Once more, here is a “looking back” post containing pictures from years ago; these photos aren’t necessarily great but are important to me. There are three earlier posts in this series; you can find them here if you’re interested:
In the last post, I left off in 2017 with my arrival in the Northwest Territories. I would work there for the next six years and eight months, concluding with my retirement in October, 2023.
This time, I’m looking back at some of the bear photographs I was able to take during my NWT time; one of them is an all-time favourite.
We spotted this tired-looking spring bear, probably a yearling, while returning from a hike in April, 2018. We were safely in our truck when we saw him.This bear was very determinedly getting through the deep snow. Did he have a very important date to keep? This may look like a winter picture, but I actually took this one in late May, 2022, while on my way to a conference. In NWT, it can snow at any time between mid-August and mid-June.This bear was a very big guy and still looking sleepy in early May, 2021.This young bear from June, 2021, was very curious about us and looked at us just as much as we looked at him; it’s one of my all-time favourite photos. He was probably wondering if we had something more interesting to eat than plain salad!
An uncommon intersection is occurring today: a leap year, a lion-like in-coming March and, I hope, an out-going lamb-like March.
The last time we had a February 29 was in 2020, and I hope there isn’t a repeat of what was shortly to follow, of what had actually already started. I was still in the Northwest Territories then, and I took this picture of children having immense fun playing on a giant pile of snow that had been pushed up by road-clearing vehicles. None of us knew it then, but they were coming up to having their fun seriously curtailed. March was arriving like a lamb, but Covid’s hobnailed boots were about to teach us a thing or two. Fortunately however, we are past that.
Herewith are some lion-like March starts:
NWT: cleaning up after a huge early March storm in 2022. NWT: an icicle, my heavy-duty truck plug-in cord and another early March clean-up, 2021.Penticton: a leaden, windy, chilly lion-like late February sky, 2024.
Some lamb-like March departures – I like the lambs more, don’t you?
Jasper National Park: April 2, 2023. NWT: an April 1 blue sky, 2022. NWT: under a bright blue April 2 sky in 2021.
And last but not least:
Vancouver Island: hiking in a rainforest, March 27, 2019.
More often than not, March has done its lion- like best but has meekly disappeared by the time April arrives. Although we need a coolish, slower spring in order to facilitate our continued drought recovery – and to mitigate forest fires, too – there’s no reason why some sun and blue skies can’t be a part of that.
Penticton: May azaleas, 2023.
Happy Leap Year. It’s much better than the last one.
I was recently thinking about where I was this time last year, both literally and figuratively.
November 7, 2022, Northwest Territories. A relatively small snowfall covering my truck. November 28, 2022, Northwest Territories. The eaves of my house over the living room windows.
2023
I didn’t have a November 7 picture from this year, so here is November 9, 2023, Penticton, British Columbia. November 28, 2023, Dominicana. Sand, but no snow!
I loved working in the Northwest Territories, but I am happy to be where I am now – a lot warmer, whether that’s Dominicana or Penticton.
Once we left High Level, Alberta, and headed due north, we encountered temperatures at 0° accompanied by a freezing rain/snow mix. It made driving interesting, to say the least.
A snowy and frozen road surface. At times the visibility was quite poor, but the trees were accumulating a lovely white coating. A sun-ray sneaks through the overcast.
Happy Wednesday from the snowy Northwest Territories.
After entering the Northwest Territories, we encountered very high temperatures (certainly for this area in mid-August) and then a huge rain storm with pancake-size raindrops, sustained fork lightning and high winds. It was quite a display.
Entering the storm.
I tried to get a picture of a lightening fork, but missed on all my attempts.
Storm dispersal.
My understanding is that the prairies and southern Northwest Territories are going to get a series of hot days followed by these intense storms, some of which may contain hail or may become tornadoes. Fingers crossed, we skip those.
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