In early May in central Alberta we are just beginning to see signs of spring. There are tiny green buds on the birch trees and when the sun shines on them they have a subtle green glow. The signs of beaver activity are everywhere. They have felled a lot of trees that lie near the […]
I am very fortunate to live only half an hour away from Elk Island National Park where there are about 400 plains bison and 300 wood bison. It is the only fully fenced national park in the country, and the fencing is necessary because the bison population is being actively managed. The fence is there […]
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate.Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. William Shakespeare
These painted particleboard fence panels have dried out over the years to create these interesting textures. I wanted to take a few pictures just to capture the details in case the home owner decides to take these panels out and build a new fence. It is a little bit of unintentional art in the ordinary.
This is one of many houses near Edmonton city centre that have become old and disused. Some are a hundred years old. They would cost a fortune to renovate and retrofit, so they sit empty. The boards across the doors and windows are an attempt to keep out the homeless, but in a Canadian winter […]
I have a fairly new camera and a very new lens which I tried for the first time today. After a walk to Borden Park, I sat down on a bench to get myself sorted out. Much to my dismay, I realized that I had left my camera on after I had used it two […]
On a bright but chilly day this week I walked with my younger son through Strathearn and into Forest Heights Park. It was a longer walk than we expected, covering 4.7 km (nearly 3 miles), but very enjoyable. We saw some new views of the city and got caught up on all our news.
Suddenly today the temperature went up to 14C and nearly all the snow disappeared within a few hours. The sun was shining and the sky was blue as my eldest son and I went for a walk in Whitemud Park in Edmonton. The river still has a frozen surface, but everywhere else we saw bare […]
As my Covid-19 and winter hibernation has continued, a stalagmite outside the door to my suite has evolved. In the absence of anything else to look at, I have been noticing how it has changed. This ice tower grows beneath the vent from the furnace to my home. As the hot air leaves the house, […]
Edmonton has lots of great parks and yesterday I visited one that is a popular site for festivals, walks, skiing, skating, and picnics. Hawrelak Park has hosted ice castles, Shakespeare festivals, Heritage Days, and the International Food Festival. It is named for a popular Mayor; William Hawrelak who was quite a character. He was mayor […]
Yesterday my eldest son introduced me to a park I had not visited before, and it was a treat. Capilano Park provides walking trails, skiing trails, and an off-leash dog park. It also has great views of the city of Edmonton and the North Saskatchewan River. I was a little nervous that I might slip […]
The moon seemed larger and brighter than usual this evening. Here are a few pictures and a little Bing Crosby.
After several days of bitterly cold weather, today was a balmy 4 C (39F). The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the North Saskatchewan River was white. It was a perfect day for a walk, and I took lots of pictures. Here are some of them.
Everywhere we go in any city in the western world, we are being video-recorded. In stores, outside banks, at intersections, and anywhere near a doorbell camera or security camera. We have become so used to it that we don’t even think about it any more. Yesterday, though, I was given a reason to think about […]
