Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: granaries

A week ago, on 17 September 2017, after noticing snowflake icons in the weather forecast for Calgary this week, I decided I would do a drive east and north-east of the city. In 2016, I had done a similar drive with my daughter, but this time I did not go as far as Drumheller. Actually, I still drove quite a bit further than I had intended - 346 km, 215 miles. If I had had enough self-discipline, I would have left home much earlier, as it was 11:20 am when I finally got into my car. My intention was to drive a few back roads, searching for old barns. Most of my drive was on highways, simply for the purpose of saving time, so it wasn't till I was more or less at the furthest point that I actually saw a barn. I think my first stop was at Sharples - I couldn't see a sign pointing to this old grain elevator, so it took me a while to find the hilly, gravel road leading to it. By this time, unfortunately, there was a haze over the landscape and the light was far from good. Having driven so far, I was determined to take photos. As with any beautiful old elevator or barn, it will be a sad day when this one finally collapses. It certainly does not look in good condition, with its outer layer (fire retardant?) peeling badly. "The Elevator is marked P&H. This company, Parrish & Heimbecker, was one of the smaller players in the Canadian grain industry with a fewer number of elevators seen when compared to the big boys like UGG (United Grain Growers), Pioneer and the Alberta Wheat Pool (“The Pool”). Interestingly, each elevator company used specific colours on their structures making identifying them a fairly easy task. P&H mostly used either silver like what’s seen here, or a light yellow-ish colour – most other companies stuck to one colour. The elevator here was built just after the rail line was opened (early 1920s) and the large annex attached was added some twenty years later. An annex like this was a quick and easy way to increase capacity and a large elevator allowed for more efficient loading of rail cars. While solid looking, the building is succumbing to the elements. The siding in particular is starting to peeling away. There used to be a second elevator here, an AWP, Alberta Wheat Pool built late 1920s, that was torn down in the 1980s." From the link below that leads to an excellent site by Chris and Connie "bigdoer". www.bigdoer.com/461/exploring-history/sharples-alberta-gh... While I was standing there, taking photos of the grain elevator and the old barn that isn't seen in this photo, a farmer came down to the gravel road on his tractor and stopped to have a pleasant chat. I guess I could have asked for permission to walk closer to the barn, but it is not on his property. Anyway, I never go close to barns or go inside, as I never ask for permission. That doesn't stop a lot of photographers, but I can't do it. I told this pleasant man that I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere, and he said that we WERE in the middle of nowhere, ha. I was planning to go back the same way I had come, but he told me that there was an old house the other way, that people photograph. That changed my mind, though I knew I would continue to feel in the middle of nowhere. Definitely worth it, as I also came across a site of old, abandoned miners' cabins before reaching the old house. When coal was no longer mined, the area was left and the railway lines were torn up at a later date. One other abandoned house I passed was one that my daughter and I had found last year. It was built among the rolling hills, far, far away from any road, and is a very impressive sight. This year, they were doing road work repair by a bridge just a matter of feet away from the only possible place to pull over and stop. Thankfully, I was still able to stop and take photos. The last place I stopped on the way home was to take a few shots of this row of five old granaries. They are quite popular with photographers. Thought I'd add a black and white version, for a change. Altogether, a good few hours out. Though I didn't see a lot, the things I did see were most welcome and appreciated. I was glad to get in one more long drive before 'the white stuff' arrives and keeps me close to home. It has already fallen to the west of us.

Eleven years ago today, I posted my very first photo on Flickr - of a Savannah Sparrow seen in Weaselhead/North Glenmore Park : ) Amazing how time flies! This photo was taken two days ago, on 25 August 2017, when I at last did a long-overdue drive east of the city. This is my least favourite direction in which to drive from the city and I have to say it stresses me out so much. Once I reach the back roads, I can relax a little, but I am always worried about getting lost. I added a bit of filter in post-processing, to get rid of some of the heat distortion. The best few minutes in the five and a half hours I was out were when I came across a beautiful Swainson's Hawk juvenile perched on a fence post. Finally, a hawk perched along a back road, where I could stop. Amazingly, not one single vehicle came along while I was there. It felt so good to get a few photos of a hawk in the wild, unlike the ones I photographed recently at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre. I had really hoped I would see a perched hawk and, in fact, I had seen another one earlier in my drive, though that one was more distant. That's all I needed, to make me feel happy and that the drive was worthwhile. For the first time ever, and after having driven past the location other times, I stopped at Weed Lake (south end). Lots of birds, but most were really too far to photograph. Still, I was happy to see a Killdeer and what I think was a little Semipalmated Plover close enough to get a few shots. One disturbing thing I found on the path was a large dead, white bird with a long neck. There were two cylindrical canisters on top of the remains - looks like these were empty fireworks. No idea how long this body had been there, or if anyone else has seen it there. Added later: apparently, this dead Swan has been there since at least April of this year.

I have added a previously posted photo to a comment box below, showing the original row of five old granaries. These colourful sheds have been photographed by so many photographers over the years. When I saw the For Sale sign on the fence quite a long time ago, my big concern was whether new owners would leave these granaries standing. Each time I stopped by, I stood and looked to see if there was anyone working in the huge field, so that I could mention how popular these buildings are with photographers, but I was always out of luck. It was so upsetting to see a photo posted by friend Ron a few days ago, breaking the news that two of these have been removed! I was able to take this quick, distant shot the other evening when I was on Don Stiles' Bluebird route trip - we didn't go on the actual road where the sheds are. Makes me wonder if any of them will be standing next time I drive over there. Such a great pity! Another piece of upsetting news the other day was that a couple who went on this Bluebird trip had very recently found a dead Great Gray Owl in the area. Possibly one of the two adults that I photographed two or three weeks ago? I don't know if it had been hit by a car. Anyway, in the morning of this particular day, 30 June 2016, I just made it in time for a botany visit to our main naturalist leader's home and garden. He and his wife have an amazing garden, full of so many kinds of flowers, including a good variety of native plants. One of my favourites is Showy Milkweed - love the cluster of individual flowers growing on a rounded head. These plants have spread over a lot of the front garden. All they need now is for Monarch butterflies to fly a bit further north than they usually do and discover this little bit of butterfly heaven. In 2012, though, it was very unusual, as people were seeing a few of these amazing butterflies in Alberta, including in Calgary. I even got to see and photograph a few Monarch caterpillars in this garden, for the very first and last time. Our leader also has a large vegetable garden. One thing that always fascinates me is the Egyptian Walking Onion. Each one seems to take on its own artistic shape and I love to photograph these - both fascinating and quite beautiful. In the afternoon of this day, we experienced a huge rain and hail storm. Fortunately, it cleared up in time to go on Don Stiles' annual evening Bluebird route trip. I always look forward to going with Don on his nest box route, checking on a few of the boxes and finding either Bluebird or Tree Swallow eggs or babies. Don records all the information about numbers and dates, and also demonstrates how he carefully bands the young birds. Thanks, as always, Don, for an enjoyable evening outing and thank you for all the many, many years (must be somewhere around 35?) you have spent helping to preserve our beautiful Bluebirds. We all enjoyed seeing the various other bird species during the evening, too.

I added a filter in post-processing to this image, trying to minimize the really bad heat haze distortion that had given the photo a rather unpleasant bluriness. Never before had I seen The Famous Five from this angle, as I had never driven along this particular road. You can see the new coniferous trees that were recently planted along the fence line and within the field, added by the new landowners. I really hope that they let the row of granaries stay there. In the morning of 25 September 2015, six of us were lucky enough to explore a tiny part of the land belonging to Frances and David Dover. For two of us (myself and our leader), this was our second visit - for the rest, it was a first time there. This photo was taken looking across the large pond on the Dovers' property. I will copy and paste the description I posted on Flickr from our first visit to the Dover's acreage, on 7 August 2015 (to jog my own memory!): "Yesterday, 7 August 2015, four of us were extremely fortunate to have the chance to visit the home and highly varied topographic 62-acre property belonging to Frances and David Dover. We felt honoured and privileged to meet and spend time with Frances and David, and also their daughter Carolyn and her husband Clair. A delightful family who welcomed us so warmly into their home and land. This acreage of grassland, forest, rolling hills - and special gardens - is not far from Millarville, SW of Calgary. In fact, it's in an area that I often drive through when I only have time for, or only feel like doing, a short drive. Amazing what little gems exist out there. This is not just a beautiful property, but is very special for various reasons. For one thing, read any history of Alberta and you will find the Dover family, including David's mother, Mary Dover. Second, among the trees and open "lawns", there are Peony flower beds, containing 100-150 heritage Peonies, each one different, that have now multiplied to more than 300 plants. Unfortunately, they bloomed a couple of weeks early this year, and all the flowers had gone to seed. Another open area had a different kind of ground cover - Thyme, which smelled wonderful. If I remember correctly, this was the open space where the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra performed on one occasion! There are two large ponds on the property and another smaller area of water that they hope to turn into a Japanese Garden. It was while walking around the latter that a large brown 'shape' could be seen through the dense trees - a handsome Moose buck. I will look properly at the four or so photos I just managed to get and will slip one of them into my photostream sometime soon, just for the record, definitely not for the photo quality : ) This was also where a Great Horned Owl was seen flying through the trees by some of us (not me, ha!). There are grassy paths winding through the acreage, up and down hill, that take David seven hours to mow. They are not pristine, velvety paths, but instead, they seem to take nothing away from the wildness of the whole area. One of the animals that have passed through is the Cougar. In fact, several years ago, I saw a video taken on a nearby (or adjacent?) property, where a 'kill' and night-time camera had been set up and a total of six different Cougar individuals were seen! Even the Dover's home is unique and beautiful. It is completely built of concrete - floors, walls, ceilings, roof, deck, and so on. A Hummingbird feeder and regular bird feeders, set up on the patio, attract a variety of birds. We sat on the patio after our walk to eat our packed lunches - and to enjoy a delicious Orange Pound Cake that Frances had made for us, along with refreshing Iced Tea - thank you so much for this, Frances! Yesterday, while I was waiting for one of three tiny Calliope Hummingbirds to come back, I was lucky enough to see a little Mountain Chickadee, along with many Pine Siskins. We could also hear a Red-tailed Hawk in the area. There is just so much I could write about this visit and family. Instead, or for now, I will add several links to more information on the Internet. This was a memorable day for us. Thank you so much, Frances and David, Carolyn and Clair, for being so kind and welcoming us into your home and gardens. books.google.ca/books?id=Tr36Tq_gadcC&pg=PA290&lp... www.westernwheel.com/article/20110727/WHE06/307279983/-1/... David's mother, Mary Dover (her father was A. E. Cross), was "a dynamic and distinguished Calgarian, particularly known for her work with the military during World War II." As well as being an army officer, and an alderman, she was also a preservationist. See the following link. www.albertachampions.org/champions-mary_dover.htm#.VcY1KP... ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesMainResults.aspx?XC=/searc... glencoe.org/documents/10184/637479/The-History-of-Elbow-P... page 44-45 ." After our visit to the Dover's on 25 September 2015, I decided to drive eastwards along a road that I'd never driven before, until I reached the main road going south. From there, it was a fairly short drive to the Saskatoon Farm. As usual, I wandered round the grounds with my camera and then, when I was ready to leave, I ordered a pizza to take home with me. The inside of the gift shop has recently been renovated and they now have a pizza oven and area. Or should I say, they "had", as the last time I called in, I was told that they no longer make the pizzas.

Six days ago, on 7 November 2015, I was out all day with my daughter. She had asked if I wanted to go to several Christmas Fairs south of Calgary, including Millarville and Okotoks. Then, in the evening, I was out at the annual 'Banquet' for the nature group I belong to. So, the whole day was most enjoyable. I think half of Calgary, as well as everyone from the surrounding areas, were there at the same Christmas markets. Everywhere was absolutely packed! Normally, I don't go to any Christmas fairs any more, but it does make a lovely day out with my daughter. Each Christmas, I treat myself to one new thing, and this year was no exception : ) Also bought a Bison and roast vegetable pie from the Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch exhibit, the first time I had ever tried anything from them. Our drive in between fairs took us through some beautiful scenery. I absolutely love our rolling hills with the Rocky Mountains in the distance. Love them at any time of the year, but I especially love to see them in fall and when covered in snow. Took this shot when we stopped to photograph this row of six wooden granaries plus two round silos (just off to the left).

Yesterday, 7 August 2015, four of us were extremely fortunate to have the chance to visit the home and highly varied topographic 62-acre property belonging to Frances and David Dover. We felt honoured and privileged to meet and spend time with Frances and David, and also their daughter Carolyn and her husband Clair. A delightful family who welcomed us so warmly into their home and land. This acreage of grassland, forest, rolling hills - and special gardens - is not far from Millarville, SW of Calgary. In fact, it's in an area that I often drive through when I only have time for, or only feel like doing, a short drive. Amazing what little gems exist out there. This is not just a beautiful property, but is very special for various reasons. For one thing, read any history of Alberta and you will find the Dover family, including David's mother, Mary Dover. Second, among the trees and open "lawns", there are Peony flower beds, containing 100-150 heritage Peonies, each one different, that have now multiplied to more than 300 plants. Unfortunately, they bloomed a couple of weeks early this year, and all the flowers had gone to seed. Another open area had a different kind of ground cover - Thyme, which smelled wonderful. If I remember correctly, this was the open space where the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra playing on one occasion! There are two large ponds on the property and another smaller area of water that they hope to turn into a Japanese Garden. There is a total of seven wetland basins, including these. It was while walking around the latter that a large brown 'shape' could be seen through the dense trees - a handsome Moose buck. I will look properly at the four or so photos I just managed to get and will slip one of them into my photostream sometime soon, just for the record, definitely not for the photo quality : ) This was also where a Great Horned Owl was seen flying through the trees by some of us (not me, ha!). There are grassy paths winding through the acreage, up and down hill, that take David seven hours to mow. They are not pristine, velvety paths, but instead, they seem to take nothing away from the wildness of the whole area. One of the animals that have passed through is the Cougar. In fact, several years ago, I saw a video taken on a nearby (or adjacent?) property, where a 'kill' and night-time camera had been set up and a total of six different Cougar individuals were seen! Even the Dover's home is unique and beautiful. It is completely built of concrete - floors, walls, ceilings, roof, deck, and so on. A Hummingbird feeder and regular bird feeders, set up on the patio, attract a variety of birds. We sat on the patio after our walk to eat our packed lunches - and to enjoy a delicious Orange Pound Cake that Frances had made for us, along with refreshing Iced Tea - thank you so much for this, Frances! Yesterday, while I was waiting for one of three tiny Calliope Hummingbirds to come back, I was lucky enough to see a little Mountain Chickadee, along with many Pine Siskins. We could also hear a Red-tailed Hawk in the area. There is just so much I could write about this visit and family. Instead, or for now, I will add several links to more information on the Internet. This was a memorable day for us. Thank you so much, Frances and David, Carolyn and Clair, for being so kind and welcoming us into your home and gardens. books.google.ca/books?id=Tr36Tq_gadcC&pg=PA290&lp... www.westernwheel.com/article/20110727/WHE06/307279983/-1/... David's mother, Mary Dover (her father was A. E. Cross), was "a dynamic and distinguished Calgarian, particularly known for her work with the military during World War II." As well as being an army officer, and an alderman, she was also a preservationist. See the following link. www.albertachampions.org/champions-mary_dover.htm#.VcY1KP... ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesMainResults.aspx?XC=/searc... glencoe.org/documents/10184/637479/The-History-of-Elbow-P... page 44-45 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ On the way home, I couldn't resist stopping at this familiar row of colourful old granaries. I had seen someone's photo, taken fairly recently, of the surrounding fields golden with Canola. I was, sadly, too late, but I took a photo anyway - of course!

Five days ago, on 4 June 2015, it was a dry day, though a thunderstorm was forecast. After grey skies and rain the previous couple of days, I felt like going for a drive. Started at a wetland in SW Calgary, where I saw the usual Lesser Scaup and Redheads. The male Redhead did not like any of the other ducks around him and would chase away each one in turn. Quite the bully! Also managed to get a few more shots of a Common Grackle, though they move fast and seemingly constantly. From there, I drove some of my usual backroads SW of the city. The clouds were building up quite dramatically, and I stopped at one wetland where they were reflected quite beautifully. I didn't see all that many birds, but was content to get a few chances to photograph a pair of Mountain Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, an Eastern Kingbird, and a Savannah Sparrow. No Wilson's Snipe this time, though I thought I had one on a distant fence post. Turned out to be a Mourning Dove - only the second time I've ever seen one on a fence post. Also saw a Swainson's Hawk which flew and landed on a high power pole near where the Bluebirds and Tree Swallows were nesting. The Tree Swallows, in true fashion, were causing the Bluebirds enough stress by flying and landing just a foot or two away from the Bluebirds' nesting box. The male Bluebird did such a great job of chasing away its rather beautiful, iridescent neighbours - which I also enjoy photographing. On the way home, I couldn't resist stopping at this row of colourful old granaries. The last photo I posted of them was taken on a cloudless sky and it was a rather uninspiring image. When I called in there five days ago, the field was full of Dandelions (mainly gone to seed) and the sky was full of clouds. So, a short trip, but one that I always enjoy, especially each spring. I never forget how lucky I am to live near such beautiful places and be able to see the local birds and wildlife. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Some of you have already seen the following information, but for anyone else who might be interested, the folllowing link, with the information below, answers the question: "WHY ARE BARNS USUALLY PAINTED RED?" home.howstuffworks.com/question635.htm "If you've ever driven through a rural area, it's likely that you've seen the red barns that speckle the farming landscape. There are several theories as to why barns are painted red. Centuries ago, European farmers would seal the wood on their barns with an oil, often linseed oil -- a tawny-colored oil derived from the seed of the flax plant. They would paint their barns with a linseed-oil mixture, often consisting of additions such as milk and lime. The combination produced a long-lasting paint that dried and hardened quickly. (Today, linseed oil is sold in most home-improvement stores as a wood sealant). Now, where does the red come from? In historically accurate terms, "barn red" is not the bright, fire-engine red that we often see today, but more of a burnt-orange red. As to how the oil mixture became traditionally red, there are two predominant theories. One is that wealthy farmers added blood from a recent slaughter to the oil mixture. As the paint dried, it turned from a bright red to a darker, burnt red. The other is that farmers added ferrous oxide, otherwise known as rust, to the oil mixture. Rust was plentiful on farms and is a poison to many fungi, including mold and moss, which were known to grown on barns. These fungi would trap moisture in the wood, increasing decay. Regardless of how the farmer tinted his paint, having a red barn became a fashionable thing. They were a sharp contrast to the traditional white farmhouse. As European settlers crossed over to America, they brought with them the tradition of red barns. In the mid to late 1800s, as paints began to be produced with chemical pigments, red paint was the most inexpensive to buy. Red was the color of favor until whitewash became cheaper, at which point white barns began to spring up. Today, the color of barns can vary, often depending on how the barns are used."

A rather plain capture of this well-known row of five red granaries - you really need some photogenic clouds or snow to make the photo more interesting. However, I couldn't resist just stopping by to see them and to check out the changes in the field that I had seen the last time I was there. My next photo might just be of interest to a handful of local people, as until the land was recently taken over by new owners, the field had been just one huge, open field. Now there are a few patches of trees dotted here and there, and also a line of coniferous and deciduous trees just inside the fence line. Three days ago, on 17 May 2015, I finally got out with my camera for a few hours. The previous few days had been dreary and overcast, with rain the last couple of the days. The sense of freedom felt so good, as I stopped in at a wetland in SW Calgary and then drove a familiar loop along the backroads SW of the city. At this first pond, I saw the usual Mallards, Lesser Scaup, Redheads, Common Grackle, Red-headed Blackbirds, and a quick glimpse of a distant pair of Cinnamon Teal glowing in the sunshine. Something I didn't know until a few minutes ago is that many female Redheads make no nests of their own, but instead lay their eggs in the nests of other ducks. I had intended walking around to where I had seen the Canada Geese nest in other years, but before I did so, I suddenly noticed a distant pair of Geese swimming in my direction. I didn't really think much about it, but as they got closer, I realized that they were escorting 10 little goslings. They swam right up to where I was standing, as if to show off their new little family. And then they were gone, swimming off in the direction from which I had seen them come. After taking a few more photos of the nearby ducks, I carefully looked at each pair of Geese on the pond and none of them had any goslings swimming with them. Maybe they had returned them to the edge of the wetland and hidden them well. These were my very first goslings this spring, so I was happy as can be to see them. A week earlier, on 10 May, my daughter and I had great views of a pair of Red-necked Grebes, who seemed to be building a nest closer to shore than in previous years. It was disappointing to see that the tiny "island" that they seemed to have chosen was now very low in the water, after all the rain we had had. Hopefully, they won't move to a higher mound that is further away, but that is what I am expecting. Makes me thankful to have seen the pair fairly close 10 days ago. From this pond, I continued on my drive, greatly appreciating the sunshine and fairly empty roads, despite this being the Victoria long weekend here. The Brewer's Blackbirds were perched on fence posts, and I always love to see these birds with their white eyes. In one large pond, I watched two pairs of Blue-winged Teal, a Muskrat, a Pied-bill Grebe, and a pair of Red-necked Grebes. Most of these birds were very far away, but I did manage to get a few distant shots of the Teal. At the next slough that I stopped at, I saw one solitary Swan, too far away to tell if it was a Trumpeter or Tundra (apparently a Trumpeter). I also spotted a funny little Pied-billed Grebe swimming fairly close to the road, but by the time I had driven a bit further in order to turn my car around, the Grebe was already closer to the far shore. Further on, I stopped to see a pair of Mountain Bluebirds that came to their nesting box just once while I was there. Tree Swallows made a quick appearance at the nest box that was nearby. Continuing my drive, I passed a pair of American Wigeon preening themselves at a tiny slough, along with a Green-winged Teal. Further yet, I stopped to take a few photos of Red-winged Blackbirds and - to my great delight - a Wilson's Snipe, one of my favourite birds to photograph. Last year seemed to be such a great year for Snipe, so I was hoping this spring might be the same. When I drove this road in one direction, I was happy to spot a distant Snipe down in the grasses, but still wished that it had been standing on a fence post. After turning my car around, I slowly drove along the edge of the wetland again and, this time, there it was! Absolutely made my day - anyone would think it was my very first sighting ever of a Snipe! Surprisingly, it didn't stay for long, but gave me time to get three or four shots. From here, it was time to return home along some of the backroads before eventually having to get back on to the highway. A dark phase Swainson's Hawk was where I had seen it (same one?) on a couple of other occasions. Took a photo or two through the windscreen, so not the best photos, but I thought it might fly if I got out of the car. It was so good to get out and, though I saw no new or rare birds, I was, as always, happy to see the more usual ones, especially when they are close enough to photograph.

Not a cloud in the sky and no snow on the ground - this does not feel like a winter photo at all! I won't complain though, as this winter has been wonderfully mild for much of the time. So far, the weather forecast for the next two weeks gives double digit temperatures, climbing to 16C on Saturday. Crazy weather for winter, and March is supposed to be Calgary's snowiest month. It does make you wonder, though, what our spring and summer will be like. Hope it won't be pay back time. Yesterday afternoon, I made a last minute decision to finally drive SW of the city to an area that I had never driven myself before. I was only out for three hours, driving a total of 131 km. I wondered if the Wild Turkeys might be in view, but I couldn't see any at the place where other people had been seeing them. A short distance down the road, I decided to stop and take a couple of shots of the scenery, mainly so that I didn't go home with an empty memory card, lol. It was then that a familiar looking vehicle came down the road - it was friends Ron and Trish. They had been unlucky with finding birds further south and were on their way to see if they could find the Evening Grosbeak that had been seen recently. I followed them, but we were out of luck. We did hear a very distant call of either a Northern pygmy-owl or a Northern Saw-whet Owl. After parting ways with my friends, I drove home via familiar roads, thinking of two spots I would stop at to take a scenic shot or two. Both were on fairly steep hills but had a pull-off big enough for one vehicle. There was a vehicle parked in each, so no scenic shots. Further on, I stopped to take a couple of photos of this "famous" row of five, red, wooden granaries. Very rapid shots, as I found myself surrounded by bees as soon as I got out of the car! Too bad they weren't all inside the row of covered beehives that you can see. The enormous field that these sheds are on has been changed by the new owners. Instead of just an open, bare field, there are now several scattered clusters of coniferous trees, making me wonder what the plan is. Once I was back in the city, I decided to call in at Fish Creek Park on the way home, to see if any photographers were in sight. Not a single one, but the parking areas were packed with people who had come to enjoy the beautiful weather. Smoke from barbeques was rising into the air and you could hear kids having fun. I asked myself how much wildlife might be seen on a busy, noisy day like yesterday, a Sunday - and decided to go straight home, lol!

Yesterday, 14 November 2014, my daughter and I went to the Spruce Meadows Christmas Market. Afterwards, on a short drive SW of the city, we stopped to photograph this row of five old, red granaries that are popular with local photographers. Unfortunately, not a cloud in the sky - clouds make for a more interesting shot. The farm was recently sold, so everyone is hoping that the new owners will leave these granaries standing. The gate was open yesterday and we could see several contractors working on something way out in the middle of the huge field. "These are prairie granaries. Believe it or not, this is how much grain used to be harvested off of each field. They were always lined up for ease of the truck and auger, usually red as red barn paint was a cheap paint to help them from rotting. Many skunks and fox will live under them . Most don't get any use any more as granaries have gotten much bigger as harvest is better than the 50's." Thanks to Debbie Prediger for this interesting information that she gave me a long time ago. Funnily enough, I saw my first wild Skunk not far from the sheds, a few years ago. I've just compared today's photo with a previous shot of these sheds and the area seems to have been tidied up. It snowed yet again last night, but the sun is shining today. I have been ridiculously short of sleep the past couple of weeks, but I got a full night's sleep last night, resulting in posting today's photos so late (after 12:30 pm) and my plans for today went out the window. Yesterday was so cold and rather windy - almost too cold to take photos. This morning, it is only -4C (windchill -7C), Looks like the next while should be reasonably mild - no sign so far of the brutal temperatures we tend to get in winter. For the first time in all these years, I am researching about winter tires/winter wheels. I've always used All-season tires, but now that I am driving a bit further afield and on gravel backroads in winter, I think it's time to get a set of winter wheels. Having been stuck in snow way out of the city almost two years ago, which was a very unpleasant experience, I think winter wheels will give me a bit more confidence to drive out of the city during our seven or so months of snow and ice.

There was just something I liked about seeing this row of five small granaries/sheds. Though not as photogenic as the red "Famous Five" granaries SW of Calgary, I ended up taking several shots of these rather plain ones. After just regular editing, I thought I'd try adding an editing filter and see what happened. This added so much more detail and character, so I decided I would post it. Looking at the sky, you can tell what kind of weather it was that morning - not what we wanted at all, ha. Three days ago, on 29 September 2014, I finally drove out across the prairies to an area that lies NE of Calgary, that I had longed to go to for so many years. It must have been 30+ years ago that I first saw one particular area of the Badlands of Alberta. A few times, I had been fairly close when I went on several botany trips out that way, but when you are carpooling, you can't just go wherever you want. So, my youngest daughter and I decided that we both wanted to make this trip, All summer, we have been waiting for a day on which she didn't have to work and where the weather forecast was for no rain on the day or there had been no rain the previous day. The Bentonite Clay in the area becomes treacherously slippery when wet. The forecast for yesterday was for a mainly sunny day - at last, we were going! I think this was the longest day of driving I had ever done, especially to, and in, an area that I'd never driven to before. For anyone who doesn't know me, I have battled a driving phobia for decades, plus I have no sense of direction, lol! Thankfully, my daughter has an amazing sense of direction, so I knew we wouldn't be stuck out on the prairies in the middle of nowhere. A typical question at too many intersections went as follows: me - "Do we go left?"; my daughter - "No, we go right", lol! I met my daughter at 8:00 am. and I got home shortly before 9:00 pm. Much of that time was spent driving; the rest was spent wandering round three main areas - The Hoodoo Trail, Dorothy and Rowley, in different directions from the town of Drumheller (known for its remarkable dinosaur findings). The forecast was far from accurate on our drive out to the Badlands and I began to wonder if we'd made a mistake going on this trip on that particular day. However, knowing that snow would be returning very soon ("returning" because we had two snowstorms on 9 and 10 September!), I was beginning to feel rather desperate and really didn't want to risk not getting out there this year. The afternoon was less cloudy and we did have some sun. Our main destinations were the Hoodoo Trail, the almost-ghost-town of Dorothy (calling in at Wayne as well), and the historic hamlet of Rowley that lies north of Drumheller. I had longed, for a long time, to see the two small, old churches that are to be found in Dorothy, as well as the old grain elevator. Both churches have been restored, which is good in some ways but they have lost some of their weathered character. From Dorothy, we drove over 11 bridges to call in at Wayne, and then we then drove to Rowley to see the old grain elevators and to wander round this very small, historical place. There are actually three elevators there. Dorothy felt and looked almost deserted, whereas Rowley was beautifully kept. From Rowley, we made our way back across the prairies to Calgary. I had planned on getting back before it got dark as I no longer like night driving and very rarely do it, but we didn't quite make it. On the return drive, the last sighting was a Great Horned Owl that was perched part way up a power pole. Well done, Rachel, spotting this welcome bird! Not easy to see in the dark. By the time I got home, I was so tired and my arms were so painful from driving, but, what a great day we had!!

Yes, it's the "Famous Five" again! Took myself off for a short drive along the backroads SW of the city yesterday afternoon (20 April 2014), partly because the sun was actually shining, but also hoping to give my painful arms and shoulder a bit of a rest. Not sure that it helped, though, as I had to keep starting and turning off the car, which may have been worse, or just as bad as, mouse clicking, ha. One of the times I stopped was to take a few photos of this well-known row of five old granaries. Always a shame that the (now covered) beehives are not out of sight, but ..... Hmm, trying to think if the For Sale sign for the farm was still there or not. Hopefully, new owners will leave this beautiful row standing. I didn't see a lot of wildlife on my drive, though I did see and hear my first Red-winged Blackbird of the year. Also a few Coots and Northern Shovellers, a Musk Rat, and the Crow in the next photo posted today. A few minutes ago, I discovered how to open two separate screens in My Pictures, simply by holding down the shift key before clicking on My Pictures a second time. That discovery should save a lot of unnecessary mouse clicking (not to mention time), which is greatly to blame for my excruciating arm and shoulder pain.

Back to falling snow and colder temperatures today. I had planned to meet a couple of friends at a city park this morning, but we've just cancelled, as the roads will be really bad. On 25 January 2014, I spent an amazing day south of Calgary with friends Cathy and Terry. I had found an e-mail on my computer around 12:45 a.m., just as I was about to turn off my computer for the night. Did I want to go birding tomorrow and, if so, to meet at 8:00 a.m.? A full day of excitement and enjoyment left me tired out, but so happy. I had been missing being out and taking photos, feeling lethargic and extremely tired, so this invite was welcomed with open arms. The crazy weather soared to a balmy 11C, but a lot of the day was colder, with a strong wind! Along one of the roads, we came across these and other bright red granaries/sheds - I always love to see anything bright red in a snowy, wintry setting. Can you believe that we saw 16 owls (oops, when I first posted this info under a previous photo, we thought we had seen 17, but after viewing all their photos and videos, my friends reckon that we "only" saw 16, ha. SIXTEEN! 8 Snowy Owls and 8 Great Horned Owls. The closest Snowy Owl was seen when it was early evening and the light had gone, and my photos are all blurry. The other owls were little more than a tiny speck in the far, far distance, but I still managed to get some kind of shot of some of them, using 48x zoom plus cropping. Perhaps I should add that maybe 15 of the owls that were seen would never have been seen by less experienced birders (and I include myself in that category!). My friends have brilliant eyes when it comes to spotting owls! Just left me shaking my head each time they found one! I'm not too bad at finding owls, but not at that distance! An interesting link, with the information below, that answers the question: "WHY ARE BARNS USUALLY PAINTED RED?" home.howstuffworks.com/question635.htm "If you've ever driven through a rural area, it's likely that you've seen the red barns that speckle the farming landscape. There are several theories as to why barns are painted red. Centuries ago, European farmers would seal the wood on their barns with an oil, often linseed oil -- a tawny-colored oil derived from the seed of the flax plant. They would paint their barns with a linseed-oil mixture, often consisting of additions such as milk and lime. The combination produced a long-lasting paint that dried and hardened quickly. (Today, linseed oil is sold in most home-improvement stores as a wood sealant). Now, where does the red come from? In historically accurate terms, "barn red" is not the bright, fire-engine red that we often see today, but more of a burnt-orange red. As to how the oil mixture became traditionally red, there are two predominant theories. One is that wealthy farmers added blood from a recent slaughter to the oil mixture. As the paint dried, it turned from a bright red to a darker, burnt red. The other is that farmers added ferrous oxide, otherwise known as rust, to the oil mixture. Rust was plentiful on farms and is a poison to many fungi, including mold and moss, which were known to grown on barns. These fungi would trap moisture in the wood, increasing decay. Regardless of how the farmer tinted his paint, having a red barn became a fashionable thing. They were a sharp contrast to the traditional white farmhouse. As European settlers crossed over to America, they brought with them the tradition of red barns. In the mid to late 1800s, as paints began to be produced with chemical pigments, red paint was the most inexpensive to buy. Red was the color of favor until whitewash became cheaper, at which point white barns began to spring up. Today, the color of barns can vary, often depending on how the barns are used."

The day before yesterday (25 January 2014), I spent an amazing day with friends Cathy and Terry, south of Calgary. I had found an e-mail on my computer around 12:45 a.m., just as I was about to turn off my computer for the night. Did I want to go birding tomorrow and, if so, to meet at 8:00 a.m.? A full day of excitement and enjoyment left me tired out, but so happy. I had been missing being out and taking photos, feeling lethargic and extremely tired, so this invite was welcomed with open arms. The crazy weather soared to a balmy 11C, but a lot of the day was colder, with a strong wind! Along one of the roads, we came across these and other bright red granaries/sheds - I always love to see anything bright red in a snowy, wintry setting. Can you believe that we saw 17 owls? SEVENTEEN! I didn't photograph quite every single one, but my friends will let me know exactly how many of each owl we found, once they've gone through their photos. It was something like 10 Snowy Owls and 7 Great Horned Owls. The closest Snowy Owl was seen when it was early evening and the light had gone, and my photos are all blurry. The other owls were little more than a tiny speck in the far, far distance, but I still managed to get some kind of shot of some of them, using 48x zoom plus cropping. Perhaps I should add that maybe 16 of the owls that were seen would never have been seen by less experienced birders (and I include myself in that category!). My friends have brilliant eyes when it comes to spotting owls! Just left me shaking my head each time they found one! I'm not too bad at finding owls, but not at that distance!

The road with the "Famous Five" was part of my short drive SW of Calgary this afternoon, 5 November 2013. I had hoped that there might be more snow in the fields, but was glad that there was at least some snow in the foreground. This row of five old granaries looks good at any time of the year : )

Too dark? Maybe just a little. Later - actually, the version you see here is a slightly lightened version. I liked the row of puffy clouds just above the rooftops. Have to dash out in ten minutes for my volunteer shift, after which I want to go and see if I can find the Mute Swan (a rarity in Calgary). And then I have to go shopping for a new alarm clock - mine didn't work this morning - have had it quite a few years. See ya later! I am so happy - I took a better look at the buttons for lowering my car windows and discovered a small lever, which I decided to push over to the right. Never used this before. Anyway, my front passenger window went DOWN - yay! Had been wondering how much it was going to cost me to have it repaired, as I do need to be able to roll the far window down when I'm birding the backroads. Maybe I caught this lever somehow a few weeks ago. Such a relief!

Yes, the famous five are back, lol! Taken on 8 February 2013, when I was driving the backroads SW of Calgary. This land is either still For Sale or has now been sold, so I really hope that new owners will leave these colourful granaries standing. Lol, wanted colour - got colour!

Another photo taken SE of Calgary in the Blackie area on 3 February 2013, when I spent the day with friends, driving the backroads, hoping to see Snowy Owls - and anything else beautiful. How I love our beautiful Alberta landscapes!