I visited the Mistaya River Canyon this summer.  The hike in is not very long.  Beautiful little Calypso orchids added a splash of color amidst the green forest floor on either side of the trail.  As I approached the canyon, I could hear the roar of the rushing water.

I've visited the area previously and try to get back at least once a year because it is so scenic.  When the trail reaches the canyon, you can see the snowy peaks in the distance, the powerful river that flows into the canyon and the deeply carved canyon walls.

There is ample room to stand on the boulders before the river drops off into the canyon.  It is a wonderful spot to watch the power of the water and to feel the fresh, cool spray.  The sound of the water can be deafening.

Bright green moss covers the upper boulders and spindly evergreen trees 
grow from cracks between the rocks.  It is truly remarkable how these trees are able to sustain themselves.  The canyon walls are layered and craggy.  When you look up you can see tall trees on either side.  Chipmunks and squirrels run along the downed trees; all the while chattering at hikers as they protect their middens.

A trail runs along the upper ridge.  It weaves through the forest and eventually reaches the Waterfowl Lakes campground.   I've camped there only once and would love to try it again.  It will be on my list for next year.

This is the perfect spot to view Mother Nature at her finest.

 

I love walking in the rain.  The falling water droplets create a symphony of soothing sounds that relax the soul.

The next time the clouds open up, put on the rain gear and head to a trail.  Turn off your technology.  As you walk, tune out all the daily 'noise' and listen only to the gentle sound of the rain.  Stop at a puddle and watch the ripples created by each drop.  Take a deep breath and exhale slowly; drinking in the fresh, clean air.

The rain brings life and happiness to the forest and the garden.  The robins search for tasty worms that surface.  The frogs bask in the moisture collected by the tall weeds.  The grasses are greener and the floral colors are more vibrant.  You can see the plants and trees reaching to catch every precious drop.

When I get home I walk through the garden.  The water droplets on the flower petals magnify the beauty of each and every one.  When the clouds pass and the sun comes out, the petals glisten like a million tiny crystals.

We will still have some rain showers before the snow stays on the ground.  Take a walk on the wild side to enjoy the beauty and soothing sounds of a gentle shower.  You'll come back with a rejuvenated soul.

One of the highlights of living in a 'wilderness' area is the abundance of wildlife that I get to see while commuting to and from work.  During my thirty minute drive, I often see white tail deer, porcupines, skunks and moose. On one rare occasion I saw a large mink crossing the road in front of me.

The moose is my favorite animal.  I was fortunate to see a bull moose cooling off and feeding in a

pond along side the road.  I'm always on the look out for wildlife and my camera is never far from the front seat in case the opportunity arises for a photo.

The day was very hot and I noticed this big guy right in the middle of the water with the waterfowl.  He was in no hurry; taking his time drinking and feeding.  A red-winged blackbird sat on a cat tail close by.  I could hear the bird scolding the moose.  There was probably a nest close by.

I watched this beautiful animal for about ten minutes before he decided to exit the water and head to the closest willow stand for some tasty twigs.

Every now and again I'm able to capture a once in a lifetime photo.  This was one of those days.

Last year I returned to my blog in October from my summer hiatus but decided that today was a good day to return for 2014.  For those that know me or have followed the blog for awhile, you are aware that summer and I don't get along very well.  I'm a winter person and can be found outside almost everyday in winter.

The heat, the pollen and the bugs of summer are my worst enemies so I tend to hibernate in the house when I'm at home or look for cooler environments to enjoy my outdoor time.  David Thompson country, west of Nordegg is one of my favorite areas and I managed to get there three times this summer to do some camping.  Each trip provided me with a first-time experience.

I left early on one trip and came across not one but three great grey owls sitting on fence posts along the roadside.  Such beautiful birds!

Another trip provided me the opportunity to see our Alberta forest firefighters in action.  A large fire started by lightning was burning out of control.  The area was due for a prescribed burn in a couple years time so the forestry department decided to let the fire burn.  The firefighters got it under control and managed it.  I was able to view the helicopters in action at the river with their big buckets.  What a treat!

The third camping trip allowed me to experience a severe hailstorm while I hid inside my tent.  The forecast said there was a possibility of a thunderstorm.  A bad hailstorm came through the area a couple weeks prior.  Who knew that a second one was going to happen.

I heard thunder and wanted to get a pot of coffee made before hunkering down inside the tent to wait out the storm.  The water wasn't even hot yet when I heard what I thought was the wind picking up across the lake.  I was wrong.  Huge raindrops began falling so I shut the stove off and ran for cover.  The zipper wasn't even done on the tent when the hail started.  It's quite the experience to be stuck in a tent while being pelted with hail the size of large marbles. 

In addition to enjoying my favorite campsite, I drove west along Highway 11 to Landslide Lake and the Mistaya River Canyon.  Parts of that highway were closed when the forest fire was burning along the roadsides.  

The south side of the highway was black and charred.  The north side of the highway had a prescribed burn go through it a number of years ago.  Now the bark is falling off the trees.  Snags are falling over.  The purple fireweed is prevalent and there are signs of rejuvenation everywhere.

Most of my outdoor time this summer was spent in my backyard. I got more landscaping done and the garden was bountiful.  I tried a couple of mini-pumpkin plants in the garden this year.  What a surprise I got when 5 of them grew and ripened on the vine.      

                                      

The garter snakes and the tiger salamanders were back which made me all the more happy about naturescaping the yard.  

The hummingbirds enjoyed the flowers in the backyard.  I saw them flit from flower to flower on many occasions.   The containers of petunias produced a massive number of blooms that spilled over the edges of the pots.  I will definitely be planting them again.  

I did get out to the trails a couple of times in the evening when the sun was not as hot.  I had to slather on the insect spray because the mosquitoes were very bad.  All in all, it was worth it.  I got some great shots of insects and garter snakes at the Cooking-Lake Blackfoot Recreation area.

I was excited yesterday when snowflakes were falling outside my window.  It doesn't matter that it was only September 8th.  The sight of snow means my favorite time of year is just around the corner.  I bought new skis/boots last spring and am ready to try them out

There is lots of work that needs to be done in the yard to get ready for winter.  I'm hoping to accomplish that over the next couple of weeks.  In addition to that, I'm hoping to get out on the trails to enjoy the beauty and smells of autumn.

I'll be posting regularly now that summer is over.  Please follow my blog and share the address with anyone that enjoys the great outdoors!

My binoculars were busy this evening.  The spontaneous trip to Elk Island National Park netted views of the many waterfowl babies that have hatched recently.  Every pond that I passed by had new families swimming in it.  Some of the mamas had up to 10 little ones trailing behind them.

Ravens swooped in and out of the willow thickets.  The red-winged blackbirds were trying to fight them off.  I guessed that the ravens were raiding the blackbird nests.

Some of the goslings that I've been watching for a few weeks are already half the size of their parents.  Many were grazing in the green grass that lined the ditch.

The park staff have slowed down the beavers.  The recently installed cage in the largest beaver pond is preventing the construction of a new lodge that would plug up the culvert.  I saw only one swimming beaver.

The best sighting this evening was that of a common snipe.  As I watched the duck families, I scanned the shoreline and saw a snipe sunning itself in muddy area.  It sat perfectly still as I approached.  I managed to snap a couple photos before it took flight.  Beautiful.

I was up early and it was beautiful outside so I decided to go on a road trip.  The highway led me to my favorite spot; David Thompson country.  I left home at 6:30am hoping for some good photo opportunities.

Two hours later I saw a Great Grey Owl sitting on a fence post facing a large field of tall grass.  It was watching and listening intently.  I stopped to snap a couple photographs.  It turned its head now and again to see what I was doing but it was more interested in catching breakfast.  I didn't stick around long enough to watch the hunt.  When I first saw it, I thought that it may have been the same owl that I saw on the last trip through but I knew it wasn't when I saw its beak.  The bottom half of the beak was deformed but the bird was big and healthy looking so it learned to adapt.

My first stop to stretch my legs was at Fish Lake.  The surface of the water was as smooth as glass.  A couple of kayaks were out in the distance.  People were fishing off the dock.  The lake must have been restocked recently with rainbow trout.  The little fish were jumping right out of the water.  I could see them swimming close to the shoreline.  If I would have had a net, I could have scooped them out of the water.

All those new little fingerlings created a smorgasbord for the loons.  I saw 3 pair swimming back and forth across the width of the lake; feeding on the new little fish.  They swam quite close to the shore; not bothered by the fishermen.

After watching them for a half hour, I hiked the trail that loops into the forest beside the lake.  There were so many wildflowers in bloom!  Indian paintbrush, columbine, shooting stares, lungwort and vetch were only a few.  There were many that I could not name.  

The blooming flowers brought out the bees and the butterflies.  They flitted from blossom to blossom gathering their food.

As I walked the trail I could smell wet pine needles.  Spongy green moss carpeted the forest floor.  The whiskey jacks flew from branch to branch in the tree tops and the squirrels chattered as I came by.

The low spots on the trail were filled with water.  There was a lot of rain during the past week.  The creeks in the area were flowing with more water than usual.

On my travels I saw a chipmunk for the first time.  I've seen lots of squirrels but never a chipmunk until today.  I'm looking forward to a couple of camping days in this area in the near future.  I'll be checking out some new trails and hoping to see more wildlife and wild flowers.

The rain let up this evening and I went for a walk at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre.  The air was fresh.  The greens were bright and the birds were singing.  Every once in awhile, the wildflowers provided a splash of color to break up the wall of green.  The honeysuckle was in full bloom.

When I arrived there, three families of geese were out for a walk around the edge of the pond.  As I walked by them, the adults hissed at me.  I kept one eye on the trail and the other on the geese, just in case I had to make a run for it.

The trail was so peaceful.  I could hear the water dripping from the leaves.  The sun tried peeking through the clouds but that was short-lived.  

I was almost to the end of the trail loop and had to make my way down a very steep, wet hill.  The mud on it was slippery and my rubber boots had no grip.  I think I invented a new sport, mud-skiing.  Note to self:  wear boots with better grip when going down steep, wet hills.  Good thing there was not too much mud at the bottom of the hill where I landed!

I got back to the pond and found a single beaver collecting branches for a new lodge.  The red winged blackbirds balanced carefully on the cattail heads and the tree swallows swooped through the air, capturing food for their young.

I got back to the house and noticed that the sugar water is going down in the oriole feeder.  I wonder if it's actually an oriole or if the hummers have been snacking at that feeder.  Looks like I'll have to set up a backyard stake out on my next day off.

Birds.  I have to say that I did not really pay too much attention to them until the hummingbirds began to frequent my yard a few years ago.  Since then, I've kept track of how many different species visit the yard each year and have learned more about the many species of waterfowl that frequent the nearby ponds.  

My favorite water birds by far are loons.  Hearing their haunting calls on a mountain lake is something I look forward to on each camping trip.  Well, camping season is short lived, so when not in the mountains, I've come to appreciate the local feathered population.  There are many that I've observed and still do not know their names and there are many that I've heard and still do not know their calls to ID them.  Nonetheless, it has come to be a regular part of my outings to pay attention to the swimmers and tweeters.

My backyard has a number of feeders in it.  They entice chickadees, nuthatches, bluejays, red-winged blackbirds, hummingbirds, orioles, magpies, pileated woodpeckers, downy and hairy woodpeckers, flickers, grosbeaks, goldfinches, purple finches, etc.  The poplar snag in my yard has deep holes created by the pileated woodpeckers.  The holes have become nesting spots for tree swallows and house wrens.  The nuthatches work their way up and down the loose bark collecting insects.  The local feathered friends have provided hours of entertainment.

During my trip to Elk Island yesterday, I was witness to a couple of crows raiding a blackbird nest.  Each one had an egg in their beak.  The parent blackbirds fought hard to keep the crows at bay.

The goslings at the park have started feeding in the water.  It has been fun to watch them grow. Some are beginning to grow their feathers.

The tree swallows at the Strathcona Wilderness Center provide entertainment to those heading to the hiking trails.  Anyone walking on the east trails must walk by the many birdhouses inhabited by the swallows.  If you get too close, you may have one of the swallows swooping at your head.

This morning not one but two blue herons flew over the road in front of my vehicle.  I was in no position to take a photograph but if I could have, I would not have needed a zoom lens.  What beautiful, graceful birds.

There have been many occasions that binoculars would have come in handy and I didn't have them along.  They now have a home in one pocket of my camera bag.  

I had a most productive day.  The bag of soil that has been sitting in my yard is now in a flower bed.  My vehicle is washed inside and out.  

After supper, I had two choices; sit down and read or go for a drive.  I chose the drive.  My eyes would have closed if I would have sat down with a book.

I made my way to Elk Island Park to see if any animals were out.  I checked out the ponds first.  At the beaver pond by Astotin Lake, the goslings were feeding in the water.  They were so loud that I could hear their slurping while I sat in my vehicle.

The beavers are going to keep the park staff busy all summer.  They have been building lodges that clog up the culverts.  The staff have had backhoes there on a couple of

occasions to break up the lodges.  Before long, the beavers have it clogged up again.  This time, the park staff have put up a cage-type structure that the beavers will not be able to penetrate.

I didn't see any beavers this evening but a muskrat was feeding on the edge of the pond.  It nibbled dandelions like it was its last meal.  

As I drove toward home, I thought that the best possible ending to a great day would be to see a moose.  I saw some willow branches move as I drove by and backed up to see what was creating the motion.  A moose head popped up from the shrubs.  

I pulled over and kept my eyes on the prize.  The moose was at the far end of the meadow.  I watched it move from one shrub to the next, feeding on the tender young branches.  It moved closer to where I was until it began drinking from a wet area right in front of me.  What a treat!

I came across a bison as well.  He was walking right down the middle of the highway.  It looked like he was doing a sobriety test.  He didn't veer off the yellow line!

The day was great from beginning to end.  In the morning, I was tempted to take off on a day trip but opted to get some work done around home.  I got so much accomplished and was treated to my favorite animal putting on a show for me.  Fantastic.

My outdoor time was split between Elk Island National Park and my backyard.  This morning I spent three peaceful hours exploring the ponds along the parkway and hiking the Beaver Pond Trail.  I hadn't been to that trail since all the ice and snow melted.  

I'm usually the sole soul on the trail on a weekday but I met up with 4 other people enjoying a morning trek.  It was quiet and peaceful and an excellent way to spend my outdoor time.  The birds were singing in chorus.  I've never heard as many different calls as I did today.

The wild flowers are in bloom.  Honeysuckle, lungwort, vetch, marsh marigolds, Canada violets, bunch berry and wild strawberries were just a few along the trail.  My favorite wild prairie roses are beginning to bloom as well.  In a couple of weeks the aroma of the roses will be permeating the air.

I stopped at the Bison Loop Trail on the way out of the park.  There were a number of bison calves with their mamas.  Some were resting in the tall grass while others were feeding.  Their red coats were easy to see in the green grass.

One little fellow was close to the road.  He was not to far from his mama.  I stopped to take a couple of photos and he fully cooperated.  What a treat to see these little ones.