Last weekend when I was at the trail, in addition to the wildlife, I paid attention to the beauty beneath my feet. There were a couple of frosty nights that left the grass crispy and the leaves trimmed with ice crystals.

The sunshine created sparkles that lead me through the forest. There was no sneaking up on the wildlife; the grass crunched under my boots. Jack Frost coated the landscape and I enjoyed every sparkling moment.

When I finished my hike at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail last Saturday, there was still plenty of time left in the day so I ventured to Elk Island National Park.

That was my first visit in October. I stayed away because the park staff had been working feverishly on ripping up and repaving the parking lot. They also ripped out the pavement on the trails beside the lake. That meant a whole lot of noise. I wanted to see how much they got accomplished.

On my way there I saw bison grazing inside the park fence, a coyote hunting for mice in the tall grass and a hawk that dived off a fence post but came up empty-clawed. That was a lot of action and I wasn't even at the park gate yet.

The pond surfaces were clear of ice so the ducks were busy diving and dunking for plants. The muskrats swam around the ducks; creating v's in the water.

The heavy equipment at Astotin Lake sat idle. The parking lot looked great. The trails along the lake are still being worked on. I spent only enough time there to see the progress made. 

As I drove toward the highway, a raven pecked at some garbage. I pulled to a stop. It squawked at me and took off toward the nearest garbage can for more trash.

On the way home I saw five white tail deer at the edge of the forest. The bison were still grazing and the coyote was still hunting. There were not as many people frequenting the park during the cooler temperatures so the animals were out in full force; lucky for me.

I'm looking forward to dusting off the snowshoes, x-country skis, ice skates and kicksled so I can spend more time at the park. Now all I need is snow.

I had such a great hike last Friday that I returned to the Biodiversity trail on Saturday. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. I like heading out early enough to catch the wildlife that is out and about. Bird songs could be heard from the trees. A muskrat swam across a pond. A hawk flew up from tall grass and landed on a spruce bough. I came across one moose and numerous grouse on the trail. It was my lucky day. One of the grouse was not camera shy.

I returned from Fernie to find about eight inches of snow at home. Most has melted but some remains where the sun does not shine on it. I didn't know what to expect at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail but I was ready for snow or mud.

The trail turned out to be in great shape. There was snow in areas where the trail is tree covered and a leaf carpet covers the areas that would be muddy.

I had to take advantage of the day. The sun was brilliant and the sky was cloudless. I took a few moments to enjoy it from one of the benches that overlooks a pond. The waterfowl were gone. I wondered where the swan family settled for the winter. It was great fun to watch them through the summer.

I could hear Mother Nature's choir on my travels through the forest. The bluejays called. The squirrels chattered. The chickadees sang. A pair of moose were browsing in the woods. They heard the crunch of frozen grass under my boots and took off through the trees. A grouse flew up from the underbrush. 

I was there in mid morning. The sun was beginning to melt the frost. Leaves were holding drops of water that reflected the light. The forest carpet sparkled. It was a great day for a hike.

It rained off and on during my three day visit to Fernie but that didn't stop me from enjoying the beauty around it. 

It was still raining when I left and continued to do so until I reached the turnoff to HWY 22 from HWY 3. The clouds parted and the sun shone through creating one last rainbow for me.

The drive north on HWY22 to the secondary HWY540 was quiet and scenic. Cattle grazed the wide open ranges. Snowy mountain peaks could be seen in the distance. 

I turned east on HWY540 but kept watching my mirrors so I wouldn't miss the last glimpse of the mountains.

I saved the best hidden gem of this trip for last.  After seeing the beauty of the first lake, I wish I could have made it to the third but it wasn't meant to be this time.

We started at the bottom of a steep, washed out gravel road that runs under a power line. A trail veered off into the forest. It was wet and leaf covered at the start but progressed up a steep, rocky section.

Once we reached the top, the trees opened up and a beautiful, clear, mountain lake appeared. Bright yellow larch stood tall at the water's edge of the first of three Silver Spring Lakes near Elko, BC. Moss covered the boulders. We could see fallen logs beneath the water's surface. The sight was breathtaking.

I could only imagine the beauty as one continued the trail to the second and third lakes. That's a challenge for the next trip.
 

We drove by the Aberfeldie Dam on the Bull River. There was nothing spectacular about the dam itself but just beyond it the water thundered into a gorge. It was loud and misty and the scenery was beautiful. From the bridge on one side we could see the rushing water drop below and on the other we could see it moving west between the large boulders. Colorful foliage and green moss added the finishing touches to a beautiful autumn landscape.

Creeks. Rivers. Waterfalls. The rain made everything flow. Water seeped through boulders and cascaded down rock faces. As we drove down the backroads we came across hidden little gems in the trees. The Morrissey Falls were raging; creating a thunderous noise that we heard from the road and a mist that coated the foliage on nearby trees. The droplets enhanced the beautiful autumn colors.

The exploration of creeks lead to the exploration of rivers. Rushing water, fresh air and autumn colors filled the afternoon. What a beautiful country we live in.

Even though the raindrops kept falling in Fernie, I think the weather was on my side. The moisture made the colors of fall more brilliant. I went on a little driving tour to visit the creek that runs alongside HWY3. The colors were amazing. Red dogwood, various tones of green moss, yellow larch and aspens made for some memorable scenery. This is Alexander Creek. It was running swiftly due to the rain. What a joy it was to enjoy the sound of the running water, the fresh mountain air and the autumn foliage.

I drove the scenic, peaceful lower Elk Valley road yesterday. The residents are preparing for winter. There are large piles of firewood everywhere. As I took in the sights, I came across some locals; a herd of mule deer grazing in a pasture with some horses.

It's been raining since yesterday so I searched for some sunshine today. Found some to the west. Found some to the east. Found not one, not two but three rainbows. Can it get any better?  I don't think so.  Mountains and rainbows.

I wandered a bit of a distance from home; down the Cowboy Trail, otherwise known as Highway 22 in southern Alberta. I have to say that it is a most beautiful time of year for that drive. If you truly want to see the most scenic area of Alberta, this is place to be. There was a sprinkle of snow that looked like icing sugar on the fields. There were different shades of green grasses in the ditches. There were yellow larches amidst the poplars and evergreens. Cattle grazed on the ranch lands. The mountain tops were wearing snowy white caps. This is one of my favorite drives.

Done, done and done. My outdoor time has been spent in the backyard. No trail time for me since October 6 but that is about to change. The bluejays, juncos, and chickadees have kept me entertained while I worked. The pileated woodpecker stopped by for a visit as well. Sadly no camera at hand while I took care of my winterizing tasks.

Two cords of wood are stacked. The ice in the rain barrel was chopped up to release my pump. The garden hoses are drained and put away. I even managed to finally get the garage sorted out so I can park in it again.

The noise continues in the neighborhood. It's been so loud that it warranted wearing ear plugs. I'm hoping that the 5 inches of snow that fell didn't hamper the gas line install too much because I've just about had it with the racket and activity on my once quiet road.

I've got a few minor things to take care of but am looking forward to some outdoor time this afternoon where it is peaceful and the only thing I can hear is the crunch of snow under my boots and the birds singing.

If I were a gambler I would not be putting money on the snow melting any time soon. I think it is here to stay. There was at least 5 inches of the fluffy white stuff that fell over the past 3 days. There was a storm front in front of me and a storm front behind me as I was coming home yesterday.

There is a blanket of white on the remaining wood pile, on top of the garden hoses that I had spread out to drain and on the branches of all the shrubs. They were not ready for winter. The leaves have not fallen.

I had a few jobs on the to-do list for this week. The windows didn't get washed. The pump is still sitting in the rain barrel. Thank goodness the water is drained. One cord of wood still needs to be stacked. Oh well, I'll have to break out the parka and winter boots.

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. I'm thankful for the wide open spaces, the trails and the forests that I get to 'play' in each week. I know there are many that can only dream of what I have right outside my back door.

You can usually find me with my nose pressed against the window when the first snowflakes begin to fall. That would not have been a good situation yesterday considering I was driving so I waited until this afternoon when I began snowing again.

I did a little jig in the yard while pushing the wheelbarrow through the snow. Two cords of wood got delivered yesterday and they were not going to get stacked on their own. I couldn't leave them where they are since at some point I will need to get into the garage.

The spruce that snap, crackles and pops in my wood stove is now stacked in the rack and covered with a tarp. What didn't fit in the rack fills the wood shed with no room to spare. Turns out when you order a cord and don't want it stacked, you get way more than a cord. Where to put the poplar for my outdoor fire pit is my next dilemma. It was supposed to go in the woodshed. Oh well, I'm not going to worry about that now. 

The wood stove and a cup of coffee were calling me. Before heading inside, I did a little tour of the snowy yard. I know it won't stay yet but it sure is nice watching those flakes come down.

The snowflakes are falling. Just a teaser of winter. My timing was impeccable. Two cords of wood got dropped off this morning. It's wood stove weather!