Black-Crowned Night Heron Rookery near Airdrie

On my way home from Banff I spotted a bird on a fencepost and backed up to take a photo. It flew across this little pond and alerted me to a rookery on the rocks right near the road!Since I never get to use that word in normal everyday life, I have to add that I learned all about heron rookeries when I worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources in northwestern Ontario. These little guys looked hunched like tiny penguins. I looked them up when I got home and rather than being unique or critical, they are actually listed as of "LITTLE CONCERN" which I found funny. They are found all over the world and are very successful little herons. These ones lived beside highway 2, and you can see a new Airdrie subdivision in the background. However, no bird or animal should be taken for granted. Some day we may be criticized for not doing more to ensure they remain as successful and healthy as they apparently are today. Water protection is especially important for these birds who depend on it for food.

Rocky Mountain wildlife - Bighorn sheep and Black Bear

On my way home from BC, I was driving along towards Golden when I saw a bunch of people in a tiny parking lot off the highway...and this is why...These Bighorn Sheep are so used to people that they had no reason to move. I strategically faced them with my car, as I know my dogs would have barked if they had seen them, and that might have upset the animals (and made the tourists mad). About 30 minutes later, I saw a truck on the side of the road and so slowed down again - he was photographing this Black Bear on the railway tracks. I sidled along my car, and took this photo. He was closer than it looks and bears can move really fast. Mind you this one was licking salt, I believe.

Log boom on Shuswap Lake, Salmon Arm, BC

On my way to Vancouver last weekend, I stopped and took this photo of a log boom on Shuswap Lake, just on the outskirts of Salmon Arm BC. What a beautiful area! The shape of the hill in behind reminds me of Mt. McKay in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Except that Mt. McKay is usually photographed from the city-scape and not from the water. Here it is below, from the website http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_McKay_Thunder_Bay.JPG Boy, this photo below makes me homesick!

Alberta Skies on Canada Day

Fenceline at sunset, east of CalgaryLate afternoon on Canada Day, July 1, I could not stop taking pictures of the sky! It goes on forever here.

Black sky to the south above and below, a farm under a rainbow...Below, the sun lights up Calgary's downtown building on the horizon.
Sky looking west towards the mountains below...
Going north, the sky was clear! That was the way home.

My Herb Garden

I've always wanted to grow my own herbs so I put two hanging planters on my deck and filled them with sage, oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, and a few pretty flowers as well. As you can see, the cross is still on my little renovated church.

Since I am new at it, I left the labels in, to make sure I was not accidentally eating daisies or lobelia.

Here is my first harvest. I am making a prime rib roast, using a recipe from Chef Michael Smith - Chef at Home on the Food Network (http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=1750) I just need to add a few potatoes and it is ready to go in the oven! Having my own fresh herbs somehow makes me feel proud, and I am sure this will be even more delicious knowing that I grew them.
In the front of the house, I have put tomato plants against the iron planters. Stay tuned for tomato photos (I hope!)

Prayer Ribbons

In Buddhism they write a word or phrase on a ribbon and tie it to a tree or shrine and let the winds carry the prayer into the skies. I Googled some photos of prayer ribbons in Tibet and Mongolia and liked the looks of them, plus I liked the idea. So I bought a bunch of ribbons, and ended up with a lot of words to symbolize my prayers for family, friends, my dogs, work and new friends. The Alberta winds picked it right up. Later I moved it to a tree, and most of the ribbons ended up being ripped off and flying into the sky. Good prayers I guess!

Sunday Morning Piraka

When I was growing up my Estonian Grandma Kahara made Piraka every Sunday. They are the Estonian version of a 'perogy' but are baked, not fried or boiled. She put meat and rice, or eggs in hers, and they were delicious.

I have never tried making Piraka before - in fact for most of my adult life I did not even follow my own family's traditions. I am making up for lost time now that I have moved and am on my own! May 3 is my Mom's birthday, so I am remembering her with traditional family food.

I had to take photos to commemorate the moment. My new tablecloth has beautiful spring colours and reminds me of something my Grandma would have loved. I think putting that tablecloth on the table made me think of her cooking. And the Piraka are in my mother's pink bowl. Funny how family traditions stay with you even over a big move and over time.

They turned out great and seeing my hands covered with flour made me think of my Grandma and I felt close to my Mom and Grandma as I baked - first time baker but it must be in the blood. I am sharing these with friends in Calgary later this afternoon.