two stories July 4, 2026

I have far too many stories to tell. 

I picked two to share with you! 

story #1

For a few hours every day, I make time to be "out & about" somewhere.  With camera in hand and a pep in my step, kilometres are covered (which are quicker these days to keep ahead of the bugs). Even though the  pace is speedy, I still stop, I listen and I look to left and right. There is loads of looking up too. The clouds always capture my attention and they have been lovely lately.  Between seeing the cloud formations, the wildflowers and the wildlife, I always arrive home with a treasure of photographs and a smile on my face.  

two Wood Duck Ducklings in a cuddle

a House Wren captured a snack to bring home to share

the Cedar Waxwing was swallowing the berries whole

one of about fifty White Pelicans

a Robin ready to feed the young ones

I learned a little more about Double-crested Cormorants after seeing these two.  Males and females look alike, it is hard to distinguish which is which so I don't know what the one on the left is. I learned the one of the right would be a non-breeding female as it is predominantly dark.

Blue-winged Teal with her Ducklings

One day while "out & about", I garnered a nickname, it's "chatty birder". I met a birder on a trail and asked what have you seen so far.  I then shared what I saw.  She made a click on her device and said "met a chatty birder".  She was playing bingo while birding and I fit one of the boxes.  

 

story #2

July is World Watercolour Month! There are numerous sites that offer daily challenges. While I don't care to do a challenge each day of the month for July (during a winter month I would),  I still want to participate in some capacity. I picked one of my favourite watercolour sites and will play along with their challenge.  July 1st, Day 1 was a wet on wet wash. This is my outcome, the words were put on afterwards via photoshop.  The challenges are not meant to take much time.  I did another one on another day.  But.....

 .....I did another painting outside of the challenge!  If you have been here, you know where it is!  I worked on this watercolour painting a few days ago during the rain event and when the wildfire smoke blew in. The thought of painting this came to mind when a friend shared with me a painting she purchased from a local young budding artist which was of this location but done in acrylics. I have been fortunate enough to visit this place many times over the years but not in the last four years.  I am sharing a few of the times I was there which were always stop for a photo before veering off on a trail for one of many big hikes in the area.

This is my photo which I used as a reference. 

This photo was taken on June 28, 2021. 

September 18, 2010

May 28, 2016

with Helen from Walking with Friends Down Under

October 12, 2019

This was the last time I visited Moraine Lake in Banff National Park! It was for sunrise on June 29th, 2021. I shared the space with no one before heading off for a hike in snow up to Larch Valley. It was when our world changed and borders were not open yet. I cherish every second I ever spent over the years in this piece of paradise! Our world is different now, I doubt very much I will ever get back to Moraine Lake. 

a simple ink and wash to pass a few moments while dinner was cooking

Blockers & Blockades July 2, 2026

I just wanted to be "out & about" wandering trails that were full of nature's fresh fragrance, had mountainous views and were on the quiet side.  I knew I could get that out in the Little Elbow Valley section of Kananaskis.  After checking the Park Reports, I had somewhat of an idea of what to expect yet I went anyway.  By now the stranded 2000 people had been rescued from other sections of Kananaskis plus some roads were repaired enough to get by.  Other areas remain closed until they are inspected and repairs are made.  All that is just a small snippet of what transpired after the rain event on Sunday and Monday.  It was a welcoming sight to see some blue sky, the flags hanging still and so much green.     

At this spot along the roadway, 

I slowed down but did not need to stop as the cows stayed to the side.

This youngest gave me the big brown cow eye!

This pullout offered a good view of how fast and high the river was running.

Not long after arriving at the parking lot, gearing up, then wandering off, I came upon the first blockade.  The water had breached the bank and left a mess of mud. I could not see where the trail was. I wouldn't walk through that mud anyway even if the yellow tape was not in place. 

I veered away then veered back where the trail was open.  The river had receded somewhat since Monday yet it still ran fast, high and brown. Logs had been washed downstream and pushed to the banks.

I was getting the mountainous views and I was breathing in fresh air that had that green tree fragrance.  

I came upon another blockade so reverted back to where I could go.   

Lots of wild flowers were growing where I could go!

Wandering the tree-lined trails was off limits. 

Thats OK though, because..... 

.....out in the open the flowers offered up sweet sights!

While working my way west, I reached the Suspension Bridge.  

A blockade was in place.

The trail on this side of the bridge remained open and I could see why Parks People did not want us down there on the other side.  There is a section on the other side that I like to walk, by looking at this photo, it appears to be under water.  That's OK though, because I could continue walking the dirt road.  The campground was like a ghost town, there was no traffic.  

This young Buck held his ground! I walked closer and closer, he would not move. I told him to "move"! He wouldn't! After quickly and loudly trying to stamp my feet, I had success, he darted into the bushes.  

I continued on my way finding sights to savour and photograph.  

A Wild Rose with a mountain backdrop!  

The Paintbrushes were plentiful! 

Once I rounded the corner, I could see yellow tape across the trail by the kiosk that leads further into the Little Elbow Valley.  At that point I turned around and worked my way back to my vehicle.  I had already been wandering for about two hours so was content with that.  Before heading to my vehicle, I took one last detour to have a look at Forgetmenot Pond. Oh so green!

Those cows were still hanging about when I was on my way home 

yet this time I had to stop to let them cross the road. 

This cow would not move so I drove around it!

Deer usually dart across the road when vehicles come, not this one.  I waited, it waited, I slowly drove towards it, it did not move, I drove closer, it very slowly moved to the other side of the yellow lines.  I slowly drove by while it stood there and stared at me.  

There were lots of things to block me from going where I wanted to go. This morning made for a great reminder to embrace a slow pace, be flexible, be patient, make the most of what you are presented with and just go with the flow.  

crafting

As I patiently wait for yet another rain event to end, I have been filling the time not by putting kilometres on my footwear but by focusing on crafting.  Also, I reread my blog posts from last week from my visit along the Icefields Parkway and being thankful I was there when I was. This current rain event has caused flooding and landslides in the mountainous areas west of here, leaving some stranded. I am safely at home making the most of these days. 

repurposing a book

A few weeks ago I picked up this little book, from a Little Library, with a purpose in mind. First I skimmed through the book then went to work.  I gathered my watercolour sheets, a sharp edge, ribbon, sticky paper, washi tape, glue and duck stickers.  A few hours later..... 

.....this is what I have to show for that time!  

This is my newest homemade watercolour journal!

Of course I had to christen it!  

Of course a cheerful colourful rainy scene was called for! 

the Norwegian yarn that keeps on giving

There are steps along the way when making the watercolour journal that I have to wait for glue to dry.  I can't just sit and wait so I got back to my knitting.  I bought three skeins of yarn in Bergen Norway back in April expecting I would be able to knit one pair of mittens with it. Well, I did knit the one pair and have already worn them. 

During Sunday's crafting focus, I finished knitting a hand warmer cuff....

..... then started knitting the second one.  By the time I finish it, I will still have almost a complete skein of yarn left.  While on this crafting focus, I will be doing some homework to figure out what to knit next with the remaining yarn. 

While all this crafting is not physically active, 

it certainly is exercising my brain and I look at that as being a healthy thing!

back to reality

Three days of driving, sight-seeing, hiking, lazing about and picnicking along the Icefields Parkway was an incredible escape!  It's a land like no other filled with mountains, lakes and waterfalls.  Around every twist and turn is an eye-opening sight. I did not drive the entire Parkway, nor did I see everything there is to see.  What I did do and see was fulfilling in every sense of the word! Here you can see what Monday and Tuesday looked like.

It was in this spot where a piece of my heart got left behind

at Wilcox Pass in Jasper National Park!

I woke on Wednesday to another spectacular sight to savour my coffee by! 

I left my home away from home very early to begin the drive home. 

I wanted a slower drive without the traffic and to stop to see sights.   

golden glow on  Waterfowl Lake

another visit to the shore of Bow Lake

receding Crowfoot Glacier

Herbert Lake

After visiting Herbert Lake, it was a short drive to the exit of the Icefields Parkway and.....  

.....the next day it was back to reality!

Reality is sweet these days if you look for it and are open to seeing it! I made my way to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary to witness the reality of life there.  In this photo, I put an orange star just below that tiny circle opening, that's where the Inglewood Bald Eagle's nest is.  When I went with full on zoom....

.....this is what I saw!  The Eaglet is "branching"! During a prior visit, I saw it "wingercising". 

It is not very often at all that photos I take of wildlife are without some level of zoom. With my eyes peeled looking for movement, I can find sweet sights. In this case, the young Buck was obvious yet I still needed my zoom to get the clear image showing how one of his antlers is growing down. He is well known to everyone that frequents The Sanctuary.

This photo of the young coyote is full on zoom.  It is across the lagoon. I was told there was a coyote in the area so I watched for it.  I saw something light brown moving through the bushes and then it popped out and walked along this log  

It was a Yellow Warbler that flew in and then out that caught my eye.  With my camera on full zoom through many many branches, I focused on this nest.  I believe that is a young Yellow Warbler from looking at the shape of its beak.  

A few Downy Woodpeckers were flitting about so I focused on the area and stayed patient.  

Once again, full zoom was needed. 

This is a Mom Downy Woodpecker feeding her baby boy.

I believe this is a young Black-capped Chickadee by the shape of its beak. Also it stayed in one place and at times continuously flapped its wings.  I have full zoom on focused on this one Chickadee while lots of Chickadee activity was going on around it. 

With full zoom, I was able to capture the turquoise colour of the Double-crested Cormorants eye.

This Cedar Waxwing is either still building a nest 

or adding more support and comfort to the eggs or babies in the nest. 

With my camera on full zoom, I got this close up photograph of the head of a Cedar Waxwing.  It is not very often I am able to get such a crisp clear close up.  I took many close up shots of various parts of the Waxwing.  WOW, Mother Nature does incredible work!