Artarazzi and Saturday Surprise challenges

The current Artarazzi digital challenge is to use this photo of a seagull.

The Saturday Surprise challenge is childhood.

All my childhood memories are visually connected to eastern Canada, where I was raised. I'm actually sitting in a hotel room right now, halfway home to Nova Scotia, after being away for several weeks, so my composition reflects my home province...and my insomnia! (lol) Thank heaven for online challenges and travelling laptops.

I imbedded several seagulls in my composite photo of one of my favourite places in Nova Scotia, with Nova Scotian spring lupins in the foreground. This is the "Cabot Trail," part of Cape Breton, where ambitious cyclists converge in the thousands to "do the trail" every year, and where so much wonderful Celtic music is recorded.

You can click on the title of this song Farewell to Nova Scotia, to hear a digital version of the music while you read the lyrics. It's a folk ballad lament about leaving, and I think it'll give you a "flavour" of the love that Nova Scotians feel for their home, and what was on my mind as I played with this challenge. My favourite recording of this particular folk song is by Catherine MacKinnon, but I couldn't find one for you to hear on the web, more's the pity. If you ever have the opportunity to hear her sing it, DO, she has the voice of an angel!

This was SUCH a fun challenge to do! Thank you for visiting, and for reading my away-from-home-insomniac-ramblings...