small and wouldn’t add much overall light inside the barn when the barn door had been closed.  Still, it makes for some interesting character to the structure!

Old Barn

Enjoy!

The Path Home

There was something about this deserted house.  I first saw it as we drove to Acadia National Park, but I didn’t photograph it until a few days later.  It has been deserted for some time, and a no trespassing sign was posted on it.  I didn’t trespass in it.  I just stood out front to photograph it from a number of different angles.  The full-face on view won, and then I decided that I needed to incorporate it into a piece of digital art, what I call photo collage.  The end result reminds me of how often people tend to return to their base, be in where they grew up or where their soul came alive.

The Path Home

Enjoy!

Note:  This piece is available in a variety of print finishes and other items (pillows, tote bags, etc.) via http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Footbridge in Somesville

On Mt. Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park, there is a small village outside the park, called Somesville.  This village has a charming footbridge that runs alongside the road through the village.  It has become one of the most famous landmarks on the island, and is captured here not as one of my photo images, but as a digital watercolor pencil sketch, also created by me.

Footbridge in Somesville

Note:  This piece is available in a number of different sizes and formats (including a variety of print finishes) via http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Digital Watercolor Pencil Sketches from Deer Isle, Maine

Deer Isle, Maine, is a smaller island made up of private homes of working class individuals, many of whom seemed to work on the boats, fishing for lobster, crab and other seafood.  The images that I took seemed to best capture the overall feeling of the area when converted to watercolor pencil sketches.

It’s not uncommon to see lobster traps stacked up on the docks, waiting for the fishermen to take them out and drop them in the sea.  In this piece, you can see the traps on the left side.  Many seem to be yellow, altho I don’t know the reason for that.  

Lobster Fishing Harbor

As we drove along the backroads on this island, there were several scenes like this one – very calm and peaceful.  I could imagine myself deciding to lay in the grasses on the shore, and read or day dream or nap for a few hours! 

Deer Isle Shore

This was a bit of an unusual site – a sailboat leaving from what seemed to primarily be a fishing port.  I loved to watch it seemingly silently glide through the port waters, making its way to the sea from the safe waters close to shore.

Sailing thru Port

This small village seemed to be purely a fishing village.  No lobster traps were in sight.  It also seemed like most of the fisherman were out for the day.  What an idyllic setting.

Deer Isle Fishing Village

Away from the salt water harbors of this island off the shore in Maine, was a small pond.  Near the pond, almost hidden in the tall grasses, was this lovely blue iris – a treasure for anyone having the time to wander the shore and look for it.  Lucky me.

Blue Iris

In a fresh water pond across the village from the harbor, there were some waterlilies that dotted the surface.  They just seemed to invite a person to sit and have some quiet reflection.

Water Lily Pond

Enjoy!

Note:  All of these images are available in a variety of sizes and finishes via http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Flowers of Acadia National Park

There is an area in Acadia National Park, along the Park Loop Road, called Sieur de Monts Spring.  This area is a lush little oasis, full of a sampling of the types of flowers and plants you can see throughout the Park.  Here are some of the loveliest examples (in my humble opinion!)

I’m not certain what these flowers are – they must be in the daisy family – but I loved the look of these soft delicate blooms against the rough bark of the tree they were growing under.  It was a lovely contrast found in Nature. 

Delicate Blooms against Tree

This is another flower that is just so beautiful in its gentle delicate way.  It just sort of sprung up out of green to highlight my walk down this garden path.

Blue Iris

These blooms were new to me!  They are called pitcher flowers, and their bloom actually faces down toward the ground.  I love the dusty red color of the petals.  I think they get their name from their leaves, found at the base of the plant (unseen in this image).  The leaves curve into what look like little pitchers that hold water that the flower needs to bloom.

Pitcher Flowers

Enjoy!

Watercolor Sketches from Acadia National Park

There are many beautiful sights to see in Acadia National Park.  I decided to take a few of the images I took and convert them to watercolor pencil sketches.  Please, take a look….

Happiness

How can you look at these tiny daisy-like blooms and not want to smile.  They look so happy and cheerful.  They were nestled in the green grass and other foliage growing at the Sieur de Monts Spring area in Acadia National Park.  There is a garden there that contains all the flowers and other plants that grow in Acadia, as a sort of sampler of what can be seen.

Pitcher Flower Bloom

The bloom of this flower is generally hidden, as it faces downward toward the ground. This bloom was coaxed into a face-up position for a moment to allow me to capture its beauty.

Egg Rock Lighthouse

There are several lighthouses off the shores of Acadia National Park, and Mt. Desert Island, the island where the main potion of Acadia is located.  This lighthouse can be found just off the shore and in Frenchman Bay on Egg Rock Island – hence, the name.  The island got its name from a time when early coastal settlers used to gather seabird eggs on the island.  That practice stopped due to a couple of the bird species nearly going extinct, due to that practice.  The island is so small, the actual light house beacon was built on top of the keeper’s house to conserve space!

Along the Shore at Otter Cliffs

The waves can crash against the rocks at Otter Cliffs and create what I’m sure must be a dramatic scene.  However, on the day I was there, the seas were relatively calm.  They still created an intimate landscape portrait of the shoreline that I captured in this peaceful sketch.

Enjoy!

Note:  All of these images can be found in a variety of sizes and finishes (including tote bags!) on my site at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

The Best of Traveling – June 1-7

This blog post will be highlighting some images that I created while on our June – July Atlantic Canada trip.  Altho I like these images, they don’t quite measure up to what I put on my Fine Art America.  Still, I felt like they are good and nice enough to share with all of you!

We were driving from New Mexico to our first stop in Amarillo, Texas, when Jeff noticed this ramshackle deserted homestead along the side of the highway we were one.  I quickly snapped a few images and chose this one to process for this blog.  If you look closely, the homestead is actually not very steady!  It’s leaning and odds are, in a few years, it will fall down.  This reminded me of a time gone by, and so I processed this with a vintage camera light leak effect – something I might have seen when I was a kid looking at some photos my aunt might have taken.  Altho, she was more in to people, and not into deserted homesteads!

Leaning Homestead

This scene was one I saw as we drove along the highway to Tulsa, Oklahoma.  There were a number of farm homes along the way.  I have a feeling that the highway was put in well after the farms were established.  When I looked at this image, it reminded me of living in the country when I was a kid.  That bit of nostalgia was behind the decision to convert the original photograph into a colored pencil drawing.  It reminds me of something Grandma Moses might have done.  Makes me smile whenever I look at it!

Country Life

As we were entering the highway from a country road, I looked to the right, and noticed this herd of horses munching and socializing with each other.  I quickly captured the scene and then thought of what it made me feel like when I saw the ponies.  It reminded me of days gone by, and the heart of the summer.  I processed the image to capture this feeling.

Vintage Ponies

This heron was captured on a morning walk around a pond in a campground where we stayed.  The morning walk did wonders for my psyche – the drive over the past several days had caught up with me and left me feeling like all there was to see in this country was miles and miles of road.  Of course, we know that’s not true!  This heron helped me remember that!

Take Off

Along the shore of the same pond, we came across about 3 goose families.  Here’s an image of one of them out for a family outing of a morning swim.  This family has 5 little goslings – another had 3 and the third had 6!  I think the color of the water set off the soft almost white color of the goslings really well.

Family Outing

Here’s a very nice shot of the heron in one of the previous images.  It seemed like I had finally gotten to the position where he felt I could capture his best side!

Profile

If you’ve read my other posts, you know I truly love deserted cabins and homesteads.  This one, along a road in Massachusetts, once again reflected the feeling of being sturdy and having weathered more winters and hardships that we mere humans could handle.  This one actually looks to be in pretty decent shape, so it may still be used from time to time. 

Barn from the Highway

Wow!  These are some of my favorite images from just the first week of our summer adventure!  To see other images, please feel free to visit my travel blog – http://travelswithnadineandjeff.blogspot.com.

Enjoy!