Best of May 2025

The month of May was wonderful in the City of Calgary and surrounding area. We had hot HOT weather and lots of opportunities to be outside. On the May long weekend, I spent time in Banff, Alberta at Tunnel Mountain. That weekend provides a couple of my favourite pictures for the month. The first is of Rundle Mountain that was taken from Vermillion Lakes.

 

The second pictue was taken on my phone after walking away from the spot. I wanted to share right away instead of waiting until I got home. This picture was excellent to share and also made my favourite list.

The following picture of granaries on the Alberta prairies also gets a special mention. A good picture should tell a story, trigger an emotion or bring questions to mind. I think this picture makes me very curious and asks me to create a story. It might be better during harvest or during the growing season. Imagine what this would be like if they plant Canola. I hope I make it back.

This picture from Linden, Alberta is important to me because Maria and I spent our last three summers together camping in Linden. When she was able, she loved walking the path around the ponds and always had a sense of achievement when she made it up the hill.  Toward the end of May I spread some of her ashes around the campground and at the top of this hill. Such a wonderful view to trigger such wonderful memories.

There are two bird pictures from this month that make the favourite list. Both of a Yellow Warbler at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. Such a pretty bird. 

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photoraw 2025

Calgary's Singing Bridge; a lucky happenstance

This is a picture taken from the 12th Street East Bridge in Calgary, between the communities of Bridgeland and Inglewood. I included the west railing in the picture to show the wave from of the rails and the thin-flat shape of all but the top rail. 

According to Canadian Consulting Engineer; "This idea of softer edges was also applied to the pier caps and abutments, and gently flowing lines were shaped into the tear-drop pedestrian look outs. The bridge’s character, lines and colour palette echo other structures nearby, contributing to a common design language in the community." Nowhere can I find any reference to an a priori plan for the bridge to hum. Yet, when the breeze is just right and coming from the west, you can hear the rails hum as you cross the bridge on the pedestrian pathway. The "tear-drop" pedestrian look outs referred to above are a great place for photographers to move out of the way and take pictures of Calgary's skyline.

Happenstance or planned, it is a fun part of a walk. 

Nellie Irene (nee Reynolds) Jalland

In April I took a picture of a statue at Reader Rock Gardens and the Union Cemetery. This picture sparked some questions, and I thought I should put more context around this picture. It was a rainy/snowy morning and I thought the water droplets added to the picture. 

The above picture is part of statue. This is the whole statue. Art is like a Rorschach test. The feeling we have about the art tell more about us than about the art itself. 

When I see this statue, I think of an untold love story. This is Nellie Irene (nee Reynolds) Jalland. She was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and died in Calgary August 30, 1937. She was only 41 years of age and died after a lengthy illness. Her husband, in memory of Nellie, erected a marble statue. Unfortunately it was vandalized and later replaced with this bronze. I don't want to focus on the negative vandals, but on the immense love (Private) Cyril Vincent Jalland obviously felt for her. He lived until 1973: over 3 decades without his love. 

My feelings for this statue obviously reflect my past. I hope most peoples' feelings and personal stories are positive and maybe by thinking about Nellie her memory will live again. You can find out more about Nellie here. 

Best of April 2025

The good weather was with us for much of April. Early in April I went on a drive with another birder from Nature Calgary. This barn was beside the road Northeast of High River, Alberta. The telephoto really compresses the image so that the Rocky Mountains look right next to the barn.

This farm was also along that drive.

April was also the start of bicycle season for me, and this picture was from one of my first rides.

The Wood Ducks have returned to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. I used a letterbox format for this picture as well to show off the duck.

Middle of the month I was lucky enough to co-lead a field trip for Nature Calgary and East Village on Saint Patrick's Island in downtown Calgary. This was the first Pileated Woodpecker that the President of Nature Calgary and I have seen on the island.

On the same field trip, we noticed for the first time this year that the Osprey have returned to the island. They have successfully raised chicks for the last few years and they are nesting again this year  -- right on the Bloom art display.

With about a week remaining in the month I rode up to Queen's Park Cemetery and on the way home stopped at the south end of Rotary Park. This Elm was looking its finest.

The restored Centre Street Lion is near the same location.

Near the Bridgeland Market I passed this old Pontiac and took a monochrome picture of the front.

At the end of the month I participated in a Field Trip at North Glenmore Park and took this picture of a Black-capped Chickadee. I think this is my favourite picture of the month.

One of the last pictures I took for the month was of the NW Reader Rock Gardens tree. No blossoms yet, so monochrome.

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photoraw 2025

 

Monochrome March

March in Calgary is pretty monochrome -- brown! When we lose our blue skies, we may as well be taking pictures in black and white. Monochrome photography is such an amazing art that it's good to be reminded and to take the opportunity. This post includes some of my favourite pictures from March, but all in monochrome. I hope you enjoy them.  My favourite is at the end of the post. 

The first few pictures are of bike racks in the City of Calgary. These were taken in Bridgeland, at the Saint Patrick Island and at the Zoo parking lot. 

The next picture is of the playground at Saint Patrick Island and the one following is the metal bridge on the island.

The next few pictures are of architecture around the area. The first is a cool house at the top of our hill. 

My favourite picture of the month, colour or monochrome is of this tree at the corner of MacLeod Trail and 25 Ave SE, Calgary. I want to go back when it is in blossom; maybe for a colour picture. Every time I look at this picture the word that comes to mind is Love.

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photoraw 2025

Two Years

 March 31, 2025
It's been two years since Maria died.
Two years of change,
Following 
Two years of coping,
Following 
Thirty+ years of adventures and memories!
What an amazing life together!

A few days after Maria died I received an audio message that she had keyed up in advance. In that message she asked that I keep on with my walks, my birding and my photography; and that I keep sharing my pictures.  Thus this blog. She also told me that I should pay particular attention to the Chickadees and Nuthatches. She told me that Chickadees don't say Chick-a-dee-dee or Cheese-burger  --  they say Hi Sweetie!  She also told me that if a nuthatch ever landed on my hand and pooped, that it would be her.  

In mid-March I took this picture of a Red-breasted Nuthatch. It did land on my hand, but it did not leave a present.  I thought the ethereal nature of the picture celebrates Maria's life, death and presence.

I miss you sweetie!

Best of February 2025

I hesitate to call this a 'best of' because I didn't take many pictures in February  --  it was just too cold to get out much with a camera.  My hands get very cold holding a full metal camera body. The last week did warm up, however, and I did take some pictures and get in a few walks.  My favourite picture of the month is a scenic shot taken from the top of Tom Campbell's Hill in East Calgary. This was taken and 5:59am and the lights make the cityscape look like a jewel. 

As the weather warmed up the Bow River started to break up in spots and I like this monochrome picture of the river and East Village.

On my morning walks I usually cross the Bow River in two different spots and the Elbow River once. This picture of the Inglewood Drive in is close to the Calgary Zoo bridge in East Calgary. I love that Dole Whip was a big enough deal - in the day - to have front and centre advertising on the roof of the diner.

The month wasn't completely devoid of animals. This White Tail Deer was photographed at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary.

It seems wrong to have a blog post without a picture of a bird, and the best bird of the month was another Red-breasted Nuthatch at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. Such a photogenic bird, especially when they perch long enough to get a photograph.

All pictures photo-edited with On1 Photoraw 2025