A surprise on the trail - a Tomato hornworm
Rural decay
Gottlob Schmidt's Antelope Hill Ranch
Purple Prairie Clover
Juvenile Swainson's Hawk
Little red cabin
Shakin' all over
White Evening Primrose / Oenothera caespitosa
Mature age in the world of fungi
Osprey family in the city
A well-decorated fence
White Prairie Clover / Dalea candida
Alsike Clover / Trifolium hybridum
The 'Sickener' / Russula emetica
Fading into the distance
Splash of colour on a rainy day
Two of a kind
Red-belted Polypore with guttation droplets
Scabious growing in the wild
Poisonous Brown-Eyed Parasol / Lepiota helveola
Slime mold
Northern Gentian
Happiness is .....
Strange, tall-stalked fungus
Memorial Rose for Carl Handfield
Homestead remnants
Large, fat-stalked mushroom
Now they can't see me
Fly Agaric / Amanita muscaria
Osprey take-off
Strawberries and cream fungus / Hydnellum peckii
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Paintbrush - green flowers, red bracts
Mt Lorette Ponds, Kananaskis
Wind-blown Osprey
Unidentified fungus
Yellow Owl's-clover / Orthocarpus luteus
Treasures of the forest floor
Gaillardia with little visitor
Slightly patterned
Thistles galore
A joy to behold
Beauty in the forest
Strawberries and Cream fungus / Hydnellum peckii
Don't call me 'Gopher'
Green jelly mass on Buller Pond
Above the tree line
Unexpected closeness
A view from Mt. Shark
Pine Siskin at Jackie's
Swainson's Hawk on an early morning hunt
Tiny Hummingbird at Highwood House
Female Spruce Grouse with one of her young
The cutest little furball
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Mt. Buller, Buller Pond, Kananaskis
Bighorn Sheep - she's a beauty
A bright splash of blue in August
Northern Willowherb / Epilobium ciliatum
Young Spruce Grouse
Northern Gentian
A gathering of female Bighorn Sheep
One of my favourite meadows
A highlight from yesterday - Amanita muscaria
Antelope Hill Provincial Park
Old cabin on Gottlob Schmidt's (Schmitty's) land
Swainson's Hawk in flight
Western Kingbird
Swainson's Hawk
Mariposa Lily
American Kestrel
Upland Sandpiper
Bright and cheery in its old age
Hiding in the Canola field
01 Middle Lake, Bow Valley Provincial Park
02 Colourful Dock sp.
Little mystery bird - juvenile Yellow-rumped Warbl…
Checkerspot sp.
Swainson's Hawk
Thimbleberry / Rubus parviflorus
Brown-headed Cowbird juvenile
Kirkpatrick elevator, near Drumheller
Roadside wild sunflowers
Juvenile Horned Lark
Bear Grass / Xerophyllum tenax
Yellow and blue
Beautiful old house in the hills
Black-crowned Night-heron
Landscape colours
Once a family home
Layers of colour
Marbled Godwit / Limosa fedoa
Is this what I think it is? Yes, a Ferruginous Ha…
The Grad Barn 2016
Upland Sandpiper / Bartramia longicauda
Black-crowned Night-heron
Sticky Purple Geranium / Geranium viscosissimum
Mountain Bluebird fledgling
Blue Lettuce / Lactuca tatarica
Hawk in Fish Creek Park - juvenile Northern Goshaw…
The difference the sun makes
White-crowned Sparrow / Zonotrichia leucophrys
Orange False Dandelion / Agoseris aurantiaca
Columbian Ground Squirrel collecting nest material
Prince of Wales hotel, Waterton
Bracted Honeysuckle / Lonicera involucrata
The reward for getting up early
Paintbush, with a visiting Crab Spider
Lazuli Bunting - just for the record
Challenges of a photographer
Stately Bear Grass
The youngest bear cub I have ever seen
Wildflowers galore at the Bison Paddock
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
A delicate shade of pink
Pinedrops / Pterospora - rare, Listed S2
One mighty beast, Bison Paddock, Waterton N P
Waterton Lakes National Park
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178 visits
Old glass doorknob
Generosity comes in all shapes and sizes. Two days ago, on 30 July 2016, six of us from Calgary had the honour of meeting a 92-year-old gentleman who has lived most of his long life on a huge area (380 hectares, 939 acres) of beautiful land near Hanna, Alberta. Though Gottlob Schmidt (known as Schmitty) has now moved into town (Hanna), he is not far from his beloved land and still loves to spend a lot of time there. My friends and I understand why. This untouched land is not only beautiful to the eye, with its undulating hills with small, scattered pockets of woodland, but it also hides all sorts of natural treasures, including the wildlife that enjoys this native grassland. There are so few areas of native grassland left in Alberta, so each one is very precious. Schmitty told us that he has never seen his land looking so green! Perhaps not too surprising, as we have had so much rain recently, often accompanied by thunderstorms. In fact, the rain started on our return journey to Calgary and I was driving from our meeting place back to my house in torrential rain. I found a good scattering of small hailstones covering my lawn, too.
This is where the word 'generosity' comes in. Two years ago, Schmitty donated all his land to Alberta Parks, along with certain strict regulations (listed at a link below) on how the land was to be maintained. He was very warmly recognized for his extreme generosity. The Park is known as Antelope Hill Provincial Park and, when Schmitty is no longer able to visit and enjoy his old, family homestead, the Park will be opened to the public. For now, it remains his own, private property.
The highlight for us was meeting Schmitty himself. I can only hope that I might be lucky enough to be in half his shape if I ever reached that age! It was an absolute delight to spend a little time with this man with the big heart when we first arrived and again later in the day, when it was time for us to head back to Calgary. We also got to meet Schmitty's good neighbours, Donna and Ken.
www.albertaparks.ca/media/5788002/antelope-hill-pp-fact-s...
calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/you-can-thank-this-man-...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIVVBdkoUVY&feature=youtu.be
My friends (specialists in mosses, lichens and liverworts and other things) and I, were given permission to spend the day there, to list all our findings. Our time was spent climbing one main hill and walking part way around it, calling in at several of the small areas of woodland.
One of the highlights for me yesterday was seeing a patch of Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) mushrooms. They were at various stages - for me, the earlier stage is the most exciting, when the mushroom has a round 'ball' cap, speckled with white flecks. It is quite rare that we come across one of these, and it is so exciting and such a treat when we do! They are so beautiful and amazing. Of course, it's just a "fungi nut" talking, ha. They are so attractive but also poisonous!
"A large conspicuous mushroom, Amanita muscaria is generally common and numerous where it grows, and is often found in groups with basidiocarps in all stages of development. Fly agaric fruiting bodies emerge from the soil looking like a white egg, covered in the white warty material of the universal veil... Amanita muscaria poisoning occurs in either young children or people ingesting it to have a hallucinogenic experience... A fatal dose has been calculated at an amount of 15 caps. Deaths from this fungus A. muscaria have been reported in historical journal articles and newspaper reports. However, with modern medical treatment a fatal outcome because of the poison of this mushroom would be extremely rare."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria
Various plants were good to see, too, including about four Prairie Crocuses that were still in bloom. I hadn't seen Skeletonweed for a long time, but there were quite a few small clusters of it. A new plant to me was a tall one with white flowers, that I still need to identify properly. The occasional gorgeous wild Rose made a bright splash of colour.
On our return walk back to the cars, I suddenly spotted a huge, green caterpillar on the trail. I hadn't seen one of these for many years. I think it's some kind of Sphinx Moth caterpillar, but I was none the wiser after a quick Google search last night - need to try again. The horn is at the tail end, and the head end was trying to burrow into the soil.
Of course, for me, any visit to a ranch would not be complete without wandering by any old barn/shed/cabin. I liked the texture of old, weathered walls, and the old, glass doorknob on one of the sheds, seen in this image.
"There once was a time — 80 or so years ago — when multifaceted glass doorknobs with mirrored star-burst centers were standard issue in new homes. Today, they are mined like diamonds at salvage yards and flea markets. Unlike the flimsy "builder's special" models now sold at he corner hardware store, glass knobs from the first half of the 20th century were made to last, mounted in steel or brass shanks, as opposed to the brittle metal alloy and plastic ones used now, says Brad Kittel, president of the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America. Their enduring craftsmanship and design — and their ability to work with most modern locksets — have earned them preferential status among owners of old and new houses alike." From thisoldhouse website.
www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1110478,00.html
After a few hours of exploration, the only things that we were so happy and relieved to leave behind were the mosquitoes! Never had I seen so many of them - the air was filled with these tiny, blood-sucking insects that followed us every step of the way!
Thanks so much, Heide, for driving Sandy and myself all the way out there - about a two and three-quarter hour drive. Much of the distance was on the same roads that I had driven last week with my daughter, but this was the first time I had ever been as far as Hanna and just beyond. Hanna now has a Tim Horton's, opened around three months ago : ) Thanks, Heide, too, for trying to find the old railway roundhouse - unfortunate that there was too much construction in the area, so one can't get to the roundhouse. And thank you so much, Peter, for arranging and organizing this wonderful trip! Most importantly of all, our thanks to Schmitty, who so kindly allowed us to share the special land that he has called home for so many decades. Our thanks for allowing us to spend the day there and, even more importantly, thank you for your great gift to all Albertans, with your incredibly generous donation of Antelope Hill Provincial Park.
This is where the word 'generosity' comes in. Two years ago, Schmitty donated all his land to Alberta Parks, along with certain strict regulations (listed at a link below) on how the land was to be maintained. He was very warmly recognized for his extreme generosity. The Park is known as Antelope Hill Provincial Park and, when Schmitty is no longer able to visit and enjoy his old, family homestead, the Park will be opened to the public. For now, it remains his own, private property.
The highlight for us was meeting Schmitty himself. I can only hope that I might be lucky enough to be in half his shape if I ever reached that age! It was an absolute delight to spend a little time with this man with the big heart when we first arrived and again later in the day, when it was time for us to head back to Calgary. We also got to meet Schmitty's good neighbours, Donna and Ken.
www.albertaparks.ca/media/5788002/antelope-hill-pp-fact-s...
calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/you-can-thank-this-man-...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIVVBdkoUVY&feature=youtu.be
My friends (specialists in mosses, lichens and liverworts and other things) and I, were given permission to spend the day there, to list all our findings. Our time was spent climbing one main hill and walking part way around it, calling in at several of the small areas of woodland.
One of the highlights for me yesterday was seeing a patch of Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) mushrooms. They were at various stages - for me, the earlier stage is the most exciting, when the mushroom has a round 'ball' cap, speckled with white flecks. It is quite rare that we come across one of these, and it is so exciting and such a treat when we do! They are so beautiful and amazing. Of course, it's just a "fungi nut" talking, ha. They are so attractive but also poisonous!
"A large conspicuous mushroom, Amanita muscaria is generally common and numerous where it grows, and is often found in groups with basidiocarps in all stages of development. Fly agaric fruiting bodies emerge from the soil looking like a white egg, covered in the white warty material of the universal veil... Amanita muscaria poisoning occurs in either young children or people ingesting it to have a hallucinogenic experience... A fatal dose has been calculated at an amount of 15 caps. Deaths from this fungus A. muscaria have been reported in historical journal articles and newspaper reports. However, with modern medical treatment a fatal outcome because of the poison of this mushroom would be extremely rare."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria
Various plants were good to see, too, including about four Prairie Crocuses that were still in bloom. I hadn't seen Skeletonweed for a long time, but there were quite a few small clusters of it. A new plant to me was a tall one with white flowers, that I still need to identify properly. The occasional gorgeous wild Rose made a bright splash of colour.
On our return walk back to the cars, I suddenly spotted a huge, green caterpillar on the trail. I hadn't seen one of these for many years. I think it's some kind of Sphinx Moth caterpillar, but I was none the wiser after a quick Google search last night - need to try again. The horn is at the tail end, and the head end was trying to burrow into the soil.
Of course, for me, any visit to a ranch would not be complete without wandering by any old barn/shed/cabin. I liked the texture of old, weathered walls, and the old, glass doorknob on one of the sheds, seen in this image.
"There once was a time — 80 or so years ago — when multifaceted glass doorknobs with mirrored star-burst centers were standard issue in new homes. Today, they are mined like diamonds at salvage yards and flea markets. Unlike the flimsy "builder's special" models now sold at he corner hardware store, glass knobs from the first half of the 20th century were made to last, mounted in steel or brass shanks, as opposed to the brittle metal alloy and plastic ones used now, says Brad Kittel, president of the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America. Their enduring craftsmanship and design — and their ability to work with most modern locksets — have earned them preferential status among owners of old and new houses alike." From thisoldhouse website.
www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1110478,00.html
After a few hours of exploration, the only things that we were so happy and relieved to leave behind were the mosquitoes! Never had I seen so many of them - the air was filled with these tiny, blood-sucking insects that followed us every step of the way!
Thanks so much, Heide, for driving Sandy and myself all the way out there - about a two and three-quarter hour drive. Much of the distance was on the same roads that I had driven last week with my daughter, but this was the first time I had ever been as far as Hanna and just beyond. Hanna now has a Tim Horton's, opened around three months ago : ) Thanks, Heide, too, for trying to find the old railway roundhouse - unfortunate that there was too much construction in the area, so one can't get to the roundhouse. And thank you so much, Peter, for arranging and organizing this wonderful trip! Most importantly of all, our thanks to Schmitty, who so kindly allowed us to share the special land that he has called home for so many decades. Our thanks for allowing us to spend the day there and, even more importantly, thank you for your great gift to all Albertans, with your incredibly generous donation of Antelope Hill Provincial Park.
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