OOOOH those BLUES

After last Friday's walk from Creekside to Hanson Ranch, I returned on Monday, solo, with my camera in tow this time.  The plan was to meander more along the way for bird spotting and crocus shooting.  Since Friday the ponds were now mostly frozen over again and a deep enough layer of snow covered just about everything.  The morning was beginning to have that "January Blue Monday" feeling until just like that it turned to be a "Beautiful Blue Monday".  Right there beside me, two Mountain Bluebirds landed on branches next to the creek. I was ecstatic and let out a quiet WOW!  They ignored me and went about their  business while I admired them for what seemed like an eternity.  I eventually carried on to where I saw the crocuses on Friday but the area was blanketed in winter white on this last day of March.  I saw no purple but it was OOOOH those BLUES of the Mountain Bluebirds seeing them for the first time this season that made my day!    

It's been two months since I visited Griffith Woods for the first time ever.  I had intentions of returning long before the first day of April.  It's been just over a week since I last saw a bright blue sky, that is very unusual for me and for here.  There were a few hours with a window of blue sky opportunity forcasted to greet April.  I thought it best to take advantage of that given the fact we would be pummelled with snow once again late in the day and into the night.  Not long after arriving and while working my way along the trails through the woods, the screeching songs of Blue Jays filled the morning air.  I spotted one, then another, then another and even a fourth.  It was OOOOH those Blues of the Blue Jays plus that sky which were beautiful welcomes to April!  

After sewing on another button and three more snaps, this knitting project will be complete.  Part way through the process of knitting this bag which I created my own pattern for, the thought of lining it came to mind.  I debated whether I wanted to bring the craft of sewing into the mix along with everything else I have going on.  I turned the debate into a win/win, I would add the lining but the sewing would all be done by hand rather than pulling out my sewing machine from the basement.  You can see the lining inside, which is a remanent piece of material I found at a fabric store.  The buttons are just for decoration, they are located where the strap meets the body of the bag. Four snaps are the method of closure at the top of the bag.  This has been an enjoyable project to work on and OOOOH those BLUES of the yarn, the fabric and the buttons bring beauty to this bag's whole package!

While sifting through the bin of remanent fabric looking for a perfect lining for the knitted bag above, my hand landed on this piece of remanent material. I took this as a sign that yes I should start that project which I have been mulling over in my mind.  OOOOH those BLUES in this piece of material will be a perfect match for what is to come! 

Back to Winter : Back to The Sanctuary

After spotting the first crocuses of the season while "out & about" this past Wednesday, and then seeing more while walking sunny slopes with a friend on Friday, I was excited to head back out this weekend for more crocus hunting. March ended up acting like March does which threw a monkey wrench into the focus on crocus!  I was at The Inglewood Bird Sanctuary on Monday and it was a joy to meander there with it looking and feeling and sounding like a lovely spring day.  Throw a monkey wrench into the thought of the experience being similar for today's meander there.  

The sky was dull, it was grey, yet the sights were blinding from the white, bright, new snow that covered everything after hammering down on us all day Saturday. March will be March and March it was!   

Through the bright white and the dull grey, there were sweet sights to be seen!  You have to have an eagle eye to spy what I saw! On future visits, I will use this tree and the branch as the marker for where a new Bald Eagles' nest is. See the two orange stars?  The one on the left marks the nest and the one to the right marks where a Bald Eagle is perched in the trees.

I zoomed into the nest and look what I saw!  A Bald Eagle is nestled down in there.  I was excited to see this!  This was the best I could do with getting a photo.  It is quite far away.  I will now monitor this location when I visit again.  

The ducks are all paired up!  This is a female Common Merganser and her partner in the photo below.  I appreciated their red shades on this dull day.  

The Wood Duck pair!  He was keeping a side eye on her!

On this very cold day, the Common Goldeneye had the hots, he had the hots for a female close by and did his little ditty dance to impress her. She fluttered about a bit but kept her back to him so I am not sure how impressed she was.

Black-capped Chickadee

always a bright sweet sight

Northern Flickers were doing their dance!

This pair were very entertaining!  

White-Breasted Nuthatch with a a snack!

someone placed seeds on a branch

There were many Robins at The Sanctuary today.

This one appeared to be extra puffed up!    

I was lucky to see two Woodpeckers very near each other.  This first one is a male Downy Woodpecker and the second is a male Hairy Woodpecker. At times when I see them separately, I am not always able to distinguish between the two but when they are near to each other, the difference is very obvious.  The Hairy is larger with a longer beak.  

male Downy Woodpecker

male Hairy Woodpecker

There is always something that motivates me to get out there and as we are on the verge of April, I want the snow to be gone so I can focus on the crocus. There is lots of snow that needs to melt before the crocuses will be visible again though.  

some short stories

first crocus sighting of the season

When I looked outside and saw the steady drizzle that was sideways at times then checked the forecast to see it was just above freezing, my sofa quickly became inviting!  I knew if I went anywhere near it, that would be where I would land. That is not how I wanted the day to start.  I turned a blind eye to the sofa's direction, geared up for the weather and exited my front door. Not long thereafter I arrived at Nose Creek with my head down against the wind and drizzle. While quickly moving along I suddenly stopped in my tracks when I spotted a crocus, then another, then a pair and another pair, then a bouquet! I believe March 26th is the earliest in a season that I saw a crocus.  Lesson learned: When the going becomes not pleasant, it pays to keep your head held down!      

2026 Calendar

This is my latest water-colour painting and it will represent a spring month in my 2026 Calendar.  The theme of my 2026 Calendar is "nurtured by activity" and I want to include words of positivity and a piece of sporting equipment. While brainstorming on creating a birdwatching painting, I came upon the topic of whether bird watching is a sport to which I also learned it is a hot topic which creates heated discussions.  Walk a mile or many of birding in my shoes and you will realize you completed a physical activity.  Now back to the painting, I did a pencil drawing on scrap paper before laying lines in my watercolour book. I then painted the background and added the Bokeh effect. The bird came next using wet on wet technique. I was not liking what I saw. I let it dry, removed the clips along with the tape around the edges. I was ready to rip the page out of the book but thought otherwise.  The next day I came back to it, painted the binoculars, added the branch the bird is perched on then found a quote to include. I stood back to look at it, I smiled, I said to myself "This is a keeper!"  Lesson learned: When the going gets disappointing, it pays to second guess yourself!

transforming a heap of yarn

While in Lake Louise last week, I shared with you this photo showing the progress I was making on my then current knitting project.  It looked like a heap of blue, brown, green and white yarn.  There was method to this heap!  I found and followed a pattern to create a bag until I got into the "intarsia" technique section.  I motored my way through until it became a true messed up heap.  Enough was enough, the scene on the bag was not looking like it was intended to.  I unravelled the "intarsia" section and worked on a way that I could make this bag still be a bag containing the scene in the pattern. Instead of using the "intarsia" technique to include the trees, snow capped mountain and clouds, I needed to find a way to make this work. It felt like I was getting in over my head! I knitted each piece separately, plus a sun, and attached them once the bag was knitted.   Lesson learned:  When the going gets confusing, it pays to make things more confusing!

birding

It was rush hour traffic on the Deerfoot 500 and I questioned whether this was a smart idea to head to Carburn Park on a weekday at this time of the morning.  I packed my patience and went with the white-knuckled crazy slow go. The Park was a pleasant place to be on this morning.  I was interested in seeing how the American Bald Eagles were doing with their nest building but did not scurry over to the location as other sights and sounds were attracting my attention as you can see in the collage.  While meandering along, I did see one Eagle fly over but it was heading to I don't know where so did not follow it. I eventually arrived at the location with a view of the nest that was used last year and that the Bald Eagles did some renovations on recently. I was not expecting to see what I saw!  Two Canadian Geese took over the American Bald Eagles' nest!  I smiled! I chuckled!  Lesson learned:  For this lesson learned, I am keeping my thoughts to myself!

Inglewood Bird Sanctuary March 24, 2025

This morning I left my spikes at home!  I packed a hat but did not don it!  My choice was the light pair of gloves instead of the heavier pair. No long underwear!  No third layer under my coat! Walking in my walking shoes rather than boots was sheer joy! There was no need to warm up my vehicle nor scrape the windshield! I was excited to get to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary this morning!  These were views that greeted me! 

This morning I was camera ready at the get-go. 

The spring time sights and sounds were plentiful.  

The visitors are increasing in numbers by the day. That's birds and ducks I am talking about yet the number of people strolling The Sanctuary has increased immensely.  It's that time of year, many smiling faces, groups and soloists, cameras of all sizes, casual conversations "Have you seen anything exciting?" That's a dangerous question to ask me if you really want me to tell you the truth.  

Much excites me when I am out birding on a day like this!  In addition to seeing the interesting clouds, then seeing the deer and a coyote, on top of that then watching the ground squirrels, then there are the courting calls and the chasing, chasing to catch and chasing to chase away.  Even the little things excite me like the bright green on this Common Goldeneye.

This male Wood Duck was standing alone on the edge of the ice when I arrived. I watched him primp. When I walked by an hour later he was still there. Two hours later when I was passing by the area one last time before leaving, he was still in the same spot primping.  

I watched this Wood Duck pair talking back and forth high up in the trees. 

She then flew down behind him to this little alcove at the water's edge. 

I heard it before I saw it so aimed in the direction the songs were coming from.  

Seeing a Robin is a true sign of spring.

The Robin stayed perched on the branch for a long time.  I was quite close to it yet still zoomed in even closer to get this photo showing the detail of its beautiful face and feathers.  Oh how perfect!

I wonder if this is the pair that stands guard on the bridge railing?

I am not sure what their story is on this day! 

Somebody is not interested in listening though!  

female Common Goldeneye

banded Black-capped Chickadee

This is just a baker's dozen worth of photographs showing things that excited me during my visit to The Sanctuary today.  All these signs of spring bring hope for much more excitement for each day to come. I dare you to ask me "Have you seen anything exciting?"  

Lake Louise March 21, 2025

The last item I threw into my vehicle before hitting the highway west to Lake Louise on Tuesday was my pair of skates.  They had been retired to my basement on February 25th when local ice conditions were no longer worthy for skating.  This escape west was for cross country skiing yet it took no effort to bring along my skates just in case.  When I saw people skating yesterday on Lake Louise and seeing the ice conditions looked quite nice, my thought turned to maybe I can fit in a skate around the Lake.

It snowed last evening and into the night which meant the skating surface would have a new layer of white gold covering it. My hope was being Friday, the sweeper would be out working his magic to prepare the ice for the weekend crowd.  As I crossed the little bridge at the foot of Lake Louise, the only things I noticed were two climbers crossing the lake with their gear, the sky had a tinge of pink as the sun had just come up and everything was dusted with that wonderful white. 

 Then I saw this as I rounded the corner, the sweeper was working the outer edges of the ice. 

The ice looked perfect!

I quickly laced up and skated away.  The ice was as it looked, perfect.  

Not long after hitting the ice, snow flurries began to sprinkle down. The sweeper was finishing up working his magic.  A few minutes after recording this video, the dark clouds came in, the snow began to heavily fall.  They were those big fluffy flakes and in a matter of minutes the ice surface was once again completely covered in snow. 

He's doing one last loop around before driving off. 

my selfie in the middle of an almost white out

the snow banks continue to grow 

It was so dreamy skating while the snow was falling.

 I enjoyed etching hearts and smily faces in the snow covered ice.  

following my etchings 

Almost a month later since I last skated on February 25th and retired my skates to the basement, I can now add another 8.25 kms to my previous record total of 241.5 kms skated this season.  249.75 Kilometres sounds like 250 kms to me.  Once again, I will retire my skates to the basement until next season! 

Lake Louise March 20, 2025

Cross country skiing the newly groomed tracks at Pipestone was my choice way of heralding in spring!  Mother Nature’s choice of weather was for cloud cover giving way to off and on flurries as the first day of spring progressed.  The wide open vistas were not offered up yet the silence and solace of the tree-lined tracks were a perfect option.  The Pipestone parking lot is just a hop, skip and a jump across from Lake Louise Village.  The track starts after a climb up stairs, swing open a door then down the stairs on the other side.  Ready! Set! Glide!  

 

The one and only time I skied here was in 2016 so today felt new to me. After a herringbone start up the steep hill, it was cross country to a round-about, picking the correct turn off then up and down and up and down along the winding track.

Upon a return section, I opted to remove my skis 

and walk down a narrow, winding, steep slope which happened to be icy. 

Nearing the end!

gliding along towards the open exit gate 

After completing a loop, I arrived at the exit at the opposite end of the parking lot.  Off with the skis, up the stairs on the left, swing open the door then down the stairs then a short walk back to my vehicle.  

After some sips and snacks in my vehicle, it was time for a drive up to Lake Louise.  I was curious what the area looked like now compared to when I was here the end of February.  People were skating which was nice to see on the first day of spring.  

As you can see, the Ice Castle is gone. 

There are markers around where it was. 

I found pieces of the Ice Castle off to the side in the snow banks. 

They beckoned to be photographed!

By late afternoon, I was back at my home away from home watching the flurries steadily fall.

This is my latest knitting project!  I brought it with me to work on at each days’ end. It’s based on a pattern I saw but I am switching up the pattern and adding tweaks here and there to make it my own.  Not sure my idea will work, only time will tell as I progress along.