Well, so much for a walk in the rain this evening. I could go but I'm afraid I could be a human lightning rod.
The drive home from work was in a downpour that contained hail bigger than pea-sized. Good thing there was not too much of it. The sound was deafening inside the vehicle when the hail hit the roof. The smaller ones were as hard as rocks. The larger ones were softer and exploded into slush on impact.
Clouds have been passing over since 5:30pm. Each one putting on a sound and light show while over-flowing the rain barrels. The power had been flickering on/off and I gave up trying to reset clocks. Instead, I thought I would wait out the storms by getting cozy with a good book. Turns out the book must not have been that good because reading turned into a two hour nap. Ahh, I feel as refreshed as the plants must feel with the rain outside. Now what am I going to do all night when I can't sleep? Open the window and listen to the rain of course.
38 loads of clay soil were hauled from my yard one year ago. When that was completed, the driveway and the front yard were dug up to accommodate the install of septic tanks.
One year later, I am gathering everything required in preparation of landscaping the front and back yards. It is hard to believe that one year has passed already and I can now put into action all the ideas that I have in my head.
When I began the journey to construct a new home, I had a vision of what it would look like. I wanted it to bring the outside in. I accomplished that and now I have a vision for my yard. I want to entice more wildlife into it. I want it to have 'outdoor rooms' to accommodate the bugs, frogs and salamanders, birds and small mammals.
The evergreen trees at the back of the yard were about 4 feet tall in this photo taken in 2008. They are now more than 10 feet tall. The trees along the side of the yard are growing nicely as well and the little coves that I wanted to create are becoming noticeable.
The one thing that I am missing in the immediate backyard is a leafy haven for my bird friends. The large poplars were taken down prior to home construction. Granted, the forest behind the fence is a wonderful spot for the birds but I would like them to come in closer.
I've chosen some colorful ninebarks, dogwoods and lilacs for my feathered friends. Next week has been set aside for yard work. I'm hoping that the weather cooperates with me; that it allows me to complete my outdoor projects, enjoy a few coffees on the deck and a few ramblings on the trails.
I worked the late shift today so got to spend some time in the backyard this morning. The birds were singing from the treetops. The geese were honking as they flew over. I could hear the shore and water birds at the lake. It was a peaceful time to enjoy a cup of coffee on the deck and ponder how to begin my project.
I have a few days off next week so am gathering everything I need to begin some landscaping. The yard will be naturescaped. I want to lure more wildlife into it so have purchased some tall grasses and natural wildflowers to plant.
Birds still come faithfully to the feeders. Frogs and tiger salamanders hide under the pile of brush in one corner. There used to be beautiful hollyhocks in the yard that the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds would visit. I saved some seed from them before the home construction began. Last week, I planted them and saw some sprouts coming up already.
The morning went by too quickly and I had to head into town to work. I left a few minutes early so I would have time to stop at the pond where numerous species of waterfowl are nesting. The water looked like glass and the birds were swimming nonchalantly along the shore.
In addition to the birds, I saw a white tailed deer run across the road and jump the fence. There was a dark spot in the ditch. I thought a porcupine was waddling through the tall grass. It turned out to be a beaver! I don't know where it was headed but there was no water close by for it.
When I work the late shift, I don't have the opportunity to visit the trails. On late nights, I drive home from work slowly because some of my forest friends usually meet me along the roadside. Tonight, a moose wandered onto the road. I slowed almost to a stop as it came toward the SUV. It remained on the road long enough for me to get a photo. What a perfect ending to the day.
This Outdoor Girl hasn't been rambling for more than a week so it was about time to get out today; rain or shine. Well, it happened to be rain. A walk in the rain is so peaceful.
There hasn't been any rainfall since the snow melted. Cracks were forming in the soil and the water barrels were bone dry until yesterday. My rain gauge measured more than an inch when the sun came out.
Today's walk in the rain was as rejuvenating for me as it was for the trees, plants and grasses.
I went to the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation area. It smelled so fresh and the plants were greener than green if that is possible. I wish I could bottle the forest smell and open it on the days that I'm not able to make it out to the trails. I wish that I could have recorded the forest sounds today; rain drops hitting the water puddles, water droplets falling from the leaves, birds singing in the tree tops, frogs croaking, ducks quacking, geese honking and water squishing under my rubber boots.
I hoped to photograph some spring wildflowers on my outing. It was a bonus to have the raindrops clinging to the leaves and flowers. The colors were amazing.
The wind rustled the leaves and the tiniest flowers.
In the evening, I took a quick trip to the Strathcona Wilderness Center. The wild clematis were in bloom along the trails. Water stood in the low spots on the trails. Moose and deer tracks were imprinted in the mud.
There were no other humans on the trail this evening; just me and the muskrats. It was the perfect ending to refreshing outdoor day.
I woke this morning to the sound of a robin chirping and a chickadee singing outside my window. Got to love that type of natural alarm clock.
On my way into town I came across 3 deer grazing at the top of a hill. They are usually skittish but these glanced up at me and continued their morning feasting.
I couldn't help but notice how much greener and filled in the trees are. The leaves have really opened up the last few days.
I picked up my grand-daughters today and we headed to the playground this evening. It is located at a rural school not too far away and there was a farmer planting his grain crop. As they watched, the questions came one after another. What is he doing? Why is he planting? What is he doing now? Why did he stop? Why does he need more seeds? What is grain?
The girls made their rounds of all their favorite playground equipment and got to watch the horses across the fence in addition to the tractor. The girls looked like they were slowing down so we decided to leave and go for an icy treat.
There is a pond across the way from the country store that we stopped at. As we sat at the picnic table, we could see the ducks and geese swimming in the water. Every now and again they would call, fly up or land. They provided great entertainment for us.
The evening was beautiful and I'm hoping that tomorrow's weather will be the same. We'll be taking the binoculars out to a wetland to see how many ducks and geese we can see. With any luck, some of the babies will be out.
A rain shower last night made the air so fresh this morning. I opened the backdoor and had to take a big breath. It smelled wonderful.
I left earlier than usual so had time to stop at a nearby pond to see what the waterfowl were up to. There was no traffic noise. I could hear the ducks calling from the opposite shore. The water was calm and looked like a sheet of glass. A mist was rising and the morning sun was lighting up the aspens. It was so peaceful.
The Canada Geese were swimming across the middle of the pond. The ducks that were on the shore, were swimming toward the geese. What a wonderful way to start the morning.
One duck in particular caught my attention. It must have been the blue bill. I've never seen one like this before. It bobbed its head up and down as it called and its tail was held straight up in the air.
My new bird ID book came in handy to determine that this was a Ruddy Duck. This was a first time sighting for me. It was beautiful!
As I turned to get back to my vehicle, I looked to the east. The dark clouds from the rain shower were off in the distance. The morning sun's rays reflected off the wet pavement. A mist was rising off the road surface and the bright, tender grasses glistened. The scene was heavenly. I wanted to remain there; taking in the beauty and the freshness of a spring morning in Alberta.
I left for an evening drive and within 4 kilometers of home I saw one moose and one deer. On the way to Elk Island, the bison were along the fence line by the highway and the elk were grazing at the edge of the forest. Just as I passed the park gate, a timid brown hare was nibbling on the young green grasses in the ditch. Further up, bison were grazing along the roadside. All my forest friends were out to say hello.
As I drove to Astotin Lake I noticed how much greener it was today. The aspen leaves were noticeably more open and the sunlight coming from the west enhanced their color all the more.
The waterfowl were out in full force; swimming on the roadside ponds. I drove with the windows open so I could hear their calls across the water.
I pulled into the parking lot at the lake, grabbed my gear and headed to the beaver pond. I listened to the red-winged blackbirds singing their songs as I looked for the perfect spot to set up.
I was so busy choosing a location that I didn't notice the muskrat in front of me. I came to within a couple meters of it before I saw it. It just kept nibbling and put on quite a show for me while I set up my tripod.
Luck was with me tonight. The muskrat was so close that I just about stepped on it and then a beaver came within a meter of where I was standing; not once but twice. I missed a couple of great shots because I had the telephoto lens on and the beaver was too close.
I stayed at the pond for thirty minutes to watch the action. The sun started going down and the mosquitoes were coming out. I knew then that it was time to leave.
On my way out of the lake parking lot, my eye caught some action in another pond. Feathers were flying and a couple of geese were having a knock down, drag out fight. At first I thought they were having a little 'fun' if you know what I mean but soon realized that it was real fight. The poor goose that was getting the brunt of the abuse escaped the pond and limped onto the road. It looked half drowned.
As I neared the south park gate, the sun was streaming through the trees at the top of a hill. It gave a white tailed deer a heavenly glow. The drive this evening was fantastic. One moose, a couple of deer, a hare, an entertaining muskrat, a brave beaver, a goose fight, singing blackbirds, grazing bison and a couple of elk; who could ask for more. All my 'friends' were out tonight.
My busy season at work is finally over and it's taken me a week to catch up with everything that I've neglected at home. Now I can resume my regular routine of hiking and visiting my wild friends. I've missed my fresh air outings.
The warm temperature has finally melted all the snow and ice in my backyard and whatever was left on the lakes and ponds. The open water is inviting many species of waterfowl.
I drove to Elk Island National Park this evening and observed a variety of birds; many that I could not identify. I can finally use the new bird ID book that arrived in the mail last week.
In addition to the abundance of waterfowl, the beavers and muskrats were very active. The sun reflected off the wet fur of one beaver. It caught my attention and I pulled over to watch it. His antics were entertaining to say the least.
He used his long claws and gave himself a good scratch from head to toe. As he groomed himself, he closed his eyes. It looked like he was really enjoying his quiet time.
A second beaver surfaced. I could hear the calls between the two and soon they were both swimming away together toward the lodge.
The smaller birds were singing in the background at the beaver pond. Red winged blackbirds called out to each other and robins were singing in the trees.
The leaves on the aspens are almost open. The sunlight behind the beautiful green leaves made them look like a painting. It is a welcome sight after the long winter that we had.
I'm so looking forward to regular outings again. The quiet soothes the soul. There are no ringing phones, crowd noise or emails to answer in the forest. There are birds singing, bees buzzing, butterflies flitting and peace. That is exactly what I need right now.
I hiked the Beaver Pond Trail for the first time since the snow melted. There were areas with some icy banks and some low spots were under water but for the most part the trail was dry. The grass is greening up nicely with the abundance of moisture. The +29C temperature created a greenhouse environment on the trail. I was roasting like a turkey during my hike.
The sloughs along the way are ice-free. I could
see numerous species of waterfowl on them. The binoculars and my bird
book were with me but the sun was so bright that I could not make out
the markings to ID them.
I had to tread lightly in some areas. Frogs were hopping across the trail and hiding in the long grasses along the shore.
Butterflies were flitting from tree to tree. Every now and again they would find a spot in the sun, stop and pose for me!
Compared to yesterday, the park was quiet. I was the only one in the parking lot at the trail head. I drove into the Astotin Lake parking lot and the only thing I found litter left over from yesterday's crowd.
I had time to travel to another local park. The Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area has numerous staging areas. I visited Islet Lake today. The ice has broken up but is not melted yet. The gulls have found the open water but there was not enough open to accommodate the thousands of snow geese that were circling overhead.
I think I now can safely say that spring is here; green grass, migrating birds, ice break up, butterflies, bumblebees and +29C today.
Tonight I wandered from one corner of the yard to the next and back again. I was trying to envision what I had pre-planned on paper. Having decided to construct my new home closer to the front of the yard, the backyard doubled in size so I have a large open space to landscape in addition to the entire front yard.
The night was calm and warm and perfect so I had to grab a cup of coffee and sit out on the deck. I watched two robins play a game of tag or maybe it was a game of hard-to-get. Every now and again they would sing their sweet song. Geese flew over and honked their arrival. I could hear the frog choir from the slough behind my yard. There was no traffic noise; only the sound of nature; that was until a couple of cats started going at it. It sounded like quite the brawl. I couldn't see them but am sure that the fur was flying.
The one thing missing tonight was the smell of a bonfire but a neighbor took care of that. I saw smoke wafting from a yard south of me and before I knew it, the smell drifted in my direction. It was the best aromatherapy ever.
The only snow left is on the north side of my garage where it slid off the metal roof. That icy bank will take some time to melt. It sure felt like spring in the yard this evening. From the look of the forecast, I will have to take full advantage of my day off on Sunday. The problem is that I can't decide whether to work in the yard or wander on the hiking trails. I may have to toss a coin. I sure will not be complaining with the result as long as I can spend the day outside.
When I was growing up I used to get so excited when I would see a deer, moose or even a coyote in the area. Today the excitement is still there but I am so fortunate to see them almost everyday.
I purposely leave early for work because I know there will be a photo-op moment that I will have to stop for. This morning I glanced to my right and caught sight of this young moose resting at the edge of the trees.
I continued on my way and saw 5 deer together in an open field. Ducks and geese were resting on the icy ponds. I saw 3 more deer on the way home; grazing together with numerous horses.
I have lived in this area for almost 11 years and am grateful everyday for the beauty and wildlife around me. I came across this lot for a reason; hiking trails, ski and snowshoe trails, opportunities for birding and wildlife watching, fresh air, solitude and relaxation. Coming home is like a vacation everyday.
