icy cold December 28, 2025

Yesterday's drive home was a white knuckle one from door to door after a four night stay in Banff National Park to celebrate Christmas.  For the most part the driving in Banff was veering on white knuckle but then again what can you expect when there was snowfall night after night after night after night. Yes, snowfall every night I was there.  When I arrived back home, I needed to decompress from the drive and the best way was to create a watercolour painting.  I remembered my "note to self" in my last blog post and this is the outcome of that.  My reference photo shown in the last post is of an icy cold view of the Bow River in Banff.  

After decompressing last evening then getting a good night sleep, it was time to head out this morning back into icy cold conditions.  This is what I saw when I checked the forecast.  I dressed for it so I would be comfortable out watching wildlife at Carburn Park. Thankfully the "Deerfoot 500" was not busy and the road was clear.

my first view after crossing the little bridge

The sun rising above the trees!

The views along the river were a photographer's dream!  

I did what I could to safely get as low as I could to capture shots of the snow flower blooms.  

Time came to shift focus from the icy cold to the wildlife!  The Canada Geese were plentiful but not many were swimming around.  This one was on the move, you can see frost build up on its back.  The photo is clear, it's the icy cold that gives a hazy look.

 

This is what most of the Canada Geese looked like!

It was the same situation with the Mallard Ducks.  These three were on the move 

while the others were snuggled in with the Canada Geese.

Then there were the Canada Geese snuggled in with the Trumpeter Swans!

What's with this Trumpeter Swan?

Doing a little dance!

Finding it cold on the feet!

I watched these two Bucks slowly walk towards each other!  

I was expecting and hoping for action of some sort! 

They gave each other the eye then continued slowly walking away.  

This guy stopped to scratch an itch!  

A little later I saw one Buck already settled in the snow.

He is missing part of an antler.

The other Buck was trying to settle!

On days like these being in amongst the trees brings a bit more warmth but I prefer to be out in the open by the river, that's where there is a bountiful of beauty.  This part of the Bow River never fully freezes over no matter how icy cold it gets!  I made sure to get my fill of this icy cold because the forecast says we are in for a change to near and above freezing temperatures!