Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: text

Wishing all my fellow Canadians a really happy and SAFE Canada Day Take great care on the roads if you are going to be driving! How lucky we all are to live in a country that provides us with amazing freedom to do what we want to do and to be who we hope to be. Something to be remembered and thankful for, each and every day! A special wish and thank-you for all those Canadians who are serving our country, especially overseas! Now, if only the winters weren't so cold : ) "Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act, 1867 (today called the Constitution Act, 1867), which united three colonies into a single country called Canada within the British Empire. Originally called Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), the holiday was renamed in 1982, the year the Canada Act was passed. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as among Canadians internationally." From Wikipedia. This photo was taken on 27 June 2018, when I was at the Reader Rock Garden, looking across to the Stampede Grounds. The wind helped the flag stay unfurled, but was not helpful at all when trying to photograph the flowers.

How important it is for us to remember those who have served their country (not just Canada) and made the ultimate sacrifice. Unfortunately, there are thousands more on this Continent and elsewhere across the globe, who have returned from fighting, only to live their lives in the suffering and torture that continues to haunt them. These men and women, too, so often tend to be "the forgotten", though I think there is a little more awareness now. So sad, when the rest of us have so much to be thankful for, thanks to them. I remember - and I am thankful. "Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918, as the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. The day was specifically dedicated by King George V, on 7 November 1919, to the observance of members of the armed forces who were killed during World War I. The red poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem In Flanders Fields. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilt in the war." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields

I don't have a fireworks image or anything remotely New Year. Instead, I took a quick shot of a prayer wheel that I have had for a few dozen years, bought somewhere in the Middle or Far East. In my imagination (and maybe in yours, too), this wheel can turn and turn forever, repeating prayers (and hope) that some day the world will change and each one of us would be able to live in peace, no matter what part of the world one lives. Hopefully, the year 2017 will begin to change in that direction - it definitely needs to. Wishing you all a healthy, happy and peaceful New Year. If you are out on the roads, please don't drink and drive. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_wheel "In Buddhism, a prayer wheel is of a hollow metal cylinder, often beautifully embossed, mounted on a rod handle and containing a tightly wound scroll printed with a mantra. Prayer wheels come in many sizes: they may be small, attached to a stick, and spun around by hand, medium-sized and set up at monasteries or temples, or very large and continuously spun by a wind or water mill. Prayer wheels are used primarily by the Buddhists of Tibet and Nepal, where hand-held prayer wheels are carried by pilgrims and other devotees and turned during devotional activities. According to Tibetan Buddhist belief, spinning a prayer wheel is just as effective as reciting the sacred texts aloud. This belief derives from the Buddhist belief in the power of sound and the formulas to which deities are subject. For many Buddhists, the prayer wheel also represents the Wheel of the Law (or Dharma) set in motion by the Buddha. The prayer wheel is also useful for illiterate members of the lay Buddhist community, since they can "read" the prayers by turning the wheel. The external cylinder of a prayer wheel is made out of repoussé metal, usually gilded bronze. The wheel is supported on a handle or axis made of wood or a precious metal. On the outside of the cylinder are inscriptions in Sanskrit (or sometimes Tibetan) script (often Om mani padme hum) and auspicious Buddhist symbols. This outer part is removable to allow for the insertion of the sacred text into the cylinder. The uppermost point of the prayer wheel forms the shape of a lotus bud. The cylinder contains a sacred text written or printed on paper or animal skin. These texts might be sutra or invocations to particular deities (dharani or mantras). In Tibetan prayer wheels, the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is printed in an ancient Indian script or in Tibetan script, usually on the outside as well as on the scroll inside. "Om mani padme hum" is the most important mantra of Buddhism. It is the six syllable mantra of the Bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara. The Dalai Lama is said to be an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, so the mantra is especially revered by his devotees." From religionfacts,com. www.religionfacts.com/prayer-wheel

How important it is for us to remember those who have served their country (not just Canada) and made the ultimate sacrifice. Unfortunately, there are thousands more on this Continent and elsewhere across the globe, who have returned from fighting, only to live their lives in the suffering and torture that continues to haunt them. These men and women, too, so often tend to be "the forgotten", though I think there is a little more awareness now. So sad, when the rest of us have so much to be thankful for, thanks to them. I remember - and I am thankful. "Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918, as the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. The day was specifically dedicated by King George V, on 7 November 1919, to the observance of members of the armed forces who were killed during World War I. The red poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem In Flanders Fields. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilt in the war." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields I remember watching a segment on CNN Heroes on TV. A lady had the great idea to give war veterans a dog of their very own. She helps each man or woman train their dog, which accompanies them everywhere. They are learning to focus on their companion, especially when horrendous thoughts and flashbacks start to appear. They find that this can help to calm the owner. Sounds as if "man's best friend" is coming to the rescue yet again. This is a reposted image, taken at the Reader Rock Garden in 2010 and first posted on Flickr on 11 November 2012. I so rarely see a sunrise or a sunset, but today I am up early as I will be meeting my daughter. I can't believe the way the whole sky is vibrant orange - what an amazing glow!

Yesterday, 25 April 2016, I was out for the day, SE of Calgary around Frank Lake. Finally, after so much glorious, summer-like spring weather, the weather changed for the worse and we had a cool (needed gloves), very overcast day with light drizzle some of the time. Not good at all for taking photos. We also had a fair bit of desperately needed rain last night. I was especially disappointed with the shots I took of a beautiful Western Meadowlark. Usually, they fly even when they see you in the far distance, but this beauty let me slowly walk quite close to get a number of photos. The quality of my previous photo is awful, but I don't get a chance to photograph Meadowlarks very often, so will post at least one or two grainy images. If you've never heard the song of a Meadowlark, it might be worth listening on AllAboutBirds website. Eight friends and I had a great day, despite the weather. This is one of my favourite areas amd I just haven't been getting time to drive there myself for quite a long time. We started off at the main gate and drove to the blind/hide area, stopping half way to search for very distant birds. While everyone else had their binoculars pointed over the water, I was slowly walking towards the Meadowlark, who was singing its beautiful song. You can hear them and they sound so close, but their song seems to carry a long way. It kept flying away but each time returned to the same post. I was amazed and delighted that this one let me get so close. If the sun had been shining, it would have been perfect! As usual when we go to Frank Lake, almost all the birds are very distant and pretty impossible to photograph. I did catch this male Red-winged Blackbird near the blind - the females have not yet returned here. The other amazing thing was when we had walked from the Frank Lake bird blind over to the water in the other direction, a flock of about 50 Tree Swallows were flying to and from a low tree/shrub, catching the many insects while in flight. Again, while everyone was searching over the water, I gradually made my way to within just a few feet of the bush. Quite a feeling to have so many Tree Swallows circling all the way around you. I have never ever seen so many of them acting like this, so it was a neat experience. From this main area, we called in at the usual three other places around the lake. Two were rough roads that led to Basin 2 from the east and the west, and the third was the Ducks Unlimited location at the far southern edge of the lake, at Basin 3. Thanks so much for a great day, Tony, and for the ride all day. I always look forward to the Frank Lake trips. "The buoyant, flutelike melody of the Western Meadowlark ringing out across a field can brighten anyone’s day. Meadowlarks are often more easily heard than seen, unless you spot a male singing from a fence post. This colorful member of the blackbird family flashes a vibrant yellow breast crossed by a distinctive, black, V-shaped band. Look and listen for these stout ground feeders in grasslands, meadows, pastures, and along marsh edges throughout the West and Midwest, where flocks strut and feed on seeds and insects." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Meadowlark/id en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_meadowlark I will add our leader, Tony Timmons' list of species seen, adding that only 6 people walked as far as the Hudsonian Godwits - I was not one of them. "Nine people were on the trip today to Frank Lake. Expected species were present in pretty fair numbers, with the best sighting being 15 Hudsonian Godwits at Basin 3. A flock of 50 Tree Swallows hacking insects and using a small bush for a perch, made for an interesting scene. We had 56 species for the trip Horned Grebe Eared Grebe Western Grebe Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron White-faced Ibis (1 seen by Dan P.) Canada Goose Trumpeter Swan Tundra Swan Gadwall American Wigeon Mallard Blue-winged Teal Cinnamon Teal Green-winged Teal Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Ruddy Duck Northern Harrier Swainson's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Gray Partridge American Coot Killdeer Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Lesser Yellowlegs Willet Hudsonian Godwit Wilson's Snipe Franklin's Gull Bonaparte's Gull California Gull Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Great Horned Owl Black-billed Magpie American Crow Common Raven Tree Swallow Marsh Wren American Robin European Starling Song Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Red-winged Blackbird Yellow-headed Blackbird Western Meadowlark Brewer's Blackbird House Sparrow"

How important it is for us to remember those who have served their country (not just Canada) and made the ultimate sacrifice. Unfortunately, there are thousands more on this Continent and elsewhere across the globe, who have returned from fighting, only to live their lives in the suffering and torture that continues to haunt them. These men and women, too, so often tend to be "the forgotten", though I think there is a little more awareness now. So sad, when the rest of us have so much to be thankful for, thanks to them. I remember - and I am thankful. Yesterday evening, I was watching a segment on CNN Heroes on TV. A lady had the great idea to give war veterans a dog of their very own. She helps each man or woman train their dog, which accompanies them everywhere. They are learning to focus on their companion, especially when horrendous thoughts and flashbacks start to appear. They are finding that this can help to calm the owner. Sounds as if "man's best friend" is coming to the rescue yet again.