View allAll Photos Tagged picklejar
I wish modern jars were as photogenic as old ones.
Almost toned this one black and white but I liked the colour of the glass too much.
Picklejar Lake Trail, Highwood, South Kananaskis Country
This picture was taken on the final stage of the nearly 10 km hike. The sun was struggling to break through thick puffy clouds. Shortly, giant rain drops were increasing in frequency and bouncing on my camera bag. Ten minutes later, the sun stuck her head out and escorted me all the way to Calgary. Amazing but not overly unusual. It is like nature is putting on a perfectly timed, full sensory presentation as a reward for participating and getting the job done.
Hand canned pickles in mason jars on a shelf in a local restaurant in late afternoon light. They are as delicious as they are beautiful!
Panoramic view of first lake. Our destination today. There are three other nearby lakes like this just a bit further on.
Hello Hello!
Are you a fan of pickles?
You can always show some love for the crunchy green ones with our Pickle Me Up interactive pickle jar!
And that's exactly what Manu Voxel did. Look at this superb picture. Love for the pickles! You rock Manu, thanks for your submission!
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Pickles & Jars to rez or hold. Bento animations featuring male/female/static pickles, and a bento open mouth pickle. Jars come in rez (3Li) or Handheld Bento Jar.
All three photos posted today were taken the day before yesterday, 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. When I say "walking", the word "strolling" is perhaps more accurate - with friends like this, there seems to be something of interest every few feet. This kind of outing really suits me and my body! We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. The day was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed this mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! Their "tent" was barely visible just below them on the rock.
"Tent caterpillars tend to hatch in the early spring, after trees bud. They feed on leaves for approximately six weeks, and then search for places to create cocoons. About 10 days later, the adult forest tent moth emerges and the female immediately begins to lay eggs for the next spring. While tent caterpillars can cause severe damage to trees as they defoliate them, they seldom kill them; most trees will bud again later in the summer."
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/tent-caterpillar-outbreaks-plague-c...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_tent_caterpillar_moth
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three macro shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours (?) later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (a Clay-coloured Sparrow, I believe) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers. As usual, their large leaves and beautiful flowers had been well-nibbled by the caterpillars that live on them.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much! And Sandy, if you happen to read this, I guess I have to thank you for not letting me know that you wouldn't be going, lol!
Big Chinese jars that were used to store pickles in Oottupura (Grand Dining Hall, where people were served free meals every day) @ Padmanabhapuram Palace in 1750s, Tamil Nadu/Kerala, India
All three photos posted today were taken yesterday, 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. Yesterday was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant, so I took this shot using a different setting in my camera (Impressive Art, hence the word Impressive in my title). Our climb took us up a hillside off to the right of the photo.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! Did I take a photo? Yes, of course I did, and I will post one in the next day or two.
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - still have to check the ID, but I believe it was a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours (?) later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much! And Sandy, if you happen to read this, I guess I have to thank you for not letting me know that you wouldn't be going, lol!
All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol!
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!
Impressions of India – 38
The small pilgrim village of Lohargal (25 km from Nawalgarh, in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, India) in the backdrop of picturesque arid hills of the Aravalis mountains, is famous not only for its holy water site, but also for the variety of pickles you can buy in the many stalls lining the street leading to the temple. There were pickled green mangos, cauliflower, peppers, garlic, okra, onions, to name a few.
Seeing one shop after another selling similar products, I can’t help but wonder how they can compete and make a living.
If you like this picture from my India trip, you can see more at www.flickr.com/photos/chizuka/albums/72157673735932443
❖ Thank you as always for your visits, appreciation and your comments
❖ Merci comme toujours de vos visites, vos appréciations et vos commentaires.
❖ You can also see my work on 500PX,
This wildflower, Agoseris aurantiaca, is native and grows on grassland slopes, open woods and prairie. A member of the Aster family, Asteraceae. Flower heads are 2-3 cm across, with no disc flowers, but many ray florets Blooms June-August.
I have only ever seen this species a handful of times, so I was delighted to find several of them yesterday, on a long day in the mountains. My very first Orange False-dandelion was seen during a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes in Kananaskis on 6th August 2010.
Five days after a day trip to the southern prairies, it was out to the mountains yesterday. The sky was blue when I set out yesterday morning, 14 July 2020, and I felt quite hopeful. When I go to Kananaskis, I always go south from the city. I had no idea where I would end up going, but I knew that it wouldn't be as far as I would have liked. As it turned out, I had a few surprises along the way, so it was a real mixed day of photo opportunities - my favourite kind of day. A total drive of 373 kilometres, leaving home just before 8:30 am and arriving back at 6:45 pm. It was weird, as I noticed the gas level meter seemed to stop part way through the day and showed more gas left than I would have expected. It did eventually keep slowly moving, but showed about half a tank of gas left by the end of the day. Must keep my eye on that!
Once I reached Highway 40, my first stop was at Highwood House to pick up a few snacks, Unfortunately, the website was wrong and they were not open on Tuesdays. However, while I was there, I was lucky enough to see a teeny Ruby-throated Hummingbird. I'm not sure just how many there were - or maybe it was the same one that returned a few times. Jan, I'm so glad that your father got this chance. Same with the Pika, even if it was only an extremely distant view.
After stopping to take a few scenic shots along the main highway through Kananaskis, I eventually reached the area where the American Pikas live. Each time I go, I always forget how far this part of the drive is. Once there, I really lucked out after not too long a wait, as the only few photos I took were when one Pika showed itself, but after that, everything slowed down - basically stopped, apart from the occasional distant squeak. There was a good variety of wildflowers to enjoy and photograph - and even one lonely, plain mushroom.
After thankfully getting a few photos of a Pika, I continued north till I reached the turn-off to the Kananaskis Lakes and Smith-Dorien Trail. I can only imagine how many people there were at the Lakes, and I never like the crowds there at the best of times. Instead, I went to one of my favourite places, where the view of the spectacular mountain range is so amazing. Just love all the eroded, jagged folds.
Continuing on the same road, I decided to drive as far as Buller Pond for another beautiful mountain view. Also stopped to gaze at the beautiful view at Moose meadow, though the light was not good for photos. When I looked down closer to my feet, I noticed several Yellow Penstemon flowers. So pretty, and I then remembered seeing them at that location a previous year.
Concerned about my gas level meter, I thought the wisest thing was to head back to the main Kananaskis Highway and head for home. I had no desire to run out of gas if I drove further, just in case the meter was not showing an accurate remaining level.
Another great day, avoiding any close contact with other people. Even if I had seen no wildlife, the scenery alone would have made this drive more than worthwhile. Feel so lucky to live within reach of this whole, nature-filled area.
Aug 20, 2018 - back out on the trail again. This time to Picklejar Lakes. Last here was about 4 years back.
All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant, so I took this shot using a different setting in my camera.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol!
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!
This photo was taken a week ago, on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta, 170 km S of Calgary. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. When I say "walking", the word "strolling" is perhaps more accurate - with friends like this, there seems to be something of interest every few feet. This kind of outing really suits me and my body! We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. This recent day was overcast with low haze, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked round to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! Their "tent" was barely visible just below them on the rock. Photo of part of the mass can be seen in a comment box below.
"Tent caterpillars tend to hatch in the early spring, after trees bud. They feed on leaves for approximately six weeks, and then search for places to create cocoons. About 10 days later, the adult forest tent moth emerges and the female immediately begins to lay eggs for the next spring. While tent caterpillars can cause severe damage to trees as they defoliate them, they seldom kill them; most trees will bud again later in the summer."
www.ctvnews.ca/canada/tent-caterpillar-outbreaks-plague-c...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_tent_caterpillar_moth
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three macro shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours (?) later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Clay-coloured Sparrow came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers. As usual, their large leaves and beautiful flowers had been well-nibbled by the caterpillars that live on them.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much! And Sandy, if you happen to read this, I guess I have to thank you for not letting me know that you wouldn't be going, lol!
This stuff is on top of a cabinet in my living room right now: a lego typewriter model, various pens and pencils, and a polaroid camera with some extremely expired film.
The brushes are surrounded by other things to make it a bit harder for the cat to get up there and chew on/steal them.
All three photos posted today were taken yesterday, 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. Yesterday was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! Did I take a photo? Yes, of course I did, and I will post one in the next day or two. Suddenly realized that I was being watched by a young Richardson's Ground Squirrel, which was so tiny and so cute. One of the youngest ones I had seen in several years.
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - still have to check the ID, but I believe it was a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to higher ground, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours (?) later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb through the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.
Back down by the parked cars, two of my friends were looking at the very tiny lichen (seen in this photo) - it looked more like a pale green smear on a fence post until seen close-up. I didn't want to add a macro lens because it was pouring with rain, so this is just a telemacro shot. I didn't notice the very tiny moth at first, but I thought it was quite attractive and a kind that I had not seen before.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much! And Sandy, if you happen to read this, I guess I have to thank you for not letting me know that you wouldn't be going, lol!
All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these writhing caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! I have added a previously posted close-up of the caterpillar mass in a comment box below.
"Tent caterpillars tend to hatch in the early spring, after trees bud. They feed on leaves for approximately six weeks, and then search for places to create cocoons. About 10 days later, the adult forest tent moth emerges and the female immediately begins to lay eggs for the next spring. While tent caterpillars can cause severe damage to trees as they defoliate them, they seldom kill them; most trees will bud again later in the summer."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_tent_caterpillar_moth
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again. I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a good time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years before, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!
International Women's Day today, 8 March 2018. Yay for Women!
All three photos posted today were taken on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. On 29 May 2015, it was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these writhing caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol!
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - it was a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again. I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years before, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much!
All three photos posted today were taken the day before yesterday, 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. When I say "walking", the word "strolling" is perhaps more accurate - with friends like this, there seems to be something of interest every few feet. This kind of outing really suits me and my body! We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. The day was overcast with low cloud, making scenic shots rather unpleasant. On a clear day, you can just see the distant peaks of the Rocky Mountains.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! Did I take a photo? Yes, of course I did, and I will post one in the next day or two.
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - still have to check the ID, but I believe it was a Convergent Ladybug.
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours (?) later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Sparrow (of some kind) came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers. As usual, their large leaves and beautiful flowers had been well-nibbled by the caterpillars that live on them.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much! And Sandy, if you happen to read this, I guess I have to thank you for not letting me know that you wouldn't be going, lol!
This was one of the wonderful rewards of our difficult mountain hike to Picklejar Lakes yesterday! The colour of these velvety-looking fungi was beautiful and some of them had clustered together into this amazing, almost flower-like grouping. Possibly Laccaria proxima?
Looking west from the Picklejar Peak summit, with Picklejar Lakes below. Mist Mountain stands out, with the Misty Range. The Elk Range can be seen in the distance
I was so happy to see my very first Orange False-dandelion during our brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes in Kananaskis on 6th August 2010. This wildflower, Agoseris aurantiaca, is native and grows on grassland slopes, open woods and prairie. A member of the Aster family, Asteraceae. Flower heads are 2-3 cm across, with no disc flowers, but many ray florets Blooms June-August.
Spent the day out in the forest at West Bragg Creek, with three friends whose main interest is LIchens. I know practically nothing about Lichens, but do enjoy trying (and occasionally succeeding!) to photograph them, and I'm hoping that very gradually I will pick up (and maybe even retain!) some information about them. It gave me a great opportunity to search for fungi. Quite a few about, many not really photogenic enough for shots. Light was really bad and we got caught in the rain and accompanying thunderstorm for the return half of the day's walk. I was absolutely soaked through to the skin - every single piece of clothing was drenched, and it was kind of cold, actually. Not going to complain about the weather, though, as I prefer cool to really hot - and rain makes the mushrooms grow. Got a few odds and ends worth posting, so what more could I ask? Thanks to my knowledgeable friends for pointing out so many neat little things : )
This photo was taken a week ago, on 29 May 2015, on a trip way down in southern Alberta, 170 km S of Calgary. A small group of us spent the day at the Whaleback, climbing the ridges, doing a species count. We had such a great day, finding all sorts of things of interest - plants, mosses, lichens - and in my case, insects, animals and birds, too : ) In fact, anything and everything, lol.
The weather was good for walking, not too warm and, up till the last part, dry. When I say "walking", the word "strolling" is perhaps more accurate - with friends like this, there seems to be something of interest every few feet. This kind of outing really suits me and my body! We were so lucky that the rain stayed away for most of the day. When I went on this outing in May 2013, it rained all day, though I still managed to get plenty of photos. This recent day was overcast with low haze, making scenic shots very unpleasant.
Just before taking the turn for the road leading to a place to park, we stopped at a spot down by the river and did a search there. I was thrilled to bits to find three or four Western Tent Caterpillars on a plant next to a large rock and thought what a way to start the day. After taking a few photos, I walked round to the other side of the rock and noticed what almost looked like a circular patch of lichen growing on the rock surface. A closer look revealed a mass of dozens of these caterpillars, with several others climbing up in single file to join the rest. Still makes me itch all over, just thinking about it, lol! Their "tent" was barely visible just below them on the rock.
Another highlight of the day for me was when I happened to notice a tiny spot of bright red deep inside a distant Early Yellow Locoweed flower. I zoomed in for a photo and thought it looked like it might be a Ladybug. Couldn't count the spots properly, so I very gently parted the petals to get a better look. Unfortunately, it crawled on to my hand and wouldn't return to a petal until after I had taken two or three macro shots, and then it immediately moved out of sight. I was so happy to find that it was a different kind of Ladybug, though I had seen one a few years ago - a Convergent Ladybug.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippodamia_convergens
Part way through the day, I stayed behind while the rest of the group climbed to a higher ridge, and I explored the lower ground. It was a place where I knew I wouldn't get lost - but I did have to wait till at least some of the others returned a few hours (?) later, as others were needed to create an opening to climb though the barbed-wire fence again : ) I found plenty to photograph and it was quite a feeling to be so high up with such an amazing view all around, and to be alone up there. While I sat to eat lunch on a rocky outcrop with a couple of trees, a tiny Clay-coloured Sparrow came to visit a couple of times and sing for me. Also, there were maybe half a dozen Brewer's Blackbirds that stayed around the area for much of the time, flying or perched on low bushes. A truly magical time.
The rest of the group had a great time, too, and saw Parry's Townsendia flowers and lots of Balsamroot in bloom. Fortunately, I had seen the Townsendia before on a brutal hike to Picklejar Lakes several years ago. Two years ago, I had also seen hillsides at the Whaleback covered in the bright yellow Balsamroot flowers. I did manage to find several plants huddled together lower down, so was happy to get a few photos of these bright and cheery flowers. As usual, their large leaves and beautiful flowers had been well-nibbled by the caterpillars that live on them.
Altogether, a wonderful day in an incredibly beautiful place with great company! Many thanks, Robin and Cedric, for giving me a ride there and back - appreciated it SO much! And Sandy, if you happen to read this, I guess I have to thank you for not letting me know that you wouldn't be going, lol!
Agoseris aurantiaca 'Orange False-dandelion', This native flower is confined to the alpine areas of Alberta. Composite Family, Asteraceae, Picklejar Lakes Trail at about 7000 ft., Kananaskis Country, 5100August_06__2010
............which should be taking place tomorrow but sadly it's been cancelled. "However, this is Wake Week and around this date the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance has been taking place since 1500 or some date a long time ago............... and you should have horns on your head."
We are to be given extra points for other things on our heads.
The We're Here group members are joining the
That is Not a Hat group today.
Procreate art mash: barn, orangutan, pickle jar
Doesn’t look much like Grant Wood's "American Gothic" any more but reminds me of a project in Toledo one summer & we stayed in an apartment on Pickle Road, surrounded by pickle farms. It was magical. Even after blowing out the bottoms of my feet from stress-bracing them on the bottom of a slippery hydraulic bucket-lift, 25 feet in the air.