2009-04-27

WWC: "R" & Angry

I couldn't very well skip out on this weeks letter now could I?

The letter "R" has a special place in my initials!

Angry was harder to do - no-one wanted to make an angry face for me to post on the web!

So, I give you:




Angry face!





















An old "R" key chain.

















Reb with an Angry face!














I was going to try to use one photo to convey both the Letter and the word today, but, that is like asking me to pick one hair colour for the rest of my life, or one pair of earrings!

This was the Weekly Word Challenge - our lovely hostess Tink at Pickled Beef has the scoop, should you wish to join us.

Have a good day all.

Spring cleaning

I have such a mess in my tiny apartment, that I can barely move around. Therefore, I am taking a short time off to get some cleaning done blow out some cobwebs and maybe when I come back I will have more to blog about. I know, I have been very lax lately! I will still do the WWC tomorrow, and drop by and comment occasionally, but I won't be posting for about a week, maybe longer.

Take care all.

2009-04-21

WWC: Door & Home

Last week the WWC was hosted by everyone's favourite Cynical Bastard Jay, he gave us the words Home & Door for this week's challenge. So here we go...I had to dig into the archives this week, I was a bit lazy. Some will enlarge if you click on them.




Doors at the back of the old bus barns, now used for the old street car.










Me at the front door of what was home for a few years.

















If I have been out of province or country, I know I am home when I see these!












I used to love walking east down the road in front of our home where I grew up, watching the shadows stretch with the setting sun.

















Wherever he is is home.














The back door to the old homestead.












The front door of the home mom designed and I grew up in - the boys were the twins of the dentist that shared the waiting room with my dad. As you can see, the grass isn't even in yet.



I also think I inherited my mom's crooked photographers eye ;) except I tilt the other way!








Tink is back and hosting again, so if you would like to join us, drop by Pickled Beef and she will give you the scoop.

Have a good day all.

2009-04-19

MTM: Road Trip to Bragg Creek

We took a little road trip last (Easter) Sunday down to Bragg Creek and, well, I can't resist taking pictures ;) Now, I must admit I have not got a lot of knowledge about the area around Bragg Creek, I have only been there by the good nature of my friends, so I see what they want to see and don't get much chance to explore. Frankly, I am just happy to get out of the city and close to the mountains. Click to enlarge on any photo.






These next few were taken from many miles away on Hwy 22 after lunch in Olds.



















































Once in Bragg Creek, the trick is to find parking.












As you can see the little shopping centre (the reason to go there) parking area is packed, most of it is given over to bikers. Sadly our favourite little shop is now history. The replacement is not as exciting, so I don't imagine we will be back any time soon,









Some kind person picked up this fallen nest, I don't imagine it will ever be used again though.










After a wander through the shops, we headed a bit further south, that is until the hwy was closed to traffic. We stopped and took a chance to stretch and take photos. We were looking for an alternate route home, but that ended rather abruptly. I also think we would have run out of road looking at the map anyway.








It gave us an opportunity to stop in at the Provincial park at Bragg Creek and take some more photos. (Yes, there is a person reading on the picnic table there - there were lots of people picnicking)





















Then we were able to stop and get a good shot of the creek in melt.













And learn a bit about the area.













On the way back we stopped to get a photo of the hoodoos and if you enlarge, you can see a hawk or eagle on the tree at the top of the hill. Sadly, he had a bit to much to drink and is blurry.









The setting sun as we near home.












On a clear day in Alberta you can see forever!
Same stop as the above photo.











Just about home (12 hours later) and the sun and clouds were conspiring to make super essess!











Here is a map of the trip. We wound up going back the same way as we got a bit of a late start. I hope you enjoyed our trip almost to the mountains. The deer and goats and birds we saw were just too fast for me to capture from a moving vehicle this trip.




View Bragg Creek Day trip in a larger map

MTM is the creation of Travis Erwin, drop by and visit other blogs from around the world.

Have a good day all.

2009-04-15

Thematic Photographic

Carmi at Written Inc hosts the Thematic Photographic and this week is "Floral". As I live in the frozen north, this is from my archive from last July. It is also my favourite flower photo from the summer.




Have a good day all!

2009-04-14

WWC: "P" & Favourite Movie

Time once again for the Weekly Word Challenge. These are getting more challenging, this week we have the letter "P" and "Favourite Movie - People, places or things that remind you of it! I had to use mosaics this week, once I got thinking about things to represent movies, I got a bit carried away ;) Click on any to enlarge.




"P"

Icy Puddles, Puddles, Puppies, Post Office and Stores that start with "P"








Movies - Disney and Muppets:


Snuffleupagus, Cinderella, Lady & the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, Shrek III, Lion King (twice) Bambi.













Movies - old stand bys:


A River Runs Through it (or The River Wild), Maltese Falcon, Easy Rider, Birds.















Movies - Sci-Fi/Fantasy & Cult:

Star Wars, Ladyhawk, Dragon Wars, Rocky Horror Picture Show (Eddie), Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Little Shop of Horrors (dentist)






I couldn't find an immense silver shoe or sails for the Sydney Opera House, so that I could give you The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - I am so ashamed ;)

Yes, I have a wide and varied love of movies not to mention a bit of a sick sense of humour.

This week the WWC is being hosted by the oh so Cynical Bastard himself while Tink is off having adventures.

Have a good day all.

2009-04-12

MTM: Elk Island National Park

Elk Island National Park, is located about an hours drive west of Edmonton and it is well worth the trip. The park encompasses three large lakes and several small lakes, there are camping sites, picnic areas & boat launches. You can swim, bird watch, hike, cross-country ski, or pretty much anything else you can think of there. It is also a Dark Sky Preserve.





One thing you must do though is look for bison!












They will hurry to get out of your way, sometimes.






Unfortunately this early in spring the paddock isn't open, so you can't drive right beside them and have them ignore you as they graze.












However, from the paddock, you can almost reach out from your truck and touch them - not that I would in any way recommend that you try.









This is Astotin Lake, still covered in snow and ice on April 6th!














But the trees were showing encouraging signs of spring!











There are a couple of islands in Astotin Lake.














At the top of the paved trail at Sandy Beach, they had a fire going, just in case we were cold. Or had been doing something silly like exerting ourselves and wanted to rest ;)














Kalon didn't need the fire, just to get his feet off the pavement (and out of the bison droppings)!












They seem to have cleared the snow off of the beach, no idea why, maybe so that they don't lose too much sand in the melt?













Astotin Lake again, from beach side.












At Astotin Lake, near the parking lot and picnic areas, is the Ukrainian Pioneer Home.











In the middle of a smaller body of water, you might see a beaver lodge - then again, that may not be one in the photo. (it just doesn't quite look right)









This trip would be the first time I have ever been to Elk Island Park and have seen an Elk (or two).











That is really at the end of the range of my camera, but the closest one is very young by the looks of him/her.














This is Tawayik Lake, the second of the large lakes on the north side of the hwy that divides the park. It is apparently better for viewing waterfowl that Astotin Lake.









As we were heading home, these fellows decided to stand by the fence along the hwy for us.















He was just being a bit anti-social.












All in all it was a glorious day and I didn't get the camera wet when the snow gave out under my feet, just the knees of my pants.









Hopefully we will get back a few more times over the summer and I can give you a better idea of how beautiful it is. The third lake is on the other side of Hwy 16 and I am pretty sure it is not accessible by vehicle, you would have to hike, or exert yourself in some manner to get there ;)

This is a map of the park and here, is a map of where in Alberta you can find the park.

This was My Town Monday - hosted by the multi-talented Travis Erwin, click over to learn more about other towns and places around the globe.

Have a good day all.