Loving the light

I'm so happy that the Calgary Zoo sometimes has two or three of these beautiful, purple Water Lilies growing in a small, indoor pond in the ENMAX Conservatory. For the next little while, the pond has been filled in and replaced by part of a Christmas display. I wasn't able to get a photo without part of a big lily pad showing - so tempting to clone it out : )

Another beautiful, sunny day here again - around -13C (8F), I believe, and its supposed to soar to -4C (20F) this afternoon. I was on a walk for about two and a quarter hours this morning, walking eastwards from Bebo Grove with a few friends. We saw a Pileated Woodpecker in flight, Hairy Woodpecker, Townsend's Solitaire, White-winged Crossbill, and a few of the "usual", like Black-capped Chickadees. No sign at all of the tiny Northern Pygmy-owl, which of course is what everyone would have loved to see : ) Gosh, I was so lucky the other week, when I not only got to see it but also got quite a few shots of it.

Finally, I have two of my overseas Christmas letters done - now to get going on the remaining 33 or so! Guess I'll have to work on a few more this afternoon and evening. At the rate I'm going, I might get them finished by the end of January if I'm lucky, ha!