Monday 29 June 2015

Nature - Gotta Love It

Spent some time on beautiful Mazinaw Lake recently.


For those not in the know, it is about three hours north east of Toronto.


It is part of a very interesting ecological formation in the area.

Mazinaw is the north-south lake in the middle left.  While all around it are east-west lakes.

I realize I had mentioned this before, so for a refresher on this see Home Alone.  [Pay no attention to the Home Alone references or cliff jumping imbeciles.]


So on this trip we got a litle more serious and found some very interesting cultural artifacts.

As this lake - allegedly - was formed by massive faults in the earth's sedimentary crust, the sheer walls go straight up 300 feet and, beneath the water, straight down 300 feet.

I'm surprized my cheap cellphone camera doesn't capture it better.

As we were motoring along, our guide - and host - pointed out something that looked to be pictures or paintings on the walls of the cliffs.

[For those of you that read the previous post, the aforementioned imbecile likely jumped right over one.]

According to legend, these paintings depicted the Ojibwa spirit Nanabush - born of a human mother and spirit father.

He, or similar characters to him, also existed in Algonquin and Cree culture.  But only if you can believe Wikipedia.

These drawings have been here for hundreds of years.

As we were working - okay, fishing - later on, came across a better depiction of Nanabush.

Can't you see him?

Is that better?

How about now! as our guide & host points him out to the inept photographer.


There.  Nanabush often take the form of a rabbit. 

Of the wascally variety, as he is known as a trickster.  And a shape-shifter.

You can identify him by his two large ears.

Well.......beep beep, that's all folks.


4 comments:

FINS UP2 said...

... I think this story should be followed by "Smoke on the Water". Might make the doodlings seem more clear? Anywho, I guess who wouldn't believe Neelin?

Urban Cowboy said...

Well, there could have been a little of that. And I not saying when, neither....

Rob Greenfield said...

Wich "trickster" are we talking about? The one of "Mug's Mud Creek" infamy or the other one?

Urban Cowboy said...

I don't think there was any "trickster" in old Mugsy. He'd back his big furry butt up to you in the kitchen and you'd know what was coming.....