I thought my thermometer was frozen in place.  It read -35C until about a half hour ago when it began climbing to the -26C at this time.  Our little dose of winter is here for a couple of days.  I'll take the -30s for a couple days vs a couple of weeks.

The cold temperature outside and the garden show on the radio prompted me to look at some backyard photos from last summer.  The radio show hosts are talking of beginning to plant in February!  That is only a couple weeks away.

I naturescaped my front yard when the new house went up.  After two summers of growth, everything is filling in nicely and I must say that the number of insects, reptiles and bird visits have increased.

I chose shrubs that flowered and provided seed for the birds.  I chose flowers that enticed the bees and the butterflies to stop in.  I chose garden plants for the hummingbirds.  The front yard is looking like my vision.  The backyard still needs some work.

My favorite perennial in the yard is the beebalm.  When it flowers I can hear the hum of the bees.  They move from petal to petal in search of nectar.  If the bees are not there, the butterflies are.  It is amazing to watch as they separate petals to gather their food.

In the fall I planted more beebalm in a variety of colors.  The fact that it spreads rapidly, adds color to the yard, draws in the insects and blooms into fall makes it an ideal plant for the nature sustaining yard that I am trying to create.  

I have more ideas for the backyard.  It is a work in progress that should take me a couple more summers to complete.  When it is done, it should be a haven for all my favorite little creatures; and some big ones.

 

I had a weekend of outdoor fun planned but the weather did not cooperate.  The skis, snowshoes, skates and kicksled were in my vehicle so I was ready for anything but even I don't venture out when there is a windchill that takes temperatures close to -30C.

I just checked the temperature and it is reading -24C.  There is an extreme cold alert on the website.  It is supposed to dip to -28C combined with the windchill which could take it to -40C.  Yup, too cold for me.

I do go out when it is in the mid -20Cs when there is no wind.  The air is crisp and fresh.  You can hear the frost snap and crackle.  The snow under your boots has a hollow sound to it.  

I go prepared.  I have a wind and waterproof pair of nylon pants that are lined with fleece.  The pants combined with a pair of underlayer leggings makes for toasty legs.  My merino wool socks are knee high.  They keep me warm and prevent my boots from creating 'duck feet' with my socks as I walk.  My boots are rated to -40C.  The touque that covers my ears combined with a neck tube ensure that my head stays warm.  The neck tube is tucked into the top of my down-filled jacket.  The jacket is the top layer of three; the first being a merino wool base and the second a wool cardigan.  My hands are covered with 2 layers as well.  A fleece pair of gloves that fit into fleece lined mittens.  I take some extra hand/foot warmers with me in case they are needed.  The hiking cleats on my boots have nothing to do with keeping warm but they do keep my footing secure when going up and down hills.

The part that gets a little tricky is when you need to make a pit stop at the outhouse.  You must maneuver through all the layers first of all but then when you open the lid of the toilet you are in for a frosty surprise.

This afternoon was too cold to venture out so I opted for a nap on the couch.  Now the wood stove is warming up the living room nicely so I think I'll hunker down with a good book or daydream of the upcoming camping adventures once the snow melts.

I love owls.  When I walk the trails, I am always on the look out for them.  I know they are out there watching me but I can never find them.  This is why I got so excited when I saw a great grey; sitting on a fence post, out in the open.  

We were coming back from Nordegg after spending the day there.  I saw the owl and hoped it would remain there while found a spot to turn around.

It was a beautiful sight.  We pulled over and grabbed the camera gear.  The owl didn't mind being the center of attention.  In fact, it put on a show.

As we watched, it sensed movement in the tall grass.  It's head moved from side to side.  After a few moments the owl dived into the grass.  It grabbed lunch and flew back up to the fence post.  We witnessed the hunt, the catch and the consumption of a large rodent.  

The owl devoured the mouse.  When all was said and done, it looked like it had a big smile of satisfaction on its face.

What a wonderful experience to see this beautiful bird in the wild.  Just to see it was amazing but to see it in hunting mode was a once in a lifetime experience.

The news of an earthquake in northern Alberta brought back some memories.  I was at a campground west of Nordegg on August 9, 2014.  It was the final day of a three day camping trip.  I woke early to get everything packed.  The morning was calm and quiet.  Everything was in the back of my vehicle except the items on the picnic table.

I approached the table and noticed the water rippling in my water jug.  I looked around listening for a low flying helicopter on the approach or some other reason for this to be happening.  All was silent.  This happened at about 7am.

On the way home I stopped at Rocky Mountain House for fuel.  I was there at approximately 9am.  At 9:28am a 4.1 earthquake happened.  It was located 31km WSW of Rocky.  If I would have still been at the campground, there would have been more than the water in my jug shaking.  It turned out that the small ripples were a precursor to the bigger event.

That weekend was definitely one to be remembered not just because of the earthquake but also an incredible hail storm.  I just got the tent set up and everything in place.  The coffee pot just went onto the camp stove when I heard some thunder.  The storm came up so quickly that I just had enough time to shut the stove off and run for cover into the tent.  I didn't even have enough time to get inside my vehicle.  

The hailstones pelted the tent so hard that I thought they would rip through the top.  The fly sheet held tight.  One hail stone hit my finger so hard that the nail turned black.  Some of the stones were as large as loonies.  That was the third hailstorm to hit that area in the previous week. 

Fresh air, sunshine, loons calling, hail storms, earthquakes; just another day in paradise.

https://www.facebook.com/Ramblings-of-an-Outdoor-Girl-1015659961820012/?ref=bookmarks


 

 

The snowshoes got dusted off today for the first time this winter.  Snow depth on the lake surface along the Amisk Wuche Trail was perfect for snowshoeing.  I made my way down the hill on the south side of the parking lot and put the shoes on at the bottom.  X-country ski tracks outlined the shore.  I headed east toward the boardwalk.

On the way, I noticed a number of holes where muskrats had bored to the surface.  The underwater plants brought above the ice were frozen into little heaps.  Animal tracks created designs in the snow.  There were elk, coyote, deer and mouse trails.

I veered south when I got close to the boardwalk.  This route took me alongside a large beaver dam and into a small slough.  I accessed the trail just before my favorite section; the one that with huge spruce trees that form a canopy overhead.

I hiked to the bench that I usually stop at for a break.  At that point I put the snowshoes back on and ventured out to the lake once again.  Large, fluffy snowflakes began falling.  They surrounded me during the entire trek back to the parking lot.

I should have put the skis into the vehicle.  The temperature was perfect for outdoor activities.  I'll be sure to bring them on my next visit to Elk Island.

On the way home I stopped at the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area and took advantage of the

perfect ice on the snowbank rink.  Since I was there last, some benches have been added so skaters have a spot to sit to put their skates on.  They must have flooded it earlier today.  Mine were the only marks on the surface.  

So far I've had the kicksled, skates and snowshoes out. The snow is minimal this winter but there is enough to enjoy and there have not been many days with frigid temperatures so it has been great for outdoor activities.

I am trying to figure out when would be a good time to make my annual trek to Jasper.  Going to the mountains never gets boring.  There is always something different to see or experience.  I've done the Ice Walk in Maligne Canyon a number of times.  Each was different in that the guides were never the same and the scenery is never the same.  It is always a photographer's paradise.  Last year was the third or fourth time that I've gone but I had yet to see an ice formation that looked like a forest fairy.  

It is things like this that I look for when my camera is close at hand.  The textures, colors and formations of ice are never the same from year to year and that is what I love to capture.

I still feel the excitement build as I catch the first glimpse of the mountain peaks.  They are a welcoming sight.  Sure I can do all my favorite things like snowshoeing, x-country skiing, ice skating and hiking close to home but there is just something special about having the mountains surround me.  Hiking through a trail in the mountains where the smell of pine permeates the air is an experience like no other.

The second most favorite thing that I love doing is taking the half day train tour from Jasper to Dunster BC where you get to experience a little general store that also serves as a post office, a vet supply store, a hardware store and much more.  The cost is reasonable for a scenic rail trip that takes up the entire afternoon.  The train leaves Jasper at noon and winds through the mountains on the way to Dunster.  A tour bus picks you up there and brings you back to Jasper.  The guides on my previous trips have all been very knowledgeable about the area from the salmon run at Rearguard Falls to the pine beetle that is invading the forests.  There was and is always something new to learn.

(I've posted some additional photos at https://www.facebook.com/Ramblings-of-an-Outdoor-Girl-1015659961820012/?ref=bookmarks)
 

I left for work in the dark and returned to home in the dark today but the drive was amazing none the less.  The tree branches were covered in a thick hoar frost from the overnight fog.  The fluffy snow from the past couple of days created a white blanket on the ground.

Ice crystals filled the air.  Light from the headlamps reflected off of them.  The twinkling crystals combined with the frosty branches created a 'fairyland' for me to drive through.  It may have been dark but the scenery was fantastic.

The drive home was even better.  It must have been foggy during the day because the tree branches were coated with an even thicker layer of frost.  If the clouds clear and the sun is shining in the morning, it is going to be an incredible sight.

The snow that fell over the past couple of days has brightened the landscape.  It has covered the brown, sand covered banks left by the sanding trucks and snowplows.  I've been waiting for more snow to arrive and now that it finally has, I found it rather funny that I was looking at photos of my garden from 2015.

I think that happened because the gardening magazines are beginning to arrive and the Facebook posts from gardening sites are becoming more frequent.

June 20

Looking through the photos brought back some great memories from last summer.  My favorite little birds, the ruby throated hummingbirds, came from the south at the end of May and stayed until September.  They provided hours and hours of entertainment at the bean teepee and the nectar feeders.

For many years I have planted scarlet runner beans to attract the hummers.  They love the bright red flowers that the plants produce.  In the first years of planting, I grew them on a trellis but since installing

July 21

the raised garden beds, I've created a teepee from wood stakes.  It provides support for the beans and creates a shady spot for the backyard cat to sleep.  I situate the teepee in the bed closest to the deck so I can have a great view of the action.  It helps to have hops growing on the deck rail.  The vine creates a blind for me to sit behind so the hummers cannot see me.

The beans are fast growing and need minimal care.  The hummers, bees/wasps and butterflies have a smorgasbord of food for the summer when the plants begin to bloom and I have a daily dose of relaxing entertainment that I enjoy immensely.

I've posted a number of hummingbird photos on my Facebook page.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/Ramblings-of-an-Outdoor-Girl-1015659961820012/?ref=bookmarks 


 

Fluffy snowflakes began falling last night.  They dusted the tree branches.  That, combined with the left over hoar frost from the night before, created a perfect Christmas card scene.

There has not been much snow this winter so even the smallest amount is welcome.  This afternoon the snowfall totaled about an inch on my deck.

The seeds in the tray bird feeders were covered.  As soon as I shook the snow off, the birds came down from the tree tops from every direction.  There was a feeding frenzy.  While I was outside, I heard some bird calls that were new.  A flock of waxwings filled the branches of the willow next door.  They didn't come to feed but there was a regular rotation of nuthatches, chickadees and redpolls until the grosbeaks and jays showed up.

It was nice to see the blanket of snow this morning.  There are still a few lazy flakes fluttering down.  When I glanced out the back window I saw the silhouettes of the deer raiding the remaining sunflower seeds.  It was nice to see the results of the snowfall this morning.  Conditions should be great for the x-country skiers this weekend.   

 

The bird feeders were full of action this afternoon and I was home to witness it.  The deck tray feeder 

Incoming!

filled with sunflower seeds had grosbeaks, bluejays and chickadees take turns with a hairy and a pileated woodpecker.  I haven't seen that big red head in the backyard for a few weeks.  This afternoon I glanced out the window and saw the head pop up from behind a stump.  It flew up to the hanging tray feeder and decided to sit right in the middle of it.  It didn't take long for it to fly onto the deck.  The visit was short.  Three bluejays took on the pileated woodpecker and won.  It retreated to a rotting snag.


The female pine grosbeaks came in numbers.  I saw six of them feeding at the same time until one aggressive little lady flew in and took over, scaring the others off.  She stayed until a hairy woodpecker landed in the feeder and scared her away.

The activity at the feeders was very entertaining.  I could see the different personalities emerge; some aggressive, some passive.  Some of the larger birds didn't mind having the little chickadees fly in for a seed while others wanted to be alone.  

Just before dark the deer came through the trees and into the yard.  The few seeds that were left in the tray feeder were soon gobbled up by the tallest four legged visitor.