Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: child

I happened to have already scanned this image a few years ago and thought I'd use it today, to wish everyone who celebrates Christmas a very happy day. Me, many, many years ago (lol!), wearing homemade, flannel pyjamas and clutching one of my Teddy bears. Merry Christmas, everyone! Here, our temperature on Christmas morning is -19C (windchill -29C). Extreme cold warnings are in effect for Alberta. The forecast for "a few flurries" has changed, so sunshine should be here to stay all day. There is too much snow on the ground already, so we don't need any more.

Happy Thanksgiving, to everyone who celebrates this weekend! Stay warm and enjoy the snow, lol! Video shared from the weather network on 9 October 2016. www.theweathernetwork.com/videos/Gallery/calgary-snowfall... This photo was taken during a brief moment when I could actually see people in the distance. Most of the time, they would have vanished completely into thick cloud. There was one moment when we were all spaced out and I couldn't see anyone or anything - not a good feeling to have when walking on the top of a mountain. On 28 September 2016, I was with friends down on a lower plateau of Plateau Mountain, in sunshine and bare ground. A week later, on 5 October 2016, we weren't even sure whether to go again, as the forecast was not good, snow and -6C. In the end, seven of us reckoned we would go and see if we could get to the top of Plateau Mountain (special permission was obtained). Conditions worsened en route and, while we were driving up the rough gravel mountainside road, trees were beginning to have a light covering of snow. On our way up to the plateau top, everything disappeared from sight, swallowed up by the swirling low cloud. Once at the top, I couldn't really see anything through my viewfinder, other than an occasional shape - just grey. It really was a case of point and shoot and hope that I was capturing something. Most of the time, you could see nothing - such poor visibility. Amazingly, a few of my photos were not too bad after they had been brightened. Impossible to tell from my photo, but we were standing at a height of approximately 8251 ft. The mountain itself is located in the Savannah Creek Gas Field and there were two producing gas wells located on the summit of the mountain which were accessed by a road which is gated to prohibit public vehicle access. More recently, the plant we walked to was closed down. We walked over ground that was treacherous to walk on, even more so when mostly covered by snow. There are areas of patterned ground where larger pieces of rock are arranged in polygonal patterns with finer materials in the centre. These patterns were formed during the ice age when the mountain rose above the surrounding ice. Every rock and plant stem was covered in chunky ice crystals. This walk was only fairly short, but long enough, given the conditions. Long enough to take a few photos and find a few animal tracks (small, thank goodness, not Grizzly or Cougar!). For a few minutes or moments, there would be a slight opening in the low cloud and we caught sight of a tiny patch of blue sky - then the whole world around us would disappear yet again into the cloud. No sign of any of the spectacular mountains that surround Plateau Mountain. I have lots of views in my Plateau Mountain album, taken in good weather during several past visits. Thanks so much, Sandy, for planning this trip and for the ride! The weather certainly gave us a different kind of outing, which was great. Still can't believe that I've been lucky enough to visit this area twice in eight days! "This nearly flat high-elevation plateau is recognized for several unique features. There is an internationally recognized ice cave with ice crystals, curls, sheets and pillars (ice crystals are so fragile that a temperature increase of one degree Celsius can cause melting). The periglacial features (known as "patterned ground") in the reserve include active permafrost, sorted stone circles, polygons, steps and frost boils. The area also contains critical winter range for bighorn sheep." From www.albertaparks.ca/plateau-mountain.aspx There are no public roads in Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve; the road to the mountain top is leased by Husky Oil; to prevent vandalism to natural gas production facilities and to lessen impact on the area's natural features, access is controlled by the locked gate; travel in the reserve is by foot only; there are no facilities on site and overnight camping and open fires are prohibited." www.albertaparks.ca/media/2741526/plateau_mtn_mgmt_plan.pdf

This photo was taken during a brief moment when I could actually see some of my friends in the distance. Most of the time, they would have vanished completely into thick cloud. There was one moment when we were all spaced out and I couldn't see anyone or anything - not a good feeling to have when walking on the top of a mountain. On 28 September 2016, I was with friends down on a lower plateau of Plateau Mountain, in sunshine and bare ground. A week later, on 5 October 2016, we weren't even sure whether to go again, as the forecast was not good, snow and -6C. In the end, seven of us reckoned we would go and see if we could get to the top of Plateau Mountain (special permission was obtained). Conditions worsened en route and, while we were driving up the rough gravel mountainside road, trees were beginning to have a light covering of snow. On our way up to the plateau top, everything disappeared from sight, swallowed up by the swirling low cloud. Once at the top, I couldn't really see anything through my viewfinder, other than an occasional shape - just grey. It really was a case of point and shoot and hope that I was capturing something. Most of the time, you could see nothing - such poor visibility. Amazingly, a few of my photos were not too bad after they had been brightened. Impossible to tell from my photo, but we were standing at a height of approximately 8251 ft. The mountain itself is located in the Savannah Creek Gas Field and there were two producing gas wells located on the summit of the mountain which were accessed by a road which is gated to prohibit public vehicle access. More recently, the plant we walked to was closed down. We walked over ground that was treacherous to walk on, even more so when mostly covered by snow. There are areas of patterned ground where larger pieces of rock are arranged in polygonal patterns with finer materials in the centre. These patterns were formed during the ice age when the mountain rose above the surrounding ice. Every rock and plant stem was covered in chunky ice crystals. This walk was only fairly short, but long enough, given the conditions. Long enough to take a few photos and find a few animal tracks (small, thank goodness, not Grizzly or Cougar!). For a few minutes or moments, there would be a slight opening in the low cloud and we caught sight of a tiny patch of blue sky - then the whole world around us would disappear yet again into the cloud. No sign of any of the spectacular mountains that surround Plateau Mountain. I have lots of views in my Plateau Mountain album, taken in good weather during several past visits. Thanks so much, Sandy, for planning this trip and for the ride! The weather certainly gave us a different kind of outing, which was great. Still can't believe that I've been lucky enough to visit this area twice in eight days! "This nearly flat high-elevation plateau is recognized for several unique features. There is an internationally recognized ice cave with ice crystals, curls, sheets and pillars (ice crystals are so fragile that a temperature increase of one degree Celsius can cause melting). The periglacial features (known as "patterned ground") in the reserve include active permafrost, sorted stone circles, polygons, steps and frost boils. The area also contains critical winter range for bighorn sheep." From www.albertaparks.ca/plateau-mountain.aspx There are no public roads in Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve; the road to the mountain top is leased by Husky Oil; to prevent vandalism to natural gas production facilities and to lessen impact on the area's natural features, access is controlled by the locked gate; travel in the reserve is by foot only; there are no facilities on site and overnight camping and open fires are prohibited." www.albertaparks.ca/media/2741526/plateau_mtn_mgmt_plan.pdf

Yesterday, 1 October 2016, I finally had my very first visit to the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens, thanks to friend, Sandy. I first heard about this beautiful place from my daughter, but I had never been, because it is way out of my driving comfort zone. In the morning, it was raining, at least in my part of the city, and I wondered if going would turn out to be a big mistake. However, the rain stayed away while we were there and, though the sky was overcast, I was still able to photograph to my heart's content. I was surprised at how many flowers were still in bloom on the first day of October and I was extremely impressed with how meticulously these gardens are kept - every inch of them. So many different kinds of trees and plants, and it was very obvious that each area had been planted with so much thought and care. Amazing that dedicated volunteers have been, and continue to be, the ones to thank for these gardens. Thanks so much, Sandy, for giving me the chance to spend an afternoon in such beauty and peace! We all know that snow isn't far away - it has fallen in parts of the mountains, but not yet in the city - so I am trying to get out as much as I can before having to deal with the long, dreaded months of winter. Apologies to everyone for not much commenting at the moment!! "The Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs is without doubt one of the Seven Wonders of Calgary, Alberta. It boasts 1350 square meters (14 600 square feet) of gardens which includes a spectacular Wall Garden that runs an uninterrupted 1300 feet. In the gardens you will find an endless variety of annuals and perennials ranging from artemisias to zinnias. Here indeed is a place to stop and smell the roses and the peonies and the delphiniums and the chrysanthemums and the … What makes these gardens so very special is that they were created and continue to be maintained by a band of green-thumbed enthusiastic volunteers. These hale and hearty diggers, planters, seeders, weeders, mowers, waterers, pruners and community builders work two to three mornings a week to keep the gardens in primrose shape and their efforts are truly appreciated by the many walkers, joggers, and cyclists. On any given day, hundreds of people walk the wall garden with their families, friends and out-of-town visitors. It has become a treasured destination site for many. For anyone who has spent time in the gardens, it is hard to believe that they have only been here since 2006 when a humble ornamental garden (400 square feet) was developed within the existing BirthPlace Forest tree beds. The BPF, by the way, saw 7000 trees planted in the area. The project was accomplished through a partnership of BP Energy, Calgary Parks, Regional Health and Golden Acres." From the gardens' website. www.botanicalgardensofsilversprings.ca/

Normally, I never post photos of people on the Internet, especially my own family. However, last night, I was looking for a certain photo and happened to come across this very old one of my son, taken so many years ago. We were living in Borneo (Far East) at the time, which was where my son was born, and his Dad, who loved Math, was working on a Math Degree in his spare time - for fun. Many years later, he finally got his Degree. My son, like most people, never felt the same way about Math. Anyway, every time I see this picture, it always makes me smile, so I thought I would add something totally different to my photostream this morning. I spent ages on trying to adjust the colour from the original (which is not the photo seen here), but in the end, I gave up.

The three photos that I've posted this morning were all taken yesterday, 13 August 2015, when I spent about three hours with friends at Heritage Park in Calgary. One of them is a volunteer at the Park and she had very kindly invited us to visit. The temperature got up to 33°C or 34°C yesterday!! We started our visit at 9:45 am, so it was still cooler than that, but as the heat increased in the afternoon, it became unbearable. Fortunately, I had a dentist appointment mid-afternoon, so I knew I would have maybe an hour and a half in air-conditioning before returning to my home that felt like an oven. Our forecast, so far, is giving much cooler temperatures for the coming week, thank goodness! Our walk at Heritage Park was a combination of looking at the various old buildings and also checking on plants. There is a small native plant garden within the Hudson Bay Fort and we talked to a volunteer there, who I think may have learned a few new things from talking with us : ) This photo shows part of the main street and a small group of school children dressed in appropriate clothing. The little girls looked so cute in their "Holly Hobby" (?) style bonnets. The street was remarkably quiet, but it was still quite early in the day. One of my favourite buildings in this row is the Bakery - love their gingerbread men! However, it was now a banned place for me, as I have to work on getting my blood sugar/hemoglobin lowered, especially the latter : ( In the distance, you can see the Masonic Lodge Hall (green building) then, coming closer, it's the Calgary Town Hall, then the Alberta Bakery, then the Barons Snooker Parlour, then the Strathmore and Bow Valley Standard, then Webster House, and finally Weedon School and Barn. youtu.be/SHX7SuN9l5I www.heritagepark.ca/ www.heritagepark.ca/plan-your-visit/interactive-park-map.... We had been told before our visit that the Prohibited Noxious weed, Spotted Knapweed, had been seen at the Park, and we did find it, growing along a gravel road that led down by the Glenmore Reservoir. This species is a prolific seed producer and is very difficult to control. Despite the heat, we had a very enjoyable visit. Heritage Park is a place I always intend to go to, but somehow I rarely make it. This was a treat, so thanks so much, Susan!

I just had a sudden urge to scan one of my old family photos last night and chose this one, taken many decades ago by my Father, of my Mother and little me : ) I'm not sure, but it looks like I may have been sitting in the child's seat on the back of my Father's bike. I only remember seeing photos of me on my Father's bike, and I don't know if those old seats were movable to a different bike. So often at weekends, my parents and I would bike into the countryside around Birmingham, England, and my Mother would look for wildflowers, which she loved, and my Father would be taking photos - photography was a passion for him. I seem to have inherited both passions, for which I am truly grateful : ) My Mother died in December 1998 and my Father had died many years before that, in 1976. Sadly, our main communication for decades was by letter, as I got married at 22 (far too young!) and moved overseas, usually across the other side of the world. Missed out on family talks and sharing of my parents' lives. Very sad, but it happens to many people when family members move away. Oh, by the way, those curls were the curse of my life, ha, ha - just hated them!

An old photo taken by my Father many decades ago, that I scanned last night on the spur of the moment. You didn't really think I'd put a date on it, did you, lol?? Not sure, but I guess this might have been taken on a camping trip somewhere - apparently, I learned to walk round a tent pole, ha. My Mother made my dress - how she used to love "smocking" embroidery. Hmmm, will have to Google that word, as I'm not sure if I've got the right word.

That's me on the left, with my younger friend, Linda, who grew up into an amazing woman and an even more amazing friend. This is the person (over in England) who arranged my brother's funeral just over a year ago, helped sort through every single item in his house and sent me photos of each thing by e-mail so that I could choose which precious items I wanted saving. All these things were carefully shipped over to Canada for me a few months ago. She, and my other friends, gave up a year of their lives to do all this - and many other things, too numerous to mention. Thanks, Linda - how proud your parents would be, to have raised a daughter like you!

Yesterday, I was looking through a family history "book" I had put together, so that I could check on the full name of my paternal grandfather. My friend, Linda, in England had mentioned the initials A.E.B. scratched on an old compass and also written on a book cover while going through all the belongings at my brother's house. These initials belong to my paternal Grandfather, so it will be nice to eventually have something that belonged to him. While looking though my "book", I came across a few pages of letters that I had written oh, so many years ago, and thought this one might bring a smile to your face, when you read the second paragraph : ) My mother, brother and I were staying for a few months with my paternal Grandparents in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England while my father was away, looking for work.

Yes, a very out-of-place photo to be seen on my photostream, LOL, tucked in between the flowers and the birds. I was browsing a few photos on my hard drive, deleting quite a few that I had once thought looked OK, and happened to come across this very, very old one that I had scanned ages ago. Decided to add it to my Middle and Far East Set. I know I have the definite location somewhere, but don't want to spend the time searching now - I should be getting on with the rest of my overseas Christmas letters! However, I believe I took this at The Fort (?) in Agra, India, back in 1967. We spent four days in that country en route from a short leave in England out to Borneo, where we were going to live..

I came across this scan that I made ages ago and sent it to my daughters a few days ago. Last night, I decided that I would upload it to Flickr to give you all a little smile and chuckle. My eyes are blue, by the way, not rather green like they look in this very, very old photo : ) I was told many years later that I was very lucky to have a colour photo of myself, as colour photography was just becoming available when I was around three years old, and my father must have been one of the first to use it. I still remember all those decorations, though I haven't seen them for dozens of years. Happy Christmas, everyone!

A young man was showing this rather fine Malagassi Giant Hognose snake at the Calgary Zoo. A little girl gently reached out to feel the snake - many of the parents who stopped to look, declined the offer to touch this reptile.

Came across this female Mule Deer with her youngster just as the sun was beginning to set in a local park. The big ears and white tail with a black tip identify these as Mulies.