Backlit birch leaf in winter. Taken in Halfmoon Lake Natural Area.
Winter Birch Leaf
Category: Photo of the Day
Patterns in Grass
Grass texture near Hasse Lake.
Balsam Poplar at Beaverhill Lake
I’m taking one university class this winter, and I’m getting pretty excited about it. After getting half way through a design degree I’m switching gears completely and taking “Wildlife Biodiversity and Ecology”. Should be very interesting in a completely different way. This is possibly an explanation for my renewed interest in correctly naming trees and animals in my posts. I’d love to know all this stuff thoroughly.
I grew up differentiating poplars between white poplars (what I now know is trembling aspen – white poplar is actually a completely different tree from Europe) and black poplars (a kind of balsam poplar). Not sure if these were local names from Saskatchewan or mistakes. Anyway, these are a kind of balsam poplar near Beaverhill Lake. Not sure if they’re Ontario Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera) or Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa).
Columbian Ground Squirrel
I found this cute columbian ground squirrel in Sunshine Meadows in Banff National Park. They’re super tame in the parks, which is cool for taking pictures, but a little disturbing too. I think it was looking for a handout.
You can’t see it very well in this picture, but this guy has some serious claws. I’ll just happily continue assuming they’re for digging.
Blue Green Mountain Lake
Here’s a pleasantly bright respite from the winter blues.
I’ve enjoyed this tour through past photos but I’m looking forward to moving on. I’ve been working full time at McBain through December and I’m really looking forward to January when I should have time to get outside and get some new material up here. I have lots of projects I’m eager to work on, and I’ll share them here as they progress.
Mysteries
Once things are discovered they lose some of their allure. With the imagination there are so many more possibilities.
Blackened Tree Trunk
Taken after a forest fire in Astotin Natural Area.
Merry Christmas!
I won’t be posting a picture for the next couple days, but here is a December sunset to tide you over. Taken on the trails at Chickakoo Lake. Hope you all have a great holiday!
Patterns Created by Erosion
Taken in the Red Deer River valley.
Old House, Young Aspen
I think the whole reason I like this photo, and what brings it all together, is the yellow glow. Without that it is such a dark and weary scene, but the yellow seems to add some depth and some hope.
