Good-bye to April

It is the last day of April,2015.The good news is that,God willing,another day will dawn tomorrow and we can start all over again.May means that summer is that much closer and in my part of the world,the flowers will soon be in full bloom.

To bid farewell to April,I want to show you a sunset,as I witnessed it over-looking Lake Minniwasta.

At first it looked like the sunset would not be all that great.A heavy band of clouds covered the sun.

I still liked the way the lake looked.

As the sun dropped lower,it reappeared below the clouds and now the lake turned a soft shade of purple.

I sat there and waited,for that is what one must do to get those wonderful sunset photos.

The water had,by now changed color again.The orange glow caused the lake to have this gorgeous,rich orange tone to it.

Watching as the sun dropped even lower,it made a golden path across the lake.At just the right moment three Common Loons swam through this area.As an added bonus,I heard them calling in that  beautiful,almost mournful call.I did'nt think the evening could be any better.

One final picture before the sun dropped below the horizon.I am very pleased with how this one turned out.The clouds painted a lovely scene in the sky.

An evening that at first didn't look like it would yield much beauty,turned out to be spectacular.

I do believe I have used this quote before,but it seems to be appropriate for this post.

A birth certificate shows we were born,

A death certificate shows we died,

But photographs show we lived.

Mostly Birds

I have a few images from early in spring,so I had better share them before we get too far along in this season.Spring is an exciting time,with all the new birds arriving and then later the new growth.

The first thunderstorm of the season gave me a chance to capture some of my favourite scenes. Clouds and sky.

On my yard,the first new birds to arrive are usually the Dark-eyed Juncos.I love to hear their cheerful twittering and also to watch their interaction with each other.It seems that they spend more time chasing each other away then they do eating.

Just because I like these little birds,here is another picture of one of them. Sorry for the shadow across it's body.

Once the ice has melted the Canada Geese get busy preparing for nesting. This looks like an odd couple to me.The lead goose is noticeably larger than the other one,yet they seemed to be a pair.

These two have claimed one of the straw bales for their home.On a side note,I was at the same marsh on Sunday,April 26,and several bales obviously have geese nesting on them.

Earlier in spring it was not uncommon to see Bald Eagles around,but by now they have headed elsewhere to start the nesting process.These two,an adult and an immature Bald Eagle were hanging out near a place where there are often food scraps on the fields.

I close this post with one of my photos and an added Bible verse.

The Raptor Festival

On April 11,2015,I attended a Raptor Festival in a small community,called La Riviere. This little town is located about a 30 minute drive west of where I live. La Riviere is better know for it's downhill skiing in winter.People come from far and near to use the carefully groomed slopes,of the sloping hills,which surround this town.
The day of the Raptor Festival the population of this town more than doubled,when over 500 people came to attend the festival.

This is part of the street scene,showing the cars parked along the sides. I was there early and had a hard time finding a parking spot.

All the attention was focused on the live raptors which were on display.Birds like this Swainson's Hawk were injured in the wild then brought to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.Many of the injured birds can be returned to the wild,but this particular bird only had one eye,so would not be able to judge distance and therefore was better in captivity and used to teach us about raptors.

This is a Barn Owl.I do not remember the story behind this bird,but he sure was willing to pose for photos.

A Great Horned Owl was another one of the captive birds on display.This particular owl seemed to enjoy being with people.

Look at the talons.I would not want to be at the receiving end of them.Seeing these birds in this way gives us a better perspective of just how well adapted they are for survival.No mouse or vole has a chance against talons like that.

Next door to the festival site was a small playground and Kai took advantage of that.She was not aware that I took this shot.I'm not sure what she was engrossed in,but I do know she had a good time at the festival.

On the way home,I came across this long line of tanker cars and just had to get a picture.The fact that Jake loved his trains is so deeply ingrained in me that when I see something like this I must stop and get a shot or two.

 The following quote has nothing to do with the rest of the post,but I liked it.

Always believe in God,Because there are some things that even Google can't answer.

Out For a Drive

I spend a lot of time driving around the countryside,looking for photo opportunities.

I know I won't be finding many pictures while sitting in my house.

 I have often mentioned the Kaleida marshes and that is often my destination.Spring brings the geese,ducks and gulls.Well this day there were only a few Canada Geese.

The powers that be put these round straw bales on the frozen marsh and they then provide nesting and roosting places for the waterfowl.I happened to like the bale reflected in the,still partially frozen marsh.

Don't ask me why,but I happen to like this setting. The blue water and sky,the straw bale and a few geese taking off.

These two had much to say. Wish I could understand goose language. :)

I'm thinking she was probably telling him to take a cold shower.

When the geese have enough of me and my camera,this is all I get to see. I sure hope they had on winter 'tires',because the water was still in solid form.

Driving along a little further I came upon a farm. Usually there is not much activity there,but on this occasion I was in for a treat. There were several lambs and mamas in the fence,which caught my attention. Before too long,a little girl all dressed in pink came running towards the road.Following closely on her heels was this little lamb.Made me think of 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'. I think this one would have followed her wherever she went. Is that not the cutest thing ever?

Just a thought:

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.

First Thunderstorm of 2015

On March 30th,we had our first thunderstorm of the year. It seems very early,but the thunder sounded good and at least some areas got a refreshing rain,not to mention that it also gave some great photo opportunities.

I needed to go to a meeting,but left a little earlier and took this opportunity to get some sky shots.

The dark sky,and it was really that dark,the evening sun on the trees and field and the rainbow, all combined to give a pleasing image.

The rainbow was not very bright but it sure was pretty.

Maybe others don't get excited at a scene like this,but I sure do. I love the contrasting colors.

As the clouds moved on towards the east,the scene changed but it still was lovely. Yes that little white spot in the top centre of the picture is the moon.

 The variety of scenes in the clouds is just amazing. Make sure you take the time to watch the clouds.

A word of advice:

Miss no opportunity to spend time with others,even if it's only a few minutes to chat.

Their love enriches your life,as your love enriches theirs.

Looking For Treasures

On March 29,I had planned to head to the Pembina Valley right after church.Steve found out about this and he and Kai decided to join me.What a treat that was for me!

With Steve driving,we found some more out of the way places to photograph.

This is one of those hidden places that I really must get back to when things have greened up some.

While Steve was busy getting pictures of an old building on one side of the road,I captured this scene on the other side. This building has not been in use for a very long time.The puffy clouds in that blue sky are what make the picture for me.

The next stop was at the Hawkwatch location and once again the sky was filled with clouds.Oh there were a few birds as well,but not many that were within camera range.

This picture is not totally sharp,but I still like it. They were not aware that I was taking a picture.I love to see father and daughter enjoying their time together.

A little further down the road is what we commonly refer to as 'the shale cut'. The birders who frequent this valley all know where this is .This can be a wonderful spot to watch and photograph the migrating raptors,but the key is that,first there need to birds and second they need to be flying over this area. None of those things were happening that day,but Kai had a good time climbing and looking for treasures.

I didn't come home with prize winning photos of birds,but it was a successful day for other reasons. I love spending time with my family and making memories as we go.

Think about it:

A smile costs nothing but gives much. It takes but a moment,and the memory of it sometimes lasts a lifetime.

Wonderful Grace Of Jesus

Happy Easter to each one reading this post.

Today I thank God for the wonderful grace He has extended to you and to me.

Since this is a photo blog,I am including some photos but for today the emphasis is on the words.

 Wonderful grace of Jesus,

Greater than all my sin;

How shall my tongue describe it,

Where shall its praise begin?

Taking away my burden,

Setting my spirit free;

For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

 Refrain:

1. • Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
     Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
     Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
     All-sufficient grace for even me!
     Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
     Greater far than all my sin and shame;
     Oh, magnify the precious Name of Jesus,
     Praise His Name!

1. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
   Reaching to all the lost,
   By it I have been pardoned,
   Saved to the uttermost;
   Chains have been torn asunder,
   Giving me liberty;
   For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

1. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
   Reaching the most defiled,
   By its transforming power,
   Making him God’s dear child,
   Purchasing peace and heaven
   For all eternity—
   And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
   Written by :Haldor Lillenas, 1918

Here is Legacy Five singing this song.

Memories of Summer 2014

The weather is slowly warming up and I am getting some new pictures,but for now I will choose to look back on the past summer.

As you all know,I love visiting The English Gardens in Winnipeg,so that is where we are going,once again,today.

On a warm sunny afternoon,this froggy was enjoying his private lily pad.Come to think of it,it was likely not that private,because I as well as many others were watching him.

The Monarch Butterflies,love this plant. It seems that the Monarchs are declining,as I am definitely seeing less of them,so each sighting is a special one.

Can't you just feel the warmth of the sun in this shot?Maybe,it's only me,as I know how warm it was that day. I do love this plant and how it attracts the butterflies and other insects.It happens to photograph well,too.

I love all flowers,from the multi petaled ones to the simple ones. This rose is somewhere in between.I am always attracted to the roses,good thing too, that it is the flower of my birthday month.

Here is a simple flower,but one that hold so much beauty. This is a variant of the Purple Coneflower or Echinacea. These flowers are sturdy and don't require a lot of attention,but they also attract many insects.

On this first day of April,I hope you enjoyed this quick walk through the English Gardens.I am sure we will do it again and perhaps many times over.

A new month means we have a chance to start over again.

In a few short days we will be celebrating the most wonderful day on the Christian calendar,the day Christ arose victorious over death.