Saturday was the perfect day for a hike.  The air temperature was to my liking and the wind blew just enough to keep the forest fire smoke from staying around.  I made my way to Elk Island National Park to visit my go-to winter snowshoe trail.

The Amisk Wuche Trail is short and sweet; a good starter for getting back into hiking regularly.  The trail is hilly from beginning to end; crossing a pond boardwalk and meandering through thick forest.  I haven't been on this trail since spring so was amazed at how filled in the undergrowth was.  The hazelnut and berry shrubs on either side of the trail have doubled in size even though the earth on the trail is dry and dusty.  Visible roots are abundant and in many cases make natural staircases for the ascent and descent on the larger hills.

The beaver pond is covered in duckweed.  Beautiful pond flowers are blooming along the boardwalk.  The ducks living there scattered as soon as they heard my footsteps.  As I made my way across I noticed the many changes happening to signal the change in seasons.

Much of the undergrowth is yellow.  The leaves on the rose bushes are no longer green.  Red, yellow and orange add color to the landscape.  The rose hips are ripe and ready for the birds to feast on.  I noticed that many of the birch trees have turned yellow and are dropping their leaves already.  The poplars are just beginning to show hints of color.

There were no other vehicles in the parking lot.  I was alone on the trail and took my time taking in the sights and sounds of the forest.  The chickadees were busy gathering seeds.  A bluejay called from the top of a spruce tree.  A woodpecker was hammering on a snag. 

I made it to the bench on the trail and sat for a moment to watch the comings and goings at the pond.  The ducks were feeding.  There were many 'duck bums' in the air as they searched for tasty plants beneath the surface. Many just swam together as a group, enjoying the peace and quiet as much as I was.

As I hiked back to the parking lot, I heard a pileated woodpecker call out.  It took a few moments to spot it but when I did, I noticed that there were two.  A short distance up the trail I noticed two more.  What a treat to see so many of these beauties on the same outing.

The trail beyond the bench has more deciduous tree growth.  Chokecherry tree branches laden with fruit hung across the path.  I was surprised that the birds had not picked them yet.  The coyotes had been enjoying the fruit.  There was a lot of coyote scat on the trail that contained berry pits. 

On the drive home the bison were crossing the parkway.  The babies from this spring are growing nicely.  The mamas did not appear to be as protective as they were before.  A doe and two spotted fawns were grazing inside the park fence.  I stopped to watch for a moment.  They found a spot that had some fresh new grass after the last mowing. I heard birds calling and noticed cranes circling overhead and Canada geese honked as they landed with a splash in a nearby pond.

It was a great day to be outside.  The parkway was busy with vehicular traffic and many of the longer trails had full parking lots but I was lucky to have the Amisk Wuche trail to myself.  School will be starting soon and the park will once again be quiet through the week so my trips will be more frequent.  

The fall colors will become more prevalent and the birds will begin to gather for migration.  I love this time of year almost as much as I love winter.  Mother Nature is preparing to put things to bed for the snowy season and her slow preparation is a beautiful sight filled with beautiful sounds.  Let the regular hikes begin.

 

What a calm, beautiful evening.  I just came in from touring the yard.  As I wandered around, the pileated woodpeckers were playing a game of tag in the tall poplars.  Their calls echoed through the tree tops.  The chickadees sang their sweet songs as they flew in to the tray feeder for a night time snack.  One of the horses from the farm behind my yard stopped by for carrot.

As I watched and listened to Mother Nature's creatures, I marveled at the growth in my yard this year.  The shrubs and trees that were just little 'sticks' three years ago, are now three to five feet tall.  Everything is still in full bloom and the next batch of strawberries are ripe for the picking.  

My one lonely pumpkin is beginning to turn orange.  The scarlet runner beans overflowed a garden bed and are still producing flowers.  I think I'll leave them for awhile yet even though the hummingbirds appear to have left.

I've found some old stand-byes that I plant year after year.  They don't disappoint.  Each season my yard is filled with amazing colors and prolific growth. 

My favorite 'Bubblegum' petunias continue to grow and bloom, adding a burst of pink to the backyard.  

 



The pots of Million Bells are overflowing. 

 



The purple coneflowers are providing lots of nourishment for the bees and butterflies. 






 
The extra warm summer temperatures were perfect for the ground covering petunias.  They formed a carpet of bright pink and continue to thrive.  If the first killing frost holds off for awhile, I'm sure they will overflow the flowerbed. 



My favorite flowers of the summer were planted late and they are just beginning to bloom.  I snipped off all the stems with blossoms and brought them inside this evening.  The kitchen is now filled with the sweet scent of sweetpeas.

I'm hoping to get to the trails over the next couple of days.  The leaves are beginning to change color.  The animals have been more visible.  On the way to work this morning I was blessed with the sight of a beautiful moose that crossed the road in front of me and a doe that looked up from her tall grass smorgasbord as I drove by.  I've been watching for the fox but think it may have moved on as the cattle have been let into the pasture that I used to see the fox in.

The weather is supposed to be great.  The temperature should be bearable for me and my camera batteries are charged.  I should be cleaning my house but instead I'm going to take full advantage of some free time to enjoy the great outdoors.

There is a chill in the air as the sun sets.  Frost appeared overnight this past week which means the leaves will be changing color at a faster pace.  It also means that I will be outside more often.

My blog posts are non-existent through the summer due to the fact that my outdoor excursions are few and far between.  The summer heat creates an uncomfortable situation and headaches so I'm usually out only in the early morning or late evening.  My camping trips this summer were planned around cooler, rainy days.

The summer has been a hot one.  Many areas of central Alberta declared drought conditions yet the area that I live in had ample rain and hot temperatures.  This made for a good growing season in my yard.  The flower blossoms were prolific, providing a smorgasbord of nectar for the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.  The little vegetable garden produced a fine crop of peas, carrots, potatoes, zucchini and scarlet runner beans.  One lonely pumpkin grew from a single plant and is slowly beginning to ripen.

Three years ago there was new home construction happening in the yard.  Piles of clay soil and mud could be found everywhere.  I had researched how to naturescape a yard.  I wanted drought proof, native plants and shrubs that would provide food for insects, birds, reptiles and animals in the yard.  The fruits of my labor were abundant this summer.  Everything grew at a rapid pace and is filling the space nicely.

Most of my outdoor time was spent in the yard.  Who needs anything else when one can sit on the back deck with a coffee and watch the hummingbirds feed off the brilliant red flowers of the scarlet runner beans.  When two of them showed up at the same time, a disagreement would ensue and provide great entertainment for me as they chased each other around the yard.  

In addition to the hummers, I had a family of thrushes to watch.  They used a pile of twigs and branches for cover as they fed their offspring.  It was the first time to view those beauties in the yard.  I found that they are very small birds with a very big song.  The mama was very busy and very adept at catching grasshoppers for her young.

A house wren nested in a new birdhouse that I put up on the garage.  The butterflies and bees appeared in greater numbers than other years. The garter snakes were back and the frogs were abundant.  My yard has become a little sanctuary and a place for me to relax and enjoy the action.

On my trips to and from work, I witnessed a hunting fox on two occasions.  When I stopped my vehicle it glanced up but did not run.  It continued the search for food, surrounded by a flock of magpies that were obviously looking for the leftovers.

When I noticed that the days were cooler, I managed to get away to my favorite destination for a couple of camping trips and a couple of day trips.  I love the David Thompson area west of Nordegg.  It is scenic, peaceful and easy for me to get to and from in a day.

My first camping trip was to Fish Lake.  It is my go-to spot.  The lake is great for fishing but even better for loon watching.  The loons put on quite the show for me.  In the evening they treated me with their haunting calls.

I decided to try a new campground for the second trip out.  The Thompson Creek Campground is the last provincial campground along the David Thompson highway before entering Banff National Park.  It is a beauty.  Treed in sites that are secluded yet access to the creek and hiking trails is easy to find.  There were signs up that a bear was in the area but I didn't see it.

On the day of arrival, I set up camp and relaxed with a book by the fire.  Firewood theft was rampant last year so it is rationed now.  I just finished getting the tent set up when the camp host brought the wood right to my site.  What great service along with great hospitality.

The second day I found a hiking trail that led into a burned out forest.  It meandered along a creek so I could hear the running water as I walked.  As I hiked in further I noticed a change in the forest. Tree snags had toppled.  Young pine trees were abundant.  Wildflowers bloomed everywhere.  The most memorable moment was watching the hummingbirds and the butterflies taking advantage of the food provided by the sea of purple fireweed.  The forest was silent but for a bird call in the distance now and again so I could hear the rapid wing movements of the hummingbirds.  I will definitely visit this trail again.

I wanted very much to visit the Siffleur Falls trail this year and managed to do that a couple of weeks ago. The temperature was perfect for hiking and area did not let me down.  Beautiful canyon views and rushing water were aplenty.

When my grandaughters  stayed with me this summer, we took advantage of the areas closer to home.  We visited the Strathcona Wilderness Centre for a puddle walk.  As we hiked a trail, the little frogs hopped out of the tall grass so the girls had great fun keeping track of how many they saw.  Our destination was the spruce bog where the squirrel middens cover the ground under the towering spruce trees.  The air was fresh smelling from the rain with hints of pine and spruce sap.  It was great aromatherapy!

We visited the Bison Festival at Elk Island National Park.  The day was windy and cool but we had our layers on and enjoyed the aboriginal dancers, the musicians and the tour of the bison handling facility.  Time flew by and before we knew it, we had spent six hours there.  We came back knowing a lot more about the bison herds at the national park.

The girls helped me tend the garden; watering plants and picking fruits and vegies.  They were able to watch the hummingbirds in action in the yard.

With summer drawing to a close, the cooler temperatures will prevail and I will once again be outside on a regular basis.  I'm looking forward to the autumn trail walks to watch the leaves change to the brilliant fall colors and to bear witness to the flocks of birds heading south for their migration.  There's nothing better than being on a peaceful trail enjoying the fall changes and hearing the cranes overhead.  My favorite seasons will soon be upon us.  I can't wait.