Landscape Progress

All the flooding in southern Alberta has had me distracted; such devastation in such a short period of time.  I was complaining about the rain here at home.  The amount that fell cannot be compared to what fell in the mountains and foothills.

It was the number of days that it rained here that has been creating a challenge for me to get my front yard completed.  There has only been 3 days out of 24 that it has not rained during the month of June and it usually rained only enough to make the clay soil wet so it would stick to the tire on my wheelbarrow.

I did manage to work on some of the yard today after another load of dirt got delivered.  There are now 3 new flower beds complete with perennials.

The rock garden that I created and planted last fall is growing in nicely.  The butterflies have been busy visiting the Coral Bells that are blooming.

The ferns in the side yard have doubled in size.  Their lime green color shows up brightly against the cedar mulch that is layered on the bed.  I added some pink, white and blue forget-me-nots and some primulas on that side of the house as well.  

I saved the broken pieces of concrete that bordered the flowerbeds around the old house.  They are now being used for new beds in the backyard where I've planted some annuals. 

The raised garden beds that I filled and planted are growing nicely.  One contains a pea patch and another some strawberry plants.  The third one has some cucumber plants and the fourth is waiting for some lettuce seeds.




While I was working in the yard today, the birds were busy at the feeders.  The robins were busy defending a nest that a magpie was trying to get at.  The blue jays and a magpie were fighting over the peanuts in the tray feeder.  A red winged blackbird flew back and forth from the treetops to the sunflower seed feeder.  Butterflies were busy at all the blossoms that are open.

It was a great day to be working in the yard.  Things are finally coming together.  I'm hoping that by the time summer ends, the backyard will be complete so that next summer I'll be able to sit on the back deck and enjoy.                                                       
                                                                                                                                      

Celebrate Summer

The yard was still too wet to work in it so I spent some time at Elk Island National Park this morning.  On the way to Beaver Pond Trail, a coyote crossed the highway.  It found something tasty in the ditch so was distracted when I drove by.

There was not much for traffic on the parkway so I thought I would have the trail to myself but when I pulled into the parking lot, there were a couple of other vehicles.  As I was getting set to head out, a gentleman was coming in.  He gave me advance warning to put the insect repellent on or I would be one big mosquito bite by the time I was done walking.

I hadn't visited this trail for quite awhile.  It has grown in so much that there is only a narrow path to walk on down the center.  Everything is so green!  The underbrush is thick making it impossible to see beyond the edge of the trail.  

I could hear the songbirds in the treetops but even if I would have had my binoculars, I would not have been able to see them.  I could hear the waterfowl and the shorebirds in the beaver pond but again, could not see them because of the thick brush.

Even though there has been a lot of rain, the trail was not that muddy.  I managed to make it around the loop with hiking boots rather than rubber boots.  The mosquitoes were swarming around me.  I had to cinch up the bottom of my sleeves because they were finding their way up my arm.

There were many butterflies, big and small, flitting from wildflower to wildflower.  The wild  roses were in full bloom; adding some pink to the greenery.  In addition to them, the vetch, bunchberries, violets, and blue-eyed grass were showing their colors.  Bumblebees buzzed from blossom to blossom.
 
The morning started off sunny.  I was grateful when it clouded over.  When the sun was out, it was so hot and humid on the trail.  Heat and I are not friends and I couldn't take my jacket off due to the bugs.  I was roasting like a Thanksgiving turkey.

The yard dried up enough during the day so that I could spread the rest of the mulch in the front yard.  I'm ready for a cup of coffee and some relaxing time to look through my new photography magazine that came in today's mail.  

I'm at a stand still with my yard until some more black dirt gets delivered so I think I'll have to come up with a fun way to celebrate the beginning of summer.  Road trip!

 

Mother Nature's Fury

Water is standing in my yard once again and the sump pump has kicked in a couple of times but I will not complain today.  After seeing the devastating flood waters through southern Alberta, the puddles are not even a drop in the bucket compared to what is going on there.

Videos of the Canmore and Bragg Creek flooding on You Tube show homes being swept away in the water and others hanging on the edge of creek banks.  How helpless the homeowners must feel as they watch their possessions being washed away.  

The biggest problem I have is the water overflowing in my rain gutters because the willow tree fluff has clogged the downspout. 

News reports are saying that the creeks/rivers won't peak until around midnight. I'm hoping that in the meanwhile, residents are able to take shelter and stay safe while Mother Nature shows her fury.

 

My Reality Entertainment

I drove by the Strathcona Wilderness Center and noticed that the goose babies were on a walk about.  There have been six to eight goslings in years past.  This year there are only two.

They did not stray far from their parents.  When I stopped to watch, they all headed for the water but soon came back on shore to nibble
that tasty green grass.

They were very entertaining.  It appeared that they were trying to imitate their adults.  When the adult moved forward, they moved forward.  When the adult nibbled, they nibbled.  When the adult bent that long neck down, the little ones tried bending their necks down as well.

I'm hoping to see some of the deer and moose babies out and about soon.  There's nothing like watching mother in nature in action.  That's reality entertainment at its best.

 

Mosquito Magnet

The rain just keeps falling.  Water is standing in the yard and the raindrops keep coming.  I was hoping to finish my front yard sooner than later but the weather has not been cooperating.

Since I couldn't work in the yard, I put on the rubber boots and ventured over to the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area.  There was just as much mud and water there; maybe more.

There were only two other vehicles in the parking lot; a couple of guys suiting up to take their bikes on the trail.  They were in the lot when I got back and they looked like they had found every mud hole that they possibly could have.  The mud was dripping off the wheels of one bike.

Once they passed me, I was the only one on the loop around Neon Lake.  The birds were singing and the rain was falling.  I could here it gently hitting the leaves.  It made for some great picture taking between showers.

The greens were brilliant.  The wildflowers were in bloom.  This week the honeysuckle was open and the butterflies were everywhere.  The beautiful Canadian Tiger Swallowtails were enjoying the honeysuckle buffet.

The only other insects that were over abundant were the mosquitoes.  I had to apply insect repellant more than once.  I was getting bites on top of bites.  This is one of my favorite reasons for loving winter; no mosquitoes to worry about.

Today was the first day that I noticed the wild rose blossoms.  Their burst of bright pink amidst the green leaves made for a pleasing sight.  The smell of roses filled the air.

It was the perfect day to visit the trails.  The mud in the yard will take days to dry up when it stops raining so I'm hoping to be able to head out once again tomorrow.  

The rain makes the air smell fresh and the colors look brighter.  Unfortunately it also contributes to those pesky, buzzing, blood-sucking mosquitoes that are finding their way into my house.  I got home and was getting ready to light the wood stove.  I opened the door and a swarm of them came out of the stove.  They must have been in there for awhile because my hands were like magnets attracting those little 'buggers'. 

 

Sunshine in a Bottle?

I'm working late today so had time to wander through the backyard before leaving.  The sun is out and things are drying up nicely.  Some of the leaves on my shrubs are showing signs that they are not fond of the amount of water they are getting.

A couple of funny things happened while I was out there.  I had a red t-shirt on this morning.  A hummingbird came straight for me as I stood still while trying to decide where to direct excess water from the rain barrels.  I guess it assumed that I was a flower.  It was kind of  nerve-wracking to see that pointy little beak coming straight at me.

I survived the hummer near-miss and grabbed a coffee.  As I sat on the deck, a robin flew into the yard.  It landed on some garden decor that teeters in the wind.  The robin was perched on top of a metal owl that sits on one end of a bar.  Its weight forced that side of the bar down.  As the robin opened its wings, the bar went back up.  It closed its wings and the bar went back down.  This went on for about 20 seconds before the robin took off again.  It looked like it was quite enjoying the see-saw ride.

There was no traffic noise this morning.  The birds were singing and the sun was shining.  It was the perfect morning to be outside.  Too bad I couldn't bottle the moment and open it later this afternoon when I'm at work.

Life in the Backyard

The rain clouds parted and the sun shone through so I could mow down the dandelion patch in my backyard.  I still think a grazing black bear would make things more interesting.

As I mowed, I noticed an increased presence of insects and birds.  A goldfinch was feeding at one of the feeders.  It would fly from the feeder to a nearby willow tree and sing its sweet songs from the upper branches.  

A little house wren sat at the top of the old rotting tree stump.  It was checking out the holes left by a pileated woodpecker.  In the early spring, a pair of tree swallows used the largest hole for a nest.  The wren appeared to be checking out the hole for the same reason.  As I came closer to the stump it flew up into the willow.  The finch and the wren took turns singing their songs.

The blue jays frequented the tray feeder for a supply of nuts and the robins were busy looking for worms in the wet clay soil.  In addition to the bird activity, the butterflies were busy.  Some of the flowers that I planted have opened up and they seem to be a favorite for the swallowtails.  They flitted from blossom to blossom; resting at times on a warm rock.

I took a break and was going in to the house when I noticed a strange bug.  The antennae were longer than the entire bug's body.   As I looked at it, I wondered how it could actually fly.

Blue damsel flies were flying everywhere.  I was hoping they were going to take care of the mosquitoes that left bulging welts on my leg.

The grass got mowed and the cup of coffee on the deck was enjoyed.  The sun's rays shone down all afternoon but there are large dark clouds building up in the west.  Here comes the rain again.

 

Who's got an ark?

Well, it has been quite the day.  The last 1.5 hours of my shift at work was spent listening to news reports and staying on the alert to implement 'in place sheltering'.  

At about 2:30pm a tornado warning was issued.  The sky was filled with churning dark clouds.  The rain and hail came down in sheets.  The areas that got hit the worst were to the west of the facility.  When the warning ended, I left for home.

It rained during the entire drive.  I checked the rain gauge on my way up the back step.  There was already 2cms of rain from when I left this morning and it was still going hard.  At the back door, a small drift of hailstones was left.  I could tell it came down hard.  There were little craters left in the soft soil that I used to fill my garden beds.

I waited for the lightning to let up before going out to survey the damage.  The rain was not letting up.  There were already 3 full rain barrels and the 4th was overflowing; creating a lake at the corner of my house.  I had to pump the water from the barrel to the dry creek bed that I created in the front yard.  A hose is now attached to the spigot so it will self drain overnight.
 
At 7pm this evening there was almost 3cms of rain and it was still raining.  Water was standing everywhere.  It was no longer being absorbed.  Each of the bowls that I created around the new plants in the front yard were filled with water.

At 10pm it finally stopped raining.  The difference in pavement temperature and air temperature was creating a fog to rise from the road surface.  I checked the water barrel and it was draining nicely.  I don't think I'll need to access the water in the other 3 for quite awhile.  
The backyard was under water as well.  I took a few photos so I could remember where the low spots were.  I'll either put some plants in that will love the moisture in those areas or build it up so the water will drain away.

I hunkered down this evening in front of the wood stove after I checked the forecast.  There is more rain to come so I figured that if I was going to 'float away' this evening, I may as well be cozy doing it.  Who's got an ark?

Road Trip! - The Lone Wolf

Even though I could 'bearly' contain my excitement over all the bear sightings on the road trip, there were more forest creatures that greeted us.

A couple of beautiful mule deer were enjoying the fresh grass along the ditch.  All told, there were more than 24 deer seen on the trip.  

We were making a pit stop at a campground west of Nordegg.  Just before the turn off, a great blue heron circled a roadside pond.  

When we hit the road again, we stopped at Landslide Lake.  Many small grey and yellow birds filled the branches of the trees along the trail.  They occupied the lower branches so it was easy to see them.  Their songs filled the forest.  I tried to photograph them so I could ID them back home but they were too quick for me.  It was not too difficult to find out that they were Yellow Rumped Warblers.

At the Mistaya River Canyon parking lot a couple of ravens were perched on the boulders waiting for a hand out from anyone with a snack.  I noticed one of them as I opened the truck door.  When I closed the door, it was gone.  I didn't see it because it was on the pavement directly behind me.

On the shore of the Mistaya River, a couple of chipmunks scurried along the branches.  In the blink of an eye, they were gone; hiding in nests below the pine and spruce trees.

Driving down to the canyon, I noticed a large nest at the very top of a spruce tree.  Little heads seemed to appear in the top of the nest.  I had the binoculars along so on the trek back home we stopped to have a closer look.  

An adult osprey could be seen a distance away from the nest.  With the binoculars we were able to confirm that there were babies in the nest.

Our road trip was a last minute decision and I'm glad we decided to go.  The day was incredible.  As my son and I were headed down the highway toward home, I said to him that the perfect ending would be to see a majestic bald eagle.  Well, the ending was even better.

As we were leaving the wilderness area, we noticed a black spot in the ditch.  We both thought that it was another bear.  As we got closer, we realized that the spot was not a bear.  A lone black wolf stood at the edge of the forest.  It's eyes met ours and it stared directly at us as we drove by as if saying goodby.  My son and I were in awe.  We turned around, but the wolf had retreated to the trees once more.  I had never seen a live wolf and to have it step out as we were leaving will be a moment that I will remember for a long time.

Road Trip! - It was a 'Beary' Exciting Day

Bear #2 spotted at 1:30pm

I've gone years without seeing a bear.   I saw a black bear in 1967 and then had a real drought.  The next sighting was not until 2011 when I saw two of them on the same trip. 

This trip was different.  We caught the first sight of one shortly after leaving Rocky Mountain House.  My son noticed it lumbering across the highway in the distance.  That brief glimpse created a bit of excitement.  I could go home saying that I saw a bear.  Little did I know...

Bear #2 was spotted in a steep ditch.  The top of its head would pop up now and again as it grazed on the dandelion buffet in the ditch; stems sticking out from either side of its snout.

Bear #3 spotted at 4:30pm

 #3 was a bear on a mission.  It was wandering along the top of a bank.  As we watched, it did not stop for anything.  It walked right over top the young trees that were in its way; bending them to the ground.  At the time, I wondered what that bear would have done if the tree didn't bend.  It was amazing to witness this behavior. 

Bear #4 spotted at 4:45pm

 Bear #4 was seen fifteen minutes later.  It must have been the supper hour for them as this one grazed the ditch as well.  I noticed a small 'dimple' at the top of his head so I knew this was not a bear we had seen on the way into David Thompson country.  #4 paid no attention to the vehicles pulled over on the highway.  It kept grazing and moving up the slope.  Our vehicle was parked  about ten feet away at the closest point so I got a close up view of those big, brown bear eyes.

Bear #5 spotted at 5:00pm

Bear #5 and #6 were spotted together as a pair.  One crossed the highway in front of us and as the second one tried crossing, a vehicle came from the opposite direction.  Instead of allowing the bear to cross safely, the driver laid on the horn without stopping; scaring it back into the ditch.  

When that vehicle passed by, the bear tried once more to cross.  It took its time; checking out the rumble strip on the center line.  There was a tasty morsel in one of them.

Bear #6 spotted at 5:00pm

Bear #6 enjoyed the dandelion patch until Bear #5 made it safely across the road.  At one point, the dandelion greens got stuck in its teeth.  It used a paw to loosen them.

It was an amazing experience to see so many bears on a short day trip.  This definitely made up for all the years that I traveled through that area 'bearless'.  I was so excited by the sightings that I could 'bearly' stay seated in the truck!

Road Trip! - Flora

The ditches along the David Thompson highway are carpeted in yellow; especially west of Nordegg.  The dandelions are creating a tasty buffet for the black bears in the area.  I must admit, the yellow blooms did look lovely against the many shades of green in the forest.  When the dandelions are in my lawn, I'm afraid I cannot say the same thing.

My first glimpse of more spring wildflowers occurred at Landslide Lake.  There were bunches of Three-flowered Avens.  The tiny pink flowers grew amidst the tall green grass. 

I found a patch of them with wild geraniums alongside the walking trail. 




 
On the north side of a large boulder, some delicate Northern Bog Violets were hiding from the sun.  The purple and bright green contrasted beautifully against the grey rock.  It is amazing how such fragile flowers can grow in that hard, rocky soil.




The wild strawberry plants were in bloom.  Field chickweed blossoms were interspersed with them.  The fireweed plants were only about 8 inches tall and still growing.  There are abundant so there will be a sea of purple when they are in finally in bloom.

 

From Landslide Lake, we traveled to the Mistaya River Canyon.  There is a bit of a downhill hike to get to the gorge.  On the mossy banks beside the trail, the Calypso Orchids were in bloom.  Numerous patches of them could be seen all the way to the bottom.  Their delicate little flowers added a punch of color to moss carpet.

A downpour forced us to shorten our stay in the canyon.  I've been there before and knew that there used to be violets growing in rock crevices; in the tiniest bits of soil.  

I guess I will use the fact that I did not see the violets as an excuse to come back again.  I will never tire of visiting this area.  The freshness, the smells, the peacefulness and the beauty draws me back each year; even if it is just a day trip.

Road Trip! - Scenes Along The Way

My son Matt and I hit the road at 7:30am yesterday; headed for David Thompson country.  Both of us watched for that first glimpse of the mountain peaks.

I love that area; always have and always will.  It is simply amazing to be able to drive that highway and see such an abundance of wildlife, wildflowers, greenery and the majestic mountains in the distance.

I've driven this highway many times and it is a new adventure each day.  I have to say that so far, yesterday was outstanding.  There is so much to tell that I have to do it in chapters.  Today it is scenery along the route that we took.

We were traveling to Fish Lake, west of Nordegg for our first pit stop.  The mountains ahead of us were snow covered.  I've never seen them with that much snow at this time of year.  It does however add something to their beauty.

The trees along the roadside created a pallet of varying shades of green.  It was raining in some areas and the water droplets enhanced those greens.  So beautiful!  As we got closer to Fish Lake, a yellow carpet of dandelions covered the ditches; creating a natural buffet for the numerous bears that we saw.

Fish Lake has not changed.  It is still the same peaceful spot that it has been over the years.  We used to camp at this site quite often.  The lake is stocked with rainbow trout and you can fish off the shore.  It's a great place to spend a camping vacation if you are looking for peace and quiet.

There is a nice little hiking trail that meanders along the lake and then loops back into the evergreen forest.  The fresh air and the smell of the wet pine needles is the best aromatherapy ever.




 



After a short visit with cousin Michael who was camping there, Matt and I continued our journey west.  The next stop was Landslide Lake.  A prescribed burn happened there in 2009.  The forest is rejuvenating.  The bark is peeling off the burnt trees.  Young little aspens are shooting out the soil.  


 

 

Wildflowers are creating a colorful carpet.  Dandelions, northern bog violets, purple avens, and field chickweed could be seen alongside the trail.  Fireweed is abundant but is not yet in bloom.

Local aboriginals use the area for a ceremonial ground.  As you walk through the forest you can catch a glimpse of colorful prayer flags tied around tree trunks.  A sweat lodge could be seen in an open area.











 

We left Landslide Lake and continued west to the Mistaya River Canyon.  When you pull into the parking lot, you can hear the power of the water rushing through the canyon.  We were lucky that the rain held off long enough for us to get some great shots of the river.

A previous visitor set up an Inukshuk along the water's edge. The traditional meanings for these untouched stone sculptures is "Someone was here." or "You are on the right path."

I do believe we were on the right path.  It was a long drive for a single day trip but it was so worth it.  Mother Nature did not disappoint and I enjoyed every minute of the adventure.








 

Build It And They Will Come

Build it and they will come.  Yes they will.  I continued working on my yard transformation and noticed numerous frogs hiding under the new plants that I put in a few days ago.  I moved a tree trunk that was being used for edging to contain the mulch and a little frog was hiding underneath the trunk.  It is exciting to see what little things can be done to encourage wildlife into the yard.

In the backyard, a hummingbird was feeding at the oriole feeder.  It buzzed right by head as I was getting water from the rain barrel.  When it came back for round two, it struggled to perch on the feeder hanger.  The metal pipe was too wide and slippery to hold on to.  I fastened a dead spruce tree branch to the feeder pole so there are many perches available to it now.

I took a break to meet a good friend for coffee.  My route into town took me past the duck pond.  It was windy so the water was rough.  Most of the birds were hiding along the shoreline.  I did notice that one of the pairs of geese have little goslings following them around.  It was fun to watch them make their way through the tall grass in the ditch.

A bit further up the road there is a smaller body of water.  A couple of green winged teals were swimming around amidst the duckweed floating on top of it.  That was a first for me.  I've never seen them before.  The coloration on the male was beautiful.

 I'm taking a whole day off from yard duty tomorrow for a road trip.  My camera gear and snacks are packed.  The weather looks not bad.  I'm excited to see some new scenery and am hoping for some great photo ops that I can share.

 

Open Your Eyes

My ramblings today were from the front yard to the backyard and back; numerous times.  If it wasn't with a wheelbarrow full of gravel it was with a large bag of mulch.  I was laying mulch along side a window wheel and some motion caught my eye.  The poplar and willow fluff has been flying for the past few days.  It has looked like a blizzard.  It was a piece of willow fluff that was moving on the gravel in the window well.  

I went closer for a good look to determine why the fluff was moving.  A little frog was tangled in it.  It was trying to move but it's legs and body were covered in fluff.  

I put the little guy in some rainwater in a pail.  The water rejuvenated it.  I watched as it struggled to free itself from it's bond.  I had to use a couple of sticks to assist.  Once the frog was free, it stretched its legs and swam around the bottom of the pail.  When I was sure that it was okay, I found a nice shady spot under a spruce tree for the remainder of it's recuperation.  As I glanced back, it appeared to be smiling.

Today's adventure ended on a better note than yesterday.  I was mowing the lawn and numerous little frogs were jumping out of the grass as the lawnmower was going through.  I'm certain that a couple of them didn't move fast enough.

This is one reason that I am nature-scaping my yard.  I am making it wildlife friendly; hoping that my choices will entice the frogs, salamanders, bats, birds, etc to stay.  I want the yard to be a safe haven for the little creatures.  When I get finished, I won't have to mow and the frogs won't have to worry about hopping for their lives.

As I worked outside today, a red winged blackbird made numerous visits to the sunflower seed feeder; often scaring the goldfinches away.  Robins were close by looking for worms in the earth that I was turning over.  Tree swallows swooped over the backyard; catching insects for their young that were waiting back in the nest located in the tree stump in the middle of my yard.  It was a great day for watching birds in the yard.  As I observed them I realized that my nature-scaping began years ago with the choice to leave a couple of snags when I took some rotted trees down.  

I noticed butterflies and bees flying from flower to flower.  There are not many blooms open.  In a couple of weeks there should be more on the annuals that I planted.  I'm working on planting more perennials for my insect friends.

I was sitting at the kitchen table this evening.  As I looked out the patio door, I saw a bald eagle fly over the treetops.  It's white head stood out against the blue Alberta sky.  What a glorious sight.

Thinking back over the day's events I came to the conclusion that one does not have to travel far to enjoy forest creatures.  All you have to do is open your eyes and pay attention to your surroundings.