Caught between a rock and a hard place

Lol, I know there's a much better title for this shot, but my brain is just too tired to function! Maybe something along the lines of "Hmmm, wonder if I can move this one?" or "Hmmm, I THINK it's just the common lichen species"? All I know is that it's a really crummy day out there, yet again. STILL snowing and as dreary as can be. I was supposed to go on a birding walk this morning, but can't face the thought of having to clear the snow off my car and then walk for three hours in -13C (windchill -20C) temperatrures. Been doing it for six months now, and enough is enough, ha. The rest of the week looks like it's expected to be much better, thank goodness. Stay warm, everyone!

On 10 August 2013, I went with friend Sandy to Bow Lake, in Banff National Park. It is located along Highway 93, the Icefields Parkway, said to be the most beautiful, scenic road in the world. She had seen a tiny Liverwort (non-vascular plant) maybe a week earlier on a different trip and wanted to go back to check it at a later stage, and asked if I'd like to go with her. How lucky I am! She had hoped that it might be a particular rare species, but as it turned out, it wasn't. Still an interesting species to add to the list of flora and fauna for the area. We walked very slowly along the Bow Glacier Trail, which runs along the right hand edge of the lake, searching for anything of interest and beauty. We went as far as the second rock fall, but didn't hike up to the Bow Glacier Falls. At the first rock fall, we were entertained, while having lunch, by several of these small Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels. They look rather similar to a Chipmunk and are very fast-moving animals, ha. They love a rocky mountain slope for their habitat. I posted a second, previously posted photo in a comment box.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-mantled_ground_squirrel

This photo is in the following SETS:

WILD ANIMALS OF ALBERTA 2
www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/sets/72157627108424381/

BOW LAKE & BOW GLACIER TRAIL
www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/sets/72157635021387503/

EXPLORE, FLICKR
www.flickr.com/photos/annkelliott/sets/72157594372373773