Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: pale purple

This morning, after viewing the photos I posted last night, from our second day at Pt Pelee, I needed to remind myself that I CAN take much better photos, given the opportunity : ) So, I decided to find, edit and post three "better", more colourful images. These three were all taken at the Calgary Zoo on 26 June 2018. The last time I had visited the Calgary Zoo was on 6 October 2015. I used to go fairly often, but my usual parking lot and Zoo entrance then closed for the winter. Since then, road construction and bridge replacement have been going on, but has now been completed. The drive to the north entrance of the Zoo is definitely out of my driving comfort zone, so I have been waiting for this day for a long time. This day was THE day - for me and for half the people in the city!! It was packed! I decided to go before schools closed for the summer. However, I suspect some schools had end-of-term Zoo visits on this day. When I checked the weather forecast, rain was in the forecast for the next six days, so I knew i needed to go straight away. My visit only covered about half the Zoo, as I usually spend a lot of time in the Conservatory, enjoying the plants and tropical butterflies. My daughter had taken a photo of a gigantic lily pad, Victoria Water Lily / Victoria amazonica, and I really wanted to see it. There were three or four of these in a tiny pool. I love the pattern on the underside of the upturned edge of each lily pad, I didn't see a huge variety of butterfly species that day, but there were enough to keep me happily clicking. My intention had not been to visit the Panda family, as I was sure there would be an extremely long line-up. However, I was able to just walk in, which was great. How lucky we are to have these four amazing animals visit our Zoo. They were in an inside enclosure, full of plants - and Bamboo, of course. I'm not sure how many hours a day these animals sleep, but two of the three that could be seen slept for part of the time I was there. Had to smile at the very uncomfortable positions in which they slept. There was no glass in front of one of the Pandas, but two other Pandas, including the one in the next photo, were in a glassed-in part of the enclosure. Almost impossible to get photos without the reflections of the crowds of people. The Bactrian Camel had recently given birth to a baby - such a cute little thing, that they have named Gobi. No sign of the Red Pandas when I passed their enclosure. One of the birds I love to see - though these birds tend to hide! - is the amazing Himalayan Monal. The male, especially, takes my breath away each time I see it. A few hours well spent happily clicking. Hopefully, it won't be almost three years before my next visit, though the west entrance does close each winter. It felt so good to once again be back in a place full of colour and interest.

On 16 September 2015, I called in at the Reader Rock Garden after my volunteer shift. There seemed to be more flowers in bloom than on my previous visit. Shoo Fly, Shoofly or Shoo-fly, Peruvian Bluebell, even Apple of Peru ... take your pick, lol. It is native to Peru, and it is known elsewhere as an introduced species and sometimes a weed. It is also kept as an ornamental plant, as at the Reader Rock Garden, where this photo was taken. This plant is a member of the Nightshade family, Solanaceae. The green or black-mottled calyces have always fascinated me. Branches of the mature Chinese lantern-style fruits can be dried and used for winter decoration. There were also quite a few distant small birds flitting from tree to tree at one point. They were impossible to see well enough to get photos or IDs - - a little Hermit Thrush was the only bird I managed to photograph. I also noticed a Jack Rabbit in the Garden and then, when I drove through the adjoining cemetery, it or another one was running in among the gravestones. When it saw my car coming, it froze and waited till I had moved on.

These Prairie Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) However, this year, after an incredibly mild winter, the first report I heard of was from 3rd March. On 13 April 2016, after a volunteer shift, I finally got as far as the usual place I go to when I want to find and photograph them. Unfortunately, I find them on a hillside, which is sometimes a bit windy, and my balance is never particularly good. So glad I went, though, as I was already almost six weeks 'late'. I also noticed a patch or two of small, white Phlox flowers and a single patch of small yellow flowers. Will have to remind myself of their name later today. Early cinquefoil? "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

My thoughts continue to be with all the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta, who are being devastated by a massive wildfire at the moment. All 88,000 people were forced to flee the city, many leaving everything behind. Now, much-needed rain and cooler temperatures are helping. "Monday, May 9, 2016, 7:28 AM - After a week of fighting a devastating wildfire that sent thousands of Fort McMurray residents fleeing, it seems firefighters have been holding the line -- and the weather has actually been cooperative." From The Weather Network. www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/weather-factoring... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Prairie Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) However, this year, after an incredibly mild winter, the first report I heard of was from 3rd March. On 13 April 2016, after a volunteer shift, I finally got as far as the usual place I go to when I want to find and photograph them. Unfortunately, I find them on a steep hillside, which is sometimes a bit windy, and my balance is never particularly good. So glad I went, though, as I was already almost six weeks 'late'. I also noticed a patch or two of small, white Phlox flowers and a single patch of small yellow flowers. Will have to remind myself of their name later today. Early cinquefoil? "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

These Prairie Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) However, this year, after an incredibly mild winter, the first report I heard of was from 3rd March. Yesterday, 13 April 2016, after a volunteer shift, I finally got as far as the usual place I go to when I want to find and photograph them. Unfortunately, I find them on a hillside, which is sometimes a bit windy, and my balance is never particularly good. So glad I went, though, as I was already almost six weeks 'late'. I also noticed a patch or two of small, white Phlox flowers and a single patch of small yellow flowers. WIll have to remind myself of their name later today. "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

Yesterday, 19 April 2015, I went with a group of friends on a birding trip to Pine Coulee Reservoir, which lies SW of Calgary. After a lovely late start, at 9:30 am - wish all our outings started so late! - we very slowly travelled many backroads south of Calgary, eventually arriving at the Pine Coulee Reservoir. I love the whole area down south with its rolling hills. The weather was beautiful, plenty of bird species were seen, and the company was great. As always, I did not see many of the birds, as they were far too far away and I don't have binoculars. Walkie Talkies would be so good to have on any trip where there is more than one car : ) Thanks, Terry, for another great trip! Thanks, Stephen and Dorothy, for driving Shirley and myself the whole day - greatly appreciated! At one of the stops along the Reservoir, someone mentioned that Prairie Crocuses were in bloom on a slope down from the parking lot. I just had time to dash over and take a couple of very quick shots before we continued our drive. "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

I'm posting my daily three photos really early today. I will be out with a few friends and I would have needed to get up around 2:00 am in order to get to the meeting place for around 4:00 am. Normally, I might not have even got as far as my bed by 2:00 am and I knew that if I went to bed, I would sleep right through three alarm clocks and miss the trip! So, the only way to ensure that I was awake (kind of!) was to stay up all night. I only got about an hour's sleep last night, so all I want to do right now is catch a few hours of desperately needed sleep. Not going to happen, though. On the morning of 6 April 2015, I went with friends on a birding walk down in the Weaselhead. I wasn't sure I wanted to go, as it was snowing, just like the previous day, too. The temperature was -3°C to 1°C. However, I am glad I did go, otherwise I would have missed seeing the welcome splash of colour of a male American Goldfinch that must have overwintered here in the city. We walked just as far as the main metal bridge and back, and we then drove through the park, stopping at one place to look over the Glenmore Reservoir from North Glenmore Park. The second stop was at the nearby Crowchild Stormwater Pond. After the birding walk, I decided to drive just a short distance further to see if I could find any Prairie Crocuses. I wasn't sure if they would be completely covered in snow. Fortunately, I found a few, but most were not in the best condition. Also, the hillside was wet and very slippery, so I was glad when I had taken several very quick shots and could leave. These Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

On the morning of 6 April 2015, I went with friends on a birding walk down in the Weaselhead. I wasn't sure I wanted to go, as it was snowing, just like the previous day, too. The temperature was -3°C to 1°C. However, I am glad I did go, otherwise I would have missed seeing the welcome splash of colour of a male American Goldfinch that must have overwintered here in the city. We walked just as far as the main metal bridge and back, and we then drove through the park, stopping at one place to look over the Glenmore Reservoir from North Glenmore Park. The second stop was at the nearby Crowchild Stormwater Pond. After the birding walk, I decided to drive just a short distance further to see if I could find any Prairie Crocuses. I wasn't sure if they would be completely covered in snow. Fortunately, I found a few, but most were not in the best condition. Also, the hillside was wet and very slippery, so I was glad when I had taken several very quick shots and could leave. These Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) "This furry little perennial is actually not a crocus, which is in the Lily family; it’s really an anemone, in the Buttercup family." plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/choose-your-plants/prairie-cr... "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

Yesterday morning, 6 April 2015, I went with friends on a birding walk down in the Weaselhead. I wasn't sure I wanted to go, as it was snowing, just like the previous day, too. The temperature was -3°C to 1°C. However, I am glad I did go, otherwise I would have missed seeing the welcome splash of colour of a male American Goldfinch that must have overwintered here in the city. We walked just as far as the main metal bridge and back, and we then drove through the park, stopping at one place to look over the Glenmore Reservoir from North Glenmore Park. The second stop was at the nearby Crowchild Stormwater Pond. After the birding walk, I decided to drive just a short distance further to see if I could find any Prairie Crocuses. I wasn't sure if they would be completely covered in snow. Fortunately, I found a few, but they were not in the best condition. Also, the hillside was wet and very slippery, so I was glad when I had taken several very quick shots and could leave. These Crocuses are the first flowers to appear each spring, often appearing around the end of March and sometimes as early as mid-March. No wonder they need to wear their furry winter jackets : ) "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

If I hadn't gone looking for Prairie Crocuses on 30 April 2014 and taken this photo, I might not have believed this had really happened. You could say we are back to winter yet again. There must be around 8" of snow on my fence this morning - and it's still snowing! I decided not to go on a birding day out, east of the city, today, as I wasn't sure what any of the roads would be like. I had half expected the trip to be cancelled. Not sure I can even go out very locally, as I don't think I'll be able to lift my arms high enough to clear all the snow off my car, with my painful arms and shoulder. It's quite the winter wonderland, though. We are now into the eighth month of snow!!!! Just noticed that we have a Snowfall Warning in effect: "Snowfall late morning to early morning Sunday (tomorrow). A long period of snowfall, with total amounts of 20 to 30 cm is expected. 10 to 20 centimetres of snow has fallen since last night. An additional 10 centimetres of snow will fall today." From the Weather Network. "The prairie crocus (Anemone patens), is the first plant to bloom on the prairie each year. The true harbinger of spring, its mauve, petal-like sepals dot the still drab prairie landscape, often before the last snow of winter has melted. By blooming so early, the crocus assures itself of the complete attention of available pollinators - small bees and other insects. Its seeds can then ripen by early June and if moisture is available they will germinate right away. If the prairie is too dry the seeds will go dormant, then germinate the following spring. Tufts of much-divided leaves emerge once flowering is finished and the risk of severe frost is over, but still well before most other prairie plants. The saucer-shaped construction of many spring flowers like the crocus, is no accident. Neither is the fuzzy centre of the crocus (composed of numerous yellow stamens and a tuft of greyish pistils - that become plumed fruit), nor its highly reflective petals. It all adds up to solar heating . . . Crocus Style! The sunlight that reaches the crocus' shiny petals is reflected into the flower centre. This energy is bounced around between the stamens and pistils warming these vital reproductive parts of the flower. On a sunny day the temperature inside a crocus flower can be as much as 10 C (18 F) warmer than the temperature of the surrounding air. Not only does the dish shaped flower concentrate the sun's warmth, it tracks the sun across the sky, maximizing the length of time each day that it can stay warmer than the surrounding air." From naturenorth.com. www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/crocus/Prairie_Crocus2.html

Yesterday, 30 April 2014, was a sunny day and so I thought I'd better get out on a morning birding walk in South Glenmore Park. Always enjoyable to walk along the edge of the Glenmore Reservoir - still has some ice on it, but plenty of open water. Several Loons were spotted, one within camera reach - just! Also a very distant Double-crested Cormorant, and a good variety of duck species, most of which I don't see, as I don't use binoculars. A fascinating thing we saw on the return walk was a tiny Boreal Chorus Frog blowing a huge "bubble" : ) We could hear these frogs from a distance - amazing how such tiny creatures can make so much "noise"! While we were standing there, trying to see if we could find one of the submerged frogs, someone spotted a single frog that wasn't completely submerged and that kept puffing out its neck into a large "bubble". www.carcnet.ca/english/amphibians/species_accounts/anuran... I had to drive straight to a volunteer shift after this three-hour walk and, when that was over, I decided to face the rush-hour traffic and drive to Sandy Beach to see if there were any Prairie Crocuses in bloom. The weather forecast is for light snow and mixed precipitation for the next five days, so I knew this might be the last chance I'd get to photograph these beautiful flowers of spring. They were growing on a steep hillside which is always a bit nerve-racking, as my balance isn't the greatest, ha. plantwatch.naturealberta.ca/?page_id=297

Shoo Fly, Shoofly or Shoo-fly, Peruvian Bluebell, even Apple of Peru ... take your pick, lol. It is native to Peru, and it is known elsewhere as an introduced species and sometimes a weed. It is also kept as an ornamental plant, as at the Reader Rock Garden, where this photo was taken on 10 September 2013. This plant is a member of the Nightshade family, Solanaceae. The green or black-mottled calyces have always fascinated me. Branches of the mature Chinese lantern-style fruits can be dried and used for winter decoration.

Yesterday, on the way home after a volunteer shift, I called in at Sandy Beach to look for Prairie Crocuses. Though the first one was reported early this year, on 14th March by George Dixon, I hadn't been out to look till yesterday late afternoon. There were a number of clumps of these beautiful flowers, almost all were closed and they looked rather washed out and the worse for wear. Think I only saw two flowers that were actually open like this. Flowers open during the day but close at night. The wind was dreadful - had to be careful not to stand near the edge of the "cliff". Barely getting on to Flickr the last couple of days! Winter is over (we hope) and so all my botany and birding days are finally here and life turns into one endless, insane period for the next seven or so months. Took myself off to the Zoo for a short while this afternoon, needing to do a bit of walking before a day's walk tomorrow, out of town. Not sure if I'll be able to manage the whole thing (wretched pain!), but I'm really hoping I won't have to miss any of it! Oh, if anyone happens to read this, we discovered that the Creatures of the Night area at the Zoo, in the Australia House, has closed down (permanently). I am so thankful that I was in there very recently and managed to get my shots of the absolutely beautiful little Red Eyed Tree Frog. Now they are to be seen no more. Phil, that must be so disappointing to you - I know if our positions were reversed, I would have been really disappointed. Who knows, though, maybe they can find some dark little corner to put their very small aquarium? Certainly worth asking about. Good to see you and Jen there : )

Shoo Fly, Shoofly or Shoo-fly, Peruvian Bluebell, even Apple of Peru ... take your pick, lol. It is native to Peru, and it is known elsewhere as an introduced species and sometimes a weed. It is also kept as an ornamental plant, as at the Reader Rock Garden, where this photo was taken on August 17th. This plant is a member of the Nightshade family, Solanaceae. The green or black-mottled calyces have always fascinated me. Branches of the mature Chinese lantern-style fruits can be dried and used for winter decoration.

This was a new plant for me, seen on a long day trip to south eastern Alberta, to botanize the Purple Spring Sand Dunes on 27th June. This native wildflower, Cleome serrulata, goes by various common names including Beeplant, Spiderflower, Pink Cleome, Rocky Mountain Beeweed, Rocky Mountain Beeplant, Bee Spiderflower, stinking clover, and Navajo spinach. It grows on disturbed prairie and sandy roadsides, and blooms June-July. "It is an annual plant growing to 10-150 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves. The leaves are trifoliate, with three slender leaflets each 1-7 cm long. The flowers are reddish-purple, pink, or white, with four petals and six long stamens." From Wikipedia. www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CLSE