Nose Creek decorated in sweet sugar October 17, 2020

While the snow and cold I can easily brave, it's the icy road reports that keep me close to home.  That was the case this morning.  My level of bravery got me as far as Nose Creek, Confluence Park and the Birth Forest.  The kms I can cover here accumulate and get up there all while today offering the wintry sights I had hoped to witness.   Pure winter white so sugary sweet was the topping on many of Mother Nature's designs.  

a patterned pathway

The trees and bushes were laden with the new snow. 

I dropped by to see how the siberian larch trees were progressing through this weather.  Of the dozen or so, this one was holding on and not ready to give up on autumn.  While not quite golden it still glowed under the blue sky and sunshine.

As I was getting up close and personal with the larch needles, an atmosphere optic formed.  

This sundog was the topping on my morning outing.  

white on white sketching gone awry

The purpose of this post was supposed to be a report on my wonderful accomplishments of sketching white objects on white paper!  My thinking was with winter on the verge of being upon us, my sketching projects may include snow.  How does one sketch snow on white paper?  I googled how to sketch white objects on white paper and what came up were simple tutorials on sketching white lilies and green lily pads in lily ponds.  I was quite sure I had my own photos of these items to sketch from.  Sure enough on one of my visits back home, my valley friend took me to see the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens which are situated on six acres of land at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.  These gardens included numerous Acadian region habitats along with wall gardens, food gardens, medicinal gardens and experimental gardens.  I remember it being such a beautiful, peaceful, soothing place to wander about.

Well, I followed a tutorial which resulted in this being my sketched version of a portion of the lily pad garden we saw.  There are no white colours used, it's the surrounding colours that do the trick. I also incorporated the rain drop effect which I learned in a prior lesson. This is as far as I got with learning how to sketch white on white because...

...I came across other lily and lily pad tutorials which appealed to me.

So that leaves me at this point having no idea how I am going to sketch snow!  

Tutorial time again with hopes of not another distraction!  

Tunnel Mountain October 15, 2020

It's a most beautiful time of the year and I had the urge to be caught up in it all!  Upon the completion of a bit of homework, I knew heading into Banff National Park would hold me captive.  It did exactly that in leaps and bounds with a hike up Tunnel Mountain and a stroll along the Bow River in the Banff townsite.  The drive to Banff itself was gorgeous then once I arrived I knew immediately my urge would be fulfilled!

I parked in the lower parking lot to catch the beginning of the trail up Tunnel Mountain.  I was thankful for the many layers I brought and for my spikes as I needed everything.  Soon after beginning it was time to cross the closed road to the next section of the trail.  As you can see the road was a sheer sheet of ice and for the remainder of the hike there was ice and packed snow making for very slippery conditions.

Along the way there were openings through the trees.  

There's Sulphur Mountain a way over there with the Cosmic Ray Station.

On the way up I met a few others already coming down.  By the time I arrived at the red chairs and this opening, there was no one else around.  I enjoyed some time here doing what I came here to do, getting caught up in a most beautiful time of the year.

Higher up along the trail there is another wide open space and this is the view from there.

That's Banff townsite down below.

There is Sulphur Mountain again with the gondola station in the middle amongst the trees.  

You can see the straight line to the left of the big tree.

That's the route the gondola takes up the side of the mountain.  

view in the other direction looking down at the Banff golf course and the Bow River

On my way back down I met many others on their way up.  

By now the trail was very packed and very icy.  

Once again I was thankful I put spikes on.

I reached my car and then drove back down to the townsite to take a stroll along the Bow River. 

It was still very cold, the air was calm, and the reflections were perfect.  

I like this look where autumn meets winter!

This was a most enjoyable introduction to this season's snow.  

It brings hope of all kinds for the winter to come! 

Nose Hill Morning Glow October 13, 2020

It's easy to catch a local sunrise at this time of year.  I could sleep in and still have lots of time to get up to Nose Hill for the show.  That's what I did this morning.  I arrived in the dark but it was light enough to not need a headlamp.  The hike to the top was a bit of a slow go due to a layer of frost on the frozen ground and grass.  I reached my favourite spot only to have to share it with another watcher.  We exchanged a few pleasantries before it was time to oooh & aaah and snap snap snap!   

I love the sunrise but what happens afterwards always amazes me and it shows in this collage.  One second I am looking east and in the next split second I face west.  This is the same tree with the photos taken only a few seconds apart.  

I had two hours to spare so made the most of it and covered lots of ground admiring the beautiful colours.  The reds were so red and there was lots of it.  This time tomorrow white could be the dominant colour!  It is that time of year!

The Hill was a happening place early this morning!  Many others must have known they would be in for a treat up here.  Knowing what our forecast is for the next little while, it is best to get out while the getting out colours are red, green, gold, orange, yellow and brown.  

Mount Hoffman October 11, 2020

I will call Mount Hoffman "the occasion hike"!  This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and I choose this destination to acknowledge that occasion.   The one and only other time I hiked to this summit was to celebrate Remembrance Day on November 11, 2012.  Back on that day and then again today, the motive to hike was all about being thankful!  We do have much to give thanks for if you are open to find it.

It was a quiet quick drive to the trail head and very quiet in the parking lot when I arrived.  I don't get out to this neck of the woods often so today would feel somewhat like a new experience.  Right from the start it felt like a new season, while it's autumn, winter was in the air.

I remember when we hiked this trail on that Remembrance Day back in 2012, route finding played a big part after veering off and beginning the ascent.  Today was a different story, the trail is now very well defined from use.  I was happy to be hiking in the trees which was providing shelter from the strong winds  I could hear the entire time.  I braced myself as I exited the forest for the last push to the top.  

The views were wonderful!

I worked my way to the summit and then donned the extras needed to make for as comfortable a visit as possible.  Heavier gloves, a hat and a down jacket did the trick.  It was nice to have this space to myself.  This is it, this is what I came for!

ground cover just off the summit of Mount Hoffman

I spent lots of time admiring all the sights close up and far off and even invested a little time trying to pour a cup of homemade chai latte.  More ended up on me, on the camera lens and in the air, than in the cup!  There were loads of pink clusters covering the summit and the slopes.  It surprises me what can survive in these wild conditions.

ground meets the mountains meets the sky

The summit business was complete so it was time to begin the trek back.  The views remained rewarding.  As I entered the forest I began to meet others on their way up.  Very soon thereafter it was others after others after others after others.  

I crossed the Sheep River bridge over Tiger Jaws Falls and had the last little climb back to the parking lot.  I was happy to see the blue sky in the direction I was headed for my drive home...

...because behind me it was another story!

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

making progress from lessons learned

The more I learn about sketching, the more I want to learn! I have opened a can of worms! Now the craft is becoming more challenging with more decisions to make before even placing the first pencil mark.   Which lead to use? What size of paper to use?  I picked these two photos to sketch to get the raindrop on a leaf down to a science and also to show motion in flowers.  These photos were captured on a recent hike up towards Sparrowhawk Tarns.  The leaf is about an inch in size and the flowers are between one and two centimetres.  

After watching numerous tutorials in prior months and again this time around, then putting time into practicing on scrap paper, I am happy with the outcome of the raindrops.  The small collection of water on the left side of the leaf is another story!   I have since learned those are not flowers but succulents.  Being succulents then there would be no motion like there can be with petals of a flower.  Only one succulent tickles my fancy and that is the one on the bottom right.  I considered a do-over with this project then passed.  I still might one day though!  

With the leaf I feel I called it a complete project at the right time, but with the succulents I should have stopped sooner and kept it simple with just the plants rather than adding the other items.  Once I started on the others items with the coloured pencils, it was too late to scale back! Chalk it up to lessons learned!

 

Autumn Gift at Fish Creek Park October 8, 2020

Visible for the whole 10 k hike at Fish Creek Provincial Park this morning was nothing but an abundance of joy-filled colour!  As if I have not had enough yet, when the shout was put out, I was onboard to be hugged yet again by more of these amazing autumn hues.  The plan was to head south for an out & back with a couple of little loops along the way.  

🍁🍂🍃Right from the get-go the hugging began!🍃🍂🍁   

For me the clouds add that extra something to punch up my photos.  

They caught my eye today as they swirled and whirled about.  

My friend exclaimed "I feel like a kid!"  

I sang 🎶Oh the leaves are alive with the sound of swishing!🎶

Everything seemed big and bright today!  From the wide open fluffy puffy cloud filled sky, to the structures standing amongst the tall trees to the bushy tail on the squirrel.  For part of our hike we worked our way around the wetlands and ponds and the shrubs protecting them showed off their own bright beauty.

a golden archway

We stopped along one of the bridges to savour this view.  

This spot is pretty in the summer but today the view takes the prize.  

The leaves collected in the creek make this one for me. 

We arrived back at our starting point and did a little more swishing before parting ways until the next time. 

With Thanksgiving upon us, it's time to truly give thanks for what we have so close to home!