Haskayne to Glenbow April 29, 2024

The one and only time I was at Haskayne Legacy Park was early October of last year.  My intentions were to pay this park a visit in the winter but I decided to pass on that, it's not a road I care to venture down even with winter tires on.   So, spring has sprung, it's time to see who and what hangs out here during this season! 

I stepped out of my vehicle and before even zipping up my jacket or grabbing my gear, I reached for my camera because this male Mountain Bluebird dropped by to check me out.  They go by two other names, Arctic Bluebird and Ultramarine Bluebird, two very fitting names.  Seeing him was a nice welcome!  

I wondered would I see crocuses!  I saw hundreds of them!  Only a very few were just off the path.  I was able to photograph them without stepping out of bounds.  The most beautiful bouquets were a few feet off the trail, so they were off limits.  

this one melts my heart

I was surprised to see this bouquet growing out of dried mud!

The breeze had a chill to it, I have four layers on and could have worn a winter hat instead of the bandana. Winter is on its way, no not later this year but tomorrow and the day after and the day after that!  I made the most of today!

It was time for another photo op with a macrame project.  This double heart is my latest.  The piece of wood the project is crafted onto is from a special place that make the hearts more meaningful.  With a sweet little story to tell, this now hangs on my fairy light tree.  

Talk about sweet little stories, this Western Meadowlark was telling all kinds of sweet stories through songs.  I heard it long before I spotted it.  It was quite a distance away.  While the song was loud and clear,  getting a crisp clear photo was not as easy.

Here we go again, another sweet story being sung by this Savannah Sparrow. I heard it long before I spotted it.  I had to use my full zoom to get this photograph.  This is my first sighting this season of a Savannah Sparrow.  I look forward to seeing and hearing many more!

The muskrat was holding on tight to the twig.  

I am not playing with perspective here!  It looked like the train was coming down my trail.  With my mind not fully away from caboosing last week, I was curious to see what this train's caboose would look like.

This is it, KCS (Kansas City Southern) 4529.  It looks like a locomotive to me!

This Killdeer was busy sloping through the mud searching for snacks!

The songs and then the sightings continued!  I knew it was a woodpecker I heard but not one of the usual Downy nor Hairy Woodpeckers.  It was not until I got home and used my ID app that I found out it was a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!  That's a "lifer" for me!

Deep into Glenbow Ranch, I decided to turn around and make my way back the way I came, which is the only way you can go here.  With an hour and a half roughly to get back if I don't stop, I hoped the weather would not wallop me. I kept checking over my shoulder.  The clouds were building but that was about it.  

It took longer to get back than I anticipated, of course I had to stop, many times! 

The weather did not derail while I was "out & about".

Caboose Camping April 25, 2024

What a stunning morning it was walking the trails near where I was Caboose Camping!  Just like yesterday morning, I was out the door before sunrise with warm layers on and a freshly brewed thermos of coffee in my hand.  I aimed for the Pond first this time to see the sun come up over it rather than at the Lagoon. 

It did not cross my mind to look behind me, I was so focused on the sun coming up.  When I turned to veer down another trail, this caught the corner of my eye.  While the full moon was yesterday, it was still a spectacular sight to see this morning.  I watched as the clouds danced in front!

Now that the sunrise was over as was the moon show, I aimed towards where the trains that run in the summer are parked.  These are most of them, there are a line of cars behind the red engine also.  They begin running tours on Mother's Day. 

There was still a bit of a chill in the air but even if there wasn't, I still wanted to have a fire to sit beside and just be! It was not necessary to chop wood as they provided pieces small enough that would work to get a fire going, but I like chopping wood, so I chopped and chopped and chopped some more.   

There was enough wood ready for two hours worth of reading my book!

This is a video I took last evening showing my surroundings at the Caboose.

Caboose Camping April 24, 2024

When culture generates stress, nature offers rest.

When culture produces narrowmindedness, nature offers a bird’s eye perspective.

When culture makes people feel isolated, nature makes them feel free.

Just like the caboose I am staying in, I am going no where while I am here!  This afternoon I spent a few hours out on the deck reading.  I finally started  “A Year in the Woods”.  The three lines at the first of this post are from that book.  They resonated with me and I wanted to share them with you.  

🌲 🌲 🌲 🌲 🌲

I woke well before sunrise to the sound of the robins gleefully singing.  While the coffee was brewing, I donned warm layers, slung my camera over my shoulder, poured a cup of that coffee, exited the front door of the caboose, crossed the deck, walked down the stairs then through the yard to the trail that would lead me to where I could watch the sunrise.

When I was here last year, snow was still everywhere and lots of the locations on the property were not accessible.  There is not a flake of snow to be seen anywhere, there was not much to begin with this winter so it was gone quickly and early.  This morning I spent time at Sunrise Lagoon savouring sips of coffee and the sunrise.

Beyond the Lagoon is Pequito Pond.  It looked full of ducks from a distance, I saw them fly away as I approached.  There is a Duck Conservation Area beside the Pond but there is no access to it.

Breakfast was next on the agenda. It paired nicely with a fire, it was still close to zero in temperature.  When I arrived yesterday, I was surprised to see three gigantic bags of firewood sitting by the picnic table.  I also found an axe and fire starter inside a cabinet in the caboose. I have been taking full advantage of being permitted to have a fire. This could change any day or even any minute with the current conditions.

It was such a peaceful morning by the fire listening to and watching the birds.  The two other cabooses are not occupied nor are the campsites close by. It’s still early season and also being here mid week makes a difference.  I could hear people every now and then away off in the distance along with birds far and near.  This Common Crackle is one of many in my trees.

The Morning Dove appeared curious.

This Robin stared at me with a piece of twine in its beak.

Time came to head back to the trails to walk a few kilometres after sitting and reading for an extended period.  The wind picked up and created an interesting looking sky.

a Western Meadowlark 

sky views while walking again later

This is the view as I arrived back at my caboose, ready for dinner, then a fire, then calling it a night much later.

Caboose Camping April 23, 2024

While window watching, one opened up so I jumped at the opportunity to embrace the opening!  With wonderful weather stretching over a few days along with a mid week vacancy at my favourite caboose, it was go time.  On the way to going to the campground where the Canadian Pacific Caboose is, I stopped by Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation to hike for a few hours.  

I’m not sure what I was thinking bringing loads of warm layers!  With the crazy mixed up weather we experienced, I was mixed up too, +12C felt like +25C!  De-layer, de-layer, de-layer!

The trails were dry and 99.9% clear of snow!

Yet, when there was snow, I played in it!

view west to our Rocky Mountains

I wondered would I see crocuses!  So happy when I did!  I have not had time to get back to crocus hunting in Calgary.

The Tree Swallows and Mountain Bluebirds were plentiful.  They were tormenting each other as each was protecting their nests in the bird boxes. This is a Tree Swallow, the sun sure made it shine brightly!

These are Mountain Bluebirds, a female and male.

They are watching over that box.

It was about an hour drive to my Caboose from where I was hiking.  I arrived right at check in time and took no time at all to unpack, change, open a beer, grab the chips and settle in outside in the sunshine where it now felt like +30C!

Once the sun went down, it was time to layer up.  I was now thankful I had that warm winter wear with me. It also meant soon the full Pink Moon would appear. It was still below the trees at this point, but I patiently waited!

enjoying a fire while waiting

It was a beautiful clear night and the full Pink Moon put on quite a show!