Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: explore2014April13

Another photo from the archives, taken on 25 September 2012, at the Calgary Zoo. When I was a young child, under 12 years old, I used to love seeing these growing in the garden and used to collect the caterpillars that thrived on them and keep them in a matchbox. Funny how one remembers certain things from the past (a very distant past!). "Tropaeolum, commonly known as nasturtium, is a genus of roughly 80 species of annual and perennial herbaceous flowering plants. It was named by Carl Linnaeus and is the only genus in the family Tropaeolaceae". Wikipedia. "The first nasturtium species was introduced into Europe in the 18th century and was named Tropaeolum minus by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. He chose the genus name because the plant reminded him of an ancient custom. After victory in battle, the Romans used to set up a trophy pole called a tropaeum (from the Greek tropaion, source of English "trophy"). On this the armour and weapons of the vanquished foe were hung. Linnaeus was reminded of this by the plant as the round leaves resembled shields and the flowers, blood-stained helmets". Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropaeolum After yesterday's snow (12 April 2014), it has pretty well all melted and the sun is shining this morning. The temperature is 0°C, expected to climb to 4°C this afternoon. Tomorrow is expected to get up to 12°C and be mainly sunny.

I still remember the first time I took a close look at these Ornamental Cabbages (Brassica oleracea), growing in the garden at the Calgary Zoo back in 2007. Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that a few of them were decorated with these little green hearts. This photo was taken a few years later, on 25 September 2012. After yesterday's snow (12 April 2014), it has pretty well all melted and the sun is shining this morning. The temperature is 0°C, expected to climb to 4°C this afternoon. Tomorrow is expected to get up to 12°C and be mainly sunny.

It's difficult to even imagine what a day like this feels like - sunshine, blue sky and glorious fields of Canola. Last night, snow began to fall and it's still snowing this morning. After a few days of bare ground and more spring-like weather, it looked like spring might actually have arrived. How wrong we were! Now it's back to having to scrape the snow off our cars, and overcast skies. Not sure how treacherous the roads could be today (12 April 2014), or underfoot, so I guess it will be a day at home. Had just been planning a day out with my youngest daughter, driving the backroads, but now we'll have to wait. Took this photo on 31 July 2013, just within Calgary city limits.