Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: 23 July 2014

My heart goes out to all those who have been affected by the devastating tragedy in the province to our east, after a collision on Friday (6 April 2018) between a Saskatchewan junior hockey team’s bus and a tractor-trailer in rural Saskatchewan. That afternoon, the Broncos junior hockey team of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, were en route to a playoff game in Nipawin. Twenty-nine people were on board the team bus. Fifteen people were killed, including the coach, assistant coach, bus driver and a team announcer. Others remain in hospital. The tractor-trailer driver survived. There has been such a huge outpouring from people across Canada, and beyond. Such sadness, especially at so many young lives lost. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There are a number of Wild European Rabbits in Calgary, and this is just one of them. It always feels strange to see what look like pet rabbits wandering loose in people's gardens and around a neighbourhood. This one was seen on 23 July 2014, when I went on a botany walk at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area. It was busy eating the grass by this tombstone and then it took a good look at me before continuing to feed. Right next to this area is a Cemetery - funny, I do tend to see rabbits in cemeteries, either these Wild European Rabbits, which come in all sorts of colours, or the White-tailed Jackrabbits. The town of Canmore, near Banff, in Banff National Park, has had a problem with these Wild European Rabbits. They attract Coyotes and other wildlife into the town. I know they did do something about this problem, but I don't know what the situation in Canmore is like now. I seem to remember reading that a fair number of them were sent to British Columbia to a sanctuary there and the rest were "got rid of". Here is a link to a Calgary Herald newspaper article from 15th December 2010, about the problem with these Rabbits in the town of Canmore, near Banff: They were, of course, also eating the plants in people's gardens, which some home owners complained about. "Canmore Mayor Ron Casey is taking aim at the picturesque Alberta town's rascally rabbits. Casey, who said the animals are attracting predators such as cougars, has secured support for a $50,000 budget to deal with feral rabbits." Read more: www.calgaryherald.com/technology/Canmore+cull+bear+baitin...

Tomorrow will be the very first day of spring, at last, but we still have a way to go before all our snow disappears. March is said to be our snowiest month, too. Our temperature this morning, 19 March 2018, is 0C (windchill -3C) with a temperature of 3C for this afternoon. I came across this old photo from my archives, taken on 23 July 2014, to help fill in the gap between now and when there should be a lot more to photograph. Apart from the recent Great Gray Owls, I haven't really been getting any new photos. The next two months are going to be busy months for me, so I'm not sure just how much I will be getting out with my camera. After a volunteer shift on 23 July 2014, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk. Having been to this location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. I had missed pretty well all the botany and birding walks the previous few months, which was quite depressing. The main thing I wanted to see were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as these are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a "weed", but I love to see them. The sun was unfortunately in the wrong direction, so I was only able to get a handful of shots, but better than nothing. With a couple of hours to "kill", I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location. This is where I took this Dragonfly shot on a Poppy seedpod. Think it is probably a female Cherry-faced Meadowhawk?

It's very rare that I post my "daily three" very late at night or shortly after midnight. However, this is one of those times, and I will probably have to finish off descriptions, tags, etc. late tomorrow evening. I have to set my two alarm clocks and kitchen timer for about 4:15 am (and it's already just after 1:00 am!). Just hope I don't sleep right through my alarms, as does happen sometimes. Have to be at the meeting place by 6:30 am, ready to spend a very long day travelling to and from the Drumheller area in the Alberta Badlands, east of Calgary. Takes roughly two hours to get there. Think I'd better get off my computer and head for bed! (Later: decided to stay up all night, as I was worried that I would most likely sleep right through my two alarm clocks and a kitchen timer if I tried to get just a couple of hours sleep!). After a volunteer shift on 23 July 2014, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk. Having been to this location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. I had missed pretty well all the botany and birding walks the previous few months, which was quite depressing. The main thing I wanted to see were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as they are my favourite species of Thistle. With a couple of hours to "kill", I had spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location.

An overcast, dreary morning here today, 14 December 2015, Temperature is -5C (windchill -11C). There was s slight dusting of snow overnight. And Flickr is being a real pain this morning - one problem after another. Yet again, I'm having to dig into my archives. I've only been able to get out on two walks since the car accident I was involved in (but not at fault) on 28 November 2015, and barely got any new photos. My car has been repaired (damaged heat shield from the impact), my very last overseas Christmas letter was written last night - and now I'm good to go! Just in time for the start of the various Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, too, so hopefully I'll be able to get some new shots. Meanwhile, this is a macro of the beautiful, vibrant, red berries of the Baneberry plant, seen here at the Reader Rock Garden on 23 July 2014, but it also grows wild. Some Baneberry plants produce white berries, which are also attractive. "All parts of the plant are poisonous. However, accidental poisoning is not likely since the berries are extremely bitter. The berries are the most toxic part of the plant. A healthy adult will experience poisoning from as few as six berries. Ingestion of the berries causes nausea, dizziness, increased pulse and severe gastrointestinal discomfort. The toxins can also have an immediate sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissue possibly leading to cardiac arrest if introduced into the bloodstream. As few as two berries may be fatal to a child. All parts of the plant contain an irritant oil that is most concentrated within the roots and berries." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_rubra After a volunteer shift that day, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk with a few friends. Having been to that location quite a few times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. The main thing I wanted to see there were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as these are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a weed, but I love to see them. With a couple of hours to "kill" till the botany walk, I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location.

Almost called this "Oh what a tangled web we weave" (quote by Sir Walter Scott). Cat's cradle is a string game you may remember from childhood. It requires two people to pass the string back and forth to make various string shapes. Cat's Cradle instructions can be found at the following two links: youtu.be/CAZhx5PKgl4 www.wikihow.com/Play-The-Cat's-Cradle-Game After a volunteer shift on 23 July 2014, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk. Having been to this location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. I had missed pretty well all the botany and birding walks the previous few months, which was quite depressing. The main thing I wanted to see were these Nodding / Musk Thistles, as they are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a "weed", but I love to see them. The sun was unfortunately in the wrong direction, so I was only able to get a couple of OK shots, but better than nothing. This flower head, past its prime, had quite a fancy tangle of spider web over it. Its name, Nodding Thistle, comes from the fact that the flower heads commonly droop to a 90° to 120° angle from the stem when mature. Here in Alberta, this species is a noxious weed - but a beautiful one. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans With a couple of hours to "kill", I had spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location.

This photo is of a Cornflower that I found growing at the Reader Rock Garden on 23 July 2014. Not sure if this is Centaurea dealbata (Persian Cornflower)? After a volunteer shift that day, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk with a few friends. Having been to that location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early if I was in too much pain, which is what I did. The main thing I wanted to see there were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as they are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a weed, but I love to see them. With a couple of hours to "kill" till the botany walk, I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location.

Yet again, I'm having to dig into my archives. I've only been able to get out on two walks since the car accident I was involved in (but not at fault) on 28 November 2015, and barely got any new photos. Today, I have had to cancel another volunteer shift and will have to cancel a dental appointment for tomorrow, just so that I can do things like phoning my Insurance Company. Hoping I don't need to go and report it to the Police. Also need to make an appointment to take my car in to be looked at. Yesterday morning, just as I was arrivng at the meeting place for a morning birding walk, I noticed a slight rattling sound. Then, in the evening, the rattle was much worse, sometimes sounding like one metal piece was scraping against another. Such a pain at any time, but December is a really bad month to be without a drivable car! This photo is of a beautiful Lily that I found growing at the Reader Rock Garden on 23 July 2014. Not sure if this is Lilium martagon. It has a tall, central stem, with quite a display of these flowers along it. After a volunteer shift that day, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk with a few friends. Having been to that location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. The main thing I wanted to see there were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as these are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a weed, but I love to see them. The sun was unfortunately in the wrong direction, so I was only able to get a handful of shots, but better than nothing. With a couple of hours to "kill" till the botany walk, I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location. I love seeing different species of Lily, including this one.

After a volunteer shift on 23 July 2014, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk. Having been to this location several times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. I'd missed pretty well all the botany and birding walks the previous few months, which was quite depressing. The main thing I wanted to see were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as these are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a "weed", but I love to see them. The sun was unfortunately in the wrong direction, so I was only able to get a handful of shots, but better than nothing. With a couple of hours to "kill" before the botany walk started, I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location. This is where I photographed this yellow Giant Scabius flower. I always like to see these Giant Scabius flowers - so crinkly and detailed.