Across the top

Today we left Labrador and returned to Newfoundland.   Just scenery and flowers today.

Lots of driving means that pictures get taken from the car.  Here's one as we sped across the top of the island -parallel to Labrador.  We have been looking very hard for moose and this is where we might see some.

Almost everywhere we go, there are communal piles of firewood in varying stages of readiness for the cold weather.  Beside many piles are the sleds or wagons - the box looks the sames with either runner or wheels. The wood is cut in the fall and hauled out by snowmobile and sled in the winter.   It's cut in the spring and then is left to dry.  Two or three families will work together.  No one steals the wood because, as our driver put it:  "It's a small town."

Gardens are often seen at the side of the highway. Good  soil is hard to find on the Rock. So when you find it, you fence it off from the moose and plant your vegetables.  There are many styles of fences used: log, netting, poles wth fabric flags or stick fences. There are many of these roadside plots that have been left untended.  That always looks so sad.

The treat for the day was an expedition to Burnt Cape to see the protected limestone barrens which support the tiniest plants you ever saw.  This is a dwarf hawksbeard which only blooms once in its life.  It stands about 3cm high and is very rare.

This yellow lady-slipper is also rare but plentiful in this location.  It is a full size plant. 

While out on the cape, about five humpback whales were another rare sight.  They spouted  and splashed and  put on quite a show.  I have only this photo of us watching.  There was no way our camera could capture them so far away.  One of our group has a long, long lens and he claimed not to be able to get good shots.  What hope had the rest of us?

Here is a close-up of some some very pretty lichen...

a perfect daisy about 4 cm tall...

and a tiny perfect orchid.  The flower is about 1cm across.  If it's up close and standing still, I stand a better chance of success.

This a view of the town of Raleigh from up in the barrens.  It used to be called Ha-Ha Bay but someone visited Raleigh, North Carolina and decided it was a nicer name.  So the townsfolk got up a petition and it was changed. 

These seagulls are dining out on capelin.  Yes, the capelin are rolling up here now.  That explains all the whale activity.  A minke whale slowly dove up and down as it crossed the ocean while we were admiring the icebergs we could see in the distance.  It's been a wonderful day of unexpected beauty around every turn.

We are now in our B&B near L'Anse aux Meadows.  Our dinner this evening was home-cooked and delicious.  Moose meat so tender and tasty it should be on every restaurant menu.  I can hardly wait for tomorrow.  This Norse site has been on my wish list for a very long time.