autumn at Glenbow Ranch October 1, 2026

After putting paint on paper for the above watercolour creation, I had second thoughts about printing "Hikes" maybe I should have printed "walks".  I enjoy both activities equally for various reasons. I then wondered when does a walk become a hike! This morning I put my hiking boots on then drove to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park to cover kilometres where I could see amazing autumn hues.  The parking lot is located about a kilometre down a long winding dirt road.  From the parking lot, I descended down into the valley bottom.  The sun was up but was just beginning to rise above the rolling hills.
 

By zooming in, I could get a clear shot of three deer, this is one of them. With the naked eye, the three were just brown blobs moving about in the brush.  I believe it was a Mom and her two little ones, this is one of the little ones. 

The Moon was still glowing high in the sky!  

Got my selfie shot out of the way early! 

The sun was hitting the tops of the trees behind me.

After descending to the valley bottom, 

then ascending a little hill to a ridge, 

this was the view I had behind me.

This was the view I had in front of me. The train passed by as I arrived up on the ridge. The Canadian Rocky Mountains to the west are now all covered in new white gold.   

The route along the ridge was a welcoming line of autumn aspens. 

from the Prairies to the Mountains

The temperature was just below freezing. I wondered was that why this Yellow-Rumped Warbler was all fluffed up.  There were a few of this species of Warbler in the flock.  I was surprised yet happy to see they had not flown further south yet.  Being all fluffed up really showed off its yellow rump.

another Yellow-rumped Warbler 

further east along the route offered up a view of the Bow River

See the Moon?

It was views like this I came here for!

leaves covered some of the trails

The clouds were beginning to form interesting formations! This was the last photograph I took before beginning the ascent back up out of the valley bottom. I like how the thin clouds form an arch frame over top of the autumn shades.  

After arriving back up to the top, I stopped to enjoy the view of the autumn shades, 

the long line of snow-capped mountain peaks and the wispy clouds filling the beautiful blue sky.  

After you have been "out & about" you then wonder 

do you call that a walk or do you call that a hike? 

My answer to that is, 

"what you accomplished is in the mind and body of the beholder"!

Horseshoe Canyon, Drumheller September 28, 2026

After an hour and ten minute drive east, I arrived at "a land like no other" where I could be far from the thousands who went west looking for golden Larch Trees. I found another kind of "golden" where I could climb hoodoo formations deep down in a canyon and wander where ever the trails lead me while sharing them with no one.  Just shy of three hours of being one with The Badlands at Horseshoe Canyon in Drumheller is the story I have to share with you this time around.   

The gate was still open yet no one was manning the booth so today was a free day. I was the first to arrive shortly after sunrise. The golden glow of early morning in this area is a photographer's dream. Everything you need to know before heading down into the canyon can be found here.  

It's a unique little piece of paradise down there!

The route down is a steep one. Autumn shades line the top section of the descent trail.

You need to take heed of this warning sign, especially if you have never been in the Canyon before and do not have a sense of direction or a track on a device to follow.  I have been down here many times, yet still wander off to areas where it takes a bit to find my way back.  I pay attention to land marks and also the location of the sun.

A fleece, gloves and a toque were necessary starting out.  

the moon as it begins to set behind the schrubs

The forecast for today was posted as being full on sunshine 

so I was happy to see those fluffy puffy white clouds that I love so much.  

It's a playground down in the Canyon! There are many formations to climb and ridges to walk. 

With no recent rain and with hot temperatures, the ground and brush are dry.

How unique and unusual is this! 

It's my preference to be down in Horseshoe Canyon at this time of day and let the child within come out to play.  It was already beginning to feel very warm so I needed to delayer and start drinking water.  

Do you see what I see?

another kind of "golden"

Looking up at this fern sprouting out of a crack,

I wonder how can that even grow there!

There are no forests here, just a small section with a few trees.

more ridges to walk

I found my way back to the trail I descended along, close to three hours earlier. By now it was actually hot so I delayered even more, drank more water then began the climb back up. You can see a viewing platform top left, that's the lower view point so I needed to climb higher than that.  

While ascending back to the parking lot, I met many others beginning their descent. I enjoyed the best time of day down here, temperature was cool to start, pretty colours, no crowds! 

The white line is my track showing where I hiked.

the bursting four C's

As autumn settles in, the temperature cools down, the hours of daylight decrease, migration is almost over, an extra layer is added for warmth and rain can turn to snow.  It feels like it should be time to wind down, yet for me, I get a burst of energy! I want to get out there and catch every sunrise bursting through the trees or the clouds. I want to see, to feel, to touch, to smell, to taste everything autumn has to offer .

a burst of

cuteness

While "out & about" this week, it seemed like there was quite a bit of cuteness that caught my eye.  I did not realize that until I downloaded my photos then got a larger look. There was something about each of these four photos that melted my heart and left me with a smile. Autumn brings a change in wildlife activity plus their colours can change just like the leaves.  

This young Northern Flicker was watching the adults.

Such a sweet little ball of fluff!

Mom and her Fawn saw something!

Soon the Fawn's spots will be gone!

This is a Mountain Cottontail.

It's coat does not change colour in the winter.

This White-crowned Sparrow will soon be on its way to a warmer climate. 

It stopped feasting for a few seconds. 

a burst of 

colour

You do not have to go far to see the burst of beautiful autumn shades. They are along every street, around every corner, lining every path in every park. This will not last long, it can be gone in a flash. I have been "out & about" in all my favourite locations to witness the burst of colour which is even brighter when the sun shines.  

a burst of

creativity

These are small water-colour paintings that measure three inches by five inches. For references, I used photos I captured while hiking Pocaterra Cirque on Tuesday. The hike was all about seeing the Larch Trees. They show off their beautiful burst of autumn colours at this time of year for maybe two weeks.  The colours will turn and the needles will fall from the trees. While creating these paintings, I was taken back to the trails. 

a burst of 

cooking

Thank You to those of you who shared your photos of soup and your recipes! Your content influenced me to make Butternut Squash Soup for the first time ever! I opted to try a crockpot version. The process was easy and very little of my time was needed. Making the soup was another way for me to embrace everything Autumn! This delicious taste of Autumn packed a punch! I can guarantee you, I will be going for many more punches!