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.