Tag Archives: Landscapes

nature, Photography

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As indicated in yesterday’s post, I have happily arrived back in British Columbia and it looks very much like I won’t be returning to the NWT for any length of time before I retire in a few months from now. So, M and I have been enjoying something of a small celebration which is great because it’s coinciding with the long May weekend.

Okanagan Lake serenity.

We have already taken a few long walks (without mosquitoes!) and have been enjoying the relatively smoke-free weather and lovely temperatures. There have also been regular rain showers which, apart from keeping the hills damp, are also helping to clean the air of smoke particles.

Okanagan Lake is still and calm.

The famous Penticton market is open, people are swimming, the dog beaches are active and so many late spring flowers are blooming. I haven’t experienced the month of May in Penticton for a number of years now, so I am really enjoying this.

Greetings from the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

nature, Photography

Blooming Everywhere!

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I am at home in British Columbia where everything is a-bloom.

Common viburnum.
Rue or Basket of Gold
This rue was being used as a ground cover, but it’s beautiful in a hanging pot, too.
Viburnum opulus (aka hydrangeas). This is a sub-species of the plant in the first picture, but it has been hybridized to produce these rich, dense blooms.

Isn’t spring great? Happy Saturday.

nature, Photography

Blue Jay

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This member of the corvid (crows, ravens, magpies) family is a colourfully noisy addition to a back yard, especially if you have some sunflower seeds available.

Although they have very loud voices, they aren’t aggressive birds and they get along well with others. I enjoy watching them fly; their wings are almost like a blue and white kaleidoscope.

And, of course, the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team is named after them. Go Jays!

nature, Photography

Rocky Mountains – Kicking Horse Pass

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I am on my way back to British Columbia from the Northwest Territories, this time via a more southerly route than the one I usually take.

Entering the Rocky Mountains through smoky skies.

Because of this extremely dry, early spring, there are ferocious wildfires in northern Alberta right now. The smoke from these fires is blanketing much of North America.

As we travelled west, the smoke over the Rockies began to decrease.

As we left the Territories, there were many evacuations and our drive through northern Alberta became rather tense when we encountered a long stretch of very dark, orange-hued, smoke-filled skies.

Although these views appear to be very smoky, this is an improvement over what we experienced in northern Alberta.
Entering the Kicking Horse Pass.

Long, gentle, soaking rains would be an excellent thing right now. Let’s hope we get some.

Commentary, nature, Photography

Woodland Caribou

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The woodland caribou is known in Europe as reindeer, so it’s appropriate that they inhabit the Northwest Territories, or “Santa country.”

They actually don’t live northwards enough to call the true North Pole their neighbourhood though, because as their name indicates, they prefer wooded areas.

Shy and somewhat introverted, they are sociable only in small numbers and inhabit the same small area for their entire lives; they don’t migrate.

Unfortunately, their numbers are also dropping. Efforts are being made to help them recover, and the Northwest Territories’ woodland caribou are starting to do better.

Happy Saturday.