Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: purple and white

ALBERTA EMERGENCY ALERT, 27 May 2018: calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/emergency-alert-issued-... "An emergency alert has been issued for the Municipal District of Foothills due to a large wildfire in Kananaskis Country. The alert issued by the district indicates the blaze is about 16 kilometres southwest of Bragg Creek “and is moving in a northeasterly direction toward the extreme northwest corner of the MD of Foothills.” Voluntary evacuation is in effect for areas west of Highway 762, between Highway 22 and 178th Avenue W. Alberta Wildfire information officer Matt Bell said the wildfire is listed at 100 hectares and is considered out of control." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yesterday, Sunday 27 May 2018, was the second day of the annual May Species Count. On the Saturday, I had taken part in the Count at Votier's Flats, Fish Creek Park. We took three cars yesterday, but one car had to leave early. The Count started at 8:00 am and, this year, we finished around 2:00 pm, which was earlier than usual. The number of species was quite a bit lower than the last two years. Usually, we see a great variety of birds at one of our stops (Barb Castell's), but things were very quiet yesterday. As Barb reminded us, there are more birds earlier in the day, and late afternoon to early evening. Thanks, as always, Barb, for letting us wander round your beautiful garden! When I spotted this gorgeous Petunia, it took my breath away. We were very lucky with the weather for our Count. I think the temperature got up to about 22C, cooler than the last few days - today is forecast to have a high of 28C. After driving various back roads, we ended up at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, where we stopped to eat our lunch. The parking lot was absolutely packed. A short walk within the forest produced two or three past-their-prime Calypso Orchids. Each year, we do this walk to look for these gorgeous flowers, though Brown-Lowery is actually covered by a different group of people for the Count. Not a single owl of any kind was seen by our group yesterday, unlike last year, when we had a beautiful Great Gray Owl.

Thought I'd better quickly dig into my archives and find three things that are not winter scenes, owls or wildlife. Much as I love those three, I'm feeling the need for colour and something different. Recently, the main thing I have been seeing and photographing is the tiny, uncommon (in Alberta) Northern Pygmy-owl. I try to spread those photos out a little bit, but you are probably all getting weary of seeing this little guy/gal : ) Make the most of today, as I can't promise that I won't be back to the owl tomorrow or the next day, lol. This photo of a beautiful purple and white Iris growing at the Reader Rock Garden, was taken on 4 July 2012.

A photo of Monkshood, taken at the Reader Rock Garden on 17 August 2011. I'm not sure if all the kinds of Monkshood are poisonous, but it might be worth researching before planting this in your garden! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum#Natural_hybrids

Another beautiful Lily from the Reader Rock Garden - just a small one, with multiple flowers on each long plant stem. Just got home from an hour's walk in a local park. I think it's around 32C and it certainly felt it, too! Far, far too hot for me, but I have a hike the day after tomorrow and so needed to make sure I did at least a bit of a walk today. Thought I'd go and photograph a few wildflowers - but there were hardly any left to be seen! Fall is beginning to feel awfully near. I did find some Wild Mint and some Water Smartweed, both down by a bit of wetland. However, I got chased out of there by a male Red-winged Blackbird! He didn't give me any warning at all! I have been hovered over a few times before, but this was an exceptionally protective bird and he dive-bombed, hovered and hissed at me, over and over again, until I was right out of the area. And all I wanted were wildflowers, LOL!