Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: off Grand Valley Rd

After seeing very light snow for just a matter of minutes at the weekend, I knew that, if I was going to make myself drive north of the city, I had better do it straight away. So, on 28 October 2014, I plucked up courage and drove "to parts unknown". Actually, part of the drive was along familiar roads and the rest was exploring new territory. I had intended leaving home around 9:00 am, but it ended up being 11:00 am. I had only been driving maybe 40 minutes before I pulled over for the first sighting. I couldn't take my eyes off one particular cloud - a lenticular cloud. Continuing my drive north, I managed to get as far as the town of Didsbury before I knew I just had to turn around and head for home, coming back via Water Valley and Grand Valley Rd/Horse Creek Rd. The view in this photo was taken at the end of a small road leading off Grand Valley Rd.. Saw quite a few Magpies, three or four Crows and one Gray Jay, lol. Other than that - oh, and one Hawk perched high up on a power pole along a busy road - I saw no wildlife at all. That was fine, though, as this trip was more about looking for old barns. During the seven hours that I was out on the road, I did manage to find several quite nice ones. Total driving distance for the day was 322 km and my arms are still feeling it, two days later, lol.

Another photo from the archives - again, I was looking for something green for today, St. Patrick's Day. Photographed this Lichen at the Perrenoud Natural Area, NW of Cochrane, on 18 June 2010.

Two mornings ago, I went with a friend to the Perrenoud natural area, NW of Cochrane, to search for any new mosses and lichens to add to an already existing list, also plants, and anything else of interest. Happened to notice this row of fungi growing along a crack in a branch. It will be interesting to eventually find out what kind of fungi season we will have this year. This morning, I was woken by my radio alarm and heard the words "It will be rainy all summer". Not what I wanted to hear, but maybe there will be more fungi around than last year, which was a very disappointing year.

In total contrast to my previous photo, this bright, colourful macro image was taken yesterday, while botanizing the Kerfoot Ranch, NW of Cochrane. I had been trying to "catch" one of these Common Alpine butterflies, as I love the bright orange circle pattern on their wings. I suddenly spotted this one and at first was a bit surprised that it didn't fly away. And then I began to wonder if maybe it had been caught by a tiny Crab Spider. Sure enough, this is what I found. Poor butterfly. Was out on a bird walk all morning at the east end of Fish Creek Park. When I got home, I noticed to my horror that the window people were working on the building right next to mine! I was expecting it to be a few more weeks before they reached my place, ready to replace eight windows and my patio door! PANIC!! I have so much that I need do before they have to come inside here, so I guess this is going to cut into my Flickr time. Sorry if at times I am missing in action! You have no idea how thankful I will be when this is all finished with! It's been hanging over my head for months. Then it will be my roof that has to be replaced in the next while, too - hail damage from last year, apparently.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! "Just" a regular Seven-spotted Ladybug that I came across yesterday afternoon, while on an afternoon botanizing trip at the Kerfoot Ranch, NW of Cochrane (which is NW of Calgary). This was a new location for me - the Kerfoot property is on the beautiful, rolling hills that you see when driving along the Grand Valley Rd. A small group of us searched for any species of plant, moss, lichen, bird, insect, and animal that were there, and the resulting list will be given to the landowners. In the morning, a friend and I had hiked at the Perrenoud natural area, looking for anything new - and anything that was interesting and beautiful, whether flora or fauna. The spring and summer months are so busy with botanizing different areas - all so interesting, but increasingly exhausting and painful for me ... sigh. However, I go where I am able and do as much as I can - I have to do as much walking as I can, for bone density reasons and to try and keep my joints mobile. A painful process, which kind of balances out with the pure joy I get from seeing and photographing some of the things we find. Heavily cropped image, so I'm surprised it still came out quite sharp.