Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: men

Collected my computer from the store this evening, after two days without it. The technician was unable to duplicate the problem I was having, so I have to keep an eye on it and see if I can give him more info on when the issue happens - the issue being that my computer freezes, my photo stays on the screen, but the mouse disappears and stops working, as does the tiny blinking light on the front face off the computer tower. Couldn't turn the computer off or make anything work, each time it happened. Now I have to hurry and get everything ready for an early start tomorrow morning, for another long-day Christmas Bird Count, west of the city. The three photos that I posted this evening were all taken on 18 December 2018, when I took part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the town of High River, south of Calgary. As usual, my lens turned to anything else that caught my eye, Including old barns, old cars, and farm cats. The weather was beautiful for us, which makes the difference. No snow on the ground either, which makes our searches so much easier. The Count last year had awful weather with a dreadful snow storm blowing in while we were having a Potluck supper. I was just so thankful that I wasn't the one driving back to Calgary in the dark and the blowing snow. What we birding people do for the sake of citizen science, ha! This year, we were unable to book the usual community centre for a Potluck supper afterwards, which was such a shame. It always makes a great ending to a long day of birding when we can get together afterwards and eat and chat.

Two days ago, on 26 June 2016, a fair-sized group of people (those in this photo and others who were exploring the hillside) spent the morning walking on the property belonging to Erik Butters, out past Cochrane, NW of Calgary. This photo shows what Erik's land is like - rolling, open hills and areas of woodland, with the Rocky Mountains in the distance. This event was the 8th Annual Flora & Fauna Fundraising for Ghost River Watershed Outing. Fortunately, I knew how to drive to this distant location, so I was able to pick up friend Dorothy and off we went together. We allowed plenty of time to get there, just in case of heavy traffic or else we saw something interesting en route. This meant that there was time for me to stop and take a few photos of a Llama in someone's field, a couple of beautiful Longhorn cattle lying down and a small herd of maybe half a dozen Elk that we saw way off in the distance. I think everyone was more than ready for lunch by the time our hike was over! Going to our destination was all uphill, which I normally avoid at all cost. Coming down used less energy, but painful knees felt every step on the way down : ) Around 1:00 pm, Erik and his partner provided a great BBQ for those of us from Calgary and for the people who had joined us from elsewhere. As always, the food was delicious! Thank you so much, both of you! Amazingly, the sun shone and there was no rain, despite the weather forecast.

This is a scan of a print from an old colour slide, taken in the desert outside Doha, Qatar (Middle East) in 1967. I have several of these old photos from Qatar that I need to scan and post as soon as possible. I don't know just where outside Doha this was taken, so I will mark it as Doha on my map - just in case anyone isn't quite sure where Doha is : ) We lived in Doha, Qatar, for just six months. This particular day was very special. One of the local Sheikhs, Sheikh Nasser, put on a "picnic" for employees and their families of one of the large oil companies. Various aspects of nomadic life were carefully arranged for us to see and enjoy, including a typical woven tent, a magnificent camel wearing its spectacular woven dressings, the slaughter of an animal hung from a wooden tripod and then prepared and cooked for us. This meal was eaten inside the tent, with everyone sitting in a circle on woven rugs - no knives or forks of course - and was followed by the preparation of coffee over a fire (and using the beautiful coffee pots that I love so much). Also a trained Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) was on its perch. A day I've never forgotten, including a ride on one of their camels (what an experience!). A most enjoyable day and one that we all greatly appreciated.

Another photo that I need to add to my set of old photos taken in Doha, Qatar, 1966-67. catnaps.org/islamic/boats.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhow

Another in a series of old photos taken in Doha, Qatar (Middle East) from 1966-1967. This is a scan of a print made from a colour slide that had been taken on 17 February 1967. Takes me a while to get rid of all the tiny white flecks that you tend to get when you look closely at a scan of an old print, lol - hard on the eyes, too, so I only edit one photo at a time, but it is worth the effort. I feel we were so lucky to live here for six months (and a few years later, 1972-1978, near Muscat, Oman, for six years) at a time when life was very simple and the true culture of the people was untouched. (Note - I don't know exactly where this old street was, so I have just located Doha in general on my map).

Another in a series of old photos taken in Doha, Qatar (Middle East) from 1966-1967. This is a scan of a print made from a colour slide that had been taken in December 1966. Takes me a while to get rid of all the tiny white flecks that you tend to get when you look closely at a scan of an old print, lol - hard on the eyes, too, so I only edit one photo at a time, but it is worth the effort. I feel we were so lucky to live here for six months (and a few years later, 1972-1978, near Muscat, Oman, for six years) at a time when life was very simple and the true culture of the people was untouched. (Note - I don't know exactly what part of the old seafront this was taken, so I have just located Doha in general on my map). Link to a YouTube video (6 mins. 22secs) about the New Museum, by the Qatar Museums Authority QMA: youtu.be/MOaw4lYLtOk ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a scan from a print that was made from an old colour slide, taken on 8 December 1966. We lived in Doha, Qatar (Middle East), for just six months. This particular day was very special. One of the local Sheikhs, Sheikh Nasser, put on a "picnic" for employees and their families of one of the large oil companies. Various aspects of nomadic life were carefully arranged for us to see and enjoy, including a typical woven tent, a magnificent camel wearing its spectacular woven dressings, the slaughter of an animal hung from a wooden tripod and then prepared and cooked for us. This meal was eaten inside the tent, with everyone sitting in a circle on woven rugs - no knives or forks of course - and was followed by the preparation of coffee over a fire (and using the beautiful coffee pots that I love so much). Also a trained Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) was on its perch. A day I've never forgotten, including a ride on one of their camels (what an experience!). A most enjoyable day and one that we all greatly appreciated. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doha -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A scan from a print of an old colour slide that I took on 17 February 1967, showing fishermen with their nets on the seafront of Doha, Qatar (Middle East). Wish I had more (and better!) photos from our six months' stay in Doha, from the end of 1966 to the beginning of 1967. I don't have a lot of photos taken during that time, but thankfully have enough to bring back some memories. This city and the desert outside it, was where I learned to drive, in a little red Mini : )

Not my usual kind of photo at all, LOL, but just had to tell you about such a neat experience I had yesterday afternoon! When I reached my destination in a local park, I noticed that the River Boat Rescue vehicle was in the parking lot. I was really hoping that the boat was on the river just to check that all was safe. Then a huge Fire Rescue Truck and a Fire Truck (Fire Engine, to some of you) came along the park roadway and came to a stop. Out climbed six members of "some of our Finest". I then became a little concerned as to why this many rescue vehicles had arrived. As I started walking over to check on "my" owls, all these guys started walking in the same direction as I was going. I wondered if maybe they had had a report about someone in the area and I wasn't sure whether I should keep walking in the same direction, possibly getting in their way. As I caught up to them, I jokingly said " I guess you guys aren't here to see the owls". Well, guess what - they WERE, LOL!!! I certainly hadn't expected THAT answer : ) I was just so impressed and touched that these Firefighters had come to check out the fluffy trio and Mom and Dad Great Horned Owl! One of the guys knew all about the owls here and last year's nearby owl family and I loved that he felt they were important enough to be shared with his crew. I asked if they would mind if I took this photo, and permission was granted : )

Nothing but rain, rain, and more rain this last week! Just when there were so many walks/outings that I was going on. Quickly snapped this photo after photographing a hillside that is completely covered in the invasive weed, Stinkweed. Just liked the brilliant yellow and the bright red of the rain jackets on such a miserable, gloomy morning. These are four of my birding and botanizing "buddies" - nothing keeps THEM at home when it's raining and there are interesting "things" to see and hear : ). Electricity wires are so annoying....couldn't avoid them, unfortunately. The middle two guys pick up litter/major garbage such as tires, etc., probably every single day, when they go out walking to look for birds and plants. They keep our parks/natural areas as clean and tidy as is humanly possible. Thanks to them, the natural areas can be enjoyed without the eyesore of garbage, for the most part. Of course, people being people, there is always new litter being disgarded, but these guys are doing an amazing job - they deserve a huge thank you! Later: many thanks, Phil, for removing the annoying wires from my photo - much appreciated!