a thrill up on Nose Hill February 9, 2026

It was about time I hit the hills of Nose Hill Environmental Park!  I have not been there this year! With everything being brown in the city,  seeing a dull brown hill after another dull brown hill after yet another dull brown hill has not appealing to me.  It could be worth it though if the sunrise was nice, I saw wildlife and the trails were free of snow, ice and mud. If this was to be my experience then I know I could find lots to love! So just go!  Just do it!  So I did!  

I started out in the dark! 

As I ascended, colour started to conjure up in the sky!  

I see five deer!  Do you?

The sunrise was putting on a show!  

The view played a number with my mind!  

Those are clouds not mountains! 

That's the sun peeking through the clouds middle right!  

At first my mind told me this is a reflection in a lake with the mountains behind the lake!

 a wider view with a line of pink from the sun between the land and the clouds

With the sunrise behind me, I could not have planned it if I tried, to have the sun where it is!

 Once the sun was fully up, I took this panorama shot!

I had a permanent smile on my face!  I was loving how this hike up the hills was turning out!  As I carried on down a couple of hills, I spied a coyote dashing through the field.  I watched it, I photographed it, I waited until it went on its way!  But.....

.....as I was watching, another coyote came upon the scene! I watched, I photographed them, I waited until they went on their way!  But.....

.....as I was watching, another coyote came upon the scene!  I watched, I photographed them, I waited until they went on their way!  But.....

.....they were going down the trail I was aiming for! I watched, I photographed them, I waited until they went on their way!  Then.....

.....I did an about turn and hiked off in the opposite direction!  Even though, I was still smiling wide! Everything so far during this hike up on these hills was what I hoped for.  Yes, the hills were brown, yet I saw a spectacular sunrise, I saw wildlife plus the trails were in summer-like condition. The mountains look beautiful no matter what!  

a Buck

As I came down the last hill, I took one last look back and I was still smiling because I felt fulfilled and full of love for everything so far today! The plan was to head on home and check to see if the video was posted for today's watercolour challenge.  I did two more painting challenges yesterday to finally catch up. Now I am back on track and excited for what today's challenge would be! 

Today's challenge was this!  I painted it to fill the 11 x 15 inch page. The painting showed us how to paint the word "LOVE" using negative space! I did not need to smile when I saw what the challenge was because I was already still smiling from everything there was to love about my thrill up on Nose Hill!