Watching and Listening to the Wolves

Each year, my fascination with the wolves returns. In general, it is because winter brings more visible wolf activity, and often times it is quite close to home. That makes it easy to become an armchair observer of their habits and behaviors.

We have learned to keep our window ajar at night from the latter part of February to early April. This allows us to hear the wolves if they start to howl. Sure enough, the last few nights, we've been able to listen to their songs. It's generally just once a night that we hear them, and for some reason, two nights in a row, they started at 2:35. Did someone schedule a concert?

After listening, in the remaining quiet sounds of the regular night, I found my mind filling up with questions. Why do wolves howl? How far away are they? Did they just kill a deer and they are ringing the dinner bell? Or did they just finish eating, and are singing their happiness for full bellies? Most of the answers to these are things I'll never know. But it's great to have the opportunity to contemplate them while anticipating my next chance to hear the songs again.

We took an early walk on Gunflint Lake one morning this week, and no sooner had we reached our landing then we noticed a deer kill to the west, just past Sharlene's cabin. The ravens were swirling and hopping as they jockeyed for position to grab a few morsels. A wolf was on the carcass, enjoying a few bites. Despite the fact that we were several hundred yards away, the wolf heard our footsteps on the snow. It looked up in our direction, and then decided that it was time to head to Canada. Off it trotted. Greg decided to go back up the hill to get his camera. While he was gone, a second wolf came down from the shoreline, and took the place of the first one. It sat down and began to gnaw on a bone.

Wanting a closer look, we went up the road to Shar's driveway, and then quietly, slowly, made our way down to her landing. The wolf was quite focused on it's meal, so we were able to get into a good position to observe. Most interesting in this case were the sounds that we heard. The wolf was crunching through the bone as though it was a carrot. The ravens were chattering to themselves, and then they would swirl up in flight, wings whistling. We were able to watch for several minutes, until this wolf, too, heard sounds that signaled company. Soon he picked up his bone and headed north as well.

We continued our walk by first going out to the remains of the deer. All that was left was the skull and a few bits and pieces. We walked north, in the direction the wolves ran, but then turned east, toward the sun. Just ahead, we could make out a third wolf, running to Canada, too. I speculated about how they would find each other to be reunited. Between scents, howls, and excellent eyesight, I'm sure they had no problem.

Fayerweather Island Lighthouse

Fayerweather Island Lighthouse (aka Black Rock), March, 2010

First Lit: 1823

Discontinued: 1933

New England Lighthouses

Lighthouse Friends (map included)

CT Coastal Access Guide: Seaside Park

Flickr: Fayerweather/Penfield Lighthouses

American Lighthouse Art: Black Rock Light

Historic Buildings Of Connecticut

The Oyster Bar

Earlier I wrote how Norm Bloom receives the same price for oysters as he did 20 years ago. While operating costs have increased dramatically in the past 20 years, he is paid only 31 cents per oyster.  I thought I would end this series with a look at what the general public pays for oysters.

In an unscientific survey, I made some calls to regional restaurants to see what their oyster prices were. I contacted restaurants in Larchmont, Rowayton, New Haven, Noank, Oyster Bay, Greenport, and Port Washington. I also checked the menu of the Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station.

A half dozen oysters on the half-shell ranged from $1.70 to about $2.15 per oyster. That is a 500 to 700% price increase since they left the dock. Now I realize that this is not unique to shellfish. A $12 dollar pasta dish may consist of  less than a dollars worth of ingredients. You are paying for the service, the table, etc, when you eat at a restaurant.

I followed this up by checking the prices at some seafood markets in the same areas. A dozen oysters ranged from $.50 to .89 each, with most of them in the $.60-.70 cents range. Transported down the street, they have doubled in price.

So what is my point to all this? It certainly is not to cry poverty for Norm Bloom. I am sure he is more than comfortable financially and  he certainly doesn't need our sympathy. It is the oyster industry as a whole, that I worry about. Eventually it becomes more lucrative to sell the property and boats, and pursue other income. Just as many farms are more valuable for their real estate than their farming income, an oyster operation faces a similar fate.

Grand Central Oyster Bar: Raw Bar Prices 

*Update: A big flaw with this survey is that it does not consider the source of the oysters. This seafood distributer's website boasts about his cheap oysters from Mexico, right alongside an article about the virtues of buying locally. If a restaurant or market is buying from a distributer such as this, they may very well be purchasing Mexican oysters, despite their proximity to the local oyster docks. 

Create Your Great Vacation

I write many posts about the possibilities to invent very special events in our life, thinking about it a month or more before in the last period. Here I describe you an other way to create a great vacation. It's simple using coupons collected by Savings. It's a site where you can find all sort of deals that can donate the satisfaction to have as much as possible with the same money. Among other offers there are those for travellers. And I assure you, you will find very interesting proposals.

We want to begin with the entertainment. Southwestairlines promo code allows us to save till $200 with complete vacation packages. There are different destinations. You want to visit Disneyland with all the family? Well, you can stay 5 nights and pay only 3. Or you like to have discounts "all inclusive"? There is a great offer where you can receive Disney Gift Cards.

Ohhh, Las Vegas! My dream. Can you imagine to receive a splendid Spa packege with Savings Las Vegas coupons? Sincerely, I would leave everything and take this possibility. Specially with free treatments... After this terrible winter I feel so depressed and put on 100 years. I just began to look, if it's possible to find something similar. I HAVE to do it and get back my youth.

Finally, the flights. To find something interesting, control Savings travel coupons. Is 60% discount not enough interesting for you? Excuse me. France pass, Swiss pass, Saver pass are thought to force you to visit not only one but different places. We have such pass here too and I was sceptical about it's benefits. My friends told me, they bought it in Paris. They were very content and tell, it is the right way to save money, if you want to visit all the possible museums.

In Search Of Europe's Great Wildernesses (1)

Are you tired to see all the signs of civilisation? Let's explore the last wildernesses of Europa. Here is one of them. I would like to ask you: Can you say Where it is? Help? Europe...
The answer is under the second photo. Don't scroll too quickly!


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The answer I like to give you with this dance



Do you like this sort of quitz? Well, the first was easy. Next will be more complicated.

Read more:
In Search Of Europe's Great Wildernesses (2)

Metropolitan Borough Birmingham

The photos are from Wikipedia
My friends that know Greek language told me, we do not use the word "metropolis" in correct way today. It means infact "mother town", the town from where these or that persons come. To explain the concept: the greek population of Italian colonies (like Neapolis or Pithekoussai and all the others) could come from different towns of Greece. Those towns were metropolis for that Greeks.

I read from time to time about motropolitan boroughs in UK and those mean agglomerations of persons near this or that city. Near London, near Birminghem in this case.

The city has for example the population about 700 000 persons but in the metropolitan borough live more than 2 millions.

This part of UK is the West Midlands county and the metropolitan borough of Birminghem is so big today to cover the territory of other counties. So, don't be mistaken if you plan to go to this city. We speak now about Birminghem-Birminghem and not about it's distant approaches.


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I read about this city in the news today and wanted to see some photos. So, I found some tooooo modern images like those you see here. And was surprised. This place was occupied by humans just about 11 000 years ago. It has to be an old center there. But the persons visiting it seem to appreciate this ultra modern stile.

Infact, you see the silhouettes of the antic buildings.
Now, I really want to visit this town because I don't understand how is it possible to put together such different mentalities. As for me, I surely would preserve the historical integrity of the landscape.

Beautiful Spring Walk

We enjoyed a really fine walk in the sunshine at St-Goazec, with a large crowd positively up for the challenge of fallen trees, wading along streams and ploughing through thick mud. The visit to the brocante was a popular addition. Thanks to all who came and made it a great outing. Special thanks to Dave for the photo.
Next walk is on the 16th at Le Relec (between Huelgoat and Morlaix), a Level 3 route, 10kms.