Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: tranquil

You may have already suspected that I was desperate for photo opportunities yesterday, 4 October 2019, lol! If so, how right you were. I just couldn't get it out of my head that maybe, just maybe, the snow had melted in a few places enough to let a few fungi grow. Here, in Calgary, a lot of the snow has melted, though I don't know if the local parks and natural areas still have much snow cover. However, as I discovered yesterday, closer to the mountains, there are still a few inches of the white stuff on the ground. My intention had been to just drive west to the Bragg Creek area, to calm my mind one way or the other. Disappointment came quickly and, on the spur of the moment, I decided to drive west along Elbow Falls Trail in search of a few scenic shots. Though the landscape is always beautiful, there are only two or three places that I usually stop at, until I finally reach Forgetmenot Pond. The highway was beautifully clear of snow, but for walking, there were a few inches of snow and ice to slip and slide through. Once at the Pond, I only trudged as far as the main path that overlooks the water. At other times of the year, I walk around the pond, but not yesterday. I do not like winter walking! Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. I found the following 4-minute video on YouTube, taken by Kenneth Lori using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter and taken on 16 June 2016. It travels over Forgetmenot Pond and the surrounding river and mountains. youtu.be/fEamf0nDXt4 The eight photos I posted this morning are the only ones to post from yesterday's quick trip. It was getting on for 3:00 pm when I left home to drive westwards and, anyway, I didn't find much to shoot.

You may have already suspected that I was desperate for photo opportunities yesterday, 4 October 2019, lol! If so, how right you were. I just couldn't get it out of my head that maybe, just maybe, the snow had melted in a few places enough to let a few fungi grow. Here, in Calgary, a lot of the snow has melted, though I don't know if the local parks and natural areas still have much snow cover. However, as I discovered yesterday, closer to the mountains, there are still a few inches of the white stuff on the ground. My intention had been to just drive west to the Bragg Creek area, to calm my mind one way or the other. Disappointment came quickly and, on the spur of the moment, I decided to drive west along Elbow Falls Trail in search of a few scenic shots. Though the landscape is always beautiful, there are only two or three places that I usually stop at, until I finally reach Forgetmenot Pond. The highway was beautifully clear of snow, but for walking, there were a few inches of snow and ice to slip and slide through. Once at the Pond, I only trudged as far as the main path that overlooks the water. At other times of the year, I walk around the pond, but not yesterday. I do not like winter walking! Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. I found the following 4-minute video on YouTube, taken by Kenneth Lori using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter and taken on 16 June 2016. It travels over Forgetmenot Pond and the surrounding river and mountains. youtu.be/fEamf0nDXt4 The eight photos I posted this morning are the only ones to post from yesterday's quick trip. It was getting on for 3:00 pm when I left home to drive westwards and, anyway, I didn't find much to shoot.

Back to Alberta for these four photos! I haven't even started going through all my photos from Day 3 of our trip to Ontario and Quebec in May. This was just a short, spur-of-the-moment drive (like most of my outings seem to be) yesterday, 24 October 2018. My destination was Forgetmenot Pond, along the eastern edge of the Rockies. I also called in at Elbow Falls to take a few photos on the way home. I had been hoping to get out to this area all year, and finally made it. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. I found the following 4-minute video on YouTube, taken by Kenneth Lori using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter and taken on 16 June 2016. It travels over Forgetmenot Pond and the surrounding river and mountains. youtu.be/fEamf0nDXt4 I was glad that I had put my winter boots in my car, as when I reached my destination, i needed them. There was snow on the ground, which had partly melted and then frozen. The narrow path was just too icy to walk on in many places, so I only took a few photos at Forgetmenot Pond. Also, the light was awful, as there was no sign of the sun - not what the weather forecast had said. As I was leaving the city, the cloud formation was beautiful, but that quickly changed to solid, dreary cloud, which lasted all afternoon. I almost turned around and came home, as the distant mountains were far from clear. However, I had spent too much time the previous day, editing photos, and the constant mouse clicking had made my arm and shoulder more painful, so I really needed a break from my computer.

On 7 June 2017, a group of eight of us spent a wonderful day exploring Elbow Falls and Forgetmenot Pond, in Kananaskis. We drove west of the city into the eastern edge of the mountains, stopping at three different places, including a stop along the edge of the main highway, where we found beautiful Shooting stars and a few little brown cup fungi. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. I found the following 4-minute video on YouTube, taken by Kenneth Lori using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter and taken on 16 June 2016. It travels over Forgetmenot Pond and the surrounding river and mountains. youtu.be/fEamf0nDXt4 What a great day we had! It was one beautiful find after another, and I think we all must have arrived back home at the end of the day, feeling happy and content. Dorothy and Stephen, as always, you planned a wonderful day for us and you even managed to arrange with the weatherman for beautiful sunshine and warmth, with an occasional welcome slight breeze. I still can't believe how lucky we were, seeing so many interesting things. In fact, I'm finding it difficult to decide what was the highlight for me. The Harlequin Duck, the distant Common Nighthawk flying high overhead, the two Morel mushrooms, the small cluster of beautiful brown cup fungi?? And so on .... Great to spend a day with such a pleasant group of keen, interested people. Thanks so much, Dorothy and Stephen, for such a great day - my favourite kind of day : ) Thank you, also, for the ride and for the donuts you brought along for everyone to enjoy. Nice to end our day with a stop at the Cinnamon Spoon cafe in Bragg Creek, for a very welcome coffee.

This morning, I am again posting four more photos taken a few days ago, on 7 June 2017, when a group of eight of us spent a wonderful day exploring Elbow Falls and Forgetmenot Pond, in Kananaskis. We drove west of the city into the eastern edge of the mountains, stopping at three different places, including a stop along the edge of the main highway, where we found beautiful Shooting stars and a few little brown cup fungi. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. I found the following 4-minute video on YouTube, taken by Kenneth Lori using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter and taken on 16 June 2016. It travels over Forgetmenot Pond and the surrounding river and mountains. youtu.be/fEamf0nDXt4 What a great day we had! It was one beautiful find after another, and I think we all must have arrived back home at the end of the day, feeling happy and content. Dorothy and Stephen, as always, you planned a wonderful day for us and you even managed to arrange with the weatherman for beautiful sunshine and warmth, with an occasional welcome slight breeze. I still can't believe how lucky we were, seeing so many interesting things. In fact, I'm finding it difficult to decide what was the highlight for me. The Harlequin Duck, the distant Common Nighthawk flying high overhead, the two Morel mushrooms, the small cluster of beautiful brown jelly cup fungi?? And so on .... Great to spend a day with such a pleasant group of keen, interested people. Thanks so much, Dorothy and Stephen, for such a great day - my favourite kind of day : ) Thank you, also, for the ride and for the donuts you brought along for everyone to enjoy. Nice to end our day with a stop at the Cinnamon Spoon cafe in Bragg Creek, for a very welcome coffee.

This morning, I am posting four photos taken yesterday, 7 June 2017, when I went out for the day with seven friends, to Kananaskis. We drove west of the city into the eastern edge of the mountains, stopping at a few different places, including Elbow Falls and Forgetmenot Pond. This scenic shot is my main image - the remaining three are ones that I want for my albums, but are definitely not good shots. Actually, I was excited to see all three of the subjects photographed, as I so rarely see any of them. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. A few minutes ago I found the following 4-minute video taken by Kenneth Lori using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter and taken on 16 June 2016. It travels over the pond and the surrounding river and mountain scenery. youtu.be/fEamf0nDXt4 What a great day we had yesterday! It was one beautiful find after another, and I think we all must have arrived back home at the end of the day, feeling happy and content. Dorothy and Stephen, as always, you planned a wonderful day for us and you even managed to arrange with the weatherman for beautiful sunshine and warmth, with an occasional welcome slight breeze. I still can't believe how lucky we were, seeing so many interesting things. In fact, I'm finding it difficult to decide what was the highlight for me yesterday. The Harlequin Duck, the distant Common Nighthawk, the dried-up Morrel mushrooms, the small cluster of beautiful brown jelly cup fungi?? And so on .... Great to spend a day with such a pleasant group of keen, interested people. Thanks so much, Dorothy and Stephen, for such a great day - my favourite kind of day : ) Thank you, also, for the ride and for the donuts you brought along for everyone to enjoy. Nice to end our day with a stop at the Cinnamon Spoon cafe in Bragg Creek, for a very welcome coffee.

With most of our autumn colour gone, it feels good to be able to look back to photos from 1 October 2016. On that day, 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 city 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 stopped and 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 knew that snow wasn't far away and about a week after this visit, Calgary had its first snowfall of the season, the whole of the Thanksgiving weekend. At least I now have plenty of bright, colourful photos that I will be able to post in between all the coming white, snowy images that will be taken during the seven, long months of winter. "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/

With most of our autumn colour gone, it feels good to be able to look back to photos from 1 October 2016. On that day, 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 city 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 stopped and 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. Unfortunately, the trees and plants weren't labelled, so I don't know what kind of tree is in this photo, but the colour of the bark after all the rain was this glorious colour. 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 knew that snow wasn't far away and about a week after this visit, Calgary had its first snowfall of the season, the whole of the Thanksgiving weekend. It snowed overnight again last night and today, 18 October 2016, my car is once again covered in snow that will need to be cleared off. At least I now have plenty of bright, colourful photos that I will be able to post in between all the coming white, snowy images that will be taken during the seven, long months of winter. "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/

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/

One month ago, on 1 October 2015, I finally managed, for the first time this year, to get out to the mountains as far as Forgetmenot Pond - really an on the spur of the moment decision. The weather called for some sun and some cloud, which sounded good. I knew I had better not leave it any longer to get out there - as it was, we had a light dusting of snow the following night. You really need good, clear reflections to get the best photos at the Pond, but it wasn't quite calm enough for that and it was quite hazy for much of the drive. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. This is the only mountain drive I will do on my own and it's one of my favourite places. It only takes about 50 minutes to an hour to get from home to the Pond, so makes a very pleasant half-day trip. On the return drive, I called in at a place not far from Forgetmenot Pond, where I have found a few mushrooms in previous years, but found nothing this time. Actually, I didn't see a whole lot of anything during the few hours I was out, other than the spectacular mountain scenery. The fall colours were beautiful - a mix of Aspen yellows and the dark greens of the coniferous trees. I was comparing it with a photo I took on the same drive on 24 September 2007. The mountains above the tree line were all covered in snow, unlike this fall.

On 1 October 2015, I finally managed, for the first time this year, to get out to the mountains as far as Forgetmenot Pond - really an on the spur of the moment decision. The weather called for some sun and some cloud, which sounded good. I knew I had better not leave it any longer to get out there - as it was, we had a light dusting of snow the following night. You really need good, clear reflections to get the best photos at the Pond, but it wasn't quite calm enough for that and it was quite hazy for much of the drive. Forgetmenot Pond is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond, but enjoyable to do. The main road this far into Kananaskis only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. Forgetmenot Pond is the only mountain drive I will do on my own and it's one of my favourite places. It only takes about 50 minutes to an hour to get from home to the Pond, so makes a very pleasant half-day trip. On the return drive, I called in at a place not far from Forgetmenot Pond, where I have found a few mushrooms in previous years, but found nothing this time. I didn't see a whole lot of anything during the few hours I was out, other than the spectacular mountain scenery. The fall colours were beautiful - a mix of Aspen yellows and the dark greens of the coniferous trees. I was comparing it with a photo I took on the same drive on 24 September 2007. The mountains above the tree line were all covered in snow, unlike this fall.

This photo was taken on 17 October 2015, when I spent the day birding with six friends. We travelled west of the city, the direction that I don't often get to see, mostly along Highway 1, turning off in a few places to see what species we could find. Overall, it was a very quiet day as far as birding goes. At this particular pond, we watched several distant Swans, which are always nice to see. The two in this photo are Tundra Swans, but there were also Trumpeter Swans on the pond. This particular pond is part of the Trumpeter Swan's migratory path. "True to its name, the Tundra Swan breeds on the high tundra across the top of North America. It winters in large flocks along both coasts, and is frequently encountered during its migration across the continent." From AllAboutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tundra_Swan/lifehistory While my friends were checking out the few other waterfowl, I just had to turn around and take a few photos of an old orange/red barn in the distance (seen in the next photo). I wasn't sure just where we were, but last night I went on Google Earth and eventually found the exact place. I also discovered that there is a whole lot more about this barn and the ranch it belongs to. It also has a whole movie set in Western theme (i.e. old saloon, etc.), which has been used in a long list of movies. We also did an enjoyable walk along the Flowing Waters Trail in Bow Valley Provincial Park - a highlight there was seeing a Brown Creeper. Here is our leader, Andrew Hart's report, that he sent in to e-Bird. Thanks, Andrew, for the list and of course for a most enjoyable day, as always. "Seven of us met to head west on what was initially a chilly morning which promised to warm up later. Our first stop was at the Jumping Pound Pond where we saw a family of five Trumpeter Swans along with a few assorted ducks. We then worked our way along the back roads parallel to Hwy 1 checking out the sloughs. Only one (about half way to the Sibbalt turnoff) was really productive, yielding 18 Tundra Swans and several waterfowl including some Hooded Mergansers. We then headed to Bow Valley Provincial Park, where we were met by very strong winds. Possibly because of the winds we did not see very much on our walk around the Flowing Waters Trail, several flocks of White-Winged Crossbills were the easiest to see. We did have one Brown Creeper which seemed to be blown up the slope towards us and almost slammed into a lone tree on the ridge path. We passed the Seebe Dam en route to Exshaw, but again slim (to say the least) findings at both locations. We saw about four Rough-legged Hawks between stops. Here is what we saw at the stops. Checklists included in this summary: (1): Jumping Pound Pond Date: Oct 17, 2015, 8:50 AM (2): CA-AB-Rocky View No. 44-45240 Township Road 252 - 51.1252x-114.5434 Date: Oct 17, 2015, 9:10 AM (3): Bow Valley PP - Flowing Waters Trails Date: Oct 17, 2015, 10:10 AM (4): Seebe Dam Date: Oct 17, 2015, 12:25 PM (5): Exshaw Date: Oct 17, 2015, 12:55 PM 38 Canada Goose -- (1),(4) 5 Trumpeter Swan -- (1) 18 Tundra Swan -- (2) 4 Gadwall -- (2) 41 American Wigeon -- (1),(2),(4) 204 Mallard -- (1),(2),(4) 12 Northern Shoveler -- (1) 26 Green-winged Teal -- (2) 2 Ring-necked Duck -- (2) 6 Hooded Merganser -- (2) 4 American Coot -- (2) 4 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) -- (1) 2 Black-billed Magpie -- (2),(5) 1 Common Raven -- (3) 2 Black-capped Chickadee -- (3) 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch -- (3) 1 Brown Creeper -- (3) 6 Golden-crowned Kinglet -- (3) 2 American Robin -- (5) 1 European Starling -- (1) 46 White-winged Crossbill -- (3),(4) 10 Pine Siskin -- (3) 20 House Sparrow -- (5) Andrew Hart"

All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 17 October 2015, when I spent the day birding with 6 friends. We travelled west of the city, the direction that I don't often get to see, mostly along Highway 1, turning off in a few places to see what species we could find. Overall, it was a very quiet day as far as birding goes. At this particular pond, we watched several distant Swans, which are always nice to see. They were just off to the left and right of my photo. This is part of the trumpeter swan’s migratory path. You would never guess that the main Highway 1 runs from left to right through this area - the reflections of passing vehicles were seen in the water. While my friends were checking out the few other waterfowl, I just had to turn around and take a few photos of an old orange/red barn in the distance (seen in the next photo). I wasn't sure just where we were, but last night I went on Google Earth and eventually found the exact place. I also discovered that there is a whole lot more about this barn and the ranch it belongs to. It also has a whole movie set in Western theme (i.e. old saloon, etc.), which has been used in a long list of movies. I'm adding a link to a detailed account of the Ranch by The Western Producer, posted on 27 August 2012 by Barbara Duckworth. It provides a lot of interesting information. This Ranch family emphasizes watershed management on 28,000 acres of land. www.producer.com/2012/08/ranch-uses-tranquil-setting-to-d... www.clranches.com/ clwesterntown.com/ www.country-guide.ca/2014/07/31/the-wide-view/44390/ calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/producing-a-mor... calgaryherald.com/business/mcdonalds-undertakes-pilot-pro...

Four days ago, on 1 October 2015, I finally managed, for the first time this year, to get out to the mountains as far as Forgetmenot Pond - really an on the spur of the moment decision. The weather called for some sun and some cloud, which sounded good. I knew I had better not leave it any later to get out there - as it was, we had a light dusting of snow the following night. You really need good, clear reflections to get the best photos at this location, but it wasn't quite calm enough for that and it was quite hazy for much of the drive. This is actually a man-made pond, left over from the excavation of a gravel pit. The water is crystal clear. It's just a short walk around the pond - this view is from part way round, looking back The road here only opens in June each year, as a winter gate at Elbow Falls closes in December for the winter months, to protect the wildlife in the area. I have added, in a comment box below, a previously posted photo taken from a different angle at Forgetmenot Pond on 12 October 2009, before the winter gate was closed for the winter months. Forgetmenot Pond is the only mountain drive I will do on my own and it's one of my favourite places. It only takes about 50 minutes to an hour to get from home to the Pond, so makes a very pleasant half-day drive. On the return drive, I called in at a place not far from Forgetmenot Pond, where I have found a few mushrooms in previous years, but found nothing. I didn't see a whole lot of anything during the few hours I was out, other than the spectacular mountain scenery. The fall colours were beautiful - a mix of Aspen yellows and the dark greens of the coniferous trees. I was just comparing it with a photo I took on the same drive on 24 September 2007. The mountains above the tree line were all covered in snow, unlike this fall.

This photo was taken in the evening of 10 September 2015 in South Glenmore Park, down by the Glenmore Reservoir. A feeing of peace and freedom - which I, for one, am so grateful for, each and every day. Normally, I tend not to go out in the evenings, especially as I now find night driving too difficult. However, I did go on that evening, as I wasn't sure if this was going to be our last botany walk for this year. Also, someone who went on a different day that week said he had seen a mushroom growing on a log down at the edge of the water and I was hoping to find it. Well into our walk, there it was, lol! Not the most beautiful fungus in the world, but I was still happy to find it. The city had released more water into the Reservoir and the narrow "shore" was now under water, unfortunately.

I would imagine (and hope) that many, many people will be stopping today to remember the horrific events of 11th September 2001. So many mental images that will never, ever leave our minds and hearts. People from so many different countries, not just the US. So many stories of loss and heartbreak - and so many stories of bravery and heroic actions. Remembering .... all those who lost their lives on that fateful day: all those who lost loved ones and close friends or fellow workers; all those who rushed in to "do their job" or "to help others" in any way they could. Remembering .... all those who were severely injured on that fateful day and who have bravely suffered every day since then; all those Firemen, Emergency Medical people, Police - men and women, who have suffered and continue to suffer emotionally and physically, including illnesses caused by being exposed to harmful chemicals. The list goes on and on. Remembering ... and praying that we never see another day like September 11th, 2001. This photo, taken yesterday evening in South Glenmore Park, down by the Glenmore Reservoir, is an extreme to that day of horror. A feeing of peace and freedom - which I, for one, am so grateful for, each and every day. Normally, I tend not to go out in the evenings, especially as I now find night driving difficult. However, I did go yesterday, as I wasn't sure if this was going to be our last botany walk for this year. Also, someone who went on a different day this week said he had seen a mushroom growing on a log down at the edge of the water and I was hoping to find it. Well into our walk, there it was, lol! Hence my rather strange and uninspiring next photo. I did take a close photo, too, but posted this one first. Not the most beautiful fungus in the world, but I was still happy to find it. The city has released more water into the Reservoir and the narrow "shore" is now under water, unfortunately.

I never tire of seeing this view looking over Middle Lake, in Bow Valley Provincial Park. When I drove out there three days ago, I knew this was one of the places I wanted to stop at. On 20 July 2014, I plucked up courage to do this drive that I’d never done before. I had been that route once before that I can think of, when I carpooled with others and I have visited the park quite a few times over the last few years, always carpooling with others, but going along the main HIghway 1, not 1A. A good part of the drive was in familiar territory, but I’d never driven the last part of the journey myself. I had met my youngest daughter at 9:00 a.m. and we were both eager to see a display of birds of prey that had been brought up from the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre. We came across Dee (rockymtnchick) and her partner, there to see the owls. Great to see you both! This year, there were fewer birds, but it was great to see any at all. There was a Burrowing Owl, a Barn Owl, a Great Horned Owl (photo posted two days ago), and a Golden Eagle. Another real treat that was an amusing one, was seeing a baby Barn Owl that was just 45 days old! This little ball of fluff was acting as a great ambassador, letting young kids get a close view and ask questions, and fall in love with it – and to hopefully, in the future, do everything they can as adults to protect our precious wildlife. The enjoyment of seeing these birds up close reminds one that the reason these birds are not free to live in the wild, is because of some kind of interaction with humans – such as permanent injuries from being hit by a vehicle, pesticide use, or even worse, being shot by a human! This is what happened to “Spirit”, the magnificent Golden Eagle, shot and blinded by someone. This exhibit was our first destination in the park, though on the drive from Calgary, we had stopped at the small McDougall Church at Morley (one of the photos posted two days ago). After seeing and photographing the birds of prey, we then drove to Middle Lake that’s in a different part of the park. We walked the very short distance to the edge of the lake, but didn't walk around it. From there, we drove to Many Springs Trail and did a very slow walk around the lake, stopping to look at and photograph different wildflowers and a few butterflies. Though slow, it was still further than I should have walked. Certain wildflowers were already finished, including various Orchid species, but there were still plenty of other species to see and enjoy. Even the weather cooperated, though the forecast had been for isolated showers. Not too hot, nice clouds in the sky and lovely to have my daughter’s company for the day. Thanks so much to the people down at the Coaldale Bird of Prey Centre (near Lethbridge, down towards the Canada/US border) for bringing your gorgeous birds of prey for us to see! I have been south to the Centre three times I think, and always long to go back again, but it's not somewhere I can drive to, so this was a much-appreciated treat!

This Trumpeter Swan at the Calgary Zoo was resting quietly while its mate slowly floated nearby. I always think they look so beautiful when they tuck their head into those soft feathers. I see Trumpeter Swans in the wild, too, but always from a distance.