the creeping vines of ivy cling to the side of an old red barn and its window frame in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/corner-of-wood-and-vine-karen-cook.html   #WindowFriday #nature #NovaScotia #vintage

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 How can you look at this face and not smile?

On a windy day in #NovaScotia  we spotted a small herd of Alpacas. 

This one in particular caught my eye. It was so windy, its hair or fur kept blowing wildly around its face, but it was  those teeth that caught my attention.  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/style-and-a-smile-karen-cook.html  #Smile #WorldSmileDay #Animals #Nature #Alpaca

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 If you visit the Maritimes of  #Canada, you will notice a few unique choices of #icecream

Moon Mist is a Maritime favorite! It cannot be found in too many places outside of #NovaScotia , New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island and is the most popular flavor of ice cream here! 

Grape-nut ice cream is another regional favorite. Yes, it combines rich cream vanilla ice cream and of all things, those crunchy cereal nuggets, Grape-nuts!  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/flavors-of-summer-karen-cook.html

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 The Skinners Pond Schoolhouse is the oldest one room schoolhouse of its kind on Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province.  

Built between 1859-1869, the schoolhouse had fallen into disrepair and was purchased by Stompin Tom Connors in 1970, with his plans to turn it into a museum. Following his death, a local group purchased the property from his estate, restored the building and built the Stompin Tom Centre.  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/skinners-pond-schoolhouse-karen-cook.html #WorldTeacherDay #School

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 The colors of autumn have kissed the trees lining the Mill Yard Trail in the Annapolis Valley. On an early morning walk in October, with the sun just barely peeking over the horizon, the leaves are bathed in gold and bronze shades. Behind the trees, a farm field has a soft ground mist covering the now bare rows. Already there is the familiar scent of wet leaves on the trail...more to follow daily. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/autumn-woods-karen-cook.html #Autumn #FallFoliage #nature #NovaScotia

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 The beautiful patterns and textures of Bracken ferns in the summer sunlight.

A beautiful natural abstract compliments of Mother Nature!  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/fern-fantasy-karen-cook.html  #nature #ferns #plants #Botany

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 Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words- and never stops at all" - Emily Dickinson.

What a wonderful inspirational quote, words of encouragement, or motivation to help someone though dark days or tough times. And we all have those struggles. And we can all use encouragement to give us hope through those times.  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-karen-cook.html   #birds #nature #inspirationalQuote  #Hope

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 Celebrate #LookAtTheLeavesDay with this stunning #ArtForSale featuring the golden colors of #NovaScotia in #Autumn  #FallFoliage #Nature #beautyInNature https://fineartamerica.com/featured/aspen-gold-karen-cook.html

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 Fighters, warriors, survivors...these are the names of those brave women who have taken on the fight of their lives. And remember, breast cancer just doesn't affect those with the disease, families and friends are affected too as they become the support system, the shoulder to cry on, the shoulder to lean on, the backbone of the fight, the hand holder in chief...all these names are for the supporters of the woman with breast cancer.    https://fineartamerica.com/featured/think-pink-karen-cook.html #BreastCancer #Cancer #PinkRibbon

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 Fort Anne is located within Annapolis Royal #NovaScotia  and was built as a military fort by the Scottish in 1629. .

There are 3 of the original buildings. The white building in the image is the original officer's quarters, which now houses artifacts and the museum for the site.https://fineartamerica.com/featured/fort-anne-national-historic-site-karen-cook.html #History #landmark #VisitNovaScotia #ParksCanada

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 The beauty and tranquility of nature.  An early morning walk on a late summer day was a cool one. As I walked along, the sun began to peek through the trees, casting beams of sunlight everywhere, cutting through the mist or fog of the morning.

The Japanese have a term or name for this specter of beauty: Komorebi.  The interplay between light and leaves when sunlight shines through trees."

I just called it beautiful.  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/komorebi--karen-cook.html #nature #Sunlight #trees #beautyInNature

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 I am an angel feather
sent down from God above.
To serve as a reminder
of His most gracious love.

I'm from your guardian angel
that God assigned to you.
I fell out in her struggles
as she protected you.

Each time you nearly stumble;
Each time you nearly fall;
Thank God and all his angels
for answering your call.

Francis J. Wilson   https://fineartamerica.com/featured/an-angel-feather-karen-cook.html

#GuardianAngelsDay #GuardianAngel #Poem #Feather

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 - "How beautiful the leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days" - John Burroughs.

On an overcast day in October, the leaves are gathering on the path of the Mill Yard Trail in Nova Scotia. The colors are so vibrant, even in the dimness of the day.

I love the treasure of gold waiting for me up ahead! How full of color and light are their last days!  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/when-leaves-grow-old-karen-cook.html  #Autumn #SilentSunday #FallFoliage

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 a wonderful display of pumpkins...Which one will you choose? There is nothing that says Autumn in Nova Scotia, than passing by a farmer's market with a display of colorful orange pumpkins!   https://fineartamerica.com/featured/pick-of-the-patch-karen-cook.html #Autumn #Pumpkins #Harvest #FarmersMarket #October

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 "I hope I can be the leaf, who looked at the sky and lived. And when it was time to leave, gracefully it knew life was a gift". Dodinsky.

The perfect quote to pair with a brilliant red maple leaf, dotted with the dew of a cool October morning  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-autumn-leaf-karen-cook.html  #nature #Autumn #October #FallFoliage #silentsunday

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 - "I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers" - Anne of Green Gables.

And so am I! I love the colors of autumn, like the orange of pumpkins lined up at a farm market, waiting to go home with you to help decorate your home for fall. The sound of leaves falling from trees in the breeze, and the crisp air that signals winter is getting near. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-world-where-there-are-octobers-karen-cook.html  #October #pumpkins #Autumn #AnneWithAnE  #SilentSunday

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 - The warm and rich tones of a coffee bean dispenser, lit by overhead lights to offer a spotlight on each enticing type of bean   https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-daily-grind-karen-cook.html

#NationalCoffeeDay #Coffee #MorningCoffee #Beverage #FoodAndDrink

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 - This little Chipmunk who looks like he is desperate for a large cup of coffee (we can all relate to that, can't we?) was actually looking for a stash of sunflower seeds or peanuts.  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/i-need-my-coffee-karen-cook.html  
#NationalCoffeeDay #Coffee #MorningCoffee #Wildlife #Humor

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 - Look at the lovely colors Mother Nature has decided to bring together! The fragile pink Musk Mallow and the always cheerful Buttercup.

 Buttercup petals serve an important role in nature....their petals are reflective, and hold a pool of nectar not found in any other flower...making them irresistible to pollinators.

 https://fineartamerica.com/featured/shower-with-a-friend-karen-cook.html?newartwork=true   #nature #Flowers #WildFlowers

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 There is nothing like that first sip of tea to get the day started!

And when the tea is served in a lovely vintage cup and saucer...well that is even better! (Not tea...this little one is helping himself to the raspberry jam we have put out for the Baltimore Orioles! Who knew Chipmunks had a sweet tooth!)

Time to get a leg up on the day! Life is beau'tea'ful!  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/life-is-beauteaful-karen-cook.html   #wildlife #nature #Tea #TeaTime

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 Yes, I see you. Do you see me? You could certainly hear this red squirrel chattering an alarm to her babies as I stood and watched. That fluffy tail was obvious as she perched precariously on that branch. The autumn leaves are beginning to show...fall is here and so is the red of autumn. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/red-of-autumn-karen-cook.html  #Wildlife #Squirrel #WildlifeWednesday #nature

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 I never miss an opportunity for a road trip to Peggy's Cove. #NovaScotia 

There has been a lighthouse here since 1868. . The rocks below the lighthouse are known as the 'black rocks' as they are constantly awash with the powerful waves and have been known to sweep many an unsuspecting visitor into the cold waters of St. Margaret's Bay,   https://fineartamerica.com/featured/ice-time-at-peggys-cove-karen-cook.html  #WorldtourismDay #Lighthouse #travel #SelectiveColor #Seascape  #VisitNovaScotia

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 Do you see it? Did you spot the second White-Tailed Deer baby, or fawn lagging behind its mom and sibling?

What a wonderful sight to behold! A healthy female or Doe with not one but two precious fawns in tow.

The colors of autumn are just beginning to show, but nothing can take away from the magic of this moment.

Hurry up, little one! Wait for me, Mom!  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/wait-for-me-mom-karen-cook.html  #deer #wildlife #nature #wildlifephotography

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 The tiny fishing village of Peggy's Cove #NovaScotia where the waves of the north Atlantic crash relentlessly onto the shore.  

People have died here, & the lucky ones have been pulled from the cold waters of the ocean.  The rocks below the lighthouse are known as the 'black rocks' as they are constantly awash with the powerful waves and have been known to sweep many an unsuspecting visitor into the cold waters of St. Margaret's Bay  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-black-rocks-of-peggys-cove-karen-cook.html #waves #ocean #seascape

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 What a beauty! My first sighting ever of a Black-Throated Green Warbler means I can call lifer!

In birdwatching, spotting a new species for the first time is a lifer.

The Black-Throated Green Warbler is a New World species of warbler. A colorful migratory songbird of the boreal woods, its lemon yellow face certainly stands out among the green of the leaves! https://fineartamerica.com/featured/black-throated-green-warbler-karen-cook.html   #birds #nature #Birdwatching #warbler

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 Passing through the scenic town of Bucksport,  #Maine  we were treated to the stunning sight of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory as well as as the National Historic Landmark site of Fort Knox.

 The Penobscot Narrows Bridge is home to the highest bridge observatory in the world . It offers stunning views of the Penobscot River, and Fort Knox .  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-fort-knox-summer-karen-cook.html?newartwork=true #Travel #Bridge #engineering #HistoricSite  #MidcoastMaine

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 May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day"- Native American Proverb.

What a lovely message of inspiration and joy to pair with the beauty of wild asters growing in the sunlight of a summer day in #NovaScotia  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/may-your-life-be-like-a-wildflower-karen-cook.html?newartwork=true #nature #wildflowers #flowers #beautyInNature #inspirationalquote

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 Terry Fox was determined to run across #Canada to raise money for cancer awareness and research. He ran for 143 days,   before his bone cancer returned. He died at age 22 

  The Marathon of Hope is in 50+ countries, & the Terry Fox run is an annual event  .

This beautiful statue is located in Ottawa Ontario, & is the work of sculptor John Hooper. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/terry-fox-statue-karen-cook.html #TerryFox #statue #cancer #CancerAwareness

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 - I loved watching this Herring Gull! Skimming the waters of the harbour of Digby Nova Scotia, its broad wings helped it to silently glide across the waves, barely making a ripple as its beak dipped beneath the cold February waters in search of a meal. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/wings-and-water-karen-cook.html #nature #birds #Seagull #birdwatching

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 "I am the vine
You are the branches
The one who remains in me
and I in him,
will bear much fruit
-John 15:5   https://fineartamerica.com/featured/i-am-the-vine-karen-cook.html   #faith #bible #bibleverse #vineyard #Sunday

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 - I love the bright eyes and subdued coloring of the Gray Catbird. Their mewing call always alerts me that they are near...at least for the summer! #birds #nature #birdwatching https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cat-call-karen-cook.html

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 The Penobscot Narrows Bridge in #Maine is home to the highest bridge observatory in the world.  

Fort Knox was the first fort built in Maine to be built entirely of granite and was built between 1844-1869. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark as an example of mid-19th century granite coastal fortification. It is considered one of the best preserved and most accessible forts in the U.S. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/penobscot-narrows-bridge-and-fort-knox-karen-cook.html #travel #bridge #Engineering #landmark

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 The exquisite beauty of an orchid blossom.

Long cherished for their fragrance and beauty, the orchid is the symbol of love, luxury, beauty and strength. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/orchid-karen-cook.html  #Flowers #Orchid

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 You have to smile when you hear the nickname for the lighthouse at Gilbert's Cove in #NovaScotia It is fondly referred to as "The Greatest Little Lighthouse in Canada"!   .   The lighthouse is one of only three of this type left in Nova Scotia. The large anchor, to the left of the lighthouse, was donated by Laurence Sweeney of Yarmouth https://fineartamerica.com/featured/gilberts-light-karen-cook.html?newartwork=true #lighthouse #travel #landmark #VisitNovaScotia

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 the Confederation Bridge  is an engineering feat, and is the longest bridge in the world over ice-covered water. Built to last for 100 years, at a cost of $1 billion,

The Port Borden Pier Lighthouse seen in the image was was placed at the end of the pier in 1976 https://fineartamerica.com/featured/road-to-the-isle-karen-cook.html?newartwork=true  #PEI #PrinceEdwardIsland #bridge #Engineering #travel

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 I sure hope this lovely #warbler stays safe during #HurricaneLee in #NovaScotia  #nature #birds #birdwatching   https://fineartamerica.com/featured/black-throated-green-warbler-karen-cook.html

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 Nearing the end of its life as a blooming sunflower, this sunflower blossom is wilted and drooping.

But its life is not over...not yet!

All those seeds will become a tasty and much needed natural food source for birds and small forest animals to get them through the harshness of a winter.

Its sunshine petals are not shining any longer...it is sunset. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/sunset-karen-cook.html  #Sunflowers #FlowersonFriday #Sunset #nature

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 What a beauty! My first sighting ever of a Black-Throated Green Warbler means I can call lifer!

In birdwatching, spotting a new species for the first time is a lifer.

The Black-Throated Green Warbler is a New World species of warbler. A colorful migratory songbird of the boreal woods, its lemon yellow face certainly stands out among the green of the leaves  #birds #nature #warbler #birdwatching

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 https://fineartamerica.com/featured/you-may-never-be-found-karen-cook.html   An #inspirationalquote paired with #sailing in the fog of #NovaScotia  #boating #LifeLessons #boating #weather

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 A portrait of pride in the fierce and piercing eye of a Bald Eagle. The symbol of the United States of America for centuries, but also a sacred symbol to the Native Americans as well, representing courage, wisdom and healing  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/eagle-eye-karen-cook.html #Nature #Birds #Eagles #BaldIsBeautifulDay

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 What cancer cannot do.

Cancer is so limited-

 
A message of inspiration, hope and encouragement that one day no one will find out what cancer cannot do.

In memory of my beloved father who showed how to fight cancer with dignity and faith.  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cancer-is-so-limited-karen-cook.html   #StandUpToCancerDay #Cancer #CancerAwareness #motivationalQuote

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 - There is not one of us who doesn't know someone affected by breast cancer. Fighters, warriors, survivors...these are the names of those brave women who have taken on the fight of their lives.  
So whether you call this symbol a ribbon of hope, or a pink shield of courage..we all need to think pink, hope over fear and find a cure. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/think-pink-karen-cook.html  #StandUpToCancerDay #Cancer #PinkRibbon #BreastCancer

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 A simple but meaningful sign or gift idea for the home. What a lovely housewarming gift, or a gift for that special person just starting out in their new life at college, a new apartment, or for your own home decor!  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/home-where-the-heart-is-karen-cook.html  #Home #HomeDecor #Family #inspirationalQuote

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 The white wisps called floss or filaments, resembling a white mustache or beard, linger on the milkweed plant, waiting for the winds to stop by and gather them. The seeds will float on the breeze and scatter to start a new plant

 I love to watch these strands of silk...swaying gracefully in the breezes, waiting for their time to take flight. Until then, they dance in the autumn winds  https://fineartamerica.com/featured/dancing-to-the-autumn-winds-karen-cook.html #nature #milkweed #plants #beautyInNature

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 - Discovering a rock cairn on a beach is something I always find both interesting and comforting.

I am interested in the design and time it must have taken someone intrepid explorer to erect. 

I find comfort in them...they have been used for centuries as trail markers.. and are known by various names around the world. By following them, hopefully all explorers will find their way home. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/homeward-bound-karen-cook.html #exploration #travel #cairn #sculpture

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 Elegant and pristine white, the lovely Cuckoo Flower is also known as the Lady's Smock, Mayflowers, or Milkmaids. A herbaceous perennial wildflower, it is the county flower of Cheshire in England and its name is said to be due to the fact the flowers bloom as the same time as the first cuckoo of Spring arrives in England.

It is considered to be a native wildflower of North America. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cuckoo-flower-karen-cook.html #nature #wildflowers #flowers

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 Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery is a beloved fictional story of a young orphan who goes to live with an older sister and brother in Avonlea #PEI. Her escapades, love of drama, life and big words still bring joy to readers over 100 years after the story was first penned.

Green Gables Heritage Site is located in Cavendish Prince Edward Island and is visited by thousands from around the world. "Anne" is always there to say hello! https://fineartamerica.com/featured/anne-karen-cook.html #AnneWithanE #travel #books

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 I have always been fascinated or calmed by the sights and sounds of the ocean. I can sit there and watch those waves roll in gently, to lap the shoreline and then recede once more.

For this image, I didn't want to see the horizon, just the water. So kneeling on the white sand I watched the waves inch even closer with each passing minute. I love the shimmer of the water on the sand. I hope you do too! https://fineartamerica.com/featured/sapphire-seas-karen-cook.html  #seascape #waves #seashore #nature

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 Standing guard and brightly colored red, the Fournier Girls and her partner tugboat wait patiently in the harbor of Belfast #Maine for their next assignment.

The working boats are part of the fleet of the Penobscot Bay Tractor Tug Company and are owned by the Fournier Family, playing a vital role in marine and seacoast traffic.

The seagull standing guard on the wharf railing, is a local! https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-guardians-of-belfast-karen-cook.html  #Boats #Marine #Tugboat #navigation #Travel

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