4 short stories

🐦‍

Those of you who live in the warm southern states will soon be seeing an influx of birds!  I am noticing less and less here each time I am “out & about” birding.   It was cold when I arrived at Carburn Park on this morning and that was why I thought maybe the little birds were not yet going about their business.  The sun was just coming up when I arrived and it was very calm.  The Pond and The River caught my attention before any birds did.  When the sun rose well above the trees and its rays shone down on the trails and bushes, the birds came alive, yet they were limited. These were my favourites:  Belted Kingfisher,  Cedar Waxwing,  Downy Woodpecker, Tennessee Warbler, Osprey,  Pied-billed Grebe. I will still get out birding but it will soon be just the Chickadees, Woodpeckers and Nuthatches that will be capturing my attention!

🎨

After arriving home from Glacier National Park last Thursday, I was quite content to stay home  even though it was absolutely beautiful outside. I just couldn’t get behind the wheel again nor top up the gas tank yet again,  For a number of hours over two days, in my mind I went somewhere! I went back to Montana via putting paint on paper!  The first painting is Iceberg Lake and the second is St Mary Lake.   My reference photos are shown below the paintings.  For Ptarmigan Wall surrounding Iceberg Lake, reviewing how I painted the Grand Canyon was beneficial.  I already took a lesson on painting crashing waves for a previous project, but I needed to learn how to paint rocks underneath water for the St Mary Lake painting.  That was an enjoyable lesson and I like the outcome. In fact, I like the outcome of each painting!

🛍️

When passing through the parking lot at Swiftcurrent in Many Glacier on August 27th, on my way to my room after hiking, a vehicle with a couple inside stopped beside me. She presented a little orange bag and said it was a gift for me.  He said it was a handmade necklace, made with love and it was unique.  I accepted it graciously. They said they just drove the Going To The Sun Road from the west and were now on their way to Great Falls.  He said they were from Gold Canyon just outside of Phoenix, Arizona. I would have been close to that area when I hiked The Flatiron in  December of 2018. I was not quick on my feet with thinking, but wish I had asked a few questions.  I only wanted to get to my room and get my hiking boots off and lay on the bed after that long hike.  I thanked them for the gift and wished them a safe drive.  This is the necklace, the note and the orange bag they came in.  I did some googling and found there is someone by this name in Gold Canyon.  I did not delve into this any further but would love to be able to send them a note!

🌅

The only things that matter this morning were each split second in time that I was living!  That’s all I cared about while witnessing the dawning of a brand new day!  I was a little lazy in getting out the door this morning to get up to the high point on Nose Hill to be there for sunrise.  As I was racing on the ascent, the sun began to appear.  So, no more racing, it was time to just live each second of beauty from where I was!  After watching the show, it was back to almost racing to cover the planned ten kilometres.  The goat program is returning to Nose Hill!  The equipment for the herder and the goats was being set up today and the goats should arrive tomorrow (Wednesday).  They will be up on The Hill doing their thing until September 17th or so.  Stay tuned, I will be paying them a visit!