Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: near Bow River

Good morning, everyone! Happy Christmas! Hope you all have a wonderful day. In Calgary, the temperature is -22C (-8F), with a windchilll of -32C (-26F), so I really hope you are warmer than we are here! What would Christmas be, without a bauble (even though my reflection had to be in it, showing me bending my knees to try and avoid one branch, but unable to avoid the one in my photo, lol? Taken on the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count in Canmore, near Banff. Each year, someone hangs a handful of Christmas ornaments on a spindly little tree down near the Bow River. For many people, Christmas is a very difficult time, for various reasons. My thoughts are with them, including all the people in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, who have suffered such a huge tragic loss in their community the last couple of weeks. I think most people, far and wide around the world, have been affected by this and have these folks in their thoughts and prayers. As always, those who, for one reason or another, will spend Christmas alone, will also be in my thoughts. To those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope today will be a happy one for you. If you will be on the road, please don't drink and drive! HAPPY CHRISTMAS and all the best in the New Year!

Such harsh light falling on the bright white feathers, and I did a good job of blowing them out : ) We had a great, but distant, view of this Osprey landing on this tall, dead tree and eating a nice fresh fish. Seen at Hull's Wood, Fish Creek Park, not far from the Bow River, on September 4th. Sometimes known as a Sea Hawk or Fish Eagle. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osprey

Was out on a walk all morning along the Bow River, along 194th Ave. SE. The hoar frost was beautiful and I liked seeing it contrasting with a length of this bright orange, soft, plastic fencing. We were lucky to find the Trumpeter Swans that had been reported, swimming on the Bow River. Unfortunately, I had to take the odd quick shot here and there, otherwise I got left behind by my friends : ) We had car-pooled the last bit of the drive. When I returned to my vehicle, I discovered that it was completely dead! No sound at all when I turned the key in the ignition. As it was, the driver's door lock was frozen shut when I was about to leave home, so had to get in through the passenger's side. Two of our vehicles had left straight away, but thank goodness friend Phil was just backing his truck out of the parking lot. Thanks SO much, Phil, for trying to get my battery recharged and for helping me get hold of the AMA (I don't own a cell-phone). I really hope that the lady whose wires you borrowed never needs to use them for herself, seeing as they didn't work. Fortunately, the AMA guy arrived in about half an hour and got my car started without any trouble. I was so thankful I wasn't out on my own with no phone, along the little backroads somewhere!

I'm glad I snapped this image before autumn vanished! I don' tknow what happened to fall this year : ) I am suffering from withdrawal symptoms so badly - always find it difficult to acccept that the wonderful days of spring and summer and endless photo opportunities are over. It's all about adjusting, though, that's all. This past week, I have found it really hard to get moving and, in fact, have barely moved from my computer, which has left me in a lot of pain. I missed a few walks so that I could try and get some extra hours of desperately-needed sleep, which was good, but I need to also keep my joints mobile. However, today, I spent the morning walking around Inglewood Bird Sanctuary - always love to see the two (far away) Harlequin Ducks on the Bow River there : ) Afterwards, I spent part of the afternoon at the Zoo, which is just a few minutes from IBS. Then, on the way home, I drove a few of the gravel roads south of the city - you should see my car after driving in muddy, gravelly ruts, LOL! Some really nice clouds, but I don't think I captured any good shots of them. The morning was overcast and poor light, but the sun did come out for a bit, while I was at the Zoo. Thought I'd better try and get a few different photos into my files, ready for when the "real" snow and bitterly cold temperatures arrive, LOL. I love photographing ice crystals, so ......