My Town Monday: Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...

Wow, it has been awhile since I did one of these. This post was inspired by a wonderful photo taken by someone else. I wasn't aware this was going on on Saturday or I might have tried to go there myself and take a photo or two. None of which would compare to this:



Darren Kirby kindly allowed me to post his photo and a link to his Flickr page. I think y'all should check out the rest of his fabulous photos.

This was the cattle drive through down town Edmonton. I just love the juxtaposition of the cattle and the ranchers on their horses, against the new and ultra modern Art Gallery of Alberta.

This marks the start of the Farmfair Agricultural Showcase here in the city, which is held in conjunction with the Canadian Finals Rodeo. Yep, we's cowboys here and we remember that before there was oil, there were ranches and farms. Of course, if we keep building the way we are going, there will be no place for the cows or the crops, but, such is progress?

So, from the 5th to the 14th of November, if you visit Edmonton, you'd better bring your boots and hats, or you will just blend in with the rest of the city slickers.

For more My Town Monday posts from all 'round the world, click here.

Have a good day all.

WWC - Our favorites of 2008

This was the hardest Weekly Word Challenge! Our task was to find our favourite photos that we took during 2008. I have never done well at critiquing my own work, so trying to pick a favorite was not easy. I look at things after and think,"oh, I should have", or "I could have", or "why didn't I" and find fault with everything.

So, in no particular order, her are a few that pass muster. Click to enlarge, please.


This Arctic Fox at the zoo, was the one on guard and kept peeking to see if I was still coming closer.

This is Lucy, getting her tongue scratched.

Classic pose I know, but black swans are just so beautiful. I cut off the top of his head, so I had to crop that closely around the rest to make it look like it was intended. Oh, well!

I like how the sun is filtered here, I don't have any photo editing installed yet, or I would have cropped this a bit.

Rocky Mountains from a long way away.



Foothills near Grand Cache.

Really low clouds near Grand Cache.

My sisters Clematis.

A pretty weed on Sis's farm.



Dragon boat, I liked how the sun flare almost looks like he is puffing steam.

Lily that I grew last summer.

Sunset over the river downtown.


Clouds building up for an overnight storm.



So, I hope you enjoyed my choices. The WWC is hosted by Tink of Pickled Beef, you can drop by her blog to see how to join the fun. It's a good thing I know her address, I don't have all my bookmarks loaded yet. On her site you will find a link to our Flickr site though. I should be able to link to it next week ;)

Have a good day all.

MTM: Bright Nights

I mentioned when I started doing the MTM posts that Edmonton is Festival City. Well, this is the only winter festival that I enjoy!

This event has been raising funds for charities and food for the Edmonton Food Bank for eleven years now. In the last few years they have been working towards being more energy efficient too and are claiming this season to be a "carbon-neutral event"!


“In our continued pursuit of environmental sustainability, we are pleased to have made so many strides with BrightNights,” says Chamber President and CEO Martin Salloum. “We are excited that this year we are not only bigger and brighter, but also greener.”






Alas, this year we have not managed to attend ourselves, the best night to go is the opening night. That is the night they allow you to walk through the park and they only allow city buses into the park. Or at least that is how they had it the one year we made it on the first night. The rest of the time it is open, you are driving your car through the park. Admittedly that is usually much warmer in this neck of the woods, but if you happen to be the one doing the driving your attention gets split and then you just get frustrated.

This year they have put some of these wonderful displays up in Churchill Square downtown and our Legislature grounds are always very prettily decorated. I might get a chance to get out a get some photos later this week.

Yes, I am still photo-less on my computer, so many thanks to the contributors above.

Have a good day all.

MTM is hosted by Travis Erwin.

EDIT: top three photos by: Douglas Dollars, bottom photo by: Susanne & Stefan Herz

Sorry I didn't get this in earlier, I am at work and actually had to do something!

WWC: Distorted & Clear

Here it is Tuesday again! My how time flies when you are having fun! Tuesdays are reserved for the Weekly Word Challenge on my and several other blogs. The WWC is hosted by the lovely Tink of Pickled Beef and if you drop by her site you can find out how to throw your photos into the ring. The words for this week are DISTORTED and CLEAR. Without further ado...

Click on any photo to enlarge.


Distorted reflections in the base of this glass.


Water gets Distorted running over rocks.


Clear glass gets Distorted to make pleasing shapes.


Champagne is good! Oh, um, yeah, it also gives Distorted images of the stuff behind it.


Clear pools and Distorted water.


This tree has been Distorted by wind and other things.


My dishes make Distorted reflections.


Clear Alberta blue skies!


Clear (and coloured) acrylic tumbler also makes Distorted images.


Clearly we had a big wind.


Clear glasses have Distorted the lines of the table.


This Jay can clearly hear the camera and is curious.



So, there we have this weeks words. Some of us have created a Flickr group if you would like to drop by and have a look at other images you are welcome to do so.

Have a good day all.

MTM: Valley Zoo

I must confess that I am torn as to how to write this post. Part of me doesn't like the idea of zoos while another part appreciates the opportunity to see wildlife that I would never otherwise get a chance to see. Zoos are also taking a hand in the preservation of many species that would otherwise be extinct in short order at the rate man is eating up the resources of this world.

Edmonton's Zoo is located on 5 acres in the river valley, hence the name Valley Zoo. Back in 1959 (gee that year sounds familiar) when I was born it was started, it was called the Storyland Valley Zoo. It was mostly a petting zoo and remnants of that are still there to be found:



Over the years, the zoo has evolved as most everything does and is now an educational facility as well. In 1992 it joined the international Species Survival Plan and is involved in programs for: Grevy's Zebra; Snow Leopards; Red Pandas; Siberian (Amur) Tigers & Goeldi's Monkeys.


The Valley Zoo is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton and in 2005 the city approved a master plan to revitalize and provide continuing developments to the zoo over the next 10 years. I can only hope that this means massive improvements to some of the enclosures, because frankly some of them are just sad right now.


Most of the birds at the zoo have arrived through rehabilitation programs & they put on a demonstration with the birds of prey during the summer months. The zoo partners with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton to preserve wildlife through education programs and events throughout the Edmonton area.



Lucy, is our very own artist in residence and she does some very interesting stuff. All the proceeds from her art sales goes right back into projects at the zoo. Needless to say the first and most impressive improvement was the elephant house.


As far as zoos go, the Valley Zoo is quite a young entity and we can only hope that the rising construction costs in this area will not put and end to the planned improvements. It was a wonderful morning to visit, but some of the exhibits were a bit disturbing as to their size.

Click on any of the photo mosaics, or you can drop by my Flickr site to see each photo. I will try to get them identified tonight. I unfortunately didn't get photos of everything (darned near though) and some of those I did get are not great - chain link and glass do interfere somewhat.


Have a good Monday all.

WWC: Moody & Bright

I can't imagine being evacuated from my home for any reason and then returning to face damage and insurance headaches. I would therefore like to take a moment to wish all the displaced bloggers from the Gulf States a speedy return to undamaged homes! Have my fingers crossed that the next that are coming are going to be babies.

Weekly Word Challenge, is brought to us by Tink of Pickled Beef, whom we all hope is high and dry as well. The words this week are Moody & Bright. If you would like to play along, drop by and see her and she will fill you in on all the details.


BRIGHT:

It may not appear so here, but this clock is bright enough to read by as it rotates through all these pretty colours.


I use eco-sensible light bulbs and they are very bright.


The moon was very bright a couple of weeks ago when it was full.


This is one of the bright yellow Marigolds from my yard this summer.



MOODY:

These silly fridge magnets are moody.


Moody clouds have been hanging around lately.


This nail polish changes colours with your mood.


You knew I had to have one...my mood ring.


If you would like to see more photos we have a group site at Flickr, as well I have my own site here.

Have a good day all.

WWC: Sour & Salty

Wow, I really suck this week! I had such great ideas for this weeks words too! I was just lucky to have a few things around the house to be able to get something to show you all. As you have gathered the words are Sour & Salty.

SOUR:

I like sour candy, and these taste just like lemon meringue pie!



I wanted something sour one day and thought I would try these...yes, sour, not great though.


The Absolut best in Vodka - the lemon makes it a bit sour and you can make so many sour drinks with it.

The good old standbys of any kitchen, Lemon & Lime juice to sour up anything.


SALTY

Back near the middle of last week, when it got rainy, I made these salty pretzels.



This is my salt supply for when I make pretzels.


This is a very old photo from one of our visits to Nova Scotia. This is the salty ocean near Peggy's Cove.

Same trip, this is the salty ocean on a beach in NS. (Dad, cousin & me, Sis coming out of the ocean on the far right.) Yes, the date on the edge says '75! Oh! and Dad was an old salt too!

So, how many of you were around in '75?

This has been The Weekly Word Challenge, brought to you by Tink of Pickled Beef! See her if you would like to join in the fun.

If you would like to see more photos, drop by our group Flickr site. You can also drop by my Flickr site here.

Have a good day all.