Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: explore2008December20

Several of you commented on my previous photo of this Pileated Woodpecker that it looked rather like Santa, with red cap and white beard, so I used this for my title : ). When you look at this image, picture me standing quite a few feet away with snow that came well over my knees, LOL! Only -18C with windchill, though, unlike other recent days. I love the way this bird's feathers are fringed with white.

One of those very inelegant moments was required to get this shot, but it sums up a little of the absolute beauty that I experienced yesterday! It was one of the most perfect days I've had, hiking the trail up to Ptarmigan Cirque in Kananaskis. This is one of my favourite places (not that I've been to many places), and to get the chance to go when the wildflowers were beautiful was wonderful. These are Western Anemones - many of them were well past their prime, but this little cluster was still in good shape. Robin and Cedric - if you happen to read this, you both did a great job with this trip and I hope you will repeat it next year. You succeeded brilliantly in allowing more than plenty of time to soak up the amazing scenery, to explore for wildflowers, to stop and take (endless, in my case, LOL) photos! Thanks, Robin, for taking the time to prepare an excellent plant list, too. As for the strawberry milkshakes at Kananaskis Village afterwards - well, that was certainly an added enjoyment! Thanks so much for giving me a ride there and back, too - appreciated greatly! A job well done!